Worse defense in FBS?

[andrew]

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As of today, GT ranks 114th in Total Defense. Surprisingly, Michigan State (111) and Wake (106) are ranked similarly but they’re both highly ranked teams (7th and 12th).

Trying to rank defenses based on stats which don't account for how quickly the offense plays and how much they score will always produce weird results.

 

[knoxjacket]

Carpenter, Swilling, T. Oliver, Djimon, and Clayton are the only seniors on D.

Juanyeh, Quez, Eley, and Thomas are all second year juniors. Might not be back.

 

[OmnipoTech]

Juanyeh, Quez, Eley, and Thomas are all second year juniors. Might not be back.

Anybody who doesn't want to might not come back, thanks for your useless contribution though.

 

[CiraldoForever]

Since the UNC game our defense has been giving up some of, if not the most, yardages our opponents have compiled all year. Yardage totals below with the opponents that gave up more in parentheses. It's not like we're playing a murders row of offensive juggernauts.

Pitt 580 (UMASS, New Hampshire, Duke)
Duke 489 (Charlotte, Kansas)
UVA 636 Most all season
VT 491 (Duke yesterday)
Miami 563 (Central Connecticut)
BC 505 (Colgate)

I have this theory that all teams play their best against us because all their players fantasize about transferring to Tech and really want to impress our coaches. Having teams play their best against you goes with being elite.

 

[Chattanooga Jacket]

Trying to rank defenses based on stats which don't account for how quickly the offense plays and how much they score will always produce weird results.

Yeah I noticed that MSU and Wake have defended a lot more plays than GT has.

 

[LegendaryGT]

Trying to rank defenses based on stats which don't account for how quickly the offense plays and how much they score will always produce weird results.

We are 94th in DFEI. Wake is 61 and Mich St is 29, for reference.

 

[smokey_wasp]

Then demoting Thacker to just LB coach?
Ugh. I can see that too

Wouldn't even require a pay cut. Thacker is already making position coach money.

 

[18in32]

We are 94th in DFEI. Wake is 61 and Mich St is 29, for reference.

To put this in further perspective, our Defensive FEI ranking per Football Outsiders –

2015 – 48
2016 – 66
2017 – 47
2018 – 102
2019 – 93
2020 – 88
2021 – 94

 

[LegendaryGT]

To put this in further perspective, our Defensive FEI ranking per Football Outsiders –

2015 – 48
2016 – 66
2017 – 47
2018 – 102
2019 – 93
2020 – 88
2021 – 94

I wonder what statistical benchmarks we have to hit over the next two games in order to dip below 102.

 

[18in32]

I wonder what statistical benchmarks we have to hit over the next two games in order to dip below 102.

It seems like a short while ago when our offense was regularly in the top 20, and our defense was always languishing in the 40's or 50's or 60's, and we would say, "just imagine how good we'd be if our defense were just as good as our offense."

Now I wish any part of our team were as good as the worst parts used to be bad.

 

[Allen Koholic]

I wonder what statistical benchmarks we have to hit over the next two games in order to dip below 102.

There’s a good chance we’re about to find out over the next two weeks…

ööööing end me now.

 

[GT65_UGA89]

I wonder what statistical benchmarks we have to hit over the next two games in order to dip below 102.

One of our next two opponents will in all likelihood shut it down at the half in preparation for the SECCG. The other is currently ranked 9th and will put the throttle down vs GT and Stanford in their final two games.

 

[LegendaryGT]

One of our next two opponents will in all likelihood shut it down at the half in preparation for the SECCG. The other is currently ranked 9th and will put the throttle down vs GT and Stanford in their final two games.

I think DFEI is supposed to take into account things like garbage time, so we could conceivably still get some pretty bad marks. I think our fumble recovery streak is probably what is keeping us above the ocean floor right now.