Maybe the coach wants more than her ass kissed, if you get my drift.
It’s more likely that he wanted to allow players, who are bench warmers, a chance to perform. It was likely a game that wouldn’t affect his statistics much, which allows him to take better players out and put in lesser players.
In todays education system, if a coach doesn’t play everybody sometime during the season, it can cost him his job.
Unless there is more information than you have presented, that’s probably all it was.