Key to the Championship

[DaGriz]

What is the right formula to win a national championship? You hear that saying "Defense win championships" but I was trying to think of how many top rated defensive teams have the championship in I-AA. WKU maybe? In 2004 we had the last ranked pass D in the nation and still made it too Chattanooga. So is a top rated passer the key? GSU has 7 titles and they run a lot. If you think your team has a shot this year or in the next couple of years, what's going to be the key ingredient to winning it all?

[bison95]

What is the right formula to win a national championship? You hear that saying "Defense win championships" but I was trying to think of how many top rated defensive teams have the championship in I-AA. WKU maybe? In 2004 we had the last ranked pass D in the nation and still made it too Chattanooga. So is a top rated passer the key? GSU has 7 titles and they run a lot. If you think your team has a shot this year or in the next couple of years, what's going to be the key ingredient to winning it all?

Winning each game usually works, unless it's I-A Poll football:thumbsup:

[UNHknowledge]

HEALTH! The team that stays healthiest the longest, and a little bit of luck. In '04 UNH went into Montana without WR David Ball and LB Alan Tallman. In '05 UNI cashed in on UNH turnovers and 1-7 4th down conversions, despite being outgained by over 270 yds of offense. Once it's down to the Elite 8, everyone is capable of being the national champ and that's when health and luck really come into play. BTW...I'm NOT saying that luck wins championships, I'm just saying that health and luck are major factors when you get down to 8 teams.

[MYTAPPY]

They talked about this a little bit yesterday on "The Herd". Not saying I agree or disagree, but Colin said that every year the team that plays for a national championship has a star quarterback. His argument was that its not always defense the wins champoinships. He went on to say that a team that has a stout strong defense, usually doesn't make it to the national title game without having a highly efficient or star quaterback. He was talking of course on the 1-A level. Again this was his opion.....
I know a lot of people on AGS don't think too highly of Colin...

[AppGuy04]

Balance

[DaGriz]

Balance


In '05 when we won it, the only reason we had a 100 yard rusher every game is because we were blowing teams out and it was basically run out the clock at the end of each game. Our running game was almost non-existent. GSU has never been know to have a lot of balance. They run-run-run and it's worked for them.

[AppGuy04]

In '05 when we won it, the only reason we had a 100 yard rusher every game is because we were blowing teams out and it was basically run out the clock at the end of each game. Our running game was almost non-existent. GSU has never been know to have a lot of balance. They run-run-run and it's worked for them.

Rephrase:
Balance, atleast a good offense and defense

Hence why I don't think UNH will win the NC

[UNHknowledge]

Rephrase:
Balance, atleast a good offense and defense

Hence why I don't think UNH will win the NC

Don't forget special teams. Special teams can play a bigger role than offense and defense when it comes down to 8 teams. To be in the Elite 8 I think it's fair to say that everyone has a pretty good offense and defense including UNH's "suspect D" that led the nation in turnovers last year. I'm much more worried about UNH putting the ball through the uprights in a tie game in the 4th quarter or not getting a punt blocked, than I am of the defense.

[McNeese75]

HEALTH! The team that stays healthiest the longest, and a little bit of luck. In '04 UNH went into Montana without WR David Ball and LB Alan Tallman. In '05 UNI cashed in on UNH turnovers and 1-7 4th down conversions, despite being outgained by over 270 yds of offense. Once it's down to the Elite 8, everyone is capable of being the national champ and that's when health and luck really come into play. BTW...I'm NOT saying that luck wins championships, I'm just saying that health and luck are major factors when you get down to 8 teams.

I agree, staying healthy and definitly having some luck on your side. :nod:

[CSU BUCS]

The key to success in football is being able to run the ball and being able to stop the run.

[beerkat]

in the past if you were not a seeded team the key is bidding enough money to have home field advantage in the playoffs as much as possible

[Grizzaholic]

It is also good to have a guy on the team who has so much heart and desire to win that the team will feed off him. One guy can't win all the games for you but if you have one guy that refuses to lose it can make all the difference in the world.

See Travis Lulay for MSU. They should have lost 2-4 games every year but he usually had the answer and willed his team to a W.

And dare I be a homer but Dave Dickenson for MT in 93-95. A whole lot of desire to win. So he went out and did it.

[Old Cat Fan]

Lets not forget the number one thing that can take out any team Turnovers! one sloppy game and you can all done quickly, Once saw a stat that said teams that turn the ball over 4 times or more lose 75% of the time:eek:

[dungeonjoe]

:Win.

[ASU Kep]

Talent, Senior Leadership, and hunger. Screw X's and O's.

...and a little bit of luck...

or just Richie Williams.

[GrizFoo]

Depth and consistency are two big attibutes of a championship team.

[poly51]

If defense wins championships then Cal Poly should have a good shot. Number 3 I-AA in total defense, number 2 in pass defense, number 2 in scoring defense with no top 16 team ranked ahead of them. This with an offense that has turned the ball over too many times and kept the defense on the field way to long. The offense is finally showing some sign of life. They will need it over the next 4 games.

[psc2445]

In '05 when we won it, the only reason we had a 100 yard rusher every game is because we were blowing teams out and it was basically run out the clock at the end of each game. Our running game was almost non-existent. GSU has never been know to have a lot of balance. They run-run-run and it's worked for them.


In order of importance
1. Talent(if you aint got it, you wont make it far)
2. continuity and heart(can help overcome talent deficiency and injury bug)
3. health(need to have talent playing each week)
4. luck(it never hurts)
:twocents:

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

Leadership - coaches / players, both if possible.

Defense. Yes, it does win championships. We needed it in 2004. Ask Lehigh, Furman and William and Mary whose Payton Award winning QB turned it over several times in the semi final.

Health / Depth. If you don't have health, you better have depth. We've always had depth at RB, but rarely do we ever have health at RB. It took three different RBs to get through the 2004 season.

QB - Solid. Senior is not needed, but it helps. Just needs to be able to orchestrate the offense and make the least amount of mistakes on the field. QBs that try to do everything usually falter at some point along the way.

Great in the trenches. On both sides, good linemen make all the skills positions look like stars. Without these blue collar workers, the prima donnas would be beat up and cryin' home to mommy all day long.

Lastly - Chemistry. Some sort of thing you cannot name but you can feel it when your team takes the field. Somehow it shows up in that stats through the TOs and Penalties. Consistently winning these columns means your team has found some team chemistry.

You have this stuff above, the Offense will take care of itself. I have seen too many UNH teams, high flying Hofstra offenses, etc. falter to think that you need offensive firepower. Hopefully we'll bring a little of the above to New Hampshire this weekend and see if we can pull the rug out from underneath this high powered team.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Don't forget special teams. Special teams can play a bigger role than offense and defense when it comes down to 8 teams. To be in the Elite 8 I think it's fair to say that everyone has a pretty good offense and defense including UNH's "suspect D" that led the nation in turnovers last year. I'm much more worried about UNH putting the ball through the uprights in a tie game in the 4th quarter or not getting a punt blocked, than I am of the defense.

Since seeing the 2nd PAT out in Evanston fail, I've had the same fear!

If UNH plays defense like they did in the 2nd half against Richmond, then IMHO that is adequate enough to allow the offense to outscore opponents.

One factor mentioned that I think is huge is the health/depth one. Playing the 15 games required to win the whole enchilada, requires health or outstanding depth at any key positions for your team.

The matchups and schedule are also a factor. For example, JMU had to play all their games on the road in 2004, but none were really a significant trip, all bus trips IIRC. During that same year, UNH travelling to Georgia then Montana the following week had to be a factor. If a Cal Poly or Portland State or NAU had to travel to the East Coast or the Southeast multiple weeks, then that is a significant factor. If a team from the "tropics" has to play in Missoula, Bozeman, Durham, Amherst or of course Hamilton, then obviously their road is that much tougher.

[poly51]

Since seeing the 2nd PAT out in Evanston fail, I've had the same fear!

If UNH plays defense like they did in the 2nd half against Richmond, then IMHO that is adequate enough to allow the offense to outscore opponents.

One factor mentioned that I think is huge is the health/depth one. Playing the 15 games required to win the whole enchilada, requires health or outstanding depth at any key positions for your team.

The matchups and schedule are also a factor. For example, JMU had to play all their games on the road in 2004, but none were really a significant trip, all bus trips IIRC. During that same year, UNH travelling to Georgia then Montana the following week had to be a factor. If a Cal Poly or Portland State or NAU had to travel to the East Coast or the Southeast multiple weeks, then that is a significant factor. If a team from the "tropics" has to play in Missoula, Bozeman, Durham, Amherst or of course Hamilton, then obviously their road is that much tougher.
Special Teams is a huge facter that is often overlooked. A blocked punt safety was the turning point is the CP win over Davis this last week. Special Teams is all about field position.

[GaSouthern]

Rephrase:
Balance, atleast a good offense and defense

Hence why I don't think UNH will win the NC

+1