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LSU FOOTBALL Special Teams 2011 vs 2015

scoot4par

1st Team All-America
Gold Member
Feb 2, 2005
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In my geek picks, I pointed out that LSU's gives up more points than its defensive yards would indicate. The average for all teams in the FBS division is a point scored for every 14.6 yds given up. A higher number is better, i.e. it takes more yards against your defense to score a point.

Through Week 7 the following teams are the top 10 measured by this standard.

  1. Toledo 27.55
  2. Duke 27.18
  3. Wisconsin 24.98
  4. Appalachian St. 23.83
  5. Michigan 22.65
  6. Missouri 21.63
  7. Florida St. 21.46
  8. Marshall 20.64
  9. Washington 20.55
  10. Mississippi St. 20.47
Giving up fewer points per yard is the result of field position, effective special teams, turnovers and effective red zone defense. LSU at 12.92 is ranked 102 by this measure. If LSU had the same ratio of points to yards as Toledo we would have given up 11 points per game instead of 23. Just an average ration of 14.6 and we would give up 20 instead of 23. As we aren't losing the turnover game, its all field position, turnovers and red zone defense.

Good news those traits are the least consistent for teams on a game to game basis(even the best in these areas have greater fluctuation from game to game than the nuts and bolts of run defense and pass defense) and are more easily corrected.

Historically we have been much better in this regard.

In 2010 it took 17 yds to score a point, we were ranked 21st
In 2011 we were ranked number 1 with 23.92 yards needed to score a point on our defense.
In 2012, rank was 27th with 16.97 yds.
In 2013 ranked 48 with 15.41 yds
In 2014 ranked 7 with 18.65 yds.

This problem is very uncharacteristic of LSU teams. Our defensive usually is among the leaders in Yards needed to score a point. Red Zone is the DC responsibility but I think its a shared problem so far this year. If it gets back to the norm, we will be difficult to deal with.
 
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