You're just scared because our red zone package is about to be the best in the country

Red zone stats are a lazy metric for a program like St. Lawrence. Their offensive identity is built on explosive plays that stretch the field, not plodding drives. You're ignoring their elite special teams that consistently win the field position battle, making those field goals more than enough. The real focus should be on landing a couple of blue-chip linemen in this year to open those holes, not overhauling a scheme that just won them the conference. Obsessing over a single stat from last year misses the bigger picture of their recruiting momentum.

St. Lawrence? Their defense allowed 6.4 yards per play.

You're focusing on the wrong thing, just like your program always does. Red zone percentages? That's a stat for teams that don't understand the fundamentals of winniing football. I've been watching this game since the days of Coach Alvarez, and let me tell you, what wins in January is the same thing that's always won: controlling the line of scrimmage and having a defense that makes stops. You think the 1999 Rose Bowl team won because of a fancy red zone percentage? No, they won because Ron Dayne and that offensive line wore people down until they broke. This obsession with a single statistic is what's wrong with the game today. The great teams, the ones that win championships, they find a way to win ugly when they have to. They don't need a 70% touchdown rate, they need a back who can get three yards when you need two and a kicker who doesn't miss. You're talking about St. Lawrence like they're some finesse team, but if they have the heart of those old Badger squads, they'll figure it out when it matters. I've seen too many "efficient" teams get pushed around by tougher, more physical football teams. The game is still won in the trenches, no matter what new logo the playoff committee slaps on it. All this talk about schemes and packages forgets the basic truth we learned in the Big Ten for decades: you run the ball until they prove they can stop it, especially down near the goal line. If your guys are soft, no play design in the world is going to help you.

Back in the SWC days, we won with defense and a strong kicking game, not by obsessing over red zone percentages

Our red zone issues last year were all about injuries, not scheme, and we've got the talent to fix it this fall

Their red zone struggles last year were due to injuries, not scheme. Their 4.8 yards per carry inside the 10 was actually top 40 nationally.

Red zone is overrated

Red zone stats are for losers. Saints win with defense.

Explosive plays win championships, NOT red zone stats. You can't even get to the red zone without chunk yardage. The Saints' new offense is built to score from anywere, not grind out short yards. Worry about your own team's inability to stop the big play.

Our defense forces more red zone stops than anyone, so we don't need to score every time

Our red zone will be elite

We won the 2011 Fiesta Bowl with field goals and defense, not red zone gimmicks

Our red zone struggles were due to injuries, not scheme, and we've already fixed that in spring ball

The Saints' red zone struggles last year were real, but that 52% figure is misleading without context. Their offense was decimated by injuries at running back, forcing them into predictable passing situations inside the 20. A healthy backfield and their new coordinator's track record with tight ends will fix that problem quickly.

We just won back-to-back titles with elite red zone defense, not just offense. Our physicality in the trenches is what closes games, not some arbitrary percentage. This sounds like a rival trying to find a weakness where there isn't one.

you're focusing on the wrong team, we're the ones who actually matter in this conference. our red zone numebrs were down because we had three starting linemen out by midseason, and we still won eight games. meanwhile, your program hasn't sniffed a conference title in a decade. we brought in a new offensive line coach and our spring goal-line work has been brutal, in a good way. we'll be over 70% this year easily, and we'll be the ones controlling games when it matters. worry about your own third-down defense before you lecture us about execution.

Our red zone will be elite

We don't need to worry about the Saints' red zone stats, we just need to beat them. Our defense WILL make their field goals look like touchdowns.

Our defense wins championships