Defensive resurgence

[rawlingsHOH]

In 2009, the Big 12 legitimately had three of the Top 10 defenses in the country.

Total Defense
3rd Texas, 251 ypg
7th Oklahoma, 273 ypg
9th Nebraska, 284 ypg

Those three schools also happened to have the three best defenses in the conference in 2008.

Total Defense
51st Texas, 343 ypg
55th Nebraska, 349 ypg
68th Oklahoma, 367 ypg

I'm not sure I have seen anything quite like that before.

[Soonerman08]

In 2009, the Big 12 legitimately had three of the Top 10 defenses in the country.

Total Defense
3rd Texas, 251 ypg
7th Oklahoma, 273 ypg
9th Nebraska, 284 ypg

Those three schools also happened to have the three best defenses in the conference in 2008.

Total Defense
51st Texas, 343 ypg
55th Nebraska, 349 ypg
68th Oklahoma, 367 ypg

I'm not sure I have seen anything quite like that before.

Hopefully we can improve that stat in the bowl game, and shut down Gerhart.

[BermudaSooner]

How much of that is due to the offenses being weaker?

Not looking at stats, just games I've seen, but

OU 2008 Offense >>>>> OU 2009
Texas 2008 O >>>> Texas 09
Nebbish 08 O > 09 --pretty crappy both years, but this year's is worse
OSU 08 > 09 - No Dez
TTech 08 > 09 (despite the OU game)
KU 08 > 09
BU 08 -- 09 - push
CU -- I don't really know
Mizzou 08 >>>> 09 - Booger
ISU - Are they really still in the Big XII?

A&M 09 > 08 - One of the 2
KSU 09 > 08

[rawlingsHOH]

How much of that is due to the offenses being weaker?

Not looking at stats, just games I've seen, but

OU 2008 Offense >>>>> OU 2009
Texas 2008 O >>>> Texas 09
Nebbish 08 O > 09 --pretty crappy both years, but this year's is worse
OSU 08 > 09 - No Dez
TTech 08 > 09 (despite the OU game)
KU 08 > 09
BU 08 -- 09 - push
CU -- I don't really know
Mizzou 08 >>>> 09 - Booger
ISU - Are they really still in the Big XII?

A&M 09 > 08 - One of the 2
KSU 09 > 08

But then you can say, how much of the 2008 explosion was due to the defenses being weaker? Can never know. Answer is probably somewhere in the middle.