Kicking the FG instead of going for the TD

[2koolpa]

I created this account after years of lurking on this forum simply because of that ABSURD decision to kick the fg at the end of tonights game instead of going for the 2 yard TD.

This is not a post to discuss the season, the game, Mark Stoops, his coaching ability, etc....

I am not here to introduce myself or explain my fandom.

I simply need someone out there to know that making the choice to kick the FG in that situation was one of the worst calls I have ever seen.

Missouri scoring a touchdown BEATS YOU EITHER WAY. There really is no argument here. You go for the touchdown to put the game away. If you don't make it, they need to drive 98+ yards to beat you anyway.

You have to have confidence that you can make those 2 yards to seal it. If you don't make it you have to have confidence that you can prevent them from driving 98+ yards with no timeouts to beat you. You have to at the very least have confidence that you can hold them to a FG that simply ties you and then you go beat them in OT.

That call was a complete lack of confidence in the team. It was a pathetic, worthless, gutless and above all else stupid decision. Happy for the win, but again, this post is not about anything else. Mark Stoops, Eddie Gran, Mitch Barnhart, Eli Capilouto... John Calipari... whoever, I don't care...... I need SOMEBODY out there to know how livid I was when our field goal unit trotted out onto the field. That is all.

 

[rye48]

I created this account after years of lurking on this forum simply because of that ABSURD decision to kick the fg at the end of tonights game instead of going for the 2 yard TD.

This is not a post to discuss the season, the game, Mark Stoops, his coaching ability, etc....

I am not here to introduce myself or explain my fandom.

I simply need someone out there to know that making the choice to kick the FG in that situation was one of the worst calls I have ever seen.

Missouri scoring a touchdown BEATS YOU EITHER WAY. There really is no argument here. You go for the touchdown to put the game away. If you don't make it, they need to drive 98+ yards to beat you anyway.

You have to have confidence that you can make those 2 yards to seal it. If you don't make it you have to have confidence that you can prevent them from driving 98+ yards with no timeouts to beat you. You have to at the very least have confidence that you can hold them to a FG that simply ties you and then you go beat them in OT.

That call was a complete lack of confidence in the team. It was a pathetic, worthless, gutless and above all else stupid decision. Happy for the win, but again, this post is not about anything else. Mark Stoops, Eddie Gran, Mitch Barnhart, Eli Capilouto... John Calipari... whoever, I don't care...... I need SOMEBODY out there to know how livid I was when our field goal unit trotted out onto the field. That is all.

That has to be one of his Biggest Brain farts of all time ! Do we have fools gold with Mark Stoops ?

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

Yeah but they could have also got in field goal range and tied it and won in OT and Stoops would have been pasted for that too.

We won...

Let it go..

 

[TBCat]

I agree. Make them go 98 yards. Backed up in the end zone offenses usually take a lot of plays just to get out of the shadow of the goal posts. The clock ran out anyway but you really improve your odds. Plus their FG kicker wasn't good anyway and they had 2 bad snaps. The safer play was to go for it and just run it up the middle. At worst you back them up but you also give yourself a chance to make their last drive meaningless.

 

[Bluesnky]

Pretty much any coach goes for the field goal there and expects their defense to get a stop.

 

[UKErik]

I liked the call to kick the field goal. Stoops is kind of looking at two choices at that point. Do I make Missouri go 70 or so yards to try a field goal, or 70 or so yards to score a touchdown. For me, the clock was also a factor. Had there been four minutes left, I would have been throwing shit at the TV (LOL).

Of course, a touchdown would have made all options irrelevant.

Not a bad call, IMO.

GBB!!!

 

[kritikalcat]

chip shot FG is higher percentage than a 2 yd TD and forces Mizzou to go for TD. Miss on the TD and they can put game in OT with a FG

I would've gone for the TD but I get the calculus

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

Did you genuises see we had 2nd and goal at the Missouri 2 yd line, then lost a yard on 2 running plays ?
Getting the field goal ensured Missouri would have to score a TD, instead of a FG, and avoid OT.

 

[stuway]

Agree completely with the OP. Yeah of course I'm happy we won....But that was totally gutless and you dont beat good teams being gutless. Not a good sign.

 

[Stooptrooper]

I would have went for it but that doesn’t mean I’m right. Stoops took the fg and it kept the game from going to ot. We are pretty banged up too so it ends up being the right call in hindsight

 

[etowncatfan]

Going for it a couple of things happen. First we score game over. Second Missouri had no time outs so we take more time off the clock. Also a field goal would have been lucky at best for the tie. Their snap and kicker were out of sync all night. Also if you noticed they would be kicking into a stiff wind. We won but this was so Mark Stoops.

 

[Poetax]

I created this account after years of lurking on this forum simply because of that ABSURD decision to kick the fg at the end of tonights game instead of going for the 2 yard TD.

This is not a post to discuss the season, the game, Mark Stoops, his coaching ability, etc....

I am not here to introduce myself or explain my fandom.

I simply need someone out there to know that making the choice to kick the FG in that situation was one of the worst calls I have ever seen.

Missouri scoring a touchdown BEATS YOU EITHER WAY. There really is no argument here. You go for the touchdown to put the game away. If you don't make it, they need to drive 98+ yards to beat you anyway.

You have to have confidence that you can make those 2 yards to seal it. If you don't make it you have to have confidence that you can prevent them from driving 98+ yards with no timeouts to beat you. You have to at the very least have confidence that you can hold them to a FG that simply ties you and then you go beat them in OT.

That call was a complete lack of confidence in the team. It was a pathetic, worthless, gutless and above all else stupid decision. Happy for the win, but again, this post is not about anything else. Mark Stoops, Eddie Gran, Mitch Barnhart, Eli Capilouto... John Calipari... whoever, I don't care...... I need SOMEBODY out there to know how livid I was when our field goal unit trotted out onto the field. That is all.

At the time I questioned it, but if he hadn't we would still be playing and going into overtime. He picked the right decision in this game, doesn't mean it will be the same decision he will make in other games but this one gave him a WIN. Which is what he is paid to do. With your decision we either tie or possibly lose in OT so your argument, much like my questioning, has no merit in the end.

 

[Lost In FL]

Should've let Bowden take the wildcat snap and then run around the field for about 2 minutes ... the stadium should've played the Benny Hill theme song.

 

[rye48]

Yeah but they could have also got in field goal range and tied it and won in OT and Stoops would have been pasted for that too.

We won...

It was Stupid , we score the games over otherwise they have to go 99 yards

 

[Poetax]

Going for it a couple of things happen. First we score game over. Second Missouri had no time outs so we take more time off the clock. Also a field goal would have been lucky at best for the tie. Their snap and kicker were out of sync all night. Also if you noticed they would be kicking into a stiff wind. We won but this was so Mark Stoops.

I don't care if he is Charlie Chaplin, as long as his decisions produce wins. I will admit I was not feeling the FG try.

 

[KatFootballFan]

C O N S E R V A T I S M
kənˈsərvədizəm/
noun

1. 1.
   commitment to traditional values and ideas with opposition to change or innovation.
   

 

[SpamburgerHamburger]

Well they got in field goal range so coach made the right decision. You can delete the account and go back to lurking now if that's the kind of post you're going to make just blindly bashing the coach and team.

 

[irishcat1965]

I didn’t like the call. Would have preferred to make the dagger play understanding the odds. But it worked out.

 

[MudererofCrows]

Kicking the FG wasn’t the problem. The playcalling leading up to it was.

 

[DCFseattle]

If it hadn't worked, I could see questioning the strategy... But it worked. There's empirical evidence that it was the right call. Because it forced Missouri to drive for a touchdown to win with no time outs and our defense held. How is a thing that worked the wrong thing to do?

 

[rye48]

I liked the call to kick the field goal. Stoops is kind of looking at two choices at that point. Do I make Missouri go 70 or so yards to try a field goal, or 70 or so yards to score a touchdown. For me, the clock was also a factor. Had there been four minutes left, I would have been throwing shit at the TV (LOL).

Of course, a touchdown would have made all options irrelevant.

Not a bad call, IMO.

GBB!!!

I would agree if our Defense had played better but the only thing that stopped lock was lock

 

[chattanoogawildcat]

I created this account after years of lurking on this forum simply because of that ABSURD decision to kick the fg at the end of tonights game instead of going for the 2 yard TD.

This is not a post to discuss the season, the game, Mark Stoops, his coaching ability, etc....

I am not here to introduce myself or explain my fandom.

I simply need someone out there to know that making the choice to kick the FG in that situation was one of the worst calls I have ever seen.

Missouri scoring a touchdown BEATS YOU EITHER WAY. There really is no argument here. You go for the touchdown to put the game away. If you don't make it, they need to drive 98+ yards to beat you anyway.

You have to have confidence that you can make those 2 yards to seal it. If you don't make it you have to have confidence that you can prevent them from driving 98+ yards with no timeouts to beat you. You have to at the very least have confidence that you can hold them to a FG that simply ties you and then you go beat them in OT.

That call was a complete lack of confidence in the team. It was a pathetic, worthless, gutless and above all else stupid decision. Happy for the win, but again, this post is not about anything else. Mark Stoops, Eddie Gran, Mitch Barnhart, Eli Capilouto... John Calipari... whoever, I don't care...... I need SOMEBODY out there to know how livid I was when our field goal unit trotted out onto the field. That is all.

Mistake was creating the account.

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

No it wasn’t... they don’t have to go 99 yds to tie the game.

 

[Nubb16]

It also made them have to throw a Hail Mary as time expired to try and score a TD instead of just spiking the ball and lining up for a game tying FG to send the game to OT.

 

[Lost In FL]

For you younger guys...

 

[bballcat4]

For all the people who think Mo would have to get 98 yards to beat us if we went for it on 4th and didn’t get it are wrong. They would only have to get 65 yards to get in fg range. It would’ve put our defense (that was struggling) in the position of having to defend the homerun play and against the dink and dunk.

6 pt lead only left Mo with chance of TD to win. The field goal took away other options.

I would’ve been fine going for it, but I understand the decision.

Those making it sound like Mo would’ve had to gain 98 yds are incorrect. They would’ve had all momentum if game went into OT.

If you don’t like the call then chalk it up to coaching philosophy. There was no bad call in that situation.

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

C O N S E R V A T I S M
kənˈsərvədizəm/
noun

1. 
   
   
   • 1.
     commitment to traditional values and ideas with opposition to change or innovation.

5-1

One point away from being potentially undefeated.

Your drivel only has a chance to work if UK loses. They didn’t so your point comes up lame.

 

[Poetax]

I would agree if our Defense had played better but the only thing that stopped lock was lock

That can be said in any game about QBs, it happens. We have nice defensive depth now but I wouldn't call it great like our starters. We miss Jones, plus tonight we missed Pringle, Allen and Baity was out for several plays. Middleton was out some plays. There might have been more they were falling like flies in every quarter. Real battles have been won with hunches, sometimes they lose but tonight he was right no matter how the rest of the game went. I'm pretty sure that ul and fla would like to have our record.

 

[wildcatcorner]

I created this account after years of lurking on this forum simply because of that ABSURD decision to kick the fg at the end of tonights game instead of going for the 2 yard TD.

This is not a post to discuss the season, the game, Mark Stoops, his coaching ability, etc....

I am not here to introduce myself or explain my fandom.

I simply need someone out there to know that making the choice to kick the FG in that situation was one of the worst calls I have ever seen.

Missouri scoring a touchdown BEATS YOU EITHER WAY. There really is no argument here. You go for the touchdown to put the game away. If you don't make it, they need to drive 98+ yards to beat you anyway.

You have to have confidence that you can make those 2 yards to seal it. If you don't make it you have to have confidence that you can prevent them from driving 98+ yards with no timeouts to beat you. You have to at the very least have confidence that you can hold them to a FG that simply ties you and then you go beat them in OT.

That call was a complete lack of confidence in the team. It was a pathetic, worthless, gutless and above all else stupid decision. Happy for the win, but again, this post is not about anything else. Mark Stoops, Eddie Gran, Mitch Barnhart, Eli Capilouto... John Calipari... whoever, I don't care...... I need SOMEBODY out there to know how livid I was when our field goal unit trotted out onto the field. That is all.

Spot on. And their kicker struggled so there's a good chance he misses even if they do drive 70 yards to get in fg range.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

5-1

One point away from being potentially undefeated.

Your drivel only has a chance to work if UK loses. They didn’t so your point comes up lame.

He must have forgot about that conservative fake punt call on 4th and 2 on our side of the 50, that gained 7 yds. and a 1st down.

 

[Poetax]

Spot on. And their kicker struggled so there's a good chance he misses even if they do drive 70 yards to get in fg range.

Because of our made FG, he didn't get a chance to miss, and with no timeouts, they are worse with time management then we are, they couldn't get into the endzone. Win Win

 

[DCFseattle]

http://kentuckysportsradio.com/foot...goal-instead-of-going-for-it-on-4th-and-goal/

In case you're wondering what Stoops' thoughts were on kicking that field goal.

 

[wildcatcorner]

For me, it boils down to this... typically you play the odds, kick the fg and force the other team to have to score a td. But this is Kentucky, so you throw odds out the widow.

You're up 13. Odds are good you'll get at least a fg even if the other team scores 2 td's.
Odds are the other team won't convert a tipped hail Mary pass.
Odds are a team won't win every game for 3 decades.

...

 

[The_Answer1313]

For me, it boils down to this... typically you play the odds, kick the fg and force the other team to have to score a td. But this is Kentucky, so you throw odds out the widow.

You're up 13. Odds are good you'll get at least a fg even if the other team scores 2 td's.
Odds are the other team won't convert a tipped hail Mary pass.
Odds are a team won't win every game for 3 decades.

...

lol I still think you play the percentages...........you just have to have the UK factored into those percentages.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Well they got in field goal range so coach made the right decision. You can delete the account and go back to lurking now if that's the kind of post you're going to make just blindly bashing the coach and team.

To be fair here... they got into field goal range from taking the ball at the 25. They weren't forced to get the ball at the one or two and drive 65 yards to go to field goal range. They didn't start the drive having to be worried about a possible safety and UK played basically a prevent type defense instead of being aggressive.

It worked out. Scary situation to be in either way. With the way their kicker and long snapper were doing I think I'd take my chance and try to get into the end zone, but I'm not paid millions to make an on the spot decision like that.

 

[bthaunert]

These are always damned if you do, damned if you don't decisions. If we go for it, they stop us, then drive 75 yards and kick a 40 yard field goal to go into OT, people are complaining that he didn't kick a field goal.

 

[BigBluePhantom]

I agree with the OP. All the arguments disagreeing with OP are predicated on us not getting the TD. It basically comes down to relying on a offense that had already scored 37 points tonight or relying on a defense that had already given up 3 scores off the deep pass tonight. Score the TD and you win. Come up short and and the defense can still make the stop as a plan B. Even if they kick a FG, we still have a third chance to win in OT. As it was, the defense absolutely had to make the stop or we lose. Luckily, they did make the stop but it shouldn't have had to come down to that.

 

[Poetax]

I agree with the OP. All the arguments disagreeing with OP are predicated on us not getting the TD. It basically comes down to relying on a offense that had already scored 37 points tonight or relying on a defense that had already given up 3 scores off the deep pass tonight. Score the TD and you win. Come up short and and the defense can still make the stop as a plan B. Even if they kick a FG, we still have a third chance to win in OT. As it was, the defense absolutely had to make the stop or we lose. Luckily, they did make the stop but it shouldn't have had to come down to that.

You said it all, we made the stop and won the game. Hard to argue with success.

 

[unclebig'un]

Well they got in field goal range so coach made the right decision. You can delete the account and go back to lurking now if that's the kind of post you're going to make just blindly bashing the coach and team.

I wish I would have posted this reply! Good stuff!

 

[KyCatFan]

One thing the field goal people aren't taking into account is there are no 50+ yard touchdowns in overtime. So that eliminates most of their offense.

I am in the pro go for the TD camp. Wildcatwelder (I believe that was the other poster) and myself were the first 2 people to mention that the TD was better in our opinions on the game thread. Even one of the announcers mentioned it as well right after we did.

Going for it
*You score you win outright.
*You don't score they have to go 98+ yards to beat you.
*You don't score they have to go at least 70 yards to have a chance at a reasonable FG (one of their possessions had the line to make like around the 22 for a FG for them).


Kicking the FG
*Make the FG they have to go 75 yards for a TD to win.
*Make the FG and no chance to tie and go to OT.
*Miss the FG and they can tie or win.

So both ways have positives and negatives. I prefer they have to drive 98+ yards (or already be over for them with us scoring a TD) than to give them a shot to beat us with a TD on a shorter field (at least 23 yards closer). I wasn't as worried about them hitting a long FG for the tie with their kicking woes. I was worried about them scoring on a long TD pass though. As I said earlier, they don't get a long field in OT. Can they beat us without the big play?