By the numbers - not winning in the margins
- Thread starter cycloneworld
- Start date
Yep. He's mad their offense is actually worse than ours and they almost got owned by Colorado (State).
FWIW it's worth I'm pretty sure ISU had a similar story with their stats early last year, and in years past under Campbell. They point to a good team that's close but isn't firing all cylinders yet for whatever reason.
To be fair. Alabama really struggled in special teams in the early Nick Saban years. They missed FGs left and right, gave up Kickoffs for TDs regularly and had mediocre punting. They finally figured it out, so there is hope for the Campbell Regime!
Last edited:
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Piling on, McFarland's offenses in the Chizik years piled up yards between the 20s.
It's a meaningless stat without points on the scoreboard.
Yards per play of less than 2 is still impressive and it really isn't affected by field possession unless you consistently got the ball inside the 5 yard line.
It doesn't happen very often that teams that outgain other teams 2 to 1 and hold the other teams to under 2 yards per play lose. So there has to be something else in play. That is pretty obvious.
Besides I guess when he said "hard to lose" I read it as more like that is a tough way to lose.
I have no stats to back this up but there is no way there are any other even semi-successful programs that have had the issues with kickoffs and punt returns that we've had in the Campbell era.
I guess phrasing really matters. Identifying something “in the margin” implies that it’s not a focus; it’s not really part of the main picture, and thus it doesn’t command the same attention.
Special Teams is 33% of the recipe for success in football. If it’s being treated as a margin item, then we can expect it to underwhelm.
In fact, our ceiling is 67% of our potential if we neglect that third completely. What we thought was a 10-12 win season very well may become a 6-8 win season. It makes sense.
Special Teams is 33% of the recipe for success in football. If it’s being treated as a margin item, then we can expect it to underwhelm.
In fact, our ceiling is 67% of our potential if we neglect that third completely. What we thought was a 10-12 win season very well may become a 6-8 win season. It makes sense.
Source
College Football Stats - College FB Team Opponent Gross Punt Yards per Game | TeamRankings.com
College Football opponent gross punt yards per game, by team.
Iowa State Stats
Opponent Gross Punt Yards per Game
2021: Rank #116 @ 303.7 YPG
2020: Rank #78 @ 198.4 YPG
2019: Rank #100 @ 223.8 YPG
2018: Rank #79 @ 210.4 YPG
Team Gross Punt Yards per Game
2021: Rank #109 @ 146 YPG
2020: Rank #95 @ 159.5 YPG
2019: Rank #98 @ 173.2 YPG
2018: Rank #97 @ 177.4 YPG
Turnover Margin Per game
2021: Rank #119 @ -1.3
2020: Rank #44 @ +.02
2019: Rank #78 @ -0.2
2018: Rank #78 @ -0.2
Penalties per Game
2021: Rank #18 @ 4.7
2020: Rank #30 @ 5.1
2019: Rank #14 @ 4.7
2018: Rank #33 @ 5.0
Penalty Yards per Game
2021: Rank #10 @ 34.0
2020: Rank #24 @ 42.6
2019: Rank #6 @ 37.2
2018: Rank #17 @ 41.8
In my opinion, I wouldn't even bother punting.
aside from ST play, my two biggest margin gripes are...
1-going under center for two and passing instead of handing it off to a guy averaging 7 yds per carry
2-the way CMC answered the question about why we did that
Even if I support the "he's the coach theory", this was the first time I thought he was a **** for answering the way he did. He's not Nick Sabin where when he does something, we all just accept it. When you've lost two games you were supposed to win, people with judge you...and question your play calling.
1-going under center for two and passing instead of handing it off to a guy averaging 7 yds per carry
2-the way CMC answered the question about why we did that
Even if I support the "he's the coach theory", this was the first time I thought he was a **** for answering the way he did. He's not Nick Sabin where when he does something, we all just accept it. When you've lost two games you were supposed to win, people with judge you...and question your play calling.
To use a phrase Jeff Woody uses, "let's call a spade a spade" people need to call out questionable / terrible play calling.
Thanks for posting ... Oh yeah, that comment. Now I realize I had read that somewhere on CF, couldn't recall it was response to that Q.
A bit dismissive, to say the least. ... I guess if ISU did under-center 40% of the time, it'd be a silly question - but we rarely do (although we do see it occasionally inside the 5, I think).
They are going to question everything you do. (This board is proof positive of that.) That doesn't mean that you have to listen to it or take that questioning into account as you make decisions in the future.
Love this staff, but they have some shortcomings. Look, they had 7 false starts in one game (Alamo Bowl). SEVEN!!!!! How is that even possible? You would think after 4 of them, that would be it, no if ands buts about it, that should have been it, it should have been corrected. But no, they went on to commit 5, 6, and 7. Cut the false starts from 7 to 6 and win that game, but we couldn't even do that. My point is there is going to be certain things about this staff that are going to drive us nuts, they do not win in margins at the rate of similar coaches like Bill Snyder, Frank Beamer, and Kirk.
I thought there was some talk that the WSU front seven was simulating the snap during that game but it was never called.
Yes, this is exactly right. Add to this that the mistakes are so similar game to game and even year to year it makes it even more baffling.
