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[AUChizad]

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1420244.html

Mitchell: Hurry Up, No Huddle Madness

Posted Jul 11, 2014

By Russ Mitchell

Nick Saban is not a fearful man.

He’s not afraid of the Hurry Up, No Huddle (HUNH) offense. He’s not afraid of any coach or player. Nor is he afraid of “progress” … IF that’s even what we’re calling this.

Saban has attained the pinnacle of his profession, and still has both the time and resources with which to add to that success.

While we’re here, don’t kid yourself – Saban could go out today, buy the next Gus Malzahn, recruit HUNH prep players better than anyone, and in 24 months his offense would regularly score 50+ a game, rather than the three times it has passed that threshold in as many years.

If Saban surrendered to that temptation … if his offense went turbo and regularly scored ~50+ points … then any perceived defensive HUNH “deficiencies” would be moot. Don’t think so?

Quick – when was the last time Bama’s defense surrendered 50+? I don’t know, but it wasn’t with Nick Saban as the head coach.

Not all change is for the better.

HOW WE GOT HERE

Prior to 2008, college football operated on a 25 second play clock. This meant that after each whistle, play could not start until the umpire spotted the ball and started a new 25 second clock. This process typically took 15-18 seconds, and as such, afforded the defense time to substitute.

Then came 2008, and college football adopted an NFL-like 40 second clock. More on that in a moment.

The HUNH offense existed prior to this 2008 rule change ... you just didn’t care about it. Or know about it. Why? Because it was only successful in a few places … far less in others. Most considered it a novelty.

However, not long after the 2008 rule change, HUNH coaches recognized the tremendous loophole it afforded them. For now, if an offense raced back to the line of scrimmage, opposing defenses would have to do the same – yet the offense maintained the luxury of stepping back from the ball at any time to simply call in a play from the sideline.

How does that not give a material advantage to the offense that was heretofore not present? More importantly, a significant benefit that was far from the intent of the rule change.

NOTHING UP MY SLEVE

Regardless of your position on this issue – which is nearly always defined by your team or coach’s style of play – don’t be distracted by the red herrings:

** Injuries. There is no proof that the HUNH causes more injuries, and don’t stay up late waiting for any. It’s too subjective. While it is reasonable to suggest that more plays mean more opportunities to get injured, supporters of the HUNH counter that the “style” of play is less concussive than traditional, “old school” football.

Moreover, since college coaches regularly hide behind HIPPA and student privacy rules that make reporting on injuries the third rail of college sports, whatever injury statistics are provided will likely be team-specific and subject to the coach’s preexisting bias on the HUNH offense. He said – he said on injury statistics.

** Officials. Detractors of the HUNH trend may have a point that officials struggle to get back into position before the next play. This is where we return to "NFL-like", as not all 40 seconds are created equal. On Saturdays, the ball is in play the minute the umpire returns to the line of scrimmage, while in the NFL, the umpire will wait until his officiating crew is back in position and ready for the next play. A subtle yet material difference, often overlooked, which affords an NFL defense more time to substitute than its collegiate cousin.

However, college football could universally adopt nine officials like the Big 12, or it could implement a 40 second clock procedure exactly like the NFL.

** Consistency. Yes, there are glaring inconsistencies in how the 40 second rule is applied. Take the SEC, which calls for the umpire to jog “briskly” back to the line of scrimmage. One man’s brisk is another man’s dawdle. However, the same inconsistency between officials applied during the 25 second clock era, as they do in nearly all situations where judgment is required.

** Ball rarely snapped in first 10 seconds. Proponents of the HUNH argue there is no reason for a ten second delay, as the ball is rarely snapped during the first ten seconds after it is put into play. However, it’s not the snapping of the ball that’s the issue – it’s the ball being in play period, and offenses racing back to the line, which makes it very cumbersome for a defense to substitute.

** Saban can’t stop the HUNH. Perhaps the weakest red herring of the lot. It is correct that absent the 9-6 loss to LSU in Tuscaloosa, Bama’s last five loses have come to teams running some aspect of the HUNH offense. But along the way Bama has dismantled several teams that run HUNH, including TAMU in College Station this year. Moreover, absent the Sugar Bowl vs. Oklahoma, it’s not exactly like Alabama was getting blown out in those losses – take the 2013 or 2010 Iron Bowls.

WHAT COMES NEXT

I do not suggest that we go back to pre-2008, nor that we institute a mandatory 10 second waiting period.

But only a fool would argue that this revolution isn’t a direct result of the 2008 rule change, or that it does not represent a material advantage for the HUNH offense at the expense of defenses, or that it has not significantly changed the landscape of college football.

Remember, the HUNH offense existed prior to 2008, but with nothing close to the nearly universal explosiveness it enjoys today.

Given the material advantage a HUNH offense enjoys post-2008, a coach is almost crazy not to adopt it. Or at least parts of it. Particularly as a HUNH offense can be implemented rather quickly. Look no further than the turnaround first seasons for Hugh Freeze, Kevin Sumlin, Gus Malzahn...

If this continues, defenses will eventually have to adjust. Defensive players will need to get faster to keep up, which typically implies smaller. Ironically, this could have the effect of increasing violent collisions – mass might go down, but the speed of both players at collision might mitigate any reduction of energy for mass.

But one thing is undeniable – it’s making televised games last longer. According to the “Summary of Game Duration Reported to NCAA for FBS Conferences,” on average, college football games were 10 minutes longer in 2013 than they were five years prior.

In 2008.

What is also undeniable is that this was never intended. There was no discussion or vote to fundamentally change the way college football is played. Nobody ever said, “Hey, why don’t we change the rules of college football to provide a particular style of offense with a material advantage over defenses. All in favor?”

In 2008, a rule was passed to make games fit into a time frame better suited for TV broadcasting … which had the unintended effect of creating an inequitable advantage for the HUNH.

This is the bastard result of a poorly considered union … a rule change that has thrust the game of college football on a collision course with track and field.

There must be a return to balance. Again, it doesn’t require we revisit pre-2008. But some change is necessary to return the playing field between offense and defense to something more closely resembling level.

[Godfather]

 

[Buzz Killington]

It really is amazing how much the inbreds worship their coarch.

[CCTAU]

Pathetic drivel all designed to excuse the great[size=78%] saban's losses![/size]

[AUChizad]

The TL;DR version reads like this:

"There's nothing up my sleeve", but...

WE MUST RESTORE THE BALANCED LEVEL PLAYING FIELD WHERE SABAN WAS ABLE TO DOMINATE! (said with zero sense of irony)

Or not, whatever, cause he ain't skeered. Cain't none of this cheatin' get in the way of Saban winnin' the next 350 national championships because he's infallible.

But still, having eight consecutive recruiting classes just isn't enough for him to get his fair shake cause defenses can't possibly condition in the same way that offenses can and how dare offenses try to outperform defenses. After all, Saban's a defensive guy, inso facto, that is how the game should be played.

He COULD out-Gus Gus, but he just doesn't want to.

Roll damn Tide.

 

[Buzz Killington]

The TL;DR version reads like this:

"There's nothing up my sleeve", but...

WE MUST RESTORE THE BALANCED LEVEL PLAYING FIELD WHERE SABAN WAS ABLE TO DOMINATE! (said with zero sense of irony)

Or not, whatever, cause he ain't skeered. Cain't none of this cheatin' get in the way of Saban winnin' the next 350 national championships because he's infallible.

But still, having eight consecutive recruiting classes just isn't enough for him to get his fair shake cause defenses can't possibly condition in the same way that offenses can and how dare offenses try to outperform defenses. After all, Saban's a defensive guy, inso facto, that is how the game should be played.

He COULD out-Gus Gus, but he just doesn't want to.

Roll damn Tide.

 

Turdition

[The Prowler]

The TL;DR version reads like this:

"There's nothing up my sleeve", but...

WE MUST RESTORE THE BALANCED LEVEL PLAYING FIELD WHERE SABAN WAS ABLE TO DOMINATE! (said with zero sense of irony)

Or not, whatever, cause he ain't skeered. Cain't none of this cheatin' get in the way of Saban winnin' the next 350 national championships because he's infallible.

But still, having eight consecutive recruiting classes just isn't enough for him to get his fair shake cause defenses can't possibly condition in the same way that offenses can and how dare offenses try to outperform defenses. After all, Saban's a defensive guy, inso facto, that is how the game should be played.

He COULD out-Gus Gus, but he just doesn't want to.

Roll damn Tide.

 

Exactly.

Sabbin ain't afraid of nothing, except the HUNH, which is why he was/is so adamantly trying to get it adjusted to fit his needs (he's still trying, don't think he's stopped, uat boosters do all of the heavy lifting and backroom dealings)