After all, we beat Barry Alvarez two years in a row... back in... oh, wait, is that a PU running back making IU defense look like a collection of have nots? PATHETIC!
Yep, that IU defense sure is outstanding...
- Thread starter NoVertical
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The "is this a top 25 defense" debate was settled today.......unfortunately.
The IU defense was on the field ALL DAY LONG. The O had put up 10 points (and 7 of that came on a short field) until the end of the 4th. A lot to ask of any defense.
Yep, sure does make it hard WHEN YOU LET A GUY RUSH OVER YOU FOR 220 YARDS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T TACKLE A CHAIR!
Okay, I was waiting for this thread. This is the forgotten point in all the stats talk about how good IU's defense was and could be. Stats said we had a top 10 dline. Stats said we were the #19 defense. But what those near worthless stats don't have is a stat for the value rating of the plays that went bad. Sure we had sacks...tackles for loss. But when we blew a play it went for big big yards or TDs. Its one of the reasons we only won 5 games this year and not by large overwhelming numbers. Against bad teams, we looked good and ran up Defensive stats. Before injuries really kicked in, we had a couple of good showings. Its the team at seasons end that isn't the top 25 D. Maybe at the beginning they were, but not now. I'm not saying they were a low rated D either...just not where Allen and the "stats" claimed they were.
Where do we go from here? Considering the number of defensive players that graduate, we could be in trouble next season. But a better offense could help that. But here we go again...just like the past...one side of the ball is up and the other down, then flip them.
We are several years from getting back to the talent level Wilson brought in, Only winning does that...and the belief that next year will be better than this one. How many believe that now?
Where do we go from here? Considering the number of defensive players that graduate, we could be in trouble next season. But a better offense could help that. But here we go again...just like the past...one side of the ball is up and the other down, then flip them.
We are several years from getting back to the talent level Wilson brought in, Only winning does that...and the belief that next year will be better than this one. How many believe that now?
Because of an early season injury... He was great his first two years and will be again next year.
You might as well save your energy. Don't mention that this team was mediocre against the run all year, Or that it never held up in the 4th quarter against a legit team. Or mention the lack of turnovers. Say nothing about the lack of depth at LB and on the line. Don't trust your eyes or your common sense. Just keep repeating "S&P+" endlessly....hey, we beat the crap out of Rutgers,
Well I'll hang my hat on the S&P+ before I will on everyone's "eyes and common sense" all of which are different or completely lacking. This was a good defense and maybe in IU annals of very good defense. We were not deep enough for sure and the offense didn't do them any favors. If they end up at 30 or 50, it is what it is. People who just look at the scoreboard and say we gave up 40 whatever to Maryland don't take in to account the pick 6 and punt return for a touchdown and anything else that occurred that is absolutely not counted against the defense.
Not only did we see that Brohm is a better head coach than Allen, but Nick Holt is very likely a better defensive coordinator. Yesterday made that clear, as did much of the season.
I don’t care where the “ranking” of the D ends up. We are better defensively ...drastically better defensively than we have been in a looooong time. We can compete and win with this type of defense. We do need an offense that can run the ball and throw just like we need a defense that can stop the run and pass. We need a complete team.
I think the offense is going to be fine but we need a QB and linemen. I am hoping Tronti is the hidden gem that every single team in CFB didn’t recognize even though he was Florida’s Mr. Football. If he is a stud then that has to go down as one of the oddest misses in modern recruiting. I would have to think that if he was markedly better than the two we started this year, he would have played to take advantage of the defense strength this year.
Anyway, focus now is on finishing recruiting and hanging on to our current commits. I didn’t see any glaring deficiencies at the HC position this first season.
Let's see: Remind me how many rushing yards IU had yesterday. How many? (sarcasm fully intended)
Not saying the defense was great but I blame some of their problems on the lack of an offense. When you run the hurry up offense and go 3 and out a lot then your defense is on the field way to long. I feel that is why our defense faltered in the 4th quarter.
Well I think that is throwing the baby out with the bath water. I wouldn't be upset if the defense improved but I think of the offense can get to where the defense is, we might just have something.
I find it completely fascinating that people cannot seem to grasp the fact that even the best defenses will, on occasion, give up points and yards. Just like how the best offenses will sometimes put up 3 points.
This is why you need to be good on every side of the ball. This thread is unbelievably embarrassing. You have people talking about stats like they’re some foreign concept.
This is why you need to be good on every side of the ball. This thread is unbelievably embarrassing. You have people talking about stats like they’re some foreign concept.
You're wrong too. We didn't have a great defense this year and, for what it's worth (probably not much), it fell short of my expectations going into the season. But it was good for the most part, at times very good, and definitely not the shit show we were accustomed to - - for decades - - at IU.
I went back this morning and looked over rushing yards allowed by our defense and it's not "good".
Ohio State came in and gave us two black eyes. I think they rushed for close to 3 bills on iu. Maryland ran for about 185 yards, Purdue ran for way over 200 yards, Michigan ran for tons of yards as did Wisconsin. The rushing defense wasn't good.
Tom Allen was hired to primarily coach from a position of strength on defense. That didn't transpire with his rush defense.
Ohio State came in and gave us two black eyes. I think they rushed for close to 3 bills on iu. Maryland ran for about 185 yards, Purdue ran for way over 200 yards, Michigan ran for tons of yards as did Wisconsin. The rushing defense wasn't good.
Tom Allen was hired to primarily coach from a position of strength on defense. That didn't transpire with his rush defense.
We got pushed around some on the DL but I don't think that was Allen's fault.....we just didn't have stud athletes or depth there. And lack of TOs was a big problem, which CTA acknowledged at the end of the year. Where I think he did do a damn good job was in his schemes to get pressure on the QB. We certainly had no Van Waiters or Wally O. or Middleton or Kirlew or Nate Davis and lost our best pure pass rusher before the season but still ranked high in sacks and hurries.That was an area that was missing in the PU game and that was disappointing. I just don't think we were ready to play on the DL, and that sucks.
NCAA rank
Turnover differential like 109th
Red zone defense. 97th.
I wish I could find a good stat for explosive play differential. Anyone have a suggestion to find it?
Turnover differential like 109th
Red zone defense. 97th.
I wish I could find a good stat for explosive play differential. Anyone have a suggestion to find it?
I agree. The defense is MUCH BETTER and not the the bottom of the barrel anymore, but it is also not “great”. The rush yards were lower than prior years, but clearly there is improvement to be made, and upgrades to be made at some positions.
My issue was that he had to bring pressure to get it done, which exposed Andre Brown, Dutra ect. Even against Illinois we had to bring pressure to get there. But as you said, we didn’t have the stud d-line, and that’s not his fault, and he manufactured some great blitzes. Only issue is that it exposes your DB’s. To make a next level jump, we need some stud pass rushers and I think that next year could be the year.
We're still much better than we were a couple of years ago. Hopefully we will show continued progress.
Yeah, i’ll Put it this way. Coaching wise, effort wise, intelligence wise, work ethic wise... it’s a better defense and that is showing. Talent wise, this D may not be very good at all. If TA gets talent and some Darius Latham caliber lineman to come in, he will have a top 10 nationally ranked defense.
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