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dksez

Do Excellent Recruiters Think Differently About Game Management?

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I'm just putting this out there because I haven't seen it asked anywhere else. Our current and former head coach have each shown themselves to be premier recruiters. Is it possible that they take unnecessary risks in games because they know how good those decisions will sound in a high schooler's living room?

Related query: Who will be the first head coach to make 2-point conversions their team's default? I know it might not "pencil out" directly, but the point differential won't determine the outcome of most games. (Kick the PAT when it looks like it will.) What about the extra benefits of having dozens of live ball reps of 4th-and-short? Wouldn't THAT sound different and aggressive and intriguing in that high schooler's living room?

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On 10/18/2023 at 8:42 AM, dksez said:

I'm just putting this out there because I haven't seen it asked anywhere else. Our current and former head coach have each shown themselves to be premier recruiters. Is it possible that they take unnecessary risks in games because they know how good those decisions will sound in a high schooler's living room?

Related query: Who will be the first head coach to make 2-point conversions their team's default? I know it might not "pencil out" directly, but the point differential won't determine the outcome of most games. (Kick the PAT when it looks like it will.) What about the extra benefits of having dozens of live ball reps of 4th-and-short? Wouldn't THAT sound different and aggressive and intriguing in that high schooler's living room?

Just my opinions:

1) as regards your 1st question, I doubt it.  Wins, losses, national hype and buzz are probably the first things HS'ers look at.  

2) I seriously doubt the 2-point conversion will ever become the default for any team.  It's too high-risk to be used every time

3) I would think the "extra benefit of live ball reps on 4th and short" would not justify the risk of turning the ball over to the opponent if unsuccessful.  A failure to convert a 4th down is very much like a turnover.

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On 10/18/2023 at 8:42 AM, dksez said:

I'm just putting this out there because I haven't seen it asked anywhere else. Our current and former head coach have each shown themselves to be premier recruiters. Is it possible that they take unnecessary risks in games because they know how good those decisions will sound in a high schooler's living room?

I tend to thing the poor recruiters, like Scot Frost, end up suffering more than the good ones. 
Related query: Who will be the first head coach to make 2-point conversions their team's default? I know it might not "pencil out" directly, but the point differential won't determine the outcome of most games. (Kick the PAT when it looks like it will.) What about the extra benefits of having dozens of live ball reps of 4th-and-short? Wouldn't THAT sound different and aggressive and intriguing in that high schooler's living room? The last coach who did that, Helfrich, lost his job, I personally wanted to strangle him when he did it. I would like to see those execution plays used more on critical 3rd, 4th downs. 

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Regarding question #1- I don't see any correlation.  Agree that its wins and losses and direction of the program.

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On 10/18/2023 at 8:57 AM, Mic said:

the "extra benefit of live ball reps on 4th and short" would not justify the risk of turning the ball over to the opponent if unsuccessful

You miss my point. Every 2-point conversion is a 4th-and-short play, but without the turnover downside.

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On 10/18/2023 at 9:05 AM, Augduck said:

I don't see any correlation

Coach to kid: "If we had one more stud on the field, that play would have sealed the game and our victory. We think you are that dude! (By the way, Mrs., these butterscotch bars are delicious!)"

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On 10/18/2023 at 9:15 AM, dksez said:

You miss my point. Every 2-point conversion is a 4th-and-short play, but without the turnover downside.

True.

 

But you would need to convert on more than half of your 2-point conversion attempts for it to be an advantage.

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     Not sure 2 pt conversions are as much a product of risk in the eyes of either coach as understanding defensive grouping and player strengths within those groupings. If the % shows an advantage, you go for it, just like Lanning suggested was the case on his 4th down at the end of the 2nd quarter. 
 

     If that plays well in a recruit’s living room, so be it.

 

     DL can get the bit between his teeth, but that’s a learning curve that aggressive but open-minded young coaches have to weather. Don’t really see Cristobal as either that aggressive or open-minded.

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I highly doubt recruiting plays any roll in game planning, game time coaching or scheming. Prwtty sure its the furthest thing from Lannings mind, if it is, Lanning has bigger problems than aggresive and risk taking.

 

Lanning is in his second year of head coach. Super young guy at the beginning of a super young career.

 

Lanning has a learning curve DeBoer learned over a decade ago at Sioux Falls. Difference is that Lanning is doing it with a top 10 elite progr'm, DeBoer was at a meaningless Sioux Falls. 

 

Recruiting needs to stay in Its own box. Lanning has enough on his plate trying to get wins. He doesn't need meaningless at the moment distractions like recruiting mudding up the waters 

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On 10/18/2023 at 9:15 AM, dksez said:

You miss my point. Every 2-point conversion is a 4th-and-short play, but without the turnover downside.

OK, I see your point, now.  But the 2-pt conversion is still a high risk as compared to the nearly automatic 1-pt kick.  I didn't mind seeing O go for the 2-pts early, but as the game goes on and the number of possessions left goes down it gets even riskier.  I guess there's 2 schools of thought on this and not everyone will ever agree on it.

 

In my mind of thinking, the 2-pt. conversion is usually (not always) better left for when needed to catch back up and bring a team to within one score or within a FG of winning or tying the game.  Obviously, Lanning thinks differently - at least part of the time.  I'm OK with that. 

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