Points allowed through 11 games
Points allowed through first 11 games during the last 10 years...
Year P/A Per Game Record Coach
2011 172 15.6 9-2 Hoke
2010 369 33.5 7-4 Rodriguez
2009 309 28.1 5-6 Rodriguez
2008 305 27.7 3-8 Rodriguez
2007 229 20.8 8-3 Carr
2006 133 12.1 11-0 Carr
2005 212 19.3 7-4 Carr
2004 241 21.9 9-2 Carr
2003 170 15.4 9-2 Carr
2002 221 20.1 9-2 Carr
2001 192 17.5 8-3 Carr
November 20th, 2011 at 12:03 PM ^
Mattison makes me all happy in the pants area.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:06 PM ^
It's good to see we are starting to get back to our roots on defense. Looking at this though makes me reminisce about how good our defense was in 2006... and it feels good.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:18 PM ^
2006 D was talented, but played poorly the last two games vs. osu and usc.
November 20th, 2011 at 1:02 PM ^
'06 front seven was dominating. The secondary, not so much. Teams that tried to run on that squad couldn't, not even USC. Then they started throwing...
November 20th, 2011 at 12:05 PM ^
Mattison was good for a 100 rank change in PPG allowd...
~35/gm was good for 108
15.6 is good for 8th
November 20th, 2011 at 12:08 PM ^
Are there stats somewhere that show the all time best jumps in rankings year to year? That just has to be #1.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:12 PM ^
It's funny you mention that because I was talking to my friend about the exact same thing this morning. Its got to be the largest jump. That's insane.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:24 PM ^
Actually, someone on the site did something like this before the season. If I remember correctly, the only other team to do something like that was Nebraska in Pelini's 1st year. But most people said we couldn't do it as well because Neb had Suh as he started destroying worlds that year.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:06 PM ^
...that the Michigan Defense is back. And its gonna get even better with the 2012 and 2013 hauls coming in.
Sparty has had their chance to shine. It's payback time soon.
November 20th, 2011 at 4:53 PM ^
The best part is that Sparty's time in the spotlight is going to abruptly fade in the next couple of weeks.
After we bludgeon the Buckeyes over the Holiday, MSU is going to get beat by Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game and end up in the Capitol One bowl, while we jump them for a BCS bid. Let the bitter whining commence. So even with back to back 10 win seasons, they will have ended up outside the BCS bowls.
And then next year, normal service is going to resume in Ann Arbor.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:06 PM ^
Bonus National Stats:
Rushing Offense: 236.1ypg, 12th nationally
Total Offense: 434.5ypg, 34th nationally
Scoring Offense: 33.6ppg, 26th nationally
Total Defense: 316ypg, 14th nationally
Scoring Defense: 16.2ppg, 8th nationally
November 20th, 2011 at 12:07 PM ^
GIVE ME SOMEWHERE TO STAND
November 20th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
Where did you come from, Archimedes?
November 20th, 2011 at 12:42 PM ^
I reside in the Michigan defensive meeting room on the wall, signifying that this defense always has a chance to stop you from scoring as long as they have a place to stand.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:09 PM ^
...but this deserves its own thread. Sparty T-shirt Fail.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:12 PM ^
Search. Top Right. Major Friend.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
Been there read that
November 20th, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
This is the reason you cant have nice things (and post)
November 20th, 2011 at 12:11 PM ^
I would like to invite Hoke and Mattison to the pants party
November 20th, 2011 at 12:13 PM ^
so after we blank Ohio next week, we'll be down to 14.3. Wow.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:14 PM ^
wow thats unbelievable. didn't realize we were doing so much better than the carr era average.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:19 PM ^
November 20th, 2011 at 12:26 PM ^
It's all good. Lets finish this year strong.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:30 PM ^
Only two seasons on that list better than this one were Rose Bowl years. With 2003 also a Big Ten championship. I'd say that's pretty good company.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:31 PM ^
I honestly think we could beat any team but the absolute top of the line squads this year. If we get paired up against an ACC or Big East team in the BCS it could be a slaughter.
November 20th, 2011 at 2:24 PM ^
Why does Miss State have to suck so bad this year after the success from last year. I would be thrilled with a rematch from last year.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:31 PM ^
November 20th, 2011 at 12:32 PM ^
Don't count your chickens quite yet guys. As awesome as this year's defense appears to be if Ohio State scores 234 points against us next Saturday we won't have improved at all.
And even if we shut out OSU what if the team we play in the bowl game scores 286 points? Then we all look pretty foolish thinking things have gotten better around here.
November 20th, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^
I don't usually laugh out loud from things I see on the internet, but this is legitimately one of the funniest comments I have ever read. Bravo
November 20th, 2011 at 2:26 PM ^
I woke my wife and son up from a nap when I read this.
November 20th, 2011 at 12:37 PM ^
did anyone else see mattison jiggle his grandpa boobs?!
was that shit hot or what?
November 20th, 2011 at 12:42 PM ^
Our defense is doing awesome this year!!! In addition we are ranked #16 in the current USA Today Coaches Poll. Top 5 is interesting to say the least...
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/story/usatpoll/413462/1
Edit: In reference to an earlier thread started about the NC game, it very well could be an all SEC NC game...let the arguement about 2006 begin!!! LOL!
November 20th, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
here is how I compare this year to 2006, good talent with elite coaching. 2006 elite talent good coaching.
now imagin when we get 3 to 4 years of good recruiting classes, I think we will have defence to compare to 97
November 20th, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^
Pretty crazy to think we've gone from the WORST Michigan defense of all time (not just the last ten years) to the 2nd or 3rd best defense we've had in 10 years within just one season.
November 20th, 2011 at 1:00 PM ^
Don't have enough points to create a post. Michigan #17, Sparty #11, USC #9?
http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/11/20/2575618/college-footba…
Here's the full AP Poll top 25 for Week 13:
November 20th, 2011 at 1:07 PM ^
If you follow the trend, Rich Rod. would have also had UM at 9-2. It also shows his defence would be giving up over 45 pts/game.
The second part seemed doable at least.
November 20th, 2011 at 1:09 PM ^
What an amazing turnaround. If Mattison isn't assistant coach of the year, then it's a flawed voting system.
November 20th, 2011 at 1:44 PM ^
It is very impressive, but we have to control for the number of possessions created by the tempo of our offense.
For example, Michigan was ridiculously efficient at scoring last year. The drives were relatively brief, and this gave opponents the ball pretty quickly.
But I still feel very strongly that the defense is improved. For example, please see: Floyd, J.T. Also: 3rd down stops!
November 20th, 2011 at 2:15 PM ^
Despite its "ridiculous efficiency," last year's offense scored fewer points per game (overall, in regulation and in conference play) than this year's.
November 20th, 2011 at 2:39 PM ^
Your point doesn't address efficiency, right?
November 20th, 2011 at 2:48 PM ^
jmblue wrote about 'efficiency.' I think he makes the same error that I'm trying to point out in the original post.
My point is that there isn't a meaningful comparison given the metrics used. However, based on what I'm seeing in invidual play and with Brian's RPS numbers, it does look like we're improving. Jeepers.
November 20th, 2011 at 5:22 PM ^
You seem to be trying to have it both ways. First you want to adjust for the increased number of defensive possessions caused by our tempo last year; then you want to adjust in the opposite direction on offense.
But if there were more defensive possessions last year, surely there were more offensive possessions as well. Teams take turns having the ball, after all.
November 20th, 2011 at 10:41 PM ^
Here's my reasoning. I sincerely apologize if I've been unclear above.
1) Offense moves fast-->defense gets more opportunities for points scored on it (thus gives up more points)
2) Offense doesn't move as fast -->defense gets fewer opportunities for points scored on it (thus gives up fewer points)
I want to normalize, look at points per possession instead of raw number of points. That's because defense in 1/2 can be the same, but the defense in 1 looks worse because more points are scored on it.
Am I messing this up?
November 20th, 2011 at 11:48 PM ^
That's how I understood what you were saying. But it works both ways:
1) Offense moves fast-->offense gets more opportunities (thus scores more points)
2) Offense doesn't move as fast -->offense gets fewer opportunities (thus scores fewer points)
If you're right and the rapid pace means the defense didn't improve quite as much as the PPG comparison implies, then the rapid pace also means the offense improved even more than the PPG comparison implies (which is the opposite of what you implied above).
[Ed.: Or, rather, what I thought you'd implied above but now that I re-read the thread maybe you didn't. Anyway, it certainly flies in the face of common opinion on the relative efficiencies of last year's offense vs. this year's.]
November 20th, 2011 at 3:47 PM ^
Maybe mods could take a look at this, please? I don't think my above posts' substance or form is worthy of flame or trolling labels. The point I'm making may be wrong (still not demonstrated so), but I'm definitely not posting anything intended to start a spat.
November 20th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^
As soon as you start showing people that you'll cry about it, it will happen more and more. You could post a picture of Denard holding up the Orange Bowl trophy and you'll get negged.
Come on, you've been around long enough to know this.
November 20th, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
I'm definitely too naive. Thanks for the heads up.
Just for clarification, though: I didn't see it as 'crying' as much as I saw it as making my argument.
Also, I hadn't noticed the negging except for things I thought were worth it, but you're probably right. What a downer.
November 20th, 2011 at 3:03 PM ^
Metric for what? If the offense is playing in such a way that gives the defense better stats and improves the overall record, shouldn't Hoke and his coaching staff get credit for that?