Everybody is looking for balance on offense. Well, just about everybody.
Who has been the most balanced offense in the SEC over the past three years?
Believe it or not, it’s been Florida, at least in terms of total passing yards versus total rushing yards.
The Gators have passed for 6,712 yards during the 2010-12 seasons and rushed for 6,464 yards during that same span. Of course, the truth is they haven’t been very good offensively in any of the past three years. They were 12th in the SEC in total offense last season and 10th in 2011 and 2010.
So in terms of true balance, the title the past three years has to go to Alabama.
No surprise there, huh?
The Crimson Tide are the only team in the league with more than 8,000 rushing yards and more than 8,000 passing yards over the past three seasons.
The biggest discrepancy between rushing and passing yards over the past three seasons belongs to Arkansas. The Hogs have passed for 11,865 yards and rushed for 5,145 yards, a difference of 6,720 yards.
The only team close to that is Tennessee. The Vols have passed for 10,007 yards and rushed for 4,425 yards, which is the lowest rushing total in the SEC over the past three years by more than 500 yards.
Auburn and LSU are the only two teams in the league with more rushing yards than passing yards over the last three years. Auburn has rushed for 8,138 yards and passed for 6.903 yards. LSU has rushed for 7,508 yards and passed for 6,765 yards..
Below is a team-by-team breakdown:
ALABAMA
2012: 3,185 rush, 3,052 pass
2011: 2,788 rush, 2,797 pass
2010: 2,378 rush, 3,395 pass
Total: 8,351 rush, 9,244 pass
ARKANSAS
2012: 1,424 rush, 3,618 pass
2011: 1,786 rush, 3,909 pass
2010: 1,935 rush, 4,338 pass
Total: 5,145 rush, 11,865 pass
AUBURN
2012: 1,781 rush, 1,879 pass
2011: 2,370 rush, 2,022 pass
2010: 3,987 rush, 3,002 pass
Total: 8,138 rush, 6,903 pass
FLORIDA
2012: 2,440 rush, 1,902 pass
2011: 1,859 rush, 2,414 pass
2010: 2,165 rush, 2,396 pass
Total: 6,464 rush, 6,712 pass
GEORGIA
2012: 2,556 rush, 3,991 pass
2011: 2,296 rush, 3,423 pass
2010: 1,854 rush, 3,151 pass
Total: 6,706 rush, 10,565 pass
KENTUCKY
2012: 1,665 rush, 2,115 pass
2011: 1,490 rush, 1,627 pass
2010: 2,061 rush, 3,501 pass
Total: 5,216 rush, 7,243 pass
LSU
2012: 2,258 rush, 2,607 pass
2011: 2,836 rush, 2,135 pass
2010: 2,414 rush, 2,023 pass
Total: 7,508 rush, 6,765 pass
MISS. STATE
2012: 1,874 rush, 3,091 pass
2011: 2,279 rush, 2,364 pass
2010: 2,793 rush, 2,424 pass
Total: 6,946 rush, 7,897 pass
MISSOURI
2012: 1,662 rush, 2,615 pass
2011: 3,172 rush, 3,010 pass
2010: 2,033 rush, 3,292 pass
Total: 6,867 rush, 8,917 pass
OLE MISS
2012: 2,260 rush, 3,249 pass
2011: 1,555 rush, 1,820 pass
2010: 2,491 rush, 2,307 pass
Total: 6,306 rush, 7,376 pass
SOUTH CAROLINA
2012: 1,800 rush, 3,095 pass
2011: 2,497 rush, 2,359 pass
2010: 2,161 rush, 3,338 pass
Total: 6,458 rush, 8,792 pass
TENNESSEE
2012: 1,924 rush, 3,787 pass
2011: 1,081 rush, 2,911 pass
2010: 1,420 rush, 3,309 pass
Total: 4,425 rush, 10,007 pass
TEXAS A&M
2012: 3,147 rush, 4,114 pass
2011: 2,589 rush, 3,784 pass
2010: 2,145 rush, 3,599 pass
Total: 7,881 rush, 11,497 pass
VANDERBILT
2012: 2,162 rush, 2,774 pass
2011: 2,138 rush, 2,270 pass
2010: 1,666 rush, 1,913 pass
Total: 5,966 rush, 6,957 pass