A Damn Good Article, No Matter Which Side You Are On Thursday

[AU_Tigers]

http://auburn.247sports.com/Article/PMARSHONAU-Score-big-or-lose-31219384


Bret Bielema doesn’t like it. Neither does Nick Saban and probably some others. But college football has entered a new era.


The time-worn phrase that defense wins championships no longer resonates. Today, you score big or you lose.

Driven by innovative coaches like Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, Ole Miss’ Hugh Freeze and a growing number of others, college football, 2014 style, has been on full display in the first three weeks of the SEC season.

There'll be more in the week ahead, staring with No. 5 Auburn's game at Kansas State.

SEC teams have played 10 games against each other or against other power conference teams. In nine of those games, the winning team has scored at least 33 points. Only LSU, in a 28-24 victory over Wisconsin, failed to reach that threshold. In five of those games, the winning team scored 41 points or more. In two of them, the winning team scored 52 points or more. In seven of those games, the losing team scored 21 points or more.

The game has changed. Players love it. TV loves it. Fans love it, too, for the most part. Those who pine away for the days of shutdown defense in big games are going to be disappointed most of the time. Too many elite athletes. Too much speed. Too many offensive coaches who are willing to play at a breakneck pace.

Years ago, when I was a young sports writer at The Birmingham Post-Herald, a junior college basketball coach called in to give us the information on his team’s game. They won 140-something to 120-something.

I said “Wow, not much defense, huh?” The coach laughed and said “The way we look at it, playing good defense is holding the other team to less than what you get.”

So it is today in college football. It’s taking hold in the NFL, too. Bielema, Saban and a handful of others might complain, but nobody is listening.

For defensive coaches, it’s no longer about how many yards you give up. It’s about holding teams to field goals instead of touchdowns. Not so long ago, giving up three touchdowns in a game would send defensive coordinators scrambling for answers. No longer, not against top-notch competition.

Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, in his fifth decade as a coach, has had front-row seat for the changing of the game and the changing of the guard.

“That’s the way football has evolved,” Johnson says. “When you go back to when football started, there was not even a forward pass. All these things that have occurred over the last 15 or 20 years are just like everything that has occurred over the last 60 years.”

The offensive revolution started, really, in 1980. That’s when a rule was passed that allowed offensive linemen who were retreating to pass block to extend their arms and use their hands. In 1985, the rule was changed to allow all blockers to extend their arms and use their hands in all circumstances.

“Legalized holding,” old-schoolers grumbled. Few rules did more to change offensive football.

“You couldn’t pass block the way people are running offenses now if you didn’t change the rules,” Johnson said. “So they changed the rules to make the game more exciting and more fan-friendly. It’s just part of it. It doesn’t make my job any more difficult than the guy on the other side of the field trying to stop us. It’s all relative. Whatever fills those seats and cuts those TV sets on, that’s the way the rules are going to go. That’s the way it is.”

And nowhere is it like that more than at Auburn, where the mere presence of Nick Marshall, a new-age quarterback who can win with his arm or his feet, puts defenses in a quandary, where Malzahn’s offense can beat you throwing, can beat you on the option or can beat you running straight at you.

Blocking, tackling, toughness and execution still matter, too, and always will. But this isn’t your daddy’s football.

[Cire]

Been going on in the big 12 for 15 years.   The south had always been 15 years behind everyone else

[Lefty]

Do SEC folk not watch other conferences? Legitimate question here. The Big 12 has been running this crap for years and they can't even notice it? Seriously it took A&M & Mizzou to explode all over their asses before they woke up.

Another topic not many folk are talking about it how do you stop the spread? Can't do it with defense. The only way is to anacanda slow roll their asses with a Snyder based offense. Hopefully we'll see that gameplan executed on Thursday. Auburn fans won't know what the eff they just saw.

[_33]

Oh man guys this brand new "up-tempo" trend is really catching on.  WOWEE is it ever exciting to watch!   

[KITNfury]

Malzahn truly is blazing a trail with this new wave offense. I could see it taking hold in college football.

[slobber]

Every morning I thank God for the innovation coming from the SEC.


Gonna win 'em all!

[Benja]

Wait lineman used to not be able to use their hands? What did they do just belly bump each other?

[Bqqkie Pimp]

Wait lineman used to not be able to use their hands? What did they do just belly bump each other?

No... They dove at the defenders knees.  No bullshit.

 

[CNS]

Next thing you know Gus will line up a RB at QB and call it The Tiger.

[Benja]

Wait lineman used to not be able to use their hands? What did they do just belly bump each other?

No... They dove at the defenders knees.  No bullshit.

 

I seriously didn't know that. Or hadn't thought about it, or something. What a ridiculous game that must have been.

[Benja]

"man I sure wish we could keep playing this great game of football but everybody keeps breaking their legs and ankles and stuff what gives"

[damonismyhero]

Next thing you know Gus will line up a RB at QB and call it The Tiger.

Let's not get carried away now

[meow meow]

WHAT AN ARTICLE!  I was wondering what happened to college football, it all makes sense now!  SEC  SEC  SEC!

[detch23]

Next thing you know Gus will line up a RB at QB and call it The Tiger.

What do you mean, where does the QB line up?

[meow meow]

Next thing you know Gus will line up a RB at QB and call it The Tiger.

What do you mean, where does the QB line up?

get this...WIDE RECEIVER!!!   

[Benja]

A Damn Good Article

[Dugout DickStone]

Next thing you know Gus will line up a RB at QB and call it The Tiger.

What do you mean, where does the QB line up?

get this...WIDE RECEIVER!!!   

Will never happen

[detch23]

Next thing you know Gus will line up a RB at QB and call it The Tiger.

What do you mean, where does the QB line up?

get this...WIDE RECEIVER!!!   

So there's four wr's (one of which is a QB) and two running backs or is there five wr's (one of which is still the QB) and one running back...

This is bullshit throw a flag for obserdness or something.

[WildcatNkilt]

Congrats.  They are figuring out why Missouri and A&M have been immediately successful in the SEC. 

[CNS]

SEC defenses since Big12 teams started ripping their asses:

                                    

                                                     
                                                                        
                                                            

[meow meow]

The SEC plays such bad ass defense tho 

[Bqqkie Pimp]

SEC defenses since Big12 teams started ripping their asses:

                                    

                                                     
                                                                        
                                                            

 

[Dugout DickStone]

Even saying Nick Marshall is a new age QB seems dumb as eff when they just had Newton.

[Denim Vest]

Phillip Marshall articles are for 60+ year old Auburn homers.  If you go in knowing that it's a tremendous read.

[meow meow]

Phillip Marshall articles are for 60+ year old Auburn homers.  If you go in knowing that it's a tremendous read.

Nope, still awful.