Arkansas HS Coach Employs No-Punt/Onside Strategy

[TrenchWarrior]

As others have said, he likely would have won the state anyway by going with a more conventional strategy. He'd won it before, so he's obviously a good coach with his share of talented players, too. Also, as rollredroll pointed out, there were all kinds of problems with the way the stats were quoted.

 

That said, I do think this could be a good strategy. I mean, look at it this way...

 

1. It's easier to average just over 2.5 yards a play than 3.3333+.

 

2. It gives your offense confidence to try things that give you more chance of a big play, and therefore more points.

 

3. A simple rule of averages implies that the more plays you run, the more likely you are to rip off a big one (defensive mistake, freak play, QB sees something good etc.). Since the offense is based on QB and WR reading the defense and adjusting, the more chances he gets for them to hook up on a good adjustment. A bad play would probably just be an incomplete pass. I think the QB threw like 3 or 4 TDs for every INT last year. You've got to like ratios like that in your favor.

 

Lots of psychological advantages, too...

 

4. Most HS teams don't have much practice time to devote to special teams, anyway. Gives you an edge by simply working on returns, FG, and onside kick while your opponent has to put major time into prepping for 1 onside kick, let alone 8 variations of it!

 

5. Most HS defenses struggle to effectively gameplan for 3 downs. Making them have to plan for 4 downs is even harder.

 

6. If you convert a few back to back like that, the game gets out of hand quick. The opposing defense gets worn out, the offense rushes things because they're already in a quick shoot out, etc.

 

7. Against teams with big time offenses, every time you convert a 4th down it's at least another minute or so they don't get the ball. A fresher defense is a better defense that's better able to bail you out when it doesn't go your way.

 

8. Opposing players become frustrated, demoralized, etc. much faster.

 

Personally, I wonder why it's always the passing teams that always want to go for it so much. It seems to me like the power running, grind the clock down rushing attacks would be all about only needing 3 yards a play to keep the clock moving. Teams like that could literally win on 2 or 3 defensive stops a game if they keep grinding it out. Those games would be ugly to watch though. Coaches could win championships and hear nothing but complaints about how boring their games are. When a few big games don't break his way, he's toast. If everyone were to adopt this strategy, the rules would probably have to be changed to stop it for the good of the game.