4th and 19 fake punt from inside their own endzone

[TheDean]

My problem is Linehan ran left. He's never run left and punted all season. So if you are a defender, you immediately knew something was different because he wasn't going the normal direction. If that play is to work, it has to catch opponents by surprise. It needs to show them something they've seen all game and all season on tape - and THEN you show them something they haven't seen.

If Johnny Rugby had rolled right and then taken off, it would have been much more similar to his previous punting attempts on the season. So if he had run after going right, then there was a chance to catch them off-guard.

But going left tipped them off that we were running a fake.

Exactly and accurately described as a punt fake can only work if it catches the other team by surprise. The thing that surprised me was that Boise St. went for it on 4th down instead of kicking a FG on their possession right after the botched punt fake.

I'm still stunned. Even Gary Crouton's 4th down antics can't top that one. If this were a legal case and you were the attorney assigned to defend the call, what would you say??? I still trying to think of an excuse or logical reason. Haven't thought of one yet.

That is because there is no defense for it as it was a stupid call from the get go. I have to wonder if there wasn't a mix up in the play call because the only one I see making that kind of call is either someone who is braindead or is deliberately trying to lose the game.

[mtnradio]

My problem is Linehan ran left. He's never run left and punted all season. So if you are a defender, you immediately knew something was different because he wasn't going the normal direction. If that play is to work, it has to catch opponents by surprise. It needs to show them something they've seen all game and all season on tape - and THEN you show them something they haven't seen.

If Johnny Rugby had rolled right and then taken off, it would have been much more similar to his previous punting attempts on the season. So if he had run after going right, then there was a chance to catch them off-guard.

But going left tipped them off that we were running a fake.

Exactly and accurately described as a punt fake can only work if it catches the other team by surprise. The thing that surprised me was that Boise St. went for it on 4th down instead of kicking a FG on their possession right after the botched punt fake.

First, IIRC, BSU brought pressure from the right on all other punts ... not the left. So, what I suspect the coaches saw was just that ... BSU would load the punt side and somewhat vacate the back side. If that had happened on that play, then Johnny Rugby runs out of gas on his romp down the field. BUT, in this case, after taking a time out, BSU keeps a number of people on the left , and we don't have the numbers to open it for Johnny Rugby.

It may have been a great call but for the time out ... BSU did something that Kalani hadn't seen in any of the films he'd watched, and that killed the play. I haven't gone back to watch the film to verify I'm right about the rush, but that is what stands in my mind.

Second ... IIRC, BSU did go for FG and the kicker pushed it wide. BUT, hey, I've been at my office all day with my head up an appellate brief and so I'm pretty foggy right now .. I could be wrong ...

[Cougarfan87]

My problem is Linehan ran left. He's never run left and punted all season. So if you are a defender, you immediately knew something was different because he wasn't going the normal direction. If that play is to work, it has to catch opponents by surprise. It needs to show them something they've seen all game and all season on tape - and THEN you show them something they haven't seen.

If Johnny Rugby had rolled right and then taken off, it would have been much more similar to his previous punting attempts on the season. So if he had run after going right, then there was a chance to catch them off-guard.

But going left tipped them off that we were running a fake.

Exactly and accurately described as a punt fake can only work if it catches the other team by surprise. The thing that surprised me was that Boise St. went for it on 4th down instead of kicking a FG on their possession right after the botched punt fake.

First, IIRC, BSU brought pressure from the right on all other punts ... not the left. So, what I suspect the coaches saw was just that ... BSU would load the punt side and somewhat vacate the back side. If that had happened on that play, then Johnny Rugby runs out of gas on his romp down the field. BUT, in this case, after taking a time out, BSU keeps a number of people on the left , and we don't have the numbers to open it for Johnny Rugby.

It may have been a great call but for the time out ... BSU did something that Kalani hadn't seen in any of the films he'd watched, and that killed the play. I haven't gone back to watch the film to verify I'm right about the rush, but that is what stands in my mind.

Second ... IIRC, BSU did go for FG and the kicker pushed it wide. BUT, hey, I've been at my office all day with my head up an appellate brief and so I'm pretty foggy right now .. I could be wrong ...

You are correct. They missed the field goal. And due to Johnny running to the right for his punts, that makes sense why they thought they could get away with a run left. However, the problem, besides trying a running play from your own endzone, was calling a timeout. You never call a timeout before a trick play.

In my book, Bronco was a little too conservative, but Kalani is just a little over-aggressive. Hopefully he finds a happy medium in time.

[BroncoBot]

Rank this play among worst play calls in the history of BYU sports?

Keep in mind that this is asking a slow, Australian punter to run 30 yards with the ball to get the first down against a Boise squad that hasn't appeared to be particularly susceptible to even a well designed fake.

The only other play that is as bad as this that I can think of off the top of my head is calling a QB sneak late in a game that's already decided instead of kneeling down and getting your QB's leg broken.

Nope, the fake punt was much worse.

Here's my question. Why not just take the safety there instead. We basically gifted them AT LEAST 3 points. take the 2 point hit when it's apparent you can't make it to the 30 yard line and then at least force boise to drive the field after a kickoff. Either way, it was a terrible call.

Not to toot my horn, but at least a NFL MVP agrees...

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