Can anyone explain why we didn't go for 2 on our TD?

Submitted by Mr. Elbel on
I'm absolutely dumbfounded by the call to settle for a PAT. I get that we had plenty of time and expected to score again, but we also knew the big rain was coming and driving the field would be difficult later. I don't know where the wind was on the last play, but I feel like we were close to Nordin's range and would have had a better shot at tying than the Hail Mary. Even outside of the last play, the playcalling changes when you only need a field goal late. Nordin is a weapon and we purposefully took him out of the game. No guarantee we get a 2 point conversion, but I just can't think of a reason to not go for it. It seemed so obvious to me in the moment but was really taken aback at the call for the PAT there. Anyone have an explanation?
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sportzfan81

October 8th, 2017 at 9:22 AM ^

In OP scenario if they had gone for two and failed...they would be down 5....score another TD and be up 1 and go for 2 again. I'm not saying they should have gone for two after the 3rd quarter TD, but i too was thinking it would have been the correct play. Then again I don't make $10M a year and have to answer media questions about every decision I make so either way. Hindsight is Undefeated. Go Blue!!!!

Joined: 05/20/2011

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Rick Grimes

October 8th, 2017 at 9:16 AM ^

I truly believe the staff thought it was too early to go for 2. I don't think they properly assessed the impact the weather would have. The plan stayed the same because they prepared no alternative to it.

Joined: 03/29/2014

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SiKa7x

October 8th, 2017 at 9:46 AM ^

It just seems like hes gotten incredibly soft since his first year. We never see the fire on the sideline and i know the players loved that. Makes me think of Peppers tapping him on the shoulder during one of his freak outs

Joined: 10/04/2012

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ajchien

October 8th, 2017 at 3:58 PM ^

yes, can someone with better knowledge comment? I know there are new rules with unsportsmanlike penalties specifically aimed at coaches who are demonstrative on the sidelines. Does anyone know the specifics of the new rules? Edit: my brief internet search suggests that coaches can't walk onto the field of play unless invited by the officials, and they can now be ejected from the game for protesting calls.

Joined: 10/12/2010

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UMxWolverines

October 8th, 2017 at 9:19 AM ^

I thought the same thing with the weather coming. It's a big what if, but you know, with a monsoon coming a field goal is gonna be easier to get than driving all the way down the field. Whatever. We probably would have fumbled the snap or missed or something anyway.

Joined: 03/01/2009

MGoPoints: 65446

sum1valiant

October 8th, 2017 at 9:45 AM ^

or picked up the fumbled snap, overthrown a wide open receiver whilst running for his life, landing directly in the chest of the opposition, which would then have been returned for a td the other way. In the press conference after the game, we would have been told that we are no longer starting anyone on the right side of the line, instead opting for a 7-wide set from which we will only be throwing fades to McDoom

Joined: 09/01/2009

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Gentleman Squirrels

October 8th, 2017 at 9:37 AM ^

Because we weren't very good for 7 years of that time and we are supposed to be good under Harbaugh. Because OSU is in a class above ours so it's moot to talk about beating them if we can't stop sabotaging ourselves and beat an average Michigan State squad. Because bowl games, while good for a record and national prestige, don't mean all that much unless you're playing for the championship. And we can't play for a national championship because, coming full circle, we couldn't beat an average Michigan State squad and we don't have an offense to speak of.

Joined: 06/03/2014

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Mitch Cumstein

October 8th, 2017 at 9:24 AM ^

I think the staff massively underestimated the impact of the weather on the ability to play in the 2nd half. They almost ignored the fact that there was driving rain in their play calling. It's consistent with not going for two, and ultimately was the reason we lost the game.

Joined: 10/02/2009

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backusduo

October 8th, 2017 at 9:37 AM ^

Hindsight is always 20/20, but of all the failings of the coaching staff this is not one of them. We aren't playing Madden where you go for two every time and make it most the time to even things out. Second question. If you doubt there ability to manage the practical pieces of the game, what great play call did you see on the night that they could have gone back to, to even score the two. In short you kick the PA.

Joined: 12/18/2008

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Mr. Elbel

October 8th, 2017 at 9:44 AM ^

If you can't get 2 yards how do you expect to score another TD later? I didn't see much positive from the playcalling either, but this wasn't a Madden thing. This was a "you know this is about to get stormy and ugly" thing. Get the points when you can when your offense is struggling.

Joined: 03/02/2014

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jmblue

October 8th, 2017 at 9:40 AM ^

Going for 2 is about a 40-45% proposition while the PAT is about 95% (maybe greater with Nordin).  It was too early in the game to take that gamble.

Joined: 11/07/2008

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J.

October 8th, 2017 at 9:46 AM ^

Going for 2 was probably more like a 15% chance.  I thought the same thing at the time, but they could barely get the one yard they needed for the touchdown, let alone three yards for a conversion.

Speaking of that, though, can someone who watched from home please tell me that there was some replay angle that suggested the touchdown pass wasn't a touchdown pass?  The only replay they showed in the stadium made it seem pretty clear that the receiver landed with the ball in the end zone.

The extra few seconds -- and extra minute and a half of non-downpour -- might have mattered, although that's no excuse for losing a game in which you gave up 14 points.

Joined: 03/11/2012

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jmblue

October 8th, 2017 at 9:51 AM ^

Yeah, I could not figure out at all how they could have found indisputable evidence to overturn that.

In hindsight I wish we actually would have had a lightning delay to let the storm pass over and play the 4th quarter in clear condtions, instead of having just one minute of gametime at the end when it wasn't pouring.

Joined: 11/07/2008

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MaizeAndBlueWahoo

October 8th, 2017 at 10:05 AM ^

Eh.....the pylon cam made it actually pretty clear.  Once Perry's butt hit the ground, his body was in such a position that there's really no way the ball could've been over the line.

You couldn't see the ball itself, so if someone wanted to say it wasn't indisputable evidence, that argument exists, but the way his body was positioned, the ball would've had to be squeezed in between a couple vertebrae in order to break the plane.

Joined: 07/02/2008

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RockinLoud

October 8th, 2017 at 9:46 AM ^

Because there was still a lot of time left.

I fully believe if not for the torrential downpour for most of the 2nd half we win that game. Only chance we had was throwing the ball down the field, which was adittedly mediocre to begin with, but they were starting to put it together when the rain started. We all saw how that went from there on out.

Joined: 10/12/2008

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TNWolverine

October 8th, 2017 at 9:50 AM ^

I would also like to know what the thinking was behind the plays calls on 2nd and 7 and 3rd and 7 on the drive where we got the field goal. We were driving, then we attempted two jump balls in the end zone back to back. It was like we just said fuck it and settled for the fg.

Joined: 10/26/2010

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J.

October 8th, 2017 at 10:01 AM ^

That was intensely frustrating -- especially the second one, as it seemed to be a one-man route.  (At least, I hope it was, because the receiver wasn't open at all).  It was 3rd and 7 from the 11 and they played like it was 3rd and goal.

Joined: 03/11/2012

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bluinohio

October 8th, 2017 at 10:17 AM ^

As soon as the ncaa changes the rules and allows catches out of bounds to count, we are going to be unstoppable. Our QBs are the best at throwing that one.

Joined: 08/24/2015

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