End of half coaching

[goldvol]

It’s been a couple days, so hopefully I won’t get hate for posting a “negative” thread. But I have to point out the poor clock management at the end of the first half.

We get down to what, inside the twenty with 30 seconds left, with 3 timeouts if I remember right. For some unknown reason, we let a third of the clock expire, running down to just twenty seconds. Why in the world did we not use a timeout there? Did he mention it in the postgame?

similarly, with 11 seconds to go, get a first down and then instead of Using a timeout, let another 2 seconds runoff and then call one. Anyone notice this and hear an explanation?
glad for the win but that was poor decision making.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Peyton Manning isn&#39;t enjoying the Mike McCarthy clock management: <br><br>&quot;Call timeout, MIKE!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/LvOAxnza8T">pic.twitter.com/LvOAxnza8T</a></p>&mdash; Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) <a href="">September 28, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[walkenvol]

My guess is they were going at their fastest offensive pace and thought they had the SC defense on their hills. A timeout would have allowed SC to regroup and substitute players which CJH didn’t want. So in his judgment it was worth losing some clock to not slow things down. Again, just my guess

 

[VolsFan-TX]

Remember the score was 35-7. Perhaps they wanted the players to learn to process the offense in a true 2-minute drill situation. You can practice those situations, but it is hard account for the noise and pressure of doing it in real time. They started the drive on their own 28 with 2:04 on the clock. If Hooker avoids the sack, then they probably score a TD on the drive. Taking a timeout earlier would have been my choice, but I don’t know what the coaches may have been trying to accomplish (experience in those situations or, as walkenvol said, trying to prevent substitutions).

 

[goldvol]

My guess is they were going at their fastest offensive pace and thought they had the SC defense on their hills. A timeout would have allowed SC to regroup and substitute players which CJH didn’t want. So in his judgment it was worth losing some clock to not slow things down. Again, just my guess

Yeah, obviously they were trying to go for a fast pace. It just didn’t make any sense unless you actually get the snap off in 3 seconds. We do this against Georgia/Bama/ole miss it will cost us valuable points. Could have had 3 shots at the end zone after the first one, and possibly 2 shots on the second one

 

[Special Ed]

My guess is they were going at their fastest offensive pace and thought they had the SC defense on their hills...

Hills?

 

[Behr]

It’s been a couple days, so hopefully I won’t get hate for posting a “negative” thread. But I have to point out the poor clock management at the end of the first half.

We get down to what, inside the twenty with 30 seconds left, with 3 timeouts if I remember right. For some unknown reason, we let a third of the clock expire, running down to just twenty seconds. Why in the world did we not use a timeout there? Did he mention it in the postgame?

similarly, with 11 seconds to go, get a first down and then instead of Using a timeout, let another 2 seconds runoff and then call one. Anyone notice this and hear an explanation?
glad for the win but that was poor decision making.

No hate, but why do you "have to point out the poor clock management"?

 

[GTBATV]

The purpose of the offense going so fast is to keep the defense from subbing, getting their call in, etc. That's the advantage regardless if there is 13 minutes left or 13 seconds left. Better execution and we score a touchdown on that drive.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Good grief yet another pathetic thread.

 

[jason3713]

Because they are running the hurry up and they have the defense worn down. They think it is worth the two seconds it takes to snap the ball to keep a tired defense on the field that can’t substitute.

 

[goldvol]

No hate, but why do you "have to point out the poor clock management"?

Because this is a football forum, where we discuss strategy, tactics, and coaching decisions. And a win is as good a time as any to go over bad decisions. Hopefully it gets corrected because they will not be excused as easily in a loss

 

[84Volfan]

Because they are running the hurry up and they have the defense worn down. They think it is worth the two seconds it takes to snap the ball to keep a tired defense on the field that can’t substitute.

Yep....I mean we all saw what happened in 2nd half when they went away from hurry up

 

[Behr]

Because this is a football forum, where we discuss strategy, tactics, and coaching decisions. And a win is as good a time as any to go over bad decisions. Hopefully it gets corrected because they will not be excused as easily in a loss

Okay. Seemed like whining not an invitation to discuss.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I think we have to shift how we're looking at the game when we're leading 35-7.

At that point, the coaching staff have the luxury of turning the match into a scrimmage. A practice. They get the opportunity to put the lads through their paces a bit.

I don't mean back off entirely, I just mean do some things they wouldn't if the situation required 100% focus on scoring or stopping the opponent. Things like continuing to exercise the hurry-up tempo without interrupting it by calling time out.

I do believe they were "running the offense," giving the players more experience at the pace demanded by our scheme. More reps is more reps. Calling a time out completely destroys the pacing.

break/break

As a more general comment, our coaches know a helluva lot more about managing games than we tend to give them credit for. Josh Heupel in particular has quite a bit of experience running an offense, on the field, with the pressure of two clocks staring him down (game clock and play clock). He's knows a thing or two about it. Maybe even more than me. Heck, maybe even more than you.

So whenever we see something that doesn't make sense to us, rather than assume that our coaches are goofing up, it might be wiser to instead ask, "what is it _I_ don't know about this situation that these guys do? What is their intent here?"

It's a good habit to get into. In life, not just in watching football.

Go Vols!

 

[Boca Vol]

I'm glad this coaching staff doesn't have to waste TOs for stupid reasons. I can't count the number of times during the last decade where UT has had to call a TO coming off a stoppage of play (Commercial, change of qtr., Etc.).

Having 2 or 3 TOs near the end of the half/ game will pay off one of these days.

I still think they are finding their rhythm as a whole. Milking a clock when you have a big lead isn't as easy as it may seem, especially if you run a hurry- up O.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Because this is a football forum, where we discuss strategy, tactics, and coaching decisions. And a win is as good a time as any to go over bad decisions. Hopefully it gets corrected because they will not be excused as easily in a loss

See, your mistake is that you've already assumed there are "bad decisions" involved.

 

[FïreBall]

I'm more concerned with the 1st quarter TOP in the last two games... I mean one time I dropped my cheetos right when we got the ball back after our first TD on Mizzou, looked up and we had 28 on the board... How am I supposed to watch a game like that? At first I thought I was abducted by aliens again and they must have dropped me off a minute off correct time..

 

[goldvol]

See, your mistake is that you've already assumed there are "bad decisions" involved.

Please tell me how wasting a third of the remaining time which made us miss at least two opportunities for end zone throws when you have 3 timeouts is not an awful coaching decision…. Announcers were shocked themselves. It’s an obvious blunder, albeit when we’re in a winning position. That doesn’t make it less of a blunder, to be missing out on points.
if it’s 20-17 going into the half and we make that same mistake against ole miss, I’m going to be extra pissed

 

[VFL-82-JP]

Please tell me how wasting a third of the remaining time which made us miss at least two opportunities for end zone throws when you have 3 timeouts is not an awful coaching decision…. Announcers were shocked themselves. It’s an obvious blunder, albeit when we’re in a winning position. That doesn’t make it less of a blunder, to be missing out on points

Already answered that. Read post #13.

Oh, and if you are depending on the announcers to tell you what right looks like, you're already on the wrong road. Announcers get crap wrong. All. the time. Some of them have made a career of it. One should never reference them as support for any position.

 

[goldvol]

Already answered that. Read post #13.

Oh, and if you are depending on the announcers to tell you what right looks like, you're already on the wrong road.

I read the post, and no, it still doesn’t make sense. And no one said anything about depending on the announcers. They are not coaches and noticed right away as I did that a timeout had to be taken there.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I read the post, and no, it still doesn’t make sense. And no one said anything about depending on the announcers. They are not coached and noticed right away as I did that a timeout had to be taken there.

If post 13 doesn't make sense to you, I can't help you, brother.

 

[njvols]

My guess is they were going at their fastest offensive pace and thought they had the SC defense on their hills. A timeout would have allowed SC to regroup and substitute players which CJH didn’t want. So in his judgment it was worth losing some clock to not slow things down. Again, just my guess

I definitely think this is the case...that being said, we'd maybe have had a couple more shots at the end zone if we used the TO's. I get catching them on their heels, but this is second game I can remember where we ended up w/ 3...and may have ultimately been 3, but think they should reconsider how they go about the end of half.

 

[goldvol]

If post 13 doesn't make sense to you, I can't help you, brother.

I think we have to shift how we're looking at the game when we're leading 35-7.

At that point, the coaching staff have the luxury of turning the match into a scrimmage. A practice. They get the opportunity to put the lads through their paces a bit.

This is just stupid. If you think an SEC team can turn a game into scrimmage at half time, you dont know football.

I don't mean back off entirely, I just mean do some things they wouldn't if the situation required 100% focus on scoring or stopping the opponent. Things like continuing to exercise the hurry-up tempo without interrupting it by calling time out.

Not having the focus 100% on maximizing points, in the first half is just insane. That is not the way football should be coached

I do believe they were "running the offense," giving the players more experience at the pace demanded by our scheme. More reps is more reps. Calling a time out completely destroys the pacing.

you realize that to get "more reps" you would call timeout and get 2-3 more plays in the half, right?

Post 13 makes no sense, given the end of half scenario. it's just you trying to make sense of a piss poor decision

 

[Fatman Photos]

We do this against Georgia/Bama/ole miss it will cost us valuable points.

First of all I don't see him doing this against Georgia/Bama/Ole Miss. You have to KNOW your opponent. There is no way that a S.C. team down 35-7 is anywhere in the same class as those teams listed. You can try a lot of different things when you are up by 28 points than you can when you are down or even up by one score.

if it’s 20-17 going into the half and we make that same mistake against ole miss, I’m going to be extra pissed

Do you really think that ANYONE on the coaching staff gives a crap if YOU are EXTRA PISSED?

 

[goldvol]

First of all I don't see him doing this against Georgia/Bama/Ole Miss. You have to KNOW your opponent. There is no way that a S.C. team down 35-7 is anywhere in the same class as those teams listed. You can try a lot of different things when you are up by 28 points than you can when you are down or even up by one score.



Do you really think that ANYONE on the coaching staff gives a crap if YOU are REALLY PISSED?

No, i don’t think they will care if I’m pissed. But that doesn’t make me less pissed about stupid coaching mistakes.
and why would they make bad decisions against bad opponents, but you think they just suddenly will stop making them when it comes crunch time? I imagine more mistakes would be revealed against good opponents than bad ones

 

[GetYouSomeofThat]

Because this is a football forum, where we discuss strategy, tactics, and coaching decisions. And a win is as good a time as any to go over bad decisions. Hopefully it gets corrected because they will not be excused as easily in a loss

It doesnt need correcting. Execution of that series could use some correction. Time management does not.

Having the opponets personnel on the field that you want there is more important to this staff than a few extra seconds. It is unconventional but this offensive staff appears to approach things in an unconventional manner in most things.