defense or offense?

[kick29]

It is easy to talk offense but who here understands defense? That is the most important part of a game is how well you can react to something that is happening on the field and punting on offense when you need to. I personally like the old duke punt back when steve spurrier was coaching duke he would on 3rd down drop back the QB (Fisher) i think, in the shot gun and punt it,worked everytime. Just something to think about.

IF THEY CAN"T SCORE THEY CAN"T WIN.

What are the good defenses across the country?

[PapaBear]

If you can't score, you can't win, either.

Offense wins games, defense prevents losses. Gotta have both. Ask the 2006 edition of the Maine Black Bears.

Here's a little test for you:

Game's tied.

One minute on the clock.

Ball's on the 50 yard line.

You have the best defense in the country and the 50th best offense.

Who do you want on the field right now?

[bjtheflamesfan]

Really to be able to answer that youd have to look at some of the teams at the top of categories like the lowest points/game, lowest yards allowed per game, things like that year after year. Teams like Appalachian St, North Dakota St, Montana, JMU, Hampton, and UMass are teams you would think of when you think of good defense. Im sure others here could come up with some other teams that when you start a discussion about good defensive teams in I-AA/FCS would routinely come up.

[Saint3333]

Defense wins games as well.

ASU had three turnover on our half of the field against UNI in 2005 and the defense stopped the bleeding by holding UNI to a FG twice. And of course the fumble recovery put ASU on top.

Best defenses of 2006 in no order:

Maine
UMass
Cal Poly
ASU
Montana

[kick29]

i would take the best defense any day. I know the offense has the poker hand but if a well taught team (defense) yea a team that is together in the film room and understand each other as a unit. If you did all you could for what if you throw the first one over the middle to the tight end ok you are on the 35 great well the next play you run and are stuffed. Next play it is now 2nd down and you get sacked or rushed and make a bad pass. you are still on the 35 and have to make a 51 yard field goal. It is now 3rd down and 11 or so... hummm what is going to happen do you go deep or make shuffle pass to the up back on a screen, if the defense knows what you are going to do in the situation then you are still trying to make a 51 yard field goal. Just figured I would throw that in there.

[PaladinFan]

Furman had just such a problem in 2003. The Paladins possessed one of the best (if not THE best) defense in the country.

Furman's defense was giving up a tiny 14.1 ppg, 139 yards on the ground, 132 through the air on avg. Only three teams managed to put up 20 points against the Paladins that year and one of those was Clemson.

All that out of the way, the Paladins went 6-5 with four conference losses by a combined 10 points. Why? Furman couldn't score. Injuries across the offense led to an anemic (to be kind) point scoring machine.

I love defensive struggles more than anyone. My kind of football is a 14-7 game. I think you have to have a great defense to win, but Furman (and our record) vastly improved when Ingle Martin showed up and made the Paladin offense one of the best in the country.

[ngineer]

I have watched the pendulum swing over the past 37 years at Lehigh. When an emphasis is placed on getting your best overall athetes on the 'd' side of the ball your chances of being in the game in the fourth quarter are better. Even the best offenses have a number of glitches that have to be overcome. In the halcyon of "Air Lehigh" we scored a ton of points, but lost a lot of high scoring games. There must be a balance achieved. When Higgins took over as HC, he brought a different philosophy of putting better athletes on the 'd' side, and the results spoke for themselves once he had a couple years from the change.
So from my perspective, while you can't ignore the 'o', the 'd' is what wins you championships. A poor 'd' puts too much pressure on the offense to score everytime it has the ball, as opposed to creating better field position, which sometimes can be just as important. A very good 'd' and a mediocre 'o' will win you games the majority of the time.

[kick29]

Offensively.. on the other hand you have to go with your personel meaning if you have change things up if you want to throw a loop in the defense you have to do things that is not normal, get away from the bread and butter. Set up a play during the game that will put a dagger in the defense (all i have to say is oklahoma and boise state). You have to set the defense up for failure. If you are saying that you are going to set up a defense for a play that will put a dagger in them then yes. But that is a risk that most coaches will not make. Again it is all about the cards that you hold in your hands. Most of the time those plays don't work but the ones that do are in the history books for ever. Look at the punt rooskie against clemson haha that was AWESOME!

there are a ton.. set up for an onside kick and sneak your fastest guy on the just inches on the field and kick it to him.

oh well

[Jackluv]

Offense scores points.

But Defense wins games.

[813Jag]

I like a strong running game and a solid defense. There's nothing better than being able to run the ball late in the fourth quarter to seal a game. That's what I don't like about our offense now. Too much passing with no real running game.

[ngineer]

I like a strong running game and a solid defense. There's nothing better than being able to run the ball late in the fourth quarter to seal a game. That's what I don't like about our offense now. Too much passing with no real running game.

That is what our new coach is trying to instill. Over the past few years we had leads in the fourth quarter and couldn't hold 'em due to no running game and the 'D' tiring out due to being on the field too long. Now with one year under his belt, we're looking for a more balanced attack and a strong run game that will step on an opponent's throat in the fourth.

[PapaBear]

I like a strong running game and a solid defense. There's nothing better than being able to run the ball late in the fourth quarter to seal a game. That's what I don't like about our offense now. Too much passing with no real running game.

If you're leading by 40 in the 4th Qtr, you don't need to worry about your running game OR your defense xnodx xnodx xnodx

[Mountain Panther]

Having a great offense is really fun but a weak defense will drive you crazy. Just ask the UNI Panthers last year. This year our offense should take care of itself while the focus will be on improving the defense.

[travelinman67]

If both teams have good offense, weak defense, it becomes a game of possesion time, downs and clock management, not play. However, if your team has a dominant defense, all the possesion time, downs and clock management in the world isn't going to win the game for your opponent.

[GreatAppSt]

Give me the big D all day long!xthumbsupx

[CSUBUCDAD]

I love to see high powered offenses go against great defenses. I still go by the old saying that offenses win you games, defenses win you championships.

[hawkeye]

If you can't score, you can't win, either.

Offense wins games, defense prevents losses. Gotta have both. Ask the 2006 edition of the Maine Black Bears.

Here's a little test for you:

Game's tied.

One minute on the clock.

Ball's on the 50 yard line.

You have the best defense in the country and the 50th best offense.

Who do you want on the field right now?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Defense? Cause a turnover, get in field goal range..good to go. Offense (50th best?) would throw an interception or fumble and your %(#^%^!!

Defense my friend............Wins Championships.

[Longrifle]

I would much rather stop my opponent with a good defense, than to have to rely on outscoring him in an offensive shootout. (App. vs. UTC in 04 comes to mind, Apps lost 59 to 56 at Chattanooga).

[PantherRob82]

Defense wins games as well.

ASU had three turnover on our half of the field against UNI in 2005 and the defense stopped the bleeding by holding UNI to a FG twice. And of course the fumble recovery put ASU on top.



xbawlingx xbawlingx xbawlingx

[letsgopards04]

My first two years at Lafayette they couldn't score or stop anybody. We would routinely lose 40+ to 10. Now Tavani has built a deliberate and consistent offense capable of giving you 20+ points while he has built a top-notch defense centered around standout linebackers.

[GtFllsGriz]

Things have really changed at Montana. I can remember when we were slinging the ball all over the field and the scores were typically in the 40s. That doesn't happen much any more and our defense has become the dominant unit over the past couple of years. It is a blast to watch them shut down a good offense. I think the crowd gets into it just as much as they did cheering for a loaded offense.

[BigApp]

Here's a little test for you:

Game's tied.

One minute on the clock.

Ball's on the 50 yard line.

You have the best defense in the country and the 50th best offense.

Who do you want on the field right now?


My offense. You can't score if I have the ball.

[MR. CHICKEN]

KNUCKLE-DRAGGERS..........GOOD SOLID O......WHIFF OUTSTANDIN' DEE......IS DUH TICKET.....TA...BLINGSVILLE.....&.....IT IS IMPERATIVE......DAT SPECIAL TEAMS ARE UP TA PAR........PUNTER IS AS IM-POR-TANTE........AS DUH QB........HIS LEG MUST GET YER O OUTTA DEEP JAMS.......AN' PIN RECIEVIN' TEAMS INSIDE DUH 20...........DUH MIGHTY 'GUINS (YOUNSTOWN STATE'S....TRESSEL)...USED DIS FORMULA BACK IN DUH DAY......MISTAKE FREE OFFENSE........GROUND OUT DUH REAL ESTATE....GIVE DUH WIDEOUTS....SATURDAY OFF.......LET DUH DEFENSE FLY TA DUH PIGLET..........LEE CORSO...SAID HE'D FIND UH PUNTER.....B/4.....SIGNIN' UH QB.............SPECIAL TEAM COVERAGE...IS UH MUST........AS TEAMS WHO RUN BACK A KICK-OFF....OR PUNT RETURN....FO' 6........80%...O' DUH TIME......WILL WIN DUH CONTEST.......BUT DEN AGIN'.........AH'M JES'.......UH CHICKEN.........xbawlingx......AWK!

NICE STEADY FG KICKER..........DAT TOO!...........TEAMS WHO WIN IT ALL.......ALWAYS......HAVE UH COMPLETE TEAM.....ONE FACET WILL RARELY GET YA......INTA DUH FINAL!.........xsmhx

[BigApp]

BRAWK!!

[PapaBear]

My offense. You can't score if I have the ball.

This would be why Appy wins championships.

Thanks for your common sense.

[813Jag]

If you're leading by 40 in the 4th Qtr, you don't need to worry about your running game OR your defense xnodx xnodx xnodx
That's true. xlolx But more often than not the game will be closer than that. To me as a fan it's nothing more pleasing than see the wind taken out of the sails of the other team due to them being worn down as the game goes on.