Taking a Safety

[WWDMHawkeye]

I can’t imagine it hasn’t been discussed but I haven’t seen it. SIAP. I think it would have been wise to take a safety when we were pinned deep after the goal line stand. NW hadn’t been able to sustain a drive all day and given our shitshow of an offense I didn’t like our chances in OT. Props to the offense for the extremely unlikely feat of getting into FG position for Stevens’ clutch game-winner, but let’s be real — the probability of them accomplishing that was probably about 10%.

Since KF is big on probabilities, I expected him to have Tory step out of the end zone and take a safety similar to what we did in the infamous 6-4 win at PSU. NW likely would have taken possession around their own 30 after the free kick, needing to drive it about 70 yards for the win.

Of course, in hindsight, all was well that ended well. Just curious how many others had the same thought. Didn’t read the game thread and have no interest in doing so. Especially considering that Tory was way off and clearly having his worst game of the season, it seemed to me that taking a safety was the better decision than handing it back to NW with a short field and a great chance to tie it, which they did.

Thoughts?

 

[MikeyHawk]

I can’t imagine it hasn’t been discussed but I haven’t seen it. SIAP. I think it would have been wise to take a safety when we were pinned deep after the goal line stand. NW hadn’t been able to sustain a drive all day and given our shitshow of an offense I didn’t like our chances in OT. Props to the offense for the extremely unlikely feat of getting into FG position for Stevens’ clutch game-winner, but let’s be real — the probability of them accomplishing that was probably about 10%.

Since KF is big on probabilities, I expected him to have Tory step out of the end zone and take a safety similar to what we did in the infamous 6-4 win at PSU. NW likely would have taken possession around their own 30 after the free kick, needing to drive it about 70 yards for the win.

Of course, in hindsight, all was well that ended well. Just curious how many others had the same thought. Didn’t read the game thread and have no interest in doing so. Especially considering that Tory was way off and clearly having his worst game of the season, it seemed to me that taking a safety was the better decision than handing it back to NW with a short field and a great chance to tie it, which they did.

Thoughts?

Thought the same thing at the time, might make sense to take the safety and reset.

Coaching decisions are amplified when the team struggles to score points

 

[Gus is dead]

KF said as much in his post game with Dolf.

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

Absolutely should have taken the safety. I said it in the moment.... Making matters worse Tory had an off day and the decision to just punt lead to a 20 yard TD drive.

Once again, if we have an offense with a pulse, you get a 1st down there and give the punter some room.

Clearly KOK must have have had the idea of taking a safety back in that PSU game.

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

KF said as much in his post game with Dolf.

Did he? Captain hindsight.

 

[ShonnDeereGreene]

I bet if they would have had to snap the punt from inside their own one yard line might have been the call. But since they pushed it out for enough breathing room for Tory to safely get it away, they opted for the punt.

Turned out to be one of Tory’s worst punts of the year, but hard to predict that! Just as likely for him to boom one to the other 20.

But a 7-2 or 7-5 final score would have been weirdly satisfying. Who knows, maybe the fact that the O and Hill delivered in crunch time will be something to build from.

 

[DogBoyRy]

I can’t imagine it hasn’t been discussed but I haven’t seen it. SIAP. I think it would have been wise to take a safety when we were pinned deep after the goal line stand. NW hadn’t been able to sustain a drive all day and given our shitshow of an offense I didn’t like our chances in OT. Props to the offense for the extremely unlikely feat of getting into FG position for Stevens’ clutch game-winner, but let’s be real — the probability of them accomplishing that was probably about 10%.

Since KF is big on probabilities, I expected him to have Tory step out of the end zone and take a safety similar to what we did in the infamous 6-4 win at PSU. NW likely would have taken possession around their own 30 after the free kick, needing to drive it about 70 yards for the win.

Of course, in hindsight, all was well that ended well. Just curious how many others had the same thought. Didn’t read the game thread and have no interest in doing so. Especially considering that Tory was way off and clearly having his worst game of the season, it seemed to me that taking a safety was the better decision than handing it back to NW with a short field and a great chance to tie it, which they did.

Thoughts?

The safety vs psu was the funniest play i’ve ever seen.
I think every official threw a flag for holding.

 

[Slappy Pappy]

There was a whole chorus of people calling for taking the safety in the game thread.

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

I remember Pam Ward telling Mike Tomczak that was a terrible decision on the ESPN broadcast to take the safety at that point in time. Tomczak pretty much told her it was the best decision to make since PSU had done nothing on offense the entire game. He basically told her to stuff it and don’t think I ever saw him again on a broadcast after that.

 

[IamHawkeye]

I can’t imagine it hasn’t been discussed but I haven’t seen it. SIAP. I think it would have been wise to take a safety when we were pinned deep after the goal line stand. NW hadn’t been able to sustain a drive all day and given our shitshow of an offense I didn’t like our chances in OT. Props to the offense for the extremely unlikely feat of getting into FG position for Stevens’ clutch game-winner, but let’s be real — the probability of them accomplishing that was probably about 10%.

Since KF is big on probabilities, I expected him to have Tory step out of the end zone and take a safety similar to what we did in the infamous 6-4 win at PSU. NW likely would have taken possession around their own 30 after the free kick, needing to drive it about 70 yards for the win.

Of course, in hindsight, all was well that ended well. Just curious how many others had the same thought. Didn’t read the game thread and have no interest in doing so. Especially considering that Tory was way off and clearly having his worst game of the season, it seemed to me that taking a safety was the better decision than handing it back to NW with a short field and a great chance to tie it, which they did.

Thoughts?

Not infamous.

 

[sober_teacher]

Did he? Captain hindsight.

Had we had a less reliable punter I think taking the safety makes more sense. But Tory has been one of the best punters in the country for 3 years now and I didn't doubt in the moment that he'd be able to flip the field, as he has so many times before. Instead, he has one of his worst punts of the year, a line drive punt that allows for a nearly 30 yard return and for once the D couldn't put out that fire.

In hindsight, sure, a mistake to not take the safety there. But I'd like to see a screenshot/time stamp of anyone who argued for that ahead of time.

 

[Shafthawk]

The hard part about taking the safety is that you are then potentially 1 possession from losing the game.

Total judgement call, could go either way.

 

[hawkcub]

I thought about it. But they did get it to the 1 the previous drive. Pretty big gamble. We didn't know Taylor would have the worst punt of his career before the punt.

 

[Douglas C. Neidermeyer]

 

[CJ Beat Hard]

We talked about it during the moment. We thought probably too much time left to do that. Had there only been 2 minutes left you take the safety. Plus with an all American punter you felt better.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I bet if they would have had to snap the punt from inside their own one yard line might have been the call. But since they pushed it out for enough breathing room for Tory to safely get it away, they opted for the punt.

Turned out to be one of Tory’s worst punts of the year, but hard to predict that! Just as likely for him to boom one to the other 20.

But a 7-2 or 7-5 final score would have been weirdly satisfying. Who knows, maybe the fact that the O and Hill delivered in crunch time will be something to build from.

It was a weird kick too. Obviously we couldn't see it on TV, but it looked like he got under it well enough, however, that ball got to the return man way quicker than I would've thought from watching the kick.

 

[sober_teacher]

It was a weird kick too. Obviously we couldn't see it on TV, but it looked like he got under it well enough, however, that ball got to the return man way quicker than I would've thought from watching the kick.

Idk if Tory had trouble planting on the turf or what, but he had a couple punts that came off his foot weird.

 

[pistachio1999]

I can’t imagine it hasn’t been discussed but I haven’t seen it. SIAP. I think it would have been wise to take a safety when we were pinned deep after the goal line stand. NW hadn’t been able to sustain a drive all day and given our shitshow of an offense I didn’t like our chances in OT. Props to the offense for the extremely unlikely feat of getting into FG position for Stevens’ clutch game-winner, but let’s be real — the probability of them accomplishing that was probably about 10%.

Since KF is big on probabilities, I expected him to have Tory step out of the end zone and take a safety similar to what we did in the infamous 6-4 win at PSU. NW likely would have taken possession around their own 30 after the free kick, needing to drive it about 70 yards for the win.

Of course, in hindsight, all was well that ended well. Just curious how many others had the same thought. Didn’t read the game thread and have no interest in doing so. Especially considering that Tory was way off and clearly having his worst game of the season, it seemed to me that taking a safety was the better decision than handing it back to NW with a short field and a great chance to tie it, which they did.

Thoughts?

He has Tory Taylor, best punter in college football.

And the defense had just stopped them 4 times inside the 2 yard line.

 

[MikeyHawk]

He has Tory Taylor, best punter in college football.

And the defense had just stopped them 4 times inside the 2 yard line.

True, then Taylor could have punted and NW would have a long way to go and still needed a TD

If Iowa's defense stopped them from inside the 2, then, it seems they would be able to stop NW from driving 60 -70 yards for a TD

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

True, then Taylor could have punted and NW would have a long way to go and still needed a TD

If Iowa's defense stopped them from inside the 2, then, it seems they would be able to stop NW from driving 60 -70 yards for a TD

My thoughts exactly.

Glad it worked out. Had the offense not managed to move the ball into scoring position on a 2-minute drill for the first time all season, there would have been a lot of armchair QB’s calling for a safety.

Not an easy decision either way.

 

[GunnerHawk]

Absolutely should have taken the safety. I said it in the moment.... Making matters worse Tory had an off day and the decision to just punt lead to a 20 yard TD drive.

Once again, if we have an offense with a pulse, you get a 1st down there and give the punter some room.

Clearly KOK must have have had the idea of taking a safety back in that PSU game.

Come on, the number of teams to get a first down from the 1 foot line is very small. The ground was soft and grass long, which I think impacted Tory's punting. He'll be much better back in Kinnick.

 

[Rambler Hawk]

The hard part about taking the safety is that you are then potentially 1 possession from losing the game.

Total judgement call, could go either way.

Yup!

 

[Mountain Man Hawk]

Honestly I probably would have punted as well because I’ve seen Tory Taylor boom punts from there enough times. For some reason Saturday wasn’t his day.

 

[danny14]

I'm sure the board would have gone crazy if we took the safety and lost the game! Maybe they would have finished us off with two FG's 8-7. Better we play the odds and trust the defense to hold the 7-0 lead. They were our best bet to win the game, at the time. One of their few lapses of the season.

 

[uihawk82]

I can’t imagine it hasn’t been discussed but I haven’t seen it. SIAP. I think it would have been wise to take a safety when we were pinned deep after the goal line stand. NW hadn’t been able to sustain a drive all day and given our shitshow of an offense I didn’t like our chances in OT. Props to the offense for the extremely unlikely feat of getting into FG position for Stevens’ clutch game-winner, but let’s be real — the probability of them accomplishing that was probably about 10%.

Since KF is big on probabilities, I expected him to have Tory step out of the end zone and take a safety similar to what we did in the infamous 6-4 win at PSU. NW likely would have taken possession around their own 30 after the free kick, needing to drive it about 70 yards for the win.

Of course, in hindsight, all was well that ended well. Just curious how many others had the same thought. Didn’t read the game thread and have no interest in doing so. Especially considering that Tory was way off and clearly having his worst game of the season, it seemed to me that taking a safety was the better decision than handing it back to NW with a short field and a great chance to tie it, which they did.

Thoughts?

You r wrong about NW not moving the ball. The hawk goal line stand was at the end of a roughly 14 play 60plus yard drive. The defense was getting tired and NW was finding some plays that were barely working. A

A safety would have still put NW in 4 down mode which is definitely harder to stop.

I think the punt especially with ToryT was the correct call as he 90 % of the time forces a fair catch at midfield in that situation. Keeping the 7 point lead was correct.


Now if there was a lot less time and NW out of time outs then maybe do a safety

 

[jonesy5960]

Should have taken the safety. The 2 most likely outcomes were a turnover for 7 or a field goal after punting. There was virtually no chance of getting a 1st down with 2 QB sneaks so why do that? Give up the 2 points and make them go 60-70 yards for the TD instead of 22 like they did. The defense hadn't allowed a drive like that all day.

 

[sober_teacher]

Should have taken the safety. The 2 most likely outcomes were a turnover for 7 or a field goal after punting. There was virtually no chance of getting a 1st down with 2 QB sneaks so why do that? Give up the 2 points and make them go 60-70 yards for the TD instead of 22 like they did. The defense hadn't allowed a drive like that all day.

You still run plays to at least burn clock; and given how bad the turf was in that location I can’t fault keeping the playcalling simple there.

And Tory has more than earned the confidence to just punt if he had enough room, which he did. If hall was still being snapped inside the 5 I could see taking the safety.

 

[sober_teacher]

Wrong about NW moving the ball?! Try again. They had 170 yards of total offense for the game and had been shut out until late in the 4th quarter. They made some plays to get to the goal line. Otherwise it was a whole lot of punts. Against our D and having to execute a 70-ish yard TD drive or lose, I’m betting on our D all day. Highly unlikely that offense can muster two drives like that back to back against our D.

Not to mention with the frequent pauses, the defense got plenty of rest.