What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

For discussion regarding the Vanderbilt Commodores' football program.

Moderators: kerrigjl, BrentVU, jfgogold, NateSY, KarenYates, Vandyman74, roanoke, VandyWhit

User avatar
BrentVU
Site Admin
Posts: 17708
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2016 1:25 pm
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 180 times

What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by BrentVU »

That turned out to be the play of the game. It was the second quarter, Vandy trailing 14-3. Vandy has a fourth down and 1 on its own 34. It hasn't been running the ball well at all. The play calls for a lot of pre-snap motion with A.J. Swann keeping the ball and going around the left end. Will Anderson stopped Swann short; Alabama took over. On the next play the Heisman winner heaves it to the end zone for a TD, game over. Lea has gambled on fourth down quite frequently this year and has mostly been successful, but this was Alabama's defense we're talking about. Lea said afterwards "I'll bet on my team every time," but in this case, he lost the bet; should he have played the percentages there?

Interestingly, Nick Saban diagrammed how Bama stopped the play on his coach's show on Sunday.


indysog03
Ensign
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:38 pm

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by indysog03 »

When we're facing a talent difference is as large as it was Saturday, I think it's always better to do whatever you can to keep control of the ball. There likely wasn't much difference in giving them the ball on our 35 as it would have been giving it on their 20, but there's a much bigger difference in keeping possession for at least one more set of downs.
historybill
Admiral
Posts: 5026
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2016 9:55 am
Been thanked: 46 times

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by historybill »

When the final score was 55-3, I would argue that there was no "play of the game "
User avatar
charlestonalum
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 13165
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2016 5:37 am
Location: Charleston, SC
Has thanked: 101 times
Been thanked: 81 times
Contact:

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by charlestonalum »

Lea said the message he was sending is we should make 1 yard - even against Bama. The message may have been sent to our offense, but unfortunately, the well coached and talented Alabama was ready for our version of the option. I like going for it for reasons mentioned above, I do not like the play call. Would have a better shot with either QB sneak or direct handoff to our best blocking side. Bama too good against the option.
User avatar
FayetteDore
Vice Admiral
Posts: 4988
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2016 7:58 pm
Has thanked: 51 times
Been thanked: 33 times

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by FayetteDore »

No problem at all with going for it on 4th and 1 at that point but like Charleston, I didn't like the play.

I'm surprised that none of you has mentioned the Florida Tennessee game BUT this is of note: Florida went for it on 4th down SIX times and was successful on five of them. Three attempts were on Florida's side of the field: at the Florida 39, 45 and even the 27. The unsuccessful one was at the Tennessee 20.

Florida came back from a 17-point deficit to damn near win the game. (UT intercepted Florida's Hail Mary to secure the win 38-33. Tennessee fans were loud in their criticism of Heupel for not attempting a field goal with 1:11 left in the game, ahead by 11, on 4th & 3 at the Florida 30. They threw an incomplete pass instead, Florida took over and scored, then recovered an onside kick and would have won if the Hail Mary was successful.)
Can't scamper or slither...but I used to swim.
Charlie Nickens
Ensign
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 4:30 pm

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by Charlie Nickens »

All for it. If I interpreted his PC correctly, cutting through the coach speak he was saying this was realistically Vandy's last chance to try to win the game.
VU1970
Admiral
Posts: 6171
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 10:45 am
Has thanked: 30 times
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by VU1970 »

I'd like to see video of Coach Lea showing where the play broke down.
Johnmn555
Rear Admiral
Posts: 1270
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 10:03 am
Been thanked: 10 times

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by Johnmn555 »

I agreed with the call, then and now. If they don't make it, AL drives 34 yards for a TD. If they punt, AL drives 70 yards for a TD. Our best chance to be competitive and keep the score down given the utter mismatch when AL had the ball was to maintain possession as much as possible. For example, if we can get another first down or two there, AL might end up getting one less possession and scoring one less TD before the half. In short, I like our chances of getting a first down on 4th and 1 better than I like our chances of holding AL without a TD on any given possession.
User avatar
geeznotagain
Admiral
Posts: 8877
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2016 4:04 pm
Has thanked: 32 times
Been thanked: 72 times

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by geeznotagain »

Not only did I approve of it, I stood on my chair, cheered loudly, and did a Mexican hat dance. I would have been even more demonstrative had I not been at a funeral.
User avatar
OldDude
Vice Admiral
Posts: 4508
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2016 4:59 pm
Location: Bellevue
Has thanked: 123 times
Been thanked: 53 times

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by OldDude »

geeznotagain wrote: Mon Sep 26, 2022 3:34 pm Not only did I approve of it, I stood on my chair, cheered loudly, and did a Mexican hat dance. I would have been even more demonstrative had I not been at a funeral.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Go Vandy!
Rear Admiral
Posts: 2249
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2018 9:02 pm
Has thanked: 312 times
Been thanked: 47 times

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by Go Vandy! »

geez, heard you were disruptive enough at the funeral as it was. A Mexican hat dance would have been over the line.
User avatar
bernstml19
Lieutenant
Posts: 228
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2017 10:24 am
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: What did you guys think about Lea going for it on 4th and 1 on his own 34?

Post by bernstml19 »

Lol saban could have drawn a big circle and yelled fuubaww and the result of this play would have been the same.

Heck you could have put all of bamas practice squad cornerbacks on the DL.

“Well we call out all our plays and this one is no different. This one we call Exxon which means aww whatever it’s vandy everyone just run at the ball and tackle the dude”
Locked Previous topicNext topic