In all three games, the defense started very slowly then got much better.
Vs KSU the defense gave up 240 yds in the first half, 94 in the second.*
Vs SC it was a little more complicated, as the defense started with 2 three and outs, then gave up three long drives, two in the first half one in the second. That was followed by three 3 and outs (one out on an INT) until the backups gave up a couple of TDs in garbage time.
Vs Vandy, the D gave up 214 yds in the first three drives, then 114 yds in the next 8 drives which included 5 three and outs. Then the backups gave up another garbage time TD on a long drive.
* These are drive yards. Official yards from scrimmage would be a little different depending on penalties.
Through all of this, the run defense has been pretty terrible, the pass defense rather good.
Every team we have faced has had their best ypc against us, Vandy by a ton.
However, SC and Vandy had their worst passing games against us (by PER, or YPA, or total yds). KSU is a little more complicated and the results depend on which stats you like, but they lost their QB at the start of their next game.
Similarly, Stanford has the worst run defense in the conference by yds/gm and yds/att, though they did play tougher opponents in sum-total than anyone else.
Stanford has the third best conference pass defense by PER, though adjusted by opponents probably first.
This isn't good news for the near future. The Pac 12 teams with the highest percentage of their yds by rushing are #2 ASU (52%), #3 Oregon (48%), and #4 UCLA (45%). Colorado is actually #1 here (61%) though that isn't so much that they are good at running but their pass game basically doesn't exist. By contrast, Stanford has 37% of its yds rushing, which seems to be the ninth lowest rushing fraction.
I certainly fear our next 3 opponents are going to run all over us.
Vs KSU the defense gave up 240 yds in the first half, 94 in the second.*
Vs SC it was a little more complicated, as the defense started with 2 three and outs, then gave up three long drives, two in the first half one in the second. That was followed by three 3 and outs (one out on an INT) until the backups gave up a couple of TDs in garbage time.
Vs Vandy, the D gave up 214 yds in the first three drives, then 114 yds in the next 8 drives which included 5 three and outs. Then the backups gave up another garbage time TD on a long drive.
* These are drive yards. Official yards from scrimmage would be a little different depending on penalties.
Through all of this, the run defense has been pretty terrible, the pass defense rather good.
Every team we have faced has had their best ypc against us, Vandy by a ton.
However, SC and Vandy had their worst passing games against us (by PER, or YPA, or total yds). KSU is a little more complicated and the results depend on which stats you like, but they lost their QB at the start of their next game.
Similarly, Stanford has the worst run defense in the conference by yds/gm and yds/att, though they did play tougher opponents in sum-total than anyone else.
Stanford has the third best conference pass defense by PER, though adjusted by opponents probably first.
This isn't good news for the near future. The Pac 12 teams with the highest percentage of their yds by rushing are #2 ASU (52%), #3 Oregon (48%), and #4 UCLA (45%). Colorado is actually #1 here (61%) though that isn't so much that they are good at running but their pass game basically doesn't exist. By contrast, Stanford has 37% of its yds rushing, which seems to be the ninth lowest rushing fraction.
I certainly fear our next 3 opponents are going to run all over us.