CLEMSON, S.C. -- The evolution of the spread and uptempo brands of offense have, in a lot of ways, energized a sport that already was not hurting. They're exciting. They're often effective.
But there's a rub. Faster-paced offenses are now occupational hazards for defensive coordinators.
Those offenses run more plays, but they're running them so quickly that they're often not on the field as long as they once were. Even conventional drives of six to 10 plays are reduced in time, thus reducing the time the defense is on the sideline.
A three-and-out? An offense might be on the field for literally a minute. Then it's again the defense's turn.
Consider that the 21 AQ teams ranked in the top 10 in snaps run per game the past five seasons have been an average of 63rd in total defense. Take away Texas and Oklahoma's top-10 defenses in 2009, the outliers during that span, and the average ranking drops to 69th. Four of the teams, including two in 2011, were ranked in the 100s. (Note: Plays per game data courtesy of TeamRankings.com.)
Last year, the AQ top-10 plays-run-per-game teams were Texas Tech (114th in D), Oklahoma (55), Baylor (116), Texas A&M (59) and Iowa State (95). Besides poor-to-awful defensive rankings, you'll note that all of those teams played last season in the Big 12. But the footprint is expanding.
Texas A&M, as you know, is taking its quick pacing to the SEC. (The coaching transition from Mike Sherman to Kevin Sumlin was seamless in that regard.) Missouri offensive coordinator David Yost likewise pushes tempo.
But perhaps the best example of a team needing to field and develop a defense that can provide a good match for its uptempo offense is the Clemson Tigers.
Anyone who saw last year's Orange Bowl debacle knows that Clemson's ACC title and BCS hopes are dependent upon its getting significant improvement on defense, and for a team that ranked highest among BCS conference teams last season in total plays run (and eighth in plays per game), a lot of that improvement will have to do with adjusting to being on the field more than almost any other defense in the nation.
To read more from Travis Haney on Clemson's defensive adjustment, you must be an ESPN Insider.
Travis Haney
ESPN Insider• Joined ESPN as Insider's national college football writer in April 2012
• Previously wrote for The Oklahoman and The Post and Courier
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Travis HaneyTravis Haney joined ESPN in April 2012 as Insider's national college football writer. He previously covered the University of Oklahoma Sooners for The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman for one season, and the University of South Carolina Gamecocks for The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier for four. Additionally, Haney has contributed since 2003 to ESPN publications and projects, including ESPN The Magazine.
A native of Cleveland, Tenn., Haney's initial introduction to a college football cathedral was Neyland Stadium. He later graduated from the University of Tennessee, in 2003, and has spent time covering the Volunteers, the University of Georgia, Clemson University, and other schools. Safe to say, football, and football in the South, was injected into his bloodstream at a young age.
Haney is the author of three books -- Gamecock Glory and Gamecock Encore, which chronicled the South Carolina baseball team's run to the 2010 and 2011 national championships, and State of Disunion, a historical look at the Clemson-South Carolina football rivalry that he co-wrote with Larry Williams.
Haney resides in Charlotte, N.C. You can follow him on Twitter here.
