Post 1 thing KF has taken heat for that he shouldn't have...

T

TulipCityHawk

Well-Known Member
Calling a TO to ice the ISU kicker in Ames a few years back. The first kick (that didn't count) missed. Of course, he made the next kick. Kirk got roasted by many for calling TO.

I never understood the criticism. It is a common strategy that Hall of Fame coaches in both the NCAA and NFL have used for years. And it often knocks a kicker out of rhythym. Just didn't work that day. I always felt the heat he took was undeserved that day.
 
TulipCityHawk said:
Calling a TO to ice the ISU kicker in Ames a few years back. The first kick (that didn't count) missed. Of course, he made the next kick. Kirk got roasted by many for calling TO.

I never understood the criticism. It is a common strategy that Hall of Fame coaches in both the NCAA and NFL have used for years. And it often knocks a kicker out of rhythym. Just didn't work that day. I always felt the heat he took was undeserved that day.
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I've always been intrigued with the psychological games with regards to icing the kicker. If the kicker is expecting it wouldn't it be more of a mind game not calling the time out?
 
TulipCityHawk said:
Calling a TO to ice the ISU kicker in Ames a few years back. The first kick (that didn't count) missed. Of course, he made the next kick. Kirk got roasted by many for calling TO.

I never understood the criticism. It is a common strategy that Hall of Fame coaches in both the NCAA and NFL have used for years. And it often knocks a kicker out of rhythym. Just didn't work that day. I always felt the heat he took was undeserved that day.
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On those plays, if the coach doesn't call TO and the guy misses he looks like a genius. If he makes it, he is an idiot. If the coach calls the TO, the guy misses the first one and makes the second, the coach looks like an idiot, but if he makes the first and misses the second, the coach looks like a genius. The coach's mental acumen is totally reliant on the outcome.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
Icing the kicker is the one of the biggest jokes in sports...not just football. It has no demonstrable effect and could just as easily be argued that it helps that kicker.
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Yeah there was a thread a while back with figures that showed that icing the kicker doesn't do anything statistically significant.
 
LGEND24 said:
Sitting on the ball against Ohio State. I didn’t mind the strategy of playing for OT as you wouldn’t be 100% pass. Vandenberg did make many great plays, but he also made a lot of questionable throws/picks prior.
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Have to agree to disagree with this one.
I was at the game. Iowa had all the momentum. The stadium was dead quiet. Fans were nervous. Iowa had outplayed the mighty Bucks in the 4th quarter and weren't backing down.
Iowa didn't need a TD to win...merely approximately 45 yards to try a FG. Over a minute left with a TO remaining...on our own 38.
Even if Vandy screws up, Tressel would have sat on it anyway.
You're on the road. Everything's on the line. You have the best team in your tenure (IMO). You play for the win.
 
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LGEND24 said:
Sitting on the ball against Ohio State. I didn’t mind the strategy of playing for OT as you wouldn’t be 100% pass. Vandenberg did make many great plays, but he also made a lot of questionable throws/picks prior.
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Which wouldn't change in OT. On the road against a tough opponent...if you have a chance to go for the win and you have momentum, you go for it. There's no better example of that oft-cited "playing not-to-lose" critique of Old Kirk...than that game @ tOSU.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
Not only have such analyses shown no statistically significant "icing" effect, but kickers actually did slightly better on kicks following said "icing" timeouts in one such analysis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icing_the_kicker
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I had always thought this would be the case as I simply couldn't see how having more time to mentally prepare for a field goal could be a bad thing. Especially when there's the times where the kicker actually gets the free attempt as the TO is called late.

Side note: I wonder why defenses will ice a kicker but never call a TO during a hurry up opportunity to "ice" the QB. LOL I see it as a similar result.
 
LGEND24 said:
Sitting on the ball against Ohio State. I didn’t mind the strategy of playing for OT as you wouldn’t be 100% pass. Vandenberg did make many great plays, but he also made a lot of questionable throws/picks prior.
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I was not in favor of this decision but can see it going both ways so definitely don't blame him. However, with that said, in general he could be blamed for end of half clock management when there'd be a decent amount of time on the clock and we'd run, run, knee to kill out the half and go to the locker room with decent field position albeit in our defensive half.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
Icing the kicker is the one of the biggest jokes in sports...not just football. It has no demonstrable effect and could just as easily be argued that it helps that kicker.
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I agree.

I compare a college athlete kicking a FG to a decent golfer hitting a Tee-shot.

It's a repetitive motion they've practiced 10,000 times. It's pretty automatic when they walk up there and swing away (golf club or leg)

Having to endure extra time to "think about things" I don't think really comes into play with these guys at this level.
 
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