Sunday, September 29, 2013

Bonus Post: What is REALLY wrong with SEC defenses

So the media is enamored with how "terrible" SEC defenses are this year. I continually read and hear about how the SEC has abandoned defenses and fielded comments such as "If defense wins championships, sorry SEC!" So what is really wrong with the SEC Defenses? Well, again, the truth is always in the numbers, you just have to look past what the ESPN homers feed you.

The first fact is simple. Over the past few seasons, the SEC offenses have continued to manufacture the quality of athletes on offense as they always have on defense. The SEC has always been underrated on offense by the overpowering defenses and we have always been criticized as not having good defenses, but only having bad offenses. I would counter this by saying that the SEC has produced 7 of the last 15 NFL MVPs. They have also had 5 quarterbacks start in the last 7 Super Bowls. Just this season, 3 of the Top 7 passers in the NFL are from the SEC, more than any other conference.

If you take this season, the SEC features a host of experienced QBs including
- The reigning Heisman trophy winner, Manziel
- The 4 year starter set to shatter every major SEC Passing record, Murray
- The guy who almost stole his starting job and is now a top NFL prospect, Mettenberger
- Yes, none of these guys are the one competing for his 3rd National Championship, McCarron

Add to that the nation's top RB Todd Gurley, as well as Keith Marshall, TJ Yeldon, Justin Hill, Mike Davis, Matt Jones, and Alex Collins amongst others. Not to mention receivers like Amari Cooper, Mike Evans, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Scott-Wesley, Donte Moncreif, Jordan Matthews, Arthur Lynch, Dorial Green Beckham, etc.

Let's face it, from top-to-bottom, the best offensive players are in the SEC this year. But what is at the heart of the poor defensive play? Well, that is easy.

Last year, the SEC saw an unprecedented 35 defensive players taken in the draft with 8 going in the 1st round and 5 in the 2nd round. Even more staggering is that 25 of these came from 4 teams including 7 1st rounders! Which teams? Well of course the teams people nationwide know and watch from the SEC (Bama, LSU, UF, UGA). Just so you can comprehend the significance of these numbers, look how they stack up against the rest of the nation:

SEC: 35 Total; 8 in Round 1; 5 in Round 2
ACC: 13 Total; 3 in Round ; 2 in Round 2
Big 10: 12 Total; 0 in Round 1; 2 in Round 2
Pac 12: 11 Total; 3 in Round 1; 1 in Round 2
Big 12: 7 Total; 1 in Round 1; 1 in Round 2

So, the conference most people consider to be the worst (ACC) actually did better than the other big boys. If you combine the mighty Big 10, Pac 12, and Big 12, you can see the SEC sent 35 players versus their combined 30; 8 First Rounders vs their Combined 4; and 5 Second Rounders vs their Combined 4.

So what is the problem? EASY! We restocked the entire NFL with defensive players last year and have all new players out there. Add to that the fact that they didn't get to play Div III teams for the first 5 weeks (Yes, we have seen an SEC participate in a Top 10 matchup 7 times this year vs 1 for the rest of the nation combined...which was against an SEC team) then you can understand why the defenses have struggled. If you look around at the young talent at LSU, Bama, UGA, Ole Miss, UF, and South Carolina it is impressive! Remember, the SEC hasn't been unbeatable in the BCS NC game because of how they START, but how they FINISH. The fact that they play week-in and week-out against the most balanced and talented offenses in the nation, whoever challenges them will be a piece of cake come January. They all think the way to get to the BCS NC is playing a cupcake schedule (ahem...tOSU, Oregon, well...everybody else). Maybe it is, but it isn't how you win it. The national championship game is always the 4th or 5th best team the SEC Champion will face all year. You wonder why you can't win?

And let's give up the schedule talk. Nevermind the conference schedule, in the first 4 weeks the SEC has faced #2 Oregon, #3 Clemson, #7 Louisville, #13 Ok State, #15 Miami, #20 TCU, Texas, Va Tech, UNC, and Wash St with games pending versus #8 FSU, #3 Clemson, and Ga Tech. That doesn't include numerous ranked matchups with other SEC teams. Ohio St, Stanford, Oregon, and Louisville all play 0 ranked non-conference teams. Louisville doesn't even play a single ranked team! Kentucky is the only BCS team they play all year!

What does it all mean? Well, it means that the SEC Champion (unless they find a way to exclude us this year!) will blow the scoreboard up against  ____________ (fill in the victim name) and  shut them down with their "terrible defense" as always. I recall the Auburn year that Cam Newton carried them through the SEC and we mocked their terrible defense. The same defense that shut down the high-flying and unstoppable Oregon offense.

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