10-07-2018, 08:26 AM
One of the scariest developments during 2011 to 2018 is the decline of our rushing defense and, in this year particularly, the dramatic decline in our rushing offense. The decline in the defensive stats may be due to the bend-don't-break philosophy, but the trend is unmistakable and very worrying. Here are the offensive and defensive rushing stats by season, with the first six games of 2018 included here. The first number is Stanford's rushing average per game and average yards per carry; the second number is our defense against the run, with average yards per game and average yards per carry by our opponents. Very worrying developments. I will look up points per game as a comparison; but these numbers are scary. In press conferences, Shaw often dismisses statistics. Still, for Stanford's "identity", these numbers are vital. For the first time in the Shaw era, our opponents are out-rushing us and have even achieved superior yards per carry. Our worst differential so far was 2014, when we had our worst record (8-5).
2011: O – 210.6, 5.3; D – 84.4, 3.0
2012: O – 174.3, 4.4; D – 97.0, 3.0
2013: O – 207.4, 5.0; D – 89.7, 2.9
2014: O – 158.8, 4.3; D – 104.5, 3.1
2015: O – 223.6, 5.1; D – 139.3, 4.3
2016: O – 208.9, 5.2; D – 145.8, 4.2
2017: O – 202.6, 5.9; D – 169.4, 4.6
2018: O – 85.7, 3.1; D – 164.3, 4.1 (first six games)
2011: O – 210.6, 5.3; D – 84.4, 3.0
2012: O – 174.3, 4.4; D – 97.0, 3.0
2013: O – 207.4, 5.0; D – 89.7, 2.9
2014: O – 158.8, 4.3; D – 104.5, 3.1
2015: O – 223.6, 5.1; D – 139.3, 4.3
2016: O – 208.9, 5.2; D – 145.8, 4.2
2017: O – 202.6, 5.9; D – 169.4, 4.6
2018: O – 85.7, 3.1; D – 164.3, 4.1 (first six games)