Would you have gone for two?

[storrsroars]

Typicall I respect a coach's decision to go for 2 in that situation.

But we have Charlton sending in the play.

I'll go with it being a good call. A tie might be like kissing your sister, but if you've never kissed anyone...

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Yes. You're dealing with players who thrive on competition and emotion. I don't think you always need to do it but I think you tell your guys who are struggling "take this win".

Look, I think there's a lot of fans here that are losing the damned minds. I wish they'd stop. But in the position they were in with an offense is humming. Do it.

There’s a lot of snake oil being sold on this board, and people like you are buying it.

 

[Kowalski]

There's another factor involved with going for 2. If you went for 1 and made it, I think Utah State would have played for OT. If UConn made the 2 point conversion, Utah State would have tried to win the game with 40 seconds plus 1 time out and probably starting on their 25 yard line. They only needed a field goal to win.

I agree. What happened at the end of the first half, & the way our secondary gives up big plays, was an argument for not going for 2. Would have been different if there were 10 seconds left.
If we tied it, I think Utah State would have played it safer (maybe try one deep route) & otherwise play for OT.

 

[The Viking]

First Mora should not have used the timeout at the 40
Second mark. He should have taken another 10-15 seconds off and used it if he really wanted to use one tbere.
Second tbeir backup QB was Joe Montana. In the second half they put gained us something like 360-160.
If you have a chance to potentially win the game with one play from a couple yards out there you take it. Now if I was Utah State I’d think the opposite.
And with 40 seconds left Utah state is going for the win regardless. You think they were afraid of our secondary?

 

[Palatine]

One of the biggest plays of the game that is now invisible. The dropped interception in the third quarter when we still had the lead.

And that is symbolic of this team. When we need someone to make a play. They simply don't. And it's not the great play we need. Just block on the extra point, just catch the ball when the opposing QB hits you in the hands, don't throw the ball when you are past the line of scrimmage in the red zone. Simple stuff.

 

[maple]

I don’t know. I understand both perspectives. I am not certain USU would have just played for OT if we made the PAT, I think they still would have tried for a last shot FG to win.

I think for me, at least, a 2 pt conversion attempt would have made me feel like they were trying to be aggressive and force USU to win it. So in that way I kind of wish we had done it. For me it would have been less frustrating than blowing a freaking PAT and losing.

I think even if we went into OT, UConn’s D was so bad that we would have given up a TD with ease and the game would have been over anyway.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I love the amount of people saying "when you're 0-4, you go for 2."

The fact that you're bringing up a bad record as justification for doing it inherently shows that you believe it's the worse option under normal circumstances. The season is never over because recruiting is never over...

Uh, yeah no kidding going for 2 is a "riskier" option based on percentages one.

The risk in the context of the season is a lot lower when you're not competing for anything but respectability as opposed to getting a win.

Everything has context, I thought this much is given?

 

[UCFBfan]

We're 0-4 and have looked horrendous all season. We actually play a decent game, have a great drive and have a chance to win this and possibly turn morale around. I'd absolutely go for two. You could never predict a blocked PAT so I can't say, "Told you so". However, given our team's morale (3 players leave or enter portal midseason), what is there to lose trying to pull out the W.

In the end, Mor makes the big bucks and has the experience. I just would have liked to see them go for a season changing attempt.

 

[Devland]

Do we have a reliable 2 yard play? Rosa repeatedly gets stuffed in short yardage situations. Stafford is good for one yard, I 'm not sure about 2. I guess we could have rolled out with a run pass option.

 

[Derucky]

There’s a lot of snake oil being sold on this board, and people like you are buying it.

After everything UConn Football has been through, they shouldn't have to have any more "huge wins" for the very SURVIVAL of the program. Enough is enough. It's not worth it anymore.

 

[Stinger92860]

Yes, but I'd also go for 2 after every TD

With Stafford this may make sense. If the D plays the run you have options. If the D is spread, you give the ball to the big man. You need to convert 50% to break even. The more I think about this the more I like it.

 

[Stinger92860]

Stafford is good for one yard, I 'm not sure about 2. I guess we could have rolled out with a run pass option.

Stafford averaged 2.2 yards per carry, plus, lol, he appears to be an able receiver. Adding in the one pass he was about 3.5 per touch.

Everytime he touched the ball or we threw with him in, it was a positive play. The 2 short yardage fails were the QB sneak and the handoff to Rosa. Why not ride what’s working at 100%? I understand it won’t always work, but I think they have something here.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The play action they ran earlier in the game that resulted in the TD pass would have given Utah State something to think about too if we had gone for 2.

 

[Dezoworld]

This was a judgement call, so I'm not saying Mora was right or wrong. We have the benefit of hindsight which he didn't.

I would've gone for two. We had momentum. USU's defense was gassed. Their d-line looked especially so. One of the starting DBs left the previous play. We had Jelani "Mack Truck" Stafford ready to explode. 538 analytics tells you it's a good move. We haven't been able to stop USU's offense in the 2nd half, and I felt even less good about our defense vs their offense in OT.

No you don't go for 2 they went for the sure point but it got blocked. If he would've went for 2 and failed then you all would of been complaining and asking why Mora went for it. Defense didn't come to play in the second half. That's where the game was lost

 

[Chin Diesel]

I know I am in the minority but I go for that every time.

It's a close game and you have a chance to win it. No situation in OT has a higher outcome.

If there is a major talent gap and you are the more talented team you go for the tie.

 

[huskymedic]

Do we have a reliable 2 yard play?

Maybe but the two point conversion in CFB is from the 3 yard line

 

[Devland]

Maybe but the two point conversion in CFB is from the 3 yard line

Lol, I knee that. I think I had the number 2 stuck in my head.

 

[UConnDan97]

Uh, yeah no kidding going for 2 is a "riskier" option based on percentages one.

The risk in the context of the season is a lot lower when you're not competing for anything but respectability as opposed to getting a win.

Everything has context, I thought this much is given?

No, the risk doesn't change. That's the point. Math doesn't adjust just because you feel differently about its ramifications. That's the point I'm making...

 

[UConnDan97]

Maybe but the two point conversion in CFB is from the 3 yard line

Thank you!!!

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I give Mora a pass on PAT decision. I would have gone for two. I had visions of DJ Hernandez scoring and throwing the ball into the stands. Oh the excitement that evening: relatively new to D1, starting to make a name, etc.

Now what I won't give the staff the benefit of the doubt on is the "weak ass" 4 and 1 attempt right before half. One thing UConn does well is in these situations. Get Stafford the ball. Don't rush to LOS and try a push with the QB who folded like a rag doll. Lesson? USU hits long TD pass, momentum swings and rest is history.

Also U S's QB out backfired. The backup could tuck and run. And . . . what has been an Achilles heel for the UConn D? Ask NC State, Georgis State, Duke. It's an easy and reliable bail out.

 

[Patman]

There’s a lot of snake oil being sold on this board, and people like you are buying it.

what snake oil? I think losing sucks as much as anybody else. I don't think things are "all right"... I also don't think "fold up the football program" people are going to positively move the program forward. Call that "snake oil" all you want. I don't think all is well but I don't see these other options.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

No, the risk doesn't change. That's the point. Math doesn't adjust just because you feel differently about its ramifications. That's the point I'm making...

The risk absolutely changes - situationally.

The odds of PAT vs 2pt is static in a vacuum, of course.

The consequences/risk of gambling with an awful 0-4 team trying to sneak out a win is a lot different than with a CFP bid at stake.

 

[UConnDan97]

The risk absolutely changes - situationally.

The odds of PAT vs 2pt is static in a vacuum, of course.

The consequences/risk of gambling with an awful 0-4 team trying to sneak out a win is a lot different than with a CFP bid at stake.

The risk is the same. That's why they have charts on this stuff. Your ability to deal with the risk is apparently much different, however...

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The decision not to go for two in that situation isn't even the worst special teams decision we made yesterday. After the 15 yard penalty enforced on a kickoff I don't get why we kicked the ball in the air, allowing a fair catch to give Utah St the ball at the 25. There also were a few returns that we should have fair caught.

In a vacuum it can be claimed that the blocked extra point was the difference between a win and a loss (it actually was the difference between being tied with under a minute remaining and a loss) but there were a number of things that could be pointed to that were of sufficient importance to have cost us the game.

My biggest gripe was that due to the defensive lapse late in the first half, after outplaying the by a massive amount, we went into the locker room with only a ten point lead, which became a three point lead after the first drive of the second half.

They were able to turn a WR screen at the line of scrimmage into a 60+ yard TD pass.

After continually gaining the necessary yardage on third and/or fourth and short with a big backfield, we attempted to rush a quick fourth and short play, turning the ball over on downs while within the red zone.

The biggest positive from yesterday was that we did show life. We also showed a tremendous amount of resilience, which cannot be understated considering the possible morale draining that losing a 17-0 first half lead could cause.

One goal I have for the remainder of the season: I want to see Jelani Stafford split out wide on an offensive play with an empty backfield.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The risk is the same. That's why they have charts on this stuff. Your ability to deal with the risk is apparently much different, however...

You keep talking around the same point that everyone is in agreement on. A PAT vs 2pt odds for a given team are the same whether they are 12-0 or 0-12. We all agree that is one data point.

The risk of converting or not converting is absolutely situationally dependent, which I guess is what you're referring to as "dealing with the risk". I don't see how the scales tip to less consequence when your season is essentially shot and a big conversion that gets a win is a huge momentum changer.