Phil Steele lists Gophers as most experienced team in all of D1-A

[GoAUpher]

I know some folks have been looking at the experience factor and how the Gophers stack up. Here is Phil Steele's take: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sp...teeles-new-and-improved-experience-chart.html. Click on the link to see the full list.

For the past 7 years I have listed an experience chart which broke down the number of Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores and Freshmen each team had in the two deep and rated the teams experience level with a formula I devised. This year I have made the experience chart FIVE TIMES better.

We still did the exact same chart but this year I am just listing the Senior starers, the rest of the seniors in the two deep and the points accumulated by using the system I have used from 2002-’08.

In the chart listed below I have now included 4 other factors. The 2nd factor listed in the chart below is the % of lettermen returning. I devised a point system for this and explain it in depth on page 319 of this year’s College Football Preview (still don’t have it? Log on to PhilSteele.com to order today).

Also added was the % of returning offensive yards. I took the total yards passing, rushing and receiving for each team and divided out the yardage of the returning players and the yards returning % listed below is that figure. I did the same with the total tackles from last year and the % of tackles returning. This gives us an idea of the defense’s experience.

The final factor is the career starts returning for the offensive line. These players are not included in the stats but are a vital part of the offense.

I then devised a formula that factors all 5 into the total points equation and then turned the point total into a number from 100 to 0. A 100 would be a team with 25 seniors (NCAA scholarship limit) in the two deep and every yard and tackle returning but 120+ career starts. A 0 would be a team with no experience and 0 seniors in the two deep. Just as in years past the first number is where each team ranks in the NCAA.

If you already have the magazine you have the Experience Chart broken down by conference giving you which teams are the most experienced and inexperienced. Today I will give you the chart broken down nationally with a ranking from 1 to 120.

Defending national champ Florida has a combined 75.8 grade which is the highest of any team that finished ranked last year. Oklahoma St is #10 at 74.4 and figures to be in this year preseason Top 10 and Texas is right behind at 74.1 and #11. Ole Miss, Notre Dame and LSU all rank in the Top 20 in terms of experience.

The least experienced BCS teams are Missouri at 39.6 (avg grade of 5 sources), South Carolina, Maryland, Northwestern, Nebraska West Virginia and Texas Tech.​

 

[Go Gophers Rah]

I think this is one of MANY variables that goes into predicting a team's upcoming success rate - I wouldn't put too much stock in it, but it is interesting. Here is the ranking of our 11 D1 opponents:

28 Iowa
46 Cal
56 Illinois
58 Air Force
62 Syracuse
83 Ohio State
91 Wisconsin
92 Michigan State
99 Penn State
109 Purdue
113 Northwestern

Of course, I'd gladly take a group of inexperienced players of the calibur that Penn State has.

Some of these others, though, I think are interesting. I really don't think Northwestern will be any good (aside from KILLING its 4 cupcake nonconf opponents). I'm beginning to wonder if we won't see a big decline from Michigan State. Also, I think Iowa is a sleeper to win the conference.

 

[ncgo4]

Take a team that's been 1-11 the last 3 years and you get the #1 team in the country. Whatcha got? A team real experienced at loosing that will almost certainly lose again. Take a loaded team with 7 underclassmen that left early for the draft and you've got a team that is probably way down this list. But they are reloading with stars and will go right back to the top again.

The Gophers will be interesting. We've got players that have been pushed beyond anything they had seen before in the weight room and coached (we hope) better than they have been in the past.