I would have tried to throw for a first down.  Throwing deep could give them a pass interference penalty and a first down.  A completion and a first down. 

An INT would be just like a punt.  And if no one is open take a knee for a sack - you would have to punt then anyway with a pooch punt. 

 

Giving a team a full 2 minutes to drive the field is too much time. Timeouts or no timeouts. You also have to consider how good their QB was. 

Going for a pass was not so terrible in my mind, but the pass itself was terrible and had no chance.

 

My philosophy at the end of the games is...."first downs at the end of the game are as important as touchdowns earlier in the game.  You need both to win."

 

I am reminded of the Cal game in 2014 when we had the slim lead with nine minutes left and Chip did something he's never done--he burned nine minutes of clock and finished the game taking a knee at about the Cal ten yard line.

 

So to answer your question--you go for the first down, but pull out all your innovation to get them.  It is crazy when you think about it....we can't make a first down when it matters most?

The incomplete pass on 2nd and 18 was a really sad pass.  Pitch, catch, stay in bounds...he probably gains some yards, maybe not the first down but the clock keeps going/Stanford has to burn another time out.  But Brown was so out of synch in that game, not sure why they attempted any passes down the stretch.  The second half run game was cranking, when trying to kill the clock just don't keep running up the middle, do what go you there.

Great question and comments. My comment - a well organized, well quarter-backed team does not commit 2 false start penalties and what could have been the clinching drive.

 

AB QB'd the entire game. So, it's not a matter of a different cadence. You are trying to run the clock. What's the advantage of gaining a micro-second of a head start.

 

At the time these 2 penalties happened they were no different than turn overs recovered by the team that turned the ball over. 

 

Would the Ducks have won the game if AB had kneeled 3 times and Snee pooch punted?

 

The end game Saturday reminded me of another late loss to Stanford. One that came from handing the ball off to Verdell instead of taking a knee.

If I were coaching that team AB would have been benched at halftime. 

Given that Brown is not an accurate passer, running and running out the clock were the only sane options

ESPN or whoever it was, gave Stanford something like a 1% chance on their last drive. 

How many times have college teams driven the field in two minutes?  Countless. 

So that last drive was more like a 50% chance. 

 

I think AB should have thrown a couple of jump balls to tall receivers down around the 10 yd line.  Get a PI penalty, a catch, or even an INT.  It is all as good as giving them back the ball with 2 minutes left in the game. 

On 10/6/2021 at 2:01 PM, oregon112 said:

ESPN or whoever it was, gave Stanford something like a 1% chance on their last drive. 

How many times have college teams driven the field in two minutes?  Countless. 

So that last drive was more like a 50% chance. 

 

On the last possession, how many times has the losing team been unfairly rewarded with 3 penalties (targeting, roughing the QB, and PI) called against their opponent, leading to 30 free yards, and one untimed down?

On 10/8/2021 at 10:56 PM, DuckIt said:

On the last possession, how many times has the losing team been unfairly rewarded with 3 penalties (targeting, roughing the QB, and PI) called against their opponent, leading to 30 free yards, and one untimed down?

All those penalties were bogus, in my opinion.