2018 Defensive improvement

[VincePITT]

Last season (2017) Pitt gave up 396 total yards a game! They need to be closer to 350 than to 400 to be a good defense! Now to give credit where it's due, Pitt did improve from 2016 were it gave up 452 total yards a game! Look at last year, Cuse 500, Ga Tech 484 and OK St 676 is way too many yards given up! With 9 returning player on D, it should help improve the D! #H2P!

 

[joeydavid]

The defense seemed to start to figure things out the second half of the year.

The last 7 games they averaged 370 per game.

The last 6 games they averaged 348 per game.

The last 5 games they averaged 329 per game.

I would expect them to be close to the last 5 games this year even with their schedule.

Last season (2017) Pitt gave up 396 total yards a game! They need to be closer to 350 than to 400 to be a good defense! Now to give credit where it's due, Pitt did improve from 2016 were it gave up 452 total yards a game! Look at last year, Cuse 500, Ga Tech 484 and OK St 676 is way too many yards given up! With 9 returning player on D, it should help improve the D! #H2P!

 

[sherepower]

With a competent offense. That alone should help out the defense. A long with all the starters back I see our defense being dynamite this year.

Unfortunately, I think our offense is going to be a problem. Sorta like 2 years ago when our offense was a machine and the defense was terrible.

I can see this again this year. With the script flipped

 

[MajorMajors]

Best overall group of defensive backs we’ve had in many moons. Plus I think Wirginis will make a big difference in the middle. And hopefully this is finally the year we get consistent pressure and sacks from both DE spots.

Go Pitt!

 

[cashisking884]

With a competent offense. That alone should help out the defense. A long with all the starters back I see our defense being dynamite this year.

Unfortunately, I think our offense is going to be a problem. Sorta like 2 years ago when our offense was a machine and the defense was terrible.

I can see this again this year. With the script flipped

The defense should be improved, but I don't see it being a "machine" like the 2016 offense was. That was one of the top 5 offenses in all of college football.

 

[TJOlsen]

With a competent offense. That alone should help out the defense. A long with all the starters back I see our defense being dynamite this year.

Unfortunately, I think our offense is going to be a problem. Sorta like 2 years ago when our offense was a machine and the defense was terrible.

I can see this again this year. With the script flipped

Agreed. It is all dependent on how the OL plays this year. This year in general depends on the OL and Kenny’s play

 

[raleighpanther]

Keeping the offense out of it for the moment, the defense at the beginning of this season should be a lot better than last year's defense at the beginning of the year. 14 freshman (redshirt and true) played significant minutes last year, all PN recruits. All are back of course, and they're not rookies anymore.

The D got much better over the course of the year and played well the last few games. Everyone remembers the Miami game for what Pickett did, but the D was very good in that game, and had no issues with Miami's supposed speed advantage.

The D should take the next step this year, improving on the progress of the second half of last year.

 

[MajorMajors]

It didn’t hurt that Miami’s QB was pretty awful throwing the ball that game.

Still, we should be better, and maybe even pretty good, on D this season. I expect a much more aggressive defense under Coach Bates...

Go Pitt!

 

[cashisking884]

It didn’t hurt that Miami’s QB was pretty awful throwing the ball that game.

Still, we should be better, and maybe even pretty good, on D this season. I expect a much more aggressive defense under Coach Bates...

Go Pitt!

He was pretty awful most of the year, and got REALLY awful towards the end of the year. He either hit a mental wall being a first time starter, or teams got tape of him and figured out how bad he was. Or some combination?
I think our defense will be better. But I'm not prepared to put as much stock in shutting down Miami's offense as others are.

 

[thebadby2]

With a competent offense. That alone should help out the defense. A long with all the starters back I see our defense being dynamite this year.

Unfortunately, I think our offense is going to be a problem. Sorta like 2 years ago when our offense was a machine and the defense was terrible.

I can see this again this year. With the script flipped

The defense will be better. The offense last year was as bad as it gets. This year’s OL is a big question but overall the O should be improved over last year becomes its hard to imagine how it could be worse. We basically played 9 games without a QB. Watson needs to do a lot better than last year as well.

 

[4upmc]

Best overall group of defensive backs we’ve had in many moons. Plus I think Wirginis will make a big difference in the middle. And hopefully this is finally the year we get consistent pressure and sacks from both DE spots.

Go Pitt!

Agree. Lots of DB depth and talent. Wriginis will make a difference in the middle.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

With a competent offense. That alone should help out the defense. A long with all the starters back I see our defense being dynamite this year.

Unfortunately, I think our offense is going to be a problem. Sorta like 2 years ago when our offense was a machine and the defense was terrible.

I can see this again this year. With the script flipped

Absolutely!
Even really good D's give up lots of yards if they're on the field all the time.

To have a really great D the offense has to do it's job of ball possession and giving the D good field position when they do come on the field.

If your D is constantly starting at the opponents 40 or 50 yard line they're at a disadvantage as opposed to starting at let's say the 25 yard line.

When you're on the 25 you can run your D schemes when you start at the 40 or mid field you're reacting and trying to guess right!

"it's five o'clock somewhere"
Signed: Mr Buffett
Go PITT & CSU Rams!

 

[Jakhny]

He was pretty awful most of the year, and got REALLY awful towards the end of the year. He either hit a metal wall being a first time starter, or teams got tape of him and figured out how bad he was. Or some combination?
I think our defense will be better. But I'm not prepared to put as much stock in shutting down Miami's offense as others are.

 

[Jakhny]

Spot on.

 

[DiehardPanther]

What is the fixation with yards given up? How many points given up is the only thing that matters.

 

[FreeportPanther]

I'll believe the defense has improved when third and long plays are advantage Pitt's defense, and not an automatic head scratching conversion from the opposing offense!

It seemed that Pitt got opposing offenses in many favorable down and distance situations and almost always allowed them off the hook!
Good defenses don't do that, in fact when they get offenses in those situations they become the aggressor and that results in turnovers.
Good defenses get off the field stuffing long third down conversion attempts. When Pitt routinely does that, then they'll be good.

 

[cashisking884]

What is the fixation with yards given up? How many points given up is the only thing that matters.

Because it correlates highly to points given up, as well as offensive points scored. "Yards per play" actually has a higher correlation with winning than "Yards per point" does when you run the numbers.

 

[DiehardPanther]

Because it correlates highly to points given up, as well as offensive points scored. "Yards per play" actually has a higher correlation with winning than "Yards per point" does when you run the numbers.

If the other team continually drives the length of the field, but has to settle for field goals then you are going to win a lot of games.

 

[cashisking884]

If the other team continually drives the length of the field, but has to settle for field goals then you are going to win a lot of games.

Sure. And if you were always stopped for no gain on 1st and 2nd down, but then gained 15 yards on third down, you're going to score a lot of points. The point though is it's extremely difficult to do the latter, once you've allowed the former.
Basically, if you allow teams to be efficient down to down, or gash you on a particular down within a sequence of downs, you are going to give up a lot of points. That's what the numbers show.
Obviously that is sample size dependent. Over the course of a game that might not happen. Hell, even a season is a relatively small sample size. But overall, even if you beat it for a game or a season, you're going to revert back to the mean. Living on the edge eventually catches up with you.

 

[joeydavid]

The defense can't do anything about special teams, offensive turnovers, etc. but they completely control yardage.

What is the fixation with yards given up? How many points given up is the only thing that matters.

 

[JokePa]

Last season (2017) Pitt gave up 396 total yards a game! They need to be closer to 350 than to 400 to be a good defense! Now to give credit where it's due, Pitt did improve from 2016 were it gave up 452 total yards a game! Look at last year, Cuse 500, Ga Tech 484 and OK St 676 is way too many yards given up! With 9 returning player on D, it should help improve the D! #H2P!

Just taking osu off the schedule will improve 20 yards a game

 

[4Mark_Marty]

The defense will be better. The offense last year was as bad as it gets. This year’s OL is a big question but overall the O should be improved over last year becomes its hard to imagine how it could be worse. We basically played 9 games without a QB. Watson needs to do a lot better than last year as well.

Yes. The offense can’t be worse than last year

 

[Jakhny]

Keeping the offense out of it for the moment, the defense at the beginning of this season should be a lot better than last year's defense at the beginning of the year. 14 freshman (redshirt and true) played significant minutes last year, all PN recruits. All are back of course, and they're not rookies anymore.

The D got much better over the course of the year and played well the last few games. Everyone remembers the Miami game for what Pickett did, but the D was very good in that game, and had no issues with Miami's supposed speed advantage.

The D should take the next step this year, improving on the progress of the second half of last year.

 

[Jakhny]

The defense did not play well against NC that’s for sure at least not when it counted.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

This should be the best DL Pitt's had in a while. The LBs should be solid, and there are a bunch of really good athletes in the secondary. There is finally some depth at most positions. I feel really good about the defense.

Offense will be a work in progress, but at least they should have a capable QB.

 

[jrnPitt]

On defense my main concern is our safeties. I'm not sure the two we have starting will be better than last year absent Whitehead. On offense I'm expecting a very good to an excellent performance from Pickett and as such I'm expecting Pitt to win time of possession many games. That alone will help with the defensive statistics this year.----However the BIG fly in the ointment will be if Pickett is lost to the team because of injury. A repeat of our 2017 season may be in the cards under that scenario.

 

[p45]

He was pretty awful most of the year, and got REALLY awful towards the end of the year. He either hit a mental wall being a first time starter, or teams got tape of him and figured out how bad he was. Or some combination?
I think our defense will be better. But I'm not prepared to put as much stock in shutting down Miami's offense as others are.

Yea, he completed less than 50% of his passes in their 3 losses. Thats downright atrocious. Pitts defense was decent that game but Miami left 14-21 points on the field. Same with Virginia Tech.

Now, i think a valid argument could be made that pretty much every team leaves points on the field each game, so maybe im being a bit too critical, but im not going to assume pitts defense will be amazing. I do, however, expect it to be a top 30-35 unit woth the potential to finish the year stronger than that.

 

[PittMan2003]

I'll believe the defense has improved when third and long plays are advantage Pitt's defense, and not an automatic head scratching conversion from the opposing offense!

It seemed that Pitt got opposing offenses in many favorable down and distance situations and almost always allowed them off the hook!
Good defenses don't do that, in fact when they get offenses in those situations they become the aggressor and that results in turnovers.
Good defenses get off the field stuffing long third down conversion attempts. When Pitt routinely does that, then they'll be good.

So true. The third down conversions were just painful. Nothing could have been more demoralizing for our defense.

 

[pittdan77]

Pitt gave up 30 points or more five times last year and lost every one of those games.

Pitt was 5-2 in games that the opponent didn't score 30 points and four of those wins were Youngstown State (OT), Rice, Duke, and Virginia. Miami was the only game in that subset you could consider an upset.

I'd go easy on predictions of dominance after a year like that.