A new look at 4th Down
Nov 9, 2009, 1:51 PM | Updated: Apr 4, 2011, 7:51 pm
By Chris Leeper
Coach Jim Mora’s extremely risky, and possibly desperate, decision yesterday to go for it on 4th and 1 from their own 40 yard line in the first quarter against the Lions has become one of the major headlines from the 32-20 victory at Qwest Field. For those who liked the fearlessness shown by Mora’s gamble, take a look at this article from SI.com about the Pulaski Academy Bruins of Little Rock, Arkansas. They field a roster without two positions virtually every other team at any level has: Kicker and Punter. This forces the Bruins to go for it on 4th down, regardless of field position or game situation. I doubt this trend will spread through the NFL like the 3-4 defense or “Wildcat” formation, but in an era where roster spots have become invaluable, who knows.
