These are all national team unit rankings:
1. KICKOFF RETURN DEFENSE 123
https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/463/p3 (just hit the drop down on that NCAA page for whatever category interests you)
2. 4TH DOWN CONVERSION PCT 113
3. SACKS ALLOWED 81 (skewed by the gutted OL in the bowl game, but still...)
The meaningful context is of course TOTAL O 13 and TOTAL D 123 (Rush D 106, Pass D 120). Regarding #1 above, not only was our D terrible but they were starting off defending crap field position. KO return has to get better, not just the D, especially since we score a lot (i.e., we KO a lot).
Offensively we really didn't miss a beat without Riley with that #13 Total O ranking, especially when you consider for 1.5 games we were running Wildcat when Gabriel was hurt, so that was really a top 10 O had we had our starting QB for all 13 games. So why did it feel like the O was misfiring too much of the time? See points #2 and #3. Lebby has got to go back to the drawing board on 4th down plays, but to be fair we're behind due to the D late and there were too many 4th down attempts. Most importantly, Gabriel has got to get rid of the ball better. I think a solution to that would be a H-back blocker and/or relief valve and maybe more screens. Penalties per game was average at #52 so not a top issue.
Perhaps shockingly to most, these were all bright points:
TEAM TACKLES FOR LOSS 5
PASSES INTERCEPTED 7 (tied with 2 other teams)
PUNT RETURN DEFENSE 10 (so why so crappy on defending KO returns?)
PUNT RETURNS 12
How was our D so wretched when it was top 10 in the game-changing categories of INTs and TFLs??? The obvious answer is "consistency", but I would guess the biggest problem is on blitzes there was no sound "assignment football" and our secondary was a fire drill. 3rd and longs continue to be busts. Sure we need a better pass rush (team sacks was a mediocre 64), but this is on Valai - why he still has a job after heading up a pass D ranked 120 continues to boggle my mind. Doesn't matter if he can recruit if he can't coach.
1. KICKOFF RETURN DEFENSE 123
https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/463/p3 (just hit the drop down on that NCAA page for whatever category interests you)
2. 4TH DOWN CONVERSION PCT 113
3. SACKS ALLOWED 81 (skewed by the gutted OL in the bowl game, but still...)
The meaningful context is of course TOTAL O 13 and TOTAL D 123 (Rush D 106, Pass D 120). Regarding #1 above, not only was our D terrible but they were starting off defending crap field position. KO return has to get better, not just the D, especially since we score a lot (i.e., we KO a lot).
Offensively we really didn't miss a beat without Riley with that #13 Total O ranking, especially when you consider for 1.5 games we were running Wildcat when Gabriel was hurt, so that was really a top 10 O had we had our starting QB for all 13 games. So why did it feel like the O was misfiring too much of the time? See points #2 and #3. Lebby has got to go back to the drawing board on 4th down plays, but to be fair we're behind due to the D late and there were too many 4th down attempts. Most importantly, Gabriel has got to get rid of the ball better. I think a solution to that would be a H-back blocker and/or relief valve and maybe more screens. Penalties per game was average at #52 so not a top issue.
Perhaps shockingly to most, these were all bright points:
TEAM TACKLES FOR LOSS 5
PASSES INTERCEPTED 7 (tied with 2 other teams)
PUNT RETURN DEFENSE 10 (so why so crappy on defending KO returns?)
PUNT RETURNS 12
How was our D so wretched when it was top 10 in the game-changing categories of INTs and TFLs??? The obvious answer is "consistency", but I would guess the biggest problem is on blitzes there was no sound "assignment football" and our secondary was a fire drill. 3rd and longs continue to be busts. Sure we need a better pass rush (team sacks was a mediocre 64), but this is on Valai - why he still has a job after heading up a pass D ranked 120 continues to boggle my mind. Doesn't matter if he can recruit if he can't coach.
