Harsin comments on 4th down play

[aubiefifty 16,740]

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Bryan Harsin comments on Auburn’s 4th down play call

SDS Staff | 9 hours ago

1 minute

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Late in the fourth quarter and losing 28-20, Auburn had a chance to at least tie Penn State near the goal line. The Tigers had a 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line, and unfortunately, they didn’t convert.

The play call, however, called for a low percentage fade by quarterback Bo Nix into the end zone:

Naturally, Kirk Herbstreit and college football fans didn’t like Auburn’s play call in that situation, and why would they? It was puzzling at best.

Auburn ended up losing 28-20, and head coach Bryan Harsin was asked about the play call following the game during his postgame press conference.

“Those plays are pre-planned and scripted in those areas. Those are things that you work on. I have to go back and look at it, but obviously we didn’t execute it,” Harsin said, via AL.com’s Tom Green.

[TigerPAC 965]

Just awful.  Have a chance to make a stamp on the program and for the players and Bobo (Harsin too I guess) screwed it up.  Low percentage pass to shorter WR, who drops as many as he catches.  I guess if we had scored, would we have ran the same play for 2pt conversion?  Frustrated 

[CleCoTiger 1,957]

Just now, TigerPAC said:

Just awful.  Have a chance to make a stamp on the program and for the players and Bobo (Harsin too I guess) screwed it up.  Low percentage pass to shorter WR, who drops as many as he catches.  I guess if we had scored, would we have ran the same play for 2pt conversion?  Frustrated 

Harsin said Nix had four or maybe five options on that play. (Looked to me like Bigsby breaking uncovered to the left out of the backfield may have been one of them.) Anyway, it may have gone differently. Maybe next time it will.

[japantiger 4,051]

For their to be options, the QB would have had to have looked for options.  He didn't look anywhere.  Any play in that situation that did not involve putting the ball in either Tank or Hunter's hands was just a stupid call.  Run it with them...dump it out to them...but "them" is the answer 100% of the time in that situation.  Penn State could not stop either of them in space only needing a couple of yards.  

[1auburn1 1,110]

A rollout having your stud RB as an under and a WR as an over to give you the run/pass option was the obvious call.   I don’t see how there was any options on the play unless there was a presnap look that led Bo to do something he’s Ill-suited for. 

[DAG 33,964]

There is way more to that quote. But he did say there were several options to the QB can choose from and that he would have to watch film to see why Bo chose that one. It wasn't a pre-directed fade call. Seems to be damn if you do, damn if you don't. 

[japantiger 4,051]

The only reason to have a fade there should have been to clear a DB out so you can dump it under to our RB

[WeaglWeaglWDE 599]

33 minutes ago, DAG said:

There is way more to that quote. But he did say there were several options to the QB can choose from and that he would have to watch film to see why Bo chose that one. It wasn't a pre-directed fade call. Seems to be damn if you do, damn if you don't. 

Unfortunately some of our players havent been taught much of anything and in some instances have been taught wrong. That doesn't just die overnight. It's basically starting from scratch for many. 

Bo is essentially going from having no options, all dedicated calls from the sideline, to having them and not being confident in those decisions because it's new. The receivers are going from having only a partial route tree, to having to run all of them. And on top of that they are going from KNOWING the ball isn't coming to them(and often loafing because of it) to the ball possibly coming to them at any time. And with that they are also having to learn how to adjust/break off routes based on coverage or breakdowns. And then you have what was said about the Oline having to learn so much(Brahms I think). There's a ton all going on at the same time. 

Edited September 19, 2021 by WeaglWeaglWDE

[autiger88 3,777]

32 minutes ago, WeaglWeaglWDE said:

Unfortunately some of our players havent been taught much of anything and in some instances have been taught wrong. That doesn't just die overnight. It's basically starting from scratch for many. 

Bo is essentially going from having no options, all dedicated calls from the sideline, to having them and not being confident in those decisions because it's new. The receivers are going from having only a partial route tree, to having to run all of them. And on top of that they are going from KNOWING the ball isn't coming to them(and often loafing because of it) to the ball possibly coming to them at any time. And with that they are also having to learn how to adjust/break off routes based on coverage or breakdowns. And then you have what was said about the Oline having to learn so much(Brahms I think). There's a ton all going on at the same time. 

Hey don't bring that football knowledge in here. 🤣 

[e808 3,025]

In that instance the only options should have been Tank , Hunter and maybe Sheneker. Anything else shouldn’t have been on the table IMO. It just sucks because it was clear by the 4 quarter who the go to guys were. I am still curious why the crucial 3 and 1 to end the 3rd was rushed.

[bdc81 89]

53 minutes ago, WeaglWeaglWDE said:

Unfortunately some of our players havent been taught much of anything and in some instances have been taught wrong. That doesn't just die overnight. It's basically starting from scratch for many. 

Bo is essentially going from having no options, all dedicated calls from the sideline, to having them and not being confident in those decisions because it's new. The receivers are going from having only a partial route tree, to having to run all of them. And on top of that they are going from KNOWING the ball isn't coming to them(and often loafing because of it) to the ball possibly coming to them at any time. And with that they are also having to learn how to adjust/break off routes based on coverage or breakdowns. And then you have what was said about the Oline having to learn so much(Brahms I think). There's a ton all going on at the same time. 

I was frustrated last night and I do appreciate the insight.

Did see a team that showed up to play in a hostile environment and competed with a chance to take home a win.  

Looked like an early CPD team.  Maybe patience will prove to be virtuous.

[NoALtiger 3,849]

He can scramble for an answer all day long, defer, veiled answers, duck and dodge the question, whateve- but there’s no excuse for our superstar rb not getting the ball from 2 yards out with the game on the line. At a minimum Harsin/Bobo unnecessarily complicated things with this “5 options” on the play garbage. In what universe did we need 5 options in that scenario? I’d rather him just say we should have the obvious call and didn’t then to listen to this avoidance and misdirection tactic. It was a bad call period, and calling a timeout to run that mess makes it stink even more. 

[alexava 6,973]

I don’t like or dislike Harsin. But he is THE man boring interview we have ever had as a coach. 

[alexava 6,973]

1 hour ago, japantiger said:

For their to be options, the QB would have had to have looked for options.  He didn't look anywhere.  Any play in that situation that did not involve putting the ball in either Tank or Hunter's hands was just a stupid call.  Run it with them...dump it out to them...but "them" is the answer 100% of the time in that situation.  Penn State could not stop either of them in space only needing a couple of yards.  

When you throw that fade( inside the 5), you have to throw it immediately. If he had options, it was pre-snap. There’s no set of progressions that includes a fade after the first option. 

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

Rewatching that play, I believe it was a horrible play call, but Nix botched it as well. There was nothing presnap or post snap I saw that indicated the fade was the go to. Tank however was wide open and Never looked at. 

 

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

Also, on the run where J. Hunter hurdled the guy...if John Samuel Shanker isn't loafing down field watching him instead of looking for a body to put a hat on then I think Hunter scores.

[e808 3,025]

In that instance the only options should have been Tank , Hunter and maybe Sheneker. Anything else shouldn’t have been on the table IMO. It just sucks because it was clear by the 4 quarter who the go to guys were. I am still curious why the crucial 3 and 1 to end the 3rd was rushed.

[e808 3,025]

5 minutes ago, Tigerpro2a said:

Also, on the run where J. Hunter hurdled the guy...if John Samuel Shanker isn't loafing down field watching him instead of looking for a body to put a hat on then I think Hunter scores.

I loved the effort by Hunter but in the back of my mind felt we needed at least two more yards. Being at the 10 is the worst case scenario for Auburn. It’s been Auburns worst enemy for several years now .

[Mikey 16,566]

9 minutes ago, e808 said:

In that instance the only options should have been Tank , Hunter and maybe Sheneker. Anything else shouldn’t have been on the table IMO. It just sucks because it was clear by the 4 quarter who the go to guys were. I am still curious why the crucial 3 and 1 to end the 3rd was rushed.

During his time at AU, Bo has been very good at picking up critical 3d downs and TD's by rolling out and running for the sideline. My play call would have been Bo rolling left with the option to pass if the run didn't look good. Bo is faster than some think, and has a nose for the "line to make". But then I don't get paid the big bucks to make those calls.

[Tigerpro2a 5,650]

32 minutes ago, Mikey said:

During his time at AU, Bo has been very good at picking up critical 3d downs and TD's by rolling out and running for the sideline. My play call would have been Bo rolling left with the option to pass if the run didn't look good. Bo is faster than some think, and has a nose for the "line to make". But then I don't get paid the big bucks to make those calls.

I would have been good with that or any RPO type design, but really would have liked to line up in the I formation and give it to Tank or Hunter.

[Win4AU 4,052]

Know what’s worse than one Bo?  Bobo!  🥁

Thank You!  I’ll be here all week.  Try the veil.  Take my wife…..please.  
 

[TigerTennis80 345]

Harsin said Kobe was "out of phase" on that 4th down play. Anyone know what that means?

[Hank2020 3,198]

4 hours ago, japantiger said:

For their to be options, the QB would have had to have looked for options.  He didn't look anywhere.  Any play in that situation that did not involve putting the ball in either Tank or Hunter's hands was just a stupid call.  Run it with them...dump it out to them...but "them" is the answer 100% of the time in that situation.  Penn State could not stop either of them in space only needing a couple of yards.  

They stopped them many times during the game, but I agree, the play call was not the right choice, but it may well have been Bo’s choice. Don’t know what the read is but if it was single coverage then that’s what he had. The defender blocked the path after Bo was winding up .

[W.E.D 11,070]

2 hours ago, Tigerpro2a said:

Rewatching that play, I believe it was a horrible play call, but Nix botched it as well. There was nothing presnap or post snap I saw that indicated the fade was the go to. Tank however was wide open and Never looked at. 

 

Can't tell if the LB kinda stopped covering bc Bo already threw it or if Tank was really that open

[NoALtiger 3,849]

47 minutes ago, TigerTennis80 said:

Harsin said Kobe was "out of phase" on that 4th down play. Anyone know what that means?

I’m familiar with out of phase from a defensive perspective, which essentially means getting beat on a route in laymen terms. Having to play catch-up basically.  I guess it’s the same for offense, Kobe got stopped and was out of phase and essentially a non factor in the route. I’ll defer to @bigbird and others for a more detailed meaning.