4th down low hanging fruit

[Millhouse]

we're 1st in 4th down attempts and conversions

our yards per play rankings are 83 on offense and 51 on defense.

our yards per game rankings are 28 on offense and 38 on defense.

i don't have time right now to rank every team in combined measures for ypp and ypg but you can see the difference.

take note meatheads. not turning it over by punting means you gain more yards on offense and give up less on defense.

eventually this team will be much better in yards per play. if they keep their foot on the gas with 4th downs, look out

after talking about this stuff for 15-20 years, it's nice to actually see it

 

[Scooch]

Your math scares and frightens me. I will retreat to my warm coccoon of field position.

 

[texascpa]

I know the low ypp worries people, but keep in mind Babers philosophy of number of plays - plays 78, 79, 80 the defense starts breaking down from exhaustion. Short, quick plays puts us in that position.

 

[TexanMark]

Your math scares and frightens me. I will retreat to my warm coccoon of field position.

I always get a warm and fuzzy feeling punting on 4th and 1 from the opposing team's 37 yard line. It is a beautiful thing watching the punt fall harmlessly in the end zone.

 

[PhatOrange]

I always get a warm and fuzzy feeling punting on 4th and 1 from the opposing team's 37 yard line. It is a beautiful thing watching the punt fall harmlessly in the end zone.

I watched teams punt from the 37-40 yard line this weekend and I pointed that out to the person next to me as one of the reasons why we love Dino.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

The other effect going for it on fourth down has, especially when you convert, is that it shoots time of possession through the rough. There's a reason our defense is only playing 60 plays per game. We're not particularly explosive, but we can consistently move the ball.

 

[HoustonCuse]

One thing I'd like to see more of is rapid (meaning automatic) decisions to go for it on 4th down in certain circumstances. Like say ball between 45 - 35 yd line and 3 or less yds to go. Absolutely bum rush back to the line of scrimmage and snap it before the other team even knows what is happening. I have seen them quick quick a 4th down snap once or twice, but to be able to do that would be completely disruptive. 90% of defensive players think their job is over after that 3rd down stop. Before they can even look up, we've got a guy diving past the marker.

 

[Geode]

I always get a warm and fuzzy feeling punting on 4th and 1 from the opposing team's 37 yard line. It is a beautiful thing watching the punt fall harmlessly in the end zone.

I'm with Mark, I thought punting from there was a time honored Syracuse tradition...

 

[Millhouse]

One thing I'd like to see more of is rapid (meaning automatic) decisions to go for it on 4th down in certain circumstances. Like say ball between 45 - 35 yd line and 3 or less yds to go. Absolutely bum rush back to the line of scrimmage and snap it before the other team even knows what is happening. I have seen them quick quick a 4th down snap once or twice, but to be able to do that would be completely disruptive. 90% of defensive players think their job is over after that 3rd down stop. Before they can even look up, we've got a guy diving past the marker.

when they do try to do that and the ACC refs always bone them, it drives me nuts

 

[Millhouse]

I know the low ypp worries people, but keep in mind Babers philosophy of number of plays - plays 78, 79, 80 the defense starts breaking down from exhaustion. Short, quick plays puts us in that position.

they grind out a lot of 4 yard plays but they're simple tosses to WR instead of handoffs to heavy guys. success rates really should be a part of this but i don't have good data on that, it's fuzzier, ypp usually tells enough of the story.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

I always get a warm and fuzzy feeling punting on 4th and 1 from the opposing team's 37 yard line. It is a beautiful thing watching the punt fall harmlessly in the end zone.

Hey, we gain 17 yards with that play! Way better than our meager YPP average right now!

 

[upperdeck]

Oline looks to have taken a baby step.. Still need to be more consistent in true running play spots.. we ran several plays fri where the D wasnt even looking and struggled to gain yds.. When we start getting the run play avg up to near normal numbers the rest will take off , then we can run plays at a tempo and force the Safeties up to expose them to over the top plays.

 

[SWC75]

We are now 12 for 12 running the ball on 4th and 1. We are 0 for 1 on shovel passes.

 

[CuseGrad94]

we're 1st in 4th down attempts and conversions

our yards per play rankings are 83 on offense and 51 on defense.

our yards per game rankings are 28 on offense and 38 on defense.

i don't have time right now to rank every team in combined measures for ypp and ypg but you can see the difference.

take note meatheads. not turning it over by punting means you gain more yards on offense and give up less on defense.

eventually this team will be much better in yards per play. if they keep their foot on the gas with 4th downs, look out

after talking about this stuff for 15-20 years, it's nice to actually see it

Of everything on the board I have enjoyed over the years, nothing entertains me more than to hear Millhouse talk about "Meatheads". I LOL every single time I read it, and now every time I see Addazio at BC on my TV I immediately think "Meathead" and start chuckling. I saw Pellini Saturday coaching at Youngstown St...thought "MEATHEAD"... Thanks Millhouse!

 

[Finwad32]

I know the low ypp worries people, but keep in mind Babers philosophy of number of plays - plays 78, 79, 80 the defense starts breaking down from exhaustion. Short, quick plays puts us in that position.

Not only that, but when you run 30+ more plays than the opposition, averaging .2 less ypp really means nothing.

 

[BuffOrange]

It takes courage to do what's right when the praise/criticism ratio is so awful. Every announcer ever is a meathead, which I guess our school is to blame for as much as anyone. Dave Pasch almost fainted when ASU opted to try to clinch a win with 3 yards over punting from UW's 37. Also "Good thing __ went on 4th down and got those 4 more points in the 1st Qtr" is something that's never been said on any broadcast ever.

 

[FrancoPizza]

There's a reason our defense is only playing 60 plays per game. We're not particularly explosive, but we can consistently move the ball.

Here's what I'm wondering... as we become more explosive on offense, the number of plays we run may drop somewhat right? Then again it might cancel out if it means we're punting less. Idk.

 

[Millhouse]

using gosu96's approach of totalling up the rankings on offense and defense, and then ranking that total

yards per game o+d = 19th
yards per play o+d = 67th

look at what not being stupid on 4th down can do.

 

[Millhouse]

we might not actually be that good - central connecticut might skew it even though other teams played patsies too.

 

[Toga]

One thing I'd like to see more of is rapid (meaning automatic) decisions to go for it on 4th down in certain circumstances. Like say ball between 45 - 35 yd line and 3 or less yds to go. Absolutely bum rush back to the line of scrimmage and snap it before the other team even knows what is happening. I have seen them quick quick a 4th down snap once or twice, but to be able to do that would be completely disruptive. 90% of defensive players think their job is over after that 3rd down stop. Before they can even look up, we've got a guy diving past the marker.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[SUFan44]

we might not actually be that good - central connecticut might skew it even though other teams played patsies too.

I'd say the skew is more than made up for by playing at LSU, at NC State and Clemson.

 

[TheCusian]

We are average on O and D. But we have the better QB in most matchups and a coach who takes good chances. We're also unreal on 3rd down D. Really crazy.

 

[reedny]

I always get a warm and fuzzy feeling punting on 4th and 1 from the opposing team's 37 yard line. It is a beautiful thing watching the punt fall harmlessly in the end zone.

Swinney's approach isn't bad either (have the punter heave it). If it gets caught by a receiver, first down. If not, it's a punt. Low risk.

 

[TheCusian]

Swinney's approach isn't bad either (have the punter heave it). If it gets caught by a receiver, first down. If not, it's a punt. Low risk.

If it's incomplete, it's a 30-40 yards swing of field position.

 

[Millhouse]

If it's incomplete, it's a 30-40 yards swing of field position.

riley is the worst defensive back in SU history except for josh thomas

this is a very obscure reference to 2001