The statistics don't lie.
This is CPR's seventh season as the Head Coach at Iowa State. Today marks the 4th offensive coordinator, but we've only had one defensive coordinator the entire time. This is Wally's 7th season at the helm of our defense.
In the first four seasons, three of which ISU was bowl eligible, the defense gave up, on average, 423.25 yards per game, and allowed opponents to score 25.975 points per game. In the three years since (including this one), ISU has given up 489 yards per game, and 36.56667 points per game. That's 65.75 additional yards per game and 10.59 additional points, or a 15% increase in yards allowed and a 40% increase in points.
In those same time periods, Iowa State's offense has actually gotten better. Not much better, but still better. In the first 4 seasons, Iowa State averaged 358 yards per game, and scored 22.475 points. In the last three (including this one), those numbers have risen to 386 yards per game and 25.3 points. That's only 28 yards and 2.825 points, or 7.8% and 12.5%, but it's still an increase in offensive production.
And even more telling is the fact that in the first four seasons, time of possession has actually moved in Iowa State's favor. Iowa State's defense was on the field an average of 31:32 in the first four seasons, while they were only asked to be on the field for 29:11 in the last three seasons.
Don't get me wrong, the offense hasn't been good at ISU. But the difference between three bowl seasons and an almost-bowl season hasn't been the offense. It's been a defense that has gotten worse, and significantly worse when it comes to allowing points. And that defense hasn't been more hampered by an ineffective offense in the mean time. In fact, that offense has helped the defense out even more in the last 2.5 seasons than it did in the previous 4.
And I know what some of you are thinking. Including this year is a bit disingenuous, because we've already played TTU, TCU, and Baylor, but haven't face the more mundane offenses of Texas, WVU and KSU. Of course our defense is going to look worse if we include those games without the evening out effect. But if we eliminate this year from the statistics, the defense gets worse (it goes from 489 yards and 36.56667 points to 501 yards and 37.4 points), but so does the defense (going from 386 yards and 25.3 points to 368 yards and 24.5 points).
The trend continues, though. The defense is getting worse while the offense is getting better.
This is CPR's seventh season as the Head Coach at Iowa State. Today marks the 4th offensive coordinator, but we've only had one defensive coordinator the entire time. This is Wally's 7th season at the helm of our defense.
In the first four seasons, three of which ISU was bowl eligible, the defense gave up, on average, 423.25 yards per game, and allowed opponents to score 25.975 points per game. In the three years since (including this one), ISU has given up 489 yards per game, and 36.56667 points per game. That's 65.75 additional yards per game and 10.59 additional points, or a 15% increase in yards allowed and a 40% increase in points.
In those same time periods, Iowa State's offense has actually gotten better. Not much better, but still better. In the first 4 seasons, Iowa State averaged 358 yards per game, and scored 22.475 points. In the last three (including this one), those numbers have risen to 386 yards per game and 25.3 points. That's only 28 yards and 2.825 points, or 7.8% and 12.5%, but it's still an increase in offensive production.
And even more telling is the fact that in the first four seasons, time of possession has actually moved in Iowa State's favor. Iowa State's defense was on the field an average of 31:32 in the first four seasons, while they were only asked to be on the field for 29:11 in the last three seasons.
Don't get me wrong, the offense hasn't been good at ISU. But the difference between three bowl seasons and an almost-bowl season hasn't been the offense. It's been a defense that has gotten worse, and significantly worse when it comes to allowing points. And that defense hasn't been more hampered by an ineffective offense in the mean time. In fact, that offense has helped the defense out even more in the last 2.5 seasons than it did in the previous 4.
And I know what some of you are thinking. Including this year is a bit disingenuous, because we've already played TTU, TCU, and Baylor, but haven't face the more mundane offenses of Texas, WVU and KSU. Of course our defense is going to look worse if we include those games without the evening out effect. But if we eliminate this year from the statistics, the defense gets worse (it goes from 489 yards and 36.56667 points to 501 yards and 37.4 points), but so does the defense (going from 386 yards and 25.3 points to 368 yards and 24.5 points).
The trend continues, though. The defense is getting worse while the offense is getting better.
