Stoops addresses decision to punt, 2-point try

[Seamus]

Oklahoma coach defends late punt in loss
2060


By JEFF LATZKE
AP College Football Writer

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — With the BCS standings in the back of his mind, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday he decided an against-the-odds comeback at Missouri over the weekend wasn’t worth risking a more lopsided loss.

Stoops stood by his decision to punt with less than 2 1/2 minutes remaining and the Sooners down nine points. The polls were on his mind at the time.

“That’s a part of it,” Stoops said, reiterating a position he first took a day earlier after practice. “I don’t know where it will lead, but I thought, ‘The guys have played hard here. We’re in this situation. It’s not where you want to be.’

“I’ve never done it before, but I thought, ‘You know what? There’s still a bunch of games to be played. Who knows what can happen?’ Heck, LSU got in it a few years ago with two losses, right? Some people don’t see the game, only look at the score, as they vote. Right or wrong, that’s what I did.”

The Sooners were down 36-27 and faced fourth-and-10 at their own 7-yard line, with no time-outs left, making their chances at a comeback slim. Punting the ball away was essentially a sign that Oklahoma was giving up.

Missouri got the ball, ran it three times and then punted. There were only 2 seconds left when Oklahoma got the ball back and the loss was assured.

Oklahoma fell to No. 11 in all three rankings, dropping seven spots in the Harris Poll and eight in The Associated Press poll and the coaches’ poll. The Harris and coaches polls make up two-thirds of the BCS standings, in which the Sooners went from first to ninth.

Stoops said it was also a factor that Oklahoma’s previous four possessions included two three-and-outs and an interception, to go along with a touchdown that followed a 77-yard kickoff return.

“I really thought about it, but with no time-outs and the situation, I just — like I said — I thought at this point, it was over,” Stoops said.

With the way the Sooners have been playing in the fourth quarter all season, Stoops had little reason for optimism. Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1 Big 12) has been outscored 67-30 in the final period, struggling to put away victories against Utah State, Cincinnati, Air Force and Texas.

On Saturday, the Sooners led 21-20 after three quarters but then gave up 16 straight points to the Tigers.

Landry Jones misfired on all seven of his fourth-quarter passes, including an interception, while the defense was getting gashed for 97 yards rushing and 192 yards overall. Oklahoma had the ball for only 1:45 and totaled 16 yards of offense.

“In the end, it’s frustrating because I know we’re capable of playing well through the game,” Stoops said. “When you play that well through three quarters, there’s no reason it should change when schemes and everything haven’t changed at that point in the game.”

Stoops said he would alter practice routines this week to have the offensive and defensive starters face one another more at the end of practice leading up to Saturday night’s game against Colorado (3-4, 0-3).

He also defended his decision to go for a 2-point conversion when trailing 36-27 with 6:06 to go, saying it was “not what the book says, but you’re in a bad position at that point.” The failed conversion let Missouri keep a two-possession lead.

“If you miss it late or you miss it then, either way you’re not going to win,” Stoops said. “And I felt maybe you get them not quite on point where they still have a little bit of a comfort zone, as opposed to the end of the game where they know they’ve got to have it.”

This week’s game will mark the last time Oklahoma faces Colorado before the Buffaloes enter what will become the Pac-12 next season. Stoops started out by saying he wished “things hadn’t changed” with Colorado and Nebraska both leaving the Big 12, then stopped himself.

“With that all being said, I’ll probably go back on it,” he said. “I never really liked going up there anyway.”

Stoops said he didn’t like the change in altitude and from the Central to Mountain time zone — and there wasn’t the same tradition that made up for a trip to Nebraska that was also difficult. Of course, his team also was upset 27-24 in its last visit to Boulder.

“You don’t like going on the road anywhere,” Stoops said. “The bottom line is we’re still going to play 12 games, and they’ll be good games.”

[StoopTroup]

Bob knows his Team better than anyone. That's pretty wild they got him to address that situation like he did.

So...were those hardball or softballs being lobbed?

[rainiersooner]

I know it's an unpopular decision, but at the time that was my thought exactly - a 9 point loss is better than a 16 point loss. On the other hand, this just reiterates for me the stupidity of the polling system.

[sooner59]

Sadly, this made me lose a bunch of respect for Bob. In the words of Herm Edwards, "YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!". He basically admitted he was beat with 2:23 left in the game and punted it to save face. I understand being concerned about the polls and bowls and what not, but that was the first decision Bob has ever made that just disgusted me.

We probably weren't going to march the length of the field in under 2 minutes while facing 4th and 15. But you aren't going to win if you don't try. I was hoping to see Broyles get open for a 22 yard reception to keep a comeback alive. Next thing I see is Way punting the ball. I had to take a shot and sit down and think about what I had just saw.

Don't get me wrong, I like Bob and wouldn't trade him or any other coach, and I hope he stays another 10-15 years if he wants to. But I will just never agree with that call, nor the reasoning behind it. And they just blasted Bob on PTI on ESPN for his explanation of this. Although they did agree he was still a top 5 coach, and Wilbon said top 3.

[cvsooner]

And punting it out to midfield and forcing a turnover is like a 50-yard gain.

But...sometimes you just tip your hat to your opponent, clearly you're beaten, and get out of there as fast as you can. It's the flip side of taking over on downs at the opponents' ten with a nine-point lead and taking a knee.

I'm glad I'm not a big time college football coach nowadays. I remember reading about a coach about, oh, 1938 or '39, who realized watching the film afterwards that his team, due to an official's error, 'won' the game. The other team should have won, and would have, if not for the ref's error.

He forfeited the game. Just imagine how he'd get pilloried today.

[rainiersooner]

Sadly, this made me lose a bunch of respect for Bob. In the words of Herm Edwards, "YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!". He basically admitted he was beat with 2:23 left in the game and punted it to save face. I understand being concerned about the polls and bowls and what not, but that was the first decision Bob has ever made that just disgusted me.

We probably weren't going to march the length of the field in under 2 minutes while facing 4th and 15. But you aren't going to win if you don't try. I was hoping to see Broyles get open for a 22 yard reception to keep a comeback alive. Next thing I see is Way punting the ball. I had to take a shot and sit down and think about what I had just saw.

Don't get me wrong, I like Bob and wouldn't trade him or any other coach, and I hope he stays another 10-15 years if he wants to. But I will just never agree with that call, nor the reasoning behind it. And they just blasted Bob on PTI on ESPN for his explanation of this. Although they did agree he was still a top 5 coach, and Wilbon said top 3.

But what exactly is it that we're trying to win? What is the "game"? Is the game just the 60 minutes played that day? Or is the game the season, and a chance to play in the MNC? While it is a hypothetical, and therefore cannot be proven one way or another, it certainly is a possibility that a 16 point loss could prevent us from playing in the national championship, whereas a 9 point loss might still give us an opportunity, based on voters' reactions. If that is true, then wouldn't giving up on the game to further the opportunity to play in the national championship actually be "playing to win"?

Andy Staples has a good write up on this in SI:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/andy_staples/10/26/bob-stoops-punt-bcs/index.html

[CatfishSooner]

makes me sad...

[Seamus]

But what exactly is it that we're trying to win? What is the "game"? Is the game just the 60 minutes played that day? Or is the game the season, and a chance to play in the MNC? While it is a hypothetical, and therefore cannot be proven one way or another, it certainly is a possibility that a 16 point loss could prevent us from playing in the national championship, whereas a 9 point loss might still give us an opportunity, based on voters' reactions. If that is true, then wouldn't giving up on the game to further the opportunity to play in the national championship actually be "playing to win"?

Andy Staples has a good write up on this in SI:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/andy_staples/10/26/bob-stoops-punt-bcs/index.html

That's why I not only didn't lose respect for Bob -- I actually gained some for two reasons:

1. He admitted it.

2. He's playing the long game, for better or worse. Better to lose a battle and win the war.

[sooner59]

But what exactly is it that we're trying to win? What is the "game"? Is the game just the 60 minutes played that day? Or is the game the season, and a chance to play in the MNC? While it is a hypothetical, and therefore cannot be proven one way or another, it certainly is a possibility that a 16 point loss could prevent us from playing in the national championship, whereas a 9 point loss might still give us an opportunity, based on voters' reactions. If that is true, then wouldn't giving up on the game to further the opportunity to play in the national championship actually be "playing to win"?

Andy Staples has a good write up on this in SI:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/andy_staples/10/26/bob-stoops-punt-bcs/index.html

To me, you play to win every game you play. You never give up. You bust your *** and play the entire game using every second and OT if needed. Not saying we would have won. And true, who know if a 9 point loss or a 16 point loss will ever mean anything this year. But IMO, you can never make a decision like that relying on the cards falling into place by season's end. You do your best to beat your opponent, not play off the ignorance of poll voters (because most are ignorant and like Bob said, would just look at the score).

One problem was that if anybody was actually watching, they would question that whole series of events as a poll voter. It was a nationally televised game on the road with Gameday there and we were #1. And we punted our best chance away. Not everybody will agree with my view on this, but we can agree to disagree.

[btb916]

Sadly, this made me lose a bunch of respect for Bob. In the words of Herm Edwards, "YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!".

Herm Edwards' career coaching record: 56-77-0.

[BoulderSooner79]

I have to go with sooner59 - you play to win the game (i.e. the one you're currently playing). But as far as losing a bunch of respect? Nah, folks have short term memories and starting a new win streak will wash it all away. The other point is that Bob said "that [ranking] is part of the reason" and as others have pointed out, there are other factors. The situation was grim, but it would have been far from a miracle to have come back and won it. You see a few of those every season. But for us to have done it the way we were playing? Just wasn't going to happen. And since there was too much time for Mizzou to start taking a knee, the odds are they would have walked one in on our discouraged defense. That's more of what I would have worried about - the blow to the players' psyche that might have lingered (screw the ef'fin polls).

But having said that, I still would have gone for it. Not because I think we win, but it's an opportunity for your player to make a play. Dial up a play that has a chance of making the 1st down and let them execute it. Let Broyles pull the coverage one way and throw down field to Stills or Kenney and see if they can make a play for you. Let the Oline prove they can give LJ enough time to make an accurate throw. A missed opportunity to show some trust, IMO.

[sooner59]

Herm Edwards' career coaching record: 56-77-0.

sooner59 career coaching record: 0-0 :D

[soonercastor]

sooner59 career coaching record: 0-0 :D

Undefeated :pop:

[OU-HSV]

And punting it out to midfield and forcing a turnover is like a 50-yard gain.

But...sometimes you just tip your hat to your opponent, clearly you're beaten, and get out of there as fast as you can. It's the flip side of taking over on downs at the opponents' ten with a nine-point lead and taking a knee.

I'm glad I'm not a big time college football coach nowadays. I remember reading about a coach about, oh, 1938 or '39, who realized watching the film afterwards that his team, due to an official's error, 'won' the game. The other team should have won, and would have, if not for the ref's error.

He forfeited the game. Just imagine how he'd get pilloried today.

Which is why it didn't make sense to punt the ball, yet next possession we do not take a knee and get out of there. That's what confused me most about the decisions made in the last few minutes.
But at least Stoops seems to have explained why he did what he did. Honestly I figured he'd avoid it. And by his theory about the pollsters, I assume he didn't take a knee on the final play simply because he thought we could break a big play and make the score closer than it was to impress the pollsters? I dunno, I'm still a bit confused as to the whole logic. To me if you're going to punt on the next to last series w/2 minutes or whatever left, then the final possession we should've just taken a knee on it.

Oh well guys and gals, what's done is done. We got more of an answer on it from Stoops than I thought we would. And he's right I guess, you just never know what's going to happen or how the regular season may close. Here's to the future.

[StoopTroup]

Is Herm Edwards still around?

If :mack: leaves tejas....they could use a guy that likes to play to win.

[soonermix]

all i really want to ask is what is the difference between a 9 and 16 pt loss
at that point you don't really control your destiny for the mnc you need a lot of help. also you can also easily make it to the big xii championship with just one loss to a north team... so please explain to me why punt?

[jkjsooner]

To me, you play to win every game you play. You never give up. You bust your *** and play the entire game using every second and OT if needed.

So if you're Texas A&M and you 56-0 at half not only do you not agree to a running clock but you also don't punt the entire second half. Man, that's a way to lose 200-0. No coach in his right mind would do that - way too many egos and such.

[OU-HSV]

Is Herm Edwards still around?

If :mack: leaves tejas....they could use a guy that likes to play to win.

Yeah, he's on youtube :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLlIdZikDk

[RacerX]

Think how an 8 point loss would've looked....

[StoopTroup]

Think how an 8 point loss would've looked....

The tiggers wouldn't have looked near as awesome.

TigerNuts in 3, 2, 1......

[Seamus]

I hear what Sooner59 is saying. I was seriously PO'd when the punt was ordered, but my Mizzou buddy actually said at the time that Bob might have been thinking about point spreads. I told him that if Bob actually admitted it, I'd gain a lot of respect for him -- but I never expected him to come out and say it. Just isn't his style.

I still have issues with the decision, but I can at least respect the decision for the forward thinking it shows.

Put another way, should an army fight to the death and retain honor, or should it fall back, regroup and live to fight -- and possibly win -- another day?

I don't know. There's value to both positions.

[sooner59]

NEVER SURRENDER! THIS....IS.....BOOOOOOOOMAAAAAHHH!!!!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/SweetSurrender16/this-is-sparta_5_imagenGrande.jpg

[Tigeman]

all i really want to ask is what is the difference between a 9 and 16 pt loss
at that point you don't really control your destiny for the mnc you need a lot of help. also you can also easily make it to the big xii championship with just one loss to a north team... so please explain to me why punt?

Mix, the difference is the position in line of 1 loss teams you fall behind. Right now we're the third 1 loss team in line. 2 of which play each other (LSU,BAMA), so you automatically move up 1 position. Bama and Auburn play each other so one of them are gone as well. TCU and UTAH play each other so you can eliminate one of those as well. More than likely all the undefeated but boise and TCU/Utah will fall. You may also get a chance at a rematch, moving you up higher if you can win it. By keeping our rankings high enough you maximize your opportunity to still play in a mNCG.

Keep in mind Bob's job is NOT TO WIN GAMES, despite the common misconception. His job, first and foremost, is to put butts in the seats and make the university money. That right there is why he gets the high salary he does. B/C since he's been around, the universities athletic dept. has made more than ever. The higher your ranking, the better the bowl game, the more donations you have coming in.

[goingoneight]

Ever since TRRW's "play" in 2001, I've been waiting on "Sooner magic" everyone keeps tellign me about. Was DJ Woods and Aaron Williams farkups "Sooner magic" or was it too much to ask the football gods to have gabbert throw a pick-6 Mark Farris-style? When was the last time we converted a two-pointer? Answer: Boise State... nto such a magical ending there, either.

We ain't lucky anymore. :( At least not enough. :(

Let's counter it by just being damn good the rest of the year. :)

[bmjlr]

Off topic, but I cannot stand Herm Edwards. Back on topic...I cannot believe he admitted it, but I have more respect. Blame the voters and the polls for the way scores get out of hand and how coaches coach the game. I have no problem with his decision. If he would have went for it, Jones would have probably been 0-8 in the fourth quarter with possibly two picks. Just sayin.

Is anybody else scared to death when Jones is playing on the road. He needs to fix that.

[sooneron]

I knew that was the reason he punted as it was happening. I can't believe this is a big surprise.

[TUSooner]

That's why I not only didn't lose respect for Bob -- I actually gained some for two reasons:

1. He admitted it.

2. He's playing the long game, for better or worse. Better to lose a battle and win the war.

Agree. He was honest about it, and his thoughts were rational, of not necessarily agreeable. I guess the final play was based on the same "cosmetic" rationale?

I also note that he conceded that the 2-pointer was "against the book."
:D :P <ducks and runs away>

Whenever I start to think Bob has lost something, his integrity revives him.

[soonervegas]

I you come to grips with the fact that this coaching staff is going to produce 11-2 to 12-1 seasons (most years)......these losses really stop bothering you as much. At some point, they may get to another National Title again and a good matchup or key opposing [player injury will put them in a position to win a 2nd.

[SoonerPr8r]

I think it has more to do with not having a clutch QB. Landry is great when things are going well, but when the running game isn't going or he is getting pressured and they are down he panics. If you are going to attempt to make a comeback with 2:33 left you need a vertical passing game and a guy who can make quick decisions in the clutch. Did Landry even fight the decision to come off the field? Stoops was protecting his quarterback

[Sooners78]

If we make it to the MNC (we still have a lot of work to do especially on the DL, but it's very possible), we'll all be looking back on this and saying it was the right decision.

If we end up winning out and finishing up with a good win against Mizzou on a neutral field, we would have a great case. If they had beaten us by 16, our case would become weaker.

[SoonerWarMachine#1]

Let me state some obvious s**t,
>It sucks to lose
>WTF Herm Edwards??? who cares, he can't carry Bob's jock strap
>OU fans have extremely high expectations, so one loss typically causes a fan death sprial
>Bob is one of the best coaches in college football and we are lucky to have him, could be worse. . .i.e. schnellenberger/blake
>Winning is everything, but not one game makes a season
>It's damn easy to be a Monday Morning Coach!

[tooslow]

To me, you play to win every game you play. You never give up. You bust your *** and play the entire game using every second and OT if needed.

Yep.

Makes you wonder about last season. Does this mean all of those "close" games we lost last year were only close because Bob conceded? :rolleyes:

Luckily, this is the only game I can recall where Bob has gone "Les Miles" on us. Hopefully this will be his last bad game for a while, as far as numerous questionable decisions in one game. Imagine how LSU fans feel? They get to "enjoy" these type of decisions almost every week. :D

[sooner59]

Yep. So what about last season? Does this mean all of those "close" games we lost last year were only close because Bob conceded? :rolleyes:

Luckily, this is the only game I can recall where Bob has gone "Les Miles" on us. Hopefully this will be his last bad game for a while, as far as numerous questionable decisions in one game. Imagine how LSU fans feel? They get to "enjoy" these type of decisions almost every week. :D

Never said anything about last year. I said I didn't like this call in this game in this situation. Quit making it out like I said Bob has a history of conceding. He just did it this time and I wasn't happy.

[tooslow]

Never said anything about last year. I said I didn't like this call in this game in this situation. Quit making it out like I said Bob has a history of conceding. He just did it this time and I wasn't happy.

No, you didn't. I was agreeing with your statement.

I edited my response, since after reading it again, it didn't come out like I wanted. ;)

If he's playing to lose close games this year, I'm sure some folks outside of the fan base will accuse him of losing previous close games on purpose, which is just plain stupid that someone would think that.

I'm still unhappy about the decision, but like I said, it's not like he has a history of those type of calls. If Bob was truly worroid about how a closer margin of defeat will effect the team later this year, he should've kept quiet about it. Now that he's said why he did it, this will definitely come up should we somehow be in contention at the end of the year. "Remember, the game earlier this year at Mizzou would have been worse if Stoops had played to win.....", will be thrown all around the media. Of course, I'll gladly go on record as saying this will be a non-issue at the end of the season. Just gives us something to talk about.