Bo's defense without elite talent

[JTrain]

"You look at [the candidates'] individual strengths and then you look at what it appears the program needs, and the greatest concern to me was defense-- the ability to stop people." -Tom Osborne, introducing Bo Pelini on December 1, 2007.

 

 

Statistically, Bo has had two very good seasons defensively in seven years. Here are the top contributors to those teams. Players in bold play(ed) in the NFL and players in red started at least one NFL game.

 

2009 (Rankings: 7th total, 1st scoring), 10 NFL players.

 

Suh

Crick

Compton

Hagg

Gomes

Asante

Dennard

Prince

Dillard

Turner

Allen

Fisher

West

 

2010 (Rankings: 11th total, 9th scoring), 7 NFL Players

 

Crick

Dennard

David

Compton

Hagg

Prince

Gomes

Meredith

Steinkuhler

Moore

Allen

Cassidy

Thenarse

 

Here are the other five seasons:

 

2008 (Rankings: 55th total, 80th scoring)

2011 (Rankings: 40th total, 50th scoring)

2012 (Rankings: 35th total, 58th scoring)

2013 (Rankings: 40th total, 50th scoring)

2014 (Rankings: 41st total, 41st scoring)

 

In other words, the only time a Pelini defense broke the top 30 in either of the two important categories was when over half of his starting defenders were future NFL players. In the other five years, his average ranking was 42nd in total defense and 56th in scoring defense. His best in those five was 35th in total and 41st in scoring (this year, having faced only two top 40 offenses: MSU and Wisconsin).

 

Bo's average ranks with all seven seasons is: 33rd, 41st

 

Here are some other numbers for comparison.

 

Cosgrove:

 

2004 (Rankings: 56th total, 71st scoring)

2005 (Rankings: 26th total, 25th scoring)

2006 (Rankings: 56th total, 24th scoring)

2007 (Rankings: 112th total, 114th scoring)

 

Avg.: 63th, 59th

 

Bohl:

 

2000 (Rankings: 26th total, 26th scoring)

2001 (Rankings: 8th total, 6th scoring)

2002 (Rankings: 55th total, 45th scoring)

 

Avg.: 30th, 26th