Stats Say The Defense Has Improved

[geaux_sioux]

Last season the defense was terrible. This season the defense has been not great by any means but much better than last year. They've shown signs of life and had long stretches of very solid play which just didn't happen last year.

PPG

2013 = 33.7

2012 = 34.5

It doesn't seem like a big improvement just looking at the one stat but we also still have one of the weaker opponents remaining so it could go down from here. Also as I will point out later the offense isn't helping nearly as much as least year so the defense has a tougher job this season.

YPG

2013 = 426 total, 237 passing, and 188 rushing

2012 = 480 total, 244 passing, and 235 rushing

An over 50 ypg improvement is pretty good. The biggest weakness was rushing defense last year and that and tackling in general have been improved but still obviously aren't there by any means. These yards translate into fewer 1st downs given up which means the defense is getting themselves off the field better than last year. 2012 = 24.18 1st downs/g 2013 = 22.2 1st downs/g. Those two first downs not given can be a big deal in close games. To put the yards improvement into perspective, UC Davis will have accumulate over 1000 yards on saturday for the total yards given up to not improve this year from last.

Offense

Last year the offense helped the defense out a ton by not turning the ball over nearly as much and by having great possession of the ball and points on the board. Opposing offenses are easier to plan against when they need to play catch up or from behind.

YGP down from 430.5 to 358.8.

TOP down from 29:41 to 28:10. - that extra time of rest and planning for the defense is huge late in games and adds up over a season.

Turnovers up from 18 to 27..... -no explanation needed here on how important taking care of the ball is.

It's pretty clear that the defense is actually one hell of alot better than last year. Even with a lack of help from the offense the defense is still better in every statistic other than sacks but that can be explained by lack of opportunity with teams running the clock out instead of trying to pass to catch back up. It's no where near good enough but it is better especially under the circumstances.

[darell1976]

Last season the defense was terrible. This season the defense has been not great by any means but much better than last year. They've shown signs of life and had long stretches of very solid play which just didn't happen last year.

PPG

2013 = 33.7

2012 = 34.5

It doesn't seem like a big improvement just looking at the one stat but we also still have one of the weaker opponents remaining so it could go down from here. Also as I will point out later the offense isn't helping nearly as much as least year so the defense has a tougher job this season.

YPG

2013 = 426 total, 237 passing, and 188 rushing

2012 = 480 total, 244 passing, and 235 rushing

An over 50 ypg improvement is pretty good. The biggest weakness was rushing defense last year and that and tackling in general have been improved but still obviously aren't there by any means. These yards translate into fewer 1st downs given up which means the defense is getting themselves off the field better than last year. 2012 = 24.18 1st downs/g 2013 = 22.2 1st downs/g. Those two first downs not given can be a big deal in close games. To put the yards improvement into perspective, UC Davis will have accumulate over 1000 yards on saturday for the total yards given up to not improve this year from last.

Offense

Last year the offense helped the defense out a ton by not turning the ball over nearly as much and by having great possession of the ball and points on the board. Opposing offenses are easier to plan against when they need to play catch up or from behind.

YGP down from 430.5 to 358.8.

TOP down from 29:41 to 28:10. - that extra time of rest and planning for the defense is huge late in games and adds up over a season.

Turnovers up from 18 to 27..... -no explanation needed here on how important taking care of the ball is.

It's pretty clear that the defense is actually one hell of alot better than last year. Even with a lack of help from the offense the defense is still better in every statistic other than sacks but that can be explained by lack of opportunity with teams running the clock out instead of trying to pass to catch back up. It's no where near good enough but it is better especially under the circumstances.

So our defense is getting better but our offense is getting worse but the stat to look at is 5 wins in 2012 and 3 wins so far this year.

[fightingsioux4life]

All I really care about in football is scoring defense. I have never really cared all that much about total defense, which is based on yards given up. And based on scoring defense, we are 0.8 ppg better than in 2012. Our regression on offense (including the alarming increase in turnovers) has more than cancelled out that meager improvement on defense. And, if you throw out the Valpo game, the defense gave up 36.33 ppg. We still have a long road ahead of us to get the defense back to what it once was, our bedrock, our bread and butter.

[geaux_sioux]

All I really care about in football is scoring defense. I have never really cared all that much about total defense, which is based on yards given up. And based on scoring defense, we are 0.8 ppg better than in 2012. Our regression on offense (including the alarming increase in turnovers) has more than cancelled out that meager improvement on defense. And, if you throw out the Valpo game, the defense gave up 36.33 ppg. We still have a long road ahead of us to get the defense back to what it once was, our bedrock, our bread and butter.

Then throw out the game vs a D2 from last year. The point is that the offense not helping the defense nearly as much as last year and the defense is still doing better.

[bincitysioux]

Without pouring over the stats, I feel like the defense has played better this season. Seems like they've at least been able to get off the field in some key situations several times this year. That didn't happen last year......

[gfhockey]

Muss is on tv right now...

said there isn't energy on the sidelines lol...no crap muss

[Hawkster]

So they give up less points, but lose more games than last year. Yes, that's some impovement.

I'd say you truly are Mussman's mistress or lapdog. No one else could possibly spin anything positive out this fiasco.

[Shawn-O]

Standings. Read them. What do you see?

[geaux_sioux]

So they give up less points, but lose more games than last year. Yes, that's some impovement.

I'd say you truly are Mussman's mistress or lapdog. No one else could possibly spin anything positive out this fiasco.

Because the offense isn't even close to what it was last year. It's not a hard concept. They affect eachother.

[Oxbow6]

Standings. Read them. What do you see?

Hard to argue with that "stat".

[darell1976]

Standings. Read them. What do you see?

The ONLY stat that matters.

[Matt]

I don't disagree the defense was improved over last year. However, the defense was historically bad last year. And, if you were just looking at those stats without a name at the top, you would say to yourself "this is a sh**ty defense. The stats are clear that while there's been improvement, it is marginal. Particularly against the backdrop of last year. The bar was set so ridiculously low, there should be far great improvements in those numbers than what we've seen.

And listening to the coaches, you would think they just arrived on campus and they're now having to deal with someone else's recruits when the fact is they hand picked them.

[geaux_sioux]

I don't disagree the defense was improved over last year. However, the defense was historically bad last year. And, if you were just looking at those stats without a name at the top, you would say to yourself "this is a sh**ty defense. The stats are clear that while there's been improvement, it is marginal. Particularly against the backdrop of last year. The bar was set so ridiculously low, there should be far great improvements in those numbers than what we've seen.

And listening to the coaches, you would think they just arrived on campus and they're now having to deal with someone else's recruits when the fact is they hand picked them.

I think a point could be made that if we had this years defense last year we would have had at least 2 more wins (SDSU and NAU or Cal Poly). The defense obviously isn't very good still which was made clear against MSU Montana and SDSU. Unlike last year they have gotten off the field when they needed to in a lot of games and have tackled way better. I'm not say at all that this is good enough though. Until we get pissed about giving up 300 yards in a game our defense will be a work in progress.

[geaux_sioux]

I don't disagree the defense was improved over last year. However, the defense was historically bad last year. And, if you were just looking at those stats without a name at the top, you would say to yourself "this is a sh**ty defense. The stats are clear that while there's been improvement, it is marginal. Particularly against the backdrop of last year. The bar was set so ridiculously low, there should be far great improvements in those numbers than what we've seen.

And listening to the coaches, you would think they just arrived on campus and they're now having to deal with someone else's recruits when the fact is they hand picked them.

I think a point could be made that if we had this years defense last year we would have had at least 2 more wins (SDSU and NAU or Cal Poly). The defense obviously isn't very good still which was made clear against MSU Montana and SDSU. Unlike last year they have gotten off the field when they needed to in a lot of games and have tackled way better. I'm not say at all that this is good enough though. Until we are getting pissed about giving up 300 yards in a game our defense will be a work in progress.

[Oxbow6]

Out of 13 teams in the Big Sky we are at #10 in total defense (as well as #10 in total offense)...doesn't matter how you cut it, this D not good...neither is the O for that matter.

Improved is a relative term at best in this argument and comparison.

[Matt]

I think a point could be made that if we had this years defense last year we would have had at least 2 more wins (SDSU and NAU or Cal Poly). The defense obviously isn't very good still which was made clear against MSU Montana and SDSU. Unlike last year they have gotten off the field when they needed to in a lot of games and have tackled way better. I'm not say at all that this is good enough though. Until we get pissed about giving up 300 yards in a game our defense will be a work in progress.

This is exactly correct. When giving up 400 total yards or more is commonplace, you've got problems.

[southpaw]

Out of 13 teams in the Big Sky we are at #10 in total defense (as well as #10 in total offense)...doesn't matter how you cut it, this D not good...neither is the O for that matter.

Improved is a relative term at best in this argument and comparison.

When isn't the word improved a relative term?

[Irish]

When isn't the word improved a relative term?

Pointing out how our team has improved by quoting defensive statistics this year is like putting lipstick on a corpse.

[RD17]

I think it's true that the defense has improved some. And while youth was an excuse last year, there are 7 or 8 seniors along with several juniors getting significant playing time on the defensive side of the ball this year so they should be better.

The question I have is why aren't more young players getting playing time when the upperclassmen aren't playing to the level required to compete in the Big Sky? If these last couple of recruiting classes are as outstanding as everyone claims certainly there would be more young guys getting significant playing time?

[geaux_sioux]

The question I have is why aren't more young players getting playing time when the upperclassmen aren't playing to the level required to compete in the Big Sky? If these last couple of recruiting classes are as outstanding as everyone claims certainly there would be more young guys getting significant playing time?

I always wonder that and it usually seems that Mussman is too bound to the upperclassmen.

[Hawkster]

Because the offense isn't even close to what it was last year. It's not a hard concept. They affect eachother.

LOL on that one. So we've improved .8 points per game. Figure that over 10 games, that's 8 points total. So, the D gave up one less TD is basically how it figures out. Some improvement, but OK.

So, the problem lies with the O. Do you blame Mollberg, or do you blame Muss for playing Mollberg?

[geaux_sioux]

LOL on that one. So we've improved .8 points per game. Figure that over 10 games, that's 8 points total. So, the D gave up one less TD is basically how it figures out. Some improvement, but OK.

So, the problem lies with the O. Do you blame Mollberg, or do you blame Muss for playing Mollberg?

I blame the oline period. Joe also didn't improve like he should have so I'm glad they put Bartels back in there and he looks like a totally different player. But the oline play has not been good enough once this year.