Another play-call by Richt that makes you say "Huh?"

Didn't Georgia score on that play? Must have been a gutsy call.

 

Thats not how it works. When you call a play that goes against the percentages and it dosen't work its called a bonehead call. When it works is called a gutsy call. You only get second guessed when it dosen't work. In the 2002 Superbowl with the game tied with only a few seconds on the clock John Madden was saying that New England would surely run the ball with a 3rd and long to kill the clock and send it into OT. Instead, Tom Brady completed a pass for a first down and continued the New England drive that resulted in a game winning field goal in regulation. If it hadn't worked the clock would have stopped and the Patriots would have had to punt giving the Rams the ball in decent field position with enough time to get themselves in field goal range. If the pass had been incomplete or intercepted Bill Belichek would have taken the heat for a bonehead call. Instead the complete pass led to the Patriots getting into position to kick the game winning field goal to win the Superbowl. That made it a gutsy call.

Same thing in an LSU game a couple of years ago. I am not sure of which game it was but I know it was a late season close game. Maybe the Arkansas game. LSU was clinging to a slim lead and trying to run out the clock. On a third and 7 or 8 instead of a running play the did a play action with Rohan throwing to Josh Reed for a first down that gave LSU the chance to run out the clock without punting. If the pass had been incomplete or if Rohan had been sacked it would have been a bonehead call. Since it worked it was a gutsy call.

 

There was more to the call.....

Georgia lost their two starting guards by the third quarter.

http://www.ajc.com/uga/content/sports/uga/0104/02notes.html

Lumpkin, the kid who ran the ball into the end zone, fumbled earlier and Richt gave him a chance to redeem himself.
Lumpkin is a true freshman.

This may sound funny, but Richt often has other priorites in mind when he makes decisions.

But Richt is at .800 after his first three years as a head coach so I'm certainly not going to complain.

 

He got lucky. There is no way that is anything but a bad call. It works out this time, but it was a gamble. I love a gamble, but those odds suck!

 

Once again: It worked so it was a gutsy call. Yes, if UGA hadn't scored they were basically giving the game away to Purdue who could have just kicked a field goal. BUT - Purdue's offense was on a roll and moving the ball at will against the UGA D in the 4th quarter. Richt had to be thinking that if UGA kicked a field goal that Purdue would beat them by scoring a TD. The way it worked out was that since UGA had a 7 point lead in the first OT, Purdue had no choice but to go for the TD on 4th down. If Richt had kicked the field goal Purdue could have tied the game on 4th down by kicking a field goal and sending it to a second OT. By making the gutsy call to go for the TD Richt took that option away from the Boilermakers. Again, since it worked, IT WAS A GUTSY CALL.

Rule #1 - It is always a gutsy call when it works.
Rule #2 - It is always a bonehead call when it doesn't work.
Rule #3 - A gutsy call will never be second guessed by the fans or the media.
Rule #4 - A bonehead call will always be second guessed by the fans and the media
Rule #5 - A coach who consistently makes gutsy calls will be admired as a "Riverboat Gambler"
Rule #6- A coach who consitently makes bonehead calls will be crucified by the fans and the media.
Rule #7 - A coach who makes gutsy calls gets big raises and big time job offers.
Rule #8 - A coach who makes bonehead calls is given the opportunity to make new friends with the people he meets in the unemployment line.
Rule #9 - Don't go to the gutsy call well too often. Tubby Tuberville was once known as a Riverboat Gambler. Now he is very close to making some new friends in the unemployment line.
Rule #10 - For every 5 gutsy calls you make you can be forgiven for 1 bonehead call. Exceed this ratio at your own risk. If you make 5 gutsy calls for every bonehead call you will become a coaching legend provided that you luck out and win at least 75% of the games that you made the bonehead call in.
Rule #11 - Win and the fans and the media will be like innocent puppies eating out of your hand for every word of coaching wisdom you share with them.
Rule #12 - Lose and the fans and the media will be like hungry sharks in a feeding frenzy with your blood in the water.
Rule #13 - As long as you are in a "rebuilding" stage and do a little better than you did the year before the sharks will be circleling but they won't eat you.
Rule #14- If you have a "big year" don't dare have a bad year following the big year even if you bounceback with a decent year after that. You could ask Frank Solich but he has already had his heart eaten out by the Land Sharks on the plains of Nebraska.
Rule #15 - Never take a job immediatley following a coaching legend. If you have doubts about this one ask Frank Solich. Ask Ray Perkins (Bear Bryant) Ask Phil Bengsten (Vince Lombardi)
Ask George Seifert (won a Superbowl following Bill Walsh but still got fired) You might especially want to consult with Jimmy Johnson. He successfully followed Tom Landry and won 2 Superbowls and then tried to follow another legend in Miami (Don Shula)
Rule #16 - Work on your communication skills. Even if you are a bad coach you can always get a job as a talking head. Ask Lee Corso and Bob Davie. Ask Mike Ditka

 

Now come on, has other priorities, are you kidding me. His priority is ti WIN the game. He told the kid to run wide and not try to make too much happen. He didn't run him for a chance at redemption. He has made some bad calls but there isn't a coach in the world that hasn't.

 

I watched that game. If I remember correctly, it wasn't fourth and two. My recollection is that the ball was inside the one. If this is true, it makes the call a little easier to make.

 

I have to agree with Bengal B. It worked, so it was a great call! Remember LSU's fake field goal in the Sugar Bowl? It worked pretty well, so it was widely lauded as a great call by Saban! But, what if the pass had fallen incomplete, or worse, been intercepted. Or if Bech had been sacked? It would have been called by most a boneheaded call! In the game last year (I don't recall which game right now!) when Saban went for it on fourth down deep in his own territory and didn't get the first down, he admitted it was the stupidest call that he ever made. He apologized to the team for it. But, if it had worked, he would have been praised for making such a "gutsy" call.

 

FightnTiger, if I remember correctly, the ball was actually on the 1 yard line...i told myself the way Purdue has moved the ball on Georgia's defense the past 2 or 3 series, if he didn't go for it then he'd be stupid