Defensive stats 2015 vs. 2014
| Stat | 2014 | 2015 (pro-rated to 12 games) |
| TFLs | 82 | 48 (96) |
| Sacks | 29 | 15 (30) |
| BrUps | 27 | 24 (48) |
| FR | 5 | 1 (2) |
| INTs | 5 | 7 (14) |
I made a comment about play-makers making plays in my diary. I was curious to see if that was reflected in the other defensive stats - things besides tackles. The 12 game cumulative stats for last year can be found here:
http://statsarchive.ath.umich.edu/VS-Football/seasontot.php
you may have to enter 2014 to get last year's stats.
The 6 game cumulative stats for this year are here:
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/101015aac.html
I'm no good at the charts, but the thing that stood out to me was the defensive back stats - pass breakups and INTs. We almost have as many BrUps through 6 games (24) as we had all last season (27). We already have more INTs than last year. It helps having exceptional DB coaches.
Sacks are on pace to match last year, and TFLs are slightly better. We have not recovered many fumbles this year. Perhaps we can improve upon that stat this week.
October 12th, 2015 at 12:05 PM ^
It's kinda odd that a defense this active hasn't forced more fumbles. Fumbles are weird.
October 12th, 2015 at 12:09 PM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^
seems like we've probably defended far fewer plays through 6 games than last year, partially because of 3 and outs and partially because of long sustained offensive drives.
Instead of counting stats, would be interesting to see these are per play rates.
October 12th, 2015 at 12:07 PM ^
The pleasant surprise for me has been how Harbaugh, a former QB and noted QB guru, has been able to build a defense through shrewd coaching hires and retention. He's clearly not a one-side-of-the-ball genius. We heard how you have to run power to defend power, but he's running power and defending spread unlike anyone I have ever seen.
October 12th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^
how many teams were running the spread back in Bo's day? June Jones didn't even bring the run n shoot to Hawaii until 1999. I'm thinking of modern spreads like Rich Rod's, Urban Meyer's and Oregon's offense. None of those existed back in Bo's day. His successors certainly had trouble defending the spread. I'm sure Bo would have figured it out, but he didn't have to gameplan for it every week like coaches have to do today.
October 12th, 2015 at 1:05 PM ^
It wasn't the modern spread or read option offense, but there were many variants of the Run & Shoot offense (which as you mention, didn't make it to certain places until much later) around when Bo was still the head coach, and I would think that this might be one of the more direct ancestors of the modern spread. OCs like Mike Shanahan and John Jenkins were pretty well known for making it effective, as I recall. I can't think of anyone in the Big Ten that was using it much at the time though, if at all.
October 12th, 2015 at 2:06 PM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 12:11 PM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 12:18 PM ^
As someone who had season tickets for a long time and been to a lot of M games, it was somewhat surreal.
October 12th, 2015 at 1:08 PM ^
It would take a lot of OT and a defensive stop on a two point converstion to get a football score that high. Can't happen...
October 12th, 2015 at 12:25 PM ^
The difference is that the defense last year played a lot more plays than the defense this year due to the combination of this years offense sustaining longer drives and this years defense forcing more 3 and outs.
2015 Michigan defense: 355 plays (710 over 12 games)
2014 Michigan defense: 783 plays
So the defense last year had 10% more opportunities for takeaways and negative plays.
October 12th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^
Wow. Almost hit our total in PBU's from last year and already have two more INT's. These kind of stats are what have me confident with our secondary going against State's receivers.
October 12th, 2015 at 1:40 PM ^
The defense isn't always exhausted or on its heels from being on the field all game and sudden changes either.