coin toss/deferring

[handcrafted]

One of you people please enlighten me as to why, in the NFL, teams always choose to receive when they win the toss, but in college ball 99% of the time the team defers to the 2nd half.

[Soonerus]

A session at the coaching convention suggest that for colleges while pro's have a different view..

[critical_phil]

that's a retarded ****ing response.

[Newbomb Turk]

that's a retarded ****ing response.

and you expected...?

[critical_phil]

.not.....mu..ch.......


....dot...dotdotdot....

[Soonerus]

bawhahahahaha...

[tommieharris91]

[hairGel]THAT'S NOT TRUE!!!!

[handcrafted]

I see that you people are useless tonight.

After digging around wikipedia I think I found out the dealio: deferring isn't allowed in the NFL.

So there. :P

[Frozen Sooner]

Really? Wow. I did not know that.

[85sooners]

:D

[Horns 72]

My dad was a coach and he always deferred, preferring not to receive at the first of the game. He just thought it helped to "get the nerves out" when his team got to go pop someone right off the bat.

[Will]

I think also it had to do with field position but since the college kick offs got moved back more teams elect to recieve this year possibly?

[Crucifax Autumn]

I don't know about all the Dads and coaches out there, but I would alwayd defer if I was making the choice. It's just way to often that coming out on defense to open the second half ends up being a bad thing.

[goingoneight]

If that's was the rule in CFB... I'd say... "you take it first" at midfield.

[KsSooner]

Back in the 70's most college teams did want the ball first. I do not know if OU was the first but they made it a habit of being on defense first because they had the Selmons and knew they would stop the opposing team and get good field position.
I remember the announcers always seemed surprised that OU didn't want ball. Pretty soon more teams saw the advantage of going on defense first and it has evolved from there.

[humblesooner]

Back in the 70's most college teams did want the ball first. I do not know if OU was the first but they made it a habit of being on defense first because they had the Selmons and knew they would stop the opposing team and get good field position.
I remember the announcers always seemed surprised that OU didn't want ball. Pretty soon more teams saw the advantage of going on defense first and it has evolved from there.

This was predominantly true with Switzer when the wind was a factor.
He always liked to have the wind in the 4th quarter.

[swardboy]

This was predominantly true with Switzer when the wind was a factor.
He always liked to have the wind in the 4th quarter.

Yeah, that high-powered passing offense of his......go figure

[Soonermagik]

I would always defer because you get a chance of getting the ball back in the second half which can raise morale.

Plus, if you are beating someone 21-7 at half and come out and score a touchdown 28-7 is pretty demoralizing.

[Mr T Likes Texas]

by receiving in the second half, your odds of having a higher possession ratio in that half go up. you never know when you need the last possession of a game.

[rhombic21]

It all has to do with the kickoffs. In the NFL they kick off from the 30, wheareas in college football they used to kickoff from the 35. As everybody knows, they changed it this year in college as well. Basically, with the kickoffs being from the 30, there are a lot fewer touchbacks, and teams can often get good starting position. I know that this year there have been several games when OU has averaged starting possession near the 35 yard line after kickoffs. Back when the kickoffs were from the 35, the starting field position was a lot worse, so a lot of coaches took the Switzer approach (kick, get a three and out, and start the game with great field position). Now that they've changed it, most teams in college take the ball to start the game.

[Crucifax Autumn]

I still say defer.