Bama could have used a Buddy Ryan trick on the last offensive play

Submitted by culvinen816 on

As a Bay Area guy, I do hold my NFL loyalty (however dwindling) to the 49ers. But anyway, after the last offensive play of the game, it had me thinking about one of the 1 or 2 smart things the 49ers did all season.

Deadspin caught on as well: http://deadspin.com/the-49ers-did-something-smart-yesterday-1788674473  

(hopefully someone can embed the GIF)

If Alabama tackles/holds all eligible recievers, time runs off and only results in a defensive holding penalty. Clemson most likely has to throw the ball away for at best one untimed down and would have had to kick the game tying field goal. Game would have more than not gone to overtime. DISCUSS!

VicTorious1

January 10th, 2017 at 1:54 AM ^

It actually looked like they may have been trying to do just that.  It looked like the Bama DB pulled the outside wide receiver, which allowed the pick play to happen without being called.  The only problem is that the inside DB wasn't able to get to Renfrow in time.  If Bama tackles, holds, or interferes they can get to OT.  Everyone would hate them, especially if they won, but it gives them a better chance.

Maceo24

January 10th, 2017 at 10:53 AM ^

I don't think that was clearly the strategy at all.  On the replay they show from roughly Watson's position, it looks more like the Alabama cornerbacks bump wasn't allowing the receiver to get to his position to set the pick.  So, he just dove/fell forward to make hiimself as big as possible to try and get a pick.

It was clear on the PI that the Alabama corner grabbed to avoid the touchdown, but on the final play it didn't look like Alabama was grabbing on purpose or the slot guy would have been grabbed, too.

Sopwith

January 10th, 2017 at 2:23 AM ^

and the two DBs agree to switch if they cross. Outside stays outside and squats on the out, inside stays inside and squats on the slant. We used to do that in high school if we had twins to our side in a short yardage situation. Otherwise, it's a supremely easy read for the QB-- if the slot corner goes under the pick, you throw it flat outside. If he goes over the pick, you put air under it and your receiver is supposed to head for the corner. 

cletus318

January 10th, 2017 at 2:30 AM ^

That just sounds like a perversion of the game. Just play out the game and live with the results. This is why I thought it was poetic justice when CMU knocked off OK State on a Hail Mary after the Pokes try to get a 10-second runoff to end the game by getting a penalty on purpose.

Mr. Yost

January 10th, 2017 at 7:19 AM ^

How is it a perversion of the game any more than a pick?

You're still penalized for it and Clemson still gets an advantage of running a play from even closer if they wanted to or kicking a FG.

Okie State would've ended the game. This would've continued the game as if were any other defensive penalty. And the defense would've been penalized per the rules of the game.

I say the same thing for the offense. In that situation you run a pick 10 times out of 10. If they throw a flag. Oh well. Eat it and kick the FGCU.

Same thing if it's a 2pt conversion FTW, pick every time. If they call it, kick your XP. I was screaming from the stands for Borges to do this with Devin Gardner...I guess he couldn't hear me.

SWPro

January 10th, 2017 at 7:51 AM ^

That is not what Oklahoma State was trying to do.

 

They took the snap with 4 seconds left and ran the 4 seconds off the clock to end the game. They didn't care about the run-off cause they didn't needed.

 

Also with a deadball foul you don't get the run-off.

 

All Oklahoma State was trying to do was get the last 4 seconds off the clock.

Maynard

January 10th, 2017 at 9:21 AM ^

Cletus-You're wrong on both ends of this. That is not what Oklahoma State was trying to do and the CMU play should never have even been allowed to happen. Also, good strategy and taking advantage of the existing rules should not be considered a perversion of the game. Those are things losers complain about.

Blue Mike

January 10th, 2017 at 7:45 AM ^

That isn't correct, as far as I remember it. The rule is that if Alabama were to have a penalty, Clemson gets to choose to have the 10 second runoff if they want, but they don't have to.

EDIT: nevermind, read it wrong. The penalty would have accomplished what you wanted (forced a kick for overtime).

Anchew

January 10th, 2017 at 8:09 AM ^

this years staee game. the PI in the endzone just before the end of the 1st half. i believe there was another similar endzone PI in that game as well.

nappa18

January 10th, 2017 at 8:30 AM ^

I may be wrong but isn't the receiving team allowed to recover the ball before it goes 10 yards. Seems like Bama front line waited for the ball to go that distance. If they somehow recovered that ball "on the ground" , no time runs off and they get a Hail Mary chance from less then 45 yards away.

None of the"talking head" geniuses mentioned this so...I'm mistaken.

I didn't think that kick off strategy was Clemson's lowest risk play.

PS..as I thought weeks ago, Watson deserved the Heisman.

Moonlight Graham

January 10th, 2017 at 8:41 AM ^

technically. Although there was more time left. Maybe if they ran it down closer to the goal line with under 30 seconds left. How would we feel about taking that approach to avoid the loss?

Stevedez

January 10th, 2017 at 9:00 AM ^

Do you really believe that a penalty resulting in an untimed down for Clemson from the 1 yard line would force them to kick a FG for OT? I am pretty sure they would still try to score a TD to win the game. Especially when you have a QB like Watson.

Asquaredroot

January 10th, 2017 at 9:01 AM ^

if both receivers are held, the defenders are also occupied if they're holding and Watson has a free run into the end zone.
He had already sprinted out to the right and no one else could beat him to the corner.

Swayze Howell Sheen

January 10th, 2017 at 9:39 AM ^

As it says very early in the football rulebook:

"Deliberately teaching players to violate the rules is indefensible." (page FR-10, in Code of Ethics)

It also seems to be generally addressed in Section 4 under "Delay/Clock Tactics":

"Unfair Clock Tactics
ARTICLE 3. The referee shall order the game clock or play clock started or stopped whenever either team conserves or consumes playing time by tactics obviously unfair."
 
Seems like the referee could order the clock to have been stopped at 6 seconds because that was when Alabama was engaged in "tactics obviously unfair".
 
 
However, what a spot to be put in: the ref would have to have some guts to make that call.
 

Hard-Baughlls

January 10th, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^

If you watch Saban before the PI in the endzone he tell his corners to yank on the jersey and pull someoned down if they think they may be beat.

Next play, PI in the endzone putting the ball at the 2.

On the final play, the guy setting the screen/rub was actually just tackled before he really had a chance to set the legal/illegal pick.  The other corner/saftety was supposed to be closer to line and the reciever to take out this option.

Harlick

January 10th, 2017 at 2:13 PM ^

I heard on the radio that chip Kelly coached his players at Oregon to hold in that very situation. I also heard that he attempted to hold in a 49ers game this year. Apparently the competition committee in the NFL is going to address this with a rule,change.

Cold War

January 10th, 2017 at 2:39 PM ^

They should have done it, though I hate seeing this kind of thing. Winning is winning.

 

Easy solution - any play in the last two minutes on which there is a penalty shall result in no time going off the clock.