10 biggest coaching mistakes I've seen in high school football

First off, this column will likely get me in trouble with some coaching friends. Still, here goes.
Those that follow high school football are quick to point fingers at coaches when things don't go right for their favorite team. That goes with the territory.
Sometimes it's the standard: "Why don't we throw the ball more?" or "Why don't we try a blitz more frequently?"... those kinds of comments.
Coaches though are human and, like their players, do make mistakes from time to time.
In my 30 years of covering high school football fulltime, I've seen some doozies.

Here are the biggest coaching gaffes that I've witnessed in person:
No. 10: The punt -- some of my friends from high school still shake their heads thinking about this one.
My school, Northwest Cabarrus, had fourth-and-four to go at the Ragsdale 24 in a close 3A State quarterfinal game in 1972. Did we throw it, run the option, or try a field goal?
Nope. The punting team went in and the booming kick hit the high bank of the horseshoe and gave Ragsdale the ball at the 20 ... a change of only four yards.

No. 9: Shotgun spread -- I covered a Kings Mountain-North Gaston game in 1986 at Gamble Stadium. On the first series, the Mountaineers punted and the kick rolled down at the North two.
The Wildcats lined up in a shotgun spread formation ... with the offensive line far off at the right hashmark while the center, one blocking back and the quarterback, wer aligned far to the left.
Kings Mountain was prepared for this and had several of its fastest defenders raring to go. Two of them dashed in after the snap and nailed the unprotected quarterback for a safety that ignited a rout.

No. 8: Going for it -- I hate to pick on North Gaston but when Hurricane Hugo hit in 1989, the Wildcats went to Burns for a Saturday afternoon contest played in a monsoon.
For some reason, North Gaston elected not to punt ... no matter where they were on the field. On fourth down, they went for it several times in the first half and each time the Bulldogs stopped them, taking over deep in North territory to set up quick scores that blew the contest open.

No. 7: Fourth and forever -- East Rutherford and Burns were battling it out for a playoff spot in 1997 on the final night of the regular season. East had a first-and-goal inside the Bulldog 5 late in the game for a possible go-ahead score.
However, after a run ahead into the line, a Cavalier player was called for a deadball personal foul that moved his team back. The East coaching staff protested so vehemently they drew a pair of unsportsmanlike calls and before you knew it, it was second-and-goal near midfield, dramatically altering how the game would unfold.

No. 6: Beware the pile -- Maiden has won a lot of football games through the years but never against Shelby. To show how fired up they were, the Blue Devils ran onto the center of the field at Blanton Memorial Stadium before the 2000 matchup and did a copycat version of Shelby’s pre-game pile.
The Shelby coaches had worried beforehand about the Golden Lions being “up” for this game but upon witnessing the Maiden gesture, Shelby players were instantly in a frenzy. Sixty-three points later Shelby had scored about many points as any Maiden team had allowed in a game in the past 40 years.

No. 5 and No. 4 (simultaneously): Strange ending -- Shelby vs. Crest in 1985. Shelby was trying to run the clock out with a one-point lead but was backed up deep in its end of the field.
Shelby elected to run a play on fourth down rather than risk a kick, yet when the official blew the whistle at the end of the play, time had not elapsed and Crest took over inside the 10 yardline with enough time to try a field goal. Yet the Chargers, as was their habit at that time, lined up in an offset formation. Crest was shifting into field-goal alignment when the referee started the clock and it ran out before the Chargers got the ball snapped.

No. 3: Stealing the ball -- This was another of those dramatic finishes to a Crest-Shelby game, this one in 1993. The game seemed to be ending as a tie when Crest tried an option play deep in its own territory in the final minute. Defensive back Robert Williams timed it perfectly and stole the pitch and dashed into the end zone to give Shelby the surprising victory.

No. 2: Goal-line pass -- The 1979 South Point-King Mountain game was one of the best I’ve ever seen. The Mountaineers had future NFL running back Kevin Mack along with another huge back named Avery Smith.
Kings Mountain, which rarely threw the ball because of its potent ground game, was inside the South Point 5 with a chance to go ahead late in the game. Instead of giving the ball again to Mack or Smith, the Mountaineers attempted a quick pass over the middle that was intercepted, preserving the win for the Red Raiders (eventual 3A stat champs).

No. 1: The quick kick -- It was Cherryville vs. Burns in 1989. The Bulldogs were dominating the season opener at Rudisill Stadium. The host Ironmen didn't get a first down in the opening half.
Late in the third quarter though, Cherryville completed a pass across midfield for its initial first down that got the home crowd cheering. Yet trailing by three touchdowns, moments later on third and about seven in Burns’ territory, the Ironmen launched a quick kick that gave possession right back to the Bulldogs.