This is going to be a nuanced conversation, and that’s the whole point: A lot of debates about football strategy should involve fewer discussions about the ultimate decisions coaches make, and more discussions about the thought process which informs the discussions.
There are plenty of instances in a game where both decisions can be reasonable and sensible. A coach can do A or B and have a good rationale for either choice. Coaching criticism is better when the thought process is examined. The decision might be fine, but the thought process and philosophy need to be aligned with the decisions.
This takes us into an analysis of the two big mistakes Dan Lanning made for Oregon in its loss to Washington on Saturday: