Also for your reading pleasure.....

[DowntownDawg]

...but when you find yourself down 17-10 with three minutes to go, 24-10 is not what you want happening.

Whether or not you would be pleasantly surprised, doesn't change the fact that 24-10 is ballgame.

 

[VegasDawg13]

I thought you contended we would've one that game anyway, without the pick-6, but now that you say that you're right, I remember you always taking exception with people claiming the play was a fluke.

 

[DowntownDawg]

worst decision to come out of the LSU game, if that's what you are asking. If I had been head coach, I would've tried to throw something over the middle once Dixon got near the 40. I don't agree that it was anywhere on par with 4th and 15 or the two or three ridiculous things he did in Louisiana Tech, or the obvious pitiful defensive preparation for Georgia Tech.

 

[patdog]

You may be right about not trying to score from the 23-yard line and a 1:20 left in the half, but when that first run put you at the 40 with still a minute left and 3 time outs, you try to at least get into FG range EVERY DAMN TIME! It's not like you have to run a lot of high-risk plays to at least try to move the ball. This is a classic example of Crxxm's passive mindset that is one reason we're no better now than we were after his first season here.

 

[DowntownDawg]

...if we had gotten near midfield with 40 seconds and 3 timeouts, I would've probably taken a shot. His decision not to do so was nowhere near the worst he has made all year, and there is no way that I would've gone into "hurry up" from the 23 with 1:15 left. That's all I'm saying.

 

[patdog]

But after that play, we were at the 40 with over a minute left in the half (not 40 seconds as you say). And people are questioning the hell out of sitting on the ball with 3 time outs at the 40. It's not like running the ball from the 23 locked us into running it for the rest of the half if we'd gotten off a good gain.

 

[seshomoru]

I don't agree that it was anywhere on par with 4th and 15 or the two or three ridiculous things he did in Louisiana Tech, or the obvious pitiful defensive preparation for Georgia Tech.

Nope, it was worse. Not because it was any more or less dumb. Those were simply stupid decisions and ignorance. This was worse because it showed a lack of confidence in his team. That very same confidence he wished he could "pour right into them" the week before. Well, he had that chance, and he ran away scared.

 

[omaha08]

How many of you would be still bithcing if it would have been a repeat of last year where we turn it over right before half and LSU scores? Just asking

 

[dawgstudent]

it set a mindset for the team.

 

[8dog]

you don't even understand the position you are so vehemently defending.

 

[DowntownDawg]

...because he was showing no confidence in a unit that had all but pitched him a shutout and just scored for him.

This was showing no confidence in a unit that hadn't done **** all year except snap pop flys to the other team and generally look ******. Hell, on our previous touchdown drive, we didn't even complete a pass.

 

[DowntownDawg]

...if you don't think scoring right before the half and/or giving up a score before the half is not a big, momentum changing play.

 

[8dog]

scoring before half or giving up a score before hafl is not a momentum changing play?

Of course it is, but you can't live in fear of that stuff particularly when you are trying to beat the No. 5 team in the country at their place. Sitting on the ball, going to the locker room for 20 minutes and having to kick off also kills momentum.

 

[beachbumdawg]

that echoed my thoughts flawlessly

 

[dawgstudent]

because our first two plays, we gained 18 yards. You then go for it. To sit on the ball was ridiculous. And we had yet to turn the ball over.

Last year, I wasn't pissed at the fact we were trying to score. I was more pissed that we kept Henig out there after already throwing 3.

 

[saddawg]

decisions is worse, is like arguing over who needs a bullet in their grape more, Bin laden or the raghead running Iran.

Who cares?

Croom is dumber-n-****.

End of argument.

 

[VegasDawg13]

How many of you would be still bithcing if it would have been a repeat of last year where we turn it over right before half and LSU scores? Just asking

Can't speak for everyone, but I'd be upset that we blew an opportunity, but I wouldn't have been mad at the coaches, and I damn sure wouldn't still be this pissed about it days later.

 

[DowntownDawg]

[No message]

 

[8dog]

in the defense b/c you are willing to put them in a short field situation. So going for it was not showing a lack of confidence in the defense, it was just misusing the defense and being a dumbass.

 

[dawgstudent]

[No message]

 

[DowntownDawg]

...it was just simply being an idiot. That's fine if there's 10 minutes left and you know you're going to get a few more cracks at it, but EVEN IF your defense holds them at midfield, then they are more than likely going to punt you inside the 20, with probably less than 3 minutes left. So your offense is supposed to cover 60 yards instead of 20. It was ridiculous and it deflated the game, and it makes Orgeron's call that cost him his job look like Peterson's game winning touchdown call in the Fiesta bowl.

 

[awalkerdog]

hell even Ray Charles can see that. If Michael would have ran this version, I so would join Bulldog Junction and I still may.</p>

 

[TBonewannabe]

If the basis is your afraid of throwing a pick why would you not try at least a run or hell a reverse. Something to try to gain yards. AD had just ran for like 30 yards on 2 plays then we kneel on it. That was Croom saying that losing at the half was ok because he was afraid the offense couldn't do any better anyway.

 

[DerHntr]

SCENARIO:

you are on the offense (say you are a lineman) and you have lost all of your 1A games thus far. you are playing #5 LSU at night at their place. you have actually scored against them which has you feeling a bit confident about what is going on since your squad didn't score in the Auburn game at all and only once in a beatdown at GaTech. your coach has not only preached in the locker room that you need confidence in yourself but he has also said this to the press. so everyone is being told that you and the rest of your offensive teammates have what it takes but just haven't put it all together and that much of the reason is due to a lack of confidence.

now you have the ball with a minute left, you are on the 40 yard line after a couple of good runs, you have 3 timeouts, and you are thinking "we may be able to go into the locker room tied or only down by 4 to a team ranked #5 who happened to kill us last year."

then you look on the sideline and no one is calling time out. you realize that your coach would rather go into the locker room losing by 7 then take a chance that YOU or one of the other 10 guys on the field might screw up aGAIN.

QUESTION:

Which is worse?

1. Possibly losing momentum by making a mistake but knowing that your coach believes in you and your teammates.

2. Automatically losing momentum by not taking a chance, knowing that the opposing team has the ball starting the next half, AND realizing that the guy who is supposed to believe in you the most is basically spouting ******** in his little speeches about all you need is confidence.

I am going for #2 every single time. It is worse because it goes against Croom's almighty word. He said one thing and did another at the detriment of his team's psychy. I believe this makes it worse than his other stupid calls this season. </p>

 

[vhdawg]

....had LSU NOT been getting the ball back after the half, I would not have been nearly as upset with the decision to let the clock run out. If we were receiving after halftime, we still can go tie the game. But with LSU getting the ball, it's a completely wasted possession.

 

[ChroamOneHundred]

Did the same thing: sit on time-outs before the half, lost a close game.

I don't think it had much to do with last year's LSU game, specifically. More to do with a general level of non-aggressiveness, and a lack of good judgement of when to not be uber-conservative. Thus, you get made 4ths down near the 50 followed by punts on the 30; punting the ball on 4th down so you can hold the other team to a 3-and-out so you can get the ball back, for 1 more play; going for it on 4th and 15 after your D got a safety; and so on.

 

[patdog]

Crxxm said himself he went for it because he was afraid if he punted we'd never get the ball back. That's the exact opposite of confidence in your defense.

 

[DowntownDawg]

....and it was sheer, utter stupidity to think that even if you get the ball back after an Auburn punt, that your offense can drive down the field to kick the winning field goal.

 

[patdog]

That was the dumbest in-game decision of Crxxm's career. Much worse than punting from the 30 at UGA or sitting on the ball to end the 1st half at LSU. That play had no more than a 5% chance of success and if it fails, the ball game is over. Of course, as it turned out, Auburn tried to let us back in the game even after that call but you can't count on opposing team's mistakes to win it for you. Playing the what if game, what if we'd punted to Auburn and that fumble we recovered had been at the Auburn 20 instead of our own 40? I realize that's a hypothetical situation because we can't know for sure that Auburn would have fumbled if we'd punted, but it's a fairly good chance they would have. They would have probably run the same plays they ran no matter if we'd punted or not, because either way, their objective would be to run clock.

 

[KingBarkus]

....had LSU NOT been getting the ball back after the half, I would not have been nearly as upset with the decision to let the clock run out. If we were receiving after halftime, we still can go tie the game. But with LSU getting the ball, it's a completely wasted possession.

I agree and the mind-numbing Croom decision to sit on it is more puzzling when you consider the LSU defense is weakest in the secondary. Those guys are young and talented, but inexperienced. It's not far out of the realm of possibility a coverage could be blown. Also, the 2 big DL for lsu were injured.

Great article, General.

 

[vhdawg]

....Croom nearly did the same thing. Got the ball back with a minute or two before half around the 20, and did a couple of base running plays until Ducre accidentally broke one that got us on their side of the field. Until Ducre did that, he was going to run the clock out. Once Ducre got us in good field position, he took a couple of shots, which didn't work out, and then they went to the locker room. I don't recall the halftime score last year, and I don't want to go look it up right now, so I can't fully establish the context, but I remember sitting there being irritated that he was going to run the clock out at the half aGAIN.

 

[patdog]

I agree and the mind-numbing Croom decision to sit on it is more puzzling when you consider the LSU defense is weakest in the secondary. Those guys are young and talented, but inexperienced. It's not far out of the realm of possibility a coverage could be blown. Also, the 2 big DL for lsu were injured.

I realize the situations aren't totally comparable, but I bet Rebel fans are glad Nutt didn't sit on the ball to play for overtime late in the 4th quarter and was therefore able to take advantage of a blown coverage.

 

[TnDawg76]

Suppose you are fighting a guy that is twice your size, speed, and talent level. You get in a couple of punches and have the guy stunned. You do not stop punching just because you are worried that he may come to and ring your bell. You keep swinging. You never stop fighting. Otherwise, your are fighting for nothing. That sums up Croom's coaching mindset. He never fights to win.

 

[FlabLoser]

The end of that 1st half caused my to question why Croom has a hurry-up offense in the playbook. And then I concluded that Croom's hurry-up offense deserves a different name - the "nothing left to loose" offense. We only use the "nothing left to loose" offense when the there is exactly only one chance left to win a game. This would only come in the final 1:30 of the 4th quarter in which we trailed by 8 points or less.

 

[DowntownDawg]

...that's all well and good in the world of stretched metaphors. See LSU 2007. Croom "took a swing" before the bell and ended up getting knocked the %%!% out. So, you have to weigh your options. Again, I'm not saying he shouldn't have gone into hurry up after Dixon's big run. He probably should've. But that is alot less questionable than 4th and 15. He was "playing to win" the game then, in your words, and that was the dumbest decision he could've made.

 

[FlabLoser]

I disapprove of Croom as much as most people here and I think it was a bit too harsh. That's not to say it was inaccurate. But you don't have to pour salt on an open wound to proclaim the presence of an open wound.

 

[seshomoru]

I disapprove of Croom as much as most people here and I think it was a bit too harsh. That's not to say it was inaccurate. But you don't have to pour salt on an open wound to proclaim the presence of an open wound.

That wasn't printed. It was posted here. And yeah, sometimes you have to pour salt in a wound to make people acknowledge that said wound is there.

 

[8dog]

version of what journalists in other states would be doing to Croom if he were there. Croom and many don't know how easy they have it. Real editorials will call it like it is. We don't have any of those.

 

[8dog]

to scream at the tv "go for it you loser" one minute (which I did) and then turn around and say "why did you go for it?" the next.

I know DS would have as well b/c i called him to ask him about it and instead of a "hello" or "whats up", he answered with "its like he doesn't want to win"

 

[dawgstudent]

complain mode. It's happened for all 3 away games this year.