2 key defensive stats that really hurt us this year

[kamoshika]

Looking at conference-only games, lots of room for improvement in these two areas:

1. Opponent 3rd-down conversion rate: 52.6%, the highest rate allowed by an SEC team since 2013 (Kentucky @ 52.9%).
   
   
2. Opponent red-zone TD conversion rate: 84.9%, the highest rate in the SEC since at least 2009, which is as far back as I looked. In fact, only one other SEC team has allowed over 79% during that time span (Missouri @ 81.1% in '20).

Obviously, our lack of quality depth this year contributed heavily to both of these abysmal numbers. Still, again looking at SEC-only games, we improved YoY in a few other defensive categories:

• Pass defense rating: 134.15 vs 151.84 in '20...Admittedly, it didn't "feel" like we were that much better, but that's a pretty significant jump.
• Yards per play allowed: 5.77 vs 5.83 in '20...Negligible difference but I'll take it.
• TFL per game: 6.50 vs 5.50 in '20...This was the most for us since 2016.
• Passes defended per game: 4.63 vs 3.40 in '20...Our highest number since 2015.

 

[cardvolfan]

The truth is that our defense is just not very good, at least compared to the strength of schedule. Lots of improvement needed. The thing I appreciate the most is that the effort was there on every single play of every single game.

 

[UT Hill Man]

Need a lot more beef on the Dline

 

[Devo182]

The truth is that our defense is just not very good, at least compared to the strength of schedule. Lots of improvement needed. The thing I appreciate the most is that the effort was there on every single play of every single game.

I'd disagree. They were pretty decent play for play. I believe we finished 51st in YPP. Play for play, we were fine.

It was situational football that killed us, as evidenced above. 3rd down and RZTD% killed all the hard work and good play we had on 1st and 2nd downs. Gotta fix those things.

 

[cardvolfan]

I'd disagree. They were pretty decent play for play. I believe we finished 51st in YPP. Play for play, we were fine.

It was situational football that killed us, as evidenced above. 3rd down and RZTD% killed all the hard work and good play we had on 1st and 2nd downs. Gotta fix those things.

I would disagree with your assessment. Overall, competing with our SEC schedule, we were scorched.

 

[GVol1966]

We were bad , lacked quality and quantity!
End of story

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Is there any way to determine if the D scheme on certain downs hurt the D. You can blame the secondary as not good or say it was lack of a pass rush. Probably all of the above. Unless Heupel is keeping it a big secret does not seem to be any movement on DC position. Maybe it is just an upgrade in players that is needed.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Need a lot more beef on the Dline

That and a true difference maker at DE. We had no edge rush all year long.

 

[Devo182]

I would disagree with your assessment. Overall, competing with our SEC schedule, we were scorched.

Based on? Statistically speaking, we were middle of the SEC in most efficiency categories...the best defensive league there is. Not saying we were great, but play for play we were a decent defense. 3rd downs just killed us, which given how many TFLs we racked up (a ton) makes it that much weirder. Fix 3rd down and we'll be good.

 

[cardvolfan]

Based on? Statistically speaking, we were middle of the SEC in most efficiency categories...the best defensive league there is. Not saying we were great, but play for play we were a decent defense. 3rd downs just killed us, which given how many TFLs we racked up (a ton) makes it that much weirder. Fix 3rd down and we'll be good.

Based on point totals from opposing offenses. We had glimpses of positivity, but overall we’re not there. Keep hoping, but the results against most were less than stellar. Sure, you can pick bits and pieces for your argument, but overall, just not good. We couldnt keep the other offense off the field.

 

[Halph66]

Need a lot more beef on the Dline

 

[VolBricks]

it did not help our Defense that the Offense left them on the field for forever in each game. I like the high octane offense but we have to be more ball control or have twice as many defensive players as offensive players in the future.

 

[Kinger]

it did not help our Defense that the Offense left them on the field for forever in each game. I like the high octane offense but we have to be more ball control or have twice as many defensive players as offensive players in the future.

I agree with you somewhat here. However, there were many examples of the defense getting pounded when they should have been fresh. I get it that our lack of time of possession could definitely be harmful to our own defense but there were times they could have helped themselves by getting off the field early in drives on third downs.

 

[tnutater]

I would disagree with your assessment. Overall, competing with our SEC schedule, we were scorched.

I wish the stat boys would only consider conference games.

 

[VolFanNC09]

Take away the Purdue game and the one glaring weakness was the play against mobile QBs. A lot of those 3rd downs and red zone TDs were due to that one area. Did decent against the run for non-QBs. Decent against the pass except for Purdue.

 

[OrangeTsar]

it did not help our Defense that the Offense left them on the field for forever in each game. I like the high octane offense but we have to be more ball control or have twice as many defensive players as offensive players in the future.

Can’t blame the offense for the defense not being able to gat a stop on third down. And we must have led the league in percentage of FOURTH downs we allowed to be converted. That was horrible

 

[VolArmy74]

We just lack great defensive players. We saw it all year. Players were in position to make stops and just physically couldn't do it. We had linebackers or a strong safety in the right spot on those QB runs, they just couldn't make the play. Even not particularly mobile quarterbacks were able to run over and by our guys.

In this case it truly wasn't the xs and os it was the Jimmys and Joes.

 

[jonnon111]

Excellent analysis. while numbers do not always tell the whole story, those conversion rates were pretty indicative of how I felt in real time.
We couldn't get off the field on 3rd down and that let the other team stay on the field to score TDs.
I understand some things will look different with this kind of offense and I will take it over what we had, but I look forward to having more depth

 

[IndianaVol]

Totally agree with everyone else here and the numbers.
The bowl game exposed our weaknesses and they need to be corrected - lack of DE to set the edges and contain the 'well' for the QB and RB as well as help in the defensive backfield...our safeties and corners got burnt too many times this year.

 

[GAVol]

it did not help our Defense that the Offense left them on the field for forever in each game. I like the high octane offense but we have to be more ball control or have twice as many defensive players as offensive players in the future.

If you can’t get off the field on 3rd down, I’m not sure it matters what style of offense you play. Your defense is going to gas itself.

 

[GAVol]

We were bad , lacked quality and quantity!
End of story

The scary thing was that I thought we were going to be even worse. We just didn’t have a lot of talent to work with.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

We were bad , lacked quality and quantity!
End of story

That's what she said.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

If you can’t get off the field on 3rd down, I’m not sure it matters what style of offense you play. Your defense is going to gas itself.

But the style of offense you play does matter. Lightning fast offense that is on the field for 1.5 minutes - the only rest your struggling defense gets is if your opponent has a plodding offense (rest in between their downs).
I wish they'd put oxygen on our sidelines (if it already isn't. I haven't seen it on t.v.).

 

[Sandman 423]

But the style of offense you play does matter. Lightning fast offense that is on the field for 1.5 minutes - the only rest your struggling defense gets is if your opponent has a plodding offense (rest in between their downs).
I wish they'd put oxygen on our sidelines (if it already isn't. I haven't seen it on t.v.).

Some folks run a 3-4 or a 4-3, but we will have the 4-3CPAP

 

[Woke]

If you can’t get off the field on 3rd down, I’m not sure it matters what style of offense you play. Your defense is going to gas itself.

This . I thought our D was actually “flatter” after bye weeks and especially at the MCB. So I’m not buying into the warp speed O excuse.

I’m no D coach but personally I would have liked to see more line shifts and formation change ups to try and at least slow down the other side since we didn’t have the horses to compete head to head.

Maybe we should have learned to flop?