cncmin
Well-known member
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- Nov 20, 2008
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I don't know what the guy above me is talking about because this is by far my the most painful loss in my 30 years as a fan. To lose an undefeated season to ****ing Iowa really ****ing sucks.
It felt like the only way our passing game could be stopped was by Ciarrocca calling a running play. The special teams probably were a1 0-14 point difference in a 4 point game and that's before you get to any of the BS calls.
I am worried going forward, that was the worst we've seen the team play since South Dakota. We get the team that plalyed Georgia Southern and we're 10-0. The defense was atrocious to start the game due to either coming out flat or having a terrible game plan. That start was enough to screw us with how inept the special teams were for the entire game.
I absolutely hated three decisions in this game: 1. The decision to kick the FG before half with the ball on the 2 and 4 seconds left: you can argue this worked out, but on the road down 20-3 and with a good offense I think you have to try to punch it in there to dramatically increase your odds of the comeback. 2. The decision to go for it on 4th and 4 down 7 in the 3rd quarter: Why would you kick in the first half and then not kick here? Makes zero sense as you are going to need points regardless. This FG would have been from straight on, but Walker might have ****ing missed anyways. 3. The decision to go for the onside kick. This one was brutal to me and the most unforgiveable. Iowa is so f'ing conservative, put them at the 25 and make them punt back to you.
There are a lot of things we all have and can point to that cost them the game, but kicking the onsides kick in that situation was certainly not one of them. Giving them the ball there or deeper, we still needed to stop them. Recovering it, however, would have been a game changing moment that may have led to a game winner.
All that said, there was no reason at all to have to onsides kick if they had just tried not to keep wasting time on the previous scoring drive. But, because they wasted so much time, the onsides kick was very nearly necessary. All Iowa had to do was make one first down to seal it if we give them the ball back in typical fashion.