timeout instead of spike

[grandmahawk]

For what it's worth, it looked like this from my vantage point in section 126: Stanzi, ready to snap it and spike it, looked to the sideline, where Coach Campbell and another assistant coach were holding up the diamond symbol with their hands...which must be the signal for some play, not a spike. Stanzi was clearly confused (as spiking it was the obvious thing to do) and, sensing this confusion, the coaching staff just called a timeout to avoid wasting precious seconds. Kirk later defended it and implied that the timeout was the plan all along, but I don't think that was the intention. The coaches were either just confused or, more likely, wanted to try to run a quick actual play to catch the badgers off guard. Not a bad idea per se, but, like others here have pointed out, you have to have that figured out in the timeout before Stanzi dives for the first down.

It seems like the coaches changed their minds right before Stanzi was going to spike it and just called a timeout to avoid complete disaster. Unfortunately, this is exactly what we got.

Sure, this doesn't account for the fake punt or the other 80 yards the D gave up on that drive, and it doesn't explain our special teams woes throughout. But after moving the ball fairly well on our last gasp drive, this confusion by the coaching staff is supremely frustrating.

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

Why does he even have to look? A play should have been called during the time out. I'm assuming they planned for the possibility of getting the 1st on the QB sneak. Therefore there should have been another play already dialed up and conveyed to Stanzi. The fact that there wasn't makes me want to bash me head against the desk.

 

[homes]

Why does he even have to look? A play should have been called during the time out. I'm assuming they planned for the possibility of getting the 1st on the QB sneak. Therefore there should have been another play already dialed up and conveyed to Stanzi. The fact that there wasn't makes me want to bash me head against the desk.

I've got to think they had the spike called, but Stanzi went back into the shotgun, which fouled up the spike. They didn't need to preserve downs there, they needed to preserve clock and their last timeout. It seemed unnecessarily confusing, when the spike seemed like the right call. They were about 10-15 yards from reasonable field goal range. Clearly not the only reason they lost, but it would have been hellaciously exciting to have them line up for the game winning kick - shades of Penn State in '08. I bet Stanzi is re-living that play.

A question, not a criticism because it's easy with the benefit of time and hindsight and it is the anti-thesis of what running backs are drilled in their head not to do - but would it have been legal for Robinson to "fumble" the ball out of bounds to stop the clock?

 

[Billso]

Why does he even have to look? A play should have been called during the time out. I'm assuming they planned for the possibility of getting the 1st on the QB sneak. Therefore there should have been another play already dialed up and conveyed to Stanzi. The fact that there wasn't makes me want to bash me head against the desk.

Precisely. We may never know if a) Stanzi fouled up the plan, or b) if the coaches didn't clearly convey the plan. I hope reporters ask.

Kirk's quote was "We wanted to burn the timeout and just go from there. I guess we could have gone the other way. Might have saved us 2 seconds," Ferentz said. "I don't think that was exactly the turning point in the game."

Which is complete nonsense, so I HOPE Kirk is just being classy and covering for someone other than himself (which he's done before and I love that about him)

 

[tweeterhawk]

Precisely. We may never know if a) Stanzi fouled up the plan, or b) if the coaches didn't clearly convey the plan. I hope reporters ask.

Kirk's quote was "We wanted to burn the timeout and just go from there. I guess we could have gone the other way. Might have saved us 2 seconds," Ferentz said. "I don't think that was exactly the turning point in the game."

Which is complete nonsense, so I HOPE Kirk is just being classy and covering for someone other than himself (which he's done before and I love that about him)

Players are not the only ones who make mistakes. Coaching staffs screw up, too. Iowa's did big time on that last series.

 

[theboat]

The ONLY way you run a QB sneak in that position is if you know you are going to get the first down and then spike it. Nothing else makes any sense. It was a mismanaged play from start to finish, there should have been no looking to the sideline anyway to create confusion as it should have already been set up.

 

[theboat]

Players are not the only ones who make mistakes. Coaching staffs screw up, too. Iowa's did big time on that last series.

Yeah, Les Miles called and he thought Iowa was bad on the last series.

 

[99topdawg]

It looked to me like McNutt was off the line of scrimmage when Stanzi went under center to make an illegal formation (I would have to see it again to be sure), so this is why I initially thought they had to call the timeout. Not sure if the 5 yard penalty would have been that bad looking back, though.

 

[iahawk72]

That wouldn't surprise me. Two of Iowa's 4 offensive penalties were the result of #7. One cost them a first down inside the 10 yard line on the drive that resulted in the botched FG. I just got the feeling that his head wasn't in the game at times yesterday.

iahawk72

It looked to me like McNutt was off the line of scrimmage when Stanzi went under center to make an illegal formation (I would have to see it again to be sure), so this is why I initially thought they had to call the timeout. Not sure if the 5 yard penalty would have been that bad looking back, though.

 

[Saginawbay]

Players are not the only ones who make mistakes. Coaching staffs screw up, too. Iowa's did big time on that last series.

Yes coaching staffs do make mistakes just like everyone but have the blank too admit it during post game to sit there and say that was the plan is funny because we planned too lose then.

 

[HawkI101]

Yes coaching staffs do make mistakes just like everyone but have the blank too admit it during post game to sit there and say that was the plan is funny because we planned too lose then.

Staffs do make mistakes but I have no doubt that the staff is covering for Stanzi for not spiking it. He is a 3 year starter and shouldn't have to look for the sideline in that position, just get up and spike, IF WE WERE GOING TO CALL A TIMEOUT WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT RIGHT AWAY. It took a few seconds to call the timeout because the coaching staff saw stanzi in the shotgun and looking at the sideline.

The only coaching mistake I saw was not being ready for a fake punt with 6 minutes to go. The was totally unexcusable.

 

[Iowahawkeye1982]

Stanzi was ready to spike the ball, he looked over at the sideline and they were signaling something else. Stanzi knew to spike it and the coaches wanted something else. with 12 seconds left you spike the ball.

Seriously on the last play (if iowa still had their TO) stanzi had room to run the ball instead of pitching it! he runs forward for a 5yd gain and then you call the TO. You are looking at a 45+yd field goal, but at least its a SHOT for the win. What we did yesterday gave us no chance to win the game!

 

[grandmahawk]

Stanzi was ready to spike the ball, he looked over at the sideline and they were signaling something else. Stanzi knew to spike it and the coaches wanted something else. with 12 seconds left you spike the ball.

Seriously on the last play (if iowa still had their TO) stanzi had room to run the ball instead of pitching it! he runs forward for a 5yd gain and then you call the TO. You are looking at a 45+yd field goal, but at least its a SHOT for the win. What we did yesterday gave us no chance to win the game!

Exactly, this is what I thought. But the others may be right about the illegal formation. Either way, a botched ending all around.

 

[Saginawbay]

Stanzi was ready to spike the ball, he looked over at the sideline and they were signaling something else. Stanzi knew to spike it and the coaches wanted something else. with 12 seconds left you spike the ball.

Seriously on the last play (if iowa still had their TO) stanzi had room to run the ball instead of pitching it! he runs forward for a 5yd gain and then you call the TO. You are looking at a 45+yd field goal, but at least its a SHOT for the win. What we did yesterday gave us no chance to win the game!

Correct!!!