I had no idea our D was this bad

[goldenechoes]

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/headTo...tatsId2=62&statsType2=Offense&statsType=Team&

Wow. I was guessing we were between 50-70.

 

[Irish Envy]

We're not.

http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/2006/Internet/ranking_summary/2006000000513.HTML

We're ranked 59th.

 

[goldenechoes]

We're not.

http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/2006/Internet/ranking_summary/2006000000513.HTML

We're ranked 59th.

MSN must be way off then. Even the worst ND hater would have a hard time saying that our defense ranked in the hundreds.

 

[Irish Envy]

Yeah, I don't trust any other statistics aside from the NCAA database. Be sure to bookmark it... it's a very helpful resource.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

MSN must be way off then. Even the worst ND hater would have a hard time saying that our defense ranked in the hundreds.

It's not far off...these are basic numbers. But it includes DivI-AA at last...if not a broader set. After all, there are only 119 teams in DivI-A.

We are basically an average defense. Middle of the pack... Which is typically not good enough to win a NC (based on some #'s that another poster put up a few months ago)

 

[Irish Envy]

It's not far off...these are basic numbers. But it includes DivI-AA at last...if not a broader set. After all, there are only 119 teams in DivI-A.

We are basically an average defense. Middle of the pack... Which is typically not good enough to win a NC (based on some #'s that another poster put up a few months ago)

I disagree.

Additionally, total defense is also a terrible way of annointing who can and can't win a national title. Florida International has a top 20 defense, ranked #17 actually. Give you one guess how many games they've won this year.

 

[brecht]

numbers do lie and numerical rankings are ridiculous. they'd make more sense if the teams were ranked in quartiles (top quarter of teams, bottom quarter of teams, etc). for example, ND's defense gives up 21.6 pts/game. If they were to give up 19.6 pts per game, they'd move up ~20 spots in that category. is there really that big of a difference between 21.6 and 19.6? plus, why not rank teams against other teams from similar caliber conferences? bcs conference teams should be judged statistically against other bcs conference teams. i just hope that our defense can one day approach the statistical achievements of teams like middle tennessee state (19.8 ppg).

also, since no one has yet to point this out, those numerical stats on the fox site are identical to the stats on the ncaa site.

 

[Irish Envy]

numbers do lie and numerical rankings are ridiculous. they'd make more sense if the teams were ranked in quartiles (top quarter of teams, bottom quarter of teams, etc). for example, ND's defense gives up 21.6 pts/game. If they were to give up 19.6 pts per game, they'd move up ~20 spots in that category. is there really that big of a difference between 21.6 and 19.6? plus, why not rank teams against other teams from similar caliber conferences? bcs conference teams should be judged statistically against other bcs conference teams. i just hope that our defense can one day approach the statistical achievements of teams like middle tennessee state (19.8 ppg).

also, since no one has yet to point this out, those numerical stats on the fox site are identical to the stats on the ncaa site.

Bingo!

By the way, the #17 ranked defense in the country has Zero, Ziltch, Nada... 0 Wins! I'll take our "mediocre" defense and above average offense anytime, everytime.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I disagree.

Additionally, total defense is also a terrible way of annointing who can and can't win a national title. Florida International has a top 20 defense, ranked #17 actually. Give you one guess how many games they've won this year.

You can disagree in one or two cases, but the data holds up...and frankly, we have all seen numerous examples with our own eyes. We have an average D... (at best)

Also, it's an average of 119 teams. If you take out the losing teams and leave those who are winning, you will find similar results...

 

[Irish Envy]

You can disagree in one or two cases, but the data holds up...and frankly, we have all seen numerous examples with our own eyes. We have an average D... (at best)

Also, it's an average of 119 teams. If you take out the losing teams and leave those who are winning, you will find similar results...

If you have the time, go back and look at the last 10 National Championship teams and look at how their defenses have been ranked at the end of the season. Only a few have been Top 20 defenses I do believe. Most have been big time offensive teams as that is what wins games.

I wasn't sold on it either until Dan Patrick had a nicely laid out segment explaining it.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

If you have the time, go back and look at the last 10 National Championship teams and look at how their defenses have been ranked at the end of the season. Only a few have been Top 20 defenses I do believe. Most have been big time offensive teams as that is what wins games.

I wasn't sold on it either until Dan Patrick had a nicely laid out segment explaining it.

Wasn't it EastonPA that showed us the last 10 champs had top15 Defenses? (back in July I believe)

I used to argue the way you are until somebody on this board came back with proof that this argument is facetious.

 

[Freeman Ara]

What's that saying? "Offense puts butts in the seats but defense wins championships." Ask the Colts what it's like to have a high powered offense and no defense. I'm pretty sure that the majority of the past 6 National Title winners have had very solid defenses.

 

[dankus]

Wasn't it EastonPA that showed us the last 10 champs had top15 Defenses? (back in July I believe)

I used to argue the way you are until somebody on this board came back with proof that this argument is facetious.

BCS champs or the split champs ala 2003?

USC in 2003 had the 30th best defense in the country.

In 2002, Ohio State had the 23rd.

 

[BGIF]

I had no idea our D was this bad

You haven't been on any GameDay Threads, have you?

Some of the GameDay posters would argue vehemently that at 202nd, ND's Defense was overrated.