Stats

[Legal Jacket]

Just was perusing the stats at fbsdrivestats, and there are some things that really stick out to me (not counting FCS games). Not entirely sure the accuracy of the numbers, but we are WAY down on offense (no surprise there) but also worse on defense.

First, the offense. This year our yards per drive is down from 44.5 to 26.7. Our points per drive is down from 3.38 to 2.06.

Our rush yards per play is 4.4. The second worst under CPJ is 5.2 in 2013, then 5.4 in 2009. Last year we averaged 6.5 ypp. That's right, we are averaging a full two yards worse per rushing play this year. Pass ypp is also way down. We are at 5.7 ypp right now, again over two yards worse than last year (7.9). Tied for the worst under Johnson with 2010.

Second, the defense. We are giving up 2.65 ppd, up slightly from 2.48 last year. Yards per drive is actually down, from 40.3 to 31.7.

We are giving up 6.5 ypp on the ground. That's the worst total at GT in the last 10 years, from what I can tell. Last year was 5.8 ypp, which was only outdone by 2009 (6.0). On the bright side, the 6.4 ypp we give up through the air is the lowest since 2011.

Last thing - the number of drives is up. Last year we had 119 drives that did not end at the half/end of game (28 ended in punt, 4 loss of downs, 11 fumbles, 6 picks, 9 fgs made, 6 missed, and a whopping 55 TDs). That's about 9.2 drives a game (again, not counting FCS).

By my count, this year we are at (18 punts, 6 loss of downs, 4 fumbles, 3 picks, 4 fgs made, 2 missed, 13 touchdowns). That's 10 drives/game.


http://fbsdrivestats.com/georgia-tech/

 

[Legal Jacket]

Also not giving up on our guys. They need our support now more than ever. This isn't an easy game.

 

[DC Bee]

I think the defense is giving up more ppd because they're on the field too much. Also, offensively I wouldn't call them drives. More like possessions.

 

[awbuzz]

... and the most telling stat is currently 2 -4...

Get the stats above to to more closely match last years and we can get to 7 wins this season. If we can get the average to match last year's we can be at least 9 - 3.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

... and the most telling stat is currently 2 -4...

Get the stats above to to more closely match last years and we can get to 7 wins this season. If we can get the average to match last year's we can be at least 9 - 3.

How can we be 9-3 if we are already 2-4? Are you saying if we had played that well we would be no worse than 9-3?

 

[awbuzz]

How can we be 9-3 if we are already 2-4? Are you saying if we had played that well we would be no worse than 9-3?

Doh... 9-4 after Bowl. [emoji4]

 

[megatron]

Any stats about negative plays?

One thing that made the team so good last year is that we had very few negative plays. I think it was 3/4ths into the season before Laskey was tackled behind the line of scrimmage.

This year, I feel that we are seeing a lot more 3rd and long and dig ourselves into a hole far too often.

 

[Boomergump]

When the offense struggles, it will usually pull the defense down with it, all things else being equal.

 

[AE 87]

I think the defense is giving up more ppd because they're on the field too much. Also, offensively I wouldn't call them drives. More like possessions.

Fwiw, that's a CPJ off bias. Our D is not out there much more, if at all, than others.

 

[33jacket]

When the offense struggles, it will usually pull the defense down with it, all things else being equal.

And when an o is really good like last year it picks the d up. So its a wash year over year comparitively. If the d is worse now than last year the o is dragging it slightly. But. The d was picked up by a good o last year a bit. So basically its a wash and the d is about the same and still crappy. Roof.

 

[DC Bee]

When the offense struggles, it will usually pull the defense down with it, all things else being equal.

And I would say the converse can be true. I think it is part psychological, as both sides of the ball are expecting contributions from the other. I think the offense last year challenged the defense to improve and get stops one way or another, and they did.

Fwiw, that's a CPJ off bias. Our D is not out there much more, if at all, than others.

We're not talking about GT vs. others. We're talking about GT this year vs. last year, and if we looked up TOP per game, there is no doubt in my mind GT offensive TOP is waaaaaay down.

 

[AE 87]

Written before last post from @DC Bee:
Let's be frank. BC had the #3 D in my week 5 ppd v pwr 5. They're #2 in pts/game and #1 in yards/play. They held FSU to 14 pts. By these same metrics they were #88 and are #111 and #114. They scored 0 vs FSU.

Yes offensive performance will affect defensive performance and vice versa. However, let's get over this habit of giving our D so much slack as if it's just a matter of bad offense. BC is playing some of the best defense in the country with one of the worst offenses. It can be done. BC is not recruiting better than us, it seem to me.

Written after last post
@DC Bee I misunderstood and see what you're saying. However, I disagree that TOP is sufficient to explain this year's problem. In reality, injuries and suspensions are probably a bigger contributor than TOP. Still, I don't see the usefulness of using last year's horrible year of Defense as baseline for comparison. So, if the offense was better we'd be horrible like last year and not worse? I'm not sure I see the significance of that point.

The fact is that Roof's D in one year at Penn State with all the drama of a new head coach and players leaving was much better than any D we've had here in the last 8 years. I don't understand why.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

And I would say the converse can be true. I think it is part psychological, as both sides of the ball are expecting contributions from the other. I think the offense last year challenged the defense to improve and get stops one way or another, and they did.



We're not talking about GT vs. others. We're talking about GT this year vs. last year, and if we looked up TOP per game, there is no doubt in my mind GT offensive TOP is waaaaaay down.

Our average TOP after 6 games compared to last year is down around 5 and a half minutes.

 

[TampaBuzz]

Our average TOP after 6 games compared to last year is down around 5 and a half minutes.

Your stats appear to be screwy....how can average for 2015 be 27:10, when lowest value is 28:05?

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Your stats appear to be screwy....how can average for 2015 be 27:10, when lowest value is 28:05?

because I did them half minded at work....

I'll fix it and repost.

 

[Boomergump]

Written before last post from @DC Bee:
Let's be frank. BC had the #3 D in my week 5 ppd v pwr 5. They're #2 in pts/game and #1 in yards/play. They held FSU to 14 pts. By these same metrics they were #88 and are #111 and #114. They scored 0 vs FSU.

Yes offensive performance will affect defensive performance and vice versa. However, let's get over this habit of giving our D so much slack as if it's just a matter of bad offense. BC is playing some of the best defense in the country with one of the worst offenses. It can be done. BC is not recruiting better than us, it seem to me.

Written after last post
@DC Bee I misunderstood and see what you're saying. However, I disagree that TOP is sufficient to explain this year's problem. In reality, injuries and suspensions are probably a bigger contributor than TOP. Still, I don't see the usefulness of using last year's horrible year of Defense as baseline for comparison. So, if the offense was better we'd be horrible like last year and not worse? I'm not sure I see the significance of that point.

The fact is that Roof's D in one year at Penn State with all the drama of a new head coach and players leaving was much better than any D we've had here in the last 8 years. I don't understand why.

I hear you 87 and I agree. I was just making a bit of a different point. With all things being equal, defenses will suffer when offense is getting nothing done. BTW, I think the coverse is a little less true. Offenses don't suffer as much when defense is bad. I have seen offenses get iced when the opposing O is on a long drive, but that usually doesn't happen when D is terrible, but rather somewhere in between. Remember those games against FSU (2009 being the pinnacle) where neither team stopped anybody?

The point you make, which is a good one, is that great defenses will stop people regardless. Sadly, we are not at that point and haven't been. When your defense gets a 3 and out, they can go right back out there after their offense does the same thing and still be fresh.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

Ok I pulled out the calculator instead of quickly entering things into excel.

2014: Avg TOP 32:45
2015: Avg TOP 33:06

Feel free to bar me from doing math again if I still can't get it right.

 

[AE 87]

I hear you 87 and I agree. I was just making a bit of a different point. With all things being equal, defenses will suffer when offense is getting nothing done. BTW, I think the coverse is a little less true. Offenses don't suffer as much when defense is bad. I have seen offenses get iced when the opposing O is on a long drive, but that usually doesn't happen when D is terrible, but rather somewhere in between. Remember those games against FSU (2009 being the pinnacle) where neither team stopped anybody?

The point you make, which is a good one, is that great defenses will stop people regardless. Sadly, we are not at that point and haven't been. When your defense gets a 3 and out, they can go right back out there after their offense does the same thing and still be fresh.

Fair enough. I'm just not sure. I think of CU last year--or even more VPI and UVA last year--and BC this year. Last year CU was #1, VPI #5, and UVA #9 in PPD v P5 D. They were #48, #67, and #63 in PPDvP5 Offense. Penn State was #4 D and #71 O. There's no doubt that a bad unit affects the stats of the other, and to some extent the performance. I'm just not sure that it affects one more than the other. I don't dismiss your point, but I'm not sure. It seems to me that when 3 of the top 5, 4 of top 10 D's had poor offenses that their D's weren't affected much, but maybe it's a matter of degrees.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

The Clemson O wrecked their D in the 2nd half of the UGA game IMO. D got a bit gassed and Morris went hunh time and again. D stayed gassed and started giving up more and more big plays because of it. That's only one tiny example and I really don't disagree with any of the above posts.

 

[TampaBuzz]

Ok I pulled out the calculator instead of quickly entering things into excel.

2014: Avg TOP 32:45
2015: Avg TOP 33:06

Feel free to bar me from doing math again if I still can't get it right.

Well that sure messes with DC Bee's assertion about TOP and the defense! I certainly agree there is much more pressure on the defense this year due to our offensive and special team struggles. How many time consuming drives have we put together, but did not put any points on the board? Playing from behind all the time means that the D has to take more risks in order to try and get the ball back quickly. Given the number of big plays we are giving up, we know that is not working well. Against Pitt, I want to see us score first and force the other team to play catch up. Maybe that will allow the D and special teams to relax and play better.