The NCAA News - News & Features

On the run: I-A rushing numbers down significantly in '96

BY JAMES F. WRIGHT
NCAA Director of Statistics

Which of the following terms no longer should be associated with the sport of football:

1) The bomb.

2) Zone defense.

3) Three yards and a cloud of dust.

Walk, do not rush, to the head of the class if you chose number three. Midseason trends for the 111 teams in I-A football show rushing yardage at its lowest point in almost 30 years and rushing attempts per game near the all-time record low.

Teams are averaging 318.1 yards rushing per game (both teams combined), 407.0 yards passing, 725.1 yards in total offense and 49.3 points per game (see accompanying chart). Although scoring, passing and total offense are slightly lower than last year, it should be noted 1995 was a record-setting year for those three categories. But the last time rushing yards dipped under 320 yards a game was 1967 (309.3) and the 81.6 rushing attempts per game this year equal the low mark established in both 1938 and 1939. In 1975, teams ran the ball a record 103.8 times a game for a record 418.9 yards, but every year since 1982 passing yards have exceeded rushing yards.

Before there is panic in the streets and football fans demand that the offense be given five downs, remember the 1996 points per game average is headed for the second highest average ever (to last year's 50.2), passing is poised to exceed 400 yards a game for just the fourth time in history and this will be the 12th consecutive year total offense has averaged more than 700 yards a game.

I-A conference notes

The Big 12 Conference may still offer the cloud of dust, but its running backs seldom settle for only three yards. The new league is the only I-A conference averaging more rushing than passing yards (218.8 to 184.8) and also leads all leagues in total offense (403.6) and scoring (30.2). The Big Ten is a distant second to the Big 12 in rushing yards per game (178.6).

Three western leagues are the top passing conferences. The Big West averages 271.7 passing yards a game, representing 69.5 per cent of the total offense generated by the six league teams. The Pacific-10 is next with 236.6 passing yards a game and the WAC is third with 217.3. The Pacific-10 is second to the Big 12 in both total offense (392.2) and scoring (29.4).

Defensively, the Southeastern Conference is stingiest in both rushing (125.7) and total offense (320.8) and is second in scoring (20.3). The Big Ten is tops in scoring defense (20.2) and second in rushing (137.5). The Atlantic Coast is second in total defense (324.6), while the Atlantic Coast (182.2) and Big East (183.7) are one-two in pass defense.

I-A team notes

Miami (Florida) is the only team in the division that has not allowed a touchdown pass this year. Ohio State has only surrendered one (to Notre Dame). Three teams, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia, have permitted only one rushing touchdown.

On special teams, Georgia Tech tops I-A by allowing just 9.2 yards a kickoff return (the record is 8.3 by Richmond in 1951), and Idaho leads in punt-return average at 2.7 per return.

Nine teams remain undefeated, but Arizona State (6-0) and California (5-0) meet November 9 in Tempe and Florida (6-0) plays at Florida State (5-0) November 30. The other perfect teams are: Wyoming (7-0), West Virginia (6-0), Alabama (6-0), Army (5-0) and Ohio State (5-0).

I-AA midseason trends

Statistical trends for the 116 teams in Division I-AA show little change from the midpoint in 1995 but do indicate a downward slide in offense. Teams are scoring 45.9 points a game (both teams combined), rushing for 318.0 yards, passing for 348.7 and average 666.6 yards in total offense.

If the midseason numbers remain similar, by the end of the year rushing average would be the lowest since 1987 (317.2) and passing lowest since 1988 (345.4). Total offense could be heading toward its lowest average since 1983 (644.8). The last time points per game was under 46 was in 1989 (45.5).

I-AA conference notes

The Big Sky Conference remains the offensive juggernaut in I-AA, leading the 13 leagues and independent group in passing yards per game (245.7), total offense (399.6) and scoring (31.8). No other conference is averaging more than 200 passing yards a game. The Southern Conference is the top rushing league (202.8) and the Mid-Eastern is second in both rushing and total offense. The Patriot League is second in passing offense (197.4) and the Gateway is second in scoring (28.2).

Defensively, the Metro Atlantic is tops in both pass defense (133.3 yards per game) and total defense (294.8), while the Gateway leads in scoring (19.1). The Big Sky surrenders the fewest rushing yards (131.1) but also allows the most passing (240.7).

Four different leagues are second in the four defensive categories -- Yankee in rushing (131.9), Pioneer in passing (148.9), Southland in total (304.3) and Northeast in scoring (19.9).

I-AA team notes

Georgetown, Canisius and Drake have allowed only one rushing touchdown this year, although Drake's total is after six games and the other two are after four contests. Columbia is the only I-AA team that has yet to allow a touchdown pass.

Two teams are on a pace to break the I-AA records for lowest punt return and kickoff return average. Bethune-Cookman has allowed just five yards in eight punt returns (on 28 punts), a 0.6 average, and Youngstown State is permitting just 1.1 yards a return (10 yards on nine returns for 34 punts). The record is 1.0 by Yale in 1988.

Southern Utah is tops in kickoff return defense (10.4) and Tennessee State is second with 12.3 yards a return. Lafayette holds the current mark with a 11.0 average in 1980.

Three Metro Atlantic Conference teams are among the nine undefeated teams in I-AA. Georgetown (4-0) visits Duquesne (5-0) October 19 and hosts Canisius (4-0) November 2. Duquesne plays at Canisius November 16.

The Ivy Group also could have an undefeated showdown November 9 when Columbia (4-0) travels to Dartmouth (4-0). The other perfect teams are Dayton (6-0), Marshall (6-0), Montana (5-0) and Jackson State (5-0).