Coin Toss - don't let captain screw up

[ElvisLives]

At the coin toss this week, Home won and deferred.  Gave the deferred signal then told Visiting speaking captain that he had the choice for this half. Even though we had discussed what they would want to do under the various scenarios while waiting on the sideline, the captain initially indicated that he wanted to kick from the north end.  Now, wait a minute, son.  They deferred, and you have the choice to kick or receive.  At that point, another captain slapped him on the arm and said "we wanna receive."  Speaking captain then realized what was happening, and said, "Yeah, we wanna receive."

Got it all sorted out, everybody was happy.

Don't let 'em screw up.

Robert

[TexDoc]

At the coin toss this week, Home won and deferred.  Gave the deferred signal then told Visiting speaking captain that he had the choice for this half. Even though we had discussed what they would want to do under the various scenarios while waiting on the sideline, the captain initially indicated that he wanted to kick from the north end.  Now, wait a minute, son.  They deferred, and you have the choice to kick or receive.  At that point, another captain slapped him on the arm and said "we wanna receive."  Speaking captain then realized what was happening, and said, "Yeah, we wanna receive."

Got it all sorted out, everybody was happy.

Don't let 'em screw up.

Robert

CUSA toss this week, team winning the toss said they want to defer.  Next question from the R was "so which end do you want to kick from."  Probably a smart move.  I've never done it that way.

[Kalle]

CUSA toss this week, team winning the toss said they want to defer.  Next question from the R was "so which end do you want to kick from."  Probably a smart move.  I've never done it that way.

I usually ask the captains (after the winning team has deferred) "and you want to receive, right?"

[Etref]

Had one years ago before game with coaches
H won deferred
V. said we will defend north ez
H. Said we will kick


U and I walked away scratching our heads

[ElvisLives]

Had one years ago before game with coaches
H won deferred
V. said we will defend north ez
H. Said we will kick


U and I walked away scratching our heads

I won't let players screw up, but if a coach makes those kinds of choices, he gets what he asked for.  Next time, let your players do the talking.

[centexsports]

I think I am going to send this in to TASO and UIL next year but someone with NCAA should also.

There only needs to be 2 choices.   Defer and Receive

The only other choice might be to defend a goal based on wind conditions but if you defer the other guy is going to take the ball 99.99% of the time.   This takes all mistakes out of the equation.   And I have had both coaches and players say either:
1) we want to kick (coach last year)
2) we want to kick from the clock

I almost always tell my captains to never say kick but if I see a train wreck coming, I stop them and say let me tell you your choices.

[Welpe]

Please don't let it happen in a JV game either. Had a referee let a player live with "Kick" and I wanted to crawl into the ground.

[salth2o]

For our varsity games, I always make sure my R knows exactly what my sideline wants as their option.  e.g.  If they win the toss they want to defer and they want to KFC if they have to kick.


When I'm R in a subvarsity game and a team defers, I say "they have deferred, you want the ball right"  Dont give them a chance to mess it up.

[JasonTX]

Had a coin toss and the winner said kick.  I repeated the question and he was adamant that his coach wanted them to kick.  So, I turn the other other team to see which end they wanted to receive the ball on and then I immediately went to the coach to let him know his captain just shafted his team and that they would be kicking to start both halves.  He said that is exactly what he wanted.  "We want to set the tone of both halves with our defense." 

[TexDoc]

Had a coin toss and the winner said kick.  I repeated the question and he was adamant that his coach wanted them to kick.  So, I turn the other other team to see which end they wanted to receive the ball on and then I immediately went to the coach to let him know his captain just shafted his team and that they would be kicking to start both halves.  He said that is exactly what he wanted.  "We want to set the tone of both halves with our defense."

In my  pregame with the coaches, one of questions is "do you know what you want to do if you win the toss?"  That way, we all are on the same page and I try very hard not to let a 17 year old kid screw it up. 

[Clear Lake ref]

Had a coin toss and the winner said kick.  I repeated the question and he was adamant that his coach wanted them to kick.  So, I turn the other other team to see which end they wanted to receive the ball on and then I immediately went to the coach to let him know his captain just shafted his team and that they would be kicking to start both halves.  He said that is exactly what he wanted.  "We want to set the tone of both halves with our defense."

You can still defer and opt to kick again.

[AlUpstateNY]

Asked a long time (old school) pretty successful Coach why he elected to have his team kick, when they won the toss.  His reply, "Kids usually show up a lot more enthusiastic about hitting, on defense than being hit on offense".  Claimed he had years of stats proving "field position" advantage.

[ElvisLives]

Every time Darrell Royal brought his Horns to Lubbock, if he won the toss, he would choose to kickoff, due to the strong prevailing south wind.  That was before the option to defer was available.  And before large buildings were built on the south end that virtually eliminated the wind.
But, that’s why I struggle to “suggest” to captains what they want to do.  I much prefer to check with them on the sideline to make sure they know they want to do, before we go out for the toss.  Then, I have an idea what they want, and can help them get the choices right.
Someone else indicated they ask the coaches during the pregame meeting what they want to do if they win the toss.   My FBS coordinator had us do that, so, once the conference coaches got used to the question, it was very natural.  But, when I came out of retirement to work high school, again, that question either confused the coaches, or they insisted on waiting until the toss to decide.  So, I stopped doing that, and just try to make sure the captains know what they want to do.
Whatever, don’t let the captains screw up.

Robert