Question: Does Alabama's 1980 defense not get enough credit?
- Thread starter saturdaysarebet
- Start date
Proof that if you don't win the national championship, nobody cares what your stats are.
ALABAMA SCORING DEFENSE WITH RANKINGS
1977 - 11.6 (13th)
1978 - 14.0 (19th)
1979 - 5.2 (1st)
1980 - 8.2 (1st)
1981 - 12.6 (12th)
Bear in mind (pun intended) that the numbers in 1980 are better than they look:
1) the 35 points to Ole Miss, well, the game was never in doubt and 14 of those points were relatively late and thus against reserves (Yes, they still count but context)
2) the Notre Dame 7 points was on a fumble at our own 1-yard line.
In that 1980 Irish game, we actually had about 75 more total yards than the Irish did - even though we had a horribly inept offense compared to the past. We held them to fewer yards rushing AND passing AND total, and they had more penalties than we did. Problem is, we had 3 turnovers to their one - and one of ours was on our own one.
Given the 1980 team faced a tougher schedule than the 1979 team (whose schedule was a joke, although not their fault), the 1980 team was probably a better DEFENSE by far. (Notre Dame alone made the OOC much tougher in 1979, MSU was three times better, and LSU was about the same).
1980 was undone by a turnover prone offense that couldn't score (3 vs MSU, 0 vs N Dame).
I'm so glad to see this post. I've always felt 1980 gets a bit overshadowed being it followed a NC and then 1981 being Coach Bryant setting the wins record with 315. The Baylor team we destroyed in the Cotton Bowl that year was loaded. Crazy that 10 more points between 2 games and we are maybe??? playing UGA for the National Championship. I think Herschel would have probably gotten his 150 (I think he got 157 against ND) but would have loved to see it as UGA had zero passing game and a so so defense.
Let me give you an excellent example of "nobody cares about your stats if you don't win the big game."
I'm sure everyone - even if you weren't around - has heard about the raging defense of the 1985 Chicago Bears, often ranked among the all-time great defenses to ever play in the NFL. But nobody pays any attention to the 1986 Bears, a defense that was arguably better.
Why?
Because the 1986 Bears lost in the divisional round of the playoffs, so to hell with them.
1985 Bears vs 1986 Bears
Points Allowed: 198 vs 187
Rushing Yards Allowed: 1319 vs 1463
Passing Yards Allowed: 2816 vs 2667
Yards Per Play Allowed: 4.4 vs 4.1
Yards Allowed: 4135 vs 4130
Turnovers Caused: 54 vs 47
I would argue 1986 was even better because the 1986 defense was put into more "turnover" situations since the 1985 team turned the ball over SIXTEEN MORE TIMES and the defensive stats were still (mostly) better, particularly when you take into account yards per play. The opposition ran 57 more plays against the 1986 Bears but were held to 0.3 yards PER PLAY less.
But nobody will ever remember the 1986 Bears defense that was actually BETTER. And that's because of the 1986 Bears Offense, that scored 104 fewer points, mostly due to the fact Jim McMahon was out more games with injury in 1986 (ten) than in 1985 (three) and Walter Payton was a year older and rushed for 218 fewer yards in only 3 fewer attempts.
I'm sure everyone - even if you weren't around - has heard about the raging defense of the 1985 Chicago Bears, often ranked among the all-time great defenses to ever play in the NFL. But nobody pays any attention to the 1986 Bears, a defense that was arguably better.
Why?
Because the 1986 Bears lost in the divisional round of the playoffs, so to hell with them.
1985 Bears vs 1986 Bears
Points Allowed: 198 vs 187
Rushing Yards Allowed: 1319 vs 1463
Passing Yards Allowed: 2816 vs 2667
Yards Per Play Allowed: 4.4 vs 4.1
Yards Allowed: 4135 vs 4130
Turnovers Caused: 54 vs 47
I would argue 1986 was even better because the 1986 defense was put into more "turnover" situations since the 1985 team turned the ball over SIXTEEN MORE TIMES and the defensive stats were still (mostly) better, particularly when you take into account yards per play. The opposition ran 57 more plays against the 1986 Bears but were held to 0.3 yards PER PLAY less.
But nobody will ever remember the 1986 Bears defense that was actually BETTER. And that's because of the 1986 Bears Offense, that scored 104 fewer points, mostly due to the fact Jim McMahon was out more games with injury in 1986 (ten) than in 1985 (three) and Walter Payton was a year older and rushed for 218 fewer yards in only 3 fewer attempts.
ALABAMA DEFENSES AT A GLANCE
1977 - 133 (12.1 pg), 138.8 rushing, 113.2 passing, 15 INT
1978 - 161 (14.6 pg),140 rushing, 169.2 passing, 13 INT
1979 - 58 (5.3 pg), 101.9 rushing, 78.2 passing, 25 INT
1980 - 96 (8.7 pg), 126.7 rushing, 99.4 passing, 14 INT
1981 - 137 (12.5 pg), 128.1 rushing, 148.8 passing, 21 INT
1982 - 201 (18.3 pg), 134.9 rushing, 172.7 passing, 19 INT
1990 - 127 (11.5 pg), 91.5 rushing, 137.8 passing, 15 INT
1992 - 118 (10.7 pg), 132 rushing, 168.3 passing, 20 INT
2011 - 106 (8.8 pg), 72.2 rushing, 111.5 passing, 16 INT (7 fumble recoveries)
1977 - 133 (12.1 pg), 138.8 rushing, 113.2 passing, 15 INT
1978 - 161 (14.6 pg),140 rushing, 169.2 passing, 13 INT
1979 - 58 (5.3 pg), 101.9 rushing, 78.2 passing, 25 INT
1980 - 96 (8.7 pg), 126.7 rushing, 99.4 passing, 14 INT
1981 - 137 (12.5 pg), 128.1 rushing, 148.8 passing, 21 INT
1982 - 201 (18.3 pg), 134.9 rushing, 172.7 passing, 19 INT
1990 - 127 (11.5 pg), 91.5 rushing, 137.8 passing, 15 INT
1992 - 118 (10.7 pg), 132 rushing, 168.3 passing, 20 INT
2011 - 106 (8.8 pg), 72.2 rushing, 111.5 passing, 16 INT (7 fumble recoveries)
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