FWST: ‘I’ve never played to lose.’ TCU football’s Patterson defends late-game strategy vs. OU

[TopFrog]

‘I’ve never played to lose.’ TCU football’s Patterson defends late-game strategy vs. OU

BY DREW DAVISON

TCU coach Gary Patterson brushed off fans who thought he waved the white flag too early in a 52-31 loss to No. 4 Oklahoma on Saturday night.

There were three decisions in the second half that drew the most scorn, but Patterson explained each decision afterward.

Trailing 38-21 with five minutes left in the third quarter, TCU faced a fourth-and-goal from the 4. Instead of going for a touchdown, Patterson opted for a field goal.

Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/sport...niversity/article255013797.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Moose Stuff]

Perhaps, but you’ve 100% coached not to lose by too much at the expense of potentially getting back into the game.

 

[TopFrog]

The problems for me were another slow defensive start, giving up two way too easy touchdowns.

At 17-14 with under 3 minutes to halftime, we got the ball but failed to sustain a drive and run time allowing OU to score right before the break.

Then coming out of halftime and getting the ball, we go three and out with another IMO poor play call on third-and-one that resulted in a loss of a yard and a punt. OU scored on the next possession and IMO the game was pretty much sealed there.

 

[Fiscuits]

The problems for me were another slow defensive start, giving up two way too easy touchdowns.

At 17-14 with under 3 minutes to halftime, we got the ball but failed to sustain a drive and run time allowing OU to score right before the break.

Then coming out of halftime and getting the ball, we go three and out with another IMO poor play call on third-and-one that resulted in a loss of a yard and a punt. OU scored on the next possession and IMO the game was pretty much sealed there.

The play calling right before half was the breaking point in the game. We had scored…stopped them and had an opportunity to head to half down 3 at worst. Which would have been massive.

Instead, not only do we run 3 pass plays, we barely run one minute off the clock and force OU to use zero timeouts. They get ball back with 1:50 left at their 45.

Go into halftime down 24-14. That’s as close as we got the rest of the game.

 

[y2kFrog]

If you don’t play to lose perhaps a lesson in analytics and what calls give you the best chance to win would help.

 

[Joeboo]

Patterson is a complete A-hole! So tired of his deflections and contempt for TCU fans/ or any form of criticism. Very weak leader IMO. Who wants to play for an angry, washed up coach who screams at the players 100% of the time. Game over....

 

[Wexahu]

The play calling right before half was the breaking point in the game. We had scored…stopped them and had an opportunity to head to half down 3 at worst. Which would have been massive.

Instead, not only do we run 3 pass plays, we barely run one minute off the clock and force OU to use zero timeouts. They get ball back with 1:50 left at their 45.

Go into halftime down 24-14. That’s as close as we got the rest of the game.

I agree with the comment about the end of the first half. But if we had run the ball and just let the clock run out there’d have been people complaining that we didn’t try and score and settled for a 3-point deficit at half.

But I do think that was a situation where we just couldn’t give them the ball back with much time left.

 

[Froggy Style]

Gary goes to three linemen at the middle of the second quarter and gets two stops in a row. We never see the approach again in the game. This has happened each time we play OU. Gary tells us no changes are needed...then he changes after he's down 14 or 21 and it works. However, his pride for his own crappy defense kicks in, and he goes back to 4-2-5 and gives up deep pass after deep pass because he is unable to have safeties in his scheme...just guys where a safety should be trying to cover their best WRs.

He's mad at everyone else for his schemes and decisions being terrible. Not going for it on 4th and 1 at midfield that we should get 75% of the time, but then turning around and kicking an onside kick that would give them the ball at the same place that works 10% of the time is just pathetic and wreaks of him wanting to play hero (again) rather than the offensive coaches.

Gary has really become a BAD coach.

 

[gohornedfrogs]

The problems for me were another slow defensive start, giving up two way too easy touchdowns.

At 17-14 with under 3 minutes to halftime, we got the ball but failed to sustain a drive and run time allowing OU to score right before the break.

Then coming out of halftime and getting the ball, we go three and out with another IMO poor play call on third-and-one that resulted in a loss of a yard and a punt. OU scored on the next possession and IMO the game was pretty much sealed there.

Yep, everything that happened after that first drive the second half was merely theater.

 

[Pure Purple]

Bottom line.....never trust the inane ramblings of a guitar picker.

 

[BrewingFrog]

"...never played to lose" eh? You keep Meacham on your payroll, in spite of example after example, game after game, that this person does not know how to call a football game without reverting to "cute" plays that destroy momentum, end promising drives, and ultimately doom your team to defeat.
Yesterday, with the 1st quarter ending, we had momentum: OU had been stopped, bounced a field goal, and we were driving into scoring position. For the quarter, we were keeping it mixed up, finding success in some areas and doing what worked. The personnel and placement was keeping them guessing long enough for speed to tell. Should we tie it up, we would have a great jolt of confidence and the idea of winning might take hold.

But, alas, Meacham decided, with the first play of the 2nd quarter, to go all 5-wide. This took away any guesswork on their part, and allowed them the luxury of playing a familiar set they'd seen on film a zillion times. Result: piddling gain. 3rd down? Sneak the QB. Yeah, the one with the broken foot. Loss. 4th down? Wild Frog: Direct snap to a deep back for another loss. Again, a play they've seen a zillion times that we never do anything with and have had no success running for roughly three years.

Result: total deflation of all momentum and confidence. Your OC destroyed the team's morale and spirit with one sequence of stupid calls.

To be certain, he did other stupid crap as the game progressed and we fell further and further behind, but the Frogs were never closer than at that moment at the beginning of the 2nd. That was the high water mark. It was all downhill from there.

As you know, football is a game of momentum and emotion. When you have a guy on your staff who seems to think his job is ripping that emotion out of you, and stomping it into the mud, instead of running a well executed offense, you have a real problem. Firing the dumb [ "illegitimate Baylor boy" ] a few years ago was a good move. Hiring him back after seeing his spectacular failure elsewhere was just plain dumb. That dumb decision is reaping the predictable rewards.

 

[Pharm Frog]

"...never played to lose" eh? You keep Meacham on your payroll, in spite of example after example, game after game, that this person does not know how to call a football game without reverting to "cute" plays that destroy momentum, end promising drives, and ultimately doom your team to defeat.
Yesterday, with the 1st quarter ending, we had momentum: OU had been stopped, bounced a field goal, and we were driving into scoring position. For the quarter, we were keeping it mixed up, finding success in some areas and doing what worked. The personnel and placement was keeping them guessing long enough for speed to tell. Should we tie it up, we would have a great jolt of confidence and the idea of winning might take hold.

But, alas, Meacham decided, with the first play of the 2nd quarter, to go all 5-wide. This took away any guesswork on their part, and allowed them the luxury of playing a familiar set they'd seen on film a zillion times. Result: piddling gain. 3rd down? Sneak the QB. Yeah, the one with the broken foot. Loss. 4th down? Wild Frog: Direct snap to a deep back for another loss. Again, a play they've seen a zillion times that we never do anything with and have had no success running for roughly three years.

Result: total deflation of all momentum and confidence. Your OC destroyed the team's morale and spirit with one sequence of stupid calls.

To be certain, he did other stupid crap as the game progressed and we fell further and further behind, but the Frogs were never closer than at that moment at the beginning of the 2nd. That was the high water mark. It was all downhill from there.

As you know, football is a game of momentum and emotion. When you have a guy on your staff who seems to think his job is ripping that emotion out of you, and stomping it into the mud, instead of running a well executed offense, you have a real problem. Firing the dumb [ "illegitimate Baylor boy" ] a few years ago was a good move. Hiring him back after seeing his spectacular failure elsewhere was just plain dumb. That dumb decision is reaping the predictable rewards.

Sure.,..Meach is the problem.

 

[BrewingFrog]

Sure.,..Meach is the problem.

Among many, but, yes. The issue yesterday was that we knew the defense wouldn't stop anything, and that we needed to score a lot if we were to have any hope. As it turned out, the defense actually did get a few stops. But, cutesy trick plays killed too many drives.

Cut that crap out, and we stay in the game.

 

[netty2424]

I agree with the comment about the end of the first half. But if we had run the ball and just let the clock run out there’d have been people complaining that we didn’t try and score and settled for a 3-point deficit at half.

But I do think that was a situation where we just couldn’t give them the ball back with much time left.

OU scored as a result of that mismanagement. Even if TCU didn’t try to score, but ran the clock out, sure, people would’ve bitched about it, but the alternative, what actually did happen, is far worse by creating a much bigger hole to climb out of.

Add clock management to the list of things this program hasn’t managed well, consistently, for decades.

 

[Wexahu]

"...never played to lose" eh? You keep Meacham on your payroll, in spite of example after example, game after game, that this person does not know how to call a football game without reverting to "cute" plays that destroy momentum, end promising drives, and ultimately doom your team to defeat.
Yesterday, with the 1st quarter ending, we had momentum: OU had been stopped, bounced a field goal, and we were driving into scoring position. For the quarter, we were keeping it mixed up, finding success in some areas and doing what worked. The personnel and placement was keeping them guessing long enough for speed to tell. Should we tie it up, we would have a great jolt of confidence and the idea of winning might take hold.

But, alas, Meacham decided, with the first play of the 2nd quarter, to go all 5-wide. This took away any guesswork on their part, and allowed them the luxury of playing a familiar set they'd seen on film a zillion times. Result: piddling gain. 3rd down? Sneak the QB. Yeah, the one with the broken foot. Loss. 4th down? Wild Frog: Direct snap to a deep back for another loss. Again, a play they've seen a zillion times that we never do anything with and have had no success running for roughly three years.

Result: total deflation of all momentum and confidence. Your OC destroyed the team's morale and spirit with one sequence of stupid calls.

To be certain, he did other stupid crap as the game progressed and we fell further and further behind, but the Frogs were never closer than at that moment at the beginning of the 2nd. That was the high water mark. It was all downhill from there.

As you know, football is a game of momentum and emotion. When you have a guy on your staff who seems to think his job is ripping that emotion out of you, and stomping it into the mud, instead of running a well executed offense, you have a real problem. Firing the dumb [ "illegitimate Baylor boy" ] a few years ago was a good move. Hiring him back after seeing his spectacular failure elsewhere was just plain dumb. That dumb decision is reaping the predictable rewards.

I think for the most part the offense has played fine this year. Some dumb calls made (very easy to say in hindsight btw) but they’ve done ok. The defense on the other hand, they don’t even look capable of stopping a good offense. Nobody on that side of the ball plays like they really, really even care all that much. That is what is most depressing. Our D used to play disciplined, aggressive and nasty. This version is the exact opposite of the that.

 

[Pharm Frog]

Among many, but, yes. The issue yesterday was that we knew the defense wouldn't stop anything, and that we needed to score a lot if we were to have any hope. As it turned out, the defense actually did get a few stops. But, cutesy trick plays killed too many drives.

Cut that crap out, and we stay in the game.

I get it. Score touchdowns on every possession and we’re competitive in the ballgames. There was zero problems with the offense last night. None…unless your standard is complete perfection. The O did so much more with less last night the statue outside ACS should have curly hair and be wearing flip flops. Meach was easily the best coach on the purple sideline yesterday

 

[Moose Stuff]

"...never played to lose" eh? You keep Meacham on your payroll, in spite of example after example, game after game, that this person does not know how to call a football game without reverting to "cute" plays that destroy momentum, end promising drives, and ultimately doom your team to defeat.
Yesterday, with the 1st quarter ending, we had momentum: OU had been stopped, bounced a field goal, and we were driving into scoring position. For the quarter, we were keeping it mixed up, finding success in some areas and doing what worked. The personnel and placement was keeping them guessing long enough for speed to tell. Should we tie it up, we would have a great jolt of confidence and the idea of winning might take hold.

But, alas, Meacham decided, with the first play of the 2nd quarter, to go all 5-wide. This took away any guesswork on their part, and allowed them the luxury of playing a familiar set they'd seen on film a zillion times. Result: piddling gain. 3rd down? Sneak the QB. Yeah, the one with the broken foot. Loss. 4th down? Wild Frog: Direct snap to a deep back for another loss. Again, a play they've seen a zillion times that we never do anything with and have had no success running for roughly three years.

Result: total deflation of all momentum and confidence. Your OC destroyed the team's morale and spirit with one sequence of stupid calls.

To be certain, he did other stupid crap as the game progressed and we fell further and further behind, but the Frogs were never closer than at that moment at the beginning of the 2nd. That was the high water mark. It was all downhill from there.

As you know, football is a game of momentum and emotion. When you have a guy on your staff who seems to think his job is ripping that emotion out of you, and stomping it into the mud, instead of running a well executed offense, you have a real problem. Firing the dumb [ "illegitimate Baylor boy" ] a few years ago was a good move. Hiring him back after seeing his spectacular failure elsewhere was just plain dumb. That dumb decision is reaping the predictable rewards.

I have a hard time placing any of the blame for 2021 on Meacham. For years we said “man if we just had a decent offense….”. Well we’re 33rd in total offense and can control the clock with our running game which is pretty much all anyone wanted for the last several years.

 

[Pharm Frog]

OU scored as a result of that mismanagement. Even if TCU didn’t try to score, but ran the clock out, sure, people would’ve bitched about it, but the alternative, what actually did happen, is far worse by creating a much bigger hole to climb out of.

Add clock management to the list of things this program hasn’t managed well, consistently, for decades.

OU scored because the D couldn’t stop a junior high C team from Granbury. While I didn’t like the three pass plays there, one could very well make the argument that the offense needed to score EVERY time it had the ball…and that argument has some degree of merit.

 

[Wexahu]

I have a hard time placing any of the blame for 2021 on Meacham. For years we said “man if we just had a decent offense….”. Well we’re 33rd in total offense and can control the clock with our running game which is pretty much all anyone wanted for the last several years.

Honestly, I think the offense stinking so bad the last few years probably made the defense seem better than it was. Teams just weren’t scoring a ton of points against us because they knew they didn’t have to.

 

[ftwfrog]

Oh get real. Your and your massive “I’m a defensive genius” ego, didn’t want to give OU a short field. So, our punter got plenty of practice and our defense still gave up 52 to a QB making his first start.