Cal @ ASU 10/31

[O]

Halloween pick em.

 

[O]

Samson in for Sullivan throws for a TD.

It will be interesting to see which QB plays the next possession.

 

[PoolBoy]

wow these refs are lettin the yellow fly. ridiculous.

 

[O]

Sullivan 80yd TD strike.

New game.

 

[HooverDam]

ASUs coaches are such cowards. They play not to lose instead of to win, they shouldve gone for it on 4th w/ 3 mins to go, instead they decide to leave the game in the hands of our banged up, sub standard secondary.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

ASUs coaches are such cowards. They play not to lose instead of to win, they shouldve gone for it on 4th w/ 3 mins to go, instead they decide to leave the game in the hands of our banged up, sub standard secondary.

Are you kidding me? It was 4th and 1 on your own 35 Yard UP BY ONE!?!? And your team strength is its defense.

Classic hindsight fan response. I'm sure had they gotten stuffed and given them a FG you would be saying the same thing.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

ASUs coaches are such cowards. They play not to lose instead of to win, they shouldve gone for it on 4th w/ 3 mins to go, instead they decide to leave the game in the hands of our banged up, sub standard secondary.

There's no way you can go for it on 4th there with a freshman RB and an awful QB. You don't get it and Cal gets the ball already in FG range ready to win it. That game was tough to watch, both teams really poorly.

And the HB Pass by Cal with 30 seconds was possibly the worst playcall in football history.

 

[HooverDam]

Are you kidding me? It was 4th and 1 on your own 35 Yard UP BY ONE!?!? And your team strength is its defense.

Classic hindsight fan response. I'm sure had they gotten stuffed and given them a FG you would be saying the same thing.

Its not a hindsight fan response at all, but nice try. The moment the punt team came on the field I told my room mate "games over, ASU loses."

If you actually knew what you were talking about youd know that the secondary is the weakness of ASUs defense. Youd also know that their most talented corner, Bolden, wasnt playing due to injury.

Marshall was running strong all game and wasn't going down after first contact. Marshall was averaging over 4 yards a carry and the O line was getting a decent push. That was 4th and LESS THAN 1, they coulve gotten it.

They should play to win when youre trying to pull off an upset that could change your season, not this cowardly garbage of playing not to lose.

This staff has played it overly safe all year in every facet and Im sick of it. From playing Sullivan too much, to the vanilla play calling, to the benching better athletes for who knows what reason.

This shouldn't be an argument, we KNOW it was the wrong call because of the result. It didnt work out, just like when Koetter punted against LSU. But hey, I dont expect UA fans to disagree w/ ASUs coaching staffs call when it fails.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Its not a hindsight fan response at all, but nice try. The moment the punt team came on the field I told my room mate "games over, ASU loses."

If you actually knew what you were talking about youd know that the secondary is the weakness of ASUs defense. Youd also know that their most talented corner, Bolden, wasnt playing due to injury.

Marshall was running strong all game and wasn't going down after first contact. Marshall was averaging over 4 yards a carry and the O line was getting a decent push. That was 4th and LESS THAN 1, they coulve gotten it.

They should play to win when youre trying to pull off an upset that could change your season, not this cowardly garbage of playing not to lose.

This staff has played it overly safe all year in every facet and Im sick of it. From playing Sullivan too much, to the vanilla play calling, to the benching better athletes for who knows what reason.

This shouldn't be an argument, we KNOW it was the wrong call because of the result. It didnt work out, just like when Koetter punted against LSU.

LOL whatever you want to say bud. There is not one coach in America, NCAA or NFL, that makes that call with those circumstances. Those are calls that get a coach fired.

You may have turned to your roomate and said "game over" but I am not sure what that has to do with anything other then you knowing your squad is no good. That doesn't mean they should have gone for that 1st down. Closer to midfield and you may have a case.

 

[HooverDam]

LOL whatever you want to say bud. There is not one coach in America, NCAA or NFL, that makes that call with those circumstances. Those are calls that get a coach fired.

You may have turned to your roomate and said "game over" but I am not sure what that has to do with anything other then you knowing your squad is no good. That doesn't mean they should have gone for that 1st down. Closer to midfield and you may have a case.

Riddle me this genius: Did ASU win the game? Did the call work out?

The answer is "no" to both. The play call was obviously the wrong one because it failed.

Yes I do know ASUs weaknesses one of which is the secondary. Youd think ASUs geriatric nimrod coaches would know that too. I would MUCH rather have the game in the hands of a RB whos averaging 4.4 yards a carry and been tough to bring down all game than ASUs banged up secondary.

 

[Russ Smith]

The other thing to remember is if they go for it it's entirely possible that the prior play ends up being reviewed and Marshall's knee was down before he lunged. The spot they punted from and the spot they would have had on 4th down might not have been the same spot, it's quite likely the ball would have been moved back.

I hope Vereen did that pass on his own, if that was the actual call it was horrendous.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

This shouldn't be an argument, we KNOW it was the wrong call because of the result. It didnt work out, just like when Koetter punted against LSU. But hey, I dont expect UA fans to disagree w/ ASUs coaching staffs call when it fails.

I didn't even notice this at first. Classic.

You know what would have happened if you went for that first down? You would have gotten stuffed. And Cal would have chewed up clock, kicked a FG, and intercepted the ball on the ensuing drive. Not because its preordained. Its because ASU just ain't any good this year and they would have found a way to lose no matter what the decision.

That doesn't mean as a coach you don't play the percentages and put your team in the best position to win the game. Despite your defense s-----g the bed, that was STILL the right call and DE would do it again in the same way if it comes up in another game this year. And so would every other coach. It's football 101. Sheesh.

 

[TJ]

AZ Finest is right. If Sullivan bobbles that snap or the RB falls down, CAL is already in FG range. You would be screwed from the get go.

If they DID go for it and didnt convert, you'd be calling it a stupid play

 

[HooverDam]

^Whatever dude, the call FAILED. ASU LOST THE GAME. We can objectively say the coaching staff made the wrong call. We don't know what would've happened if they wouldve gone for it. It may have worked, it may not have. But guess what we do know? We know the actions taken were the wrong ones and lead to a loss.

When your season is on life support and you desperately need any kind of upset to turn things around, ignite your team and your fan base, you grow a freakin' pair and go for it.

AZ Finest is right. If Sullivan bobbles that snap or the RB falls down, CAL is already in FG range. You would be screwed from the get go.

If they DID go for it and didnt convert, you'd be calling it a stupid play

Thanks for telling me what Id be saying. I was standing in my living room screaming "go for it you coward!" I highly doubt I wouldve called it a bad play.

I would MUCH rather ASU go down guns ablazin', at least TRYING to win. I will never criticize a player or coach for being aggressive. When Burfict had a bunch of penalties for being over aggressive I wasnt too upset, why? Because he was trying to win and give it everything he had. But when you decide to play it safe like that is when I have a problem.

Whats the worst thing that happens? You dont get it, you lose like you were expected to anyhow. Play for the win in an upset situation, don't play to try not to lose.

 

[TJ]

^Whatever dude, the call FAILED. ASU LOST THE GAME. We can objectively say the coaching staff made the wrong call. We don't know what would've happened if they wouldve gone for it. It may have worked, it may not have. But guess what we do know? We know the actions taken were the wrong ones and lead to a loss.

When your season is on life support and you desperately need any kind of upset to turn things around, ignite your team and your fan base, you grow a freakin' pair and go for it.



Thanks for telling me what Id be saying. I was standing in my living room screaming "go for it you coward!" I highly doubt I wouldve called it a bad play.

I would MUCH rather ASU go down guns ablazin', at least TRYING to win. I will never criticize a player or coach for being aggressive. When Burfict had a bunch of penalties for being over aggressive I wasnt too upset, why? Because he was trying to win and give it everything he had. But when you decide to play it safe like that is when I have a problem.

Whats the worst thing that happens? You dont get it, you lose like you were expected to anyhow. Play for the win in an upset situation, don't play to try not to lose.

Its not objective. 99% of the coaches in the FBS would punt the ball in that situation if they were in their own side of the field. It is an absolutely risky proposition to go for it in that situation. If you are on CAL's 39; different story. I will tell you this again: the risk/reward of going for it in that situation favors the former much greater.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Bottom line is the players on your defense did not EXECUTE. It had little to do with the play call.

 

[Mainstreet]

AZ Finest is right. If Sullivan bobbles that snap or the RB falls down, CAL is already in FG range. You would be screwed from the get go.

If they DID go for it and didnt convert, you'd be calling it a stupid play

I thought it was a worth the gamble for ASU to go for it on fourth down. Just something to think about, even if ASU did not get the first down and Cal scored ASU would likely have gotten the football back with enough time to try for a FG. I just got this sick feeling (like HooverDam) that ASU's defense would not hold. The secondary just has that knack for giving up big plays.

It's sad ASU does not make the change to Samson Szakacsy at QB or anyone other than Sullivan. I really like Szakacsy's ability to roll-out like in ASU's first touchdown.

 

[TJ]

I thought it was a worth the gamble for ASU to go for it on fourth down. Just something to think about, even if ASU did not get the first down and Cal scored ASU would likely have gotten the football back with enough time to try for a FG. I just got this sick feeling (like HooverDam) that ASU's defense would not hold. The secondary just has that knack for giving up big plays.

It's sad ASU does not make the change to Samson Szakacsy at QB or anyone other than Sullivan. I really like Szakacsy's ability to roll-out like in ASU's first touchdown.

We can agree to disagree on the play call. If that call fails, DE is updating his resume after the game.

As for your QB situation, ASU needs a QB change. They cant get any worse than Sullivan. The season is shot, Sullivan is not going to the pros, and Ozweiller (sp) needs valuable in game experience for next season. The only person who doesnt realize this is the man in charge.

 

[trueherotillman]

You're absolutely right MaoTosi. How can Cal run that halfback pass play. ASU only had one timeout....you run the ball and can take the clock down to 10 seconds??? (unless ASU calls timeout). Then on 3rd you do exactly what they ended up doing by having the QB kneel down and center it up for the kicker. If that pass gets picked off, i'm extremely happy, but i'd be really pissed if I was a fan of Cal.