Michigan's Defensive Stats

Submitted by GoBluePhil on
ESPN has posted Offensive and Defensive stats for NCAA D-1 football. Defensively Michigan is ranked 9th in average yards per game allowed. They are 12th in total yards allowed and 32nd in average points per game.

It's only two games and these stats should improve after Saturday. The Defense is looking stout.

goblue16

September 17th, 2015 at 11:22 PM ^

Thats pretty good but lets not get carried away. Its just 2 games against ok oponents. Lets see the numbers after we play NW and MSU

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WichitanWolverine

September 18th, 2015 at 12:29 AM ^

I compiled a lot of 2014 stats after the season wrapped up (can't find the post currently) and Michigan was actually a top-10 defense in terms of yardage, which shocked me. Of course there are ways to dissect that but the bottom line is that we had a very good defense last year and this year's might be even better.

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LSAClassOf2000

September 18th, 2015 at 7:11 AM ^

You're right, of course - adjusted for game pace, last year we were actually on the high end of the second quartile of teams when it comes to total defense, which isn't bad really, but it isn't sniffing elite from that position. That being said, the raw numbers had some highlights - per Team Rankings, we were, for example, 6th in average yards allowed (311.3), 14th in plays allowed (67) and 10th in yards per play (4.6). Of course, when you have an offense that was - as in many instances last year - plodding and ineffective and that's all your opposition needs to win, then yeah....

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alum96

September 18th, 2015 at 9:12 AM ^

Look at the quality of QBs we played last year.  The bottom 8 were horrid. The 4th best was Gary Nova who we made look like a Heisman candidate while PSU dismantled him to the tune of 4 INTs.

About 8 weeks into the season, 8 of the top 25 defenses as measured by yards given up were in the Big 10.    You reverse engineer pretty easily why that might be. 

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KingRJ

September 18th, 2015 at 12:40 AM ^

It is a small sample but I'd rather have a top 10 D after 2 games then be bottom 10. The D will get better. They're still learning a new system and how to play together. It's going to be a very scary unit in the near future. Can't wait.

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Undefined

September 18th, 2015 at 1:04 AM ^

I think some of you are being a little overly pessimistic. This is a solid start. Who knows where we are at the end of the year, but being up there in those metrics when a lot of teams have played FCS squads to our two P5 opponents is a good thing.



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michiganman001

September 18th, 2015 at 7:15 AM ^

Long way to go obviously. But while knowing that the defenses stats might be exaggerated. Teams like Boston College have played 2 FCS teams or an FCS team plus a MAC team so there's also that

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MichiganMan_24_

September 18th, 2015 at 7:15 AM ^

My eyes tell me our defense is good.. Not bad, not great.. Still dont have consistent pass rush and our DBs sometimes dont look back for the ball.. I also see good effort getting to the ball.. A lot of season left to find out about them

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funkywolve

September 18th, 2015 at 10:13 AM ^

UM's next four games are:  UNLV, BYU, Maryland and Northwestern.  Outside of BYU I don't think any of those teams are going to do much damage against the defense.  

When you look at the schedule, at this point there's only 3 teams that will probably give the defense problems:  BYU, MSU and OSU.

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BlueinLansing

September 18th, 2015 at 8:06 AM ^

until BYU or Michigan State.  I'm encouraged but yeah, lots still to wonder about.

 

Oregon State probably won't win a Pac 12 game, maybe Wazzu or Colorado, that just wasn't a very good football team.

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UofM626

September 18th, 2015 at 11:19 AM ^

Turnovers. We need some INT's in the worse way. The DB's are getting beat to much, and peppers aggressiveness is leaving guys wide open!!! Hoping this changes soon

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charblue.

September 18th, 2015 at 11:34 AM ^

tell you where your strengths and weaknesses are, not how good you are compared to everyone else. I mean because scheduling.....

Boston College is your unheralded national defensive leader after two games against Maine and Howard. Among the rest of the nation's finest Kent State and Houston. Don't think we'll see these schools in the top 10 by mid-season. 

FWIW, Michigan is ranked ahead of Ohio State in rushing defense along with Utah. MSU is listed at No. 15 against the rush, but has allowed 41 fewer yards than Michigan on six more attempts than Michigan has faced. 

But at 189 yards given up after two games against P5 opponents, that is pretty good. And when your offense is able to squeeze time in a bottle, you're pouring out less sweat to defend with your efficiency rating improving as well. I think that trend continues this week against a very weak opponent. 

The only takeway from early numbers are team trends even if you skew for opposition strength, your ability to defend is a reflection of how you played up to that point, and whether expectations are being met. So, far, I'd say my expectations for Michigan's defense are more than being met. 

Now, I'd like to see dominance in areas where Michigan has been weak including turnover margin and passing defensive efficiency. 

 

 

 

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maize-blue

September 18th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^

It's all relative. Everyone plays crappy teams. Whoever ends up with the #1 D at the end of the season will probably have clunkers on their schedule that aid in their stats.

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