End of game strategy

[JiminyChristmas]

Watching the end of WV/Texas got me thinking about something I hadn't considered before.

If your team is down by 9, 10, or 11 in the closing minute or two of the game, you know you will need a combination of a field goal, TD, onside kick recovery, and possibly a two point conversion.

I don't think I've ever seen a team go ahead and kick the field goal first. Basically as soon as you get into comfortable range for your kicker. Even if it's first down. Then go take your chances with the onside kick with the most possible time left available on the clock.

Instead, teams keep running plays to get the TD first. Then, they try the onside kick with very little time left so even if it works, they have virtually no chance to complete the comeback.

Seems like you should take the quickest possible score to preserve game clock to chase the second score.

[picasso]

I've seen the kick first. Not often but it's happened.

I like Switzer's strategy. Call an onsides and then change your mind but don't tell the kicker.

[ouwasp]

I've seen it happen before, esp in the pros.

Was wondering why tex didn't go for an earlier fg myself...

[picasso]

They had their chance with the last Geno Toretta fumble.

[soonercastor]

I've seen teams get the FG first plenty of times.

However suggesting that you go for it on first down is not a good idea because a "comfortable range" for the kicker would mean that you're already inside the red zone barely outside of it. The time you would preserve by kicking on 1st down would not be worth it.

Of course it's a little further out yes the time you save might be worth it, but then you could easily miss the FG from that far out.

[XingTheRubicon]

If you miss the field goal, you look like a ****ing moron.

[PLaw]

If you miss the field goal, you look like a ****ing moron.

And, the texas/PSU kicker is coming off an injury. I think this was his first game to have a field goal attempt.

Boomer

[OU_Sooners75]

Watching the end of WV/Texas got me thinking about something I hadn't considered before.

If your team is down by 9, 10, or 11 in the closing minute or two of the game, you know you will need a combination of a field goal, TD, onside kick recovery, and possibly a two point conversion.

I don't think I've ever seen a team go ahead and kick the field goal first. Basically as soon as you get into comfortable range for your kicker. Even if it's first down. Then go take your chances with the onside kick with the most possible time left available on the clock.

Instead, teams keep running plays to get the TD first. Then, they try the onside kick with very little time left so even if it works, they have virtually no chance to complete the comeback.

Seems like you should take the quickest possible score to preserve game clock to chase the second score.

well, your pretty much banking on your kicking team getting the ball back for you. Very low percentage.

This game (not football, but college football rankings) is about perception. 99% of the poll voters do not watch the games, they go off box scores and AP post game articles.

So with that in mind, you score as many points that you can. So if you are down 11 with less than 2 minutes left, you would try to get the TD first. Then hope to recover an onside kick. That way you would only have to worry about driving at least 25 yards for a chance at a FG.

it would seem like the other way (your suggestion) would be the way to go. But a 2 point loss looks better than a 6 point loss. A 3 point loss looks better than a 7 point loss. A 5 point loss looks better than a 9 point loss. Perception.

[jk the sooner fan]

I've seen the kick first. Not often but it's happened.

yep, this.

[Jason White's Third Knee]

If you miss the field goal, you look like a ****ing moron.


Hahahaa. Yep.

[Jason White's Third Knee]

They had their chance with the last Geno Toretta fumble.

Fumbled in to the end zone and had another, but he's still the heismann front runner? I should start calling myself Geno.

[BoulderSooner79]

I've seen teams kick a FG plenty of times; it depends on how the drive unfolds. If they make it to the redzone, they almost always go for the TD because they need at least 1 TD anyway. If they stall out and have a 4th and long outside the redzone, the FG looks like higher odds of continuing the game. How much time is left can change things too if there are only a few plays left no matter what. Odds are not good no matter what, so pick your poison.

[JiminyChristmas]

I've seen teams kick a FG plenty of times; it depends on how the drive unfolds. If they make it to the redzone, they almost always go for the TD because they need at least 1 TD anyway. If they stall out and have a 4th and long outside the redzone, the FG looks like higher odds of continuing the game. How much time is left can change things too if there are only a few plays left no matter what. Odds are not good no matter what, so pick your poison.

Obviously you kick the field goal on 4th down, I was talking more about kicking it even on an early down to preserve time on the clock.

It probably is the perception idea that someone mentioned. To me though, it is similar to being down 15 late in the game and deciding when to go for the 2pt conversion. You don't do it on the first TD. You kick the XP on the first one so that you still have a chance to tie on the next possession. In this case, continuing to run plays, and in turn, time off the clock to score the TD first seems to reduce what little chance you have because of too little time left even if you do recover the onside kick.

For example, would you rather be kicking off down by 3 with 11 seconds left OR, kicking off down by 7 with 57 seconds left?