So now that I'm home, what I was alluding to above.
Cal scores to take a 25-20 (after failed 2pt conversion) lead, with 0:18 remaining. Obviously a FG does nothing, so you want to protect the end zone at all costs--try to avoid them getting into hail mary range if you can.
Coach elects to squib kick it. It's caught and returned to the 40 yard line, with 0:14 remaining. I immediately turned to my son and said "I don't like the squib kick there." I'd rather boot one into the end zone for a touchback. I know 4 seconds were burned, but I'd rather give the opponent a longer field. For them to gain 15 yards through the air will probably take 4 seconds anyway, but you have the upside that they could throw an incompletion. But now they're at the 40 and they're pretty much one mid-range completion away from hail mary range.
VT throws a pass and it's an incompletion... But it's defensive PI. Give them 15 yards, now they're on the Cal 45 with 10 seconds remaining and basically in hail mary range. No coaching problem there.
VT completes a short-mid out to the sideline down to the Cal 27. I believe VT still had TOs remaining, so I can't fault the coaching for not protecting the sideline there. Pass takes 4 seconds.
Now the other coaching blunder. 6 seconds remain. Ball on the 27. Cal lines up with all their DBs standing directly on the goal line, basically anticipating the hail mary. VT is spread wide, and there's not a defender anywhere remotely near any WR. So what does VT do? Throw a quick pass to the left side wideout who advances it to the 7 yard line out of bounds, taking only 3 seconds off the clock. I realize you want to protect the goal line, but I don't know why you don't have defenders at least SOMEWHERE challenging a play like that. 6 seconds might not be enough for a hail mary if you have a good pass rush and you have defenders actually guarding receivers. But this was an easy pitch and catch that gave VT 20 yards.
So now VT has the ball on the 7 yard line with one play to win the game. It's 7 yards so they ostensibly have the entire playbook open. You don't HAVE to throw the ball in the end zone. So you are forced to defend everyone/everything.
VT threw a pass just out of the reach of a WR in the back of the end zone, and Cal escaped with a W that should have been FAR easier once they scored with 0:18 left.
