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- Nov 5, 2011
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Some defensive stats I found interesting: (just FBS games)
Red Zone TD% allowed: 5th - 37.5% allowed (41st last year/56% allowed. Heads up, FSU is #2 in offensive red zone TD% at 89%)
10+ yard plays allowed: 44th - 11/g (last year 11.2/g)
20+ yard plays allowed: 28th - 3/g (last year 3.3/g)
30+ yard plays allowed: 4th - 0.5/g (last year 1.3/g)
3rd down conversion % allowed: 65th (we were 13th last year) Obviously, this is where we need to improve
Sacks/gm: 6th
1st downs allowed/game: 32nd (last year 20th)
INTS forced/g: 51st - 0.75/g (last year 31st - 1/g)
Fumbles forced/g: 81st - 0.5/g (last year 45th - 0.8/g)
We are only allowing 2 Red Zone Opportunities (RZO)/game and are only giving up 3.75 points/RZO). Both are second best amongst the AP top-10 teams (range for opponentRZO/game: 1.8-4, range for p/opponentRZO: 3.27-6.43). So, we are only giving up 7.5 points/game in the red zone (also 2nd best in top-10). Last year we allowed ~2.25 oRZO/game & 4.7 p/oRZO for ~10.6 oRZ-points/game.
This year, we've only given up 1 TD outside the red zone (Wake 23 yard TD). Last year we only gave up 6 in 15 FBS games. For reference, in 2024 we gave up 12 such TDs in 12 FBS games.
Keep in mind parts of our DL and especially our secondary has been a M.A.S.H. unit most of this season.
Big picture: We rarely give up easy, uncontested points since Hetherman has gotten here, and this year has been much better in that regard than last year. We have made a big leap in keeping our opponents from scoring TDs when they enter the red zone too.
Our defense rarely gives up a TD outside the red zone, while making it very difficult to score a TD inside the red zone. It's a winning formula, as long as your offense isn't Iowa's and our offense is much, much better than that. I know the easy access 10-19 yard passes we give up drive many on this board up a wall. I argue it's a worthwhile tradeoff to have a defense that is elite at limiting touchdowns, from inside the red zone and outside of it. We do need to stop giving them up on 3rd & long, so our offense can get back on the field sooner.
Our offense has been more efficient both in creating red zone chances and averaging more points per red zone trip (up 10 and 18%, respectively). We've also scored more TDs from outside the red zone in our first 4 FBS games this year than last year (up 50%). We also don't turn the ball over, which is cool.
A defense that's even better at limiting explosive plays and touchdowns paired with an offense that's much better at creating explosive plays and touchdowns is clearly a better football team. This team is really, really good. If guys stop getting injured, and most of the ones who are out hurt can come back, paired with the OL continuing to get better and our offense getting more explosive, the sky is the limit this year.
Red Zone TD% allowed: 5th - 37.5% allowed (41st last year/56% allowed. Heads up, FSU is #2 in offensive red zone TD% at 89%)
10+ yard plays allowed: 44th - 11/g (last year 11.2/g)
20+ yard plays allowed: 28th - 3/g (last year 3.3/g)
30+ yard plays allowed: 4th - 0.5/g (last year 1.3/g)
3rd down conversion % allowed: 65th (we were 13th last year) Obviously, this is where we need to improve
Sacks/gm: 6th
1st downs allowed/game: 32nd (last year 20th)
INTS forced/g: 51st - 0.75/g (last year 31st - 1/g)
Fumbles forced/g: 81st - 0.5/g (last year 45th - 0.8/g)
We are only allowing 2 Red Zone Opportunities (RZO)/game and are only giving up 3.75 points/RZO). Both are second best amongst the AP top-10 teams (range for opponentRZO/game: 1.8-4, range for p/opponentRZO: 3.27-6.43). So, we are only giving up 7.5 points/game in the red zone (also 2nd best in top-10). Last year we allowed ~2.25 oRZO/game & 4.7 p/oRZO for ~10.6 oRZ-points/game.
This year, we've only given up 1 TD outside the red zone (Wake 23 yard TD). Last year we only gave up 6 in 15 FBS games. For reference, in 2024 we gave up 12 such TDs in 12 FBS games.
Keep in mind parts of our DL and especially our secondary has been a M.A.S.H. unit most of this season.
Big picture: We rarely give up easy, uncontested points since Hetherman has gotten here, and this year has been much better in that regard than last year. We have made a big leap in keeping our opponents from scoring TDs when they enter the red zone too.
Our defense rarely gives up a TD outside the red zone, while making it very difficult to score a TD inside the red zone. It's a winning formula, as long as your offense isn't Iowa's and our offense is much, much better than that. I know the easy access 10-19 yard passes we give up drive many on this board up a wall. I argue it's a worthwhile tradeoff to have a defense that is elite at limiting touchdowns, from inside the red zone and outside of it. We do need to stop giving them up on 3rd & long, so our offense can get back on the field sooner.
Our offense has been more efficient both in creating red zone chances and averaging more points per red zone trip (up 10 and 18%, respectively). We've also scored more TDs from outside the red zone in our first 4 FBS games this year than last year (up 50%). We also don't turn the ball over, which is cool.
A defense that's even better at limiting explosive plays and touchdowns paired with an offense that's much better at creating explosive plays and touchdowns is clearly a better football team. This team is really, really good. If guys stop getting injured, and most of the ones who are out hurt can come back, paired with the OL continuing to get better and our offense getting more explosive, the sky is the limit this year.
