quote:Good years. Glad I got to see it live.
Um, this was Wrecking Crew...
1991: 7th
1992: 9th
1993: 2nd
1994: 4th
1995: 3rd
Average: 5th
The Wrecking Crew: Fact from Fiction
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Last: 7 yr ago by aeon-ag
I tend to agree with OP, but I would say we are getting close. To me the difference is, in that stretch of WC, we KNEW without a doubt the defense would play with attitude and be able to back the attitude. There would be gang tackling, jarring hits causing fumble and very few receivers running wide open. Now I think we wish for these characteristics of the WC. I will admit offenses have evolved into more polished passing attacks.
I'll chime in. Not sure when the term "wrecking crew" was started, but the great defenses were in place when I was there (86-90). Johnny Holland, John Roper, Aaron Wallace were some of the bigger names on those teams -all lb's.
At that time, the running game was still the primary offense for most teams, and the Ags were basically "Linebacker U". However, we weren't just linebackers, we always had a solid or better d-line and good-to-great corners.
This 2016 defense is as close to WC as I've seen in a long time, especially against Arky. If we can just figure out how to stop 3rd-and-long, wrecking crew status should be achieved.
Constant pressure, stopping the run, physical domination, big hits - that's all wrecking crew defense. This defense just needs to get it done on third down and maybe create more turnovers to be thought of as WC.
The 2012 defense was awesome on third down. That, combined with the Johnny whirlwind, was why 2012 was such a great year.
At that time, the running game was still the primary offense for most teams, and the Ags were basically "Linebacker U". However, we weren't just linebackers, we always had a solid or better d-line and good-to-great corners.
This 2016 defense is as close to WC as I've seen in a long time, especially against Arky. If we can just figure out how to stop 3rd-and-long, wrecking crew status should be achieved.
Constant pressure, stopping the run, physical domination, big hits - that's all wrecking crew defense. This defense just needs to get it done on third down and maybe create more turnovers to be thought of as WC.
The 2012 defense was awesome on third down. That, combined with the Johnny whirlwind, was why 2012 was such a great year.
Btw, the last Aggie game I went to was 2011 at Baylor, when Tannehill and the boys beat RG3.
The chant of "Wrecking Crew" was used at least once at that game in Waco.
The chant of "Wrecking Crew" was used at least once at that game in Waco.
not to take anything away from Melvin Robertson...
but he was also the DC in 1977 when the A&M defense surrendered 25 points per game. Including some dreadful performances that year vs. Michigan, Baylor, Southern Cal, and t.u.
two years later in R.C.'s first season as DC (1979)...he got the opponent's scoring average back down to 14 points per game
but he was also the DC in 1977 when the A&M defense surrendered 25 points per game. Including some dreadful performances that year vs. Michigan, Baylor, Southern Cal, and t.u.
two years later in R.C.'s first season as DC (1979)...he got the opponent's scoring average back down to 14 points per game
Two outlier years move the average up. Median is only 10.
Update: Texas A&M is now up to 12th in the nation in scoring defense so far this season. OP updated.
WRECKING CREW
WRECKING CREW
12th in scoring defense and 1st in tackles for loss. One thing I always remembered about the wrecking crew was they were always in the back field and so far we are doing that and the stats prove it.
54 Blue Blood
Jeebus, some of you actively find ways to be miserable about things. And many of you commenting were still crapping your diapers when the original WC defenses swarmed the field. Amazing.
Wrecking Crew is not some type of strategic weapon that we develop, spend all kinds of money on, then toss in storage and use only as a political bargaining chip - there is no need to act like that. At this point in time, the defense is playing lights out. We have held opponents to low scores and we are undefeated - and the defense playing the way that they have played is a key component of those facts.
Yards don't matter - this isn't 1993 when offenses were built around the vestiges of the wishbone offense and running the ball was king. Time of possession really doesn't matter. Yards per play really doesn't matter. What does matter is points - and we simply are playing at a level right now that prevents the other team from scoring many of them. That means wins. Points and wins - those matter.
Call them the Wrecking Crew - there is nothing wrong with it. The WC moniker is not some Ouiji Board chant that we should fear. Get over yourselves and the idea that "back in the day" things were better. Enjoy what we have now.
Wrecking Crew is not some type of strategic weapon that we develop, spend all kinds of money on, then toss in storage and use only as a political bargaining chip - there is no need to act like that. At this point in time, the defense is playing lights out. We have held opponents to low scores and we are undefeated - and the defense playing the way that they have played is a key component of those facts.
Yards don't matter - this isn't 1993 when offenses were built around the vestiges of the wishbone offense and running the ball was king. Time of possession really doesn't matter. Yards per play really doesn't matter. What does matter is points - and we simply are playing at a level right now that prevents the other team from scoring many of them. That means wins. Points and wins - those matter.
Call them the Wrecking Crew - there is nothing wrong with it. The WC moniker is not some Ouiji Board chant that we should fear. Get over yourselves and the idea that "back in the day" things were better. Enjoy what we have now.
Nails.
Quote:
Call them the Wrecking Crew - there is nothing wrong with it. The WC moniker is not some Ouiji Board chant that we should fear. Get over yourselves and the idea that "back in the day" things were better. Enjoy what we have now.
Would love to hear this chant all game long Saturday.
POTD!!!
Jack Cheese- I am really stingy with the title Wrecking Crew, but the more we get into this season, and the more I think about it, the more I believe this, not statistics, should be the criteria. I was there for the great seasons of the WC. This team embodies that attitude and production- and in some ways more so.Jack Cheese said:
WC is about attitude, disruption, tackling, physicality, and dictating the game to the opponent. This year's defense is closer in each of those respects to the old WC than any in recent memory.
Wrecking Crew- give it to them.
Let's just hold on to that 12 spot....would be fitting.
WC is back holmes
WC is back holmes
This. My ass is yelling Wrecking Crew at the game Saturday. The defense and Chief have earned it.zmurda said:
Let's just hold on to that 12 spot....would be fitting.
WC is back holmes
If you hold the pointer finger of your left hand next to "C" of the wrecking crew hand sign, a backwards "p" is formed.
WOLFPACK
WOLFPACK
schmellba99 said:
Jeebus, some of you actively find ways to be miserable about things. And many of you commenting were still crapping your diapers when the original WC defenses swarmed the field. Amazing.
Wrecking Crew is not some type of strategic weapon that we develop, spend all kinds of money on, then toss in storage and use only as a political bargaining chip - there is no need to act like that. At this point in time, the defense is playing lights out. We have held opponents to low scores and we are undefeated - and the defense playing the way that they have played is a key component of those facts.
Yards don't matter - this isn't 1993 when offenses were built around the vestiges of the wishbone offense and running the ball was king. Time of possession really doesn't matter. Yards per play really doesn't matter. What does matter is points - and we simply are playing at a level right now that prevents the other team from scoring many of them. That means wins. Points and wins - those matter.
Call them the Wrecking Crew - there is nothing wrong with it. The WC moniker is not some Ouiji Board chant that we should fear. Get over yourselves and the idea that "back in the day" things were better. Enjoy what we have now.
tk for tu juan said:
If you hold the pointer finger of your left hand next to "C" of the wrecking crew hand sign, a backwards "p" is formed.
WOLFPACK
WOLFPACK. I love it....
That hand sign means something different to me.
Amenschmellba99 said:
Jeebus, some of you actively find ways to be miserable about things. And many of you commenting were still crapping your diapers when the original WC defenses swarmed the field. Amazing.
Wrecking Crew is not some type of strategic weapon that we develop, spend all kinds of money on, then toss in storage and use only as a political bargaining chip - there is no need to act like that. At this point in time, the defense is playing lights out. We have held opponents to low scores and we are undefeated - and the defense playing the way that they have played is a key component of those facts.
Yards don't matter - this isn't 1993 when offenses were built around the vestiges of the wishbone offense and running the ball was king. Time of possession really doesn't matter. Yards per play really doesn't matter. What does matter is points - and we simply are playing at a level right now that prevents the other team from scoring many of them. That means wins. Points and wins - those matter.
Call them the Wrecking Crew - there is nothing wrong with it. The WC moniker is not some Ouiji Board chant that we should fear. Get over yourselves and the idea that "back in the day" things were better. Enjoy what we have now.
Quote:
Now this may be a bit of an exaggeration, but I seem to remember the 2001 defense scoring more touchdowns than the Mark Farris lead offense.
seriously. i remember being more excited for our scoring chances while on D. even if didnt actually score, they would set up our offense for a short score time and again.
They aren't thge wrecking crew yet, all you who claim so weren't a twinkle in your fathers eye at that time.John Francis Donaghy said:
For all the posters that have been going on and on about how this defense is nowhere near the old Wrecking Crew days under RC Slocum, and how our defense would have to be consistently in the top 5 to earn the moniker back, I decided to do a little fact checking.
I looked up A&M's national scoring defense rankings for every year of Slocum's tenure. I chose scoring defense because at the end of the day, all that really matters is keeping points off the board. So I figured that was the most appropriate standard to use.
Scoring Defense:
1989: 9th
1990: 28th
1991: 7th
1992: 9th
1993: 2nd
1994: 4th
1995: 3rd
1996: 38th
1997: 16th
1998: 10th
1999: 19th
2000: 10th
2001: 13th
2002: 42nd
Average: 15th
2016 so far: 12th
So really, the current defense is statistically on par with the average Slocum defense, and the only period that was significantly ahead of where we are now was the 3 season stretch from 1993 to 1995 when our defense was in the top 5. Those were also the only top 5 scoring defenses Slocum fielded as a head coach.
And if you consider the difference in schedule strength between the old SWC and our current SECW slate, and the fact that 75% of this season's games that have gone into that current ranking were against UCLA, Auburn, and Arkansas, while most of the teams ahead of us have played 2-4 cupcakes so far to help pad their stats, and that #18 ranking starts to look even more impressive.
I know that as we get older, our younger selves become cooler and more handsome, and the girls we "dated" get prettier and prettier in our memories, and the football team we remember becomes increasingly fearsome, but when you get down to brass tacks, the numbers show we are looking at what would have been considered a standard Wrecking Crew defense back during Slocum's tenure.
Give the players what they've earned.
WRECKING CREW
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