How good has our defense really been?

[dunar]

Interesting article: Comparing advanced college football stats to traditional stats: Defense edition - Football Study Hall

ISU shows up twice on the top 25 positive variance list (where the F/+ ranking was far better than the traditional, total defense (yards allowed) statistic. 47th in F/+ in both 2011 and 2012. Not a great, top 10 ranking, but much better than the 95/94 that total defense shows. Playing agains some of the best offenses makes decent defenses look bad. I think it also shows that the bend-don't-break scheme is a good strategy in our league.

 

[jay moe]

The only defensive stat that really matters is how many points are given up and we've been pretty good at that so far during CPR's era. If we can get some offensive output and still maintain a good scoring defense, things will be looking up.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Do they adjust for your offensive issues too? Our defense has not been given the assistance that it needs in that regard.

 

[Luth4Cy]

Keep points off the board and I'm happy.

 

[Erik4Cy]

Keep points off the board and I'm happy.

this. love me some turnovers but I really hope the offense does more to keep our D off the field this year.

 

[wxman1]

Damn good a lot of the time. It is crazy to think how many games we have lost simply because our offense could not do anything.

 

[CycloneVet]

Damn good a lot of the time. It is sickening to think how many games we have lost simply because our offense could not do anything.

fify

 

[Aclone]

The weird part is, we had a much better defense (top half of the conference) before they started dropping like flies.

 

[CyCloned]

The weird part is, we had a much better defense (top half of the conference) before they started dropping like flies.

The loss of Knot, and Watson where pretty glaring last year. Hopefully there will not be huge dropoffs this year when someone needs to come out.

 

[Wesley]

Interesting article: Comparing advanced college football stats to traditional stats: Defense edition - Football Study Hall ISU shows up twice on the top 25 positive variance list (where the F/+ ranking was far better than the traditional, total defense (yards allowed) statistic. 47th in F/+ in both 2011 and 2012. Not a great, top 10 ranking, but much better than the 95/94 that total defense shows. Playing agains some of the best offenses makes decent defenses look bad. I think it also shows that the bend-don't-break scheme is a good strategy in our league.

Not too surprising that we languish in the 90s for yardage allowed with our anemic offense for quick three and outs, faster B12 pace and more total plays, elite passing spread offenses, and being a BCS school where we do not have to play several teams better than us nonconference. Not surprising at all. Burnhams have been excellent for our team.

 

[TedKumsher]

The only defensive stat that really matters is how many points are given up and we've been pretty good at that so far during CPR's era. If we can get some offensive output and still maintain a good scoring defense, things will be looking up.

I would add a caveat of tempo -- points per possession. If your offense stinks and you allow the other team 10 drives but they only score 30 points, that's good despite the number of points. if your offense stinks but manages to eat the clock up and the other team only gets 4 drives and scores 28 points . . . Well you get the idea (I hope).

 

[Frak]

I think that Knott and Klein covered up a lot of mistakes the past few years. The D has been good, but never great. Of course it didn't help that the O was downright awful at times. With even an average offense, ISU would have won a bunch more games.