Much Maligned DBs

[Irish Grandeur]

Ok, we've heard a lot of talk about our DBs being the 'weak link' in our game BUT I want to throw a few numbers out from the first four games and let you decide for yourselves.

• UT passing 7-22 with a quarterback rating (QBR) 7.6 (Zaire 92.9)
• UVA passing 26-38 with a QBR 71.1 (Zaire 56.9; Kizer 75.1)
• GT passing 8-24 with a QBR 9.3 (Kizer 57.0)
• UMASS 20-40 with a QBR 42.9 (Kizer 82.5)

Those are good numbers against quality competition. If you disagree then please provide stats to refute.

 

[Toby Smart]

55th in Passing yards allowed. 49th in defense passing efficiency. One interception. Big plays are a problem. If you are looking for a confrontation, take it up with not only the Irish staff who recognize the situation, but also a myriad of analysts and "experts" who have discussed and written about it. Many are ND homers. It's just not here on this board. It doesn't mean things won't get better. Maybe it will, but the first four games have been underwhelming to say the least. If you think Texas, UMass, GT, and Virginia are quality passing teams, then Houston, we have a problem.

 

[Irish Grandeur]

55th in Passing yards allowed. 49th in defense passing efficiency. One interception. Big plays are a problem. If you are looking for a confrontation, take it up with not only the Irish staff who recognize the situation, but also a myriad of analysts and "experts" who have discussed and written about it. Many are ND homers. It's just not here on this board. It doesn't mean things won't get better. Maybe it will, but the first four games have been underwhelming to say the least. If you think Texas, UMass, GT, and Virginia are quality passing teams, then Houston, we have a problem.

Thanks IJ. We seem to come in at both sides of the spectrum. Your statistics don't match my parameters; and, my statistics don't match your parameters. I agree to disagree.

 

[SALittleGiant513]

UT and GT are not good passing teams. UVA and Umass are better but wont end up in the top 40. I guess it depends on your definition of quality but we will see in the upcoming weeks what the DB's are made of.

 

[Irish Grandeur]

FWIW, IJ, I called the first four games quality opponents. Passing teams or not - they are good measuring sticks. It's been three years since a team has gone 3-0 against P5 opponents and that says something for this team this year. You can downplay the competition all you want but ND can only play who's on their sked. Is any other team doing what ND is doing? Yes, but they are not winning all of their games - ND is winning them.

Winning at this level is not as easy as it seems to be. ND escaped a hungry UVA team that wanted to take them out. You may say these teams are 'gimmies' and they should never even complete a pass. But, the reality is that they will complete a lot of passes because they want to win the game as well.

 

[SALittleGiant513]

Nd started 5-0 against P5 teams last year.

 

[Bodizephax]

K. Russell steps up in Big games. See Oklahoma 2012 at Norman--as a true freshman.

 

[Irish Grandeur]

Nd started 5-0 against P5 teams last year.

They started with Rice. Then won five against P5 teams.

 

[SALittleGiant513]

Ok

 

[IRISHJD98]

Ok, we've heard a lot of talk about our DBs being the 'weak link' in our game BUT I want to throw a few numbers out from the first four games and let you decide for yourselves.

• UT passing 7-22 with a quarterback rating (QBR) 7.6 (Zaire 92.9)
• UVA passing 26-38 with a QBR 71.1 (Zaire 56.9; Kizer 75.1)
• GT passing 8-24 with a QBR 9.3 (Kizer 57.0)
• UMASS 20-40 with a QBR 42.9 (Kizer 82.5)

Those are good numbers against quality competition. If you disagree then please provide stats to refute.

The surprising stat I saw was that we're ranked 10th in Red Zone defense.

 

[Irish Grandeur]

The surprising stat I saw was that we're ranked 10th in Red Zone defense.

See...another parameter I hadn't taken into account. I thought I had grabbed the main gist

 

[IRISHJD98]

See...another parameter I hadn't taken into account. I thought I had grabbed the main gist

I was just tossing it out there. I have no idea what that really means in the grand scheme of the secondary's performance. They definitely get caught over responding to play action at times.

 

[Irish Grandeur]

I was just tossing it out there. I have no idea what that really means in the grand scheme of the secondary's performance. They definitely get caught over responding to play action at times.

You did well by throwing that stat out there...thanks JD98!

 

[IrishBlooded]

ND stands like this for defense:

Total defense: 42nd
Passing yards allowed: ranked 55th (203 yards average)
Team Passing Efficiency defense: 49th (115 yards average)
Scoring Defense: 40th (20 points average)

3rd down conversion defense: ranked 21st
4th down conversion defense: ranked 90th
Red Zone defense: 10th

LINK

Those are really the facts that shape the secondary. Nothing terrible, but nothing good. And that is keeping in mind that the ND opponents passing wise have been a little better than poor thus far. Even GTech is turning out not to be as advertised.

Make no mistake, Clemson is going to get their yards, and they are going to score points. The issues will be keeping them between the 20's when possible, and stopping them on 3rd down.

Watson is a superior athlete compared to Justin Thomas or either of Texas' QBs. And will be the best dual threat QB on the schedule. If the defense can't rush him, and if they lose contain on him it will be a very long night.

 

[Irish Grandeur]

Thanks for the stats IB. This early in the year it's hard to compare teams that play FCS vs FBS. I am comfortable with how well ND is playing.