There is no doubt the offensive line is a huge concern but we return a LOT of production (and talent) on offense. I think we've got some DL that can take the next step but other than Cooper who are the impact players? Rocco, Sama, Norton, Sanders, Higgins, Brahmer, and Noel have all had pretty good years and return. It's easy to see the promise there even if we have questions up front. I think we have a lot more questions defensively, where we arguably lose the best player on the team.
Production? Against whom? I like the potential of the offense but name me a defense with a WORKING PULSE that we've scored against.
Cincinnati - Nope
Baylor - hell no
Oklahoma State - nope
BYU - hell no
You talk about the defense not playing great offenses, the same is true for the offense. When we play a above average defense, we don't do that great. We struggled vs Kansas. Not exactly a defensive elite unit. Heck, we scored 23 points against UNI offensively and some of that was set up on a short field and a pick 6.
We have a bright future on paper on offense but we are NOT at this present time a good offensive team nor are we super close to being one. There is a ton of growing and development we need to take offensively. Everywhere.
Am I excited by the potential on offense? yes. But this idea that somehow the defense has more issues, more concerns, more problems... is so detached from the reality of this season and what is going on. We are top 30 defense. Who is going to at most lose TWO starters barring NIL and transfers.
We are 116th in the Nation in 1st downs on offense. We are dead last in the conference in 1st downs.
We are 72nd in 3rd down %.
76th in scoring offense.
We're 76th in passing offense.
We're 96th in rushing offense.
There is simply NO STAT that backs up the idea that the offense is performing at a higher level than the defense No evidence. This is not meant to be a bashing of the offense but it drives me insane this notion that we are lead by the offense or that the offense some how has performed better than the defense.
Yes, the offense is young.
The defense is YOUNGER.
Yes, the offense is inexperienced. The defense is MORE inexperienced.
Who has had the biggest injury concerns? The defense
(Vaughn, Verdon, Cooper).
So no. There is no reality where the weaker unit who replaces
MORE starters and contributors this season players than the stronger unit has less questions moving forward.
I get it. Rocco and Crew look to have a bright future and
there is a lot a lot to like there.
But there is no evidence, stats or anything to support the idea that the offense has surpassed the defense.
We've allowed 28 points or more twice defensively. And actually, just once as 7 against Kansas were a pick 6.
This has happened in a year where we replaced essentially our entire sack production from a year ago and have brand new line backer core. And the defense is still TOP 30-50. And people want to crap on it. Because why, we don't sack the QB enough? That is literally the only thing the defense DOESN'T do well. Everything else its top half to top 3rd of the nation while being, again ,
younger than the offense.
But the offense, which has yet to demonstrate it can do anything at that level, is ready to go and is more established than a defense which should, on paper, return 9 starters from a top 30-50 defense. OK. Sure.