re: THE key to winning consistently in the SEC is...

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No, there is no one KEY area. It takes many functioning parts to win consistently.

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Expand on that. Of course no one can argue with your point but where does it all start IYO...

how would you know. arkansas has never consistently won in the SEC

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Expand on that. Of course no one can argue with your point but where does it all start IYO...

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I dont think it "starts" anywhere. I just think "is" everywhere. Confusing myself as I type that.

It takes a good defense with a capable offense, and a coach to get them there.

I dont see it as a "starts here..ends here" type deal. It is more of a "if you want to win...must do all these things together at once" type deal. JMO

So, just using Arkansas as an example, if we control the ball on the ground well (say, 150+ yards) it will open up the passing game. If we shut down a rushing game, a team will be more apt to pass thus opening up aggressive blitz schemes/rushing the passer etc etc etc...

But if our rushing game is shut down (<100), are we going to be as successful versus the truly good SEC teams knowing the above is a possibility/inevitability?

I know this is a chicken/egg type of thread but I keep coming back to shutting down the rush as job one in the SEC. Could be wrong but in looking around, the best teams year in and year out do it well and with consistency.

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I know this is a chicken/egg type of thread but I keep coming back to shutting down the rush as job one in the SEC. Could be wrong but in looking around, the best teams year in and year out do it well and with consistency.

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Those same teams also tend to do well in other areas as well though. Like I said, i dont think it hinges on one aspect of the team, it only depends on the TEAM as a whole. JMO

It starts with the right HC who believes in the following ingredients:
1. Discipline
2. Defense wins championships.
3. A solid running game is essential on offense.
4. Recruiting priority is 5 star linemen; you are only as strong as your foundation. Win the LOS and you have won half the battle on offense and defense.
5. Get a smart QB. In college he doesn't have to have the strongest arm or outstanding speed but he does have to make good decisions and takes care of the ball.
6. You don't have to have 5 star RB's just big strong backs who take care of the ball.
7. You don't have to have 5 star receivers just possession type receivers who are good blockers and can catch and not fumble after the catch.
8. Get the best 5 star athletes at DB you can find. These guys will make our break your defense when you play against outstanding QB/receiver combinations.

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3rd and short? They throw the ball in the NFL on 3rd down on anything over a yard. I saw at least 3 throws in the playoffs on 3rd and 2.

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Yeah because NFL defenses aren't going to let you run for two yards and third. In college though, you can get it done. That was just an example though. I'm just saying it's more important to run when you have to than it is to just be able to pound the ball all game. Ends up working about the same for you.

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I agree with this one the most. If you have this then everything else falls into place. Dominating line play means you stop the run on D and can run on O. Average QB's are great with time to throw. Where as dominating D lines make average db's look good by rushing QB's.

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Bingo and if you keep all of them fresh, it makes for a very rough fourth quarter for the other team.

Sao, I have always thought that football and the game of Chess have a lot in common. You better be able to protect and open up the critical players, especially the QBs, RB's, and WRs. Defensively, all areas need to be strong and balanced. Any weak area or mismatch can be exploited by a competent coach or player. Blindsiding your opponent, protecting your own butt and keeping the opposition off-balance is important in both games. It's about strategy in all areas.

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