Winning Plays: Clemson

[SWC75]

Once again I’m going to chart our football games according to which team “won” each play. The idea is that you ask yourself what was the minimum acceptable result the team with the ball wanted and then, if they achieved at least that result, they “won” the play. If they didn’t, the other team “won” the play. I break down the results by the circumstances of the play: first down ruins, first down passes, same for second down, third down and fourth down. Then I look at each kicking play, penalties, turnovers, etc. The result is a total that shows if a team won by dominating play after play or by getting the big plays- turnovers, long gains, kick returns, blocked kicks, etc. it gives you a view of how the game was physically. It also gives you an idea of what areas we need to improve our recruiting. If we are losing a majority of the plays, look to the line of scrimmage. If we are not getting the big plays, look to the playmakers and the coach’s philosophy. The break-out allows us to see how we did in certain situations, such as first downs runs or passes.

Here is the scoring system I’ve been using: On a play from scrimmage, the team with the ball is trying to either get a first down or a touchdown, (the latter being the only goal if it is a “goal to go” situation). If they get 1/3 of the way to those goals, (rounding the goal up), on first down they have “won the play because if they gained that amount of yardage three times in a row, they’d keep the ball for another series of down or they’d score. On second down they want to get halfway to their goal. On third or fourth down, they want to obtain the goal because if they don’t, they’d have to surrender the ball or settle for a lesser goal, (a field goal instead of a touchdown). If the offense doesn’t win the play, then the defense won the play.

On place kicks, it’s simple: if the kicking team scored the field the field goal or extra point, they won the play. On kick-offs, since touchbacks go out to the 25, any kickoff that ends with the receiving team having the ball no farther in than the 25 yards line is a win for the kicking team. Anything beyond that is a win for the receiving team. On a punt, the touchback comes out to the 20 so any punt that results in the other team getting the ball no further rout than their 20 is a win for the punting team. Also, any punt that gains the kicking at least 40 yards in field positon is a win for them. I’m not interested in how far the punt travels. I’m interested in where the other team will star their next play. Kick-offs after a safety will be judged as if they were punts. You want to get the ball at least a net 40 yards downfield. Ifg it’s within the 25, you obviously did that.

Turnovers are, obviously wins for the defense. This year I’ve decided to list them under the circumstances of the play, that is if it was a second down running play and there is a fumble, I’ll put “fumble” under “2R”, rather than listing it on a separate line under turnovers. It will be a lost play of the offense counted under second down running plays.

Sacks are counted as passing plays. “Victory” plays are wins for the team with the ball because they are just trying to get the clock moving so it will run out.

Penalties will be counted as plays under the circumstances of the play. If they negate a play or are tacked onto it, it’s part of the result of the play. A gain negated by an offside penalty is a -5 play. A 20 yard run turned into a 10 yard loss by a clip is a -10 play7. If you jump offside on second down and they blow the play dead, I’ll assume it was a passing play if it was at least second and five unless the play-by play says otherwise. Within 5 yards, I’ll assume it was a running play. If it was first down, I’ll assume a run, third or fourth down I’ll assume a pass, again unless it says otherwise. If it was a penalty not associated with a play, (unsportsmanlike conduct, etc. I’ll list it using the same assumptions about down and distance.

Beginning with the FLORIDA STATE game, I’m making one change in my evaluation of a winning play. If a team punts in the opposition’s territory, they are clearly looking to pin them down near their goal line and would at a touchback as a failure so a punt that produces a net change of less than 30 yards and results in a touchback will be a lost play. I’m not going to look back through all the plays in the other games I’ve analyzed and redo them but from now on less than thirty yards with a touchback is a lost play.

Glossary:

KICKS
KO = Kickoffs I’ll just list where the ball wound up, unless it was a TD or turnover.
P = Punts. I’ll list the net distance and where the ball wound up, unless it was a TD or turnover.
FG= Field Goal attempts. I’ll list the distance and ‘G’ (good) or ‘NG” (no good)
XP= Extra Points. Just G or NG unless it’s not from the normal distance due to a penalty. The penalty will be listed as a separate attempt (-5, -10, -15, etc) and lost play for the kicking team.

SCRIMMAGE PLAYS
I’ll list the yardage gained or lost and put the yards needed for a first down or touchdown in parenthesis if other than 10, unless there is no gain or a loss, which would be a win for the defesne regardless of the yardage needed..
1r = First down rushing play.
1p= First down passing play.
Same for second down, (2r, 2p), third down (3r,3p) and fourth down (4r,4p)
I = Incomplete pass
INT = interception
FUM = fumble
TD = touchdown
P = penalty
S = sack
V= “Victory” play

When SYRACUSE had the ball:

KO: CL 25,CL 20, CL 25, CL 27, CL 14, CL 15
Total: Syracuse 5 Clemson 1
P: 45 (CL25), 45 (CL 30), 45 (CL 15), 44 (CL 39) 47 (CL 39), 43 (CL 20)
Total: Syracuse 6 Clemson 0
FG: Blocked, 48 Good, 29 Good
Total: Syracuse 2 Clemson 1
XP: Good, Good, Good
Total: Syracuse 3 Clemson 0

Kicking plays total: Syracuse 16 Clemson 2

1r FUM, -2, 28TD, 1, 14, -1, 2, 10TD, 2, 3, -2, 7, 11, 4, 30, 12TD, -13P, 1, 51, 2
Total: Syracuse 10 Clemson 11
1p I, 15, I, I, 17, I
Total: Syracuse 2 Clemson 4
First Down Total: Syracuse 12 Clemson 15
2r 9(9), 3(8), 6(7), 3, 0, -3, 1(14), -1, 11(10)
Total: Syracuse 3 Clemson 6
2p I, I, 2(8), 1(9), 7(8), I
Total: Syracuse 1 Clemson 5
Second Down Total: Syracuse 4 Clemson 11
3r 42(6), -5, 3(15), -3
Total: Syracuse 1 Clemson 3
3p 2(12), I, -5P, 8, I, I, -10P, -5P, I, 28(11), I, I
Total: Syracuse 1 Clemson 11
Third Down Total: Syracuse 2 Clemson 14
4r None
Total: Syracuse 0 Clemson 0
4p +15P
Total: Syracuse 1 Clemson 0
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 1 Clemson 0

Total on running plays: Syracuse 14 Clemson 20
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 5 Clemson 20
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 19 Clemson 40

Game total when SYRACUSE had the ball: Syracuse 35 Clemson 42


When CLEMSON had the ball:

KO: SU 25, SU 30, SU 25, SU 25, SU 23, SU 24, SU 25, SU 35
Total: Syracuse 2 Clemson 6
P: 34 (SU44), 35 (SU41), 33(SU 3)
Total: Syracuse 2 Clemson 1
FG: 38 Good, 31 Good, 42 Good
Total: Syracuse 0 Clemson 3
XP: Good, Good, Good, Good
Total: Syracuse 0 Clemson 4

Kicking plays total: Syracuse 4 Clemson 14

1r 11TD, 6(9), FUM, 2, 2, 4, 24, 6, 0, 2, 2, 2, -10P, 3(20), 2, 39, 3, 4, -4, -1V
Total: Syracuse 12 Clemson 8
1p 64, -2, 9, FUM, 9, 17, 9, 4TD, 12, I, 16, 5, 1, 2, 11, I, 5, 6, 9, 1, 14
Total: Syracuse 7 Clemson 14
First Down Total: Syracuse 19 Clemson 22
2r 3TD, 4(1), 2, 2(5), 2(9), 9(8), 9, 6(4), 0, -5P, 8(11), -1V
Total: Syracuse 5 Clemson 7
2p I, I, 5(8), 5(1), 13(8), 8(6), 40TD, 7, 12, I, I, 1(17), 7(5), I, 10(9), 6(7), I
Total: Syracuse 7 Clemson 10
Second Down Total: Syracuse 12 Clemson 17
3r 4(1), -5P, 16(17), 1(1), +32P, -1, 0, 7(1), +10P, 17(19)
Total: Syracuse 5 Clemson 5
3p +5P, 11(7), -5P, I, -9P), I, 16(3), I, INT, I, -5P
Total: Syracuse 8 Clemson 3
Third Down Total: Syracuse 13 Clemson 8
4r 14(2), +5P
Total: Syracuse 0 Clemson 2
4p None
Total: Syracuse 0 Clemson 0
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 0 Clemson 2

Total on running plays: Syracuse 22 Clemson 22
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 22 Clemson 27
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 44 Clemson 49

Game total when CLEMSON had the ball: Syracuse 48 Clemson 63

Overall Game Total Syracuse 83 Clemson 105

Comment: We again competed well with a highly ranked team, in this case the highest ranked team. And we had a shot at beating a #1 team for the second time in our history and didn’t get it. But the best team won. We got out-gained by 248 yards and “won” 22 fewer plays. But we put together our yards and plays well, especially in that 97 yard drive that closed us to within 24-31. It also helped that we haled them out of the end zone in the last 43 minutes of the game after giving up 4 touchdowns in the first 17 minutes. We competed well on defense, winning 19 first down plays, 12 on second down and 13 on third down. We also turned them away at the line of scrimmage in key situations. One thing that held us back, (besides the refs), was our inability to covert third downs, especially third down passes (1-11, the one being Mahoney’s pass out of our end zone). We actually averaged nearly as many yards per play, (5.9 vs. 6.8) but got off only 55 plays to their 84 because of our inability to convert third downs.

 

[SWC75]

SEASON TOTALS

When SYRACUSE had the ball:

KO: Syracuse 42 Opponent 10
P: Syracuse 43 Opponent 10
FG: Syracuse 14 Opponent 6
XP: Syracuse 32 Opponent 1

Kicking plays total: Syracuse 131 Opponent 27

1r Syracuse 86 Opponent 111
1p Syracuse 54 Opponent 45
First Down Total: Syracuse 140 Opponent 156
2r Syracuse 48 Opponent 52
2p Syracuse 39 Opponent 63
Second Down Total: Syracuse 87 Opponent 115
3r Syracuse 25 Opponent 33
3p Syracuse 28 Opponent 65
Third Down Total: Syracuse 53 Opponent 98
4r Syracuse 9 Opponent 5
4p Syracuse 3 Opponent 2
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 12 Opponent 7

Total on running plays: Syracuse 168 Opponent 201
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 124 Opponents 175
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 292 Opponent 376

Game total when SYRACUSE had the ball: Syracuse 423 Opponent 403

When THE OPPONENT had the ball:

KO: Syracuse 15 Opponent 37
P: Syracuse 18 Opponent 29
FG: Syracuse 5 Opponent 16
XP: Syracuse 0 Opponent 36

Kicking plays total: Syracuse 38 Opponent 118

1r Syracuse 102 Opponent 103
1p Syracuse 56 Opponent 75
First Down Total: Syracuse 158 Opponent 178
2r Syracuse 49 Opponent 73
2p Syracuse 62 Opponent 66
Second Down Total: Syracuse 111 Opponent 139
3r Syracuse 24 Opponent 27
3p Syracuse 67 Opponent 38
Third Down Total: Syracuse 91 Opponent 65
4r Syracuse 1 Opponent 4
4p Syracuse 2 Opponent 6
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 3 Opponent 10

Total on running plays: Syracuse 176 Opponent 207
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 187 Opponent 185
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 363 Opponent 392

Game total when our OPPONENT had the ball: Syracuse 401 Opponent 510

Overall game total: Syracuse 824 Opponent 913

Comments: On a season basis, the defense has done worse than the offense by a good margin but the difference is the kicking game. Say what you want about kicking plays, they are the easiest to execute in such a way that you get what you desired and thus favor the kicking team by quite a margin. In scrimmage plays, we’ve lost both sides of the ball. We are minus 84 on offense, meaning that 84 fewer offensive plays have been successful for us than have been stopped by the defense. On defense, the opposition has been successful in 29 more plays than we’ve been able to stop. Still, that’s better than the offense. Those NCAA numbers, which now show us 105th in the country in total defense but 119th in offense are not deceiving: as bad as our defense has been, the offense is actually a worse problem. We see the talents of our young players but we haven’t taken advantage of them.

 

[SWC75]

Historical Winning Plays

(Game totals only)

2011
Syracuse 101 Wake Forest 87
Syracuse 92 Rhode Island 65
Syracuse 75 USC 90
Syracuse 96 Toledo 88
Syracuse 103 Rutgers 99
Syracuse 79 Tulane 99
Syracuse 90 West Virginia 84
Syracuse 74 Louisville 83
Syracuse 84 Connecticut 86
Syracuse 92 South Florida 106
Syracuse 83 Cincinnati 104
Syracuse 87 Pittsburgh 93
TOTAL: Syracuse 1,056 Opponents 1,117

2012
Syracuse 105 Northwestern 116
Syracuse 92 USC 98
Syracuse 93 Stony Brook 82
Syracuse 82 Minnesota 95
Syracuse 85 Pittsburgh 76
Syracuse 93 Rutgers 73
Syracuse 103 Connecticut 70
Syracuse 115 South Florida 92
Syracuse 96 Cincinnati 122
Syracuse 103 Louisville 86
Syracuse 92 Missouri 98
Syracuse 98 Temple 81
Syracuse 105 West Virginia 82
TOTAL: Syracuse 1,262 Opponents 1,171

2013
Syracuse 75 Penn State 113
Syracuse 92 Northwestern 114
Syracuse 115 Wagner 52
Syracuse 107 Tulane 76
Syracuse 64 Clemson 136
Syracuse 111 N C State 85
Syracuse 46 Georgia Tech 113
Syracuse 108 Wake Forest 81
Syracuse 92 Maryland 88
Syracuse 55 Florida State 104
Syracuse 80 Pittsburgh 96
Syracuse 100 Boston College 87
Syracuse 99 Minnesota 79
TOTAL: Syracuse 1,144 Opponents 1,224

2014
Syracuse 91 Villanova 103
Syracuse 99 Central Michigan 76
Syracuse 91 Maryland 91
Syracuse 71 Notre Dame 114
Syracuse 71 Louisville 100
Syracuse 80 Florida State 101
Syracuse 86 Wake Forest 77
Syracuse 75 Clemson 102
Syracuse 92 N C State 101
Syracuse 78 Duke 98
Syracuse 46 Pittsburgh 114
Syracuse 72 Boston College 78
TOTAL: Syracuse 952 Opponents 1,155

2015
Syracuse 96 Rhode Island 56
Syracuse 83 Wake Forest 83
Syracuse 84 Central Michigan 91
Syracuse 84 Louisiana State 89
Syracuse 80 South Florida 93
Syracuse 86 Virginia 97
Syracuse 70 Pittsburgh 89
Syracuse 84 Florida State 100
Syracuse 74 Louisville 110
Syracuse 83 Clemson 105
TOTAL: Syracuse 824 Opponents 913