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If our defense is NOT rated in the top __ in 2013

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Top 50 really seems fair when considering the teams we'll play next year. I don't think any of them will have a top flight offense. In reality, we should be much better than that.
 
I'd like to see 5.3 yards per play. That would be an impressive but not unreasonable improvement, after we were 6.1 last season.

At 5.3 you'll generally slot near 50th in the nation, although it was closer to 40th last year. That was one of the untold stories of 2012, that many more teams were relatively stingy on defense, at least in terms of yards per play. I noted it all season and wasn't sure what to make of it. Interesting to see if it continues. Perhaps there's been a bit of advancement in defending the spread.

With some scholarships missing, I think it's likely we'll underwhelm on defense until 85 is restored. We need to outscore people. That simply makes sense to me. I'm not going to subjectively pick it apart. Physical sport. Fewer numbers. Equates to a less physical team and weakness on defense. Mike Bellotti mentioned the same theme on the national signing day coverage on ESPNU, that Monte Kiffin was forced to restrict hitting and intensity in practice due to sheer lack of numbers. Lane Kiffin supposedly vowed recently to change that approach, even if it meant risking injury. Like Golden blaming the NCAA for losing out on kids to schools like FSU, I think Lane Kiffin will come to understand that weakness on defense was a math problem, not a hitting problem. We're at 80ish, not 75ish like USC, but I still think the theme applies.
 
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This defense could be very good next season. 22 True Sophomores or younger were in the 2 deep last season. Everybody is going to be bigger, faster, stronger, and have a higher football IQ and there will be more depth being provided by the redshirts who didn't play last year and the new recruiting class. Competition is going to be very nice on Greentree once again.

Coach D can't make chicken salad out of chicken ****. The chicken **** is gone now let's see what tasty recipe he has in mind...
 
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I just want to see improvement across the board in all areas.



Scoring defense, sacks, hurries, turnovers, TFL, 3rd down stops, etc.



Scoring defense and getting off the field on 3rd down are probably the most important. How many more games do we win last year if we just get a handful of 3rd and 4th down and long stops? Several close games were lost because we did good on 1st and 2nd down only to give up a big play on 3rd down or even 4th down sometimes.



To me, another year of maturity and strength should fix alot of that.
 
the consensus seems to be top 50. I agree for next season.

Some on here don't care. They are just lookin for Ws. Nothin wrong with that but, we're just tryin to gauge the Defensive improvement and the rankings are the best indicators.

There was a discussion a few months ago about the value of scoring defense vs total defense. I fall on the scoring side of the argument, particularly if the scoring is low due to turnovers and momentum plays.

Obviously noone is going to care where the D ranked if we win 10+ games but, if we don't improve a great deal and the offense is just disgusting then we still have worries going into what could be National title shot years. If we want to be the best in 2014,15, and beyond the Defense will need to be dominant not just good enough. I'm not about to forfeit that idea because it is convenient. We won titles by dominating on both sides of the ball and we won't win another til we get back to that.
 
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Obviously I screwed that up. If fewer schools are allowing 5.3 yards or better, then defenses are getting worse, not better. Mentally I had it wrong all year. It was a matter of a tenth or two from the norm during 2012.
 
Awsi Dooger said:
Obviously I screwed that up. If fewer schools are allowing 5.3 yards or better, then defenses are getting worse, not better. Mentally I had it wrong all year. It was a matter of a tenth or two from the norm during 2012.
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5.3 yards, 5.0 yards?

I've watched football for a long time and I've realized one immutable fact about defenses: if your defense holds the other team to less points than your offense scores then you have a pretty good chance to win the game.
 
Noah said:
Cameron Underwood said:
cane305 said:
couldn't care less.

just win games.
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Thank you! Rankings are overrated. Just get me stops when we need them, win games, and keep it moving.
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So we can go 14-0 and our defense can be ranked #130th so long as we score more than the other team and you think D'onofrio can keep his job?

Thanks for participating, albeit in a roundabout way.
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If we go 14-0 and win the national championship, you really think they're going to fire someone?
 
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