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UPDATE: Existence And The LSU Tigers is up at the mothership.
"Don't talk much 'cause the pain is crazy/Times are hard, things are hazy/Lord, I'm so tired"
- "Bayou Song," P.J. MorseSoccer writing is, at different times, incredible and unbearable. Everything -- every pass, every flick, every flop -- is described as life itself, as existence, purity, good, evil and morality. When it works, and when it is at least semi-appropriate, this writing is beautiful and everything I want to produce one day when I grow up. But sometimes a pass is just a pass.
Writing beautifully about our football is a bit more difficult, perhaps because of the muscle and mass involved. At their essential core, football and soccer are the same sport: chess in which the pieces have a mind of their own. But in football, sometimes you make a play simply by (legally) bowling over an opponent, or by outrunning them (and not having to still beat a goalkeeper). There is occasionally no difference-making strategy, no innate question of life and mortality ... just one guy who is a lot stronger or faster than another. But to the extent that meaningful, existential thought can be applied to this beautifully flawed obsession called college football, Les Miles will probably be involved. To watch a Les Miles team operating on that wonderful, double-green, yard-markers-every-five-yards field at Tiger Stadium is to witness existence in all its beauty, humor, strength and ridiculous vulnerability.
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If LSU is going to win big this season (whatever "winning big" means in the brutal SEC West), it is going to be, in part, because of the running game. Nine of the top ten return on LSU's offensive line, and they'll be blocking for a trio of impressive sophomores. But how good is LSU's line? I figured now was a good time to attempt some line rankings. Today, with LSU: offensive lines. Tomorrow, with Boise State's awesome front four: defensive lines.
Here's what we're going to do: we're going to look at teams' Adj. Sack Rates and Adj. Line Yards ratings, and we're going to adjust the weight of each rating based on how much teams actually ran and passed last year (because who cares how well Air Force protected the passer when they never had to?). What you see called "OL+" below is the combined measure with which we'll rank 2010 lines. (To see how 2011 might shake down, I'm including teams' returning career starts as well.)
When it comes to offensive lines, it's important to differentiate between the most talented lines and the lines that were most effective for what they were asked to do. The rankings below are very diverse when it comes to major and mid-major conferences, but that makes sense to me. It is also important to acknowledge two things: 1) These rankings are skewed pretty heavily by the humongous range you find in the Adj. Sack Rate ratings (the best and worse teams according to this rating were infinitely more spread out than the best and worst in Adj. Line Yards), and 2) Adj. Sack Rate is affected heavily by the quarterback -- whether he gets rid of the ball in timely fashion, whether he scrambles into pressure, etc. But for now, there's no way around that. You go to war with the ratings you've got.
The verdict? LSU's line should remain solid in run blocking, but unless pass protection improves (which is on both the line and crazy old Jordan Jefferson), they will be limited.
Offense | Adj. Sk Rt |
Rk | Adj. Ln Yds |
Rk | Adj. Run-Pass |
OL+ | Rk | Ret. Starts |
Stanford | 325.4 | 1 | 106.4 | 39 | 55.9% | 203.0 | 1 | 50 |
Oklahoma State | 271.0 | 2 | 115.0 | 10 | 43.9% | 202.5 | 2 | 76 |
Boise State | 265.9 | 3 | 105.8 | 44 | 51.0% | 184.2 | 3 | 98 |
East Carolina | 220.3 | 5 | 107.9 | 33 | 34.4% | 181.6 | 4 | 27 |
San Diego State | 232.3 | 4 | 87.9 | 99 | 49.3% | 161.1 | 5 | 83 |
Michigan | 192.5 | 8 | 126.2 | 2 | 56.4% | 155.1 | 6 | 70 |
Nevada | 191.6 | 9 | 122.2 | 3 | 60.5% | 149.6 | 7 | 64 |
Houston | 185.7 | 10 | 103.9 | 51 | 44.2% | 149.5 | 8 | 52 |
Utah | 200.0 | 7 | 96.0 | 76 | 50.0% | 148.0 | 9 | 63 |
Indiana | 185.3 | 11 | 86.2 | 103 | 39.6% | 146.1 | 10 | 71 |
Oregon | 207.3 | 6 | 103.7 | 53 | 60.5% | 144.7 | 11 | 56 |
Penn State | 163.1 | 13 | 108.2 | 30 | 50.2% | 135.6 | 12 | 52 |
UAB | 157.7 | 15 | 99.8 | 64 | 45.9% | 131.1 | 13 | 118 |
TCU | 156.5 | 16 | 113.1 | 13 | 61.3% | 129.9 | 14 | 36 |
USC | 135.3 | 22 | 121.8 | 4 | 49.0% | 128.7 | 15 | 27 |
Miami | 146.2 | 18 | 111.1 | 22 | 51.8% | 128.0 | 16 | 74 |
Clemson | 158.6 | 14 | 95.6 | 77 | 51.7% | 126.1 | 17 | 118 |
Air Force | 177.5 | 12 | 111.5 | 20 | 80.2% | 124.5 | 18 | 41 |
Connecticut | 142.4 | 19 | 110.2 | 24 | 57.6% | 123.9 | 19 | 72 |
Texas Tech | 139.2 | 20 | 99.0 | 65 | 38.9% | 123.6 | 20 | 83 |
Kentucky | 135.7 | 21 | 106.0 | 43 | 46.6% | 121.8 | 21 | 77 |
Marshall | 152.2 | 17 | 79.7 | 116 | 44.1% | 120.2 | 22 | 63 |
Missouri | 131.5 | 27 | 104.9 | 48 | 44.0% | 119.8 | 23 | 105 |
Auburn | 90.0 | 51 | 135.6 | 1 | 64.2% | 119.3 | 24 | 15 |
Northern Illinois | 134.7 | 23 | 108.3 | 29 | 61.8% | 118.4 | 25 | 116 |
Minnesota | 132.4 | 26 | 103.1 | 56 | 52.7% | 117.0 | 26 | 60 |
Notre Dame | 125.0 | 29 | 106.3 | 40 | 44.6% | 116.7 | 27 | 63 |
Oklahoma | 133.2 | 25 | 91.6 | 90 | 44.9% | 114.5 | 28 | 81 |
Southern Miss | 133.3 | 24 | 97.0 | 70 | 52.1% | 114.4 | 29 | 39 |
Virginia | 115.6 | 32 | 109.9 | 25 | 46.3% | 112.9 | 30 | 82 |
BYU | 118.5 | 30 | 103.5 | 55 | 52.0% | 110.7 | 31 | 107 |
Louisiana Tech | 114.5 | 33 | 103.1 | 57 | 50.2% | 108.8 | 32 | 46 |
Louisville | 112.8 | 34 | 105.1 | 47 | 54.8% | 108.6 | 33 | 25 |
Ole Miss | 128.4 | 28 | 94.7 | 81 | 59.1% | 108.5 | 34 | 77 |
Pittsburgh | 89.4 | 52 | 121.4 | 5 | 54.0% | 106.7 | 35 | 53 |
Troy | 116.5 | 31 | 93.5 | 83 | 44.7% | 106.2 | 36 | 54 |
Ohio State | 88.0 | 54 | 117.8 | 8 | 58.1% | 105.3 | 37 | 77 |
Wisconsin | 75.3 | 70 | 119.5 | 6 | 64.5% | 103.8 | 38 | 74 |
Florida International | 105.7 | 37 | 100.5 | 63 | 55.5% | 102.8 | 39 | 50 |
Florida | 101.0 | 40 | 103.7 | 52 | 54.9% | 102.5 | 40 | 27 |
Toledo | 107.5 | 36 | 96.2 | 73 | 55.0% | 101.3 | 41 | 85 |
Washington | 97.2 | 44 | 104.6 | 49 | 53.8% | 101.2 | 42 | 65 |
Georgia Tech | 65.4 | 95 | 110.5 | 23 | 79.2% | 101.1 | 43 | 38 |
Baylor | 94.1 | 47 | 106.7 | 37 | 47.4% | 100.1 | 44 | 77 |
Army | 71.9 | 78 | 105.6 | 46 | 82.5% | 99.7 | 45 | 21 |
LSU | 80.6 | 62 | 111.5 | 21 | 61.2% | 99.5 | 46 | 78 |
Arkansas | 84.3 | 57 | 118.2 | 7 | 44.7% | 99.4 | 47 | 49 |
Navy | 63.6 | 96 | 107.9 | 31 | 78.1% | 98.2 | 48 | 61 |
Hawaii | 103.2 | 38 | 85.7 | 105 | 28.8% | 98.2 | 49 | 21 |
South Carolina | 84.7 | 55 | 108.8 | 28 | 53.4% | 97.6 | 50 | 70 |
Rest of list after the jump.
Offense | Adj. Sk Rt |
Rk | Adj. Ln Yds |
Rk | Adj. Run-Pass |
OL+ | Rk | Ret. Starts |
Cincinnati | 84.4 | 56 | 113.5 | 12 | 44.3% | 97.3 | 51 | 39 |
Maryland | 101.4 | 39 | 92.1 | 87 | 50.7% | 96.7 | 52 | 73 |
Texas | 98.3 | 42 | 94.8 | 80 | 47.3% | 96.6 | 53 | 36 |
Florida State | 79.1 | 65 | 111.9 | 18 | 53.1% | 96.5 | 54 | 115 |
UTEP | 95.6 | 46 | 97.1 | 69 | 47.3% | 96.3 | 55 | 7 |
South Florida | 79.4 | 63 | 109.3 | 26 | 56.5% | 96.3 | 56 | 62 |
Arkansas State | 93.5 | 49 | 96.6 | 72 | 46.4% | 94.9 | 57 | 28 |
Middle Tennessee | 100.3 | 41 | 90.3 | 93 | 55.4% | 94.8 | 58 | 104 |
Central Florida | 81.5 | 61 | 102.4 | 58 | 63.6% | 94.8 | 59 | 87 |
Georgia | 73.1 | 74 | 113.9 | 11 | 52.7% | 94.6 | 60 | 86 |
Mississippi State | 69.4 | 89 | 107.4 | 34 | 65.4% | 94.2 | 61 | 80 |
Illinois | 57.9 | 107 | 112.4 | 16 | 65.6% | 93.7 | 62 | 69 |
New Mexico State | 108.6 | 35 | 80.2 | 114 | 53.5% | 93.4 | 63 | 98 |
Colorado | 97.9 | 43 | 88.9 | 96 | 51.4% | 93.3 | 64 | 97 |
Ohio | 73.8 | 72 | 104.6 | 50 | 61.2% | 92.6 | 65 | 39 |
California | 76.8 | 69 | 106.0 | 42 | 53.7% | 92.5 | 66 | 85 |
Alabama | 66.2 | 93 | 117.4 | 9 | 50.8% | 92.2 | 67 | 90 |
Eastern Michigan | 77.9 | 67 | 100.8 | 61 | 62.3% | 92.2 | 68 | 64 |
Ball State | 93.6 | 48 | 90.0 | 95 | 57.3% | 91.5 | 69 | 96 |
Virginia Tech | 62.7 | 98 | 112.2 | 17 | 58.1% | 91.4 | 70 | 98 |
Purdue | 92.5 | 50 | 90.0 | 94 | 54.3% | 91.2 | 71 | 79 |
UCLA | 71.0 | 81 | 105.6 | 45 | 57.3% | 90.8 | 72 | 80 |
N.C. State | 74.3 | 71 | 112.5 | 15 | 42.2% | 90.4 | 73 | 60 |
Texas A&M | 78.8 | 66 | 103.6 | 54 | 46.6% | 90.4 | 74 | 86 |
Michigan State | 72.8 | 75 | 106.5 | 38 | 51.5% | 90.1 | 75 | 57 |
Oregon State | 73.7 | 73 | 108.9 | 27 | 46.6% | 90.1 | 76 | 91 |
Kent State | 96.5 | 45 | 82.8 | 109 | 47.3% | 90.0 | 77 | 89 |
West Virginia | 81.6 | 60 | 96.0 | 75 | 55.5% | 89.6 | 78 | 92 |
Arizona State | 82.2 | 59 | 98.5 | 67 | 43.6% | 89.3 | 79 | 84 |
Arizona | 83.8 | 58 | 96.9 | 71 | 41.9% | 89.3 | 80 | 1 |
Tulsa | 70.5 | 84 | 106.2 | 41 | 49.5% | 88.2 | 81 | 116 |
Nebraska | 50.9 | 113 | 107.2 | 35 | 65.9% | 87.9 | 82 | 40 |
Duke | 89.3 | 53 | 85.1 | 108 | 41.5% | 87.6 | 83 | 77 |
Iowa | 70.7 | 83 | 102.1 | 59 | 52.4% | 87.1 | 84 | 59 |
SMU | 70.1 | 86 | 111.8 | 19 | 40.5% | 87.0 | 85 | 158 |
Temple | 62.0 | 100 | 106.9 | 36 | 55.4% | 86.9 | 86 | 111 |
Syracuse | 58.2 | 106 | 113.0 | 14 | 51.3% | 86.3 | 87 | 57 |
Western Michigan | 79.3 | 64 | 93.3 | 85 | 41.3% | 85.1 | 88 | 50 |
Boston College | 70.1 | 87 | 96.1 | 74 | 55.0% | 84.4 | 89 | 50 |
Iowa State | 65.6 | 94 | 98.8 | 66 | 51.8% | 82.8 | 90 | 54 |
Wake Forest | 71.0 | 82 | 90.8 | 92 | 57.7% | 82.4 | 91 | 68 |
Western Kentucky | 58.4 | 105 | 97.7 | 68 | 60.3% | 82.1 | 92 | 71 |
Buffalo | 77.9 | 68 | 86.0 | 104 | 50.1% | 81.9 | 93 | 58 |
North Carolina | 69.6 | 88 | 93.4 | 84 | 46.6% | 80.7 | 94 | 60 |
Rice | 72.5 | 76 | 86.7 | 101 | 54.3% | 80.2 | 95 | 109 |
North Texas | 59.1 | 104 | 95.0 | 79 | 58.1% | 79.9 | 96 | 59 |
Kansas State | 48.1 | 116 | 100.6 | 62 | 60.2% | 79.7 | 97 | 42 |
UNLV | 70.2 | 85 | 87.9 | 98 | 52.7% | 79.5 | 98 | 36 |
Utah State | 63.5 | 97 | 88.4 | 97 | 59.4% | 78.3 | 99 | 90 |
San Jose State | 71.4 | 80 | 85.6 | 106 | 40.7% | 77.2 | 100 | 80 |
Northwestern | 40.4 | 118 | 107.9 | 32 | 54.0% | 76.9 | 101 | 137 |
Akron | 61.4 | 102 | 92.0 | 88 | 49.7% | 76.6 | 102 | 49 |
Tulane | 61.7 | 101 | 93.1 | 86 | 45.5% | 76.0 | 103 | 62 |
Miami (Ohio) |
71.7 | 79 | 81.0 | 113 | 43.4% | 75.7 | 104 | 98 |
UL-Lafayette | 72.2 | 77 | 79.5 | 117 | 44.7% | 75.4 | 105 | 28 |
Vanderbilt | 55.4 | 110 | 94.0 | 82 | 50.3% | 74.8 | 106 | 68 |
Idaho | 66.8 | 92 | 87.1 | 100 | 36.6% | 74.2 | 107 | 61 |
Fresno State | 51.7 | 112 | 91.9 | 89 | 53.6% | 73.3 | 108 | 40 |
Tennessee | 57.8 | 108 | 91.6 | 91 | 45.1% | 73.0 | 109 | 50 |
Central Michigan | 67.6 | 91 | 79.9 | 115 | 40.6% | 72.6 | 110 | 69 |
Kansas | 39.9 | 119 | 100.9 | 60 | 53.5% | 72.5 | 111 | 97 |
UL-Monroe | 62.2 | 99 | 82.4 | 111 | 50.9% | 72.5 | 112 | 94 |
Memphis | 56.7 | 109 | 86.3 | 102 | 49.3% | 71.3 | 113 | 34 |
Colorado State | 48.6 | 115 | 95.2 | 78 | 44.6% | 69.4 | 114 | 62 |
Florida Atlantic | 60.3 | 103 | 77.1 | 118 | 50.2% | 68.7 | 115 | 59 |
Bowling Green | 68.2 | 90 | 67.0 | 120 | 40.3% | 67.7 | 116 | 63 |
New Mexico | 46.7 | 117 | 82.5 | 110 | 52.5% | 65.5 | 117 | 20 |
Wyoming | 53.4 | 111 | 75.6 | 119 | 53.8% | 65.3 | 118 | 78 |
Washington State | 50.5 | 114 | 81.8 | 112 | 46.5% | 65.0 | 119 | 71 |
Rutgers | 39.4 | 120 | 85.2 | 107 | 51.6% | 63.0 | 120 | 89 |
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