Iowa State's Third Down Performance

CrossCyed · 03-15-2007, 11:02 PM

I posted this in my blog, thought those of you that like graphs and pretty colors might enjoy this post.

Blog

isucyclone4 · 03-15-2007, 11:27 PM

Those are great graphs...enjoy the rep...I suggest Chizik look at those statistics, but guessing him - he has already seen them (prolly the day he took the job) and has been working to correct it ever since.

CrossCyed · 03-15-2007, 11:30 PM

There was a really neat setup over at the MGoBlog. They had one for 2005 but I didn't know how relevant that would be.

Cyclone62 · 03-15-2007, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by CrossCyed

There was a really neat setup over at the MGoBlog. They had one for 2005 but I didn't know how relevant that would be.

Actually, I'd like a link for that, just to see the drop-off between our D this year and D in 2005. Our D was a force in 2005, and saved us in a lot of games. I'd like to see those graphs just for comparison purposes.

CrossCyed · 03-15-2007, 11:51 PM

mgoblog.blogspot.com, scroll down.

Cyclone62 · 03-15-2007, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by CrossCyed

mgoblog.blogspot.com, scroll down.

Thanks!

EDIT: Not gonna lie, I just made a mess in my pants. Michigan is my second favorite school, and you just made my day!

CrossCyed · 03-15-2007, 11:56 PM

Yeah, you'll visit that site every day for the rest of your life then.

Cyclone62 · 03-16-2007, 12:03 AM

Yea, it's as I suspected. Our D was amazing last year, and with the drop-off this year, we lost a lot more. Is it worth noting that the players that made our D so good last year were recruited around the Seneca era?

ajk4st8 · 03-16-2007, 12:29 AM

Defense performs as well as the offense allows them to get stay off the field.

Our offense was our worst D last year

CrossCyed · 03-16-2007, 12:36 AM

It was a vicious cycle, really. The places we excelled at, such as third and short on offense, and third and a country mile on defense, happened way below NCAA averages. The situations we stunk at, namely third and long on offense, and third and anything on defense, happened way too often.

Cyclone62 · 03-16-2007, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by CrossCyed

It was a vicious cycle, really. The places we excelled at, such as third and short on offense, and third and a country mile on defense, happened way below NCAA averages. The situations we stunk at, namely third and long on offense, and third and anything on defense, happened way too often.

I agree for the '06 season, but for the '05 season, we excelled because of our D. Our offenses, as Deace has said, were basically the same, the D is what changed. That shows all of us that our Offense wasn't as "explosive" as it should have been this year for it's hype. Our O oly looked good because of our D.

CrossCyed · 03-16-2007, 12:44 AM

One thingn I really noticed last year was the total lack of the deep ball. We struck with it numerous times in 05, but it was nonexistant in 06, which actually sort of makes me wonder if Meyer was hurt or something. That's where Blythe killed two years ago.

Wesley · 03-16-2007, 12:44 AM

Since our defense in 2006 gained very few turnovers to stop the other team, they gave up 60 more yards per game and were on ther field longer than in 05. On the other hand, the offense having the ball fewer snaps gained 60 yards less a game. Obviously, both the defense and offense did less in 06 than in 05. If the offense could have helped by 40 yards a game it might have made a difference. If the defense could have had one more turnover gained a game equivalent to a 40 yard punt, it could have made a difference. Neither happened and we had a bad season. The team had problems in preseason practice and it showed all season. This can be fixed with a more aggressive defense. Then the offense needs to have better play calling. This should bring us back to the level of 05 without too many other changes.

darts180 · 03-16-2007, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by CrossCyed

One thingn I really noticed last year was the total lack of the deep ball. We struck with it numerous times in 05, but it was nonexistant in 06, which actually sort of makes me wonder if Meyer was hurt or something. That's where Blythe killed two years ago.

Two things, 1) I think that Meyer, and the offense as a whole would have fared better if they would have simplified the blocking schemes, and pounded Hicks and Kock at teams. When you go exclusively shotgun, you limit your ability to run power plays at the defense, because it takes plays too long to develop, Hicks is slow bad combination.

2) The line was slow and not exceptionally athletic. We play teams with as much speed as anything else. Meyer had no time to throw. The long pass takes time to get off, and for some reason we didn't roll Meyer out of the pocket all that much.

You add those facts to a team that gave up, and you get what we saw this Fall.

CrossCyed · 03-16-2007, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by darts180

Two things, 1) I think that Meyer, and the offense as a whole would have fared better if they would have simplified the blocking schemes, and pounded Hicks and Kock at teams. When you go exclusively shotgun, you limit your ability to run power plays at the defense, because it takes plays too long to develop, Hicks is slow bad combination.

2) The line was slow and not exceptionally athletic. We play teams with as much speed as anything else. Meyer had no time to throw. The long pass takes time to get off, and for some reason we didn't roll Meyer out of the pocket all that much.

You add those facts to a team that gave up, and you get what we saw this Fall.

I hear ya. How many times were we in the shotgun, we'd hand it off to Hicks, and while he'd juke, guys would be in the backfield?