The "Mighty Quinn" Bat Signal coming.
- Thread starter NYNY
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Can he enroll early? Like THIS August!!!
Alas.
Well, it would at least be nice to know help is on the way - even if we have to wait a year.
We're just going to take the Happy Gilmore approach and put it in the hole in one shot everytime. It's a lot easier than putting.Can he enroll early? Like THIS August!!!
Alas.
Well, it would at least be nice to know help is on the way - even if we have to wait a year.
I highly recommend Mighty Quinn's BBQ in NYC. They don't have any Batman stuff there, but the baked beans with burnt ends is a delicious side dish.
I am a HUGE believer in the quantitative analysis that says teams should probably be "going for it" on AT LEAST 1/2 of their 4th down attempts (it really just boils down to simple math).
O'Brien was one of the best at recognizing the benefits of that mindset (alas, Urby M at OSU is as well.....and that is a big benefit to OSU. For a team that rarely NEEDS to go on 4th, Urby is smart enough to know they SHOULD go on 4th a lot - and he does.....I think about 25 times last year, FWIW).
Hopefully, CJF recognizes it as well.....and plans accordingly (we do know he is certainly not hesitant to spend some $$$ to quantify this type of stuff). If he takes it to heart, it will serve PSU well in 2015......because with the kickers/punters on the roster, it will probably skew those numbers up to where PSU SHOULD be "going for it" 70% of the time. I know they aren't likely to go for it THAT much, but I can't imagine it wouldn't be in PSU's best interest to attempt at least 30-40 4th down conversions over the course of the year.
I will even volunteer the time and effort to do some pro-bono work educating CJF on the fundamentals of "quant theory" wrt college football decision making.
I am a HUGE believer in the quantitative analysis that says teams should probably be "going for it" on AT LEAST 1/2 of their 4th down attempts (it really just boils down to simple math).
O'Brien was one of the best at recognizing the benefits of that mindset (alas, Urby M at OSU is as well.....and that is a big benefit to OSU. For a team that rarely NEEDS to go on 4th, Urby is smart enough to know they SHOULD go on 4th a lot - and he does.....I think about 25 times last year, FWIW).
Hopefully, CJF recognizes it as well.....and plans accordingly (we do know he is certainly not hesitant to spend some $$$ to quantify this type of stuff). If he takes it to heart, it will serve PSU well in 2015......because with the kickers/punters on the roster, it will probably skew those numbers up to where PSU SHOULD be "going for it" 70% of the time. I know they aren't likely to go for it THAT much, but I can't imagine it wouldn't be in PSU's best interest to attempt at least 30-40 4th down conversions over the course of the year.
I will even volunteer the time and effort to do some pro-bono work educating CJF on the fundamentals of "quant theory" wrt college football decision making.
With as inconsistent and bad as our punting has been. Anything 3 yards and less and outside of our 45 I say go for it.
That forward-thinkingness is something I admired most about O'Brien. I would like to think that going forward JF would utilize more of that type of calculated risk-taking. At Vanderbilt, JF succeeded through taking chances on special teams, and I recall a similar propensity to gain an advantage on fourth down, too. And if he hasn't, his interest in analytics, I'd think, would push him in that direction anyway. My guess is that he didn't feel compelled to take as many risks this year just because we had so little room for error in all areas with the roster the way it was last year. As that normalizes, I think we'll see more risks. It's quite easy for Urban Meyer to take risks knowing that chances are he won't be hurt if he fails - or, in OB's case, there aren't any stakes. I think JF played it safe a bit last year knowing how much a bowl game would mean to the program and how razor thin our margin of error was.I am a HUGE believer in the quantitative analysis that says teams should probably be "going for it" on AT LEAST 1/2 of their 4th down attempts (it really just boils down to simple math).
O'Brien was one of the best at recognizing the benefits of that mindset (alas, Urby M at OSU is as well.....and that is a big benefit to OSU. For a team that rarely NEEDS to go on 4th, Urby is smart enough to know they SHOULD go on 4th a lot - and he does.....I think about 25 times last year, FWIW).
Hopefully, CJF recognizes it as well.....and plans accordingly (we do know he is certainly not hesitant to spend some $$$ to quantify this type of stuff). If he takes it to heart, it will serve PSU well in 2015......because with the kickers/punters on the roster, it will probably skew those numbers up to where PSU SHOULD be "going for it" 70% of the time. I know they aren't likely to go for it THAT much, but I can't imagine it wouldn't be in PSU's best interest to attempt at least 30-40 4th down conversions over the course of the year.
I will even volunteer the time and effort to do some pro-bono work educating CJF on the fundamentals of "quant theory" wrt college football decision making.
Charlie Weis must have set an all-time record for going for it on 4th down when he was at ND and the overall results were not good. I don't disagree that teams should do it more often but it depends on distance, what part of the field you are on, how good your o-line is, how accurate the QB is, etc... With PSU's offensive line last year, I don't think it would have been a wise idea to go for it more.
With that said, in JVP's second year as head coach in the bowl against UF PSU had a 17-0 lead, 4th and short around our own 30, went for it, got stuffed and opened the door for a UF comback to tie the game. So while the result was not good, Joe also exhibited that same "forward thinkingness" ...
Obviously....all of the "game situation factors" have an input wrt each specific instance.
But, the bottom line is that it is abundantly clear that teams should "go for it" on fourth a LOT more than they actually do (the "risk-averse" nature of most coaches, along with a certain degree of ignorance, are the main reasons).
Its not even debatable. It is similar to the "do stars matter" stuff that always seems to be debated in the recuiting discussions.
When - one would think - it would be clear that 10 5 stars are likely going to provide more than 10 2 stars - but so many folks want to talk about the "Jack Ham" vs "Quintus McDonald" situation as if it somehow disproves the obvious.
But, the bottom line is that it is abundantly clear that teams should "go for it" on fourth a LOT more than they actually do (the "risk-averse" nature of most coaches, along with a certain degree of ignorance, are the main reasons).
Its not even debatable. It is similar to the "do stars matter" stuff that always seems to be debated in the recuiting discussions.
When - one would think - it would be clear that 10 5 stars are likely going to provide more than 10 2 stars - but so many folks want to talk about the "Jack Ham" vs "Quintus McDonald" situation as if it somehow disproves the obvious.
I I have to wonder if BOB going for it had a lot to do with the year that he came in. There was no reason to be risk-averse given all that was happening at PSU. Fans were fed up with the NCAA and big 10 and had a chip on their shoulder and loved his coaching style. Treating a 3rd and 5 the same as you would a 2nd and 5 allowed BOB to be unpredictable and kept the playbook wide open.
Would he have continued that style 5-10 years in with big contracts on the line for him and the pressure to win week in and week out? I'm not so sure but I liked it nonetheless
BillyO strategized with the knowledge that 4th down doesn't have to mean "kick".....because BillyO was a DAMN SMART coach. And it made a HUGE difference for those teams (won them AT LEAST 2 extra games in 2012)
INCREDIBLY stupid. Because it was OBVIOUSLY a horrible game situation to make that choice.
And there were at least a dozen times when he SHOULD have gone for it and didn't. Which is not to skewer Franklin, because that is the case for 98% of the Head Coaches out there.
The fact that CJF brought in that "quant guy"....if he listens to him (and the guy knows what he is doing)...should/could be a significant edge for PSU moving forward.
I didn't like it and it is also outside the parameters I mentioned above.
I think the main reason for BOB going for it on so many 4th downs was he had no confidence in Ficken after the VA game. Also it certainly helped knowing he had a QB who could extend the play and make something happen routinely.
For those that don't know where the Mighty Quinn reference comes from....a song from the 60s
I suggest the Beaver Stadium music crew get this Queued up right now.
How memorable that play was. The opponent was Florida State (before Bowden); Tom Sherman and Ted Kwalick were killing the Seminole defense while Onkotz and Crew shut down the Nole offense for a 17-0 halftime lead. Then, on a 4th and less-than-1 play from the PSU 15 (yes, 15) yard line, Sherman sneaked but was ruled short. Sherman claimed he was pulled backwards by an FSU defender as the ref moved in to spot the ball. In any case, FSU took over at the 15 and scored to make it 17-7.
Then on the ensuing kickoff, Charlie Pittman fumbled with FSU recovering around the 20. Boom, another TD and it's suddenly 17-14 with FSU going 15 and 20+ yards for their 2 "drives." Finally, in 4th quarter, FSU passing got them close enough for a tying FG in the final seconds. I think FSU actually did drive for that FG.
On the plane home, WR Jack Curry went up to Joe and said something like, "The team wants you know, Joe, that you blew it." I am sure I don't have that quote perfectly accurate (hey, I am old, you know) but it was something along that line, and it was said in good humor to the 2nd year head coach. I think that play led to Joe being called a "Riverboat Gambler," a title he certainly outgrew as time went on.
While that is true, Quinn's coming will have nothing to do with punting the ball, high or low, Quinn is being recruited as a KICKER (field goals and kick offs). We already have a commitment from a PUNTER in the class.
Now you know why I go to the bathroom and forget why I went there. Ever try shaving with a toothbrush?
Old sucks, of course I forgot who was who.
Good to see. Seems like Franklin feels good about overall team depth to use scholarships for both a punter and kicker. Both are important (as we have seen in the absence of one or the other). Let's hope this area is nailed down.....we'll miss Ficken this year; punting has got to be better than last year, doesn't it?
Ha, so I didn't forget after all , in the back of my memory, here it is ...
The "Mighty Quinn" is also a punter, I thought so.
He is also Kornblue's #19 punter (4.5 stars), so he could help out with the field position game in that regard as well, if need be.
Good to see. Seems like Franklin feels good about overall team depth to use scholarships for both a punter and kicker. Both are important (as we have seen in the absence of one or the other). Let's hope this area is nailed down.....we'll miss Ficken this year; punting has got to be better than last year, doesn't it?
No
That's what we said last yr
It may be, but with the same punters is may be only marginally better
Yes, I'm sure he did it all at the high school level. Why wouldn't he. But, with the schollie to Gillikin, I doubt we would see Nordin punting other than in the case of an injury. he will most likely handle FG kicking and kickoffs. I wonder if Gillikin kicked FG's for his high school team? Usually these specialists do both in high school and then set on one or the other for college.
Check out Posnanski's book, pages 95-98. It tells much the same story about that Florida State game. It repeats the Jack Curry story above. Paterno had said, "I went for it on fourth down because I refused to be afraid to lose." It talks about how Paterno was viewed as the dumbest coach in America. Paterno added details and built drama to the story about that game over time.
But the punch line came from Jack Curry. I presume Posnanski interviewed him for the book. Curry said those stories weren't true. In fact, it wasn't even Paterno's idea to go for it on fourth down. He had sent the punter onto the field, but the players sent him back.
That seems to be typical Paterno. Take the blame for others mistakes & defer the glory to the players when they win.
I wonder what is the highest star rating a punter can have? 5.0??? If so, 4.5 is"chicken salad" as coaches say.
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