Per FBS Outsiders which uses Defensive Efficiency to Rank Defenses.
We rank 21st in America in D, and 79th in O. What goes into this statistic? 6 difference formulas which includes......the strength of the opponents unit you are playing, success rate which looks at each individual play of the game and the timing of it for the given down, explosiveness of the individual plays which heavily leans on yards per play allowed or yards per play gained and this area accounts-gives weight for a defense playing a fast paced O like Oregon, or gives weight for an offense that plays fast paced......meaning.....lets say your O gained 450 yards, but it ran 90 plays, this stat accounts for that an subtracts-penalizes the 450 yards which look good, but took 90 plays to attain. Additionally, redzone O and D and drive finishing ability are weighed and specifically a D giving an O a short field or vice versa. The ability to flip field position is weighed as is garbage time and critical time adjustments.
Conclusions....
1. There is a statistical formula that accounts for the strength of our opponent and you can agree or disagree with the stat, but again, the stat is what it is. To say, "if we played in the Big 12". Again, this stat says otherwise.
2. Critical timing of each play....not just ONE play. This is accounted for. For example....if it's tied 17 to 17 in the third quarter and our O gives our D a short field after a 3 and out and our O gets the ball at midfield and then goes three and out.....this matters. It is weighed and equally critical to one play such as a TD pass given up by the D in overtime. For example, the first three running plays that gain 5 yards in OT by our offense are weighed and MATTER. This stat measures for such a thing.
3. Foster deserves some kind of bonus or reward the job he's done this season. This is insanity to have a Defense this banged up rank inside the top 20 in America. We play UVA next week, and I think Foster cracks the top 20 by seasons end. This is just insane. Can you imagine? All the talk about, "this is the worst D at VT since 2003 and maybe since 1992, and still.......still.....the guy puts up a top 20 spot? Guys, Foster is a commodity. Even this year, when the O is finally, supposed to have closed the gap or possibility even NOT be the liability anymore and with the talk about the D being the liability this year...........well.....here we are again, the usual 4 to 1 ratio of O and D. Historically, our D is about 4 times higher in ranking than the O. This year...21 for the D. 21x4 =88. Our O is 79th right now. Give it time. It will get there, lol.
We rank 21st in America in D, and 79th in O. What goes into this statistic? 6 difference formulas which includes......the strength of the opponents unit you are playing, success rate which looks at each individual play of the game and the timing of it for the given down, explosiveness of the individual plays which heavily leans on yards per play allowed or yards per play gained and this area accounts-gives weight for a defense playing a fast paced O like Oregon, or gives weight for an offense that plays fast paced......meaning.....lets say your O gained 450 yards, but it ran 90 plays, this stat accounts for that an subtracts-penalizes the 450 yards which look good, but took 90 plays to attain. Additionally, redzone O and D and drive finishing ability are weighed and specifically a D giving an O a short field or vice versa. The ability to flip field position is weighed as is garbage time and critical time adjustments.
Conclusions....
1. There is a statistical formula that accounts for the strength of our opponent and you can agree or disagree with the stat, but again, the stat is what it is. To say, "if we played in the Big 12". Again, this stat says otherwise.
2. Critical timing of each play....not just ONE play. This is accounted for. For example....if it's tied 17 to 17 in the third quarter and our O gives our D a short field after a 3 and out and our O gets the ball at midfield and then goes three and out.....this matters. It is weighed and equally critical to one play such as a TD pass given up by the D in overtime. For example, the first three running plays that gain 5 yards in OT by our offense are weighed and MATTER. This stat measures for such a thing.
3. Foster deserves some kind of bonus or reward the job he's done this season. This is insanity to have a Defense this banged up rank inside the top 20 in America. We play UVA next week, and I think Foster cracks the top 20 by seasons end. This is just insane. Can you imagine? All the talk about, "this is the worst D at VT since 2003 and maybe since 1992, and still.......still.....the guy puts up a top 20 spot? Guys, Foster is a commodity. Even this year, when the O is finally, supposed to have closed the gap or possibility even NOT be the liability anymore and with the talk about the D being the liability this year...........well.....here we are again, the usual 4 to 1 ratio of O and D. Historically, our D is about 4 times higher in ranking than the O. This year...21 for the D. 21x4 =88. Our O is 79th right now. Give it time. It will get there, lol.