Turning points in TCU game

To me there were two major plays that greatly impacted the game. To me the biggest play was Van Noy trying to pick up a fumble instead of falling on it followed by the INT just before half. I think if those two plays end in our favor the outcome could have been different.

imuakahuku wrote:
To me there were two major plays that greatly impacted the game. To me the biggest play was Van Noy trying to pick up a fumble instead of falling on it followed by the INT just before half. I think if those two plays end in our favor the outcome could have been different.

Perhaps Van Noy figured he had to pick it up an score to give us a chance to win because the offense was never going to get it in the end zone. :blush: But, he should have fallen on it, I agree. And Heaps shouldn't have been throwing in that situation. They should have been running out the clock to go into halftime down just 3-0.

imuakahuku wrote:
To me there were two major plays that greatly impacted the game. To me the biggest play was Van Noy trying to pick up a fumble instead of falling on it followed by the INT just before half. I think if those two plays end in our favor the outcome could have been different.

That was a huge play because BYU would have gotten points out of it and it would have put us up in the game which would have boosted this young teams confidence immensely. It frustrates me when guys try to pick up a fumble instead of falling on it. I know they want to get in the end zone but it is better to get possesion of the ball.

Cougarfan87 wrote:

To me there were two major plays that greatly impacted the game. To me the biggest play was Van Noy trying to pick up a fumble instead of falling on it followed by the INT just before half. I think if those two plays end in our favor the outcome could have been different.

Perhaps Van Noy figured he had to pick it up an score to give us a chance to win because the offense was never going to get it in the end zone. :blush: But, he should have fallen on it, I agree. And Heaps shouldn't have been throwing in that situation. They should have been running out the clock to go into halftime down just 3-0.

The offense hadn't been working all half and all of a sudden Anae thinks they can work the 2 min drill deep in their own territory and score against TCU? That was the turning point of the game as far as I was concerned. BYU should have run the ball, burned up some time, forced TCU to waste their timeouts and hopefully go into the half down 3-0.

Another big one: Mahina made the wrong read on what would have been a huge play and would've shut up, even just briefly, some of the "Let's try the waterboy at QB types". He was in the slot and the reciever to his outside ran a short route (may have been a hitch, IIRC). All Mahina had to do was shade to the outside on the seam, away from the defender and into the deep open pocket in that defensive formation, instead of cut inside toward the defender. Jake made the correct read and the throw would have been perfect.

Cougarfan87 wrote:

To me there were two major plays that greatly impacted the game. To me the biggest play was Van Noy trying to pick up a fumble instead of falling on it followed by the INT just before half. I think if those two plays end in our favor the outcome could have been different.

Perhaps Van Noy figured he had to pick it up an score to give us a chance to win because the offense was never going to get it in the end zone. :blush: But, he should have fallen on it, I agree. And Heaps shouldn't have been throwing in that situation. They should have been running out the clock to go into halftime down just 3-0.

From the time I played Pee-Wee league through HS, our rule for fumbles was always: if on D try to pick it up and run (you can't be worse off), if on O fall on it (to preserve the possession).



I realize that there are nuances and situations that are the difference between my HS and D1, but it may be that KVN and others really did think they had to do something to get some MO.

I didn't think Van Noy was in a good position to fall on the ball anyways. It was kind of to the side and behind him. It would have been huge though.



I thought the game turned when BYU was forced to punt out of their own endzone and then TCU scored. Then the wheels fell off when Heaps threw the INT before half. Not sure why they didn't just down the ball to end the half.



If BYU could have made a first down then TCU doesn't get that first TD and BYU goes into the half down only 3-0 and we have a different ball game (maybe).