(10-31-2016 11:49 AM)va-eagle Wrote:  

(10-31-2016 11:13 AM)MT FAN Wrote:  North Texas had the best defense in the conference as of late.

North Texas is ranked 64 in total D. They are giving up 403 YPG.

MTSU is at 95 and giving up 440 YPG.

Lets do this defensive thing objectively...apples to apples because I know some people have a hard time doing that especially when they see RED with 3 letters with it

USM is just lucky to be in a conference with WKU and MT. We bow down before your greatness. Thanks for letting us post here.
Lulz.

(10-31-2016 11:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  USM is just lucky to be in a conference with WKU and MT. We bow down before your greatness. Thanks for letting us post here.
Lulz.

You really have a complex problem . Hell if we are not talking about how great S. Miss is or was or soon will be...

you seem to take it personal

(10-31-2016 11:22 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(10-31-2016 11:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  USM is just lucky to be in a conference with WKU and MT. We bow down before your greatness. Thanks for letting us post here.
Lulz.

You really have a complex problem . Hell if we are not talking about how great S. Miss is or was or soon will be...

you seem to take it personal

Not just them but a lot of Marshall fans too, even though not as much now. I know he said it jokingly but it comes off as we're lucky to be in a conference with them and Marshall. Marshall fans (I know generalising so don't say it's not all of you, I know) aren't bad now, they're too busy bashing their coach to complain about everyone else. then again, I'm sure the great USM was the same way not too long ago.

Kalan Reed was our shutdown corner last year. We still miss him. Our defense has played too aggressively, at times, with inferior talent. We've been burned a bunch. Also, our DLine is a little smallish. This recruiting class should address our defensive concerns.

On offense, we lost our best receivers and replaced them with average-at-best talent. Dropsies are allowing defenses to stack the box to earn our rushing yards.

WKU is getting stronger and looks good for 2017 with White playing well. Keep building that defense.

Game stats are something to build from but they are not end all be all.

There is some things to glean from USM being the top rated D in CUSA this year, especially when you look deeper into it.

* Teams have less attempted passes against us because they've found some success running the ball. Also, we have yet to face a prolific passing attack just yet. But we have matched up well when teams have been forced to pass the ball. This is why we are the current top-rated pass defense in CUSA.

* We are close to the conference average for rushing attempt against, with rushing yards against placing us at or near the top quarter of the conference for rushing defense.

* We are holding teams to a paltry 21% third down conversion rate. Yet, we are yielding 27ppg and are not really forcing many turnovers. These are most important defensive stats to me and tell a tale of a Jekyll and Hyde defense.

When you take all of these stats together, in congruency, USM fans will find that we have one of the better defenses in the conference, but not particularly the best. Teams, thus far, have not ran the ball a lot against us, in comparison to the conference average; and teams, have not pass the ball well against us, thus far, with much success.What it tells, from a ypg standpoint is, we give up more than a fair share of big plays for scores. And we are vulnerable, based on the teams we've played thus far, when we can't get teams to third downs - particularly, long passing third downs. When we have, we've being pretty doggone good.

And it's the match-up game as well. We've matched up pretty good with the teams we've played so far. I also think we match up very well with LaTech, MTSU, and WKU if we can force them into passing downs and eliminate them from having the option to run (but what team doesn't). However, those teams are also efficient running the ball as well, which goes back to the match-up game and our defensive stats has proved that we are vulnerable here.

Oh, another thing our defensive stat doesn't show is the short field we give opposing teams due to turnovers, in-efficient offense, or poor punt/kick coverage that limits the amount of yards those teams have accumulated. But these factors do highlight how impressive holding offenses, thus far, to a pedestrian 21% third down conversion rate.

(11-01-2016 09:04 AM)DNEagle Wrote:  Game stats are something to build from but they are not end all be all.

There is some things to glean from USM being the top rated D in CUSA this year, especially when you look deeper into it.

* Teams have less attempted passes against us because they've found some success running the ball. Also, we have yet to face a prolific passing attack just yet. But we have matched up well when teams have been forced to pass the ball. This is why we are the current top-rated pass defense in CUSA.

* We are close to the conference average for rushing attempt against, with rushing yards against placing us at or near the top quarter of the conference for rushing defense.

* We are holding teams to a paltry 21% third down conversion rate. Yet, we are yielding 27ppg and are not really forcing many turnovers. These are most important defensive stats to me and tell a tale of a Jekyll and Hyde defense.

When you take all of these stats together, in congruency, USM fans will find that we have one of the better defenses in the conference, but not particularly the best. Teams, thus far, have not ran the ball a lot against us, in comparison to the conference average; and teams, have not pass the ball well against us, thus far, with much success.What it tells, from a ypg standpoint is, we give up more than a fair share of big plays for scores. And we are vulnerable, based on the teams we've played thus far, when we can't get teams to third downs - particularly, long passing third downs. When we have, we've being pretty doggone good.

And it's the match-up game as well. We've matched up pretty good with the teams we've played so far. I also think we match up very well with LaTech, MTSU, and WKU if we can force them into passing downs and eliminate them from having the option to run (but what team doesn't). However, those teams are also efficient running the ball as well, which goes back to the match-up game and our defensive stats has proved that we are vulnerable here.

Oh, another thing our defensive stat doesn't show is the short field we give opposing teams due to turnovers, in-efficient offense, or poor punt/kick coverage that limits the amount of yards those teams have accumulated. But these factors do highlight how impressive holding offenses, thus far, to a pedestrian 21% third down conversion rate.

USM fans should kiss the scheduling gods. USM doesn't play WKU or MTSU this year, and doesn't play LA Tech until the last game. And those are easily the 3 best passing teams in CUSA.

And probably the 4th or 5th best passing team in CUSA is ODU....and USM hasn't played them yet either. Wow.

In short, the USM defense really hasn't been tested yet like so many others have in CUSA.

(10-31-2016 11:42 AM)va-eagle Wrote:  I don't see your point about YPP factoring into total defense. Total defense is measured by YPG. That is why we are ranked so high because our opponents drives start from great field position. And yes, it is a misleading stat, but nevertheless it is a stat used often (like by the TV announcers during the USM/MU game).

I disagree, va.. I've always gone by the YPP stat rather than YPG, as I think it's much more telling. As said, our boys play really well and then give up a big play here or there, resulting in a massive deficiency in terms of Yards Per Game

(11-03-2016 08:32 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(10-31-2016 11:42 AM)va-eagle Wrote:  I don't see your point about YPP factoring into total defense. Total defense is measured by YPG. That is why we are ranked so high because our opponents drives start from great field position. And yes, it is a misleading stat, but nevertheless it is a stat used often (like by the TV announcers during the USM/MU game).

I disagree, va.. I've always gone by the YPP stat rather than YPG, as I think it's much more telling. As said, our boys play really well and then give up a big play here or there, resulting in a massive deficiency in terms of Yards Per Game

YPG vs YPP - that wasn't my perspective, that was the perspective from the NCAA website issue the rankings.

(10-31-2016 11:22 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(10-31-2016 11:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  USM is just lucky to be in a conference with WKU and MT. We bow down before your greatness. Thanks for letting us post here.
Lulz.

You really have a complex problem . Hell if we are not talking about how great S. Miss is or was or soon will be...

you seem to take it personal

Actually, i just posted what the ncaa website listed, as USM being ranked highest in the conference. I was just passing alone info from another site. You had to create your own table showing WKU ranked at the top. That spells complex problem to me.

USM defense ranges from dominant to wet paper towel-ish. It's kinda like that box of chocolates thing... ya never know what you are gonna get.

(11-03-2016 04:09 PM)va-eagle Wrote:  

(10-31-2016 11:22 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(10-31-2016 11:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  USM is just lucky to be in a conference with WKU and MT. We bow down before your greatness. Thanks for letting us post here.
Lulz.

You really have a complex problem . Hell if we are not talking about how great S. Miss is or was or soon will be...

you seem to take it personal

Actually, i just posted what the ncaa website listed, as USM being ranked highest in the conference. I was just passing alone info from another site. You had to create your own table showing WKU ranked at the top. That spells complex problem to me.

I didn't create anything jst as you I copied and pasted info on the net...

Actually what I said ... those stats are very misleading and YYP gives a truer picture of a defense. But not the whole picture.

But lets back up a minute and look at what you actually said,

"USM has #16 total defense in the country and played 2 SEC schools (LSU, UK). Not much else in conference happening on D"

Just as you I pointed out that Western was NATIONALLY ranked I believe top 8 in run defense. So there are actually other things going on on defense. And then I pointed out that Western actually is #1 in CUSA in scoring defense...points given up per game.

So again something else is going on on defense in CUSA other than S. Miss's yards per game stats.

Then I also pointed to adjusted stats that showed what each school did on defense against that school's season average. Takes into account playing a bunch of poor offensives teams or if you played good offensive teams and adjust those stats to the numbers.

Again as I pointed out...others are ahead of S, Miss in that stat also.

So there are other things going on on defense in this conference instead of S. Miss.

So don't go getting all upset because I pointed out there are other stats that gives a better picture on defense...or offense.

As I said going by the stat you posted S. Miss is ranked #18 I never said they were not. But I did point you into a direction of some other stats

Just 5 out of 128 in FBS have 4 road wins:

5-0 WMU (NW, Illinois, CMU, Akron, BallSt)
4-0 Clemson (Auburn, GT, BC, FSU)
4-0 UNC (Illinois, FSU, Miami, UVA)
4-1 Ohio (Kansas, Miami-OH, Kent, Toledo)
4-1 MT (BGU, NT, Missouri, FIU)

(10-31-2016 11:22 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(10-31-2016 11:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  USM is just lucky to be in a conference with WKU and MT. We bow down before your greatness. Thanks for letting us post here.
Lulz.

You really have a complex problem . Hell if we are not talking about how great S. Miss is or was or soon will be...

you seem to take it personal

The fact that it bothers you shows that you are longing for the big boys to say that you belong on their playground.

(11-04-2016 03:24 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  

(10-31-2016 11:22 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(10-31-2016 11:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  USM is just lucky to be in a conference with WKU and MT. We bow down before your greatness. Thanks for letting us post here.
Lulz.

You really have a complex problem . Hell if we are not talking about how great S. Miss is or was or soon will be...

you seem to take it personal

The fact that it bothers you shows that you are longing for the big boys to say that you belong on their playground.

No you have that backwards...

I edited this post and took most of it out because it did not fit in with the "nice" er WKUYG I have going for this year.

so I will leave it with the.... No you have that backwards.

(10-30-2016 11:09 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  https://soundcloud.com/thegreat5/week-9-...-ever-show

A G5 podcast needs more C-USA talk...so what am I missing?

Can you tell me a bit more about this podcast? I would love it if a media outlet would provide more coverage and conversation about Conference USA, The MAC, AAC, Sun Belt and Mountain West. Sick of that "power 5" elitism and condescension by their media tools.

(11-07-2016 03:58 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(10-30-2016 11:09 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  https://soundcloud.com/thegreat5/week-9-...-ever-show

A G5 podcast needs more C-USA talk...so what am I missing?

Can you tell me a bit more about this podcast? I would love it if a media outlet would provide more coverage and conversation about Conference USA, The MAC, AAC, Sun Belt and Mountain West. Sick of that "power 5" elitism and condescension by their media tools.

Have you listened to the latest installment? I use the top half of FBS (G5) schools and predict their games each week, with insight and other intangibles that are interesting to an average G5 listener. I also pick games that are otherwise interesting nationally for example GoSo and Ole Miss last week. I talk about the CFB playoff poll, AP poll etc. Leave predictions for the upcoming week... then follow it up Sunday with a recap of the games, and how I did previewing the week. This week will only have 2 CUSA games because only 2 teams fall in the top half of FBS this week... MTSU's Stockstill getting hurt and losing to UTSA is why there are not 3 teams in the top half of FBS.