The Most Valuable Punt

So last night this question was posed:

I pulled the data, and of course what jumps to the top are plays similar to one against West Virginia in 2005 where the returner fumbles the ball and the Hokies recover. But I don't think a play like that is in the spirit of the question. I think we are looking for a play where most of the value derives from the punt itself. I'll also throw out a punt that, say, kills the remaining seconds from the clock because the value there was the loss of the last few seconds of clock time and not the punt itself. So given all of that I'm left with this, perhaps the most Virginia Tech answer to the most Virginia Tech question that could be asked...

In 2011, a home loss to Clemson was all that had stood in the way of an undefeated regular season. The Hokies would get an opportunity for a rematch, however, in the ACC Championship game and headed into halftime locked at 10-10. After receiving the opening kickoff in the second half, Virginia Tech managed to spin their tires and penalize themselves into a 4th-and-17 from their own 27 yard line, a terrible position to be in given the 73 yards of open field ahead of them.

Then WR/P Danny Coale launched a punt that would ultimately be downed on the Clemson 12 yard line - a total distance of 61 yards - and put the Hokies with an 11% higher chance of winning than before the punt.

Although Clemson would ultimately dominate the rest of the game, Tech would still receive a BCS invite to the Sugar Bowl against Michigan where the same Danny Coale would ultimately make the game-winning catch in overtime.

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There is nothing in the world like Thursday night in Blacksburg!

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Danny Coale is like 7-11, he's always open

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"I liked you guys a lot better when everybody told you you were terrible." -Justin Fuente

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There is nothing in the world like Thursday night in Blacksburg!

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"Welcome to the Terror Dome." -- Corey Moore

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"The Big Ten is always using excuses to cancel games with us. First Wisconsin. Then Wisconsin. After that, Wisconsin. The subsequent cancellation with Wisconsin comes to mind too. Now Penn State. What's next? Wisconsin?" -HorseOnATreadmill

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"It might be dark outside, but it's LeDay in here." - Jay Bilas

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"Welcome to the Terror Dome." -- Corey Moore

Please join The Key Players Club to read or post comments.

"It might be dark outside, but it's LeDay in here." - Jay Bilas

Please join The Key Players Club to read or post comments.

"It might be dark outside, but it's LeDay in here." - Jay Bilas