It’s the 4th quarter and you’re facing 2 yards to go on 4th down on the opposing teams 38 yard line. Your program has not defeated the team your playing in 25 years. Your offense is hands down better than your defense is and they have proven that all year long. It’s your first year as head coach of a program that is looking for the biggest win of the year. A game that defines your season. What do you do?[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Joker Phillips faced with this exact situation on Saturday against Tennessee opted to punt the ball. A punt that went into the end zone and netted only 18 yards of benefit. A call that said “I don’t trust my offense” even though it has my best players on it. A play call that said “I trust my defense” who haven’t made many important stops all season. The decision to punt is a call that Big Blue Nation will remember for years to come.
For now at least, the choice Phillips made to punt it was the same call the coaching staff has made all year long. To play soft even during the biggest games.
Joker Phillips is going to have to change the philosophy behind the play calling for Kentucky to ever have a chance in the SEC. We don’t get 5 star recruits that make plays every possession. We don’t have a 4 or 5 star defense that can stop the opposition on their home field in games they need more than we do. The only thing we do have right now is passion on the field and the play calling needs to start matching that same emotion.
Granted, I am not a football coach. Never have been and never will be. I think I would have made a different call in the situation. Would you have? [B]Leave a comment below to let us know how you would have played it.[/B]
