Dino Babers: Syracuse vs. Clemson (9/30/23)

Questionable Coaching Decision Number one this Saturday comes from a man who is no stranger to poor in-game coaching decisions. With under four minutes to go in the firsts half Dino Babers’ Syracuse Orange were clearly in the game with the Clemson Tigers. Trailing 7-14 late in the second quarter, the Orange came up with a big stop on the goal line, and despite two early turnovers they had a legitimate shot to tie the game before halftime. After a drive stalled on three straight incompletions, it was fourth and ten from the Clemson 39 yard line. Up to that point, the Syracuse defense had played quite well. Both of the Clemson touchdowns came off turnovers on short fields, including one drive that started at the Syracuse 5 yard line.

Because it was fourth and ten, it was a simple decision: punt the ball, try to pin Clemson deep, and try to get the ball back in good field position if you can get a stop. Worst case scenario, you make a struggling Clemson offense go 85-90 yards. Instead, Babers decides to kick a 57 yard field goal. Brady Denaburg, the Syracuse kicker, had never even attempted a 50+ yard field goal in his career up to this point. Denaburg gave it a good go but it came up well short, and Clemson took over on the 39 yard line. The short field once again led to a Clemson touchdown, and all of the sudden the Orange were in a big hole.

Congrats to Dino for his idiotic decision to kick a field goal in this spot, earning him the first ever spot on my Questionable Coaching Decisions Column. I love watching coaches who make millions of dollars a year make idoitic decisions that hurt their team. It makes you wonder how these guys get to the position they are in. Way to go Deno!!