Notes on First Down Offense (2007-2016)

[StatTiger 3,188]

  Perhaps the most important aspect to watch for in 2017 regarding the Auburn offense, is Chip Lindsey's play-calling on first down. How often will Auburn throw the football on first down and what will the play selections be? Running the football too frequently was an issue but it was also compounded by the lack of variety in the run plays called on first down.

 

Numbers and Notes on 1st down plays:

 

• During the past decade, teams at the FBS level averaged 5.87 yards per play on first down.

 

• Auburn has averaged 5.79 yards per play on first down.

 

• Gus Malzahn's collegiate offense (2006-2016) averaged 6.44 yards per play on first down, including 6.20 yards while at Auburn.

 

• Teams have thrown the ball 38.9 percent on first down.

 

• Auburn has thrown the football 24 percent on first down.

 

• Teams averaged 4.66 yards per run on first down and 7.78 yards per pass attempt.

 

• Auburn averaged 5.18 yards per run and 7.74 yards per pass.

 

• If you were to examine the teams that finished in the nation's top-20 of yards per play on first down, those teams threw the ball 32.5 percent of the time on first down during the past decade.

 

• The top-20 teams averaged 7.09 yards per play on first down, with 5.63 yards rushing and 9.43 yards per pass attempt. Auburn finished in the top-20 on two occasions from 2007-2016. (2010 and 2013)

 

• Teams finishing in the nation's top-20 of first down offense combined for a win percentage of .706. The top-20 teams averaging at least 9-yards per pass attempt on first down, won .725 of their games.

 

• When Malzahn's offense averages at least 6-yards per play on first down, his offense has won .847 of their games, while averaging 525-yards and 42 PPG. At Auburn Malzahn has won .868 of his games with at least 6-yards per play on first down, averaging 510-yards and 41.8 PPG.

 

• The issue for Malzahn at Auburn is the offense has reached 6-yards per play on first down in only 40.8 percent of their games, including 28 percent over the past two seasons.

 

• Malzahn's run percentage of 75.1 percent on first down from 2006-2016 has made his offense extremely predictable, especially at Auburn. During the past four seasons, Auburn has run the ball 78.8 percent of the time on first down.

 

• During his inaugural season at Auburn (2009), the Tigers threw 10 TD passes on first down. During the last three seasons combined (2014-2016), Auburn threw for 8 TD passes on first down.

 

• During his seven seasons at Auburn, Malzahn's offense averaged over 9-yards per pass on first down, one time (2010).

 

• When held under 6-yards per play on first down, Malzahn's "Auburn" offense combined for a 32-22 record, averaging 390-yards and 28 PPG.

 

War Eagle!

[oracle79 3,569]

1 hour ago, StatTiger said:

 During his inaugural season at Auburn (2009), the Tigers threw 10 TD passes on first down. During the last three seasons combined (2014-2016), Auburn threw for 8 TD passes on first down.

Wow.  Enlightening stuff there.

[doug3020 842]

Can you further break these statistics down to only power 5 opponents? My guess is they'd change significantly and not for the better. 

[AUIH1 1,515]

Gus is no O guru or genius.  His O has been figured out.  Hopefully, Chip Lindsey will truly have control of the O.

 

wde