It’s the latest rage in all of pro and college football.

Just when a team is set to kick a game-winning or tying field goal, the opposing coach calls a last-second time out.

The time out has been an respected and well-used weapon as long as kickers have been lining up in crucial situations. In the past the traditional wisdom was to call the time out early and let the kicker think about the magnitude of the upcoming kick.

That changed a year or two ago when a NFL coach called a time out just as the ball was about to be snapped. The opposing kicker made the kick that didn’t count because of the last second time out, and then, as hoped, missed it the second time.

Other coaches have picked up on this strategy including Florida coach Urban Meyer. As you probably know, recently tried to rattle Auburn’s freshman kicker Wes Byrum with the late time out. But Byrum was as true on his second kick as the he was on the first and the Tigers celebrated a win in Gainesville.

It seems now that it is only a matter of time before some high school coach, here or somewhere else, tries the strategy.

Personally, I don’t like the move. There are too many variables that can take place. For one a coach needs to be close enough to an official to call the time out. I tend to question how closely even the most well intentioned official can be watching the field when he knows a coach might be calling a late time out.

And then there seems to be a greater chance for injury. I know football is a contact sport and players get hurt all the time, but why double the risk on a play that you are going to literally blow off? Players are taught to play full speed on both sides of the ball.

If a team knows their coach is going to be calling, or trying to call, the last-second time out the players might not go as hard on the play. If the official refuses to grant the time out that could lead to an uncontested field goal.

Those are a few of my thoughts on the subject.

My questions ard do you think we will ever see this strategy used at the high school level? If so, how quickly do  you think coaches will start trying to copy the pros and colleges? Finally, do you like or dislike the strategy and why or why not?

I look forward to hearing from you.

W

This entry was posted on Monday, October 15th, 2007 at 11:37 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.