Monday, November 12, 2001
Going for two can be the best option
Coaches face a tough decision when extra-point plays will decide the game
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Morris
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Two points or one?
That was the question Miller coach Jim Gupton had to deal with at the end of Thursday night's showdown with Carroll. With the score cut to 37-36 in favor of Carroll in overtime, Gupton decided to end the game one way or the other.
He went for two. And won.
The play, a sweep right by Isaac Collier, touched off an overwhelming celebration on the Miller side of the field and, in the middle of that storm, Gupton called the decision a no-brainer.
He's right.
No knock on kicker/linebacker Eddy Ruiz, who makes more point after attempts than he misses, but it was an off night for the Bucs' special teams. Ruiz had two kicks blocked and missed another.
Miller hadn't had much luck with 2-point efforts either. A run attempt by Charles Perry was stuffed and, on another, Collier, running a play to the left similar to the one that won the game, was knocked out of bounds.
Either way, two was the right call in the end. Even if something negative had happened - Collier slips; a Carroll defender breaks through and stops the play; Collier is forced out of bounds - the Bucs would have gone down swinging with their best chance for points on the field.
Imagine if Miller had shot away its chance at its first outright district title since 1976 on a missed PAT. That would have been far more heartbreaking - and much more questionable - than losing on a 2-point run.
Carroll coach Terry Morris was only partially surprised at the call.
"No," said Morris when asked if expected Miller to for two. "But it's one of those things that, if you've got it, you've got to take it. We hadn't stopped them the entire second half."
Miller quarterback Dequincy Lister agreed that Carroll had no luck slowing down the Bucs' offense, as well as the Collier play.
"We knew that was open all game," he said. "We ran it. Scored it."
The same option was available to Freer coach Bob Ford, as his team lost to Banquete, 27-26, in overtimes. Banquete scored first in overtime and Willie Urrea's PAT gave the Bulldogs a seven-point lead. After Freer matched Banquete's touchdown, Ford had to choose - two or one?
He went two, but quarterback T.J. Guajardo's pass was battedn down in the end zone.
There should be no disputing Ford's call, as the Buckaroos had an extra point blocked in the game.
"It's a tough call," Banquete's Butch Porter said. "You can end it right there or prolong the thing. It's probably the choice anyone would've gone with."
Ford did, and Gupton as well. While they had a load of taxing decisions to make throughout their games, it's the final calls that everybody will remember.
The answer to the question, in their minds, wasn't two points or one.
It was two points or none.
Contact Lee Goddard at 886-3613 or goddardl@caller.com
