- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
ESPN - The Day Defense Died in College Football
Posted on 11/27/18 at 6:42 pm
Posted on 11/27/18 at 6:42 pm
ESPN - It's hard to pinpoint a time of death. The doctors wrote Do Not Resuscitate on the chart after that abomination of a game Friday night in Morgantown, when No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 13 West Virginia, two of the best teams in the Big 12, ran 155 plays from scrimmage and combined for three punts. Combined total yards: 1,372. Final score: Oklahoma 59, West Virginia 56. Time of game: Endless.
The death rattle could be heard on Saturday afternoon in the Horseshoe, when No. 4 Michigan brought the best defense in the nation to No. 10 Ohio State. That best defense, which played as if it had never seen a wide receiver run a horizontal route, allowed 62 points and 567 yards.
And then, the last breath, the seven overtimes in Kyle Field on Saturday night. No. 7 LSU and No. 22 Texas A&M matched each other score for score, overtime for overtime: five touchdowns, five conversions, two field goals, until the Aggies stopped the Tigers on a two-point try.
You would think, in a sport where they give as many scholarships on defense as on offense, that perhaps one team could stop the other, even from the 25-yard line. It happened once, on the very first overtime possession. The Aggies pushed the Tigers back 7 yards. However, LSU kicker Cole Tracy hit a 50-yard field goal, and it was as if both defenses decided, what's the point? The next 13 possessions -- seven for the Aggies, six more for the Tigers -- yielded 10 touchdowns and three chip-shot field goals.
Final score: Texas A&M 74, LSU 72. Final curtain. Cue the dirges. Rest in pieces. If defense were a college football team, the coach would have been fired Sunday morning. And probably the athletic director, too.
For one thing, the teams referenced above, the ones with cleat marks in their defensive chests, are not teams having bad seasons. They are among the best in the nation, coached by some of the best defensive coaches in the game. Don't believe me? Ask their salaries.
LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda is the highest-paid assistant coach on God's green earth. He makes $2.5 million per year. His counterpart in the next coaching booth, the Aggies' Mike Elko, pulls in a reported $1.8 million annually; Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown, $1.4 million.
LINK
The death rattle could be heard on Saturday afternoon in the Horseshoe, when No. 4 Michigan brought the best defense in the nation to No. 10 Ohio State. That best defense, which played as if it had never seen a wide receiver run a horizontal route, allowed 62 points and 567 yards.
And then, the last breath, the seven overtimes in Kyle Field on Saturday night. No. 7 LSU and No. 22 Texas A&M matched each other score for score, overtime for overtime: five touchdowns, five conversions, two field goals, until the Aggies stopped the Tigers on a two-point try.
You would think, in a sport where they give as many scholarships on defense as on offense, that perhaps one team could stop the other, even from the 25-yard line. It happened once, on the very first overtime possession. The Aggies pushed the Tigers back 7 yards. However, LSU kicker Cole Tracy hit a 50-yard field goal, and it was as if both defenses decided, what's the point? The next 13 possessions -- seven for the Aggies, six more for the Tigers -- yielded 10 touchdowns and three chip-shot field goals.
Final score: Texas A&M 74, LSU 72. Final curtain. Cue the dirges. Rest in pieces. If defense were a college football team, the coach would have been fired Sunday morning. And probably the athletic director, too.
For one thing, the teams referenced above, the ones with cleat marks in their defensive chests, are not teams having bad seasons. They are among the best in the nation, coached by some of the best defensive coaches in the game. Don't believe me? Ask their salaries.
LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda is the highest-paid assistant coach on God's green earth. He makes $2.5 million per year. His counterpart in the next coaching booth, the Aggies' Mike Elko, pulls in a reported $1.8 million annually; Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown, $1.4 million.
LINK
8
Posted on 11/27/18 at 6:46 pm to TrueTigerTale
This is not going to end well.
Posted on 11/27/18 at 6:47 pm to TrueTigerTale
College overtime is stupid. Needs to be like the nfl
Posted on 11/27/18 at 6:48 pm to TrueTigerTale
Both college and pro football are turning into flag football leagues now with the rule changes and Playstation attitude of younger players.
Posted on 11/27/18 at 6:49 pm to TrueTigerTale
How many yards were given up in regulation? We only allowed 24 points before third and chavis-ing. If Giles doesn’t muff a fair catch, do they even get to 24?
Defense wasn’t dead in college station. It is, however, in the Big 12
Defense wasn’t dead in college station. It is, however, in the Big 12
Posted on 11/27/18 at 6:50 pm to TrueTigerTale
Have you ever tried giving that extra effort after being mentally and physically done? It’s kind of hard.
Posted on 11/27/18 at 6:58 pm to BallChamp00
quote:
Have you ever tried giving that extra effort after being mentally and physically done? It’s kind of hard.
With SEC officials repeatedly giving the Aggies second chances offensively after an exhaustive effort by LSU's defense, what's the point?
Posted on 11/27/18 at 7:00 pm to TrueTigerTale
It's stupid that they included the LSU game in this article. As if seven overtimes that all start just outside of the redzone are anything close to an actual representation of football.
As for college football, in general, has this person been living under a rock? He's just noticed that teams aren't playing defense?
The SEC and, to a lesser extent, the Big Ten are the only conferences that still play any defense. The ACC has a couple of decent defenses every year. Other conferences decided years ago that they'd rather concentrate their resources on the offensive side of the ball, and just hope that they can score enough points to win games. They can't compete for the top athletes, so they rely on fast paced, wide open offense to try to negate their lack of physicality.
It's not an accident this has happened. It's a choice most teams have made to commit to one side of the ball.
As for college football, in general, has this person been living under a rock? He's just noticed that teams aren't playing defense?
The SEC and, to a lesser extent, the Big Ten are the only conferences that still play any defense. The ACC has a couple of decent defenses every year. Other conferences decided years ago that they'd rather concentrate their resources on the offensive side of the ball, and just hope that they can score enough points to win games. They can't compete for the top athletes, so they rely on fast paced, wide open offense to try to negate their lack of physicality.
It's not an accident this has happened. It's a choice most teams have made to commit to one side of the ball.
Posted on 11/27/18 at 7:05 pm to Metaloctopus
Teams like Oklahoma and Texas CAN compete for top athletes, but they have nevertheless seemingly forgotten how to recruit a defense.
Posted on 11/27/18 at 7:20 pm to Metaloctopus
Teams like Texas and Oklahoma have been playing this way a while, it’s all offense, but Michigan and LSU were shockers considering their defensive payroll.
Posted on 11/27/18 at 7:27 pm to TrueTigerTale
Michigan's performance might have been a shocker, but LSU's game was all about the seven overtimes. Everything changes when you start a possession that close to the endzone and the offenses are pretty much in desperation mode. The game is not the same, and is certainly not fair to defenses.
I'm not saying it was a good defensive game, but it was highly skewed. The vast majority of college football stopped trying to play any real defense a long time ago. This article was written WAY too late.
I'm not saying it was a good defensive game, but it was highly skewed. The vast majority of college football stopped trying to play any real defense a long time ago. This article was written WAY too late.
This post was edited on 11/27/18 at 7:28 pm
Posted on 11/27/18 at 9:26 pm to Metaloctopus
They need to move to the professional model or at least push the starting line of scrimmage back to the forty yard line. The offense has all of the advantage as players tire because the offense KNOWS where it is going every play.
Posted on 11/27/18 at 9:31 pm to TrueTigerTale
Not worried, Ensminger’s got this. We will average 50/game next year and drop 45+ on Bama. Who needs defense?
Posted on 11/27/18 at 10:27 pm to TrueTigerTale
This is a little dramatic. Offense is becoming more potent but it is no less important. I don’t think Saban and Dabo will be concentrating more on offense than defense any time soon.
I’d take great defense/average offense over great offense/average defense every time.
I’d take great defense/average offense over great offense/average defense every time.
Posted on 11/28/18 at 7:22 am to PawnMaster
College football is changing, the way refs officiate games benefits offenses not defenses.
Posted on 11/28/18 at 7:59 am to sunnydaze
quote:
College overtime is stupid. Needs to be like the nfl
I personally wished all overtimes were decided by field goals, kind of like penalty shots. Start with the ball at the 30 and move it back until someone misses.
Posted on 11/28/18 at 8:18 am to Areddishfish
Why would ESPN pick a 7 overtime game in trying to make the argument? You can write the entire article about high school offenses and the shift made there to explain the point.
Posted on 11/28/18 at 9:40 am to Silvermoon_WhereRU
LSU’s defense was worn down during 7 Ot’s so were the Aggies, comparisons to Michigan and OU are unfair, those two were torched.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News