RBR POLL: Which Alabama National Champion Team Boasted the Most Dominant Defense?
by kleph on Jan 19, 2012 9:02 AM CST
in Football
Email
Print
Throughout this week, Roll Bama Roll has been breaking down the numbers concerning the 2011 National Champion Crimson Tide and taking a preliminary look at how this defensive unit stacks up against the Alabama teams of yore. On Monday we looked at scoring defense, on Tuesday we examined total defense and yesterday we offered an overview of last season's dominant performance.
The question that keeps popping up in the comments is the same; is this the best Crimson Tide defense of all time? And we're not alone in wondering about it. Already we've seen detailed comparisons of Alabama's historically outstanding defenses by Keith Dunnavant and The Huntsville Times. It seems that the debate is well on its way to becoming a staple of Crimson Tide fan discussion.
So now we put it to you, our loyal readership. Which of Alabama's 14 National Champion teams boasted the most dominant defense? To help a bit in making your decision, we've listed the available raw stats (season record, points allowed per game, yards allowed per game) with each squad when available. You can find all the raw numbers over at our spreadsheet of Alabama defenses from 1961 to the present.
23 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I voted '11
because the feat was done against modern era offenses. If I had a time machine,I might would reconsider this.
I voted '11.
Because I wasn’t alive for the Kennedy administration.
This poll is probably gonna fall strictly down generational lines. For me and mine, ’11 will forever be the best.
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that." - George Carlin
2011
But I have to agree with SOL (no pun intended), that this will come down to age. Since I wasn’t alive for the ’61 team I would have to go with 2011.
by TideinOklahoma on Jan 19, 2012 1:19 PM CST up reply actions
Found it difficult
61 or 11. I went with 2011 because of the offensive strategy teams use is much different. I wonder how a 1961 defense would do with 2011 offense.
"its that puke, inside of a pumpkin orange....and i dont like pumpkins"!
Might have done better against Georgia Southern!
/justkiddingbecauseidon’tknowwhenthetripleoptionwasinventedandi’mtoolazytolookitupthistime
Fourteen.
Tough call between the two.
I got to go with the ’11 squad.Athletes nowadays are better conditioned.
RBR resident Dogcaller.
What a tough decision...
I voted for ’61 only because you had to play both sides (offense & defense) in ’61 because the rules on substitution were so strict. Although, I could have just as easy voted for ’11 for the reasons above.
Don't forget: The '61 defense didn't play against black athletes.
I think that is a significant point to make in any comparisons. I admire and respect what the ’61 team did, but this is a whole new era of athletes and offensive football. I voted ’11, just over ’92.
"Football has never been just a game to me. Never."
Paul William Bryant
Most dominant how?
Most dominant over its opponents? Or best ever (most dominant if somehow playing same opponents)?
If it’s the latter, congratulations to the 2011 team. If it’s the former, Wallace Wade’s 1930 squad gets my vote.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Jan 19, 2012 10:22 AM CST reply actions
I would have to say '11...
just from the perspective of how the offenses play today…but ’61 is definitely a close 2nd.
ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!
14 and counting...
I voted 61
because we shut out our last 5 regular season opponents including a very tough Ga Tech team and AU and then gave up only FG in the Sugar Bowl.
The 11 D would be close, but we did give up 21 to Ga. Southern. I know, I know they ran the triple option. That is no excuse.
Coach Bryant said of the 61 team “They thought it was a sin to let your score.” Obviously the 11 team did not exactly feel that way vs. Ga So.
Now, if you wanted to talk about the best defense in an individual game with the title on the line the 11 D in the NCG would be the best game because of the opponent.
And I did see the 61 team play in person.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
How do you think the two teams would stack up if they played each other, Fitty?
’61 Bama vs. ’11 Bama…
"Football has never been just a game to me. Never."
Paul William Bryant
Well the athletes
in that day were much smaller and much slower. Even average teams of today would out muscle and out quick the 61 team.
But, if you could take Lee Roy Jordan and make him the size of Dont’a Hightower and make Richard Williamson as fast as Bell, then it would be a close game. If it came down to FG’s I’d take Tim Davis even though he was a head on kicker.
But anyone who says the 61 team would beat the 11 team head up is wrong. However, I’d never bet against Bryant and Trammell. Just wouldn’t do it.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
You really can't compare teams from completely different generations
So I went with the most statistically dominant teamn that also went undefeated, 1961
!@#$$%%$#@@! FACTS!!!!!1111!!!!!11!!
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Jan 19, 2012 4:39 PM CST up reply actions
The thing is in 1930
we really only played a few teams that could even hope to beat us…mainly Vandy, Ut and UGA (ok Washington St in the bowl.) Where as in 61 we played a tougher schedule.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
That's what I was going for
That and the lack of ypg as a statistic didn’t really allow me to accurately assess it.
In 1961...
our opponents had a combined record of 53-58-1.
1. Georgia: 3-7
2. Tulane: 2-8
3. Vandy: 2-8
4. NC State: 4-6
5. Tennessee: 6-4
6. Houston: 5-4-1
7. Mississippi State: 5-5
8. Richmond: 5-5
9. Georgia Tech: 7-4
10. Auburn: 6-4
11. Arkansas: 8-3
4 of our 11 opponents had winning records, and two finished ranked in the AP top 20: #9 Arkansas, and #13 Georgia Tech.
I can’t really easily find the opposing teams’ W/L from the 1930 season.
Fourteen.
I voted for the '92 squad
If you had posed this question without posting the stats, while basking in the afterglow of the total domination of LSU by our defense, my vote would have been for the 2011 team.
The 92 team went undefeated, allowed less points per game while giving up less than 20 yards per game by comparison. Almost a tie, but the tie breaker for me was the added distraction that the team had to play in the first SEC Championship Game which was a huge factor that year. They stepped up for it and took it all the way. Not to take anything away from the 2011 defense, they are awesome, but I am sticking with ’92
"The last time we saw a Tiger beaten that bad, someone had to take the golf club away from his wife" Chumley
It's a great argument to have...
…and the ‘92 D was superior at the all-important positions of DE and CB (even though the CB margin is pretty close). However, we didn’t have anyone like Josh Chapman or Mark Barron on the ‘92 team, and we’ve never had an LB corps close to as dominant as this year’s unit. It’s really the LBs that give the 2011 squad the edge in my mind. But hey, I’m still so happy about our last game, I’ll concede this argument to just about any other D you like….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Jan 20, 2012 1:49 PM CST up reply actions
BTW...
…the ’92 D gave up 20 yards more per game, not less.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Jan 20, 2012 1:51 PM CST up reply actions
BTW 2...
…I’m pretty sure the PPG stat includes special teams scores, but I can’t verify it right now….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Jan 20, 2012 1:52 PM CST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
