Best Defense in the last 20 years

[batchaps4me]

Not totally wrong. One of the bigger issues was that the rules at the time didn’t allow time for the defense to substitute if the offense did. Teams ( like Auburn) who ran an uptempo offense could could sub a player quickly but the defense didn’t have time to adjust. Huge advantage for the offense. It led to lots of penalties, and lots of big plays. Kirby was a huge part in figuring out how to get the substitutions in quickly, even when facing a hurry up offense. Now the rule allows the defense to sub every time the offense does.

I agree with you on that needed rule change but was thinking that the bigger issue was the advent of RPOs with the lineman downfield rules. Before that change, within two steps of a lineman, backers/DBs could react to the line knowing it was a run or pass behind the LOS. Now that read is gone and the D is more stressed because they cannot attack the LOS in the same manner. Either way, I do believe that Saban, and every other coach as well, was not able to adjust his system to maintain a dominant D for a ball control management style or just decided that he could outscore anyone in a shootout as the best way to have the success he demands. Either way, IMHO Kirby may have cracked the code for limiting spread concepts and has begun swinging the pendulum back to that style of dominant D football. Props to both coaches.

 

[OldDevilDawg]

I agree with you on that needed rule change but was thinking that the bigger issue was the advent of RPOs with the lineman downfield rules. Before that change, within two steps of a lineman, backers/DBs could react to the line knowing it was a run or pass behind the LOS. Now that read is gone and the D is more stressed because they cannot attack the LOS in the same manner. Either way, I do believe that Saban, and every other coach as well, was not able to adjust his system to maintain a dominant D for a ball control management style or just decided that he could outscore anyone in a shootout as the best way to have the success he demands. Either way, IMHO Kirby may have cracked the code for limiting spread concepts and has begun swinging the pendulum back to that style of dominant D football. Props to both coaches.

We'll find out tomorrow when Anthony Richardson takes the field for Florida. He's a much better dual threat than Jones. The 2 of them lead UF in rushing with Richardson averaging over 12 YPC. UGA has had much success against the dual threats they've faced this year. Most notably KJ Jefferson of Arkansas. Jefferson is one of only two SEC signal-callers — and one of only six in the FBS — with 1,600-plus passing yards and 400-plus rushing yards on the year. UGA held him to 65 passing and 14 rushing.

 

[OldDevilDawg]

Tale of the tape:

2021 Georgia defense challenges 2011 Alabama as best, most talented in modern era (dawgnation.com)

Here’s a list of 6 Georgia defensive players projected in the first two rounds in the ESPN pay-site article:

No. 2 DE Travon Walker, Detroit Lions
No. 19 DT Jordan Davis, New Orleans Saints
No. 21 LB Nakobe Dean, New England Patriots
No. 27 DT Devonte Wyatt, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
No. 38 LB Quay Walker, New York Jets
No. 43 FS Lewis Cine, Atlanta Falcons

2011 Alabama
(2012 NFL Draft)
(1) No. 7 SS Mark Barron, Tampa Bay
(1) No. 17 CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Cincinnati
(1) No. 25 LB Dont’a Hightower, New England
(2) No. 35 LB Courtney Upshaw, Baltimore
(5) No. 136 DT Josh Champman, Indianapolis
(5) No. 146 CB Dequans Menzie, Kansas City

 

[AlaskaGuy]

The Top 11 College Football Defenses Since 1970 - The Grueling Truth

Who has the greatest defense in a single season since 1970?...

thegruelingtruth.com

https://magazine.washington.edu/feature/remembering-the-91-husky-football-teams-dream-season/#:~:text=With one exception— a 24,only five times all season.
With one exception— a 24-17 victory over California—the '91 Huskies simply overpowered everyone they faced. Their defense allowed only 67.1 yards and 9.8 points a game while the offense averaged 42.1 points a game. The 1991 Huskies trailed opponents only five times all season.

 

[MarineUKFan]

The Top 11 College Football Defenses Since 1970 - The Grueling Truth

Who has the greatest defense in a single season since 1970?...

thegruelingtruth.com

https://magazine.washington.edu/feature/remembering-the-91-husky-football-teams-dream-season/#:~:text=With one exception— a 24,only five times all season.
With one exception— a 24-17 victory over California—the '91 Huskies simply overpowered everyone they faced. Their defense allowed only 67.1 yards and 9.8 points a game while the offense averaged 42.1 points a game. The 1991 Huskies trailed opponents only five times all season.

That's well over 20 years ago

 

[Toadman005]

That's well over 20 years ago

I was wondering who’d point that out.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

I was wondering who’d point that out.

Stop hating on Bear Bryant.

https://thegruelingtruth.com/college-football/top-11-college-football-defenses-since-1970/

2) Alabama (1979)
Five. That number resonates with Crimson Tide fans. Five. That’s the number of shutouts that this defense pitched during the 1979 season. In 12 games, only two teams scored in double digits, the two ranked teams Alabama faced in the regular season – Tennessee and Auburn. Take those two games out of the mix and the Tide gave up a total of 32 points in ten games. Put that in perspective? West Virginia scored 49 in a half on Clemson in the 2012 Orange Bowl. CB Don McNeal was the team’s star, but E.J Junior was a well-rounded outside linebacker who was a Rotary Lombardi Award finalist the following year in 1980. Both would eventually be first-round picks in the NFL. Finish up the fact that this defence held an excellent Penn St. team to just seven points in the National Championship game, and on top of that won the game with a goal-line stand.