AU suffered 35 sacks in 06 and start 4 new OL in 07

[KSU4ME]

The thing is, last year Auburn only had 282 pass attempts.  That means they gave up a sack every 8 pass attempts.

As a point of comparison, our sieve-like OL gave up only 28 sacks in 415 pass attempts, or one sack for every 15 times the QB dropped back.

Auburn also surrendered more TFLs than our sieve, 74 vs. 70.

Auburn barely edged KSU in yards per rush, 4.1 versus 4.0.  But AU did it with a first round pick at OG in Grubbs, and a second round pick at RB in Irons.  KSU was in the first year of transition from power option to zone blocking, and featured a first year player from JC and a true freshman at RB (and QB).

Just some thoughts to ponder if you're bored mindless by bickering over Sirius deals.

[Bullfn33]

A lot of that might have to do with us playing in the 2006 version of the Big 12 and Auburn playing in the SEC.  The defenses in the SEC are much better than what we faced last year.  It was a down year for the Big 12 and had we played in the SEC last year, our stats would probably be worse.

[catdude33]

Please everyone stop trying to make up reasons we're going to win this game.  We're not going to win this game.  Like Prince said, its just to get us better prepared for tough conference games on the road.

[KSU4ME]

That's what an AU fan would hope, but when you compare them to the rest of the SEC, they still absolutely sucked in pass protection.  Here's the SEC ranked by sacks allowed per pass attempt:

1.  Arkansas - 1 sack for every 33.6 attempts
2.  Tenn - 1 sack for every 21.8 attempts
3.  Georgia - 1 sack for every 20.1 attempts
4.  LSU - 1 sack for every 19.4 attempts
5.  Vandy - 1 sack for every 17.7 attempts
6.  Florida - 1 sack for every 17.3 attempts
7.  SC - 1 sack for every 16.2 attempts
8.  Bama - 1 sack for every 14.0 attempts
9.  Miss St - 1 sack for every 12.4 attempts
10.  Kentucky - 1 sack for every 11.2 attempts
11.  Ole Miss - 1 sack for every 9.7 attempts
12.  Auburn - 1 sack for every 8.1 attempts <--- DEAD LAST

That means Auburn QBs got sacked twice as often per pass attempt than the average for SEC quaterbacks.

[michigancat]

Didn't KSU set a school sack record last season?

[KSU4ME]

Didn't KSU set a school sack record last season?

40 sacks....more than any SEC team.

[michigancat]

Interesting.

[KSU4ME]

Please everyone stop trying to make up reasons we're going to win this game.  We're not going to win this game. 

You have a long career ahead of you as a merkin.

[The Manhatter]

I will just throw it out there but Auburn played some ridiculous DL.

I want to say Wazzou led Pac-10 in sacks.
Arkansas' Jamaal Anderson
Florida = 4 DL drafted  and a Derrick Harvey still coming back
Georgia = two dynamite Ends
Nebraska = Carriker, Moore, boy named Suh
LSU = their DL is insane..Dorsey, Tyson Jackson, Ricky Jean-Francois, Favorite...even their white boy scrubs were scary (#52 and Pittman)

I'm not saying that excuses Auburn's OL play but that excuses Auburn's OL play, capice?

[JTKSU]

I will just throw it out there but Auburn played some ridiculous DL.

I want to say Wazzou led Pac-10 in sacks.
Arkansas' Jamaal Anderson
Florida = 4 DL drafted  and a Derrick Harvey still coming back
Georgia = two dynamite Ends
Nebraska = Carriker, Moore, boy named Suh
LSU = their DL is insane..Dorsey, Tyson Jackson, Ricky Jean-Francois, Favorite...even their white boy scrubs were scary (#52 and Pittman)

I'm not saying that excuses Auburn's OL play but that excuses Auburn's OL play, capice?

I guess that sort of excuses them, but everyone else in the conference had to play similar talent in conference play.  I'll give you that the others didn't have to play Nebraska or WSU, but most of those SEC teams play at least on quality noncon game.  (And aren't these conference stats?  So Nebraska/WSU wouldn't even figure in...)  So, if everyone is playing very similar schedules, and you are dead last among them, how is that not a sign that they gave up alot of sacks? 

[michigancat]

Please everyone stop trying to make up reasons we're going to win this game.  We're not going to win this game.  Like Prince said, its just to get us better prepared for tough conference games on the road.

It's also about marketing.  Prince wants to make Kansas State a household name.

[KSU4ME]

Wazzou was third in the Pac-10 in sacks.

Tennessee played a similar SEC schedule, but also faced PSU in their bowl (and MU who had 1 less sack than WSU).  All told, Tennessee played teams that put up almost 30 more sacks than AU's opponents.

But AU QBs got sacked more than twice as often.  So your reasoning isn't fully explaining the amazing sack totals seen by AU opponents.

Bottom line,  AU has a statue of a QB that has had leg issues, and this magnifies their struggles in pass protection.

Throw in the fact that they lost their only proven WR and breaking in 4 new starters on the OL, and Campbell/Jackson have some opportunities to get after it.

[SuperSoulFighter]

Please everyone stop trying to make up reasons we're going to win this game.  We're not going to win this game.  Like Prince said, its just to get us better prepared for tough conference games on the road.

You have a backbone forged from string cheese.

We're going to win this game.

[catzacker]

Please everyone stop trying to make up reasons we're going to win this game.  We're not going to win this game.  Like Prince said, its just to get us better prepared for tough conference games on the road.

It's also about marketing.  Prince wants to make Kansas State a household name.

"Hi, my name is Ron Prince; I'm the coach at Kansas State.  You might have seen us get destroyed on national television."

[michigancat]

Please everyone stop trying to make up reasons we're going to win this game.  We're not going to win this game.  Like Prince said, its just to get us better prepared for tough conference games on the road.

It's also about marketing.  Prince wants to make Kansas State a household name.

"Hi, my name is Ron Prince; I'm the coach at Kansas State.  You might have seen us get destroyed on national television."

Pussy.  I glad Mr. Prince isn't a pussy.

*edit*  It's still good to get our name on ESPN, Sportscenter, etc. even if we get blown out.

[BostonPancake]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Auburn would much rather run the ball and when they did have to throw it, it was an obvious passing situation and the defense was able to key off of that.  Just a thought.

[KSU4ME]

I guess you missed the part about TFLs and a rather pedestrian YPC.

[eRod v1.0]

What's with all these Prince haters on this board?  Gay..... 

[JTKSU]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Auburn would much rather run the ball and when they did have to throw it, it was an obvious passing situation and the defense was able to key off of that.  Just a thought.

Generally, in obvious passing situations, teams bring in nickle or dime packages.  In these packages, you generally only rush three down lineman (blitzing LB's aside).  Any sacks occuring during these times are generally "coverage sacks" and have less to do with the o-line.

[BostonPancake]

I guess you missed the part about TFLs and a rather pedestrian YPC.

No...I read that.  Wouldn't a high number of TFLs and a lower YPC lead to an increase in the number of obvious passing downs??  

Maybe their WRs sucked and couldn't get open....how many sacks were coverage sacks?

[KSU4ME]

I guess you missed the part about TFLs and a rather pedestrian YPC.

No...I read that.  Wouldn't a high number of TFLs and a lower YPC lead to an increase in the number of obvious passing downs?? 

Maybe their WRs sucked and couldn't get open....how many sacks were coverage sacks?

So your arguement is that since Auburn couldn't run block, they were forced into obvious passing situations, where they couldn't pass block, resulting in a sack every 8 pass attempts?

[JTKSU]

I guess you missed the part about TFLs and a rather pedestrian YPC.

No...I read that.  Wouldn't a high number of TFLs and a lower YPC lead to an increase in the number of obvious passing downs?? 

Maybe their WRs sucked and couldn't get open....how many sacks were coverage sacks?

So your arguement is that since Auburn couldn't run block, they were forced into obvious passing situations, where they couldn't pass block, resulting in a sack every 8 pass attempts?

Doesn't really matter why they were sacked so much, it's still something to key on this game.  Also- I don't expect the 3-4 to record as many sacks as the cover two, but we should be stronger against the run. 

[BostonPancake]

I guess you missed the part about TFLs and a rather pedestrian YPC.

No...I read that.  Wouldn't a high number of TFLs and a lower YPC lead to an increase in the number of obvious passing downs?? 

Maybe their WRs sucked and couldn't get open....how many sacks were coverage sacks?

So your arguement is that since Auburn couldn't run block, they were forced into obvious passing situations, where they couldn't pass block, resulting in a sack every 8 pass attempts?

No, my argument is that you are taking an overly simplistic look at the stats.  There were probably many other factors to their OL's higher sacks per pass attempt than ours.  They did manage to win 11 games last year.  I would take their sieve OL over ours right now.

[michigancat]

I'd rather trade D-Lines.

[KSU4ME]

No, my argument is that you are taking an overly simplistic look at the stats.  There were probably many other factors to their OL's higher sacks per pass attempt than ours.  They did manage to win 11 games last year.  I would take their sieve OL over ours right now.

LOL @ simplistic.  You know what's simplistic?  An argument that says "They did manage to win 11 games."  That's simplistic to an extreme. 

Their defense managed to win 11 games last year.  And the best parts of their offense, Grubbs/Irons/Taylor are all gone, along with 3 other OL.

No matter how you look at Auburn's offensive production, you see a team that struggled mightily given the incredible defense they had opposite them.

No one would argue that KSU's offense sucked last year, but in many ways it was very much on par or better than Auburn's offense, and KSU was also hampered with a sucky defense.

[turbowildcat]

The thing is, last year Auburn only had 282 pass attempts.  That means they gave up a sack every 8 pass attempts.

As a point of comparison, our sieve-like OL gave up only 28 sacks in 415 pass attempts, or one sack for every 15 times the QB dropped back.

Auburn also surrendered more TFLs than our sieve, 74 vs. 70.

Auburn barely edged KSU in yards per rush, 4.1 versus 4.0.  But AU did it with a first round pick at OG in Grubbs, and a second round pick at RB in Irons.  KSU was in the first year of transition from power option to zone blocking, and featured a first year player from JC and a true freshman at RB (and QB).

Just some thoughts to ponder if you're bored mindless by bickering over Sirius deals.

Remember those 35 sacks were against SEC opponents, Alabama,LSU, Florida, Arkansas, geese.

[JTKSU]

The thing is, last year Auburn only had 282 pass attempts.  That means they gave up a sack every 8 pass attempts.

As a point of comparison, our sieve-like OL gave up only 28 sacks in 415 pass attempts, or one sack for every 15 times the QB dropped back.

Auburn also surrendered more TFLs than our sieve, 74 vs. 70.

Auburn barely edged KSU in yards per rush, 4.1 versus 4.0.  But AU did it with a first round pick at OG in Grubbs, and a second round pick at RB in Irons.  KSU was in the first year of transition from power option to zone blocking, and featured a first year player from JC and a true freshman at RB (and QB).

Just some thoughts to ponder if you're bored mindless by bickering over Sirius deals.

Remember those 35 sacks were against SEC opponents, Alabama,LSU, Florida, Arkansas, geese.

Yeah and of all the teams that played the SEC schedule, they gave up more sacks than anyone.  Just so you know, the SEC also includes such powerhouses as Vandy, Kentucky and Miss St.   And appearantly they added a new team called Geese.  Turns out that Swan St. and Mallard U. will remain independant.

[BigXIIfan]

No, my argument is that you are taking an overly simplistic look at the stats.  There were probably many other factors to their OL's higher sacks per pass attempt than ours.  They did manage to win 11 games last year.  I would take their sieve OL over ours right now.

LOL @ simplistic.  You know what's simplistic?  An argument that says "They did manage to win 11 games."  That's simplistic to an extreme. 

Their defense managed to win 11 games last year.  And the best parts of their offense, Grubbs/Irons/Taylor are all gone, along with 3 other OL.

No matter how you look at Auburn's offensive production, you see a team that struggled mightily given the incredible defense they had opposite them.

No one would argue that KSU's offense sucked last year, but in many ways it was very much on par or better than Auburn's offense, and KSU was also hampered with a sucky defense.

optimistic or  ??

I cant decide which