A (Very) Offensive Question

[carney2]

This is a legit question for you hardcore I-AA guys who have been following this for longer than I.

DOES ANYONE PLAY DEFENSE IN I-AA?

Check these stats:

2004 Playoffs - Winners averaged 37.2 pts. per game; losers 21.6

2005 Playoffs (including today's game) - Winners averaged 32.6 pts. per game; losers averaged 21.3.

The totals for the last 29 Playoff games - Winners averaged 35.0; losers averaged 21.45.

Apparently if you have an offense, you are going to win in I-AA and that is where the smart coaches should place their emphasis.

Comments? Opinions?

[PantherRob82]

sometimes the good defenses don't slow down the other teams offense enough?

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

What about the '97 national championship?

[ngineer]

Haven't compared scores of past years, but i think it has a lot to do with they type of offenses being used. Recently, there is a more of a wide-open emphasis which yields big plays, including those on defense which result in points or set up short fields for offense. In the last 10 years, the Championship game has only yielded three games of a defensive nature:
1995 Montana-Marshall 22-20
1997 YSU-McNeese 10-9
2001 Montana-Furman 13-6
Even in the 27 years of I-AA Championships, the great majority of the finals were high scoring affairs.(See p. 134 I-AA.Org Preview Magazine)

[carney2]

I had to look it up: in the 1997 championship Youngstown State beat McNeese State by 10 - 9. That was one game on one day. I'm talking about an apparent trend: 29 games in two seasons where the defenses, in general, don't seem to show up.

[HiHiYikas]

This is a legit question for you hardcore I-AA guys who have been following this for longer than I.

DOES ANYONE PLAY DEFENSE IN I-AA?

Check these stats:

2004 Playoffs - Winners averaged 37.2 pts. per game; losers 21.6

2005 Playoffs (including today's game) - Winners averaged 32.6 pts. per game; losers averaged 21.3.

The totals for the last 29 Playoff games - Winners averaged 35.0; losers averaged 21.45.

Apparently if you have an offense, you are going to win in I-AA and that is where the smart coaches should place their emphasis.

Comments? Opinions?

Points by Furman in the first quarter today - 0
Points by Furman in the third quarter today - 0
Points by Furman in the fourth quarter today - 0
Points by SIU through 3 quarters against ASU - 10 (a FG and a run-back on kickoff)
Points by Lafayette against ASU in the first quarter - 0
Points by Lafayette against ASU in the third quarter - 3
Points by Lafayette against ASU in the fourth quarter - 3

We play defense, but our playoff box scores show that we tend to be off on defense one quarter per game. Our offense tends to overshadow our defense. With Williams out next week, our defense may find its way into the limelight. Of course, backup Trey Elder did account for 41 points last year against a Texas State team that became a semifinalist this year.

[ChickenMan]

Delaware sure did during the '03 playoffs... just 23 points allowed in four games.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Well what can I say, the ole GSU philosophy towards football may be right.

Offense wins games,
Offense wins championships. :cool:

[*****]

Well what can I say, the ole GSU philosophy towards football may be right.

Offense wins games,
Offense wins championships. :cool:Did you write ole or old (as in soon to be past)? :smiley_wi

[LacesOut]

No. Next question.

Haha. Seriously, I want offense when I watch football. And we got that this weekend. For sure.

[JALMOND]

Good question. My take on it...

Playoff games are such that you win, you go on, and you lose, you go home. Similar to sudden death. Each team has only one week to get ready for an opponent whom they will not know until Saturday night at the earliest. Defenses do not know, because of the different types of offenses run at the collegiate level, what kind of offense the next team might run. That does not take into account a trick play the offense might throw at the defense. One lapse on defense can lead to an instant touchdown for the offense. Keep in mind that this is not unique to I-AA as you can see high scores in DII and DIII playoff games (note Wisc-Whitewater/Welsey game today).

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

As most people noted, it varies year to year.

Last year JMU won on the road mostly because of its defese. 14-13 in two consecutive road games (at Lehigh then at Furman) and a big offensive showdown in Williamsburg - they had the O, we scored one defensive TD and had several TOs in that game, maybe 5. They had yards, but not enough points and too many mistakes. Our running game took over by the 4th. The Championship we won vs. Montana 31-21. Normal football score if you ask me. Defense and our running backs were the starring roles once again.

Bottom line - Score does not always reflect defense. You defense must be damn good to win a championship at I-AA, but that's my opinion.

[McNeese75]

The 1997 McNeese team was all about defense!!! :nod:

[ngineer]

As most people noted, it varies year to year.

Last year JMU won on the road mostly because of its defese. 14-13 in two consecutive road games (at Lehigh then at Furman) and a big offensive showdown in Williamsburg - they had the O, we scored one defensive TD and had several TOs in that game, maybe 5. They had yards, but not enough points and too many mistakes. Our running game took over by the 4th. The Championship we won vs. Montana 31-21. Normal football score if you ask me. Defense and our running backs were the starring roles once again.

Bottom line - Score does not always reflect defense. You defense must be damn good to win a championship at I-AA, but that's my opinion.

Good point Dawg--that first round game last year had a lot of great defense. I'm still aching from that goal line stand.... :(

[JohnStOnge]

Delaware played great defense throughout the playoffs in 2003. The Blue Hens only gave up 23 points in 4 games. Nobody got more than 9 against them and they had a shutout in the championship game.

Montana gave up 49 points in four playoff games in 2001. Not as good as Delaware in 2003 but still only a shade over 12 per game.

[JohnStOnge]

The 1997 McNeese team was all about defense!!! :nod:

Yes. That team went through four playoff games and missed the championship by 2 points while scoring only four offensive TDs during the tournament. Nobody reached 300 yards total offense on them and Youngstown State only got 199 during the championship game. No question that it was their defense rather than their offense that got them as far as they got.

But they didn't win it.

I sure do miss those days of great McNeese defense.

[JohnStOnge]

Good question. My take on it...

Playoff games are such that you win, you go on, and you lose, you go home. Similar to sudden death. Each team has only one week to get ready for an opponent whom they will not know until Saturday night at the earliest. Defenses do not know, because of the different types of offenses run at the collegiate level, what kind of offense the next team might run. That does not take into account a trick play the offense might throw at the defense. One lapse on defense can lead to an instant touchdown for the offense. Keep in mind that this is not unique to I-AA as you can see high scores in DII and DIII playoff games (note Wisc-Whitewater/Welsey game today).

I think that's all true but I also don't think there were any great defenses in the playoffs this year. I know Cal Poly was talked about but I don't think that was a defense in the vein of Delaware in 2003 or Montana in 2001.