Alternate rushing yards, a statistical measure in American football, represents the total yards gained by a player when their team attempts a run play. Unlike traditional rushing yards, which only count yards gained on successful plays, alternate rushing yards include yards lost on unsuccessful plays, such as sacks or tackles for a loss. This metric provides a more comprehensive view of a player’s performance, accounting for both positive and negative contributions to the running game. It can be used to evaluate the efficiency and productivity of individual players or entire offenses.
Alternate Rushing Yards: A Detailed Explanation
Alternate rushing yards (ARY) are a stat that attempts to account for the contribution of the offensive line to running backs’ performance. It does this by measuring the number of yards a given running back would be expected to gain based on the average yards per carry of all running backs in the league, adjusted for the difficulty of each play.
Components of ARY
ARY takes into account the following factors:
- The running back’s attempts
- The yards per carry of all running backs in the league
- The average number of defenders in the box for a team’s offense
- The average run differential for a team’s defense
- The team’s offensive strength
How is ARY Calculated?
- Determine the average yards per carry (YPC) of all running backs in the league.
- Adjust each running back’s YPC based on the average number of defenders in the box and run differential.
- Multiply the adjusted YPC by the running back’s attempts.
- Subtract the adjusted YPC from the running back’s actual YPC.
- Sum the differences from the previous step to calculate ARY.
Uses of ARY
ARY can be used to:
- Evaluate a running back’s performance independent of their offensive line.
- Identify running backs who are producing more than expected based on their surroundings.
- Make predictions about a running back’s future performance.
Table: Example of ARY Calculation
| Running Back | Attempts | Actual YPC | Adjusted YPC | Difference | ARY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player A | 15 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 7.5 |
| Player B | 20 | 4.2 | 4.8 | -0.6 | -12.0 |
Limitations of ARY
While ARY can provide valuable insights, it is important to note its limitations including:
- It does not account for ball security or other non-statistical factors.
- It relies on league-average data, which may not accurately reflect the strength of a specific team’s offensive line.
- It can be misleading if the league-wide YPC is heavily influenced by outliers, such as a team with an unusually potent running game.
Question 1:
What is the definition of alternate rushing yards in football statistics?
Answer:
Alternate rushing yards, also known as adjusted rushing yards, is a statistic in football that measures the yards gained by a running back adjusted for the down and distance of the play.
Question 2:
How are alternate rushing yards calculated?
Answer:
Alternate rushing yards are calculated by multiplying the rushing yards on first down by 1.00, on second down by 0.85, on third down by 0.70, and on fourth down by 0.50. The result is the adjusted rushing yards.
Question 3:
What is the purpose of using alternate rushing yards?
Answer:
Alternate rushing yards provide a more accurate measure of a running back’s performance by taking into account the difficulty of the play based on the down and distance.
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