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Old 09-28-2007, 06:09 AM
RedBean RedBean is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,358
Default Re: Post here when coaches do something obviously stupid

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What you need is a combination of a coach with untouchable tenure and an innovative, open-minded approach. Its obvious why this is a rare combination. For him to have an iron-clad job with no risk of being fired, he has to have had some serious success over time. This means he will be a) old and b) confident that his system works...which it does. There is very little incentive for this guy to be innovative. Its not impossible, just rare.

Plus jocks are dumb ldo.

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In the NFL, most if not all teams use a variation of the "Vermeil chart" that him and another guy developed when Vermeil was a young assistant at UCLA in the early '70s, detailing when to go for 2 based on the score differential, and in some variations, the time remaining in the game.

Vermeil's original chart played it safe, and it calls for kicking the PAT when down by 8.

I think it was predicated on the assumption that they would normally outclass the opponent in talent, and overtime would be more favorable for them, and that hasn't been adjusted for the NFL where it is literally a coin flip.

And everyone in the NFL uses the chart as a basis. Some of them modify it to be more aggressive with less time on the clock late, but I don't think anyone's chart calls for going for 2 when down 8.

Usually, when you're down 14, you're not doing something right on offense to begin with, and if you fail on the conversion and lose by 8, or convert it and lose by 6, you still lose, only now you get compounded on for looking like an idiot in fan's eyes.

But regardless, the fact that "the chart" was put together by a young college football assistant means hope that a new innovation can come from anywhere....not necessarily from a big name, tenured coach with job security.
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