[GK3]

I would also be interested to see statistics on how long our defense is on the field these days and how many 3-and-outs they manage versus previous defensive units (but I don't have the stats).

Here you go. No exact numbers on 3-and-outs that I saw, but a couple metrics that help paint a picture.

Average offensive TOP under Shaw (FBS rank) - naturally time on defense follows:
2011 33:46 #5
2012 31:40 #23
2013 31:43 #29
2014 32:15 #16
2015 34:45 #2
2016 32:46 #18
2017 30:15 #62
2018 29:51 #66
2019 32:22 #21

Opponent Third Down Conversion % under Shaw (FBS rank):
2011 31.1% #7
2012 32.4% #12
2013 32.3% #9
2014 37.8% #37
2015 36.5% #40
2016 36.9% #33
2017 43.2% #97
2018 39.2% #61
2019 46.9% #118

Opponent Punts per Offensive Score under Shaw (FBS rank):
2011 1.5 #31T
2012 2.1 #7T
2013 1.5 #19T
2014 2.0 #6
2015 1.1 #56T
2016 1.4 #25T
2017 1.0 #70T
2018 1.0 #66T
2019 0.7 #98T

Opponent 1st Downs per Game under Shaw (FBS rank):
2011 16.2 #10
2012 18.1 #20
2013 20.1 #42
2014 17.8 #15
2015 19.1 #35
2016 19.5 #35
2017 20.9 #73
2018 21.4 #75
2019 22.7 #98

Pretty simple conclusions to draw from this. Our defense wasn't even on the field a lot...it was just plain bad.

FWLIW it seems to me that the defense is the seat of our problems.  While we can use some offensive improvements, with a decent defense we would have won more games and maybe gone to a bowl.  You can't allow opponents to convert nearly 50 percent of their 3rd downs and expect to win when your offense while good to decent isn't world class.  If we had had a few more touches on offense each game, who knows what the results would have been.  Of course we were not the only Pac XII team in the cellar of 3rd down conversion percentages, being joined by Arizona, UCLA, Colorado and OSU.  Utah of course is at the other end of the spectrum.
I am a firm believer that defense wins games first, last and always.  Whether it is talent or coaching, major repairs are needed on defense.  A good defense will keep you in games far longer than a good offense. At least that is my view and I am sticking to it.

[GK3]

I would also be interested to see statistics on how long our defense is on the field these days and how many 3-and-outs they manage versus previous defensive units (but I don't have the stats).

Here you go. No exact numbers on 3-and-outs that I saw, but a couple metrics that help paint a picture.

Average offensive TOP under Shaw (FBS rank) - naturally time on defense follows:
2011 33:46 #5
2012 31:40 #23
2013 31:43 #29
2014 32:15 #16
2015 34:45 #2
2016 32:46 #18
2017 30:15 #62
2018 29:51 #66
2019 32:22 #21

Opponent Third Down Conversion % under Shaw (FBS rank):
2011 31.1% #7
2012 32.4% #12
2013 32.3% #9
2014 37.8% #37
2015 36.5% #40
2016 36.9% #33
2017 43.2% #97
2018 39.2% #61
2019 46.9% #118

Opponent Punts per Offensive Score under Shaw (FBS rank):
2011 1.5 #31T
2012 2.1 #7T
2013 1.5 #19T
2014 2.0 #6
2015 1.1 #56T
2016 1.4 #25T
2017 1.0 #70T
2018 1.0 #66T
2019 0.7 #98T

Opponent 1st Downs per Game under Shaw (FBS rank):
2011 16.2 #10
2012 18.1 #20
2013 20.1 #42
2014 17.8 #15
2015 19.1 #35
2016 19.5 #35
2017 20.9 #73
2018 21.4 #75
2019 22.7 #98

Pretty simple conclusions to draw from this. Our defense wasn't even on the field a lot...it was just plain bad.

FWLIW it seems to me that the defense is the seat of our problems.  While we can use some offensive improvements, with a decent defense we would have won more games and maybe gone to a bowl.  You can't allow opponents to convert nearly 50 percent of their 3rd downs and expect to win when your offense while good to decent isn't world class.  If we had had a few more touches on offense each game, who knows what the results would have been.  Of course we were not the only Pac XII team in the cellar of 3rd down conversion percentages, being joined by Arizona, UCLA, Colorado and OSU.  Utah of course is at the other end of the spectrum.
I am a firm believer that defense wins games first, last and always.  Whether it is talent or coaching, major repairs are needed on defense.  A good defense will keep you in games far longer than a good offense. At least that is my view and I am sticking to it.