Pulaski [Academy] hasn’t punted since 2007 (when it did so as a gesture of sportsmanship in a lopsided game), and here’s why: “The average punt in high school nets you 30 yards, but we convert around half our fourth downs, so it doesn’t make sense to give up the ball,” Kelley says. “Besides, if your offense knows it has four downs instead of three, it totally changes the game. I don’t believe in punting and really can’t ever see doing it again.”
He means ever.
Sports Illustrated has the story on the coach that never punts. He doesn’t even have a punter on the team.
Gregg Easterbrook has been for four-down football for a while. Since the average play nets four yards, it makes sense to go for it on fourth-and-short. Coaches are more wont to avoid criticsm than to make a first down.
Part of the problem is that on third and short teams get way conservative. Lots of dives over the middle that the defense can pack in on and stop. If there’s a 4th down play from scrimmage to follow, the defense can’t assume a straight ahead run on 3rd and short.
I read the Sports Illustrated article and spent the whole weekend talking about it with friends. It makes a good statistical case for going for it, but punting on 4th down is such embedded wisdom that the people I talked to about it almost couldn’t comprehend.