What's up with our defense?

Tue Oct 24, 2023 12:58 pm

This has been bugging me the last couple of games. With all of the returning starters and experience our defense was supposed to be excellent this year. So far they haven't been.
#74 in total yards given up at 388/game
#68 in scoring defense at 27/game

If it wasn't for our advantage in turnover margin (#14 at +.08/game) we'd be in a world of hurt.

For years the narrative was that if we could field an average offense we'd win a ton of games. Now we're doing that (#70 in scoring at 25.5/game) and the defense is falling behind and it's happening at crunch time. Our fourth quarter scoring defense ranks #122 at 10.7 points/game. We've given up important 4th quarter scores in each of the past 5 games.

I'm a fan of how our defense has played during most of Bohl's tenure and I like our approach. It seems like we're breaking more often than in years past. Am I missing something or has this crew been underperforming?

Tue Oct 24, 2023 1:41 pm

I do think it's a good defense....at least it's not losing us games really. Defense in modern college football seems pretty tough to do well. Almost any game I watch now in the fourth quarter has a flurry of points scored. It's not just us that can't stop teams in the fourth. As good as your defense is anymore...the other teams offense generally beats it (at least it seems that way).

Tue Oct 24, 2023 1:51 pm

It's a depth issue, and it is the single biggest obstacle G5 college teams face when trying to build a national contender.

Due to rest and inevitable injury issues that occur throughout a game, you have to rotate players. Obviously, this rotation of players tends to increase as the game progresses, albeit more at some positions than others. You could make a good argument that our defensive depth has been improved, but there is still a noticeable drop-off in talent when you go to the back-ups and a significant drop-off once you get to the third string. The alternative is to not rotate guys, but this often leads to the starters being so gassed that they don't make plays they usually would make. It's a "pick your poison" type of situation.

Tue Oct 24, 2023 2:11 pm

It was disgusting how we let AF run it down our throats like that.

Tue Oct 24, 2023 2:29 pm

LanderPoke wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 2:11 pm It was disgusting how we let AF run it down our throats like that.

Not just AF, but App State was able to easily chip away 3-5 yards at will.

Tue Oct 24, 2023 3:18 pm

J-Bone wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 2:29 pm
LanderPoke wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 2:11 pm It was disgusting how we let AF run it down our throats like that.
Not just AF, but App State was able to easily chip away 3-5 yards at will.

Two things that will never make sense to me:

1. How far off the line of scrimmage/the opposing WR our Corners play; and
2. Why our OC insists on running laterally against any defense.

Tue Oct 24, 2023 5:51 pm

Looking back at the AF game I believe the D played well enough to win that game.

I would blame that loss on STs, missed FGs xtra point and the fake punt, and officiating with the obvious fumble that gave AF the TD.

My concern isn’t with our defense.

Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:34 pm

Itsux2beaewe wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 5:51 pm Looking back at the AF game I believe the D played well enough to win that game.

I would blame that loss on STs, missed FGs xtra point and the fake punt, and officiating with the obvious fumble that gave AF the TD.

My concern isn’t with our defense.

We gave up 6.7 yards per carry and only forced one punt. If not for the two turnovers we would have gotten trucked. Not good enough.

Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:41 pm

307bball wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 1:41 pm I do think it's a good defense....at least it's not losing us games really. Defense in modern college football seems pretty tough to do well. Almost any game I watch now in the fourth quarter has a flurry of points scored. It's not just us that can't stop teams in the fourth. As good as your defense is anymore...the other teams offense generally beats it (at least it seems that way).

Fair point. But there are 121 other teams that aren't giving up as many Q4 points as we are. Maybe it's a function of being in more close games?

Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:56 pm

TheRealUW wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 1:51 pm It's a depth issue, and it is the single biggest obstacle G5 college teams face when trying to build a national contender.

Due to rest and inevitable injury issues that occur throughout a game, you have to rotate players. Obviously, this rotation of players tends to increase as the game progresses, albeit more at some positions than others. You could make a good argument that our defensive depth has been improved, but there is still a noticeable drop-off in talent when you go to the back-ups and a significant drop-off once you get to the third string. The alternative is to not rotate guys, but this often leads to the starters being so gassed that they don't make plays they usually would make. It's a "pick your poison" type of situation.

I guess that makes sense. Being ranked in the 70s for the big defensive statistics puts us in the upper level of G5 teams. Also, we haven't played the weaker teams on the schedule yet. That should create improved stats as the season goes on. In the past few years we've finished in the 20-50 range in scoring defense. Bend but don't break.

Wed Oct 25, 2023 3:01 pm

flyfishwyo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:34 pm
Itsux2beaewe wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 5:51 pm Looking back at the AF game I believe the D played well enough to win that game.

I would blame that loss on STs, missed FGs xtra point and the fake punt, and officiating with the obvious fumble that gave AF the TD.

My concern isn’t with our defense.
We gave up 6.7 yards per carry and only forced one punt. If not for the two turnovers we would have gotten trucked. Not good enough.

I’m more concerned with no second half offense.

Wed Oct 25, 2023 10:22 pm

Itsux2beaewe wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 3:01 pm I’m more concerned with no second half offense.

Which is probably partially to blame for poor fourth quarter defense. Those three and outs mean our defense goes right back out there after barely getting any rest.

Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:08 pm

flyfishwyo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:34 pm
Itsux2beaewe wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 5:51 pm Looking back at the AF game I believe the D played well enough to win that game.

I would blame that loss on STs, missed FGs xtra point and the fake punt, and officiating with the obvious fumble that gave AF the TD.

My concern isn’t with our defense.
We gave up 6.7 yards per carry and only forced one punt. If not for the two turnovers we would have gotten trucked. Not good enough.

Not if our offense hasn’t laid down

Thu Oct 26, 2023 7:53 am

laxwyo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:08 pm
flyfishwyo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:34 pm

We gave up 6.7 yards per carry and only forced one punt. If not for the two turnovers we would have gotten trucked. Not good enough.
Not if our offense hasn’t laid down

The deficiency is generally on offense....could the D play better? Sure. Lots of things could have gone better against AFA but a big one was that the team left some points on the field .... and in a game that close...it's a killer.

Thu Oct 26, 2023 10:15 am

flyfishwyo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:34 pm We gave up 6.7 yards per carry and only forced one punt. If not for the two turnovers we would have gotten trucked. Not good enough.

Jeanty is a bowling ball for Boise State. We'll have to tackle and not depend on hitting him to knock him down or he'll average more than 6.7 yards...

Thu Oct 26, 2023 10:48 am

sandiegopoke wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 10:15 am
flyfishwyo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:34 pm We gave up 6.7 yards per carry and only forced one punt. If not for the two turnovers we would have gotten trucked. Not good enough.
Jeanty is a bowling ball for Boise State. We'll have to tackle and not depend on hitting him to knock him down or he'll average more than 6.7 yards...

That's what I'm afraid of.

Thu Oct 26, 2023 10:56 am

sandiegopoke wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 10:15 am
flyfishwyo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 1:34 pm We gave up 6.7 yards per carry and only forced one punt. If not for the two turnovers we would have gotten trucked. Not good enough.
Jeanty is a bowling ball for Boise State. We'll have to tackle and not depend on hitting him to knock him down or he'll average more than 6.7 yards...

We give up so many yards after contact. It is frustrating to watch. I'm sure our coaches teach proper tackling technique and wrapping up, but we have a lot of players (especially at the corner position) that try to tackle by just ramming their shoulders into ball carriers. Jeanty is a very good back and will have a field day if we try to tackle him like that.

Thu Oct 26, 2023 12:24 pm

TheRealUW wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 10:56 am
sandiegopoke wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 10:15 am

Jeanty is a bowling ball for Boise State. We'll have to tackle and not depend on hitting him to knock him down or he'll average more than 6.7 yards...
We give up so many yards after contact. It is frustrating to watch. I'm sure our coaches teach proper tackling technique and wrapping up, but we have a lot of players (especially at the corner position) that try to tackle by just ramming their shoulders into ball carriers. Jeanty is a very good back and will have a field day if we try to tackle him like that.

This.

The D line and LBs overall are pretty solid, get past them, ufta…..