Wait, this defense was even better than we thought
11 comments so far
December 23, 2009 by
Last week, I updated a post I originally did in the middle of the season looking at the top defensive performances at Nebraska since 1990 in relation to this year's Blackshirts.
As many of you noted, defensive totals--in this case the old standards of yards and points--didn't necessarily seem like the best basis for comparison given the offensive woes Nebraska experienced this season. Yards per play and points per play were the most popular requests.
We aim to please here, so now you have those numbers and, as you probably suspected, this 2009 defense comes out looking historically good.
The chart using the same Top 10 total defensive performances since 1990--the measure we used initially--is below, this time with the total number of plays each defense faced. Using that, you can see Nebraska's plays and yards per field goal (used three points rather than one because an offense never scores less than a field goal).
The results aren't very close given the sheer number of plays the Nebraska defense faced this season. On average, the Blackshirts forced teams to go 18.58 plays and 75.8 yards for every three points scored. How often do you see an 18 play drive? And that's just for a field goal. Touchdowns required over 36 plays on average. Just as a basis for comparison, Boise State--the top scoring offense in the country this season--scored three points every 4.67 plays. Houston--the top total offense in the nation--scored three points for every 39.68 yards gained.
Any further questions as to why Pelini wants a hard-nosed rushing attack that can control the clock? Many people noted in the comments how big of an advantage that was for Nebraska's defense in the 90s, and you can see it plainly in the numbers above. There was only one year in that decade where the Nebraska defense faced more than 800 plays. The '93 team, which of course narrowly lost in the national title game, gave up more yards than the '09 squad, in one fewer game, while facing 178 less plays on the season.
For the modern perspective, both Nebraska's plays and yards per FG were tops in the country this season. Teams needed 2.4 more plays to score against Nebraska than second-best Alabama, and over 5 more yards than it took teams to score three points on runner up Penn State. Of the top 20 total defenses in the country, only Texas has even come within 50 plays of the total Nebraska has faced through 13 games.
If Nebraska can maintain their top 10 defensive ranking after the Holiday Bowl they'll enter into some rare company by achieving that rank while defending over 900 plays. Only two other defenses have done it over the past six seasons. Virginia Tech in 2007 is one of them.
The other? Bo Pelini's 2007 LSU defense. Maybe that's the takeaway here. Based on his 2003 season as DC, many of us associated takeaways with "a Pelini defense." But after this season, and seeing that Pelini had done it once before, perhaps the image we should all be conjuring is that of a defense that simply answers the bell almost every time.
And I'll take that every time, too.
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kw Dec 23 09
Nicely done Brandon. Thanks for the doing the research. I think this cleary illustrates how good our defense truly was this year. Hopefully, this is the kind of defense we'll become accustomed to under Bo. This also makes me feel better about the AZ game. But I still think we're going to need to put up some points to beat the Wild Cats...and I don't mean field goals.
Dwayne Dec 23 09
Way to cook the books. You must be an accountant by trade.
spaceman spiff Dec 23 09
now do it per win and all your bases belong to us
Joel Schmidt Dec 23 09
Well done boiling down the info, Brandon.
Been a while since we've had something to be this proud of in terms of on-field production. I mean, this is just incredible to look at. This was without a doubt a BCS champion-caliber defense. It's just such an amazing thought to realize that Bo really is OUR guy, and is building something really special here. Now we just have to find the offensive incarnation of Bo, and we'll be ready to complete Unfinished Business II.
kw, I am really hoping this doesn't turn into another highlight reel for henery's FGs. I have to think that the seniors on the line and on the O in general want to go out the right way, and gain a little respect back. They've got one more shot to pay the D back for all that they've done to hold up this team, and I think they will. GBR!!
Cal4Huskers Dec 23 09
Thank you for a well researched article. Bo and his staff can really coach-up a defense. Bo has already said that he believe's next years defense will be even better. When one cosiders that Bo is the king of understating things, next year could be something special.
Bob W Dec 23 09
So I guess the $24,000 question is how bad did our offense do?
Dwayne Dec 23 09
Alex, I'd like offensive geniuses for 250.
darren Dec 23 09
Great research as always, Brandon. This whole series of articles has been fun to read.
[Tips hat...]
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, fans' faith in the Husker defense has been restored.
What spells this out more than any one spectacular stat is simply that folks now count on, rely on, even EXPECT them to be great each week. That emotional compass tells me as much as your great spreadsheet does.
The stink and stain of 2007's defensive performance has been scrubbed away using Lava soap and steel wool, I guess. It's raw but somehow gorgeous.
Joel Schmidt Dec 24 09
Bob - yikes, I think those numbers might be like the trainwreck you can't look away from. I say they'd be good see broken down like this, but maybe after the bowl game...it's gonna be a long winter and I'd rather look at this offense as a bad afterthought with a solid bowl victory keeping me warm.
Paul in WI Dec 25 09
Brandon,
You put a lot of effort into your articles, and it shows. Thank you for always giving us a great read and a new perspective.
caveman99 Dec 29 09
Brandon,
Great read, thanks! I love the metrics you used. I think it is telling that the 2009 Blackshirts are the BEST in Scoring D of the 10 best units you listed. Keep up the great work Brandon!