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[QUOTE="kingottoiii, post: 382703"]
This is more complex but we should be looking at our opponent's averages.
 
For instance UConn:
 
1st down rushes they average 2.55 ypc. So if they get 3 yards they are above their average. Shouldn't that be a W for them? 2nd down rushes they average 3.48 ypc. So if they get 4 yards they are above average. Shouldn't that be a W for them? In this case they would have a 3rd and 3. 
 
1st down passing they average 7.07 ypc. So shouldn't holding them to 6 yards be a W? Yes it makes it more difficult to W on 2nd down by having it be 2nd and 4. However in this day and age forcing a 2nd down is half the battle. Plus if they run the ball there then on average they will have a 3rd down. 
 
Which I think is the point of my original post. SWC is using the old benchmarks where teams had a goal on first down to get into a decent 2nd down. And on 2nd down to have a makable 3rd down. That just isn't the way the game is played anymore. The goal now on 1st down is to get a bunch of yards. The goal on 2nd down is to avoid 3rd downs all together. So shouldn't we change our benchmarks? Is 4 yards on 1st down really a victory for an O when the national average on 1st down is a 4.75 yard rush? When the national average on 1st down is 7.75 yards per pass should we be happy with 7 yards? Especially when SU's average pass on first down goes for 9.01? How can a below average play be a victory?
 
Obviously you need to change the benchmarks for the given talent of each team. That is only fair. UConn stinks on O so a W for them should be a 3 yard rush on first down. But for Oregon that would be a loss, as they average 6 ypc on first downs.
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