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Texas Tech football: Questionable coaching decisions costly in loss to Bears

By Matthew Conner

WACO, TEXAS - OCTOBER 12: Head coaches Matt Rhule of the Baylor Bears and Matt Wells of the Texas Tech Red Raiders shake hands before the game on October 12, 2019 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
WACO, TEXAS - OCTOBER 12: Head coaches Matt Rhule of the Baylor Bears and Matt Wells of the Texas Tech Red Raiders shake hands before the game on October 12, 2019 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Matt Wells decides to go for it on 4th-and-2 deep in Baylor territory

The worst decision of this game from a Tech perspective, the one that will drive us crazy all week, will be Matt Wells’ decision to go for it on 4th-and-2 from the Baylor 17 in the 3rd quarter.  Instead of taking the certain three points to cut the Baylor lead to 17-16, Wells was aggressive and it backfired on him.

On the play, Duffey’s pass intended for R.J. Turner was deflected and the Bears got a huge stop.  In a game that was ultimately won and lost in the red zone, this call loomed large.

Going for it on 4th-down when you have a kicker that has not missed from inside 40 yards this year is puzzling.  What’s even more puzzling is that the decision came at a time when it wasn’t necessary.

Taking a gamble on 4th-down, especially when it may cost you points, is something that should be done only in desperation.  But in a 4-point game that still had over a quarter and a half remaining, this was simply a strange time for Tech’s head coach to don his riverboat gambler hat.

What’s more, the tone of this game didn’t warrant such a call.  This was not a classic Big 12 shootout.

Instead, this was a defensive struggle that saw both teams have to exert maximum effort to scratch out points.  In games like that, three points are vital.

Had this been a 37-33 game at the time with the Tech defense showing no sign of coming up with a stop, then you could see the logic in the decision.  But having seen his defense control the Baylor offense to that point, Wells should have taken the points.

Red Raider fans might appreciate Wells’ willingness to be aggressive this year, but the problem is that it is rarely paying off.  Twice this season he has called for fake field goals deep in enemy territory (vs. Arizona and Oklahoma State) and neither time was the gamble rewarded.  Now, add Saturday’s strange call to those and there’s reason to question his aggressive tendencies.

Imagine how differently the last series of regulation would have felt for Baylor had they known that they had to find the endzone rather than just get into field goal range.  Had Tech been able to put three more points on the board, this game would have taken on a completely different tone in the final two minutes and could have ended differently.  Now…speaking of that last drive in regulation…

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