quote:
he key to winning in this league is controlling the LOS on both sides of the ball. Everything else generally falls into place if you can do that. But yes, you have to be able to run the ball in this league to win. There has yet to be a conference champion that didn’t have a good, mostly great, running game. Plenty of teams in this league won NCs with average QB play: Tennessee 1998, LSU 2003, Florida 2006, LSU 2007, Alabama 2009, Alabama 2015. That’s not to say these teams had bad QBs but they didn’t have QBs that carried their teams either. What all these teams had in common were good lines on both sides of the ball, strong running games, and good defenses.

Yes, you have to be able to rush the ball, but it is now a QB League (same as the NFL). You can win games with a strong rushing game, but it will not take you to the next level. Last year is a good example, Bama could run the ball, but they would not have won the NC on Hurts arm (even with their talent). UGA lost two games to SECW teams when they took away the run game. LSU was as good as anyone running the ball.

You can not win big with just a good QB, you need a good Defense (see AU 2014). But it is a QB league now.

This post was edited on 4/23/18 at 8:45 am

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Posted by meansonny

ATL

Member since Sep 2012

25753 posts

Posted on 4/23/18 at 9:11 am to Irons Puppet

quote:
But it is a QB league now

What SEC QBs carried their team in 2017?
2017 SEC QBs

How about 2016?
2016 SEC QBs

Or does this QB driven league start in 2018. From this point forward? As if every idea that you have ever had about football is bogus, but there is a chance that you are on the cutting edge of changes within this conference moving forward.

Auburn fans are always good for a chuckle. They haven't earned the moniker Backup U for nothing.

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Posted by lsufball19

Franklin, TN

Member since Sep 2008

65069 posts

Posted on 4/23/18 at 9:58 am to Irons Puppet

quote:
You can win games with a strong rushing game, but it will not take you to the next level. Last year is a good example, Bama could run the ball, but they would not have won the NC on Hurts arm (even with their talent). UGA lost two games to SECW teams when they took away the run game. LSU was as good as anyone running the ball.

They did not need a QB to carry them, they just needed a QB that wasn't flat out bad at passing the football. I never said you could win with bad QB play. Regardless, I disagree. This is still a running game and defense league. You can win some games not doing either well (see Ole Miss) but can you name the last team to win a national title or SEC title that didn't have a strong running game and defense? I named plenty who have done both with nothing better than average to above average QB play.

This post was edited on 4/23/18 at 9:59 am

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Posted by DawgsLife

Member since Jun 2013

58925 posts

Posted on 4/23/18 at 1:40 pm to Irons Puppet

quote:
Yes, you have to be able to rush the ball, but it is now a QB League (same as the NFL).

Really? With the exception of 2016, I am trying to think of a team that did not have an excellent running game that was simply complimented by a passing game that won the National Championship.

However, lets assume you are right. Wouldn't that be concerning to Auburn? I mean, when was the last time Auburn relied on the passing game instead of the running game? We all know that Gus' offense is always run firs, and has always relied on the running game.