For averages I've included Cat/Griz last year because there is no way I'm going to recalculate all of those numbers. However for totals, I excluded Cat/Griz totals so we can compare where we were last year heading into the game versus where we are this year heading into the game.
2016 / 2017 (- is worse than last year, + is better)
Scoring Defense
25.1 / 25.2 (-.1)
Total Defense
388.6 / 403.4 (-14.8 )
Rushing Defense
145.9 / 172.6 (-26.7)
Pass Defense
242.7 / 230.8 (+11.9)
Pass Efficiency Defense
123.1 / 127.6 (-4.5)
Interceptions (entering Cat/Griz in 2016)
9 / 4 (-5)
Fumbles Recovered
8 / 6 (-2)
Sacks (entering Cat/Griz in 2016)
14 / 16 (+2)
Opp 1st Down
20.5 / 23.1 (-2.6)
Opp 3rd Down %
32.1% / 50.3% (-18.2)
Red Zone Defense %
80.5% / 81.1 (-.6)
It's always hard to compare stats year over year because there are a lot of variables, but generally they give a decent indicator of where you are at.
It's pretty clear from these numbers that we haven't really improved in any one area, except for sacks, but have actually gotten much worse in some areas - even less turnovers created (10 versus 17 last year), and our 3rd down defense has gone from good (3rd in the conference in 2016) to horrendous (122nd out of 123 nationally).
I think it's pretty clear while the end result has been the same, in PPG, we are a worse defense than we were last year. And we lose some of our best players to graduation.
Is it a talent problem, or is this a product of how Gregorak coaches? Bend but don't break doesn't create many turnovers.
