COMPARING OU/LSU/BAMA DEFENSES

[Mark_in_Tulsa]

All of these stats are the avg. offenses that these teams have faced minus their own defensive avg.
So in example

The avg. passing offense OU has seen this year puts up 238 yards a game, while we avg giving up only 201.2
So we keep teams -36.8 yards passing per game below their avg. or a -36.8 difference


Avg points per game
OU= -14.47
LSU= -17.48
Bama= -15.64

Rushing yards per game
OU= -61.69
LSU= -77.20
Bama= -88.81

Passing yards per game
OU= -36.8
LSU= -42.23
Bama= -37.11

Total yards per game
OU= -98.58
LSU= -119.45
Bama= -127.39

Well looking at the stats the 2 SEC do have a better D. But only by slight margins. And I think when you factor in the time of possession and how fast our offense scores, our D is very comparable and equally as great as Bama and LSU.

Time of possession
OU= 29:36.17
LSU= 34:20.14
Bama= 32:46.71

[rdusooner]

But the SEC is so fast...

[sooneredaco]

And they lift weights....

[rock on sooner]

And Espin and CBS remind everyone of that all the time....

[cleller]

I can grasp the formula you are using there, basing one team's defensive performance upon the opponent's typical offensive performance- but only for short bursts until the ciphering section of my brain goes back to food and cleavage.

For plain jane stats, the NCAA site has all you can chew on.
Their total defense stats have Bama #1, LSU #4, OU #22

Also show Bama giving up 184 yards/gm; LSU 251; and OU 317

Of course, this doesn't take into account what the OP was pointing out in his formula based on the opponent's usual performance.

Hours and hours of stats to sort thru there:
http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1042

[lexred]

Any attempt to "compare" defensive performances by comparing statistics is questionable. I am not totally sold on LSU's defense even though they have played some strong teams. LSU and Bama both have some real beasts on D, but the other SEC teams, with the possible exception of Auburn and the Piggies, are not very good.

[NormanPride]

Auburn is not good at all. Why are they included? Sakerlina before losing Lattimore, though...

[jkjsooner]

I can grasp the formula you are using there, basing one team's defensive performance upon the opponent's typical offensive performance- but only for short bursts until the ciphering section of my brain goes back to food and cleavage.
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You need a separate cleavage processor. It comes in handy.


Of course, this doesn't take into account what the OP was pointing out in his formula based on the opponent's usual performance.

And that begs the question, are the offenses we've faced really better or are the teams we're facing going up against lesser defenses? The SEC fan's response is that they're now playing all SEC teams who face SEC defenses every week.

It's funny, back in the '90s Florida, Tennessee, and even Kentucky were putting up big numbers against SEC defenses. The talk back then was how the Big 12 ran out-of-date offensive schemes compared to the wide open SEC teams. Then they started sucking on offense (and by and large the SEC teams have not been great on offense the last few years) and the wide open passing attacks you see in the Big 12 "would never work in the SEC."

I know the SEC fanboys have scoreboard. They should stick with that instead of using contradictory arguments.

[cjames317]

"If Alabama's defense is a boa constrictor, slowly sucking the life out of opposing offenses, LSU's is more like a goon that throws the offense into a burlap sack and starts beating it with a stick." -Matt Hinton

And OU's defense is the shark that bumps the opposing offense for recognition, swipes at it for blood, then tears into it to feed OU's offense.

[BoulderSooner79]

The point about the difference in the time of possession is important. Maybe more important would be the difference in number of possessions the opposing offense gets each game. I've always thought it would be near impossible to have a top 10 defense (total yards) as long as we continue to run 90 plays/game on offense. A #22 ranking is very good for us, IMO. The extra points we allow is justified if it is more than made up by points scored. Another subjective factor, IMO, is that the SEC teams seem to put more value in a shutout or FG-only score than Stoops does.

[SoonerNomad]

I've watched them both more than once and they are both damn good. I don't need stats to tell me that Alabama defensive players don't miss as many tackles as we do and that they can regularly get pressure with their four down linemen. Maybe that's because they are playing less sophisticated offenses out there, but I don't think so. Arkansas is quick and explosive and creative on offense and Alabama shut them down. Linebacker play is outstanding.

LSU is not as good defensively as Alabama, but still has more future NFL players on the defensive side of the ball than the Sooners. They swarm to the ball and are aggressive but will miss a few more tackles than the Tide. They made Oregon look slow and Oregon is not slow.


With the exception of Arkansas, the SEC is down this year which will make it easier for these two juggernauts to get to Nov. 5 and beyond without losing to someone else.

[lexred]

I've watched them both more than once and they are both damn good. I don't need stats to tell me that Alabama defensive players don't miss as many tackles as we do and that they can regularly get pressure with their four down linemen. Maybe that's because they are playing less sophisticated offenses out there, but I don't think so. Arkansas is quick and explosive and creative on offense and Alabama shut them down. Linebacker play is outstanding.

LSU is not as good defensively as Alabama, but still has more future NFL players on the defensive side of the ball than the Sooners. They swarm to the ball and are aggressive but will miss a few more tackles than the Tide. They made Oregon look slow and Oregon is not slow.


With the exception of Arkansas, the SEC is down this year which will make it easier for these two juggernauts to get to Nov. 5 and beyond without losing to someone else.

I agree with your assessment, but get ready for the flamers. I think that OU, Bama, and LSU are the creme of the crop. I would not trade OUs receivers for anyone,and Landry Jones, if protected, is the best QB.

[Okie35]

I've watched them both more than once and they are both damn good. I don't need stats to tell me that Alabama defensive players don't miss as many tackles as we do and that they can regularly get pressure with their four down linemen. Maybe that's because they are playing less sophisticated offenses out there, but I don't think so. Arkansas is quick and explosive and creative on offense and Alabama shut them down. Linebacker play is outstanding.

LSU is not as good defensively as Alabama, but still has more future NFL players on the defensive side of the ball than the Sooners. They swarm to the ball and are aggressive but will miss a few more tackles than the Tide. They made Oregon look slow and Oregon is not slow.


With the exception of Arkansas, the SEC is down this year which will make it easier for these two juggernauts to get to Nov. 5 and beyond without losing to someone else.

Its kind of been a proven fact that Oregon isn't that great once you have time to prepare for them. Ohio State made them look slow as well. I will add though, Ohio State usually has a top ten defense at the end of the year.

[SoonerShay]

I've watched them both more than once and they are both damn good. I don't need stats to tell me that Alabama defensive players don't miss as many tackles as we do and that they can regularly get pressure with their four down linemen. Maybe that's because they are playing less sophisticated offenses out there, but I don't think so. Arkansas is quick and explosive and creative on offense and Alabama shut them down. Linebacker play is outstanding.

LSU is not as good defensively as Alabama, but still has more future NFL players on the defensive side of the ball than the Sooners. They swarm to the ball and are aggressive but will miss a few more tackles than the Tide. They made Oregon look slow and Oregon is not slow.


With the exception of Arkansas, the SEC is down this year which will make it easier for these two juggernauts to get to Nov. 5 and beyond without losing to someone else.

LOL! Alabama regularly gets pressure with their 4 down lineman huh, weird since they run a 3-4 defense. And to top it off only have 13 sacks this year.

Having more future NFLers does not automatically equate to a better defense. OUr worst defensive performance was still a yard better then theirs. Boise State made Oregon look slow, Cal made them look slow, TOSU made them look slow, every year some team makes them look slow. Not once has LSU even went undefeated under Miles, why are they getting this much respect?

[Okie35]

LOL! Alabama regularly gets pressure with their 4 down lineman huh, weird since they run a 3-4 defense. And to top it off only have 13 sacks this year.

Having more future NFLers does not automatically equate to a better defense. OUr worst defensive performance was still a yard better then theirs. Boise State made Oregon look slow, Cal made them look slow, TOSU made them look slow, every year some team makes them look slow. Not once has LSU even went undefeated under Miles, why are they getting this much respect?

I totally forgot about Boise State owning Oregon two years in a row and Cal always giving them trouble. You're right about LSU they do usually slip up. It could be this weekend but it will probably be against Bama.

[BlownGP]

LSU's defense lives off turn overs. Thats how they won just about every game, throw in a running game that sucks down the clock and pounds pounds pounds you. Its hard for anybody to have a chance..

NOV 5th is going to be EPIC!!!

[8timechamps]

Having seen all three play, I'd have to give the edge to Bama. Although, I'm not sure any of the three have played a really good team. LSU can make the best case for playing a good team (Oregon), but all three have played well defensively.

Stats are not a good barometer in college football. Michigan State statistically has a great defense (#2), just as Wisconsin statistically has a good offense (#8), but an argument can be made that neither of those teams have played anybody.

The one thing I can tell from watching the top 3 play, is that Oklahoma has a much better offense than either LSU or Bama. That has to count for something.

[mightysooner]

I've watched them both more than once and they are both damn good. I don't need stats to tell me that Alabama defensive players don't miss as many tackles as we do and that they can regularly get pressure with their four down linemen. Maybe that's because they are playing less sophisticated offenses out there, but I don't think so. Arkansas is quick and explosive and creative on offense and Alabama shut them down. Linebacker play is outstanding.

LSU is not as good defensively as Alabama, but still has more future NFL players on the defensive side of the ball than the Sooners. They swarm to the ball and are aggressive but will miss a few more tackles than the Tide. They made Oregon look slow and Oregon is not slow.


With the exception of Arkansas, the SEC is down this year which will make it easier for these two juggernauts to get to Nov. 5 and beyond without losing to someone else.

Bama plays a 3-4 and doesn't have 4 down linemen.

[SoonerSpock]

Its kind of been a proven fact that Oregon isn't that great once you have time to prepare for them. Ohio State made them look slow as well. I will add though, Ohio State usually has a top ten defense at the end of the year.

Just as OU's offense was not great when LSU, Alabama and others were given a month to prepare for them. That is one of the major disadvantages of hurry up offenses. They are impossible to prepare for when given 3 days during the regular season. However given 30 days in the post season and most of the advantage of the hurry up can be negated thus more than leveling the play field to the Sooners demise. This is not the case with a tradition run first offense.

OU's scheme needs for the BCS championship to be played the second weekend of December.