http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=tb-spring041208&prov=yhoo&type=lgns Terry Bowden's analysis articles on Top 10 teams and most important statistical categories has some surprises such as "QB performance is not that important". The most important stats are (in order of importance): 1. Rush Defense 2. Scoring Defense 3. Total Defense 4. Pass efficiency Defense Truly, Defense wins championships per the article and analysis. The rule of thumb on offense is balance, good but not necessarily great. 5. Turnover Margin (2:1 ratio required to be a top 10 team) QB efficiency and kicking did not play an important part. LSU's chances for repeat in 2008 seem a lot brighter!
#2 should be #1. because if you rush the ball from your own 1 to the opponents 1, and fumble on 10 possessions...you have 990 yds rushing but 0 pts. and trust me...if you score 0 pts on any team i'm pulling for...i guarantee a win 100% of the time!
I hear ya, dog! It all works out. Just dat I'm saying 1. LSU will have the best run-stopping defense since 2003 with Alexander back in full strength. 2. LSU will have the best scoring defense since 2003 also. 3. Even with some holes in the secondary, we're loaded with athletes and this is THE TRUE KEY to winning, along with sound coaching schemes. 4. LSU should give up far less yards on the ground and in the air this year and be at the Top in TOTAL DEFENSE. 5. The real key this year will be TURNOVER MARGIN. Can LSU produce another great year in stats with a 2:1 turnover margin ratio with Pellini now at Nebraska? I don't know if the current coaches can pull it off, but we'd better hope so, because this will be the true measure of our season, especially in the big games. This was Ohio State's weakness these past years, along with drawing an SEC Champion for the big BCS show. STATISTICS SUCK IF YOU'RE OSU AND HAVE THE POOR TURNOVER MARGIN THAT THEY DO. I simply do not see how these media clowns can write off this LSU team and send us out of the preseason TOP 10 just because of the RP incident and inexperience at QB. Even LSU fans are expecting 3 or 4 losses. These fans just do not understand the force behind the game. The driving force is measured in these statistics, boring as they are to try and read through and understand. The 2008 Tigers will show: 2003 Saban-type defensive statistics this year. A solid ground game with almost zero turnovers. A sound passing game with Byrd & Dixon leading and LaFell along with some super frosh getting time. A sound coaching game day play calling performance by Crowton And, most important of all, I see a defense that wouldn't let last year's Hogs score more than 14 points late in the year. EVERYONE has written off LSU in 2008, but only because we won it all in 2007 and they perceive us as "Lukky"! And suits us just fine! When LSU starts "tanning hides" and suffocating teams early with a Killer Defense and respectable offensive production, they will all jump on the wagon again, because we are now COLLEGE FB's #1 PROGRAM. :crystal:1959:crystal:2003:crystal:2007 and one on the way
Well we know you are an LSU fan.:grin: Pretty broad and bold predictions. I agree our defense will be great but we still need to get these fresh DBs and LBs before I can say we will give up less passing yards. At least we know Miles would be happy with Zero TOs.
My stats teacher used to say there are lies, dirty lies, and statistics. His basic point was you can make statistics say whatever you want. Didn't OSU have the statistically best defense last year? Of course we all know how that turned out, and the stats were skewed because they played such a weak schedule. I'm loving your predictions, but lay off the kool aid! Our defense was going to be the greatest in the history of CFB last year, but injuries and playing in the SEC will hurt any stats! :geauxtige
Don't listen to them Lou...keep drinking the Kool-Aid! I'm on a Kool-Aid only diet this year. Let's go into this year believing it will be the best in LSU history, and keep believing it until someone proves us wrong. These naysayers are going to kill themselves worrying all the time! :hihi: Great posts by the way...
Not worried a bit, :milesmic: is still here! Didn't mean to come off that way, I am definitely excited about this season.
Wow, I didn't realize we held the ball so damn long. I was also surprised at WVU and Kansas. That was one of the best comparison charts I've seen in quite a while. View attachment 11110
If you think that excessive penalties are the road to ruin – then get ready for another shock. The top three teams in the country – LSU, Georgia and Southern Cal – are ranked 117th, 85th, and 111th respectively in fewest penalties per game. Ouch! On further study, I bet most of these penalties would be on the defensive side of the ball and would be associated with what I call “aggression penalties.” Great teams generally play defense with reckless abandon. How much were penalties harped on last season on this board? This was a interesting snippet from the article. And who will join me now in predicting that Kansas was a one-trick pony? Or, will they just become the Kansas State of the 90's, who beat the tar out of cupcakes for most of the season, then beat one or two Big 12 giants a year, but never went farther than a random BCS bowl?
