Play Calling in Final Minutes

[G-Knight]

UCF ball up 5 with 1:40 left in the game. Temple has 2 time outs. Get a first down and UCF wins the game. Run game hasn't been working since the first half. UCF decides to run it up the middle 3 times in a row with Wilson...

Is this the right play call?

I think we went way to conservative on this drive.

 

[Mikesi]

UCF ball up 5 with 1:40 left in the game. Temple has 2 time outs. Get a first down and UCF wins the game. Run game hasn't been working since the first half. UCF decides to run it up the middle 3 times in a row with Wilson...

Is this the right play call?

I think we went way to conservative on this drive.

Yep, that's about right. Get it to Akins and have him break a tackle.

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

UCF ball up 5 with 1:40 left in the game. Temple has 2 time outs. Get a first down and UCF wins the game. Run game hasn't been working since the first half. UCF decides to run it up the middle 3 times in a row with Wilson...

Is this the right play call?

I think we went way to conservative on this drive.

Actually was the right call. You have to run the ball and force them to use all timeouts with only 30 seconds. A team isn't going to move the ball 70 yards in 30 seconds (usually). We just needed ONE defensive play. Of course going back after a loss you would try something different though.

 

[NestaKnight1]

Actually was the right call. You have to run the ball and force them to use all timeouts with only 30 seconds. A team isn't going to move the ball 70 yards in 30 seconds (usually). We just needed ONE defensive play. Of course going back after a loss you would try something different though.

I agree, it was the right call. Reasonable people don't think they could move the ball 70 yards in 32 seconds with no timeouts. It was the defensive backs laying 30 yards off the receivers that cost us that game.

 

[KnightNite]

I dunno, I understand running it on first and second down sure, make them use their 2 timeouts. But why not pass on 3rd and long and at least try to get the first down for the win? I mean, is Temple having 30 more seconds THAT big of an advantage? Honestly, more time might have helped the defense calm down and tighten up.

 

[NestaKnight1]

I dunno, I understand running it on first and second down sure, make them use their 2 timeouts. But why not pass on 3rd and long and at least try to get the first down for the win? I mean, is Temple having 30 more seconds THAT big of an advantage? Honestly, more time might have helped the defense calm down and tighten up.

You say that with hindsight. As it was unfolding, I remember watching frosty tucking his laminated playsheet into the back of his pants thinking he made the right call. Remember their Qb at that time was 4 for 10 in the second half. Again we were victimized by the prevent defense.

 

[HammerB08]

I wish we could get more insight into some of the risk-taking decision making process Frost goes through. Remember the Maryland game with the opportunity to go for 2 and win the game? Now this game ending sequence. Both times you've got the ball and a chance to go for it aggressively for a sure W if you convert. My guess is that if Frost had some more experience and trust at QB and the O-line he would've been going aggressive in those situations. We'll see in the future.

 

[Stetson_1883]

You live by the fire, you die by the fire.

Sure as hell more exciting than GOL offense.

 

[ucf_71127]

We were playing to "not lose" rather than playing "to win".
The last three drives I don't believe we had 1 first down.

 

[SublimeKnight]

If GOL did this (three runs up the middle), I'd be like, "GOL gonna GOL".
Frost said many times, "you don't play scared, you never stop attacking". It seemed like he got stuck between conservative and aggressive.

 

[Mikesi]

No timeout called at the end was bad coaching and may have been the difference. The defense was gassed and confused.

 

[RyantheMagicFan]

Hindsight is 20/20 as always but there is an argument for going for the pass if you have enough trust in your qb. Seeing as Milton was not exactly lighting the world on fire though, I can see why he didn't. I think the error more though was not calling a timeout on the defense to get their minds right and regroup after several quick strikes. But Frost is a young coach in his first major gig. He will learn.

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

UCF ball up 5 with 1:40 left in the game. Temple has 2 time outs. Get a first down and UCF wins the game. Run game hasn't been working since the first half. UCF decides to run it up the middle 3 times in a row with Wilson...

Is this the right play call?

I think we went way to conservative on this drive.

I was having GOL flashbacks on that!
I agree. Try something tricky......JMHO

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

Hindsight is 20/20 as always but there is an argument for going for the pass if you have enough trust in your qb. Seeing as Milton was not exactly lighting the world on fire though, I can see why he didn't. I think the error more though was not calling a timeout on the defense to get their minds right and regroup after several quick strikes. But Frost is a young coach in his first major gig. He will learn.

It was a 3rd and 10 which statically is probably 33% of making. Incomplete pass and they have 1:20 remaining. It was the right call in that situation. It was the defense that was the problem. You can't let someone cover 70 yards in 32 seconds.

 

[HammerB08]

I almost think 2nd down would've been a better option to attempt the pass. Temple is left with just 1 timeout after the 1st play, so you know that if you convert the pass you can kneel down in victory formation for the rest of the game. Temple is selling out on the run because they know we want to kill clock and get them to use their TOs. Element of surprise. You can give your QB a rollout pass/run option with strict instructions that if the pass isn't open to ensure that he goes down in bounds and protect the football. Again, you need to have trust in your QB to do that. Will be a lot easier once Frost has a guy with some more experience that he trusts in there.

 

[UCF.Citronauts]

I can see why they ran 3 straight times on the final possession. Although I don't necessarily agree with it, there was a strong argument for just burning clock and forcing the use of Temple's timeouts, and taking your chances with Temple having to go 70 yards in 30 seconds with no timeouts. They shouldn't have been able to pull that off, and it was just bad defense that allowed it.

The bigger problem I have is with the 4th quarter offensive game plan in general. Both of our close losses -- Maryland and Temple -- the same thing happened. UCF continued going up-tempo in the 2nd half even after the offense had stalled, and the defense wore down because we were putting them back on the field too quickly. It seemed especially evident in the Temple game that we were committing defensive suicide with the quick 3-and-outs. The 2nd half time of possession was inexcusable when you consider we lost in the final second. Any effort at clock management with the lead would have resulted in a victory, instead of the hurry-up-and-suck offensive game plan that kept giving the ball back to Temple quickly enough to allow them to stay within their ground-based game plan and still win.

 

[SublimeKnight]

It was a 3rd and 10 which statically is probably 33% of making. Incomplete pass and they have 1:20 remaining. It was the right call in that situation. It was the defense that was the problem. You can't let someone cover 70 yards in 32 seconds.

It's really not that clear cut. We were averaging under 2 yards a carry, while averaging 9.5 yards per pass attempt. Milton was completing 60% of his passes.

The running play was highly unlikely to pick up the first down. So you're running that play with the expectation that you're giving the ball back with 30 seconds left.
A pass, if it's complete, on average was netting 16 yards and it's game over. If incomplete, you're giving them 40 extra seconds. A sack or a completion short of the 1st down is really no different than the called run.

There really wasn't a right or wrong call. The pass is playing to win. The run is playing not to lose. Given Frost's "never play scared" "always attack" mantra, it was the wrong call.

 

[Mikesi]

Don't you get the feeling that in 4 of our games that we keep worrying about the defense getting worn down? Something is wrong there.

 

[SublimeKnight]

Don't you get the feeling that in 4 of our games that we keep worrying about the defense getting worn down? Something is wrong there.

What's wrong is we don't have the depth or conditioning yet to execute the design of the offense/defense. That will come in the next few years.

 

[UCFSig]

It was a 3rd and 10 which statically is probably 33% of making. Incomplete pass and they have 1:20 remaining. It was the right call in that situation. It was the defense that was the problem. You can't let someone cover 70 yards in 32 seconds.

The problem was play calling on the last 3 possessions. Our only successful play that entire time was a pass to Akins. Other than that they knew we were running and came after us.

On our last possession, we telegraphed run the first two running plays and got crushed. We were way too predictable. That allowed Temple to play a cover 1 on third down and stuff us yet again. We had Tre'quan split out and I felt we could have hit him on a slant for 10; however our previous bad decisions made that a very risky decision - as you mentioned.

I agree that after that the defense became a problem. No composure in the moment. Frost bet on them holding and got burned. I like the guy but he needs to sack up in those situations and go get the win.

 

[SublimeKnight]

The problem was play calling on the last 3 possessions. Our only successful play that entire time was a pass to Akins. Other than that they knew we were running and came after us.

On our last possession, we telegraphed run the first two running plays and got crushed. We were way too predictable. That allowed Temple to play a cover 1 on third down and stuff us yet again. We had Tre'quan split out and I felt we could have hit him on a slant for 10; however our previous bad decisions made that a very risky decision - as you mentioned.

I agree that after that the defense became a problem. No composure in the moment. Frost bet on them holding and got burned. I like the guy but he needs to sack up in those situations and go get the win.

That is what bothered me most. He talked a big game about being relentless and fearless, then he played not to lose.

 

[Knight_Light]

It's really not that clear cut. We were averaging under 2 yards a carry, while averaging 9.5 yards per pass attempt. Milton was completing 60% of his passes.

The running play was highly unlikely to pick up the first down. So you're running that play with the expectation that you're giving the ball back with 30 seconds left.
A pass, if it's complete, on average was netting 16 yards and it's game over. If incomplete, you're giving them 40 extra seconds. A sack or a completion short of the 1st down is really no different than the called run.

There really wasn't a right or wrong call. The pass is playing to win. The run is playing not to lose. Given Frost's "never play scared" "always attack" mantra, it was the wrong call.

Correct.

2ND half stats: UCF had 14 carries for 14 yds...and in 4th Q alone, UCF had 8 rushes for ZERO yds.

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

3 running plays up the middle did not seem like a FROSTY call. A GOL call yes but not FROST.

Like mentioned before...play to win......do a reverse or some other trick play that MIGHT give you that first down to win the game.

 

[Oviedo Knight]

I did not have much problems with the 3 dives on that last drive. I really had problems with the drive before. The D is gassed with about 6 minutes left and we go into a hurry up. 3 and out and maybe 20 seconds off the clock. They should have been milking the clock that drive to try to give the D a breather

 

[Central Floridave]

From a Temple perspective:
An oral history of Temple's game-winning drive at UCF: 'Something great was going to happen'

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/10/an_oral_history_of_temples_gam.html