[Husker] How good is our defense?

Tue Nov 10 08:27:22 CST 2009

(From a message board I follow)

Yesterday we looked at Big 12 Offenses and found ours in the #10 spot after
5 conference games. Not good.

Today we rank Big 12 Defenses.

Again... No non-conference game stats are used. It's Big 12 teams against
Big 12 teams only.

I. The Problem: Ranking Big 12 Defenses

II. The Method:

Teams were ranked on these measures: (Big 12 stats; Big 12 games only)

A) Scoring Defense
B) Total Defense
C) Rush Defense (Yards/Carry Allowed)
D) Pass Efficiency Defense Rating
E) Turnovers Gained per Game

A team's "Total Score" comes from adding its rank in each category.

--Best Possible Score: 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 5

--Worst Possible Score: 12 + 12 + 12 + 12 +12 = 60

III. The Data:

A) Scoring Deffense: Points Allowed/Game

1. Nebraska: 13.0
2. Texas: 14.4
3. Oklahoma: 15.2
4. Oklahoma State: 20.8
5. Iowa State: 25.2
6. Texas Tech: 26.2
7. Kansas State: 26.8
8. Baylor: 28.6
9-10 Missouri: 31.6
9-10 Colorado: 31.6
11. Kansas: 32.8
12. Texas A&M: 34.6

B) Total Defense: Yards/Game

1. Texas: 260
2. Nebraska: 265
3. Oklahoma: 277
4. Oklahoma State: 315
5. Missouri: 331
6. Texas Tech: 345
7. Colorado: 359
8. Kansas: 372
9. Kansas State: 402
10 Texas A&M: 431
11 Iowa State: 435
12 Baylor: 447

C) Rush Defense: Yards/Carry Allowed

1. Texas: 1.6
2. Nebraska: 2.3
3. Missouri: 2.4
4. Oklahoma State: 2.6
5. Oklahoma: 3.2
6. Colorado: 3.3
7-8 Kansas State: 3.7
7-8 Texas Tech: 3.7
9. Baylor: 3.8
10 Texas A&M: 4.0
11 Kansas: 4.3
12 Iowa State: 4.7

D) Pass Efficiency Defense Rating

1. Nebraska: 85
2. Oklahoma: 95
3. Texas: 109
4. Oklahoma State: 118
5. Kansas: 121
6. Texas Tech: 121
7. Colorado: 129
8. Missouri: 138
9. Baylor: 139
10 Iowa State: 141
11 Kansas State: 141
12 Texas A&M: 142

E) Turnovers Gained per Game:

1. Texas: 3.4
2-3 Kansas State: 2.7
2-3 Iowa State: 2.7
4-5 Nebraska: 2.1
4-5 Texas Tech: 2.1
6-7 Oklahoma: 2.0
6-7 Oklahoma State: 2.0
8-9 Colorado: 1.8
8-9 Texas A&M: 1.8
10 Kansas: 1.6
11 Missouri: 1.4
12 Baylor: 0.6

IV. The Results: Ranking Big 12 Defenses

1. Texas: 2 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 1 = 8
2. Nebraska: 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 4.5 = 10.5
3. Oklahoma: 3 + 3 + 5 + 2 + 6.5 = 19.5
4. Oklahoma State: 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 6.5 = 22.5
5. Texas Tech: 6 + 6 + 7.5 + 6 + 4.5 = 30
6. Missouri: 9.5 + 5 + 3 + 8 + 11 = 36.5
7. Kansas State: 7 + 9 + 7.5 + 11 + 2.5 = 37
8. Colorado: 9.5 + 7 + 6 + 7 + 8.5 = 38
9. Iowa State: 5 + 11 + 12 + 10 + 2.5 = 40.5
10 Kansas: 11 + 8 + 11 + 5 + 10 = 45
11 Baylor: 8 + 12 + 9 + 9 + 12 = 50
12 Texas A&M: 12 + 10 + 10 + 12 + 8.5 = 52.5

The Bottom Line:

1) Texas. They grade out slightly better. An edge: Texas leads the Big 12 in
both Turnovers Gained and Interceptions.

--UT: 17 Turnovers Gained (including 11 Interceptions). (5 games)

--NU: 11 Turnovers Gained (including 9 Interceptions). (5 games)

2) Kansas....? We're not bringing much Offensive firepower to Lawrence.
Hopefully KU's defensive weaknesses will continue.

--The KU Pass Defense: A positive.

--The KU Run Defense....?? No. If we have a healthy Hickman and Keith and
Williams, we'll exploit that no doubt.

3) Kansas State: Snyder's been doing it mostly with Offense. They're
"low-average" in most defensive categories except one---an outstanding +10
in "Turnover Margin."

--Missouri goes to Manhattan as the Big 12's most intercepted team (9 in 5
Big 12 games). KSU will likely keep that going.

4) Our last three games....? Promising: We go against three
"average-at-best" defensive teams. Still... our Offense has made no one
fearful. Hopefully we'll figure out who our QB is and get something going.
Seems like it's time.

There you go.

Just some things to think about... 

--
Skylar