The Lost Art of Defense (For Some Major Programs)

[Eric]

I've been pretty disappointed by defenses lately. Now I love watching scoring as much as the next guy, but I'm getting tired of pretending that teams not being able to play defense can get it done on the national level. You can offset an average defense with a great offense, but you can't offset a bad defense with great offense. I'm watching the Ohio State / Nebraska game and the score is getting way out of hand. 20 years ago, this would be an embarrassment to both schools, but today it's understood that this type of thing is possible. If the Big 10 wants to know why it's having problems on a national scale, this is exhibit A.

Also, see Georgia and Virginia Tech for further evidence of defense slipping across college football. Two schools historically known for playing well defensively, and they completely lay eggs today. I'd be extremely embarrassed as a Virginia Tech fan. They let North Carolina run for over 330 yards.

The Miami Hurricanes, while rebuilding, are also pretty crappy on defense. Notre Dame, who hasn't really had a potent offense this year, has put up 500+ yards and 35 points on the Canes. West Virginia is super-potent offensively, but all offseason I kept hearing about how good Texas' defense was going to be. I keep waiting for them to prove me wrong, but week after week their defense looks like a regular Big 12 defense. They struggle to stop the run and can't tackle very well.

[Spence]

The Ohio State Nebraske game was maybe the worst game I have ever seen. I find it unbelievable some people find that interesting football. Almost zero defense. The defensive players not playing fundamental football at all, all playing the ball not the man, looking for that big hit that lands them on sportscenter. I hate to say this, but give me Nick Saban football anytime.

[armchairqb]

When many teams don't bother hitting in practice, this is the dreaded result.

[Spence]

When many teams don't bother hitting in practice, this is the dreaded result.

I hope to see form tackling make a comeback.

[Eric]

When many teams don't bother hitting in practice, this is the dreaded result.

I hope to see form tackling make a comeback.

Kansas State, while not extremely talented, plays good fundamentals. They can tackle. Oregon is always going to hurt statistically, but that's because opposing teams pass so often to play catchup and they get a ton of possessions over the course of the game. The Ducks can tackle. South Carolina, Notre Dame, and Alabama have the best defenses in the country and that's why they'll all wind up in the BCS this season. It's a pretty well established fact that you can win in college with being half of a team (i.e., being great offensively), but it won't make you competitive among the top 5 in the nation, because they all play defense.

There are some teams out there like BYU or UConn or Michigan State or even LSU who are going to struggle to win consistently this year (probably much less so with LSU, but they aren't going to beat Alabama with their offense as it stands today) because they are also half a team, yet only on the opposite side of the coin. You need to have some balance. Which is why I've never totally been on the "defense wins championships" bandwagon. Obviously you must have a good defense to win a championship, but you also need a competent offense to go with it.

[Derek]

When many teams don't bother hitting in practice, this is the dreaded result.

I hope to see form tackling make a comeback.

When I first read this, I thought you said...."I hope to see some form of tackling make a comeback."

That would def. apply to Ga this weekend.

[Spence]

When many teams don't bother hitting in practice, this is the dreaded result.

I hope to see form tackling make a comeback.

When I first read this, I thought you said...."I hope to see some form of tackling make a comeback."

That would def. apply to Ga this weekend.

If you have seen Ohio State tackle maybe your phrasing is better.

[WoVeU]

When many teams don't bother hitting in practice, this is the dreaded result.

I hope to see form tackling make a comeback.

Kansas State, while not extremely talented, plays good fundamentals. They can tackle. Oregon is always going to hurt statistically, but that's because opposing teams pass so often to play catchup and they get a ton of possessions over the course of the game. The Ducks can tackle. South Carolina, Notre Dame, and Alabama have the best defenses in the country and that's why they'll all wind up in the BCS this season. It's a pretty well established fact that you can win in college with being half of a team (i.e., being great offensively), but it won't make you competitive among the top 5 in the nation, because they all play defense.

There are some teams out there like BYU or UConn or Michigan State or even LSU who are going to struggle to win consistently this year (probably much less so with LSU, but they aren't going to beat Alabama with their offense as it stands today) because they are also half a team, yet only on the opposite side of the coin. You need to have some balance. Which is why I've never totally been on the "defense wins championships" bandwagon. Obviously you must have a good defense to win a championship, but you also need a competent offense to go with it.

WV could never post good defensive numbers for the same reason as Oregon. I can't microwave a hot pocket in the time it takes them to complete most of their scoring drives. Still, they have several areas to improve on, it looks like they are, just at a slower pace than I would like to see.

[Spence]

The fact that a team scores fast shouldn't hurt their defense early in the game. Late in the 2nd quarter and late in the game it would. Teams that have a high power offense should still be able to slow things down when they build a lead. WVU can't do that right now because their defense allows points at almost the same rate that they score points. Ohio State, among other teams have the same problem. This has more to do with the head coaches not caring to build depth on defense than it does on his offensive philosophy.

[WoVeU]

Agreed. I have told fellow fans I want to see stops early. The whirlwind should be of 0 effect a the beginning. But it is the 2nd or 3rd quarter before I see them stopping people. And I don't like the D not getting rewarded once they do. In the last 2 games, Dana switched it up on offense when he had a 3TD lead on Baylor and 2 TD lead on Texas. Baylor, run it 3 times up the gut?!?!? Texas, let's pull out some trick plays!??!?! The latter really killed me...are you kidding, why? Tricks are for kids...if a D can't evenly remotely stop half of the base offense then you just don't go there.

[armchairqb]

In the Red River Shootout, Texas has missed many tackles against OU today.

[Eric]

It's official that Texas doesn't have a good defense this year. They looked so unimpressive this today and that's just an extension on what has happened earlier this year.

[billybud]

This

[donovan]

This

Professor...did we vote on whether grammar and sentence structure counts?