re: Why isn't Kelly getting more criticism for end of game clock management?

quote:

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On third down we had no timeouts remaining.

Final sequence of plays:

2:24 left - Diggs runs to the 7 and picks up the first. Kelly lets the clock run down to 1 and calls first timeout.

1:44 left - 1st down at the 7- short run (takes longer than kneeling). Kelly lets the clock run down to 1 and calls 2nd TO. 59 seconds left on the clock.

:59 left. 2nd down at the 4 - short run (takes longer than kneeling). Kelly lets the clock run down to 1 and calls 3rd TO. 11 seconds left.

:11 left - no timeouts left - pass out of EZ. 8 seconds left.

How is that different/worse than kneeling it? What am I missing?

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Had he not used the timeouts beforehand he could have kneeled on 3rd down instead of needing to throw a pass to waste a few seconds, had a timeout to use at 3 seconds remaining in the game and the FG would have been the last play of the game and not have to kick back off to Arkansas to have any shot at a hail mary or kick return. That's what you're missing.

The fact that Arkansas was unsuccessful in converting a kick return or hail mary doesn't override the fact that letting them have a chance to attempt one at all was due to poor clock management. We've seen times where teams do convert hail marys when the opponent left clock after a FG (Bluegrass Miracle, Cal/Stanford band play, etc). There's no reason to even allow a chance, as low % as it might be, when you have the choice to give them a 0% chance.