Winning Plays - Virginia

[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.

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 paly 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: VA 25, VA 25, VA 25, VA 28, VA 25
Total: Syracuse 4 Virginia 1
P: 26 (VA12), 47 (VA 4)
Total: Syracuse 2 Virginia 1
FG: 48 No Good, 22 GOOD, 48 No Good
Total: Syracuse 1 Virginia 2
XP: GOOD, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD , GOOD
Total: Syracuse 5 Virginia 0

Kicking plays total: Syracuse 12 Virginia 3

1r +5P, 28, -6FUM, 3, 15, 3, 3, -1, -7, 0, 0, 1TD, 26TD, 5, 4, 7, 3(9), 2, -5P, -2, 7, +13P, 4
Total: Syracuse 11 Virginia 13
1p 12, 11, 3, I, I, +15P, 7, 21, 12TD
Total: Syracuse 6 Virginia 3
First Down Total: Syracuse 17 Virginia 16
2r 0, 15(7), 8(9), -2, 1(7), 13, 13(10, 0, 1(3), 1(6), 4(8), 2(3), -4
Total: Syracuse 5 Virginia 8
2p 3(7), 6(11), I, 6(3), -2S, 6(17), 7TD
Total: Syracuse2 Virginia 5
Second Down Total: Syracuse 7 Virginia 13
3r -15P, 6(5), 0, -7S-FUM-VA TD, 6, 14(2), 6(1)
Total: Syracuse 4 Virginia 3
3p 16(7), I, 11(12), +15P, 6(6), I, 19(4), I, -6S
Total: Syracuse 4 Virginia 5
Third Down Total: Syracuse 8 Virginia 8
4r -4, 15(4)
Total: Syracuse 1 Virginia 1
4p none
Total: none
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 1 Virginia 1

Total on running plays: Syracuse 21 Virginia 25
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 12 Virginia 13
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 33 Virginia 38

Game total when SYRACUSE had the ball: Syracuse 45 Virginia 41

When VIRGINIA had the ball:

KO: SU 25, SU 25, SU 24, SU 25
Total: Syracuse 0 Virginia 4
P: 29 (SU20), 13 (VA31), 42 (SU49), 29 (SU20)
Total: Syracuse 1 Virginia 3
FG: 25 GOOD
Total: Syracuse 0 Virginia 1
XP: GOOD, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD
Total: Syracuse 0 Virginia 5

Kicking plays total: Syracuse 1 Virginia 13

1r 4, -2, 2, -3, 18, 5, -1V, 1, 9, 2, 1, 0, 9, 3, 0, 1, -5P, 3, 6, -15P, 4, 7, 13, 12, 8, -1
Total: Syracuse 14 Virginia 12
1p 20, I, I, 10, 19, I, 0, I, 12, 6, I
Total: Syracuse 6 Virginia 5
First Down Total: Syracuse 20 Virginia 17
2r -8P, 1(12), 2(8), -4-FUM SU TD, 7, 4 (5), 4 (9), 6 (1), 7 (9), 1 (1), 8 (7), -1, 5 (3), 3 (2), 3TD
Total: Syracuse 6 Virginia 9
2p 4 (14), 9, I, 5 (8), 19, I, 9 (9), I, I, 1 (4), 12 (4), -1S, I
Total: Syracuse 8 Virginia 5
Second Down Total: Syracuse 14 Virginia 14
3r 7 (11), 5 (1), 11TD, 2TD
Total: Syracuse 1 Virginia 3
3p 3, I, 6(3), INT, 8 (5), -12S, 2(2), 22 (10), +15P, 7(7), I, 5, 36TD
Total: Syracuse 5 Virginia 8
Third Down Total: Syracuse 6 Virginia 11
4r none
Total: none
4p 11 (3)
Total: Syracuse 0 Virginia 1
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 0 Virginia 1

Total on running plays: Syracuse 21 Virginia 24
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 19 Virginia 19
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 40 Virginia 43

Game total when VIRGINIA had the ball: Syracuse 41 Virginia 56

Overall game total: Syracuse 86 Virginia 97

Comment: In this game, the stats were pretty even down the line, except that we could have done better against them on third down. I do note that 5 of their last 6 first down runs were successful plays for them: 4, 7, 13, 12, 8, -1 and 9 of their last 11 second down runs were: 7, 4(5), 4(9), 6(1), 7(9), 1(1), 8(7), -1, 5(3), 3(2), 3TD. Before those plays we were 13-7 on first down runs and 4-1 on second won runs. They clearly wore us down, aided by the offense’s failure to keep the ball and add to the lead.

 

[SWC75]

SEASON TOTALS

When SYRACUSE had the ball:

KO: Syracuse 27 Opponent 6
P: Syracuse 23 Opponent 4
FG: Syracuse 9 Opponent 4
XP: Syracuse 22 Opponent 1

Kicking plays total: Syracuse 81 Opponent 15
1r Syracuse 54 Opponent 68
1p Syracuse 38 Opponent 25
First Down Total: Syracuse 92 Opponent 93
2r Syracuse 33 Opponent 35
2p Syracuse 23 Opponent 29
Second Down Total: Syracuse 56 Opponent 64
3r Syracuse 16 Opponent 21
3p Syracuse 20 Opponent 30
Third Down Total: Syracuse 36 Opponent 51
4r Syracuse 7 Opponent 4
4p Syracuse 0 Opponent 0
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 7 Opponent 4

Total on running plays: Syracuse 110 Opponent 128
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 81 Opponents 84
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 191 Opponent 212

Game total when SYRACUSE had the ball: Syracuse 272 Opponent 227

When THE OPPONENT had the ball:

KO: Syracuse 7 Opponent 20
P: Syracuse 12 Opponent 18
FG: Syracuse 3 Opponent 7
XP: Syracuse 0 Opponent 19

Kicking plays total: Syracuse 22 Opponent 64

1r Syracuse 67 Opponent 55
1p Syracuse 32 Opponent 39
First Down Total: Syracuse 99 Opponent 94
2r Syracuse 27 Opponent 45
2p Syracuse 38 Opponent 35
Second Down Total: Syracuse 65 Opponent 80
3r Syracuse 13 Opponent 13
3p Syracuse 40 Opponent 26
Third Down Total: Syracuse 53 Opponent 39
4r Syracuse 1 Opponent 1
4p Syracuse 1 Opponent 4
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 2 Opponent 5

Total on running plays: Syracuse 108 Opponent 114
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 111 Opponent 104
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 219 Opponent 218

Game total when our OPPONENT had the ball: Syracuse 241 Opponent 282

Overall game total: Syracuse 513 Opponent 509

Comments: We have learned to compete but we haven’t learned how to win. Look at the historical game totals below. The winning plays totals in our games against BCS opposition have been 83-83, 84-91, 84-89, 80-93, 85-98. We’ve actually been very consistent, even as the opposition has changed, (which I guess makes us very inconsistent). But we’re in every game. We find ways to lose them or almost lose them against teams we should beat.

 

[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
TOTAL: Syracuse 513 Opponents 509