sandgk
Watson, Crick & A Twist
A 1-sided argument, just the Offense
I still come back to the following -
Texas, lost from the 2005 team offensive output totalling just over 60% of their TDs. Their returning "base" accounts for 30+ TDs by my count.
Ohio State lost from their 2005 team offensive output just over 34% of the the TDs scored. The returning "base" accounts for 27 TDs by my count.
We all know that this isn't a zero-sum game, new or maturing players do step up and pick up the slack. Stars waiting in the wings get to play larger roles on game-day. Plus, there is the Vince Young scoreline dialtion effect. UT simply had a much higher scoring output last year with a whopping 83 TDs - no other team in the Big 12, regardless of compass, came within spitting distance. (TT was north of 50 TDs, but c'mon, there is a whole season's worth of difference between that scoring output and 81 TDs. Literally for some teams, [hello Baylor] a season's worth).
Now, it may not be that Texas has to match the giddy numbers of last year to have a year that takes them to BCS or beyond. Still, the quantity of "slack" to be made up following Young's departure was already massive (accounted by arm and foot for 38 TDs out of 83). Even after accounting for Taylor's points output and the TE position the UT faithful can point to the base of 30+ TDs as a comforting stat. Except, except, that the ability of the team to produce those other receiving and rushing TDs was surely keyed significantly to the strong focus teams had to place on Young.
It could be effectively argued that Texas has to make up more than the simple "Slack" of 60% of TD offense this year. Conversely, for Ohio State our make up the slack model is less onerous (though Holmes was a huge contributor, huge). It might effectively be argued that the Buckeyes of the 2nd half of the season being so much more fluid, they can easily exceed the 2005 offensive output.
Interesting stuff.
I still come back to the following -
Texas, lost from the 2005 team offensive output totalling just over 60% of their TDs. Their returning "base" accounts for 30+ TDs by my count.
Ohio State lost from their 2005 team offensive output just over 34% of the the TDs scored. The returning "base" accounts for 27 TDs by my count.
We all know that this isn't a zero-sum game, new or maturing players do step up and pick up the slack. Stars waiting in the wings get to play larger roles on game-day. Plus, there is the Vince Young scoreline dialtion effect. UT simply had a much higher scoring output last year with a whopping 83 TDs - no other team in the Big 12, regardless of compass, came within spitting distance. (TT was north of 50 TDs, but c'mon, there is a whole season's worth of difference between that scoring output and 81 TDs. Literally for some teams, [hello Baylor] a season's worth).
Now, it may not be that Texas has to match the giddy numbers of last year to have a year that takes them to BCS or beyond. Still, the quantity of "slack" to be made up following Young's departure was already massive (accounted by arm and foot for 38 TDs out of 83). Even after accounting for Taylor's points output and the TE position the UT faithful can point to the base of 30+ TDs as a comforting stat. Except, except, that the ability of the team to produce those other receiving and rushing TDs was surely keyed significantly to the strong focus teams had to place on Young.
It could be effectively argued that Texas has to make up more than the simple "Slack" of 60% of TD offense this year. Conversely, for Ohio State our make up the slack model is less onerous (though Holmes was a huge contributor, huge). It might effectively be argued that the Buckeyes of the 2nd half of the season being so much more fluid, they can easily exceed the 2005 offensive output.
Interesting stuff.
Last edited:
Upvote
0
.....not but seriously, it is at night, as you know). Hopefully your new defense will be able to hold our incompetent, though stacked and explosive, returning offense from scoring, I dont know, 3 TD's?? That might do it this year. It might not. Nonetheless, we have the first matchup W and the onus is on you to produce, not us. Assuming we can get maybe 70% offensive production compared to last year, and God forbid, if your new D happens to be on par with other "shitty" Big 12 defenses like OU, KU, etc that we tore apart, well, then I guess you can book our ticket to the National Championship game again, no? Ahh, who am I kidding, we've got a RS-Fr QB. It will be 1 on 11. No shot....