Virginia @ Miami

[lvbuckeye]

can someone please explain this to me?

4 minutes to go, with the Cavs down 10-18, they are faced with a 4th and 6 somewhere around the Miami 20 yard line. Virginia has a good kicker. they elect to go for it, and don't get the first.

NOW, my question is why would they elect to go for it rather than to kick the field goal? they had 2 timeouts. there was 4 minutes on the clock. why distill the game to THIS play? why not take the 3, and hope for a stop? at the best, you have about a 40% chance of completing a 2 point conversion, so the odds are that you will fail, in which case, you STILL need another score...

why would Al Groh elect to play for overtime with so much time left? it just doesn't make any sense to me. i say take the easy 3, and hope for a stop. with the score 13-18 and a stop, you have momentum on your side, and a shot at the win in regulation...

i don't know, maybe i'm crazy. i would have taken the points.
Now Virginia is screwed. they gave the momentum to the Canes when they didn't convert, and it's basically game over... which it is since Miami just salted it away with a TD to make it 25-10...

bad coaching move, IMHO... I'm pretty sure that Tressel would have kicked the ball... opinions?

 

[JohnnyCockfight]

Al Groh is not a consistent coach. When I was in school there, the offense was incredible under the offensive coordinator who is now back in the NFL--I think at Jacksonville. Ever since, the offensive playcalling has been very sporadic the past few seasons, and not all the "coaching decisions," such as the one you've highlighted, have made a whole lot of sense.

Many of the alumni are astounded at the extension and raise Groh received earlier this year.

 

[Pheasant]

It sounds like a boneheaded decision to me. Tressel would definitely have kicked the fg in that situation.
In a game where you've only managed to score 10 points through 3+quarters, maybe Groh figured he might not get a chance to make it down there again...it seems like he didn't have the confidence in either his defense to come up with the stop, or with his offense to score twice.
Either way, it sounds like maybe his players picked up on that, since they gave up a crunch time touchdown.

Guess that's why he coaches at Virginia.

 

[sandgk]

My opinion lv, is that your assessment is spot on.

 

[CrabMan]

I was thinking the same thing, and imagining the meltdown in Buckeye Nation if JT made the same horrible decision. Kick the FG and you're down 5 with 4 minutes left. Plus, their kicker has a hell of a leg, so dUMb would be starting at the 20. Plenty of time would be left to drive for the winning TD.

Terrible decision by Groh.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Here is my take on it. If you kick the fg, you still need a td. Who is to say that they would be able to get the ball back down there again, against Miami's D.

Also who is to say that after UVA kicks off that they are able to stop Miami from getting a couple first downs and forcing them to punt.

Now I know if it was Tress he would kick, b/c he would know that we could move the ball back down the field and that our D' could stop someone. In Al Groh's defense I am guessing he didnt have confidence in his team.

 

[Bucklion]

Al Groh is a jackwipe. He refused to acknowledge the blatant cheap shot by his fatass tackle on the BC player earlier in the year, and then he does stupid shit in games...I think he boinked the UNC game earlier in the year too.

Another in a long line of coaches whose arrogance/competance ratio is way too high.

 

[buckeyeboy]

My opinion of that game is that both teams looked very ordinary. Which then leads to the question of just how good Va Tech is if they got absolutely pummeled by Miami at Va Tech? I know all teams can have a bad game and lose to an inferior opponent, but to get run out of your own stadium?