Wisky's Unheralded Big Play

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VenturaAce

Well-Known Member
They have the ball, 3rd and 7 at their own 23 in the 4th quarter. Snap goes over Tolzien's head, but he picks it up and somehow throws a complete underhand pass for a 3 yard gain. Intstead of 4th and 20ish, its 4th and 4 and they are capable of running the fake punt.

At 4th and 20, they'd be crazy to run a fake punt and we get the ball back with a chance to ice it. 4th and 4 is much more manageable all based on what appeared to be a fairly inconsequential, crazy 3 yard gain.

Everyone is giving Bielema for calling a gutsy fake punt, what other choice did he have? They were down 6 and had their backs against the wall, my personal opinion is that it was innovative, but not all that gutsy, he had to do something to attempt to win the game with limited time in the 4th quarter.
 
VenturaAce said:
They have the ball, 3rd and 7 at their own 23 in the 4th quarter. Snap goes over Tolzien's head, but he picks it up and somehow throws a complete underhand pass for a 3 yard gain. Intstead of 4th and 20ish, its 4th and 4 and they are capable of running the fake punt.

At 4th and 20, they'd be crazy to run a fake punt and we get the ball back with a chance to ice it. 4th and 4 is much more manageable all based on what appeared to be a fairly inconsequential, crazy 3 yard gain.

Everyone is giving Bielema for calling a gutsy fake punt, what other choice did he have? They were down 6 and had their backs against the wall, my personal opinion is that it was innovative, but not all that gutsy, he had to do something to attempt to win the game with limited time in the 4th quarter.
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Good point on the play by Tolzien. As for the fake punt call, unfortunately everyone knew it was a possibility except for the coaches and the players. :(
 
theboat said:
Good point on the play by Tolzien. As for the fake punt call, unfortunately everyone knew it was a possibility except for the coaches and the players. :(
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The only part that sickens me about it is this. Had they pulled off a fake where they had to perform a great play it would be one thing. But when they did it except for the two that were trying to crash in from the sides, every defender turned and ran before the punt was even kicked. Somebody needs to spy the punter and make sure he actually kicks the ball.
 
"Everyone is giving Bielema for calling a gutsy fake punt, what other choice did he have? They were down 6 and had their backs against the wall, my personal opinion is that it was innovative, but not all that gutsy, he had to do something to attempt to win the game with limited time in the 4th quarter."

Right on. Which makes this all the more awful:

"As for the fake punt call, unfortunately everyone knew it was a possibility except for the coaches and the players."

I didn't think it was just possible, I thought it was likely.
 
VenturaAce said:
They have the ball, 3rd and 7 at their own 23 in the 4th quarter. Snap goes over Tolzien's head, but he picks it up and somehow throws a complete underhand pass for a 3 yard gain. Intstead of 4th and 20ish, its 4th and 4 and they are capable of running the fake punt.

At 4th and 20, they'd be crazy to run a fake punt and we get the ball back with a chance to ice it. 4th and 4 is much more manageable all based on what appeared to be a fairly inconsequential, crazy 3 yard gain.

Everyone is giving Bielema for calling a gutsy fake punt, what other choice did he have? They were down 6 and had their backs against the wall, my personal opinion is that it was innovative, but not all that gutsy, he had to do something to attempt to win the game with limited time in the 4th quarter.
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Totally agree, been telling friends this was the play of the game for Wisky. I believe he had a Hawkeye lineman bearing down on him and he just had great instincts and quick thinking to make this play. Credit Tolzien, good player who had a great game and made an absolutely great play and I have to tip my cap to him on this play.
 
I've been pointing to that play as well. Even if he throws an incomplete pass and its 4th and 7, the odds of Bielema going for it go way down IMO. Tolzien's play there was a game winner.
 
Completely agree with the OP. This play made the fake punt a possibility. Not much you can do but tip your cap to Tolzien. An Iowa defender was closing in and Tolzien was able to not only throw a pass but complete a pass. Just a great play on his part. Sometimes the ball bounces your way, sometimes it doesn't. Last year, that ball bounces further away from Tolzien and, at a minimum, is a 15 yard sack, if not a turnover.
 
VenturaAce said:
They have the ball, 3rd and 7 at their own 23 in the 4th quarter. Snap goes over Tolzien's head, but he picks it up and somehow throws a complete underhand pass for a 3 yard gain. Intstead of 4th and 20ish, its 4th and 4 and they are capable of running the fake punt.

At 4th and 20, they'd be crazy to run a fake punt and we get the ball back with a chance to ice it. 4th and 4 is much more manageable all based on what appeared to be a fairly inconsequential, crazy 3 yard gain.

Everyone is giving Bielema for calling a gutsy fake punt, what other choice did he have? They were down 6 and had their backs against the wall, my personal opinion is that it was innovative, but not all that gutsy, he had to do something to attempt to win the game with limited time in the 4th quarter.
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Just a question: do you think Kirk Ferentz and Ken O'Keefe would have been just as gutsy, or "innovative," in a similar situation?
 
I was thinking about this play after the game, too. At the time I was like "Oh common. But at least they still have to punt." Then they pulled that trickery on us, and they score a TD.

It was really kind of a miracle play, which may have indirectly decided the game. If Tolzien gets buried instead of him somehow completing that pass, I think they have to punt, and if we get any more points, it's game over. The way we were moving the ball, I think that was probably pretty likely.
 
"I didn't think it was just possible, I thought it was likely."

EXACTLY! I remember SCREAMING at the TV yelling play the fake play the fake play the f**king fake!! then BOOM Fake!! and the filed was all Green for them!
 
My 2 cents? this was the bad coaching decision much more so than the time out-- frankly-- the time out/management woudl not have been an issue--we have a great offense people, that is something getting lost in the shuffle this season--- we were scoring at will with Wisconsin, actually--we've been pretty much scoring at will all season-- hence the added frustration when we go into captain containment mode.
 
As huge a play as that was, I'm a firm believer that the deciding play of the game (or plays) was Wisconsin holding us to a fieldgoal after the Greenwood interception. At that point all the momentum was in our favor and we literally had a chance to put the game away with a touchdown to make it a two possession game and they manage to keep it a one possession game. To me that was what made it all possible.
 
kicker22 said:
As huge a play as that was, I'm a firm believer that the deciding play of the game (or plays) was Wisconsin holding us to a fieldgoal after the Greenwood interception. At that point all the momentum was in our favor and we literally had a chance to put the game away with a touchdown to make it a two possession game and they manage to keep it a one possession game. To me that was what made it all possible.
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Agreed...that was a huge momentum swing for Wisconsin, as it allowed them to run their regular offense on their next possession as opposed to having Tolzein have to throw it. Tolzein was fantastic on Saturday, but I like Iowa's chances with him having to pass his team down the field.

One other thing that has not been talked about - by anyone - is the sack that Stanzi took on that final drive. Your senior QB CANNOT take a sack in situation. He was outside the hash marks, throw that mother****er into the stands. Instead, he goes down, and not only do the Hawks lose 12 yards, they have to burn that first timeout, something that turned out to be somewhat important a few minutes later.
 
Yep, taking that sack was awful. Although, I believe a few others have mentioned it. Many ways we killed ourselves this game. Obvious ones and not so obvious like the illegal motion, the kick-off offsides which became a 30yd penalty, and Stanzi's stupid sack.
 
While I agree that you can't take a sack in that situation, I think that Stanzi thought he had the edge to get clear to make a throw, I thought he did when watching it too. Watt just got him on the leg and Stanzi couldn't get out. I thought Stanzi would make the play, but Watt did. Hard for me to fault him for that the way I would have if the pocket just collapsed around him like at AZ.
 
ShadasRevenge said:
Agreed...that was a huge momentum swing for Wisconsin, as it allowed them to run their regular offense on their next possession as opposed to having Tolzein have to throw it. Tolzein was fantastic on Saturday, but I like Iowa's chances with him having to pass his team down the field.

One other thing that has not been talked about - by anyone - is the sack that Stanzi took on that final drive. Your senior QB CANNOT take a sack in situation. He was outside the hash marks, throw that mother****er into the stands. Instead, he goes down, and not only do the Hawks lose 12 yards, they have to burn that first timeout, something that turned out to be somewhat important a few minutes later.
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Albeit, one of the ugliest tackles I've ever seen and I actually think the tackle on the kick return by Meyer had more authority, it definitely got the job done and helped put a nail in our coffin. But seriously Watt, atleast get his leg and not simply unlace his cleats causing him to fall. What a pathetic shoe string tackle, but got the results.
 
ShadasRevenge said:
Agreed...that was a huge momentum swing for Wisconsin, as it allowed them to run their regular offense on their next possession as opposed to having Tolzein have to throw it. Tolzein was fantastic on Saturday, but I like Iowa's chances with him having to pass his team down the field.

One other thing that has not been talked about - by anyone - is the sack that Stanzi took on that final drive. Your senior QB CANNOT take a sack in situation. He was outside the hash marks, throw that mother****er into the stands. Instead, he goes down, and not only do the Hawks lose 12 yards, they have to burn that first timeout, something that turned out to be somewhat important a few minutes later.
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As I mentioned in another thread, the sack on the final drive was mentioned on the coaches' TV show last night (and no, the spike or timeout was not discussed). Kirk mentioned that Ricky admitted it was a mistake (a boo boo, I believe) that he took the sack. I agree it was a great play by the DE, but at this point of the game, it is 1-2-3, get rid of it for the QB. Ricky thought he could make a play, and it didn't work out. Tough break.
 
KF got owned by BB. He knows it. Everybody else knows it. He doesn't have to say anything about it. I just hope he apologized to his team for screwing up so badly.
 
woodyk1 said:
As I mentioned in another thread, the sack on the final drive was mentioned on the coaches' TV show last night (and no, the spike or timeout was not discussed). Kirk mentioned that Ricky admitted it was a mistake (a boo boo, I believe) that he took the sack. I agree it was a great play by the DE, but at this point of the game, it is 1-2-3, get rid of it for the QB. Ricky thought he could make a play, and it didn't work out. Tough break.
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Didn't see that, don't mean to steal your thunder. But Ricky does need to know better, especially in that situation. I don't remember what the yardage lost was, but it obviously turned out to be a big deal.
 
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