Awsi Dooger
Junior
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2012
- Messages
- 2,662
Oregon is currently second in the nation in pass defense, allowing only 4.8 YPA. That is a fantastic number and the TD/Interception ratio is borderline surreal at 3-12.
We'll see how it holds up over the next month or so. But any type of significant improvement in that vital category is normally a sign of a program and coaching staff that knows what it is doing.
It is so simple to make big strides these days in college football by playing basic physical football and legitimately contesting every play. That's because the rest of the nation wants to play cupcake football. Heck, you see it here in at least a dozen threads every day: We want to be cupcakes. Desperate for that cupcake offense. Wisconsin is first at 4.1 YPA for the same basic football reason, vastly outplaying its talent level. Two or three decades ago a Wisconsin could never reach this level. There were far fewer cupcake teams and dozens more truly rugged teams.
The big programs that do have elite talent and also prioritize pass defense are taking their rightful and logical position at the top:
Ohio State 5.2 YPA
Clemson 5.3 YPA
Alabama 5.7 YPA
There's no question Oregon blew the Stanford game last season. I was watching and laughing at the strategic stupidity. There are actually at least a dozen more games per season in which college coaching staffs butcher the clock management at the end of the game, handing off when they don't need to. But few of those games result in lost fumbles. That's why you never hear about it.
Oregon blew a big lead in that Stanford game. They blew a big lead against Auburn in this year's opener when the Tiger defense steadily clamped down. But notice the commonality: Attaining a big lead. That is another great sign. Comebacks are for suckers. When a team is capable of forging leads like that, especially away from home, good things are going on. On the other hand, a team that makes a string of unlikely late comebacks is almost certainly fraudulent.
The Ducks obviously need to make the most of this season with Herbert. However, the quarterback they landed for 2020 -- Jay Butterfield -- is a big accurate pocket type with ideal touch and quick release. It wasn't a bad consolation prize after desperately pursuing the funny-named kid who eventually picked Clemson.
I don't see the Canes in serious contention for multiple quarterbacks on that level.
We'll see how it holds up over the next month or so. But any type of significant improvement in that vital category is normally a sign of a program and coaching staff that knows what it is doing.
It is so simple to make big strides these days in college football by playing basic physical football and legitimately contesting every play. That's because the rest of the nation wants to play cupcake football. Heck, you see it here in at least a dozen threads every day: We want to be cupcakes. Desperate for that cupcake offense. Wisconsin is first at 4.1 YPA for the same basic football reason, vastly outplaying its talent level. Two or three decades ago a Wisconsin could never reach this level. There were far fewer cupcake teams and dozens more truly rugged teams.
The big programs that do have elite talent and also prioritize pass defense are taking their rightful and logical position at the top:
Ohio State 5.2 YPA
Clemson 5.3 YPA
Alabama 5.7 YPA
There's no question Oregon blew the Stanford game last season. I was watching and laughing at the strategic stupidity. There are actually at least a dozen more games per season in which college coaching staffs butcher the clock management at the end of the game, handing off when they don't need to. But few of those games result in lost fumbles. That's why you never hear about it.
Oregon blew a big lead in that Stanford game. They blew a big lead against Auburn in this year's opener when the Tiger defense steadily clamped down. But notice the commonality: Attaining a big lead. That is another great sign. Comebacks are for suckers. When a team is capable of forging leads like that, especially away from home, good things are going on. On the other hand, a team that makes a string of unlikely late comebacks is almost certainly fraudulent.
The Ducks obviously need to make the most of this season with Herbert. However, the quarterback they landed for 2020 -- Jay Butterfield -- is a big accurate pocket type with ideal touch and quick release. It wasn't a bad consolation prize after desperately pursuing the funny-named kid who eventually picked Clemson.
I don't see the Canes in serious contention for multiple quarterbacks on that level.
