Would you rather... Solid D or a solid O?

[Rocco]

If given the choice, would you rather have our Syracuse team be:

A.) solid D and a below average O?

or

B.) solid O coupled with a below average D?

Just curious to see what everyone's preference would be.

I personally love watching stout defenses play, but I'd also like to see shootouts like the Big 12 has. I feel like our leaf-rakers would prefer a strong O over anything.

*** You cannot say both. ***

 

[Cuse'91]

If given the choice, would you rather have our Syracuse team be:

A.) solid D and an average O capable of scoring 21-28 points a game?

or

B.) solid O capable of putting up 42-49/game coupled with a lousy D?

Just curious to see what everyone's preference would be.

I personally love watching stout defenses play, but I'd also like to see shootouts like the Big 12 has. I feel like our leaf-rakers would prefer a strong O over anything.

*** You cannot say both. ***

I say B - I feel that losing a game but putting up 40 points would somehow make the loss more palatable? Does that make sense?
I know a loss is a loss, but...

 

[Franz69]

I'll take the solid O. I'd be thrilled if we copied the entire playbook from Oregon or TCU. I don't care. Do exactly what they do and see what happens. I'm desperate.

 

[Crusty]

If given the choice, would you rather have our Syracuse team be:

A.) solid D and an average O capable of scoring 21-28 points a game?

or

B.) solid O capable of putting up 42-49/game coupled with a lousy D?

Just curious to see what everyone's preference would be.

I personally love watching stout defenses play, but I'd also like to see shootouts like the Big 12 has. I feel like our leaf-rakers would prefer a strong O over anything.

*** You cannot say both. ***

A - but just barely. If it had been 30+ it would be a no-brainer for me.

 

[Upstate]

A. There's a reason Baylor hasn't been to the NCG, while Alabama and LSU have in past years.

 

[Nahson]

I'd say a solid O because saying I want a solid D makes me feel uncomfortable...


But seriously, I think having an offense who could put up 40+ points on a regular basis would be more entertaining for the casual fan (and for myself as well, though a defense who lights it up can be almost equally as exciting.) and maybe put a few more butts in these seats at home games, even with a losing record. Which would pay dividends when recruits come check us on on game day. I hate being up in buffalo, watching these home games, and seeing so many empty seats. It's frustrating.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

B, and that's the only winning answer for our program.

Rocco, I'm not saying your question is bad, but the fact that you defined "average" offense in this example as scoring 21-28 points a game is out of touch with today's reality in college football. Teams averaging between 28 and 21 points per game are ranked 79-105 among all 125 college football teams, right now.

Think about that - what passes for a perceived "average" offense on syracusefan.com is in reality below average to far below average.

I'm going to type this one more time, a different way - our offense, which is just .5 points away from being lumped in to the above definition of average offense at the lower bound at 20.5 points per game currently ranks 108th out of 125 college football teams.

The median offense this season averages just a hair over 30 points a game. That's the average offense. This is sloppy, but if we're talking bell curve that means an average offense actually ranges from 34 to 24 points a game.

Think about that everyone - 34 points per game is the upper bound of the real (sloppy) definition of average in college football today.

So that means, again, just to really hammer this home, that you could play an "average" offense with our cruddy offense that cranks out 21 points per game, and not only do we have to exactly hit that 21 points per game with no variation, we have to hold that opponent's "average" offense to two full touch downs below what they normally do in order to win.That is too much to ask of a defense.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS ABOUT @$#%IN' OFFENSE, PEOPLE

 

[OttoinGrotto]

A. There's a reason Baylor hasn't been to the NCG, while Alabama and LSU have in past years.

:bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang:

 

[Chip]

Offense.

And on defense, just blitz all the time, even if you're lining children up out there.

 

[anomander]

In today's college football you need to have a solid offense or you don't have a chance. Defense is hit and miss at most place, and optional at a few. You can win big with a good offense, but without one you are fighting and scraping for 6 wins every year.

 

[BlackKnight76]

B, I'd rather go down swinging when we lose then get shut out.

 

[tep624]

Option A all day long. I like to see fundamentally sound football on both sides of the ball.

Option B is the lipstick on a pig program - no thanks. I only want high scoring if we are in turn shutting people down on D as well, like Mich St. this year. (Except for the Oregon game! ) It's basically the inverse of what we have this year.

 

[Chris02M]

solid o because with the way officials throw flags for dbs breathing on the wrs on defense you are at the mercy of the officials

 

[Millhouse]

i think non factories have better luck with offensive consistency year in year out. so that's why i think about offense, especially with the dome.

there's nothing mathematically better about scoring a TD or preventing a TD. i just don't see that many non factories with consistent defenses. yeah stanford I know. there's always one example of whatever anyone wants. but there are more examples of offense.

i love when people talk about alabama. let's be like them

OP is framed a little weird. 28 points on defense is a lot more ordinary than 49 on offense. anyone that would prefer the former is a biased meathead

Edit sorry I misread the op forget I said the last part. Good question. I wonder about air raid practices hurting your defense

 

[anomander]

i think non factories have better luck with offensive consistency year in year out. so that's why i think about offense, especially with the dome.

there's nothing mathematically better about scoring a TD or preventing a TD. i just don't see that many non factories with consistent defenses. yeah stanford I know. there's always one example of whatever anyone wants. but there are more examples of offense.

i love when people talk about alabama. let's be like them

OP is framed a little weird. 28 points on defense is a lot more ordinary than 49 on offense. anyone that would prefer the former is a biased meathead

I know like Alabama and LSU's 5 star running backs were really struggling to run behind their 5 star offensive lineman. But that's only when their 5 star quarterbacks couldn't get their 5 star wide receivers the ball.

 

[Millhouse]

I know like Alabama and LSU's 5 star running backs were really struggling to run behind their 5 star offensive lineman. But that's only when their 5 star quarterbacks couldn't get their 5 star wide receivers the ball.

we should pool all our money and buy shafer a carport

 

[anomander]

we should pool all our money and buy shafer a carport

hahahah

 

[Rocco]

OttoinGrotto & Millhouse, let's take the numbers out of it. I should've known better than to include debatable points.

 

[Millhouse]

Usually "would you rather" involves much more disgusting choices

 

[qdawgg]

B, and that's the only winning answer for our program.

Rocco, I'm not saying your question is bad, but the fact that you defined "average" offense in this example as scoring 21-28 points a game is out of touch with today's reality in college football. Teams averaging between 28 and 21 points per game are ranked 79-105 among all 125 college football teams, right now.

Think about that - what passes for a perceived "average" offense on syracusefan.com is in reality below average to far below average.

I'm going to type this one more time, a different way - our offense, which is just .5 points away from being lumped in to the above definition of average offense at the lower bound at 20.5 points per game currently ranks 108th out of 125 college football teams.

The median offense this season averages just a hair over 30 points a game. That's the average offense. This is sloppy, but if we're talking bell curve that means an average offense actually ranges from 34 to 24 points a game.

Think about that everyone - 34 points per game is the upper bound of the real (sloppy) definition of average in college football today.

So that means, again, just to really hammer this home, that you could play an "average" offense with our cruddy offense that cranks out 21 points per game, and not only do we have to exactly hit that 21 points per game with no variation, we have to hold that opponent's "average" offense to two full touch downs below what they normally do in order to win.That is too much to ask of a defense.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS ABOUT @$#%IN' OFFENSE, PEOPLE

WHAT! There is no way I could have predicted this response

 

[orangepassion]

B-At least give me some points. That's why i want our next HC to be an Offensive guy (not saying we should fire Shafer-Just when we eventually have a new one).

 

[Chris02M]

B-At least give me some points. That's why i want our next HC to be an Offensive guy (not saying we should fire Shafer-Just when we eventually have a new one).

so in 1o years we should go for an offensive coach

 

[Opus]

Am I the only one who thought if we averaged 45 ppg our def would probably give up 50 ppg?

Btw I'll take Option A. Just like defensive football.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

OttoinGrotto & Millhouse, let's take the numbers out of it. I should've known better than to include debatable points.

Wouldn't matter. Take the offense.

Posted what I did to show how warped our understanding of offense is.

It's like when one of your friends is dating a crazy woman, and over time he starts getting familiar with the crazy and it feels normal to him. Not crazy starts to seem crazy to him, you know?

 

[Halo]

So you're saying would we rather have our team as is now, plus an extra field goal a game, which wouldn't help us in any of our losses, or have an offense that puts up 45 a game which is at least more than our opponents winning score in the losses...Gotta go with B since at least we know the offense would give us a chance. Unfortunately no matter how good you are on D, you don't get participation points just because.