First drive offense

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gopher7

gopher7

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Why was ours so bad? Lack of preparation? Play calling? Mentally not ready? Will having a new play caller in a bowl game change this? In 12 games, we had:

1 FG (Ohio)
1 TD (Nebraska)
10 punts (including the last 5 games)

Makes me cringe when Claeys wants the ball first.
 


I defer until the 2nd half every chance I get. Defense gives up points and it just gives offense some more urgency to focus.
 

Did anyone tally what the D gave up on its first drives? It seems like we've been almost obligatory in
spotting opponents the first score in almost every game.
 



metrolax said:
Did anyone tally what the D gave up on its first drives? It seems like we've been almost obligatory in
spotting opponents the first score in almost every game.
Click to expand...

Wasn't always on the first drive, but the other team scored first in 8 of the 12 games. The ones where we did were the 2 listed above, plus Wisconsin & Michigan. Through the Michigan game we were outscored 54-13 in the first quarter. After that it got better, and we went 21-21 the rest of the way. Ohio Sate and us were scoreless in the first quarter, but of course they went up 21-0 after that.
 

Claeys position on taking the ball to start the game does make mathematical sense.

It creates some degree of probability that you will have the ball one more time than your opponent over the course of a game....but,

Going 3 and out, or not at least moving the ball to set up field position would make this a poor choice..... and if you are holding the ball and the end of the 2nd quarter, and take a knee with no thoughts of taking a shot defeats this strategy as well.... I think if you take the ball to get more possessions, you have to be all in offensively.
 

gopher7 said:
Why was ours so bad? Lack of preparation? Play calling? Mentally not ready? Will having a new play caller in a bowl game change this? In 12 games, we had:

1 FG (Ohio)
1 TD (Nebraska)
10 punts (including the last 5 games)

Makes me cringe when Claeys wants the ball first.
Click to expand...

This exactly.
Every time he won the toss and didn't defer, I just lowered and started
shaking my head..... Do you have a statistic for, 3-out, punt, other team
scores right away?
 

It's Gopher tradition to give up points on the opponents first drive
 



I hope it was one of the two fired on Sunday that got in his ear and convinced him to start taking the ball to start the game. Very few coaches will not defer to the second half.

I hate not knowing the offense will get the first opportunity of the second half.
 

oak_street1981 said:
I hope it was one of the two fired on Sunday that got in his ear and convinced him to start taking the ball to start the game. Very few coaches will not defer to the second half.

I hate not knowing the offense will get the first opportunity of the second half.
Click to expand...

Coach Claeys said in an interview something along the lines that he is a number person and taking the ball first increases the chance you will get an extra possession so he prefers to take the ball first. I consider myself fairly good at math but can't figure this one out...
 

bottlebass said:
Coach Claeys said in an interview something along the lines that he is a number person and taking the ball first increases the chance you will get an extra possession so he prefers to take the ball first. I consider myself fairly good at math but can't figure this one out...
Click to expand...

Well, at least he hasn't kicked off to start both halves (yet?)

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014...ips-work-gives-ucla-ball-to-start-both-halves

There are so many (strong) opinions on this topic. Tracy is right that he may get an extra possession in the first half, and by receiving the kick more likely (at other schools, not at MN) to either score first or give the other team poor field position, flip the field, and have a better chance to score on the second possession.

First half momentum can be crucial to setting the tone of the game. This staff used to have a pretty strong record of protecting half time leads.

Unfortunately our first quarter offense has been abysmal, for years. So I'm not sure i agree with the strategy, especially under The Kill/Limegrover regime. Probably better to defer.

More and more coaches like to defer so they have an extra possession after they've seen the defense in the first half. Belichick had or has a very long defer streak, more likely because he's Bill Fing Belichick than any real strategy?

This is actually an interesting topic, which is why I'm surprised to see it on the Gopherhole.
 

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