First Half Defense
Tech's defense in the first half (sans the OU game) has been spectacular. And it's not like we're K-State or something, and opposing offenses are only getting the ball 4x per half.
In 27 first-half possessions against Zona/Baylor/Okie Lite, Tech forced a three-and-out or a TO within the offenses' first three plays a total of 13 times!! Almost half, that's freakin' absurd.
Out of those 27 first-half possessions, opposing offenses mounted only 2 scoring drives longer than 46 yards. Both of them aided by long busted plays (the Khalil Tate 84 yard run and Zona's long screen play). 6 of those 27 first-half possessions went backwards or netted 0 total yards gained. So, teams were 3x as likely to go backwards against us than they were of scoring any points from 50 or more yards out.
We gave up .85 points per possession over the first halves of those three games, two of which were on the road, and all of which were against really good offenses. That .85 number would be in the top 5 when compared to the rest of the country in their games against FBS opponents.
Tech only gave up 20.5 yards per drive over those 27 first-half possessions. Remarkable, especially considering that approx. 25% of the total yards given up in those first halves occurred on the two previously-mentioned plays in the Zona game. In other words, Tech's D was two plays away from playing three perfect first-halves of football.
We're 1-2 in those three games because our offense was equally as bad as our defense was great. Only outscored those three opponents 34-23 in the first half. And 13 of our points were, arguably at least, manufactured solely by turnovers created by the defense.
When will one of these defensive first half performances get paired with a scoring outburst? It's going to happen eventually.
Random Stats
OU could seemingly name their score against anyone right now, so I don't feel guilty about throwing that game's results out entirely. But even considering that game, this has got to be the best defense through the first half of a season that I've seen in the Air Raid era, even if we do have a tendency of wearing down some late in the game. A late-game regression should be expected, considering our defense faces more possessions per game than pretty much any team in the country.
For example, Okie Lite had 18 offensive possessions and scored only 5 TDs, two of which occurred after they had been "checkmated " and we were deliberately keeping things in front. Only two other college football defenses have faced 18 possessions this year:
UCLA v. Wash. State, with UCLA allowing 63 points & 9 TDs; and
Louisville v. Wake Forest, with Louisville allowing 59 points & 8 TDs.
Interestingly enough, teams that have faced 18 possessions in a game are 3-0 on the year, with all the wins coming as major upsets against ranked teams.
In all games (but w/ Montana State & garbage possessions excluded), Tech's defense has allowed 2.15 points per possession . If the season ended today, that would be the third best of any Tech D since 2007.
Offensively, Tech has only converted 6 first downs on 34 passing attempts in 3rd and longer than 7 yard situations. That's bad but was much better against Baylor. Iowa States has converted 11 first downs on 27 such passing attempts.
Tech has converted 15 first downs on 18 rushing attempts in 3rd and 3 yards or less situations (that's pretty damn good). Iowa State has converted 6 first downs on 10 such rushing attempts.
Iowa State is 13th in the country in offensive points per drive and 31st in the country defensive points per drive. Their net differential between those two numbers is 17th in the country (one spot behind Baylor). They're probably pretty good, but this will be one of the better defenses that they face all year.
Tech's defense in the first half (sans the OU game) has been spectacular. And it's not like we're K-State or something, and opposing offenses are only getting the ball 4x per half.
In 27 first-half possessions against Zona/Baylor/Okie Lite, Tech forced a three-and-out or a TO within the offenses' first three plays a total of 13 times!! Almost half, that's freakin' absurd.
Out of those 27 first-half possessions, opposing offenses mounted only 2 scoring drives longer than 46 yards. Both of them aided by long busted plays (the Khalil Tate 84 yard run and Zona's long screen play). 6 of those 27 first-half possessions went backwards or netted 0 total yards gained. So, teams were 3x as likely to go backwards against us than they were of scoring any points from 50 or more yards out.
We gave up .85 points per possession over the first halves of those three games, two of which were on the road, and all of which were against really good offenses. That .85 number would be in the top 5 when compared to the rest of the country in their games against FBS opponents.
Tech only gave up 20.5 yards per drive over those 27 first-half possessions. Remarkable, especially considering that approx. 25% of the total yards given up in those first halves occurred on the two previously-mentioned plays in the Zona game. In other words, Tech's D was two plays away from playing three perfect first-halves of football.
We're 1-2 in those three games because our offense was equally as bad as our defense was great. Only outscored those three opponents 34-23 in the first half. And 13 of our points were, arguably at least, manufactured solely by turnovers created by the defense.
When will one of these defensive first half performances get paired with a scoring outburst? It's going to happen eventually.
Random Stats
OU could seemingly name their score against anyone right now, so I don't feel guilty about throwing that game's results out entirely. But even considering that game, this has got to be the best defense through the first half of a season that I've seen in the Air Raid era, even if we do have a tendency of wearing down some late in the game. A late-game regression should be expected, considering our defense faces more possessions per game than pretty much any team in the country.
For example, Okie Lite had 18 offensive possessions and scored only 5 TDs, two of which occurred after they had been "checkmated " and we were deliberately keeping things in front. Only two other college football defenses have faced 18 possessions this year:
UCLA v. Wash. State, with UCLA allowing 63 points & 9 TDs; and
Louisville v. Wake Forest, with Louisville allowing 59 points & 8 TDs.
Interestingly enough, teams that have faced 18 possessions in a game are 3-0 on the year, with all the wins coming as major upsets against ranked teams.
In all games (but w/ Montana State & garbage possessions excluded), Tech's defense has allowed 2.15 points per possession . If the season ended today, that would be the third best of any Tech D since 2007.
Offensively, Tech has only converted 6 first downs on 34 passing attempts in 3rd and longer than 7 yard situations. That's bad but was much better against Baylor. Iowa States has converted 11 first downs on 27 such passing attempts.
Tech has converted 15 first downs on 18 rushing attempts in 3rd and 3 yards or less situations (that's pretty damn good). Iowa State has converted 6 first downs on 10 such rushing attempts.
Iowa State is 13th in the country in offensive points per drive and 31st in the country defensive points per drive. Their net differential between those two numbers is 17th in the country (one spot behind Baylor). They're probably pretty good, but this will be one of the better defenses that they face all year.
