Stats are for losers... and winners

18in32

Petard Hoister
Joined
May 23, 2010
Messages
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Some random stats from cfbstats.com...

In total offense, we're #20 in the country with 453 yds/game. UCF is #1 (582 yds/game), Clemson is #10, ND is #14, and UGA is #34.

In total defense, we're #56 in the country with 458 yds/game. UGA is #2 (236 yds/game), Clemson is #11, and ND is #16.

On field goals, we're almost dead last – we come in at #72 out of 74 teams. We've made 1/5 FG's, and there are two teams who are 0-fer so far. Amazing.

On PAT's, we're actually not as bad as my PTSD remembered. We're still #73 out of 76 teams, but we've actually only missed two – we're 10/12 through four games. (There are 50 teams tied at #1 having missed none.)

As well as Sims is playing, in interceptions he's second to last in the country (with 8), second only to Miss. St's QB with 9 (though Miss. St's QB also leads the nation in passing yds, so...).

We're #2 in the country with fumbles recovered at 6. Irony alert... #1 is UCF with 8, and Syracuse is tied with us at #2 with 6. You're welcome, guys.

Anybody else got any interesting stats at this point to share...
 
We play in the best location in CFB
We have outgained our opponents

Screenshot_20201012-105348~2.png
 
The offensive improvement compared to last year is incredible. Hard to believe. We do have 2-3 tough defenses left on our schedule so I hope we can keep it up. From a stat prospective, our offense is doing much better than I ever dreamed.

Defense is still bad. I think our defense has made a lot of mistakes BUT if you throw out the UCF game, the numbers are decent. Hope to see improvement the rest of the way that gives hope for next year.
 
Scoring-wise, it really looks like we need to start faster on offense and ESPECIALLY on defense. The first half to second half opponent scoring differential is pretty huge, 82 to 44.

The other part of the PAT problems is how many 2-pt conversions we've tried. What are our stats on those? Seems like we've tried 2 or 3 of them and I don't remember if we've succeeded on any of them. That's related to a lack of confidence in our PAT kicking, and also to "chasing the point" after we miss a PAT.

JRjr
 
The stats I posted, do we really only have 2 sacks this season? I seem to remember we have had several
 
Wait. I read the stats wrong. We've only given up two sacks. Damn!
 
Wait. I read the stats wrong. We've only given up two sacks. Damn!

Yeah, that's pretty good. My impression is that it's more due to scrambling and quick passes than to stout OL play for the most part, and I'd trade a couple of sacks for a couple of the interceptions that we've thrown, but 2 sacks through 4 games is still pretty good. The Clemson and BC defenses will be a stronger test, I think.

JRjr
 
Scoring-wise, it really looks like we need to start faster on offense and ESPECIALLY on defense. The first half to second half opponent scoring differential is pretty huge, 82 to 44.

The other part of the PAT problems is how many 2-pt conversions we've tried. What are our stats on those? Seems like we've tried 2 or 3 of them and I don't remember if we've succeeded on any of them. That's related to a lack of confidence in our PAT kicking, and also to "chasing the point" after we miss a PAT.

JRjr

There are two possibilities on the fast start of opponents. One, a young team shooting itself in the foot with the early jitters, and they calm down as the game goes on. Two, we are easy to advance scout, but are able to adjust in-game.

I think it is mainly the young team growing up thing. The thing is, teams grow up and that will disappear as the season goes on. If it is the other thing, where teams watch tape and see our weaknesses, kudos for our ability to patch those problems in-game.

There is a third reason that our opponents could start fast, and that is we show up outmatched, where our opponent hits hard in the first half and then lets up on the gas later. That has not happened in our first four games. It might happen in 2 or 3 games the rest of the way, but not the first four, which is when these stats are taken.

Since the pre-season pundits in their all-wise prognostications predicted we would show up outmatched every week, I'll take only 2 or 3 games against established powerhouses. What we are accomplishing is really unbelievable. Our freshmen, while they made early mistakes, are playing with poise. The most impressive thing about this team is that it has manufactured functional depth out of thin air. We are not collapsing exhausted in the 4th quarter; we are thriving.
 
I've been very pleased, for the most part, with the poise with which we have played. We don't show a lot of visible signs of getting rattled. Clemson will be a big test, though - they're more able to punch you in the mouth than anybody else we've played so far.

It seems like our S&C is paying dividends. I really want to believe that's true. We've had some impressive bull rushes where we pushed and threw the OL around, especially against FSU. We got stronger in the 4th quarter against Louisville, and looked like we were ready to play another quarter, while they were ready to go home.

JRjr
 
I've been very pleased, for the most part, with the poise with which we have played. We don't show a lot of visible signs of getting rattled. Clemson will be a big test, though - they're more able to punch you in the mouth than anybody else we've played so far.

It seems like our S&C is paying dividends. I really want to believe that's true. We've had some impressive bull rushes where we pushed and threw the OL around, especially against FSU. We got stronger in the 4th quarter against Louisville, and looked like we were ready to play another quarter, while they were ready to go home.

JRjr
I was impressed that we didn't give up on the long Louisville pass play that almost ended up as a Louisville TD. Our defender misplayed the ball, but didn't give up on the play, caught the receiver and manhandled him to keep him out of the endzone. It was a good, bad play.
 
Wait. I read the stats wrong. We've only given up two sacks. Damn!
It's a great stat but somewhat misleading. We probably should've given up 4-5 sacks, but instead, Sims tried to force a few passes and some got thrown bad as he was being hit and caused INT's. A sack is better than an INT and he'll learn that. Still that's impressive. A lot of credit to our OL and the coaching there, and a lot also goes to Jeff for staying put in the pocket and not trying to escape too soon.
 
My take:

Our increased yardage output is a result of better athletes.

Our tendency to kill our own drives is a result of inexperience and youth.
 
My take:

Our increased yardage output is a result of better athletes.

Our tendency to kill our own drives is a result of inexperience and youth.

I think it is more than that. Other than Ryan and a TFr, the OL is holdover, and you need five fingers to make a fist, so same athletes. Mason and Smith can run behind our OL just as well as the two new guys, so same athletes. WR is transitioning, but many of the same athletes. The two Dylans are not superior athletes. Sims is a better athlete, and you live or die on the quarterback, but his athleticism helps him but does not define him. It is his reads and savvy as much as anything, for both better and worse right now.

So I think our increased yardage is not because of better athletes... yet. I think it is because Key is awesome and Pittypat is better than 95% of this board realizes. We have some Choice coaches.

The mistakes are inexperience, youth, COVID, and a tiny bit of option hangover. The last is because the juniors and seniors are playing like redshirt sophomores instead of juniors and seniors on offense. So we seem younger on offense than we really are.
 
The offensive improvement compared to last year is incredible. Hard to believe. We do have 2-3 tough defenses left on our schedule so I hope we can keep it up. From a stat prospective, our offense is doing much better than I ever dreamed.

Defense is still bad. I think our defense has made a lot of mistakes BUT if you throw out the UCF game, the numbers are decent. Hope to see improvement the rest of the way that gives hope for next year.

Would like to see advanced stats on medium to deep passes against us
 
I think the offensive improvement is due to the guys having another year in the system. Plus we have two stellar true freshmen. But lets not get ahead of ourselves. Our first 4 games weren’t giant killers on defense.

We look much better. I’ll take that. We should be even better next year. We need a stud wideout who can both stretch the field and win those 3rd&7 battles to keep drives alive.
 
I've been very pleased, for the most part, with the poise with which we have played. We don't show a lot of visible signs of getting rattled. Clemson will be a big test, though - they're more able to punch you in the mouth than anybody else we've played so far.

It seems like our S&C is paying dividends. I really want to believe that's true. We've had some impressive bull rushes where we pushed and threw the OL around, especially against FSU. We got stronger in the 4th quarter against Louisville, and looked like we were ready to play another quarter, while they were ready to go home.

JRjr

AC and Dom are extremely strong.
 
I think the offensive improvement is due to the guys having another year in the system. Plus we have two stellar true freshmen. But lets not get ahead of ourselves. Our first 4 games weren’t giant killers on defense.

We look much better. I’ll take that. We should be even better next year. We need a stud wideout who can both stretch the field and win those 3rd&7 battles to keep drives alive.

The kid from Westlake is a BEAST
 
It's a great stat but somewhat misleading. We probably should've given up 4-5 sacks, but instead, Sims tried to force a few passes and some got thrown bad as he was being hit and caused INT's. A sack is better than an INT and he'll learn that. Still that's impressive. A lot of credit to our OL and the coaching there, and a lot also goes to Jeff for staying put in the pocket and not trying to escape too soon.
The Louisville game would indicate that Sims has progressed in the interception department.
 
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