Believe it or not, I didn't think it was actually as bad of a call as I would normally. I thought it showed a lot of faith in his defense (if it failed).
And ask yourself this: how many times have you watched a college game and a team has a really good fourth quarter drive. They either have a chance to to take a full one-score lead with little time left or even a chance to turn a 3-point lead into a 10-point lead with not enough time.
And they play it safe and take the field goal.
And then the other team goes down the field like a knife through butter and wins late.
You're on the road in a place that seems haunted.
You just moved the ball 75 yards with fantastic effort and chewed up nearly 8 minutes.
Your defense is now well-rested for the final possession.
And you know that if you score a 7 spot, they're not going to go for two AT HOME.
I thought it was a risk worth taking even though I did flinch momentarily.
Of course, there was one nightmare scenario: we fail and then Auburn drives close enough to make a game-winning FG that could have done no better than tie the game.
My suspicion?
DeBoer was playing to shorten the game for next week.
The last thing he wanted was a four overtime win that injured his QB or key players and cost us later.
Might as well lose this week as next.
And ask yourself this: how many times have you watched a college game and a team has a really good fourth quarter drive. They either have a chance to to take a full one-score lead with little time left or even a chance to turn a 3-point lead into a 10-point lead with not enough time.
And they play it safe and take the field goal.
And then the other team goes down the field like a knife through butter and wins late.
You're on the road in a place that seems haunted.
You just moved the ball 75 yards with fantastic effort and chewed up nearly 8 minutes.
Your defense is now well-rested for the final possession.
And you know that if you score a 7 spot, they're not going to go for two AT HOME.
I thought it was a risk worth taking even though I did flinch momentarily.
Of course, there was one nightmare scenario: we fail and then Auburn drives close enough to make a game-winning FG that could have done no better than tie the game.
My suspicion?
DeBoer was playing to shorten the game for next week.
The last thing he wanted was a four overtime win that injured his QB or key players and cost us later.
Might as well lose this week as next.
