http://www.mac-sports.com/portals/20/MAC/Stats/2013FB/confldrs.htm
How can NIU be so good with all those penalties?
| PENALTIES |
G |
No. |
Yards |
Avg/G |
| 1. |
Ball State |
6 |
22 |
180 |
30.0 |
| 2. |
Central Michigan |
6 |
22 |
205 |
34.2 |
| 3. |
Miami |
5 |
25 |
203 |
40.6 |
| 4. |
Eastern Michigan |
5 |
26 |
215 |
43.0 |
| 5. |
UMass |
5 |
28 |
221 |
44.2 |
| 6. |
Ohio |
5 |
29 |
249 |
49.8 |
| 7. |
Bowling Green |
6 |
31 |
300 |
50.0 |
| 8. |
Kent State |
6 |
37 |
311 |
51.8 |
| 9. |
Akron |
6 |
35 |
325 |
54.2 |
| 10. |
Western Michigan |
6 |
36 |
333 |
55.5 |
| 11. |
Toledo |
6 |
42 |
350 |
58.3 |
| 12. |
Buffalo |
5 |
28 |
292 |
58.4 |
| 13. |
Northern Illinois |
5 |
47 |
415 |
83.0 |
It could be that NIU leads in penalties because it is so good. Not saying that it is, but saying it could be.
Reason: An old memory. I played on very strong HS teams. We were heavily penalized. Some penalties resulted from over-confidence and over-aggressiveness. But others? I remember one game when were leading big - about 30-0 - in the second quarter. We ran an off-tackle play and our RB went 40 or so yards for the score. Flag. Holding. We all looked around at each other. Who was holding? Back then offensive holding was 15 yards and the refs didn't identify miscreants by uniform number. So from 15 yards farther back we ran the same play with the same RB. Once again he went the distance. Flag. Holding. Really? So we ran the same play a third time from another 15 yards back with the same RB and, gassed though he was, he again went the distance. TD! At last!
In that game we set a state record: 215 yards in penalties. How many of them were actual infractions? How many were attempts by officials to rein us in?
(Note: On the first play of the second half we scored on another long play. 46-0. That was the last play the first team played.)