4th down Conversions

by shakenbake11 on Jul 27, 2010 2:06 PM EDT

Wanted to get people's opinion on this. Let me start by saying before last season I was thoroughly convinced we were going to lose a crucial game on a missed FG by #14. I still don't think he should be our scholarship kicker, but he came up huge in the two biggest games of the season - nailing long kicks out of nowhere against Clemson, and a very underrated TD saving tackle on a return against VT, on what I think was the game changing drive when we picked off T Taylor.

I think GT's offense is perfect for a 4th down conversion. We are dangerous enough to convert 4th and 10 on a pass AND a run. That said, do you think we would be better off biting nails all season watching us go for it on 4th down, or going for automatic (for the sake of argument, just assume we had a kicker automatic under 40 yards ) FG's?

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It depends

The good thing about the option offense is that you typically get 3-4 yards per play regardless of what happens. Therefore, you’re in a lot of 4th and 1 situations. In those cases (I’d say between the opponents 50-30 yard line) go for it. Otherwise, punt or take the field goal. Converting a 4th and 10 is very difficult and I don’t recommend it unless it’s late in the game and it must happen to have a chance to win the game.

by acedarney on Jul 27, 2010 2:57 PM EDT reply actions

True

4th and 10 was probably a bad example – I guess 4th and longer than 3-4 would be a better clarification. The engineer in me wants to make a math project out of this – points accrued after 4th down conversion vs. FG Accuracy at different field positions.

by shakenbake11 on Jul 27, 2010 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

good clarification on fourth down yardage. I was wondering.

by Atlanta's original team on Jul 28, 2010 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I saw something somewhere sometime

about teams that go for it on fourth down. The more aggressive teams score more points, but allow more points also (most likely due to increased possessions for the opponents). I don’t remember where I heard it or when, but it turned out to be something like (numbers are made up) you gain 4 more points on average and your opponent gains 3 more points. It’s good to be aggressive, but you’ve still got to be smart about it.

by acedarney on Jul 28, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

CPJ and QBJN

Big Brass ones sparking down the astroturf. Neither is afraid to go for it. We’ll see it again, and we’ll see QBJN doing the “HA GLORY” move in the END ZONE for 6!

Bet Lucas Cox will get a chance to crash a few 4th and Shorts.

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Jul 27, 2010 7:16 PM EDT reply actions

http://smartfootball.com/tag/fourth-down

by softbatch on Jul 27, 2010 7:34 PM EDT reply actions

for me

it really depends on how well our defense is that season.. if we have a rock solid D, kick the FG.. If the D is like what it was last year go FTW… haha

This is my Family Tradition

by The_GT_LineageX11 on Jul 27, 2010 9:42 PM EDT reply actions

Dane (long lost writer) did a statistical analysis

on which parts of football game were most influential on an eventual victory. Field goals, and some others that I can’t remember, were included. Field goals were the least related to a victory. I say, whenever the opportunity presents itself, we go for the TD.

Better to have died a small boy than to drop this football - John HeismanFromTheRumbleSeat

by Winfield Featherston on Jul 28, 2010 8:35 AM EDT reply actions