2017 Spring Practice

YJMD

Helluva Engineer
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1,601
Using a more standardized reference than points per game:

GT - 2.30 Defensive Points per Drive, 19 Turonvers Forced
- 2.61 OPD, 15 TOL

Same lame argument over and over. These schools allowed more points per game than GT last year:
FSU - 1.88 defensive points per drive, 23 turnovers forced
Oklahoma - 2.35 DPD, 17 TOF [slightly worse defense, but 3.48 PPD & 17 TOL are much better]
Penn State - 1.89 DPD, 21 TOF
USCw (tie) - 1.86 DPD, 20 TOF
Tennessee - 2.03 DPD, 24 TOF
Oklahoma State - 2.09 DPD, 25 TOF
Texas A&M - 2.02 DPD, 24 TOF
Pitt - 2.87 DPD, 19 TOF [much worse, ouch, but 3.03 PPD & 18 TOL are slightly better; we were better than Pitt (despite the loss), though they were Jeckyl/Hyde]
North Carolina - 2.18 DPD, 14 TOF [comparable defense, 2.41 PDD & 16 TOL also comparable; worse record]
Arkansas - 2.62 DPD, 21 TOF [they earned the bad record]
Kentucky - 2.50 DPD, 21 TOF [we proved we were a significantly better team]
Ole Miss - 2.67 DPD, 16 TOF [they earned the bad record; defense nothing like the year before]
Mississippi State - 2.51 DPD, 23 TOF [seems like a broken record for SEC West]
Boston College - 1.86 DPD, 27 TOF [not as good defensively as projected, but still very good]
Texas - 2.22 DPD, 20 TOF
Notre Dame - 2.09 DPD, 14 TOF
UCLA - 1.78 DPD, 23 TOF
OREGON - 3.40 DPD, 12 TOF [wonder why they were 3-8 this year despite maintaining a good though less spectacular than before O?]
MIZZOU - 2.43 DPD, 20 TOF [3-8 team that wasn't much better on O]
DUKE - 2.23 DPD, 19 TOF
MICHIGAN State - 2.54 DPD, 13 TOF [2-9 team that wasn't much better on O]

That surprised me how predictive things were. Outside of Oklahoma, even the good offensive teams with bad defenses did worse than us, and most had horrible years. Much of that list is a group of teams that were hyped or previously had good defenses, not now.

But the numbers are quite clear. Our defense was mediocre and points per game is not a good comparison stat for us. I guess running this list made me not feel so alone that other noteworthy teams can struggle on D, but that's about it.
 

tech_wreck47

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,670
Same lame argument over and over. These schools allowed more points per game than GT last year:
FSU
Oklahoma
Penn State
USCw (tie)
Tennessee
Oklahoma State
Texas A&M
Pitt
North Carolina
Arkansas
Kentucky
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Boston College
Texas
Notre Dame
UCLA
OREGON
MIZZOU
DUKE
MICHIGAN State
Yea, let's not take into account how many drives were ran against them compared to what we had ran against us. Your picking the one stat that is useless and defending your argument with it. its like comparing an orange to an apple instead of an apple to an apple. Defensive efficiency, ypp allowed are just a couple that are better stats to go by. CPJ has discredited points allowed many times. I really do believe Roof has a good defensive mind or he wouldn't be a coach for this long, but I do question if he's good at coaching guys up. If you look at what he's done in the past, the only good D's he has had was not with his players he recruited and taught from day 1. If you remember in 2014 and this past year the D turned around and started playing better but it wasn't until CPJ came out and said we were going to be more aggressive and if we blitz, then we are bringing enough to get there. I just don't see why it took CPJ having to do that for things to change. Jmo of course. I do hope Roof can help turn things around if he stays for a while though.
 

ilovetheoption

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,803
So that's what Bama's line is ?
Bama's line is actually relatively trim. Heaviest guy on their line is 319, and he's 6'5. The rest go 310, 304, 311, and 296, and every one of them at least 6'4.

I'm thinking more along the lines of FSU, whose guards were both in the 320's. If you weigh 320 lbs, you are not just big. You are fat.
 

Whiskey_Clear

Banned
Messages
10,486
After practice, CPJ listed Jordan Woods as one of the players who will play inside on the DL. I always thought they were using him at DE, but that would be a very interesting move and I think he could be very good there if hes put on some muscle. Hes one of the fastest guys on the DL and with the depth at DE, he would be able to see more playing time at DT.

Mmmmmm....or could just be yet another DE forced inside out of need. Time will tell.

I don't think anybody has seen the latest pic of Will:

Sherman_Tank_WW2.jpg

Will's shoulders have thickened up quite a bit since this pic was taken ;)
 

Sideways

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,589
Hopefully the defensive line will step up this Spring and Summer and make themselves heard! I'm really concerned about the defensive line going into the 2017 season.

You probably should be but nothing new there. Concerns about defense in general and defensive lines in particular have been a constant of the Johnson era. In large measure, I don't think it can be corrected any time soon but we will see. Spring means hope eternal even for the Vanderbilts of this world why not us?
 

MikeJackets

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,049
Location
Maryville,Tennessee
You probably should be but nothing new there. Concerns about defense in general and defensive lines in particular have been a constant of the Johnson era. In large measure, I don't think it can be corrected any time soon but we will see. Spring means hope eternal even for the Vanderbilts of this world why not us?
This will be a very good season i think GT will be a Top 25 team this season.(y);)
 

Sideways

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,589
Same lame argument over and over. These schools allowed more points per game than GT last year:
FSU
Oklahoma
Penn State
USCw (tie)
Tennessee
Oklahoma State
Texas A&M
Pitt
North Carolina
Arkansas
Kentucky
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Boston College
Texas
Notre Dame
UCLA
OREGON
MIZZOU
DUKE
MICHIGAN State
I am amazed at some of the names on this list. Michigan State and Penn State (the original Linebacker U) giving up more points that we do? What's the world coming to? Now, many of them are expected: North Carolina, Kentucky, Mizzou, but still this is surprising to say the least. Oh I see, breaking it down further into points per drive makes a big difference. Nevertheless, I pray we will be better on defense. I know we are recruiting better and I thought we were playing better at the end of the year. Baby steps, but progress!
 
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