Daily Blog • July 19, 2010

Today’s blog will start a series, which will analyze the most/least improved units over the last 20 years. Each day this week I will have a new offensive or defensive statistical category to examine and today I will start with offensive rush yards.

There are many factors that contribute to a significant change in rush yards. First, a new coach may come in and prefer a more run-oriented attack than the previous coach. Naturally a lot more rushing carries will usually equal a lot more yards. Similarly you may see a significant drop in rush yards if the new coach features a pass-happy offense than the previous coach.

Another factor team which could contribute to a large gain in rush yards may be that the team is starting a young quarterback and they will want to focus on the running game more to take the pressure off the inexperienced signal caller. Similarly, a large drop off in rush yards may occur when the team has an experienced quarterback, but has to replace their star RB from the year before. Also a team may feature an experienced Heisman-caliber running back and in that case they will give him many more carries thus increasing the rush output. Finally, a team that returns most of their offensive lineman who are multiple-year starters will usually see an increase in rush yards.

Whatever the case may be here are all the teams that improved by at least 100 yards rushing compared to the prior season. Quick note for many of the smaller schools in the WAC, MAC and Sun Belt: my data only goes back to 1995 for those teams so it would include the last 15 years instead of the last 20.

Most Improved Rush YPG L/20 Years

Rk
Year
School
YPG Improved
1
1995
Navy
178
2
2008
Army
153
3
1998
Buffalo
144
4
2004
Michigan St
142
5
2001
Nevada
138
6
1993
Colorado
135
6
1998
TCU
135
8
1998
Bowling Green   
128
9
2009
Mississippi St
126
10
2003
Louisville
121
11
1996
Wisconsion
120
11
1991
Purdue
120
11
1993
Georgia Tech
120
14
1999
Toledo
119
15
2008
Baylor
118
15
2000
UNLV
118
17
2000
Northwestern
114
18
1994
Iowa
113
18
2004
Virginia
113
20
2004
Army
112
20
2006
Kent St
112
22
1999
Wake Forest
110
23
2002
Penn St
109
23
2001
BYU
109
23
2007
Tulane
109
26
1995
Georgia Tech
107
26
2001
C Michigan
107
28
1998
Indiana
105
29
2001
Kent St
104
30
1997
Nebraska
103
30
2002
W Virginia
103
30
1991
Hawaii
103
33
2005
Iowa
102
34
1991
Mississippi St
101
34
2005
Louisiana
101


The 1995 Navy Midshipmen have the most improved rush attack in the last 20 years avg an amazing 234 ypg which was 178 ypg more than the meager 56 ypg they averaged in 1994. Probably the biggest reason for this large gain was the hiring of Utah St coach Charlie Weatherbie who instituted a run-heavy offense.

There were several factors going in Army’s favor in 2008. First I have pointed out in my magazine several times that service academies usually graduate a good portion of their starting OL, however Army’s ’08 group had five back with starting experience. Also Army was shifting back to the option offense and returned their top four rushers. Add all of these factors up and you get the 2nd most improved rush attack of the last 20 years.

At #3 is Buffalo who went from avg just 80 ypg in 1997 to 224 ypg in 1998. In 2003, the Michigan St Spartans had their weakest rush attack in at least 50 years when they averaged just 97 ypg (3.2). Much of this had to do with their reliance on senior QB Jeff Smoker who left as MSU’s leader in passing yards and total offense. In 2004, the Spartans tried several QBs but finally settled on Drew Stanton who was a running threat. With this added dimension and the emergence of RB Javon Ringer, the Spartan rush attack improved to avg 239 ypg.

Now here is a look at all of the teams who averaged at least 100 rush ypg less than the prior year. Keep in mind again that my data only goes back to 1995 for some of the smaller schools.

Least Improved Rush YPG L/20 Years

Rk
Year
School
YPG Weaker
1
2008
Arkansas
-173
2
2006
Memphis
-156
3
1998
Nebraska
-153
3
2001
TCU
-153
5
2002
Indiana
-152
6
1997
Oregon St
-147
7
1997
Iowa St
-145
8
2003
Colorado
-139
8
2000
Houston
-139
10
1999
Temple
-137
11
1998
Iowa
-136
12
2006
USC
-132
13
2008
SMU
-129
13
1996
Toledo
-129
15
2009
Louisiana
-127
16
1993
Georgia
-125
17
2008
Texas A&M
-123
18
2000
Army
-122
18
2008
UCF
-122
20
1994
Georgia Tech
-120
21
2006
Minnesota
-119
21
1996
Nebraska
-119
23
2009
Tulsa
-117
24
1995
Wisconsion
-116
24
2009
Kent St
-116
26
1999
Tulane
-114
26
1997
E Carolina
-114
26
2000
Navy
-114
29
2006
Texas
-112
30
2005
Kent St
-108
30
2009
New Mexico
-108
32
2003
Penn St
-107
32
2000
Maryland
-107
32
1996
UNLV
-107
35
1991
Oklahoma St
-106
35
1997
TexasTech
-106
35
1995
Vanderbilt
-106
38
1996
Rutgers
-105
38
1992
Air Force
-105
40
2008
Washington
-104
41
2006
Rice
-103
41
2008
Westen Kentucky
-103
43
2001
Washington
-101
43
1997
Air Force
-101
45
2004
Iowa
-100
45
1995
Colorado
-100
45
2005
Virginia
-100


After my numbers and data were crunched, the #1 least improved rush attack of the last 20 years came at no surprise. The 2008 Arkansas rush attack had several factors going against it. First, new head coach Bobby Petrino was hired and was implementing a more pass-oriented attack. Second, while they had 7 of their top 10 OL back, they were switching schemes, which led to the unit being down a few notches. Finally and most importantly, the Hogs lost the best trio of RB’s the NCAA had seen in some time as Darren McFadden (1,830 yds), Felix Jones (1,162 yds) and Peyton Hillis (347 yds) all left and took their talents to the NFL. Add these factors up and the Razorbacks avg 173 rush ypg less in 2008.

Thanks to the graduation of star RB DeAngelo Williams (1,964 rush yds), the 2006 Memphis Tigers come in at #2 with a 156 ypg drop-off. Tied at #3 is the 1998 Nebraska Cornhuskers and the 2001 TCU Horned Frogs who avg 153 rush ypg less than the previous year. The ‘98 Huskers were coming off the national title in Tom Osborne’s final season and they had to replace four starters on their OL. Most importantly they also lost RB Ahman Green and QB Scott Frost who combined to rush for 3,238 yards and 46 TDs in ’97 and while their replacements were talented, they were much less experienced. Similarly the 2001 Horned Frogs lost their star player in 2001 in Ladainian Tomlinson who rushed for 2,276 yards in 2000.

I will be back tomorrow with a look at the most/least improved pass attacks from the last 20 years.

Please check out the PhilSteele.com homepage and take at look at my Top 25 FCS Countdown which continues with #2 Appalachian St today. Click on the link to get the entire full magazine page layout on the Mountaineers but remember the page will be available for only 24 hours to download.

Also Josh Buchanan of JBScouting.com does a great job of scouting FCS players and teams and he also helps me with some of the team write-ups in my FCS magazine. In the July 14th blog, I gave you his top 5 players at each offensive position and here are his top 5 players at each position on the defensive side. Also each Monday between now and the draft next April he will hold a question and answer session where he will sit down and answer your questions each week. If you have a question about a player, the draft process, or anything related to small school football you can ask him a question by CLICKING HERE! Make sure to leave your email address if you want the answer sent directly to you as well and regardless if you want a private answer as well please leave your name and where you are from to be published in the blog.

DEFENSIVE ENDS

  1. Christian Anthony, Grambling State, Sr.
  2. Christian Clark, Sacramento State, Sr.
  3. Markell Carter, Central Arkansas, Sr.
  4. Malcolm Taylor, Alcorn State, Sr.
  5. Jabari Fletcher, Appalachian State, Sr.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

  1. Martin Parker, Richmond, Sr.
  2. Kenrick Ellis, Hampton, Sr.
  3. Renard Williams, Eastern Washington, Jr.
  4. Brent Russell, Georgia Southern, Soph.
  5. Dan Ogden, Montana State, Sr.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS

  1. J.C. Sherritt, Eastern Washington, Sr.
  2. D.J. Smith, Appalachian State, Sr.
  3. Eric McBride, Richmond, Sr.
  4. Marty Patterson, Gardner-Webb, Sr.
  5. Derek Domino, South Dakota State, Sr.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS

  1. Jabara Williams, Stephen F. Austin, Sr.
  2. Bryce Smith, Samford, Sr.
  3. Jake Trantin, William & Mary, Jr.
  4. Kadarron Anderson, Furman, Jr.
  5. Joshua Jones, Elon, Jr.

CORNERBACKS

  1. Korey Lindsey-Woods, Southern Illinois, Sr.
  2. Trumaine Johnson, Montana, Jr.
  3. Josh Norman, Coastal Carolina, Jr.
  4. Justin Rogers, Richmond, Sr.
  5. Jeremy Caldwell, Eastern Kentucky, Jr.

FREE SAFETIES

  1. Mike McElroy, Southern Illinois, Sr.
  2. Jason House, Southern, Sr.
  3. Matt Estrada, Northern Arizona, Sr.
  4. Max Hewitt, Northern Colorado, Sr.
  5. Collin Zych, Harvard, Sr.

STRONG SAFETIES

  1. Mark LeGree, Appalachian State, Sr.
  2. Eugene Clifford, Tennessee State, Sr.
  3. Conrad Kjerstad, South Dakota State, Sr.
  4. James Vercammen, Dayton, Sr.
  5. Tommy Connors, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr.

Only 45 Days Until the First College Football Game!!