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Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

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San Diego State coach Rocky Long doesn’t want to punt in 2012 | Dr. Saturday - Yahoo! Sports

San Diego State coach Rocky Long doesn’t want to punt in 2012


San Diego State coach Rocky Long has always been about doing things differently.

At New Mexico, he developed the innovative 3-3-5 defensive scheme and now he's debating on whether to do away with punting on fourth down — if the Aztecs are beyond the 50-yard line — for the 2012 season.

"It makes sense," Long told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

"Additional plays would allow you to score a lot more points," he said. "It also puts a whole lot of pressure on the defense."

Of course, Long isn't the innovator of this particular idea. That distinction belongs to Kevin Kelley, the head football coach of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., who, after months of statistical analysis, determined his team would have a higher chance of success if it always kicked the ball onside and never punted. In nine years, Pulaski Academy is 104-19 with three state titles.

And now Long wants to see if that statistical analysis will hold true in the college game.

"It's a day-to-day theory," Long told the paper. "I haven't decided because we're getting a feel for it out here. I just read about this guy, and I don't know if I can do that because everybody in the world is going to say this is not Football 101, right?

Kelley has long said that punting is a voluntary turnover, so by that logic, why would you want to give the ball away? While the idea might be unconventional, it might just be crazy enough to work.

"There's a reason why he's winning those games," Long said of Kelley. "Maybe he just has better players than everybody else; or maybe it's their team gets used to playing like that and the other teams don't get used to playing like that. It's fourth-and-seven — most defenses run off the field. And now they're going to stay out there. 'What? How come the punt team isn't coming out?'"

If San Diego State does decide to go with this plan, it might be the next big thing in college football. Long's 3-3-5 defense is used by multiple teams and the spread offense was an anomaly until everyone realized that speeding up the game led to more points. If not punting can give a team even the slightest bit of an advantage, punting might become the leather helmet by 2016.
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Re: Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

I always thought this could be a good strategy if done right.  I'm no player or coach, but I have always hated the "free" turnover of a punt.  If your down in the oppositions red zone and you punt, chances are it's gonna go in the endzone and they end up at the 20 anyway.  Why not try to go for it?  Even if you don't make the first down, make them work for the ball.  I don't know that I would do that every time, but I would like to certainly see it happen more often.  I'm sure there are drawbacks, but I can't think of any that would make me not try it.

FAU - We got Bowls!
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Re: Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

There was another thread about this…

Here it is

Interesting concept when you look at it from an odds perspective…….
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Re: Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

Sorry I missed it Rick, but that was in 2007 before my time as a member!

:D
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Re: Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

NCowl said

Sorry I missed it Rick, but that was in 2007 before my time as a member!

:D

NP!

Was only sharing since it was "related" :)
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Re: Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

Personally don't think too much of "Rocky" as a coach. got run out of M.M. with an overall record of 65-69 and last year SD St. went down on both O and D rankings in his first year there.

Yes, there is a time and place for it. But you also have to develop the corner or pooch punt (something else German does!) and let your D do it's thing (unless your D sucks). But then again you don't want to give a short field up either with a bad D! One thing good if Curtis becomes our punter, there will be the threat of a fake on EVERY punt with a qb also being the punter! That would help the punt coverage team by keeping more blockers on the receiving team at home longer.
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Re: Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

Lets just work on completing wide open 8 yard passes this year.

Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
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Re: Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

walty12 said

Lets just work on completing wide open 8 yard passes this year.

Este.
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Re: Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

It's time to become creative.

This is off topic: Do you know where I can get an FAU wristband?
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Re: Not punting on 4th down may be the next big thing.

NîTE said

This is off topic: Do you know where I can get an FAU wristband?

If you're referring to the "To believe is to be strong" blue+red one, that's SGA for Howard's Hundreds.
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