Adjusted (for SOS) yards per play ranking - through 5 games

[NineOneSeven]

A frozen caveman who has never seen a football in their life can tell that one defender covering three guys pre snap is generally not a good idea.

Can that frozen cavemen grab more rebounds than a dead man tho?

 

[Scooch]

A frozen caveman who has never seen a football in their life can tell that one defender covering three guys pre snap is generally not a good idea.

Unfrozen. And he's a lawyer.

 

[Deuga]

Most 20+ yds plays allowed, 4 most 30+, 3rd most 40+, 2nd most 50+ and so on. Given up 2500 yds through 50 games, approximately 20% on nine plays.

Stop the home run plays and the numbers get normalized.

The season to date stats don't tell us if we're improving or not. They just show fat, ugly numbers but this season is really about simply improving.

I took the rush and passing stats/play/game and tossed out the longest rushing and passing play if one or more was over 20 yards. Why? Because breakaway plays just tells us what we already know. I'm interested in whether we're improving on the average play. We've played three tough offenses so I'm focusing only on them:

UL rushing 8.5 yds/play; USF rushing 5.4 yds/play; ND rushing 3.4 yds/play
UL passing 18 yds/play; USF passing 14.4 yds/play; ND passing 17.8 yds/play

I think 3.4 yds/play is a good effort against ND. It seems our rushing defense really has improved while our passing defense has not improved.

 

[GoSU96]

A frozen caveman who has never seen a football in their life can tell that one defender covering three guys pre snap is generally not a good idea.

It's either a mistake or they aren't playing man. I seriously doubt THESE GUYS are unaware of how to align against a 3x1 or 3x2 set.

 

[oldpinepoint]

The season to date stats don't tell us if we're improving or not. They just show fat, ugly numbers but this season is really about simply improving.

I took the rush and passing stats/play/game and tossed out the longest rushing and passing play if one or more was over 20 yards. Why? Because breakaway plays just tells us what we already know. I'm interested in whether we're improving on the average play. We've played three tough offenses so I'm focusing only on them:

UL rushing 8.5 yds/play; USF rushing 5.4 yds/play; ND rushing 3.4 yds/play
UL passing 18 yds/play; USF passing 14.4 yds/play; ND passing 17.8 yds/play

I think 3.4 yds/play is a good effort against ND. It seems our rushing defense really has improved while our passing defense has not improved.

The rushing defense has improved, you can see it. Outside of that long TD run against ND the run defense was very good. Our problem is speed in the back 7 and the DE. We are slow, and that is just killing us in the passing game. The defense is getting better, Wake will be a good test to see where we are at. 3 out of 5 games were against elite dual threat QB's. Let's see how the next 4 games go before we jump to conclusions. We have a small sample size, against some elite offenses. Be patient, the kids will get better but i agree with many that the ceiling isn't very high until we get more speed.

 

[TheCusian]

The rushing defense has improved, you can see it. Outside of that long TD run against ND the run defense was very good. Our problem is speed in the back 7 and the DE. We are slow, and that is just killing us in the passing game. The defense is getting better, Wake will be a good test to see where we are at. 3 out of 5 games were against elite dual threat QB's. Let's see how the next 4 games go before we jump to conclusions. We have a small sample size, against some elite offenses. Be patient, the kids will get better but i agree with many that the ceiling isn't very high until we get more speed.

This is spot on. We'll keep getting burned deep vs elite offenses. But teams that play slow and like to run, we have a shot at. Problem is there are not a lot of them left on the schedule (Wake, BC, and maybe Pitt).

 

[HRE Otto IV]

It's either a mistake or they aren't playing man. I seriously doubt THESE GUYS are unaware of how to align against a 3x1 or 3x2 set.

It happened several times vs ND. I doubt it was a mistake because lining up is basics. So it was most likely cover 3 in which case you are still screwed because the zone if flooded with WRs.

 

[sufandu]

And they are all more knowledgeable than you or I. It is so presumptuous for laymen fans to think they can watch a game and really know what is going on to the extent coaches do. Just ridiculous.

And yet we do. It's what happens on message boards. It happened last year and was considered much more acceptable. It happened during the years that shall be forgotten and was even more acceptable, and he had superbowl rings.

I don't agree with everyone's opinion on here, but they all have the right to say, even if they haven't been a coach. If they didn't, the board should be shut down.

 

[TheCusian]

And yet we do. It's what happens on message boards. It happened last year and was considered much more acceptable. It happened during the years that shall be forgotten and was even more acceptable, and he had superbowl rings.

I don't agree with everyone's opinion on here, but they all have the right to say, even if they haven't been a coach. If they didn't, the board should be shut down.

There are degrees. I'd like to think most post here with the asterisk of "but what do I know" ... I try to imply that.

But some post with such conviction that it makes you wonder why they are not coaching.

 

[sufandu]

There are degrees. I'd like to think most post here with the asterisk of "but what do I know" ... I try to imply that.

But some post with such conviction that it makes you wonder why they are not coaching.

But when people post about specific things like alignments or player movement, who are we to know their background unless we know them personally? If there are people that are knowledgeable about scheme and strategy that can refute them, great, shut the guy down. If not, the "your not a coach so shut up" argument is irrelevant. It's been prevalent on the basketball side for a long time but has become more common on this board this year.

DB has a plan and is probably our best chance at ever being relevant again. What he is not is above reproach. No coach is. But the minute anyone questions him or his staff this year they are jumped on like wolves on a wounded calf.

I take every opinion on here with a grain of salt. It's one way I try to remain objective.

 

[Crusty]

And yet we do. It's what happens on message boards. It happened last year and was considered much more acceptable. It happened during the years that shall be forgotten and was even more acceptable, and he had superbowl rings.

I don't agree with everyone's opinion on here, but they all have the right to say, even if they haven't been a coach. If they didn't, the board should be shut down.

I didn't say they didn't have the right to say whatever they want - just as I do!

 

[sufandu]

I didn't say they didn't have the right to say whatever they want - just as I do!

You strongly implied that just because somebody isn't a coach their opinion should be dismissed.

 

[dollarbill44]

When you are 126 out of 128 it is a mix of talent, coaching, and scheme. That is what worries me for 2018. If our coaching and scheme are causing MAC level talent to be the worst D in the nation, what will happen when we have AAC level talent? Will they turn them into a MAC level D? If so we cannot hope for more than a 6-6 record.

You're already worried about 2018? You must be fun at parties.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

You're already worried about 2018? You must be fun at parties.
View attachment 77925

The D coaching won't matter a whole lot this year and likely next year because we lack talent. However when we do have talent the D coaching will matter. I expected us to have a bad D this year. I didn't expect us to have the worst D in the nation this year.

 

[Crusty]

You strongly implied that just because somebody isn't a coach their opinion should be dismissed.

I think ridiculous statements about how stupid our very accomplished coaches are at our very difficult rebuilding program are very much out of line and ignorant. And yes, I do think average fans opinions should be severely discounted when they denigrate coaches with so little basis. Make your comments and observations in a thoughtful and respectful manner to your heart's content, but if someone is going to dump on our guys in a know-it-all amateurish fashion, I shall feel free to call them out. THAT is my privilege. Give these guys a chance.

 

[Louie and Bouie]

I think ridiculous statements about how stupid our very accomplished coaches are at our very difficult rebuilding program are very much out of line and ignorant. And yes, I do think average fans opinions should be severely discounted when they denigrate coaches with so little basis. Make your comments and observations in a thoughtful and respectful manner to your heart's content, but if someone is going to dump on our guys in a know-it-all amateurish fashion, I shall feel free to call them out. THAT is my privilege. Give these guys a chance.

Not a lot of posters had this opinion about questioning everything from press conferences to in-game decisions, practice plans, etc. last year. Must be a buffer rule before any critique is allowed.

 

[Crusty]

The season to date stats don't tell us if we're improving or not. They just show fat, ugly numbers but this season is really about simply improving.

I took the rush and passing stats/play/game and tossed out the longest rushing and passing play if one or more was over 20 yards. Why? Because breakaway plays just tells us what we already know. I'm interested in whether we're improving on the average play. We've played three tough offenses so I'm focusing only on them:

UL rushing 8.5 yds/play; USF rushing 5.4 yds/play; ND rushing 3.4 yds/play
UL passing 18 yds/play; USF passing 14.4 yds/play; ND passing 17.8 yds/play

I think 3.4 yds/play is a good effort against ND. It seems our rushing defense really has improved while our passing defense has not improved.

Explosive plays are one of the top factors in winning. In recent years it has been one of our greatest shortcomings.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The D coaching won't matter a whole lot this year and likely next year because we lack talent. However when we do have talent the D coaching will matter. I expected us to have a bad D this year. I didn't expect us to have the worst D in the nation this year.

I keep coming back to us playing defensive ends with no experience and everybody playing in the secondary is either super young or Winfield. I mean, the Texas State Fightin' Armadillos had more experience on defense immediately after the NCAA hammered 'em.

 

[blizz]

You strongly implied that just because somebody isn't a coach their opinion should be dismissed.

Yah, but I talk to scouts.

 

[sufandu]

I think ridiculous statements about how stupid our very accomplished coaches are at our very difficult rebuilding program are very much out of line and ignorant. And yes, I do think average fans opinions should be severely discounted when they denigrate coaches with so little basis. Make your comments and observations in a thoughtful and respectful manner to your heart's content, but if someone is going to dump on our guys in a know-it-all amateurish fashion, I shall feel free to call them out. THAT is my privilege. Give these guys a chance.

Ok. I guess I haven't viewed it as strongly as you. I've seen him point out specific plays where things went wrong on defense for reasons that seemed to be something other than lack of talent, at least in his opinion. I don't know enough about scheme and strategy to agree or disagree with what has been said. What I haven't seen is people respond with "You're wrong. This is what was going on in that play." It's been, and I'm paraphrasing, "Shut up, you're not a coach, you hate this staff, etc. I guess I think people are piling on more than necessary.