Aerial Assault on College Football

[StatTiger 3,188]

Aerial Assault on College Football

Last season when Reggie Bush ( 133.8 ) won the Heisman Trophy, he became the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy with less than 150 yards rushing per game since Archie Griffin (147.3) in 1974. The thirteen other running backs to win the Heisman, prior to Bush, averaged 178 yards rushing per game. Bush benefited from playing on a high profile West Coast team but also received more exposure during an era of college football transformed into an aerial circus.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s, most of the major college football teams built their football programs around a strong running attack and a very physical defense. The landscape of the game has changed and the game is more about speed and wide-open offenses. Because of the changes in offensive philosophy, we are now seeing a major rise in offensive numbers and defenses always seem to be one step behind. Explosive offenses are more prevalent and dominating defenses are becoming extinct.

Scoring by decade…

Looking back at the top ten scoring offenses and defenses since 1960, the impact of the passing game is evident. From 1960-1969, the top ten scoring offenses from each year averaged over 30-points 51% of the time. The top ten scoring defenses held their opponents to under 10 points per game, 86% of the time. Here is a breakdown by decade:

1960-1969: 51 of the top 100 offenses averaged over 30-pts per game.

1970-1979: 98 of the top 100 offenses averaged over 30-pts per game.

1980-1989: 99 of the top 100 offense averaged over 30-pts per game.

1990-1999: All 100 of the top scoring offense averaged over 30 pts per game.

2000-2005: All 60 of the top scoring offense averaged over 30 pts per game.

During the 60’s 5 of the top 100 scoring offenses averaged over 40 points per game. It increased to 12 during the 1970’s and 14 during the 1980’s. There was a huge jump to 32 during the 90’s and we are at 28 during this current decade.

Scoring Defense:

Here is the total number of defenses from the top ten scoring defenses from each year that held their opponents to less than 10-pts per game by decade:

1960-1969: 86 of 100

1970-1979: 58 of 100

1980-1989: 19 of 100

1990-1999: 8 of 100

2000-2005: 2 of 60

Passing numbers by decade…

Taking the highest passing yards per game in the nation from each year, here is the average by decade.

1960-1969: 276.4 yards

1970-1979: 299.5 yards

1980-1989: 373.4 yards

1990-1999: 396.9 yards

2000-2005: 407.0 yards

Notice the huge jump from the decade of the 70’s to the 1980’s? During the 1980’s there were significant rule changes in the passing game within the NFL. The hash marks were moved and defensive backs were limited in their contact with receivers. The pro game became more wide open thus a subsequent need for quarterbacks and wide receivers from the college ranks. Since that time, it’s been a gradual increase in passing yards in the college game.

Southeastern Conference…

Defenses still win championships in the SEC but you’d better have an offense that can move the ball and score points. Here is the percentage of 30-pt offensive games and shutouts in the Southeastern Conference since 1960.

1960-1969: Offenses scored 30-pts 18.1 percent of the time

1970-1979: Offenses scored 30-pts 25.0 percent of the time.

1980-1989: Offenses scored 30-pts 26.6 percent of the time.

1990-1999: Offenses scored 30-pts 41.8 percent of the time.

2000-2005: Offenses scored 30-pts 46.8 percent of the time.

Averaging 30 points per game in the SEC was a rarity during the 1960’s but that changed in 1969. From 1960 through 1968, the SEC top scoring offense averaged over 30 points per game, one time, which was Ole Miss in 1961. During the 1969 campaign, five SEC teams averaged over 30 points per game during the season. With Scott Hunter at Alabama, Pat Sullivan at Auburn, John Reeves at Florida and Archie Manning at Ole Miss, it was the year of the quarterback in the SEC.

During the 90’s, the arrival of Steve Spurrier at Florida marked a huge change within the Southeastern conference. During the decade of the 1990’s, Florida scored 30-pts or more 80 times. In comparison, the top three scoring offenses from the 1960’s had a combined total of 85 thirty-point games. Tennessee had to compete with Florida in the East, totaling 73 thirty-point games during the 90’s, which was a huge jump from their 41 during the 1980’s.

In 1989, the SEC combined for fifty 200-yard rushing games, the year before Spurrier arrived at Florida. By 1999, the combined total of 200-yard rushing games had dropped to just 17. The year after Spurrier left (2002), there were forty-eight 200-yard rushing games in the Southeastern Conference and it was business as usual.

Percentage of shutouts in the SEC:

1960-1969: 15.3 percent (160 total)

1970-1979: 7.3 percent (83)

1980-1989: 5.1 percent (59)

1990-1999: 6.2 percent (69)

2000-2005: 4.1 percent (30)

Scoring in the Southeastern Conference:

By decade, here is the total number of teams averaging more than 30-pts per game during the course of the season.

1960-1969: 6 (5.5 percent)

1970-1979: 12 (12.0 percent)

1980-1989: 11 (11 percent)

1990-1999: 30 (25.9 percent)

2000-2005: 15 (20.8 percent)

Once again, note the huge increase during the 1990’s during the Spurrier era at Florida. Obviously with the increase in scoring, we’ve witnessed a decrease in defense. Here is the total number of teams by decade, which allowed less than 13 points per game during the season.

1960-1969: 55 teams (50 percent)

1970-1979: 22 teams (22 percent)

1980-1989: 14 teams (14 percent)

1990-1999: 4 teams (3.4 percent)

2000-2005: 3 teams (4.2 percent)

Final thoughts…

So what came first, the chicken or the egg? Did offensive coaches change their philosophy on offense to a more pass-oriented scheme to increase scoring or did defensive coaches take away the run, forcing offenses to pass more often? With the increase of speed on defense, defensive coordinators can often send more bodies at the point of attack than the offense can block. Often, it’s not just the total numbers but knowing which defenders are coming on a blitz.

Occasionally, we see coaches out-coach themselves attempting to counter what they perceive to be the immediate point of attack on defense. Rather than dictating the flow of the game, they are constantly countering what they believe the opposing defense will be executing. Coach Pat Dye recently stated the wishbone offense would still work today if a coach were willing to recruit and execute it properly. This appears to be a very accurate statement when you look at how many offensive coaches are now going to a spread option attack.

Once again, there is a triple threat of attack on offense from the spread option but the quarterback is now taking the snap from the shotgun formation. The philosophy is still the same as the wishbone in terms of the quarterback reading and reacting to what the defensive end commits to after the snap of the ball. The major difference is the quarterback has to be a more accurate passer and will be called upon to pass more often than in the wishbone offense.

Despite the increase of size and speed of the game, it still comes down to putting a hat on a hat and executing the play whether it’s a run or a pass. The most important change in the game has been scheming. With the limitation of scholarships and the subsequent lack of depth, it’s placed more of an importance on coaching than during the 60’s or 70’s. No longer can a team just rely on strength and or numbers because the playing field is far more equal. Coaches must be more innovative on both sides of the ball, which is why we see a high turnover rate in coaching and why the good “ones” are paid accordingly.

[crashman009 4]

NICE

[GalensGhost 0]

What?

I thought Reggie Bush averaged at least 300 yards per game the way ESPN slobbered over him.

Surely you don't mean that Bo or Herschel might have been better college backs than the exalted Bush.

How DARE you bring something as insignificant as stats into this?

[hccobb 0]

I really need to take a moment to bask in the glory that is ST. Seriously -- I've seen some really awesome posts from you, but the depth of this one is amazing.

CC