"Base Defense"

[Mavric]

Thanks for those numbers.  I had been meaning to look them up but hadn't gotten around to it yet.

It sure SEEMED like we did better in the second half.  We adjusted how we were lining up.  And the 3rd quarter results were better.  But overall it appears we really didn't get noticeably better.

 

[RedDenver]

Thanks for those numbers.  I had been meaning to look them up but hadn't gotten around to it yet.

It sure SEEMED like we did better in the second half.  We adjusted how we were lining up.  And the 3rd quarter results were better.  But overall it appears we really didn't get noticeably better.

1st half we gave up 5.7 ypp, 2nd half 5.1. So over a half yard per play improvement. I think that's significant based on the Hail Varsity article that 5.8 ypp is the national average, but definitely not dominating.

 

[Mavric]

We were also a fortunate replay reversal and a little stick-em from giving up TDs on three out of four drives.  So we weren't exactly shutting them down.  We got a couple negative yardage plays to help the average.  Not that those don't count, just where they happened to fall.

 

[RedDenver]

We were also a fortunate replay reversal and a little stick-em from giving up TDs on three out of four drives.  So we weren't exactly shutting them down.  We got a couple negative yardage plays to help the average.  Not that those don't count, just where they happened to fall.

And ASU got some beneficial calls as well as some good bounces - that's part of the game.

 

[Mavric]

And ASU got some beneficial calls as well as some good bounces - that's part of the game.

I realize that's part of the game.  I was pointing out that the half-yard improvement in yards per play doesn't really mean we were accomplishing much more.  On a small sample-size it was moderately better.  But we only really "stopped" them on one of their last four possessions.  Which isn't very good.