Leads a little bit into last night. I don't know if I just noticed it more now or if it just worse now, but the penalties at key moments in games just floors me.
One weekend I watched 3 games where a team has the ball and small lead with 3rd and short. A first down seals the game and on all occasions, there was a time out or injury, so the team meets on the sidelines. All 3 times, the team gets a false start.
It's not just Ucla, it's almost all teams I watch. It's False Starts and Unsportsmanlike Penalties that kill these important drives
Last night, Ucla completes this great catch on $c's 5 yard line. Ucla should theoretically run the ball in with 3 tries for a TD, but the very next play, get a False Start. Instead, now totally changed the play calling and a FG. It was a huge turning point in the game.
What I can't understand is these players have been playing football for most their lives. I know the easy answer is to blame the college coach, and I'm sure some is deserved, but it happens to almost all the programs. What am I missing here? This is a sport you've played for YEARS and you get late in the game and at key moments, you get False Starts. This will be the cranky old man in me, but we have coordinated dance routines in the End Zone, even when down 21 points. But line up on a 3rd and short after a TO, guaranteed you'll get a False Start? Maybe the OL should do a dance every time the don't get a False Start.