9/23/2002 - Football
Tale Of Turnovers; As Simple As It Seems
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By Bob Socci
In recent years, it's all become so complex.
Sample the chatter on sports talk radio leading into a football weekend. Have a listen to the Sunday morning television round tables formed by one-time players and coaches. Or take a glimpse at the in-depth previews in the sports section.
Surely, you'll hear or read about the latest scheming - how defenses will utilize "eight in the box" or employ "cover two," while offenses operate the "West Coast style" or "get vertical."
Someone will say "zone blitz," and another will write about "hot reads."
On air waves and in press sheets, we've been introduced to a new football lexicon.
But on the field, the outcome of any game - as always - is usually decided by something simple.
Blocking. Tackling. And holding onto the ball.
"Football is a game of clich?s, and I believe in every one of them," observed the legend known as Vince Lombardi.
Whether pre- or post-Lombardi, no clich?s - this side of taking "them one game at a time" - have been spoken by coaches more than those dealing with turnovers.
Pre-game interviews inevitably include the phrase, "If we don't turn it over..."
And in post-game analysis, a winner will generally say something like, "we protected the ball well," just as the loser probably will lament how, "turnovers killed us."
Such was the talk heading into and following Saturday's encounter of Navy and Northwestern.
Opposite SMU in the season opener, the Mids never gave the ball away while capitalizing on five fumbles or interceptions by the Mustangs. The result was a 38-7 victory.
A week later, under siege by nationally-ranked NC State, Navy had three turnovers and two punts blocked. Never in doubt, the outcome was a 65-19 defeat.
This past Saturday, the Mids and Wildcats accumulated 1,223 yards of total offense and 89 points. In the process, Navy recorded more first downs, gained 178 more yards and had a 10-minute advantage in time of possession.
But the Mids fell by a 49-40 final, principally because of another Navy advantage - five turnovers committed, compared to none by Northwestern.
To the left of my computer, as I strike the keys for this column, rests the transcript from head coach Paul Johnson's post-game press conference.
Sprinkled throughout the questions and answers are references to the Mids' giveaways. Highlighted in yellow are two sentences uttered by Johnson.
The first: "We're not talented enough to beat anybody when we do that."
The other: "If we don't turn the ball over, I don't know if they win."
After three hours and twenty minutes of action, that's exactly what a contest comprised of 167 offensive plays came down to.
Granted, it's incumbent on a team to stop the opposition, even after a fumble or interception leaves the defense with its backs to the endzone.
Still, game after game, football coaches - with good reason - are heard harping on "ball security."
Relying on far-from-scientific research, I logged onto an internet search engine and typed the words "football coaches quotes turnovers."
In less than a third of a second, good old google-dot-com discovered more than 2,100 web pages where I could read the same old coaching refrain about giving and taking the football away.
Against Northwestern, turnovers early and late spelled the Mids' demise.
By halftime the Wildcats had a 28-21 lead. Those first thirty minutes included three Navy fumbles producing a 21-point swing.
Ahead 7-0, the Mids coughed up the ball at their 31-yard line. Thirteen seconds later, they were tied.
In the second quarter, trailing 14-7, Navy moved deep into Wildcats' territory, before fumbling away an opportunity at the three-yard line.
Later, with the score at 21-21, a fumble at the Mids' 19-yard line set up a 66-second series that gave NU its touchdown advantage by the break.
Finally, a fourth-period fumble and interception at Northwestern's 21- and six-yard lines, enabled the Wildcats to expand and maintain their lead.
Of course, at the same time turnover margin spelled a nine-point difference in Annapolis, it was critical to other outcomes around the country.
Playing at home in the rain, Tennessee fell behind Florida, 24-0, after fumbling seven times in the first half. In fact, at one point, the Vols mishandled the ball on four straight snaps in their 30-13 home loss.
Meanwhile, two future Navy opponents, Air Force and Notre Dame remained unbeaten. With a combined 7-0 record, the Falcons and Irish have generally preserved their possessions.
Air Force did have two fumbles in the first half at nationally-ranked California, but held onto the ball down the stretch and scored on three straight possessions, including 13 points in the fourth quarter of a 23-21 upset win.
Notre Dame edged Michigan State, remaining relatively mistake free. Overall, the Irish have committed just six turnovers in their four games, while forcing 13 by opponents.
As for the Mids (1-2), preparing for their homecoming meeting with Duke, they will try to heed a hard lesson learned on Saturday. Here and elsewhere.
Remember, clich?s may sometimes grow tiresome. But as Lombardi recognized long ago, they always hold true.
