Why did Dantonio punt with 1:46 left in the game?

[okinburg1]

Yes, he had all 3 TO's left. But he had to know that if PSU gets one first down the game is essentially over. So, either he had to feel EXTREMELY confident MSU would get the ball back, or he has gigantic brass balls, or both. Now, why would he feel extremely confident that, on the road against the #8 team in the country, with a 3 year starting senior QB, he would get the ball back???
My guess - PSU's offensive play calling is such that Dantonio felt very good that he could dial up the correct D to stop PSU. Of course, PSU runs 3 times, including one OOB gift to save a TO, and the rest is history.
What is my point? There have been numerous threads on this board talking about Rahne and vanilla/predictable/conservative/scared/etc play calling. Dantonio punting with 1:46 left, when trailing on the road, is at least reasonable circumstantial evidence that MSU had Rahne figured out.
Disclaimer - never played/coached D1/professional football, so probably don't know what I'm talking about.

 

[mn78psu83]

Yes, he had all 3 TO's left. But he had to know that if PSU gets one first down the game is essentially over. So, either he had to feel EXTREMELY confident MSU would get the ball back, or he has gigantic brass balls, or both. Now, why would he feel extremely confident that, on the road against the #8 team in the country, with a 3 year starting senior QB, he would get the ball back???
My guess - PSU's offensive play calling is such that Dantonio felt very good that he could dial up the correct D to stop PSU. Of course, PSU runs 3 times, including one OOB gift to save a TO, and the rest is history.
What is my point? There have been numerous threads on this board talking about Rahne and vanilla/predictable/conservative/scared/etc play calling. Dantonio punting with 1:46 left, when trailing on the road, is at least reasonable circumstantial evidence that MSU had Rahne figured out.
Disclaimer - never played/coached D1/professional football, so probably don't know what I'm talking about.

He was EXTREMELY confident MSU would get the ball back.

 

[DandyDonII]

He kind of had too, the sack forced the issue....If it was 4th and 5, he would have gone for it....He also knew that we had been unable to pass on him all day...

 

[TheGLOV]

Yes, he had all 3 TO's left. But he had to know that if PSU gets one first down the game is essentially over. So, either he had to feel EXTREMELY confident MSU would get the ball back, or he has gigantic brass balls, or both. Now, why would he feel extremely confident that, on the road against the #8 team in the country, with a 3 year starting senior QB, he would get the ball back???
My guess - PSU's offensive play calling is such that Dantonio felt very good that he could dial up the correct D to stop PSU. Of course, PSU runs 3 times, including one OOB gift to save a TO, and the rest is history.
What is my point? There have been numerous threads on this board talking about Rahne and vanilla/predictable/conservative/scared/etc play calling. Dantonio punting with 1:46 left, when trailing on the road, is at least reasonable circumstantial evidence that MSU had Rahne figured out.
Disclaimer - never played/coached D1/professional football, so probably don't know what I'm talking about.

Because he knew we could not get a 1st down to save our soul and seal the victory.

It worked for him!!!

 

[TheGLOV]

He was EXTREMELY confident MSU would get the ball back.

He was correct-a-MUN-DO!!

 

[mn78psu83]

He was correct-a-MUN-DO!!

Sad but true, Mr. TheGLOV.

 

[psujejr]

Are you kidding?
Who didn't know they would get the ball back?

 

[psu2016]

Yes, he had all 3 TO's left. But he had to know that if PSU gets one first down the game is essentially over. So, either he had to feel EXTREMELY confident MSU would get the ball back, or he has gigantic brass balls, or both. Now, why would he feel extremely confident that, on the road against the #8 team in the country, with a 3 year starting senior QB, he would get the ball back???
My guess - PSU's offensive play calling is such that Dantonio felt very good that he could dial up the correct D to stop PSU. Of course, PSU runs 3 times, including one OOB gift to save a TO, and the rest is history.
What is my point? There have been numerous threads on this board talking about Rahne and vanilla/predictable/conservative/scared/etc play calling. Dantonio punting with 1:46 left, when trailing on the road, is at least reasonable circumstantial evidence that MSU had Rahne figured out.
Disclaimer - never played/coached D1/professional football, so probably don't know what I'm talking about.

Probably because he’s watched our four collapses in the previous two years and knew that we’d hand the ball off five yards behind the LOS and would be too scared to throw the ball

 

[Pocono Lion]

I put that right up there with Iowa taking the safety in the 6-4 game.

 

[mn78psu83]

I put that right up there with Iowa taking the safety in the 6-4 game.

That crossed my mind too.

 

[interrobang]

A great gamble by a great defensive mind.

 

[nits74]

As unlikable as he can be, he is a very good coach. The best in the conference in my opinion.

 

[FightOnState]

As unlikable as he can be, he is a very good coach. The best in the conference in my opinion.

He is very good. And when he moves on Sparty goes back to the John L Smith era.

 

[mn78psu83]

As unlikable as he can be, he is a very good coach. The best in the conference in my opinion.

He is an outstanding coach.

 

[bkmtnittany1]

Punts to us with 1:46 to go down 3....thanks for the xmas present Dantonio...and we can't finish the deal. That's it...I am going drinking!!!!

 

[PSUinMICH]

Because he knows that when he makes a stupid call his team will bail him out.

 

[canuckhal]

The same guy who went for a fake on a make-able tying field goal. He is a hero now, but could have easily been the goat.

 

[MilesBarkley]

At least we took 11 seconds off the clock in our 3 downs

 

[Richard the LIONhearted]

I put that right up there with Iowa taking the safety in the 6-4 game.

I thought the exact same thing. That is a low-water mark.

 

[harbest]

Yes, he had all 3 TO's left. But he had to know that if PSU gets one first down the game is essentially over. So, either he had to feel EXTREMELY confident MSU would get the ball back, or he has gigantic brass balls, or both. Now, why would he feel extremely confident that, on the road against the #8 team in the country, with a 3 year starting senior QB, he would get the ball back???
My guess - PSU's offensive play calling is such that Dantonio felt very good that he could dial up the correct D to stop PSU. Of course, PSU runs 3 times, including one OOB gift to save a TO, and the rest is history.
What is my point? There have been numerous threads on this board talking about Rahne and vanilla/predictable/conservative/scared/etc play calling. Dantonio punting with 1:46 left, when trailing on the road, is at least reasonable circumstantial evidence that MSU had Rahne figured out.
Disclaimer - never played/coached D1/professional football, so probably don't know what I'm talking about.

He was thinking a move ahead of the game and chose to take a gamble & punt hoping he could get the ball back with time to do something with it. His gamble worked out better than he could have imagined.

 

[harbest]

Probably because he’s watched our four collapses in the previous two years and knew that we’d hand the ball off five yards behind the LOS and would be too scared to throw the ball

I know this is the norm in offensive football today, but I can not for the life of me, figure out why in 3rd and 4th down short yardage situations, you would snap the ball BACK 5 yards when you only need 1 or 2 yards.

 

[PSU2UNC]

He did it because he is not a good coach. Yes, it worked out for him yesterday, but keep in mind he also used THREE trick plays (two worked) during the game. Can you imagine the outrage among PSU fans if we tried 3 trick plays and lost a game? Much like the way he teaches his DBs to play (pass interference or holding on every play, assume it won't get called most of the time), he is a high risk/high reward coach.

 

[mn78psu83]

He did it because he is not a good coach. Yes, it worked out for him yesterday, but keep in mind he also used THREE trick plays (two worked) during the game. Can you imagine the outrage among PSU fans if we tried 3 trick plays and lost a game? Much like the way he teaches his DBs to play (pass interference or holding on every play, assume it won't get called most of the time), he is a high risk/high reward coach.

He was playing without 6 or 7 starters at PSU. I'm sure he told his team that they would pull out all of the stops to try and win that game. All of the trick plays were well-executed, even the one that failed. Garret Taylor made a great play on the ball to break it up. I give him credit. Still can't stand to look at him.

 

[Obliviax]

what shocked me was McSorley running OOB. He is a really smart QB and his brain is one of his greatest attribute so for him to have such a brain fart was really shocking. I mean, that isn't coaching. Anyone who played pop warner would know that.

The problem is, as a Sr leader, if he yells at players to "do the little things" they are going to snicker a bit, behind his back.

 

[mn78psu83]

what shocked me was McSorley running OOB. He is a really smart QB and his brain is one of his greatest attribute so for him to have such a brain fart was really shocking. I mean, that isn't coaching. Anyone who played pop warner would know that.

The problem is, as a Sr leader, if he yells at players to "do the little things" they are going to snicker a bit, behind his back.

Brutal mistake. I chalk it up to his competitive drive overruling his judgement. I doubt his teammates will snicker too much. For all we know, he's already taken responsibility for the mistake with his coaches and teammates.

 

[mn78psu83]

In the metric of "things that were a negative for PSU on Saturday"..... that was about #87 on the list of the most impactful.

norm, please list the most impactful from 1 - 86.

 

[Obliviax]

In the metric of "things that were a negative for PSU on Saturday"..... that was about #87 on the list of the most impactful.

Really? Because I am thinking that 106,000 of the 107,000 drunken fans from 100 yards away and in attendance were yelling "stay in bounds, godammit!". Its one thing to drop an unexpected INT or fumble a ball fighting for more yards. Its another to knowingly violate a basic football tenant put in place since you were 8 years old.

 

[SpartanJD]

He did it because he is not a good coach. Yes, it worked out for him yesterday, but keep in mind he also used THREE trick plays (two worked) during the game. Can you imagine the outrage among PSU fans if we tried 3 trick plays and lost a game? Much like the way he teaches his DBs to play (pass interference or holding on every play, assume it won't get called most of the time), he is a high risk/high reward coach.

Dantonio isn’t a good coach? What does that make Franklin?

 

[mn78psu83]

Dantonio isn’t a good coach? What does that make Franklin?

Dantonio is obviously a good coach. He and his staff planned well for the game, got the breaks they needed, and the players executed well in the most crucial times. Again, just look at how well MSU executed all 3 of those trick plays, even using that giant #99 who almost caught the fake field goal throw. I'll be shocked if that dude isn't playing on Sundays. I watched him in the pre-game. He can move really well for a guy that size. He'd be a scary TE.

 

[PSU2UNC]

Dantonio isn’t a good coach? What does that make Franklin?

A much better coach than your criminal enabling "leader".

 

[PSUSignore]

He is an outstanding coach.

While I agree, had MSU not scored that last TD Dantonio would be getting crucified for the fake FG attempt that didn't work out when he had a chance to tie the game. Hindsight is 20/20 and it seems that the fans and media like to use the results of a play to justify whether or not a decision was the right one or not. The coaches have to make these decisions without knowing how it will work out, of course they will get it right sometimes and will get it wrong sometimes. In this game I wasn't very surprised that MSU punted in that situation, because aside from a couple of explosive plays from Sanders the offense hadn't done much. Dantonio had 3+ quarters of data that supported his decision to punt in that situation.