Time of Possession & Turnovers

[GatorInKnox]

As much as we liked to talk about our offensive woes this season, we achieved an offensive goal that we set at the beginning of the year. I didn't realize this but we led the SEC in time of possession and led the SEC with the fewest turnovers. Really bad offenses who can't move the chains cannot lead the SEC in TOP. To compare we were 9th and 10th in the respective categories last season. With the offensive personnel and the dominant defense that we have I think the coaches called the season beautifully. We kept our defense off the field and didn't give the opponents a short field.

Thoughts?

[BoomTown]

Yes.

[WobbleGator]

Agreed

[Double Gator Dad]

But we didn't pass the eye test so it doesn't matter

[TommyGator]

TOP may be the single most telling stat of all...

Turn over margin second...

We were EXCELLENT in both categories....against the strongest SoS in the Nation. We ARE the best team in the USA this year...oh well....shoulda beat Jawga...

[GatorInKnox]

6th in the nation in both TOP and turnovers lost

[WhoGator]

TOP may be the single most telling stat of all...

Turn over margin second...

We were EXCELLENT in both categories....against the strongest SoS in the Nation. We ARE the best team in the USA this year...oh well....shoulda beat Jawga...

I like the turnover #'s for and against... that's where we were diffrent and where we won games (and why we lost one too).

Always felt TOP was a useless stat that reflects what type of offense you have instead of how good your offense is. Spurrier's UF team never won TOP. This year when we run the ball 80% of the time and throw 10-15 passes per game, the clock never stops on our possessions.. When opponents throw incomplete passes the clock keeps stopping and TOP is low.

You are correct though... huge turnaround and great job carrying out our plan.

[Swamp82]

I like it...alot

[TommyGator]

Spurrier's UF team never won TOP.

That is why his defenses were always: At best overworked....and at worst : AWFUL! They worked WAY too many minutes...

[Gator Fever]

I think total plays is the best stat for how your offense is keeping control of the ball actually more than TOP but I havent looked at that much this season. But except for the LSU and FSU wins I was disappointed with how our offense moved the chains actually but I will take our results. With the turnovers we get and ST play we are very hard to beat now.

[GatorInKnox]

Total plays and time of possession can kind of work against each other. Offenses like TN can run a lot more plays because it's all passing and the clock frequently stops so they run more plays and consume less time. It all has to do with what you are going for. Oregon for example is 7th nationally in plays ran but 101 in TOP. Great offense obviously but their goal is to score as many as possible. Not our MO. I'm officially done with complaining about the offense; I think it'll naturally improve on its own. I'm amped with the job the coaches have done to control the clock and outlast the opponents. Muschamp hasn't bullsh1t the fans one bit about this team. We are exactly who he said we were from day one and I respect the hell out of that.

[Okeechobee Joe]

We were a better offense than a lot of our own fans thought. But we weren't eye candy. This team might not be the best team to ever play for Florida, but it could hold its own with any of them, and that's a fact.

[law98gator]

I've never seen a team awarded a win because they had more time of possession than the other.

[Zambo]

I've never seen a team awarded a win because they had more time of possession than the other.

A number of times this season you saw a team win a ball game because the defense was gassed and the offense was able to just plow through them in the 4th quarter.

TOP isn't everthing but it definitely means something depending on your style of play. You can take the ball and toss it 80 yards in one play for a TD, or you can go on a 20 play drive that chews up a ton of clock and physically wears down the defense. Both drives are good for seven points, but the 20 play drive actually hurts the other team far more in the long run.

Case in point, look at the blocked FG in the SECCG. Bama had a drive going that stalled in UGAs end...then the pups blocked the FG and scored but their D had to come right back on the field for another long Bama drive. They were friggin DONE! Bama absolutely gashed them the rest of the way.

[Homer J]

We're 11-1.

The only way I could be happier right now is to be 12-1 or 13-0 (both would have us as SEC Champs). It's scary to see that Champ has molded us into Bama. Just like Satan's 2nd year, we have one loss going into the bowl game and we have a team that will come back next year as hungry as ever.

[wfoster314]

Add a great punting game to that formula and you're talking about a team that is almost impossible to beat. In fact, the only way to beat them is to hope they turn the ball over, like in the Ga game.

[TommyGator]

Good posting here by everybody but Law....

[ReelGatorDoc]

By leading the TOP, we keep their offense off the field and wear out their defense. It's all about moving the chains and buring clock.

The defense not only gets tired physically, but they get mentally discouraged by the 4th.

then there is nothing they can do to stop you and the clock...see FSu game 4 quarter. A thing of beauty.

[ALPHAGATOR91]

By leading the TOP, we keep their offense off the field and wear out their defense. It's all about moving the chains and buring clock.

The defense not only gets tired physically, but they get mentally discouraged by the 4th.

then there is nothing they can do to stop you and the clock...see FSu game 4 quarter. A thing of beauty.

Agree on both points. UGA ran out of time in the SECCG partially because of this (poor clock management didn't help either).

[law98gator]

Good posting here by everybody but Law....

I have however seen teams that win the TOP but score less points than the other team earn a LOSS.

Too much Ohiothink going on around here these days.