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WHY oh WHY Shotgun on 4th & inches?

Doc Fumble

Doc Fumble

Coaching Legend
Dec 15, 2017
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The Heart of Huskerland, Lincoln, NE
I've asked this question at least once a season for a decade or more. WHY WHY WHY would you snap the ball back to the 5 yard line when you're fourth and INCHES??!??! With a QB of Martinez's size and strength, a QB sneak is a NO-BRAINER.

I'm no D1 head coach making 6 million, but I'm pretty damn sure I'm right about this one.
 
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The thinking is likely that it gives AM the ability to survey the field and pick a hole to run through or try to find an open receiver. So you're not fully committed to just plunging forward and have options. The problem is that in any situation that requires a decision, AM is pretty likely to choose poorly...to not choose at all and simply take a sack/safety, fumble the ball, etc.
 
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The same way teams run a 3 yard pattern on 3rd and 5. Plain, simple, unarguable stupidity.
 
tfree32 said:
The thinking is likely that it gives AM the ability to survey the field and pick a hole to run through or try to find an open receiver. So you're not fully committed to just plunging forward and have options.
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I hear you but it was fourth and INCHES. ANY PUSH AT ALL is a TD.

For all the 'options' you mentioned, there are a sizable number of DISadvantages to snapping it back to the five. If an OL can't get you two inches to 'break the plane' of the endzone when they and the QB both know where the ball is going and the D doesn't, your play-calling is not the issue.
 
I've come to realize that when a designed run/option play for AM is called that he's more than functional.

Call a pass play, ...scared as a baby with lack of confidence.
 
I knew this was going to be a tough game. I'm officially off the Frost fluffball wagon. They had to beat Minnesota no excuses. I don't want to add to all the negativity already on this board so maybe I'll just shut the hell up. This Baby Poop that Frost is putting out there will not work week in and week out in the B1G proven over the last 4 years. Wish we never left the B12
 
All this said, AM's carry on 3rd was a touchdown. He obviously broke the plane with the ball. It was obvious in the replay too, just like the Minny player's catch that wasn't.

Sorry Doc, you beat me to it when I was typing.
 
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Watching Iowa right now. Third and short and QB, in shotgun, walks up close behind center and appears to be barking out instructions to lineman...sneaks his hands under center, takes snap and easily plows forward for a first down. sigh
 
DrFumblerooski said:
I hear you but it was fourth and INCHES. ANY PUSH AT ALL is a TD.

For all the 'options' you mentioned, there are a sizable number of DISadvantages to snapping it back to the five. If an OL can't get you two inches to 'break the plane' of the endzone when they and the QB both know where the ball is going and the D doesn't, your play-calling is not the issue.
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I agree completely. Just describing the likely thinking.
 
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The best play available is for the line to go to the scrimage line, AM walks up behind the center, taps his thigh with his hand and the ball is snapped. But we like things difficult so we wait for the d to get everyone lined up in front of the center. The real world? AM lines up 3 or 4 yards behind the center, we have a motion man and then we study the D for 5 seconds, and then snap the ball when the D is well situated to stop the try.
 
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valiantsailor said:
The best play available is for the line to go to the scrimage line, AM walks up behind the center, taps his thigh with his hand and the ball is snapped. But we like things difficult so we wait for the d to get everyone lined up in front of the center. The real world? AM lines up 3 or 4 yards behind the center, we have a motion man and then we study the D for 5 seconds, and then snap the ball when the D is well situated to stop the try.
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We took a safety when the LOS was on the 9 yard line. Why, short of a fumble or a bad snap, is the qb ever 30 feet behind the LOS as a design? Not sure how that is a thing, but its a thing.
 
OhioHusker said:
Today made me realize something troubling. Frost is even worse than I feared.
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Martinez is just as bad as I feared, but I had no idea how incompetent Frost was. Today was a doozy. I'll watch the Nebraska versus OSU massacre, but that's it.

Any further fan support of a Frost led team is an abominiation of Husker nation and all the traditions that this program was built upon.

You imagine the worst possible outcome of a coaching hire, add a few more losses of misery, and you have Scott Frost. I have absolutely no doubt that I would do a better job as coach than Frost.
 
Crazyhole said:
We took a safety when the LOS was on the 9 yard line. Why, short of a fumble or a bad snap, is the qb ever 30 feet behind the LOS as a design? Not sure how that is a thing, but its a thing.
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Not sure it was on the 9 yd line seemed like it was shorter but what ever, I hate the spread the way Frost runs it and will say in my opinion it will not work in the B1G. Frost wants a Duck O or UCF type of offense and he is just in the wrong conference. AM should work under center but thats not the way they draw them up, what do I know?
 
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