Over the past two weeks -- or, if we're being honest, over the past few years -- David Shaw has been willing to punt even after his offense has crossed midfield. He's not the only coach to take this conservative approach, but I'm not sure there are any other coaches who make this choice so regularly or from so deep in enemy territory. Already this season he has twice punted from within the forty, and last year he famously punted from the 29 against USC.
Fans have been up in arms about this for quite some time, so I decided to consult that noted expert of American football, William Shakespeare. I asked him one simple question. His response was a bit longer than expected, but I shouldn't have been that surprised. The Bard always was a bit wordy...
Go Mighty Card:
Mr. Shakespeare, thank you so much for joining us. So what do you think? Should David Shaw be punting from deep in the opposing team's territory?
William Shakespeare:
To punt or not to punt, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous choices,
Or to leave your faithful punter on the bench,
And by ignoring him, to die, to punt
No more; and by a punt, to say we bring
The heart-ache, and the thousands in the stands
That Axe is heir to? 'Tis a consternation
Devoutly to be sure. To die, to punt;
To go, perchance to score; aye, there's the rub,
For in that punt of death, what yardage gained,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of such a choice:
For who would punt and give the ball away?
For Bloomgren's wrong, and proud Shaw's mistaken,
The pangs of despised love, and Shaw's delay,
The lack of faith in Hogan, and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When they themselves might this quietus make
With a bare field goal? How would linemen bear,
To grunt and sweat beneath a with'ring sun,
But that the dread of such a foolish punt,
From opposition's country, from whose field
No swift return man dares, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than punt to others and let them have their go.
Thus punting does make cowards of us all,
And thus the Cardinal hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er, with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment,
With this regard, alumni turn away,
And lose the name of action. Soft you now,
Here come the Trojans! If he punts now,
Be all his sins remembered.
