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Message: [QUOTE="TheCusian, post: 1422765, member: 2585"] Let me help: The question is not "is the offense under Shafer better than the offense under Marrone" - the numbers bear that out*. We were better under Marrone. [I][B]The question is "was the defense better than the offense during the Marrone era" [/B]and the corollary[B] "did the defense carry the offense for most of the time during the Marrone era" ...[/B][/I] The numbers are staggeringly clear. The defense was better than the offense by a large margin in all but one of those years. I'M NOT SAYING THE OFFENSE DIDNT SCORE to win games. I'm saying that the defense was better and more consistent then the offense in all but one of those years, i.e. they carried the offense. In 2011 you could say we just sucked, and I'd agree with you (outside of WVU). [B]Marrone era: [/B] D rank/O rank 2009: 37/116 2010: 7/97 2011: 64/90 2012: 47/17 [B]Shafer era:[/B] 2013: 34/86 2014: 27/116 Shafer was the better hire as DC, as Hackett was as OC. I don't think this can be questioned - even with 2012's insane burst of offense. Also: Take a look at those offensive rankings again. If we could muster an offense in the 50-60 range to go with 90% of those defenses? We'd be well on our way. As to why I'm hopeful about Lester? New guy, new chance to reach that very modest goal. If I could have my pick of any OC from anywhere after last season - I'm 100% sure I wouldn't pick Lester. But that's not my call. I'm forced to buy on Lester until proven otherwise - because rainbows and unicorns and all that ;). *EDIT: Wait! - in the combined Marrone/Shafer eras, 2013 was the second best O ranking during that period?! I don't know if that's more damning for Hackett or just sad overall. I'll go with sad and depressing. Ug. [/QUOTE]

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