Will College Football Ever See Normal Scores Again?

[ShotgunDawg]

Sitting here watching ASU & AZ play a shootout after watching Texas Tech & Baylor play a shootout, after watching Texas A&M & LSU play no defense, after watching MSU & Arkansas play no defense, etc.....

Offense vs defense in football has always been a pendulum where offensive minds create something new like the wishbone, option, pro-style, wing-T, etc.. & defensive coordinators make adjustments & eventually shut it down.

However, it seems like we aren't seeing that with the spread offenses. After 12 or so years of the spread offense being mainstream in college football, it appears as though we are seeing offenses continue to pull away from defenses & it seems to be getting worse each & every year.

I've heard Bo Bounds' theory that the best athletes used to play defense & basketball but now the basketball players & best athletes are playing offense. This has led to mis-matches across the board. Add that to no touching allowed by the secondary, no targeting, etc... & defenses have little chance.

So, my question for the football guys on the board is: what is the next move for defenses? Will the pendulum ever swing back towards the defenses or is what we are currently seeing going to last & become the game of football for evermore?

[sleepy dawg]

I think it will get even worse. There may be occasional swings back toward defense, but in general I think it will be like this or worse.

[Westdawg]

Defenses will eventually evolve. There will be a greater emphasis on d line and hybrid OLBs and DEs
You can already see it happening to some degree, but there are still enough offenses that are "classic" or Pro-oriented still that defenses cannot/haven't gone on to offset the spread run-option offense...which is what you are seeing offensively.

[Westdawg]

And I think a major issue with these offenses now is that not only have the defenses had trouble acclimating to it, but officiating it has had major issues as well. Particularly with the OL using a run-block scheme and then pass blocking at the second level. This is arguably one of the most difficult issues that has to be resolved. I am tired of seeing an OL pass blocking a LB 4-6 yards off the LOS. I think 2-3rds is MORE THAN ENOUGH leeway in this area. When you see this fixed you will see defenses being able to use their correct reads and fits.
The second issue is one that is being addressed to an okay level - HUNH offenses. Officiating has Placed an official on the field to be over the ball as substitutions occur which enables the defense to do so as well. This helped a lot for defenses to get proper personnel and alignments to negate the offense to a degree.

[dawgs]

And I think a major issue with these offenses now is that not only have the defenses had trouble acclimating to it, but officiating it has had major issues as well. Particularly with the OL using a run-block scheme and then pass blocking at the second level. This is arguably one of the most difficult issues that has to be resolved. I am tired of seeing an OL pass blocking a LB 4-6 yards off the LOS. I think 2-3rds is MORE THAN ENOUGH leeway in this area. When you see this fixed you will see defenses being able to use their correct reads and fits.
The second issue is one that is being addressed to an okay level - HUNH offenses. Officiating has Placed an official on the field to be over the ball as substitutions occur which enables the defense to do so as well. This helped a lot for defenses to get proper personnel and alignments to negate the offense to a degree.

Basically change the college rules to match the NFL rules. For spread HUNH, NFL does a much better job enforcing the rules in place to slow down the game than CFB does. And I like a good fast paced offense.

[TUSK]

Sitting here watching ASU & AZ play a shootout after watching Texas Tech & Baylor play a shootout, after watching Texas A&M & LSU play no defense, after watching MSU & Arkansas play no defense, etc.....

Offense vs defense in football has always been a pendulum where offensive minds create something new like the wishbone, option, pro-style, wing-T, etc.. & defensive coordinators make adjustments & eventually shut it down.

However, it seems like we aren't seeing that with the spread offenses. After 12 or so years of the spread offense being mainstream in college football, it appears as though we are seeing offenses continue to pull away from defenses & it seems to be getting worse each & every year.

I've heard Bo Bounds' theory that the best athletes used to play defense & basketball but now the basketball players & best athletes are playing offense. This has led to mis-matches across the board. Add that to no touching allowed by the secondary, no targeting, etc... & defenses have little chance.

So, my question for the football guys on the board is: what is the next move for defenses? Will the pendulum ever swing back towards the defenses or is what we are currently seeing going to last & become the game of football for evermore?

MDL asked you cats, "is this what you want football to become?"

people said he was "whining"... his proposals were mostly rejected.. so, he adapted and his D is as good as ever...

there's room on the bandwagon, 'Gun...

[ShotgunDawg]

Basically change the college rules to match the NFL rules. For spread HUNH, NFL does a much better job enforcing the rules in place to slow down the game than CFB does. And I like a good fast paced offense.

I'm curious if moving the hash marks closer together like the NFL would help defenses? Any thoughts on this?

[sleepy dawg]

I'm curious if moving the hash marks closer together like the NFL would help defenses? Any thoughts on this?

I doubt it would make much of a difference. Also, I don't believe the league wants more defense. I don't think we'll see any rules to help them out any time soon.

[SailingDawg]

LSU and Alabama played some defense in their game this year! Maybe that was adrenalin but I believe Saban still plays defense.

[ShotgunDawg]

LSU and Alabama played some defense in their game this year! Maybe that was adrenalin but I believe Saban still plays defense.

Alabama doesn't count because their talent level is so much superior to everyone they play.

Bama doesn't beat you schematically, which is what I referring to

[IMissJack]

I don't know if it is the same in MS, but the number of kids going out for football in my son's junior high are way down. I've heard the coach say that concerns with parents over concussions, and some of the best athletes being told early to pick 1 sport and concentrate on that (baseball, swimming, etc.)are hurting. I wonder if this is percolating up to the college ranks, with less kids willing to "hit" like they used to? I do think the spread offenses all over TX high schools is why the Big 12 has no defense.

[dawgday166]

They'll always tweak the rules to have higher scoring games. They have in NFL too. People like offense and big plays.

[dawgday166]

MDL asked you cats, "is this what you want football to become?"

people said he was "whining"... his proposals were mostly rejected.. so, he adapted and his D is as good as ever...

there's room on the bandwagon, 'Gun...

Haha ... you right about this. I'd forgotten about that. And I was one of the ones saying for him to quit whining SMH.

The power of the Dark Side ... more difficult to resist it has become ******

[sleepy dawg]

They'll always tweak the rules to have higher scoring games. They have in NFL too. People like offense and big plays.

I think that plays more to casual fans than die-hards. I think most die-hard fans would prefer more evenly matched games on both sides of the ball.

I also think playing into the casual fans helps ratings, but its only a short term gain. It hurts you in the long run. Casual fans will die out, and once the die-hards are alienated, the ratings will drop. I think this has already been seen in NASCAR, and I think it is starting to be seen in other sports as well. I can't back all this up, it's just my observation.

[Coursesuper]

No, the way the game was played is no more, unless there is elite elite talent playing at a very high level on both sides of the ball. The rules now absolutely favor the offense even down to the way penalties are administered.

[dawgday166]

Agree Super. Fanbase has grown a lot since 3 yds and a cloud has gone by wayside. A lot more females are fans now too. All the rules changes in last 20 years have favored offense. Offense is exciting to fans.

[ShotgunDawg]

Agree Super. Fanbase has grown a lot since 3 yds and a cloud has gone by wayside. A lot more females are fans now too. All the rules changes in last 20 years have favored offense. Offense is exciting to fans.

To a point, but I also think it decreases the intensity of the game when there is too much offense.

IMO, football is best when the winning team scores between 17-31 points. I don't like the 10-3 Alabama/LSU games & I hate the Big 12 style as well. When the winning team scores 17-31 points, it creates a situation of intensity on every snap & one mistake can cost the game.

[TUSK]

Alabama doesn't count because their talent level is so much superior to everyone they play.

Bama doesn't beat you schematically, which is what I referring to

that's fair... my bad...

[Coursesuper]

To a point, but I also think it decreases the intensity of the game when there is too much offense.

IMO, football is best when the winning team scores between 17-31 points. I don't like the 10-3 Alabama/LSU games & I hate the Big 12 style as well. When the winning team scores 17-31 points, it creates a situation of intensity on every snap & one mistake can cost the game.

Of course it does, when before the snap the defense is already on its heels, all they can do is chase. There is no real chess match between coordinators it's almost preordained what is going to have to be run at the snap by formation.

[dawgday166]

To a point, but I also think it decreases the intensity of the game when there is too much offense.

IMO, football is best when the winning team scores between 17-31 points. I don't like the 10-3 Alabama/LSU games & I hate the Big 12 style as well. When the winning team scores 17-31 points, it creates a situation of intensity on every snap & one mistake can cost the game.

I'm on board with that.