re: Tempo Stat

quote:

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This is good provided we are using good situational awareness. That stat could means that we are leaving nearly 3 minutes on the clock per game. So unless the tempo is producing longer drives and/or more points, that could come back to bite us.

Seems to be working so far, though

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It's a risk vs. reward scenario.

At over 5 ypp (thanks Ree!) differential you are getting more first downs. If you run with that and assume you are getting first downs when you would have not with no tempo, those first downs can easily eat up more than 3 min.

A first down is worth, at most, 1m 40s.

So the OP started this thread showing how much more we are running hurry up this year compared to last.
2018 ToP = 32:00 avg, #30
2017 ToP = 32:34 avg, #14

So it's not hurting us as much as one would think. And I don't want to get in the weeds too much, but one must consider the schedule/defenses we were up against this year compared to last.

As for another data point, Les' only year better than 2018 (or '17 for that matter) was 2014 at 33:08. Every other year was less than 32:00 (yes, including 2011).

So in short, with the exception of 2014, we're better with ToP [slightly] running the hurry up than with our past ball control offenses. Yes, defense is part of that- but we're better than the best defense we had, modern era ever (2011). I'm going to say that is due to first downs (21.7 per gm '18, 19.2 per gm '11).