Am I the only one who thinks this heavy slant towards offense in college football is not a good thing?

[CKS97]

Remember a few years back when teams like Stanford and Michigan State could play physical, push around great offenses, control the clock, control the line, and dominate the trenches?

Well, based on what happened to Michigan on Saturday, apparently things have changed he other way.

Michigan 2018 seemed very much like Stanford a few years back- one of those teams that, back then, somehow didn’t seem slow and archaic like UM might be against seemingly so many teams with athletes and speed. Just FIVE years ago, Stanford controlled the ball for 42 minutes against the most explosive of big play offenses- Oregon.

Now, good luck keeping the ball for 35 minutes a game outside of Tuscaloosa.

Feels like the line in the sand has been drawn- it seems impossible nowadays to win with a 2001 Miami defense with all this spread stuff. Hell, remember when the Big 12 title game was 13-12? That’s like half a quarter now.

Good luck trying to be able to win a game defensively singlehandedly ala Suh or Khalil Mack or Clowney

Oregon once was seen s cutting edge with their speed and unique offense. Now, that speed and uniqueness seems very commonplace And perhaps not as unique.

i don’t know if it’s a good thing. Personally, I did not enjoy that LSU-A&M game.

[Nozizaki]

The new wave is you can win the TOP battle. The other team will still be so explosive that they'll score 25+ points.

Also that A&M vs LSU game is the worst example you could list. I get it, it was a high scoring thriller, but the game went to OT tied at 31. Literally any Big 12(-2) game would've been a better example.

Back on topic, I think the push towards a more offensive game is fine. Defenses still have to step up and make big plays, they just aren't handed to them by uncreative play calls anymore. I would also argue that just because teams could control the line of scrimmage and play physical (they still can), doesn't mean they could demolish explosive offenses. Exhibit A. Exhibit B.

[Ozzy]

To win with a ball control offense you need a damn good defense that can get off the field consistently.  If not it does not work, just ask Wisconsin with that running game this year, did not matter because the defense could not get off the field and get sacks like they have in years past.  Thus rushing the football does not matter as much when points are given up more easily on the other side.  Teams do run the ball a ton though which is nice, used to be throwing constantly but with the smaller defensive players moved up to LB running become easier to do.

 

Stanford not sure what happened to them this year, that defense has been in the decline for a few years but that offense it is a surprise how bad they are at running the football.  But they have a better QB now with better weapons to pass to so of course they will pass more.  What happened to Michigan in that Ohio State game is year the defense could not get off the field or stop Ohio State, thus you could not run the ball as much because you were down on the scoreboard and pressing.

 

But yes the offenses are different now and the rules slanted completely to them, same can go with the NFL.  Now NFL offenses and college are remarkably similar, things they would never do in the NFL they totally do now with the new rules.  The shallow crossing routes is all anyone does and no defense can stop it without getting a sack or a tipped ball.  Pick routes happen constantly and how is one supposed to defend against that? 

 

I agree it sucks and sucks to watch.  I like watching games where it is a fight to score not ridiculously easy and teams just walk up and down the field.  Like this past years Super bowl, it was just up and down the field and no team stopped anyone.  College there is more defense than the pros because some teams are just that much better than the opposition athletically on D.  So you have that but in terms of a change it will be hard.  How can one cover anyone anymore?  I have no idea, it is great to keep players safe but if that is the case they should allow contact for the first 5 yards against the receivers, more pump and run allowed and to me that is really fun to watch.  Compared to free release every time and the corners play 10 yards off the ball because they fear the QB is going to run the freaking ball....

[naptownskinsfan]

1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

To win with a ball control offense you need a damn good defense that can get off the field consistently.  If not it does not work, just ask Wisconsin with that running game this year, did not matter because the defense could not get off the field and get sacks like they have in years past.  Thus rushing the football does not matter as much when points are given up more easily on the other side.  Teams do run the ball a ton though which is nice, used to be throwing constantly but with the smaller defensive players moved up to LB running become easier to do.

 

Stanford not sure what happened to them this year, that defense has been in the decline for a few years but that offense it is a surprise how bad they are at running the football.  But they have a better QB now with better weapons to pass to so of course they will pass more.  What happened to Michigan in that Ohio State game is year the defense could not get off the field or stop Ohio State, thus you could not run the ball as much because you were down on the scoreboard and pressing.

 

But yes the offenses are different now and the rules slanted completely to them, same can go with the NFL.  Now NFL offenses and college are remarkably similar, things they would never do in the NFL they totally do now with the new rules.  The shallow crossing routes is all anyone does and no defense can stop it without getting a sack or a tipped ball.  Pick routes happen constantly and how is one supposed to defend against that? 

 

I agree it sucks and sucks to watch.  I like watching games where it is a fight to score not ridiculously easy and teams just walk up and down the field.  Like this past years Super bowl, it was just up and down the field and no team stopped anyone.  College there is more defense than the pros because some teams are just that much better than the opposition athletically on D.  So you have that but in terms of a change it will be hard.  How can one cover anyone anymore?  I have no idea, it is great to keep players safe but if that is the case they should allow contact for the first 5 yards against the receivers, more pump and run allowed and to me that is really fun to watch.  Compared to free release every time and the corners play 10 yards off the ball because they fear the QB is going to run the freaking ball....

Fantastic post.  

I'm also not sure what happened to Stanford either.  They had a guy coming in who was a Heisman favorite in Bryce Love, who racked up over 2,100 yards last year on the ground, 8.1 YPC and 19 touchdowns.  This year?  665 yards, 4.6 YPC and just six touchdowns.  That's quite an embarrassing drop-off.  

[Ozzy]

9 minutes ago, naptownskinsfan said:

Fantastic post.  

I'm also not sure what happened to Stanford either.  They had a guy coming in who was a Heisman favorite in Bryce Love, who racked up over 2,100 yards last year on the ground, 8.1 YPC and 19 touchdowns.  This year?  665 yards, 4.6 YPC and just six touchdowns.  That's quite an embarrassing drop-off.  

Yeah it was crazy the drop-off, especially with a some what solid OL coming back.  But even that OL did not play all that well, the center was bad and so were some of the guards, and the tackles were not as good as they should have been, especially Little.  Love though, just not the same player, thought he would of came back stronger and more healthy, seemed the opposite and seems even more prone to injury now than last year when he was injured for almost half the year limping around.  Same could be said for Wisconsin, that OL which was apparently this amazing group did not always play that way.  I know before the season started they were what hyped as having three 1st round picks on the OL?  Yeah no, I do not see that happening, Edwards has had a terrible year and I do not see those two guards being the absolute top picks as a guard, but will see.