turambar85
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A few fun and perhaps surprising stats to help celebrate the end of this teams regular season while we wait to hear our bowl announcement:
1) Medley is the first kicker since Alex Walls in 2001 to attempt at least 25 field goals and hit at least 75% of them. I think only one other kicker has attempted more than 20 and hit at least 75% in that time frame too (Wilhoit in 2006). A great season for the true freshman. We should be set until the end or 2017.
2) The return game. For the season, we averages 24.7 on kickoff returns, and 9.6 on punt returns. Our opponents, respectively, averaged 19.6 and 3.1, giving us an extra 5.1 yards on kickoffs and 6.5 yards on punts. After so many years of dreading our meager return game, and feeling a sinking feeling in our collective stomachs every time we kicked off or punted, this was an awesome change.
3) Todd Kelly Jr. finished the year with 30 tackles, 3 interceptions, 5 pass deflections, and a fumble recovery...despite only starting 3 games. He should be ready to be an outstanding starter for us next year.
4) Maggitt and Barnett combined for 21 sacks this year. That is 3 more than we had as a TEAM in 2013, 4 more than we had as a team in 2012, and 6 more than we had as a team in 2011. Prior to this season, we have only had one defensive player record more than 5 sacks in a season since at least 2008, and that was Corey Miller last year. No SEC team has had two players with even nine sacks since at least 2007. And barring a surprising decision, we should have both of them back next season, and adding the best defensive line class in the country.
5) On a related note, Barnett has 20.5 tackles for a loss. Only 4 SEC players have eclipsed that since 2008.
6) And, as we all know, this is the first time we have gone to a bowl since 2010, and if we win it will be our first winning season since 2009. It's been a rough ride, but things are looking brighter on Rocky Top.
While we may not be happy with a few things here and there, for the most part we have a phenomenal core of young talent, many of which played their as*ses off this season, and almost all of which will be returning next year. Let's sit back, and appreciate some of the achievements of team 118, both individually and collectively.
1) Medley is the first kicker since Alex Walls in 2001 to attempt at least 25 field goals and hit at least 75% of them. I think only one other kicker has attempted more than 20 and hit at least 75% in that time frame too (Wilhoit in 2006). A great season for the true freshman. We should be set until the end or 2017.
2) The return game. For the season, we averages 24.7 on kickoff returns, and 9.6 on punt returns. Our opponents, respectively, averaged 19.6 and 3.1, giving us an extra 5.1 yards on kickoffs and 6.5 yards on punts. After so many years of dreading our meager return game, and feeling a sinking feeling in our collective stomachs every time we kicked off or punted, this was an awesome change.
3) Todd Kelly Jr. finished the year with 30 tackles, 3 interceptions, 5 pass deflections, and a fumble recovery...despite only starting 3 games. He should be ready to be an outstanding starter for us next year.
4) Maggitt and Barnett combined for 21 sacks this year. That is 3 more than we had as a TEAM in 2013, 4 more than we had as a team in 2012, and 6 more than we had as a team in 2011. Prior to this season, we have only had one defensive player record more than 5 sacks in a season since at least 2008, and that was Corey Miller last year. No SEC team has had two players with even nine sacks since at least 2007. And barring a surprising decision, we should have both of them back next season, and adding the best defensive line class in the country.
5) On a related note, Barnett has 20.5 tackles for a loss. Only 4 SEC players have eclipsed that since 2008.
6) And, as we all know, this is the first time we have gone to a bowl since 2010, and if we win it will be our first winning season since 2009. It's been a rough ride, but things are looking brighter on Rocky Top.
While we may not be happy with a few things here and there, for the most part we have a phenomenal core of young talent, many of which played their as*ses off this season, and almost all of which will be returning next year. Let's sit back, and appreciate some of the achievements of team 118, both individually and collectively.
