CW says team could be 8-4

[FootballinTexas]

Saying you could be 2 or 3 games better this year doesn't do much for me. Most teams have a couple of close losses or wins that could flip their record drastically. What it DOES say to me is for next year, the continued development of the program and everyone getting better that those 2 or 3 losses could very well be wins next year. That's how the next step is taken. Do that next year and the bowl invite is a significant one.

Very true.

[Doc]

It definitely a more solid 6-6 than last year. Last year I felt ISU was a couple breaks away from 4 wins. This year I feel like they were a break or two from 7-5.

[Wesley]

Oh, hey, look, there's a strong correllation between when the offense holds up it's end of the deal and when the TEAM wins.

Thanks for making everyone else's point. And based on the season results, it's clear that the Iowa game was the result of an inept offense beating an even more inept offense.

You mean Vberg was not the real deal? One Hok listener thinks he has a chance for the NFL.

[Bader]

There is also a correlation when the defense holds up its end the team wins. You are overlooking that we were 7th in total defense in the conference. The three teams below us are BU, KU, WVU all have 6 wins or less. Our two best losses, if I can say that are TT (7 win team) and KSU (6 point loss but we scored the 3rd most points they gave up in any game). TT and KSU are 2 and 3 respectively in the conference in total defense. TCU has the leagues #1 defense and we scored 3rd most points they gave up in any game and won the game. Did the defense do it's job in that game or did the offense do its job? The correct answer is both.

Once again, I'm not saying the offense was stellar, but a completion here and there OR stop here or there makes a huge difference in our season. It's a team sport.

Total defense is an irrelevant stat. Giving up yards doesn't lose football games. Scoring defense is the only way defenses should be compared

[jaretac]

Ironically everybody and their mom was putting up 40+ (50+ in conference play) against WVU until they played against us.

63, 45, 49, 55, 39, 55, 50, 24

That sure was a inspired effort by WVU defense against us.

I think we can all agree that Scoring is what counts. Other stats might show you signs of weaknesses but the ultimate factor is the score.

Team	Scoring D	ISU O	Diff	Scoring O	ISU D	Diff
Tulsa	23.92	38	+14.08	35.17	23	-12.17
Iowa	20.92	9	-11.92	19.33	6	-13.33
Tech	31.83	13	-18.83	37.75	24	-13.75
TCU	23	37	+14	30.45	23	-7.45
KState	20.42	21	+0.58	40.55	27	-13.55
OSU	28.36	10	-18.36	45.64	31	-14.64
Baylor	38.55	35	-3.55	44.36	21	-23.36
OU	24.82	20	-4.82	41.73	35	-6.73
Texas	28.27	7	-21.27	37.18	33	-4.18
KU	34	51	+17	19.00	23	+4.00
WVU	40.64	24	-16.64	40.00	31	-9.00
Total	314.73	265	-49.73	391.16	277	-114.16
Average	28.61	24.09	-4.52	35.56	25.18	-10.38

It is pretty clear which side consistently over preformed and which side under preformed.

I do think it is interesting that by the numbers we actually played better on both sides of the ball against OSU than we did against Tech. Offense scored 18.36 points fewer than OSU defense allows where Tech was 18.83. Defense held OSU to 14.64 under average where tech was only 13.75.

Another interesting note. Until OU we held opponents to 14.04 points under their average. From Ou on it was 3.98 points under opponents average. I wonder what changed? hmmm.

[UNIGuy4Cy]

Ironically everybody and their mom was putting up 40+ (50+ in conference play) against WVU until they played against us.

WV put up 49 on OU the week before. Both offenses were held in check with the elements.

[jaretac]

WV put up 49 on OU the week before. Both offenses were held in check with the elements.

OU wasn't expecting Austin, we did. WV is averaging about 500 yards per game, they put almost 800 on Oklahoma. More specifically. WV is averaging 171 yards on the ground, put up 450 against OU and had 240 against ISU. I'm sure the weather was a contributing factor, but the numbers say that it wasn't all weather.

[FootballinTexas]

Total defense is an irrelevant stat. Giving up yards doesn't lose football games. Scoring defense is the only way defenses should be compared

No doubt I think the defense was awesome based on the hand they were dealt. We gave up 27.6 defensively and average 24.2 offensively (we gave up 30 TD's and scored 28 TD's). I know in this league you can't hold every one down with the firepower these teams have. We don't have that type of firepower.....yet. You can look at the offensive miscues, TOP, etc. and say we would have possibly won those games. But you have to also look at the times the defense couldn't get off the field on 3rd down (no one seems to remember those) that could have possibly given the offense more opportunities or just not allowed the other team to score (KSU right before the half ). This goes to show that we were a completion here or there Or a stop here or there away from a very good season. Again, it's a team sport not 7 on 7.

[mikem]

The same defense that was playing without their star LB? The same one that was playing without a starting CB? The same one that was playing with their best DL playing hurt? The same defense that had their starting NB/S playing with a cast? ISU's defense was the only B12 D to keep teams under there average. The only B12 defense to not allow more that 50 points...hell 40 points. The most given up was to OU, at 35 points. Go see with their season average was. The defense did what it could be eventually wore done, due to playing 2/3 of every game. Yet, they still played well enough to win.

Oh wow, I guess I shouldn't be surprised...

The point of the particular post that you tried so hard to refute was that the scheme was the problem.

OU and UT have much more physical talent than we do. So lining up and playing them straight up is asking for a loss.

The good part for opponents of both of those teams, is that both QB's have a long and storied history of getting rattled. We did nothing to even try to do that.

Not only did we not try to do anything to make them think, we sat back, and let them get into an easy rhythm. Look at the field position in the OU game, and then look at the FIRST play from scrimmage each time we buried them deep.

The UT game was even more sickening, because we did nothing to change any look that Ash had when he dropped back.

I understand how much more physical talent they have than we do. We needed to do something to change what the QB saw when he dropped back. Doege got the same treatment in the second half.

Who cares if you "only" give up 35 and 32? They each had like 550-600 yards of offense.

Plus, and this is the biggest one, even when healthy, the d had a hard damn time getting off the field on 3rd down (see K State, TTech, UT, OU, OSU, WVU)

[UNIGuy4Cy]

OU wasn't expecting Austin, we did. WV is averaging about 500 yards per game, they put almost 800 on Oklahoma. More specifically. WV is averaging 171 yards on the ground, put up 450 against OU and had 240 against ISU. I'm sure the weather was a contributing factor, but the numbers say that it wasn't all weather.

OU was not expecting Austin? He is one of the best players in the country. If Stoops was not expecting Austin, he needs to be fired.

[Bader]

OU was not expecting Austin? He is one of the best players in the country. If Stoops was not expecting Austin, he needs to be fired.

OU hadn't prepped their front 7 on dealing with Austin coming out of the formations they used him in. C'mon even you know that's what he meant

[VeloClone]

OU wasn't expecting Austin, we did. WV is averaging about 500 yards per game, they put almost 800 on Oklahoma. More specifically. WV is averaging 171 yards on the ground, put up 450 against OU and had 240 against ISU. I'm sure the weather was a contributing factor, but the numbers say that it wasn't all weather.

No one else in the Big 12 had to deal with a healthy Alston either, though.

[jaretac]

No one else in the Big 12 had to deal with a healthy Alston either, though.

What was wrong with him, besides a dislocated finger after the first game? He has had 1100 yards receiving this year. He may have very well had some pains he was playing through but who doesn't? He's outbreak against OU had nothing to do with any injury and had everything to do with him playing in a role that OU wasn't expecting.

[VeloClone]

What was wrong with him, besides a dislocated finger after the first game? He has had 1100 yards receiving this year. He may have very well had some pains he was playing through but who doesn't? He's outbreak against OU had nothing to do with any injury and had everything to do with him playing in a role that OU wasn't expecting.

Shawne Alston, their bruiser back who punched ISU for 130 yards at almost 7 yards a crack, not Austin.

[jaretac]

Shawne Alston, their bruiser back who punched ISU for 130 yards at almost 7 yards a crack, not Austin.

Sorry. misread.