Some of you may remember about a month ago I posted a thread about a Moneyball type of system, strategy working for college football. In the SEC there are perennial top tier teams. There are aspiring top tier teams. There are consistent bowl teams, and then there is South Carolina. We have been playing SEC football for nearly 30 years. Trying to beat the bluebloods at their own game. Trying to play and recruit much like they do. What do we have to show for this? South Carolina needs to play the game different than others are playing it. Recruiting with a different mindset is important. Why keep doing the same thing, and expect for no good reason it will be different this year, or any year.
The key stat in Moneyball was on base percentage. All the other teams were placing many other things ahead of just getting on base. If we could move the ball 10 feet per play. The drive never dies. The best defense is a good offense, but not a fast strike offense. Ball control keeps the clock running. It keeps all that talent the best teams have that we are unable to match up against off the field. Advance the ball 3.34 yards each down. Sounds simple, maybe because it is. Is this the equivalent of on base percentage?
My simple theory. Could more tall, strong, good hands, tight ends be our answer? More tight ends on the field, instead of smaller faster sprinting wide receivers. More passes near the line of scrimmage. Finding a mismatch between tight ends and linebackers. Make linebackers play lots of pass coverage against multiple tight ends. Get the linebackers concerned with the big tight ends, then run it at them. Eventually the safeties and Cb's move closer. That is when you can find single coverage on the receivers. Keeping the defense guessing and off balance. I know it is simple, but I think if it was our offensive objective it would produce more wins.
We never match the best teams in recruiting. They get top ten classes every year. We have to do something different and do it good. There are many players drafted by the NFL every year that were overlooked by nearly every P5 team in the nation. Effective evaluation of the overlooked players would close the talent gap. How can that be accomplished? What do you think our new staff could do different that would work? Post your opinion and ideas.
The key stat in Moneyball was on base percentage. All the other teams were placing many other things ahead of just getting on base. If we could move the ball 10 feet per play. The drive never dies. The best defense is a good offense, but not a fast strike offense. Ball control keeps the clock running. It keeps all that talent the best teams have that we are unable to match up against off the field. Advance the ball 3.34 yards each down. Sounds simple, maybe because it is. Is this the equivalent of on base percentage?
My simple theory. Could more tall, strong, good hands, tight ends be our answer? More tight ends on the field, instead of smaller faster sprinting wide receivers. More passes near the line of scrimmage. Finding a mismatch between tight ends and linebackers. Make linebackers play lots of pass coverage against multiple tight ends. Get the linebackers concerned with the big tight ends, then run it at them. Eventually the safeties and Cb's move closer. That is when you can find single coverage on the receivers. Keeping the defense guessing and off balance. I know it is simple, but I think if it was our offensive objective it would produce more wins.
We never match the best teams in recruiting. They get top ten classes every year. We have to do something different and do it good. There are many players drafted by the NFL every year that were overlooked by nearly every P5 team in the nation. Effective evaluation of the overlooked players would close the talent gap. How can that be accomplished? What do you think our new staff could do different that would work? Post your opinion and ideas.