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So...the "never punt guy" coach made his college coaching debut

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No punts, 84 points: Presbyterian has record-setting day in Kevin Kelley debut

The Blue Hose, accounting for numbers since the program moved to the Division I level in 2007, set school records for points, touchdowns (12), total yards (814) and first-half points (56).


Quarterback Ren Hefley broke a Football Championship Subdivision record for touchdown passes with 10. He also set a PC record with 39 completions. His 576 yards are second-most in school history. The Blue Hose also broke a Division I team record — accounting for FCS and Football Bowl Subdivision programs — for passing TDs in a game with 12.
 
Emmett: It ain't the money ya understand, but if I don't charge ya somethin' the Presbyterians around here are likely to pray for my ruination. How does a hundred dollars a month strike ya?

Dalton: Fine.

Emmett: Can ya afford that much?

Dalton: If it keeps you in the good graces of the church.

Emmett: Ain't it peculiar how money seems to do that very thing?
 
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Football is dying for advanced analytics (hello John Urschel - you are needed). I don’t know about never punting, but punting a lot less - especially when you’re inside the opponent’s half - should be happening.
 
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Football is dying for advanced analytics (hello John Urschel - you are needed). I don’t know about never punting, but punting a lot less - especially when you’re inside the opponent’s half - should be happening.
Let's say you apply that "no punt" strategy to Penn State in the Wisconsin game. What would you predict would have happened? absolute ideas like this don't likely hold up to real analysis. it would be like a hockey team just playing without a goalie.
 
Let's say you apply that "no punt" strategy to Penn State in the Wisconsin game. What would you predict would have happened? absolute ideas like this don't likely hold up to real analysis. it would be like a hockey team just playing without a goalie.
Some day we will see this at a bigger program. If you have a terrible program.....why would you not do this? Instant publicity. Instant increase in fan interest. One interesting angle is that it is much harder to defend ten yards for four downs, while altering how you utilize the play book. When people talk about doing this to an extent ........you kind of miss the point.
 
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Let's say you apply that "no punt" strategy to Penn State in the Wisconsin game. What would you predict would have happened? absolute ideas like this don't likely hold up to real analysis. it would be like a hockey team just playing without a goalie.
That’s why I said “I don’t know about never punting”. Probably should have been more definitive and objected to that absolutism. I would almost never punt inside, say, the opponent’s 45 - unless it was like 4th and 25. I gnash my teeth when a team punts at like the 40 and its booted way into the end zone for a touch back.
 
That’s why I said “I don’t know about never punting”. Probably should have been more definitive and objected to that absolutism. I would almost never punt inside, say, the opponent’s 45 - unless it was like 4th and 25. I gnash my teeth when a team punts at like the 40 and its booted way into the end zone for a touch back.
When I was coaching High School back a decade ago we spend a lot of time one summer trying to figure this punting or not situation out and looked at a ton of film. The big difference between High School and college and going for it on 4th Down is the kicking game. Most high school punters average around 30 yards a punt and kickers very rarely can make anything beyond 40 yards. Because of this you can feel comfortable going for it anytime you're beyond Midfield except for maybe when holding a one-possession lead late in the game. If the other team we played didn't have any kind of kicking game wed go for it on our own side of the 50 if it was less than five yards to go.
 
When I was coaching High School back a decade ago we spend a lot of time one summer trying to figure this punting or not situation out and looked at a ton of film. The big difference between High School and college and going for it on 4th Down is the kicking game. Most high school punters average around 30 yards a punt and kickers very rarely can make anything beyond 40 yards. Because of this you can feel comfortable going for it anytime you're beyond Midfield except for maybe when holding a one-possession lead late in the game. If the other team we played didn't have any kind of kicking game wed go for it on our own side of the 50 if it was less than five yards to go.
I am guessing that another thing in favor of it is if you always show go for it in opponent's territory you can fairly easily have your quarterback quick kick in a tight game and surprise the defense. Or shift into a punt formation from your offensive set and at least get them to burn a timeout
 
I am guessing that another thing in favor of it is if you always show go for it in opponent's territory you can fairly easily have your quarterback quick kick in a tight game and surprise the defense. Or shift into a punt formation from your offensive set and at least get them to burn a timeout
If your qb is your punter that does add a dimension. It was a little different every game depending on the team we were playing and where their strengths were but generally if it was 4th and 3 or less we went for it as long as we were past our own 35. Against the more undisciplined teams and coaches we just line up in a power formation and have our quarterback use a hard count and draw them offsides. I think we got different teams to jump around a dozen times that year. The other great part about using the hard count as that later on when you went for it they weren't quite as aggressive and you could blow them off the line
 
One of my HS coaches Jon Vastine played for the Blue Hose. He was honored along with their 1960 team at the Capital One bowl vs LSU. I think they actually played in the Citrus Bowl in 60 or 61.
 
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