Coaching Philosophies and differing opinions...

[GTNavyNuke]

It has been pointed out to you before that this defense stat is misleading. Our offense shortens games (rushing burns more clock and TOP reduces number of opponent drives). If you click the yards per play stat, you'll see we were 64th.

I know you pointed that out before, that's why I threw out there the idea of the O keeping the ball for 40 minutes a game being more important than points if the D is really incompetent. I could have said it this way, "Using the stat of total defense, the GT D has gotten demonstrably better. From 64th in 2010 to 43rd in 2011 and 2012, the GT D has improved to 28th in 2013."

Our improvement in D occurred with the O only keeping the ball in 2013 for 20 more seconds a game on average than 2102 (33:19 in 13 vice 32:58 in 12). I think the reason our D did better is that we got more stops on third down (we went from 74th in 2012 to 34th in 2013) -- when we didn't get stops we gave up big plays. But I have no problem with that. I'm glad you came back with this, because I hadn't figured out (or forgotten) the reason of our greatly improved total D being our improved 3rd down play.

As you know, the D yards per play allowed has stayed about the same over the last four years -- 69th, 65th, 74th and 64th in 2010 to 2013 respectively. But that doesn't tell the whole story either. No stat tells the whole story by any means. The O and ST count a lot too. No one stat tells the whole story because it is a team game. The O can help out the D a lot by staying on the field and having fewer possessions for the D to play. Or the O can score so many times that the D only has to face a desperate O reduced to only passing. The ST can pin the other team deep or get blocked punts.

The best stat is a team stat because it takes into account the interplay between O, D and ST - if I could only chose one stat, it would be a team stat. I happen to like Power Ranking; others like Win / Loss.

Give me the coach that gives us the highest Power Ranking (or W/L) and I'll like his philosophy.

 

[augustabuzz]

I know the question wasn't directed at me, but I'll answer it.

I would, of course, prefer that the offense scored more points per drive because I think that would then mean we might beat Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech, and/or Georgia.
But I would also much prefer that we changed the offense around some. Personally, I wish we didn't use the TO at all but that's not realistic.

I think most like me who don't like the offense would just like to see us do what CPJ has said at times. I've heard him say at signing day before (and in various interviews), "we also have elements of the run and shoot in the offense as well". Well, if we have it, we have run it so infrequently that no one has noticed we have it. I'd just like to see us show some different looks like that a percentage of the time so that teams have to prepare for it because they at least have to respect the possibility we'll use it.

Our offense was extremely successful in 3rd down conversion and in the Red Zone.

http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/ranking_summary

 

[ATL1]

I prefer what wins. Not sure our current offense maximizes our chances of doing so consistently or against our biggest rivals.

 

[augustabuzz]

I prefer what wins. Not sure our current offense maximizes our chances of doing so consistently or against our biggest rivals.

"Wins" is a team stat.

 

[AE 87]

I prefer what wins. Not sure our current offense maximizes our chances of doing so consistently or against our biggest rivals.

As @augustabuzz says, wins is a team sport. The simplest stat (not accounting for strength of schedule etc) to measure the offense's share in wins is points per drive. I'm asking if you can quantify your stated preference of performance over style in ppd ranking.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

As @augustabuzz says, wins is a team sport. The simplest stat (not accounting for strength of schedule etc) to measure the offense's share in wins is points per drive. I'm asking if you can quantify your stated preference of performance over style in ppd ranking.

Points per drive is probably the best measure of an offense, however, it can be a little misleading. Starting field position per drive is hugely important in this stat. Imagine starting every drive on your own 5 compared to your opponents 5. I know this is drastic, but it makes my point. Similarly, the performance of your defense and special teams is hugely important in where you get the ball. I wonder if there's another stat that illustrates an offense's efficiency better than what we've discussed so far.

 

[AE 87]

Points per drive is probably the best measure of an offense, however, it can be a little misleading. Starting field position per drive is hugely important in this stat. Imagine starting every drive on your own 5 compared to your opponents 5. I know this is drastic, but it makes my point. Similarly, the performance of your defense and special teams is hugely important in where you get the ball. I wonder if there's another stat that illustrates an offense's efficiency better than what we've discussed so far.

I agree. That's why I said simplest. After that you would need some more complex measure of efficiency such as the three offered by football outsiders.