Originally posted by 93hawkeye:
Originally posted by MateenCleaves:
Originally posted by bagdropper:
I still say "football speed" is not really the same as stopwatch speed. In that context, I don't think the vaunted SEC speed or Oregon speed or the Pac 12 speed really is drastically faster than Big 10 speed when you're talking on a football field in a game.
A team that executes better looks like they are faster when they are actually more sure of their overall movements and therefore their decision-making is faster, thereby appearing physically faster than the other team.
I believe speed is very important. The problem with Oregon is that they don't have speed. Sure, they have offensive personnel groupings of RBs and little slot WRs who can fly, but that's not true speed. True speed is the speed of your defensive front 7. That is what separates Alabama, LSU, MSU, Ohio State, and several other SEC schools from their peers. Good DL and LBs who can run are rare, whereas fast slot guys are a dime a dozen.
Defensive front 7 speed is important, but you've run off the rails when you poo-poo WR and RB speed. Oregon scored hundreds of points this year off of quick drives, eating yardage in huge chunks. They have lightning quick offensive skilled players and most defenses cannot deal with that. By the way, did you notice that Oregon's D was fast enough to shut down FSU's offense and beat all whole PAC 12 foes except for the 1st game w/ Arizona?
Oregon appears uber-fast because of the speed they call their plays at. But they really aren't "football faster" than most their opponents. The speed of play calling play to play combined with great execution of their scheme tires their opponents out, giving the appearance of the other team being in slow motion by comparison.
Oregon IS faster than just about every team they play, but the difference isn't as great pure speed wise as we might think. And they look downright pedestrian when a better football team outplays them.
I'm not saying speed isn't important. I'm saying the perceived gap of Iowa versus better teams - and the B10 in general vs the SEC/Pac12/B12 et al is not the gulf people here and nationwide state.
Look at it this way. How did OSU beat Oregon? It surely wasn't because their roster top to bottom that played was as fast, or faster, than Oregon. They did not beat Oregon at their own game. They beat Oregon by playing THEIR game. It was because they were better football players. Once Oregon players knew they couldn't out-scheme OSU like they do almost always to everybody they play, they basically folded their tents.
I bet you could take say a team like Georgia Tech, ramp up the wishbone to where they're running plays every 20 seconds, and over the course of most their games where they have the better football players...the effect on the opposition would be just the same as what Oregon does to most their opponents.
Is GT a fast team? I don't think I've ever heard them referred to as such.
Speed is just one piece of the puzzle folks. In the end, if you hang your hat solely on speed, you better damn well have great football players if you want to win national championships. This is why I have stated in multiple threads about subjects like this...blocking, tackling, fundamentals, football intelligence, conditioning, practice habits...players have to have these too.
I'll leave with this...ever wonder how teams suddenly "flick the switch" offensively when they go no-huddle that normally don't?
