The Value of Battle Tested Defenses

[landonew]

After taking a somewhat deep dive into Michigan, I’ve grown more confident that Bama dominates the game. My reasons for feeling this way are primarily due to Bama’s elite Secondary and Edge rush. Blake Ruffind probably does the best job of articulating this.

Beyond that, what I think really puts this into perspective, is how Bama’s defense has performed against Elite offenses. At times, they’ve shutdown LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Georgia. This displays the Bama defense’s ability to adapt to stop versatile Offenses in big time games. They’re simply battle tested, and to me, that’s probably the number one reason why I think Bama beats Michigan handily. Curious as to other’s thoughts on this topic.

 

[B1GTide]

They both know that Alabama is the better team with the better coach, and can't stand it. That was fun.

 

[TrueCrimson7]

They flat out say the #1 ranked team in the country looks to be outmatched by Alabama. They are correct.

 

[BamaFossil]

I enjoyed listening to this. Thanks for posting it. Hope Ruffino is right. Hope the Bama players don't hear a word of it.

 

[AWRTR]

Ruffino made a great point about being able to cover outside man to man and load the box. If they can't make Bama pay for that then they are toast. Also, the comment at the end about CNS being ****ed was interesting to me. I wonder what he's mad about in particular? It could be the disrespect all year, the CFP blowback in picking Bama, Harbaugh's nonsense from a few years ago with the satellite camps and running his mouth, or something else entirely. All I know is an angry CNS makes me happy as long as he's not mad at me.

 

[bamacon]

I remember a thread just like this in 2009 when Bama was about to play Texas and their No. 1 or 2 ranked Run Defense. Then you do the research and see they had played ZERO running teams worth a dime. Stats can say lots of stuff and still be meaningless.

Bama ran for over 200 yards and had virtually a one dimensional office when Greg had broken ribs. What if Greg hadn’t been hurt? 😉

 

[bamacon]

Ruffino made a great point about being able to cover outside man to man and load the box. If they can't make Bama pay for that then they are toast. Also, the comment at the end about CNS being ****ed was interesting to me. I wonder what he's mad about in particular? It could be the disrespect all year, the CFP blowback in picking Bama, Harbaugh's nonsense from a few years ago with the satellite camps and running his mouth, or something else entirely. All I know is an angry CNS makes me happy as long as he's not mad at me.

It actually started last year….now it’s just coming home to roost.

 

[GulfCoastTider]

I think CNS is still miffed about Bama being left out of the CFP last season. He sincerely thinks that he had one of the four best teams and was robbed in either/both of the 2022 road losses.

 

[CajunCrimson]

I think CNS is still miffed about Bama being left out of the CFP last season. He sincerely thinks that he had one of the four best teams and was robbed in either/both of the 2022 road losses.

Robbed at UT? Most Definitely. Vs LSU? Most of that was our inability to stop Daniels. But, the officiating wasn’t great. But most of that loss was on us. But if we best UT, that LSU loss doesn’t hurt our entry chances and gives time to refocus.

 

[bamafaninbham]

The facial expressions of the guy on the left while the guy on the right is trying to make arguments that UM is the most talented defense is priceless. It's the way I look at my kid when he says he is done cleaning his room and I no darn well he hasn't even started.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Ruffino was arguing facts. DeLeone was arguing what he wanted to be fact, but was actually wishful thinking. And when Ruffiino cornered him like a rat, he fessed up to that.

DeLeone looked like Alex Murdaugh’s attorney. Or a busted high schooler trying to talk his girlfriend’s father out of banning him from the house.

 

[GulfCoastTider]

Speaking of battle tested defenses...

Michigan claims the 6th best rushing defense. Which should surprise no one since they haven't faced a team ranked higher than 25th in rushing offense (Penn State), per cfbstats. The average ranking of their opponents is 80th.

Michigan also claims the 2nd best passing defense. No wonder; no opponents in the Top 20 (two in the Top 25) passing offenses and average ranking of 92nd.

Scoring defense? Mushygan is firstest! There were two with scoring offenses in the Top 25, none in the Top 10. Their average opponents' scoring offense is 86th.

Total defense? Mushygan 2nd. Average opponent total offense ranked 95th, best ranked 37th.

Alabama has faced three of the Top 25 rushing offenses, three Top 25 passing offenses; five Top 25 scoring offenses and six of the Top 25 in total offense.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Speaking of battle tested defenses...

Michigan claims the 6th best rushing defense. Which should surprise no one since they haven't faced a team ranked higher than 25th in rushing offense (Penn State), per cfbstats. The average ranking of their opponents is 80th.

Michigan also claims the 2nd best passing defense. No wonder; no opponents in the Top 20 (two in the Top 25) passing offenses and average ranking of 92nd.

Scoring defense? Mushygan is firstest! There were two with scoring offenses in the Top 25, none in the Top 10. Their average opponents' scoring offense is 86th.

Total defense? Mushygan 2nd. Average opponent total offense ranked 95th, best ranked 37th.

Alabama has faced three of the Top 25 rushing offenses, three Top 25 passing offenses; five Top 25 scoring offenses and six of the Top 25 in total offense.

Good research, GCT!

One more brick in the wall as to how the SEC, and especially the SEC West, is the toughest crucible ahead of the playoffs.

 

[landonew]

Speaking of battle tested defenses...

Michigan claims the 6th best rushing defense. Which should surprise no one since they haven't faced a team ranked higher than 25th in rushing offense (Penn State), per cfbstats. The average ranking of their opponents is 80th.

Michigan also claims the 2nd best passing defense. No wonder; no opponents in the Top 20 (two in the Top 25) passing offenses and average ranking of 92nd.

Scoring defense? Mushygan is firstest! There were two with scoring offenses in the Top 25, none in the Top 10. Their average opponents' scoring offense is 86th.

Total defense? Mushygan 2nd. Average opponent total offense ranked 95th, best ranked 37th.

Alabama has faced three of the Top 25 rushing offenses, three Top 25 passing offenses; five Top 25 scoring offenses and six of the Top 25 in total offense.

Exactly.

 

[rtr90]

I remember a thread just like this in 2009 when Bama was about to play Texas and their No. 1 or 2 ranked Run Defense. Then you do the research and see they had played ZERO running teams worth a dime. Stats can say lots of stuff and still be meaningless.

Bama ran for over 200 yards and had virtually a one dimensional office when Greg had broken ribs. What if Greg hadn’t been hurt? 😉

To be fair their secondary was good .. I remember Julio didnt was completely blanketed even with McElroy injury, Julio just wasnt open.

Their DL is another story.

 

[Ledsteplin]

To be fair their secondary was good .. I remember Julio didnt was completely blanketed even with McElroy injury, Julio just wasnt open.

Their DL is another story.

Could you reword that.

 

[landonew]

Could you reword that.

He’s saying Julio Jones was shut down during the game even after McElroy went out with a shoulder injury. Implying that Texas had elite Secondary but was not elite across defensive line.

 

[Ledsteplin]

He’s saying Julio Jones was shut down during the game even after McElroy went out with a shoulder injury. Implying that Texas had elite Secondary but was not elite across defensive line.

Are you rtr90?

 

[selmaborntidefan]

"Since the sign-stealing scandal news broke, offensively Michigan has taken a step back."

Me:
Might be because....checks notes.....they played substantially better teams than the pile of garbage that made up their games prior to that.

Michigan did not play a Power-5 team that ended the season with a winning record until they faced Penn State. And when did they play Penn State? It was their first game after the B1G offices notified them formally of the investigation.

Maybe their offense wasn't as good anymore because, you know, they were playing better teams. But I'd have to be an idiot to point that out, right?

The Big Ten - per the stats - has the four best defenses in college football (Michigan, Penn St, Ohio St, Iowa). Does anyone here REALLY believe that? Or are those stats skewed exactly the opposite way they are in the Pac-12?

MICHIGAN PPG VS AVERAGE SURRENDERED (P5 GAMES ONLY - ROUNDED)
Purdue - 49 (gives up 28.2 corrected) - +21
Indiana - 52 (gives up 27.1) - +23
Sparty - 49 ( 30.5) - +19
Maryland - 31 (22.5) - +9
Rutgers - 31 (20.1) - +11
Nebraska - 45 (15.8) - +30
Iowa - 26 (12.2) - +14
Penn St - 24 (10.3) - +14
Ohio St - 30 (10.2) - +20

I would argue that in context, Michigan didn't suffer hardly anything at all in terms of reduced offense. They went from smoking the also-rans of the B1G by 19-23 points above their usual points allowed to scoring 14-20 points above what their better opponents usually surrendered. The one outlier performance appears to Maryland, which from following the game threads that day would have been my guess.

I will watch the rest of this (I'm headed to work) later today, nor is this some hill I'm willing to die on. I'm just not sure at least from a points scored aspect that saying Michigan's offense suffered nearly as much as the opening suggests. They went from pumping in 49 points against Swiss cheese defenses to scoring 24-30 against the better ones.

I'm not sure that proves the point they got worse.

Which stat shows what?
UGA gave up 15.8 ppg.
Alabama scored 27 points (11 above average)
Alabama's offense averaged 35 ppg.

So is it more telling UGA's defense held Alabama 8 points below average?
Or is it more telling Alabama's offense scored 11 points above what UGA gives up?

The answer, of course, is both make valid points.

 

[Cruloc]

Michigan, the top defense in the country.....because they've played no one with a pulse on offense outside of Ohio State.

The Big 10 has Iowa....who mostly couldn't score 2 offensive TDs in a game.

Meanwhile, Bama played LSU with their Heisman QB, Texas with their excellent QB and WRs, Ole Miss with their talent on O.

Curious, what would the cheaters record be playing the schedule we had. What would FSUs record be. I'd even say if Texas had our schedule, they get a second loss because of all those close calls they had would have been vs better competition. Washington.....meh