Clock Management in 4th Quarter

[Harry]

I understand that you want to stop them defensively in their last drive after you punted on z4th down but did anyone else wonder why we didn't call any time outs? I guess I was disappointed that the staff felt like DT could score a touchdown the length of the field with 1:30 left on the clock...it wasn't enough time and they seemed to be content with letting Ohio burn a lot of time in that last field goal drive.

[NorthTexan95]

I think it's a minor grip. Without that last timeout we wouldn't have been able to challenge that final INT. Granted, it didn't matter but it could have. I would have taken the timeout after 3rd down but it's not a huge thing. The coaches have much better things to worry about this week.

[North Texas Shep]

I felt the same way. It seemed like most the people watching at the Alumni Pavilion were all wondering the same thing... They could have easily went into that last drive with over 2 minutes on the clock if time outs were used properly.

[UNT90]

I understand that you want to stop them defensively in their last drive after you punted on z4th down but did anyone else wonder why we didn't call any time outs? I guess I was disappointed that the staff felt like DT could score a touchdown the length of the field with 1:30 left on the clock...it wasn't enough time and they seemed to be content with letting Ohio burn a lot of time in that last field goal drive.

Just bad clock management, plain and simple.

[foutsrouts]

I understand that you want to stop them defensively in their last drive after you punted on z4th down but did anyone else wonder why we didn't call any time outs? I guess I was disappointed that the staff felt like DT could score a touchdown the length of the field with 1:30 left on the clock...it wasn't enough time and they seemed to be content with letting Ohio burn a lot of time in that last field goal drive.

I was screaming for a timeout and just didn't get it. Mac needs to reconsider his field "Generalship" after this game. Some pretty bad decisions IMO.

[MeanMag]

That's not a big deal to me, generally you want the timeouts when you are on offense in that situation. I thought he made the right move there. What he didnt count on was the interception. It was obvious we were going to have to drie the field at that point anyway and even if you are only down three you'd need at least one timeout to get the fg unit ready. Out of all of the things that happened, this one was very, very minor, if relevant at all.

[meanrob]

It's not a minor deal. Because the clock stops on first downs in college time is more important than first downs. You stop the clock, period.

This coaching staff needs to start getting things right. The clock management and kicking the field goal were bad decisions. It needs to stop.

[meanrob]

Let me say this, mistakes by the players cost us the game. But the coaches need to improve too.

[emmitt01]

All of this is a moot point if we don't give up that 3rd and 4 conversion on their last drive where we blitzed, Tettleton throws up a prayer and Whitfield never even looks up for the ball.

[Rudy]

All of this is a moot point if we don't give up that 3rd and 4 conversion on their last drive where we blitzed, Tettleton throws up a prayer and Whitfield never even looks up for the ball.

Surely we have people on the sidelines who aren't in the game that are supposed to yell run/pass and when the ball is in the air? Or am I just imagining things again?

Oh look a purple dragon!

[Harry]

All of this is a moot point if we don't give up that 3rd and 4 conversion on their last drive where we blitzed, Tettleton throws up a prayer and Whitfield never even looks up for the ball.

You aren't kidding about that play...why can't our d-backs read WR eyes better?

[Green P1]

Just bad clock management, plain and simple.

Just us being us.

[Got5onIt]

I didn't really think about it at the time while watching. Did they at least call time out on 3rd down & does anyone remember how many timeouts NT had left on their final defensive series?

[Andrew]

You aren't kidding about that play...why can't our d-backs read WR eyes better?

At some point they need to turn around! You can only play the recover for so long without attempting to play the ball. They do not even bother to put their hands up sometimes. put up your hands at that does not happen...

[Green Crazy]

Also, if you go back to around the 10 minute mark of the 4th quarter (maybe a little before) they had a a penalty walked off against them and the clock KEPT RUNNING! We lost around 25 seconds. I thought for sure someone would see it on our sideline and tell the refs, but they didn't. How do we not have someone watching the clock for things like that. A little home cooking for Ohio.

[UNT90]

All of this is a moot point if we don't give up that 3rd and 4 conversion on their last drive where we blitzed, Tettleton throws up a prayer and Whitfield never even looks up for the ball.

Terrible coverage by Whitfield on the play. All he had to do was turn around and he had a sure pick. Reminded me very much of a bad high school defensive back.

[Green P1]

Terrible coverage by Whitfield on the play. All he had to do was turn around and he had a sure pick. Reminded me very much of a bad high school defensive back a North Texas defensive back.

fixed

Edited September 8, 2013 by Green P1

[UNT90]

I didn't really think about it at the time while watching. Did they at least call time out on 3rd down & does anyone remember how many timeouts NT had left on their final defensive series?

We had all 3 time outs left when Ohio had a third and 4 (?) inside the red zone with 2:30 left. We didn't use one before or after the 3rd down play, allowing the clock to run down to 1:26 when the offense took over (after a terrible decision by our kick returner to slide on his knees and catch the kickoff near the sideline, a kickoff that was headed out of bounds).

So, with proper use of timeouts, we would have started at our 16 with 2:20 left on the clock and 1 timeout as opposed to 1:26 and 3 timeouts (1 of which was left on the board). As previously stated, the clock stops on 1st downs in college football.

Just a terrible coaching decision. One of many in this game. I think we have the talent to be competitive in the CUSA, but with a staff that constantly coaches not to lose instead of coaching to win, I see a lot of these types of losses in our future (7 points or less).

It doesn't matter what type of talent you have if you refuse to utilize it properly.

[MeanMag]

I didn't really think about it at the time while watching. Did they at least call time out on 3rd down & does anyone remember how many timeouts NT had left on their final defensive series?

Yes, they did call the timeout after 3rd. Very quickly. We had 3 timeouts on their drive and 2 when we took possession.

Emmitt nailed it.

You want those 2 timeouts when you have the ball, because you have to use one for a fg to tie if they missed. If they scored a td after you use a timeout you are now down 2 scores with only 2 timeouts. This was not a mistake. You want to go the length of the field needing a td to tie with 1 timeout in 1:30? No thanks, ill take 2 timeouts. Either way, it doesn't make a difference, hence why it's a minor detail.

Also we lost the last timeout on the challenge.

Edited September 8, 2013 by MeanMag

[Green Crazy]

We had all 3 time outs left when Ohio had a third and 4 (?) inside the red zone with 2:30 left. We didn't use one before or after the 3rd down play, allowing the clock to run down to 1:26 when the offense took over (after a terrible decision by our kick returner to slide on his knees and catch the kickoff near the sideline, a kickoff that was headed out of bounds).

So, with proper use of timeouts, we would have started at our 16 with 2:20 left on the clock and 1 timeout as opposed to 1:26 and 3 timeouts (1 of which was left on the board). As previously stated, the clock stops on 1st downs in college football.

Just a terrible coaching decision. One of many in this game. I think we have the talent to be competitive in the CUSA, but with a staff that constantly coaches not to lose instead of coaching to win, I see a lot of these types of losses in our future (7 points or less).

It doesn't matter what type of talent you have if you refuse to utilize it properly.

yes, we called the timeout with 1:27.

going back and watching that sequence again and assuming they call the same plays and decide to run the ball, we could of been receiving the kickoff with about 2:45 left on the clock and no timeouts. last night it wasn't as clear to me, but today we definitely should have used our timeouts.

also, while watching the last kickoff again I don't think the ball would have gone out of bounds. brelan caught the ball about 4 yds away from the sideline. I think he made the right decision by catching it. however, they had been pooching it the whole night and we had both guys standing in the middle of the field at the 5. they should have been standing on the 10 in their normal positions and then a good return might have been possible. instead brelan has to slide just to catch the ball.

[Harry]

Yes, they did call the timeout after 3rd. Very quickly. We had 3 timeouts on their drive and 2 when we took possession.

Emmitt nailed it.

You want those 2 timeouts when you have the ball, because you have to use one for a fg to tie if they missed. If they scored a td after you use a timeout you are now down 2 scores with only 2 timeouts. This was not a mistake. You want to go the length of the field needing a td to tie with 1 timeout in 1:30? No thanks, ill take 2 timeouts. Either way, it doesn't make a difference, hence why it's a minor detail.

Also we lost the last timeout on the challenge.

Do you honestly believe with this offense we can score an 80 yard touchdown with 1:30 left in the game against a prevent defense? Do you realize that on first downs the clock stops and you can spike the ball to stop it as well? Did you see our defenders with their hands on their hips in that final drive? I also disagree that they called the timeout VERY quickly after 3rd - I thought I saw 4-5 seconds burn on that call. I can see arguments both ways but it just seemed like what we were doing wasn't working,,, we desperately needed to rethink our strategy, perhaps do a run blitz or something to stave off their running game... I also think with more time you aren't putting Derek in as much desperation mode... that's not a strong suit of his or this entire offense in my opinion..

[Harry]

Isn't the point somewhat moot? With the play calling and QB in that last drive, it didn't matter anyway.

Of course it is moot, the game is over...we lost. And like Vito says don't over react. But if you want this program to be better than just what is expected you think about these things over and over in your head or at least I do and quite a few other on here.

I want to move away from the, "oh well, they were favored, it was on the road, they are good and we kept it close" type of mentality that we see too often here...

[adman]

You aren't kidding about that play...why can't our d-backs read WR eyes better?

Yeah, you figure the entire defense knows a full on blitz is coming so...maybe as a DB I should expect a quick throw.

[MeanMag]

Do you honestly believe with this offense we can score an 80 yard touchdown with 1:30 left in the game against a prevent defense? Do you realize that on first downs the clock stops and you can spike the ball to stop it as well? Did you see our defenders with their hands on their hips in that final drive? I also disagree that they called the timeout VERY quickly after 3rd - I thought I saw 4-5 seconds burn on that call. I can see arguments both ways but it just seemed like what we were doing wasn't working,,, we desperately needed to rethink our strategy, perhaps do a run blitz or something to stave off their running game... I also think with more time you aren't putting Derek in as much desperation mode... that's not a strong suit of his or this entire offense in my opinion..

Obviously, I don't think we could go 80 yds in 1:30, otherwise we'd have done it. What I am saying is that most coaches would have done the same thing McCarney did in that situation.

Let's say you call a timeout on prior to 3rd down. There's 3 things that can happen, you hold them, they get a first down or a touchdown. 2 out of those 3 things means you wasted that timeout and the third means you have to use a second timeout. Lets say the first thing happens (it did - we hold them). If the other 2 had happened it's game over without that extra timeout.

It's likely game over with them, anyhow, as we saw, but that's the right call in that situation, so stop making a big deal out of one timeout decision. The fact is our db let up 2 big plays, our oline was whipped, our rbs were indecisive and our qb was inconsistently accurate.

Next time we should just use all of our timeouts on the first series of the game to give ourselves more time the rest o the game. Then there's no debating about when to use them at the end of it either.

If you assume every play happens exactly as it did and you use the timeout on 3rd down then Thompson throws and int and Ohio is burning a about 45 seconds extra off the clock that we can do nothing to stop.