Honest Question about 3rd/4th and 2 or Less to Go

[Cajunrunner]

This question isn't to attack Dez, because Napier did the same, as it appears the vast majority of college offenses.

When it is 3rd and Goal from the 1 yard line, or 4th and Goal from the 1, why the hell does it seem we always still run a freaking shotgun formation play, run or pass?

What the hell ever happened to you need 1 yard or less to score, line up a fullback, get the QB under center, and hammer it across the goal line?

With the shotgun run play, you're automatically starting another 3 to 4 bleeping yards behind the LOS.

Am I the only one who doesn't get it?

C4L, CajunT, you guys who breathe college football and recruitment...or RickSlick who played and follows...what the heck is going on here?

[jaxmc1023]

Shotgun is needed so they can put a receiver in motion and run that stupid jet sweep fake that never works and adds another wrinkle to a play where timing is critical

[Policarp]

O Linemen do almost all Zone blocking. Today's game is no where near the old school brute force power blocking done in past. Most plays are zone read option.....no OL can go more than 2 yds downfield. Skill sets needed have changed.

Minnesota ran an old school run game.....there OL used power blocking techniques without any concern about being > 2 yds downfield AND their OL knew how to do it consistently and it showed.

The biggest recent change is our talent level.....just 4 years ago there were 4 future NFL starters on our OL. Our young guys in our OL are solid......but we are not at that same level in '23

[HelmutVII]

O Linemen do almost all Zone blocking. Today's game is no where near the old school brute force power blocking done in past. Most plays are zone read option.....no OL can go more than 2 yds downfield. Skill sets needed have changed.

Minnesota ran an old school run game.....there OL used power blocking techniques without any concern about being > 2 yds downfield AND their OL knew how to do it consistently and it showed.

The biggest recent change is our talent level.....just 4 years ago there were 4 future NFL starters on our OL. Our young guys in our OL are solid......but we are not at that same level in '23

I was wondering the same thing myself. I was thinking put the quarterback under center and push his butt across the line.

[cajun4life]

This question isn't to attack Dez, because Napier did the same, as it appears the vast majority of college offenses.

When it is 3rd and Goal from the 1 yard line, or 4th and Goal from the 1, why the hell does it seem we always still run a freaking shotgun formation play, run or pass?

What the hell ever happened to you need 1 yard or less to score, line up a fullback, get the QB under center, and hammer it across the goal line?

With the shotgun run play, you're automatically starting another 3 to 4 bleeping yards behind the LOS.

Am I the only one who doesn't get it?

C4L, CajunT, you guys who breathe college football and recruitment...or RickSlick who played and follows...what the heck is going on here?

The chance of a mishandled snap is a bigger risk than getting stuffed on a run.

[R1Letterman]

Excellent thread idea, thanks cajunrunner.

One problem might be that the QBs aren't as comfortable receiving the snap under center anymore. They need more reps at that, so a risk to just jump right into it. Look at baseball and how many pitchers don't even do a windup anymore, coach wouldn't wait until most important situation and tell them to go to the windup (granted another person isn't involved as the center is in football... so center probably needs more reps at the old fashioned close snap as well)

[R1Letterman]

The chance of a mishandled snap is a bigger risk than getting stuffed on a run.

Much more concise answer, thanks

[Cajunrunner]

The chance of a mishandled snap is a bigger risk than getting stuffed on a run.

So do QBs and Centers in college not practice under center snaps anymore?

[R1Letterman]

So do QBs and Centers in college not practice under center snaps anymore?

Good question. And how many reps is enough to be comfortable at crunch time

[cajun4life]

So do QBs and Centers in college not practice under center snaps anymore?

Not very often. Especially in a RPO offense like we run.

[UL_Cajuns]

This is a great thread. I was wondering the same thing. From what I gather. Qbs are no longer comfortable taking under center snaps, but we were on our 3rd center so it was probably worse to line up in shot gun as the center was botching every snap.

[Big Poppa]

If you gonna use the shot gun and give to Cabodie up the middle just direct snap to him and get an extra blocker. Maybe a Miguel type as a fullback that could push from behind also. Snapping to the QB there just wastes time.

[GeauxCajuns]

outside of a qb sneak, which i would have no problem with, has anyone timed the difference between a snap under center, turning and taking two to three steps back to hand it off to the rb, vs a shotgun snap and give it to him right there? i havent taken the time to do it, wondering if anyone else has.

[Turbine]

outside of a qb sneak, which i would have no problem with, has anyone timed the difference between a snap under center, turning and taking two to three steps back to hand it off to the rb, vs a shotgun snap and give it to him right there? i havent taken the time to do it, wondering if anyone else has.

Id like to see that number as well. Include QB sneek time in there.

A tenth of a second could be the diference between scoring, winning, and going home, disapointed.

ps Originally the under center question was brought up to fix all the low snaps

[Big Poppa]

outside of a qb sneak, which i would have no problem with, has anyone timed the difference between a snap under center, turning and taking two to three steps back to hand it off to the rb, vs a shotgun snap and give it to him right there? i havent taken the time to do it, wondering if anyone else has.

Where the biggest difference is that under center the running back is firing off forward and has momentum going forward when the ball is received. If he is next to the QB in the gun he is at a dead stop when the ball is received then takes off.