Eliminating the Big Play Will be Key for MSU Defense
Explosive plays are the key to every great offense. Mississippi State’s great offense in 2014, which was the 4th best in SEC history in terms of total YPG, was 1st in the SEC in plays of 10+ yards and 20+ yards. Mullen’s crew was in the top 5 in the league in plays over 30, 40, 50 and 60 yards as well. The result was the top total offense and 3rd best scoring offense in the league.
Explosive plays are so important because of how difficult it is to methodically drive up and down the field on a SEC defense. It can be done, but not drive in and drive out. 12-15 play drives that result in a touchdown are somewhat a thing of the past. The way to get points on the board is to eat up large chunks of yardage on single plays.
So, naturally, defenses seek to eliminate the explosive play. If they can keep you to only short yardage gains, they know they’ll get you off the field even if you do make a first down or two along the way. Bottom line – bring the punter out ASAP.
Mississippi State’s defense did a lot of things really well in 2014:
- 3rd best on 3rd downs
- 1st in red zone defense
- 2nd in sacks
Not allowing big plays was not one of those things. In fact, Geoff Collin’s crew was flat awful.
- 11th in 10+ and 20+ yards
- 13th in 30+ and 40+ yards
- 14th in 50+, 60+, 70+, 80+ and 90+ yard plays
When it comes to pass defense, the numbers were even worse…
- 13th in 10+ yards
- 14th in 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+, 70+, 80+
(no one gave up a 90+ yard passing play)
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127 passing plays over 10 yards. One hundred twenty seven. That was almost 10 per game. By comparison, the rushing defense only gave up 64 10+ yard plays – about five per game.
47 over 20 yards and 25 over 30….all on pass defense. These are huge chunks of yardage that were being allowed.
Now, on critical downs like 3rd downs and in the red zone the defense played very well, so they ended up around the middle of the pack in terms of scoring defense. But imagine how much better the offense would have done if the defense wasn’t giving up so many explosive plays. Maybe all those yards would have been converted into more points with some better field position.
If Manny Diaz can fix the issues regarding explosive plays in 2015, this defense could really be solid. With the offense that MSU will field, a steady D is all we need.