Time for the field goal to go?

[IrishinSyria]

Think about this year in College Football... what do Alabama, Georgia, Boise St., Stanford and others all have in common? An incredibly costly missed field goal (or two) that cost them a game. Great teams have had their season (except for Alabama, who got a free pass) come down to the leg of a nervous kicker...

My question is this; does the field goal make sense for college football? What does the game gain by having field goals and extra points be such a critical part of the contest? Personally, I'm starting to think that college football would be a better product if scoring were limited to touchdowns and safeties.

The pros of getting rid of the field goal include more exciting overtimes (fumble or interception isn't automatic loss) more exciting red zone offenses (automatic four down territory) and the fact that a team game would no longer come down to the success or failure of one individual kicking a ball..

Downsides (that I can think of) would be that field goals, especially at the end of the game, can be exciting moments and that defensive battles might drag on.

Thoughts?

 

[ErieIrish13]

Think about this year in College Football... what do Alabama, Georgia, Boise St., Stanford and others all have in common? An incredibly costly missed field goal (or two) that cost them a game. Great teams have had their season (except for Alabama, who got a free pass) come down to the leg of a nervous kicker...

My question is this; does the field goal make sense for college football? What does the game gain by having field goals and extra points be such a critical part of the contest? Personally, I'm starting to think that college football would be a better product if scoring were limited to touchdowns and safeties.

The pros of getting rid of the field goal include more exciting overtimes (fumble or interception isn't automatic loss) more exciting red zone offenses (automatic four down territory) and the fact that a team game would no longer come down to the success or failure of one individual kicking a ball..

Downsides (that I can think of) would be that field goals, especially at the end of the game, can be exciting moments and that defensive battles might drag on.

Thoughts?

I wouldn't mind eliminating the PAT and FG, but I doubt it ever will be taken out of the game.

 

[irishog77]

Notre Dame (and other schools too) weren't good at throwing the ball down the field this year. Should college football eliminate deep throws from the rulebook? Not good at returning punts either, so eliminate punt returns too?

 

[IrishinSyria]

Notre Dame (and other schools too) weren't good at throwing the ball down the field this year. Should college football eliminate deep throws from the rulebook? Not good at returning punts either, so eliminate punt returns too?

I see what you did there.

That being said, the two don't compare. The FG/extra point is an entirely different category of scoring. Punt returns and long bombs both require possession of the ball in the end zone. The field goal, obviously, does not. Personally, I don't think that football gains anything from the presence of an alternative method of scoring points on offense. It seems like it's more of a relic from the days when football was a soccer/rugby hybrid than a part of the game that naturally fits.

 

[irishff1014]

WOW

 

[Veer option]

The way I see it is that kickers have ONE job to do, and that is to kick the ball. If they cant take the pressure they should GTFO. I don't think we see any changes to the rules of kicking but what we will see is more emphasis on training up the kickers to handle pressure situations. Especially when a teams national championship implications may come down to a kickers leg.

 

[IrishinSyria]

The way I see it is that kickers have ONE job to do, and that is to kick the ball. If they cant take the pressure they should GTFO. I don't think we see any changes to the rules of kicking but what we will see is more emphasis on training up the kickers to handle pressure situations. Especially when a teams national championship implications may come down to a kickers leg.

Definitely agree that after this year teams are crazy if they don't realize the importance of training/recruiting kickers. Not sure how you could simulate the pressure of a last-second kick when your team is losing by two though.

Still, I'm not sure I'm convinced that the existence of field goals and extra points makes college football a better product. Even though irishff1014's response of "WOW" was very well thought out and persuasive.

 

[NDFan4Life]

It's definitely going to be a very loooooooooooong off-season.

 

[Veer option]

Definitely agree that after this year teams are crazy if they don't realize the importance of training/recruiting kickers. Not sure how you could simulate the pressure of a last-second kick when your team is losing by two though.

Im sure coaches can devise ways to simulate pressure. For instance in HS we went full speed when practicing extra points and field goals. Our kicker and holder got popped enough times that they didn't miss too many in game kicks.

 

[Buster Bluth]

It's definitely going to be a very loooooooooooong off-season.

Yep.

 

[rocket66]

FOOTball

 

[Buster Bluth]

FOOTball

lulz reps

 

[ClausentoTate]

What do you suggest football should have instead?

If you take out the FG that just leaves touchdowns... and the game would essentially become soccer. That sounds just awful.

Maybe instead you go a different route and make kicks from different angles worth a different amount. But seriously, there is no way you get field goals taken out of the game.

 

[NYMIKE6]

This hurts my brain.....

 

[irish4ever]

Think about this year in College Football... what do Alabama, Georgia, Boise St., Stanford and others all have in common? An incredibly costly missed field goal (or two) that cost them a game. Great teams have had their season (except for Alabama, who got a free pass) come down to the leg of a nervous kicker...

My question is this; does the field goal make sense for college football? What does the game gain by having field goals and extra points be such a critical part of the contest? Personally, I'm starting to think that college football would be a better product if scoring were limited to touchdowns and safeties.

The pros of getting rid of the field goal include more exciting overtimes (fumble or interception isn't automatic loss) more exciting red zone offenses (automatic four down territory) and the fact that a team game would no longer come down to the success or failure of one individual kicking a ball..

Downsides (that I can think of) would be that field goals, especially at the end of the game, can be exciting moments and that defensive battles might drag on.

Thoughts?

WTF?!?

 

[ND NYC]

the sportsbooks in Vegas would never allow this change...careful what you type here...they have their eyes and ears everywhere...and can find you.

 

[NDMontana]

I could understand, though not agree with, the logic of eliminating PAT. However, what if team wished to go for two and failed? Do they walk away with seven or six? If they convert is it eight points or nine points on the scoreboard?

Eliminating field goals? No way. That would mean teams could dominate a game but be held put of the endzone by a "bend don't break defense". You could, in theory have a game in which one teams outgains the other 500-100 but loses 7-0 when they could have perhaps kicked four or five fieldgoals. That would not be a true indication of who one.
Games would be far less exciting, too.

 

[woolybug25]

I opened this thread to read the punchline... unfortunately... This is a real thread..

I guess the jokes on me.

 

[phork]

I can't see eliminating them all together. BUT, perhaps updating the scoring. For instance, inside the 10 is 1 point. 10-20 is 2 points. 20-30 is 3 points. 30-40 is 4 points. 40+ is 5 points.

 

[notredomer23]

-__________-

It's already started

 

[irishog77]

I opened this thread to read the punchline... unfortunately... This is a real thread..

I guess the jokes on me.

This one jumps out of the gate as 2012 IE Thread of the Year frontrunner.

 

[kmoose]

Better yet.......... why don't we keep FGs, and eliminate TDs?

:idea:

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Anyone who thinks a kicker can "lose" a game for their team must also think:

-The last out in a baseball game is always the guy who "lost" the game for his team

-The guy who misses a buzzer beater in basketball "lost" the game for his team

-The guy who misses a penalty shot in a hockey shootout "lost" the game for his team


*Blaming a kicker for losing a game is beyond ridiculous. Sure there have been a few examples someone could dig up, but most of the ones given in the OP weren't the case at all. Missing a FG at the end of regulation/OT doesn't automatically shift all blame to the K.

 

[GowerND11]

Anyone who thinks a kicker can "lose" a game for their team must also think:

-The last out in a baseball game is always the guy who "lost" the game for his team

-The guy who misses a buzzer beater in basketball "lost" the game for his team

-The guy who misses a penalty shot in a hockey shootout "lost" the game for his team


*Blaming a kicker for losing a game is beyond ridiculous. Sure there have been a few examples someone could dig up, but most of the ones given in the OP weren't the case at all. Missing a FG at the end of regulation/OT doesn't automatically shift all blame to the K.

Reps

 

[GreatGolson]

this and the helmet sticker thing in less than 24 hours.... i might just stop reading IE until august.

 

[ThePiombino]

I agree with the OP. I think they should also eliminate tackling and that weird shaped ball.

 

[BGIF]

Time for the field goal to go?

... My question is this; does the field goal make sense for college football? What does the game gain by having field goals and extra points be such a critical part of the contest? Personally, I'm starting to think that college football would be a better product if scoring were limited to touchdowns and safeties.

...

Once you delete the "Foot" from the sport, what do you call the game, ... "Ball"?

 

[BeauBenken]

lol...wut?

 

[BeauBenken]

I can't see eliminating them all together. BUT, perhaps updating the scoring. For instance, inside the 10 is 1 point. 10-20 is 2 points. 20-30 is 3 points. 30-40 is 4 points. 40+ is 5 points.

I think Ruffer is better at hitting 5 pointers than 1 pointers...

 

[Irish Insanity]

Then the first LSU vs Alabama game would still be going at 0-0.