Rittenberg gets it

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gopher7

gopher7

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Check out his post, and then one of his obversations at the end.


The first set of official Big Ten statistics from the 2009 season will be recorded a week from tonight, when Indiana opens the season against Eastern Kentucky. While we still have zeroes across the board for all 11 teams, let's take a look back at the annual team statistical leaders from the last five years. It's interesting to see which teams have thrived in certain major categories and seen increases or drop-offs.

These statistics are for all games (conference and nonconference) from 2004 through 2008.

Rushing offense: Wisconsin (2008), Illinois (2007), Illinois (2006), Minnesota (2005), Minnesota (2004)

Passing offense: Illinois (2008), Northwestern (2007), Purdue (2006), Northwestern (2005), Purdue (2004)

Total offense: Penn State (2008), Purdue (2007), Purdue (2006), Northwestern (2005), Michigan State (2004)

Total defense: Penn State (2008), Ohio State (2007), Wisconsin (2006), Ohio State (2005), Wisconsin (2004)

Scoring offense: Penn State (2008), Purdue (2007), Ohio State (2006), Minnesota (2005), Purdue (2004)

Scoring defense: Iowa (2008), Ohio State (2007), Wisconsin (2006), Ohio State (2005), Penn State (2004)

Turnover margin: Ohio State (2008), Iowa (2007), Minnesota (2006), Wisconsin (2005), Iowa (2004)

Pass efficiency: Penn State (2008), Ohio State (2007), Ohio State (2006), Ohio State (2005), Purdue (2004)

Pass defense efficiency: Iowa (2008), Ohio State (2007), Wisconsin (2006), Penn State (2005), Penn State (2004)

Some interesting things to digest here. Two quick observations:

It's kind of amazing that Minnesota has been so mediocre despite leading the Big Ten in several statistical categories.


http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/2865/a-look-back-at-the-big-ten-annual-stat-leaders
 

gopher7 said:
Check out his post, and then one of his obversations at the end.


The first set of official Big Ten statistics from the 2009 season will be recorded a week from tonight, when Indiana opens the season against Eastern Kentucky. While we still have zeroes across the board for all 11 teams, let's take a look back at the annual team statistical leaders from the last five years. It's interesting to see which teams have thrived in certain major categories and seen increases or drop-offs.

These statistics are for all games (conference and nonconference) from 2004 through 2008.

Rushing offense: Wisconsin (2008), Illinois (2007), Illinois (2006), Minnesota (2005), Minnesota (2004)

Passing offense: Illinois (2008), Northwestern (2007), Purdue (2006), Northwestern (2005), Purdue (2004)

Total offense: Penn State (2008), Purdue (2007), Purdue (2006), Northwestern (2005), Michigan State (2004)

Total defense: Penn State (2008), Ohio State (2007), Wisconsin (2006), Ohio State (2005), Wisconsin (2004)

Scoring offense: Penn State (2008), Purdue (2007), Ohio State (2006), Minnesota (2005), Purdue (2004)

Scoring defense: Iowa (2008), Ohio State (2007), Wisconsin (2006), Ohio State (2005), Penn State (2004)

Turnover margin: Ohio State (2008), Iowa (2007), Minnesota (2006), Wisconsin (2005), Iowa (2004)

Pass efficiency: Penn State (2008), Ohio State (2007), Ohio State (2006), Ohio State (2005), Purdue (2004)

Pass defense efficiency: Iowa (2008), Ohio State (2007), Wisconsin (2006), Penn State (2005), Penn State (2004)

Some interesting things to digest here. Two quick observations:

It's kind of amazing that Minnesota has been so mediocre despite leading the Big Ten in several statistical categories.


http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/2865/a-look-back-at-the-big-ten-annual-stat-leaders
Click to expand...

the devil is always in the details. although we obviously had stellar scoring offenses during the 2004 and 2005 seasons as noted in rittenberg's stats above; i would love to know where we ranked in the defensive categories during 2004 & 2005. our problem during mason's tenure was he was always top heavy one way (i.e. either on offense or defense), but rarely was he able to recruit a balanced team that could "bring it" on both sides of the ball. and what does that usually get you (unless you get really lucky)? a middle of the road record that is unable to break through to the very top.
 

I get a pit in my stomach when I watch those glorious ground attacks from early/mid decade. I remember Mason used to get heat for comparing his offense and running ability to USC but watching them roll over and march through top flight defenses was as much fun on one hand, as watching them implode and give up gut wrenching big plays was sad on the other hand. Offensively, they were BCS Bowl quality. Defensively... well, Motor City quality. Unfortunately the combined result was only Music City-like instead of Capital One-like.

Well, it wasn't 100% defensive fault either. The offense didn't seem to adjust well after opposing defense wobbled back to their feet and they did create some of their own 'Gopher luck' in the form of untimely penalties and turnovers too.

Regardless... continued stomach pit over what might have been.
 

Schnauzer said:
I get a pit in my stomach when I watch those glorious ground attacks from early/mid decade. I remember Mason used to get heat for comparing his offense and running ability to USC but watching them roll over and march through top flight defenses was as much fun on one hand, as watching them implode and give up gut wrenching big plays was sad on the other hand. Offensively, they were BCS Bowl quality. Defensively... well, Motor City quality. Unfortunately the combined result was only Music City-like instead of Capital One-like.

Well, it wasn't 100% defensive fault either. The offense didn't seem to adjust well after opposing defense wobbled back to their feet and they did create some of their own 'Gopher luck' in the form of untimely penalties and turnovers too.

Regardless... continued stomach pit over what might have been.
Click to expand...

I remember how confident some Alabama fans I had drinks with were in Tennessee the night before the Music City bowl because their run defense was very good, and then we proceeded to dominate them on the ground. I loved the Mason offenses, but hated the defenses.
 

gopher7 said:
Check out his post, and then one of his obversations at the end.


The first set of official Big Ten statistics from the 2009 season will be recorded a week from tonight, when Indiana opens the season against Eastern Kentucky. While we still have zeroes across the board for all 11 teams, let's take a look back at the annual team statistical leaders from the last five years. It's interesting to see which teams have thrived in certain major categories and seen increases or drop-offs.

These statistics are for all games (conference and nonconference) from 2004 through 2008.

Rushing offense: Wisconsin (2008), Illinois (2007), Illinois (2006), Minnesota (2005), Minnesota (2004)

Passing offense: Illinois (2008), Northwestern (2007), Purdue (2006), Northwestern (2005), Purdue (2004)

Total offense: Penn State (2008), Purdue (2007), Purdue (2006), Northwestern (2005), Michigan State (2004)

Total defense: Penn State (2008), Ohio State (2007), Wisconsin (2006), Ohio State (2005), Wisconsin (2004)

Scoring offense: Penn State (2008), Purdue (2007), Ohio State (2006), Minnesota (2005), Purdue (2004)

Scoring defense: Iowa (2008), Ohio State (2007), Wisconsin (2006), Ohio State (2005), Penn State (2004)

Turnover margin: Ohio State (2008), Iowa (2007), Minnesota (2006), Wisconsin (2005), Iowa (2004)

Pass efficiency: Penn State (2008), Ohio State (2007), Ohio State (2006), Ohio State (2005), Purdue (2004)

Pass defense efficiency: Iowa (2008), Ohio State (2007), Wisconsin (2006), Penn State (2005), Penn State (2004)

Some interesting things to digest here. Two quick observations:

It's kind of amazing that Minnesota has been so mediocre despite leading the Big Ten in several statistical categories.


http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/2865/a-look-back-at-the-big-ten-annual-stat-leaders
Click to expand...

I'm amazed no Michigan at all, especially in 2006 when they went 7-1.
 



Mason's teams also had this nasty habit of sitting on leads too. Which would have been OK if they could have moved the ball even a little while they sat on the lead, or if they could have prevented anything with thier prevent defense. This of all things I hated. Maybe the only thing.
 

I think it would maybe be a little more telling if Rittenberg would have listed the teams at the bottom of those statistical categories. Minnesota's presence at or near the bottom of some of those categories pretty much negates those areas where we were successful.
 

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