Do Some Head Coaches Need 'Game Management Coordinators'?

[Cover3]

Last week: I was baffled (but not surprised) when Ron Zook bypassed a short-medium range FG attempt down 17-7 to OSU with ~1:30 left in the game. A field goal would keep them just as alive as a fourth down conversion, but is generally much easier to get. Illini turn it over on downs and never even get to the fun onside kick portion of the comeback.

This week: Bielema decides that the odds of blocking a punt are suddenly so great that he'll freeze the clock at :30 for an MSU team that is near midfield on only 3rd down. I like trying to get the ball back and score, but this...you NEVER do. Too low a reward for too much risk.

I give Kirk a pass because our weekly clock management fail in the first half was overcome by a beautiful Vandenberg-McNutt bomb with :16 left.

With the seemingly constant failure of these very well-compensated gentlemen to perform perhaps their most critical game-day function, do you think most teams would benefit from having a staff member (ST coach maybe) acting as 'game/clock management coordinator?

I think it would help, but only if that individual did some extra work to think out situations in advance (to actually gain more game management moxie than the head coach.

 

[woodyk1]

It's funny. Bill Simmons (of Grantland and ESPN) has always said that NFL coaches (like Andy Reid) who are bad at clock management need a teenage kid who is good at playing the Madden video game standing next to them in the last few minutes of each half.

 

[OnLookin08]

Frankly, that should be a qualification as a head coach. Many don't make O or D calls. They should be good at managing a game...

 

[DesertHawk2010]

For the most part, it's pretty obvious when to call timeouts to most people that know the game of football. I've always suggested using the 3rd string QB to be a TO coach at the end of each half. In our case, Rudock would call the timeouts. It's really not the hardest part of a head coaches job, but it's tougher when their mind is on everything else. Let someone else focus solely on the timeouts.

 

[OnLookin08]

I can see the logic in using a third team qb in terms of helping the coach keep track of clock, but the guy making 3 mil a year should probably be making the call...