A couple points:
- As @Short Corner points out, Woody Hayes' philosophy isn't exactly regarded as being particularly well-suited to the modern NFL (some might argue that it wasn't particularly well-suited to the college game by the end of his career).
- I remember some discussion after the Butler INT about the fact that GL INTs (GLINTs?) are actually less common than GL fumbles (GLumbles?) but either way, it's fairly close.
- My layman's opinion, broadly speaking, is that at the goal-line you should rely on power if you think you have an advantage, and misdirection if you don't. The former could be a dive or a QB sneak or even isolating Gronk on the outside against a smaller CB and letting him win the battle. The latter could be a run or a pass, a bootleg or a jet-sweep or a play-action, just something that frees someone up in a crowded area. The empty-backfield shotgun kills me because it's neither of those things.
The fact is, play calling in the modern NFL is so complex, and relies on so many different factors, that it's really hard for us to know what went into any specific call. Also, the problem with a lot of those fourth-down conversions we criticize is that the coaches don't seem to think about them enough; they just automatically do the same "safe" thing they've always done. But I don't think you could accuse any NFL team of not spending enough time thinking about play calls (OK fine, maybe Dallas) ? These guys spend literally all week breaking down tape, looking for weaknesses on the defense, and the designing plays to exploit those weaknesses.
Finally, when a play does fail, those of us watching at home often have no idea whether it was the design or the execution. Maybe someone blew an assignment or whiffed on a block (the infamous Donte Hightower strip-sack in the Atlanta Super Bowl came on a play where Taylor Gabriel was wide open behind the secondary. If Freeman doesn't have a total brain fart on the play, Atlanta ices the game right there). Or maybe, as happened on the Butler INT, the opposing coach sniffed the play out and subbed in the exact defensive alignment designed to stop it.
I'm not saying coaches should always be immune from criticism over their play calls. Lord knows, there are still plenty of dumb ones. But I do try to retain some humility when I do it.
I am, however, still waiting for an explanation of the empty backfield at the goal line.
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