Originally Posted by
BisonNeil
I have been concerned about that also, but from a bit different perspective. Creating TOs or other big plays defensively. I gathered all of the data to post it before, to compare the 2013 defense with 2012 and 2011, but then lost it, but recently found it (bug can't remember if I posted already). There are some interesting trends.
The 2013 defense is only giving up 12.2 pt/gm, compared with 11.5 last year, and 12.7 in 2011. So, very comparable. But big plays defensively, which I think of as sacks, fumbles caused and recovered, and INTs are substantially different in 2013 compared to the previous two championship years.
In 2011 NDSU had 41 sacks (2.7/gm), caused 17 fumbles and gained 10 of those, while getting 21 INTs. The Bison only turned the ball over 13 times, so they were a +18 advantage for the season, and averaged 2.1 possession changes per game. In 2012, the Bison had 35 sacks (2.3/gm), caused 24 fumbles gaining 16 of them, and had 13 INTs. The Bison only turned the ball over 14 times that year, and averaged 1.9 possession changes per game due to TO. This year, after 9 games, the Bison have 30 sacks (2/gm), have caused only 10 fumbles, gaining 3 of them, and have only 8 INTs. However, the Bison have turned the ball over only 11 times. The bottom line is that the Bison even in the TO department.
So, the defense is simply not creating the TOs they have in the past. Sacks are down a bit, I think because the DL is banged up with a lot of shoulder injuries. MWill has only 2 INTs this year. Most of you think he is playing great, but there is no denying that he is down in creating the big plays that the defense thrives on.
But, as I said in another thread, the offense is compensating a bit for the defense playing solid, but not spectacularly when it comes to their big play potential. The offense averaged 31.3 pts/gm in 2011, 33 pts/gm in 2012, and through 9 games is averaging 36.8 pts/gm in 2013, and I would argue that the differential is actually quite a bit more since the defense is not setting up the offense as they have in the past and aren't scoring as many points themselves as they have in past years.
So, the defense is still limiting yards gained and limiting points scored, which are huge, so they are playing well. They just are not creating the same kind of scoring opportunities for the offense as they have in the past.