Ketch's comments regarding to defensive changes potentially coming down to the finish of the season inspired me to go back and take a look at the defensive rankings since the 2010 season. Below I'll list each statistical category, the best ranking of that category, the worst ranking, and where PK's 2022 defense is listed. Keep in mind, 13th is the worst.
Scoring Defense
Best - Orlando 2017 (29th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (99th in the country)
PK 2022 - 4th/13 (29th in the country)
Defensive Efficiency
Best - Diaz 2011 (3rd in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (52nd in the country)
PK 2022 - 5th/13 (29th in the country)
Total Defense
Best - Muschamp 2010 (6th in the country)
Worst - Strong 2015 (106th in the country)
PK 2022 - 9th/13 (74th in the country)
Rushing Defense
Best - Diaz 2011 (6th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (114th in the country)
PK 2022 - 4th/13 (32nd in the country)
Passing Defense
Best - Muschamp 2010 (6th in the country)
Worst - Orlando 2019 (127th in the country)
PK 2022 - 8th/13 (101st in the country)
Passing YPC
Best - Diaz 2011 (11th in the country)
Worst - Orlando 2017 (105th in the country)
PK 2022 - 4th/13 (35th in the country)
Tackles for Loss
Best - Diaz 2012 (8th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (55th in the country)
PK 2022 - Tied 5th/13 with Ash 2020 (23rd in the country)
Sacks
Best - Tie Strong 2015 and 2016 (5th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (98th in the country)
PK 2022 - 11th/13 (72nd in the country)
Red Zone Defense
Best - Orlando 2018 (17th in the country)
Worst - Strong 2015 (121st in the country)
PK 2022 - 3rd/13 (26th in the country)
3rd Down Conversion %
Best - Orlando 2017 (3rd in the country)
Worst - Orlando 2018 (108th in the country)
PK 2022 - 10th/13 (91st in the country)
4th Down Conversion %
Best - Diaz 2011 (6th in the country)
Worst - Diaz 2012 (113th in the country)
PK 2022 - 8th/13 (71st in the country)
Interceptions
Best - Orlando 2017 (19th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (104th in the country)
PK 2022 - 9th/13 (62nd in the country)
Fumbles
Best - Diaz/Robinson 2013 (4th in the country)
Worst - PK 2022 (107th in the country)
All rankings averaged together by year
Best - Diaz 2011 (25th)
Worst - PK 2021 (83rd)
PK 2022 - 8th/13 (59th)
The good news is that PK is the only defensive coordinator we've hired in the last 13 years that has seen his defense improve from year 1 to year 2. The bad news is that our defense only ranks in the top 25 in one statistical category and that's tackles for a loss.
In the category of weird. Diaz, Strong, Orlando, and Ash all improved upon their predecessors in year 1. They also all became significantly worse the remainder of their years.
It could be a talent thing. It could be a weird anomaly. But as I went through the numbers. I was floored. Just take a look at the defensive efficiency metric and scoring defense.
Defensive Efficiency
Muschamp to Diaz - 29th to 3rd
Diaz/Robinson to Strong - 22nd to 12th
Strong to Orlando - 44th to 7th
Orlando to Ash - 45th to 40th
Ash to PK - 40th to 52nd???
Scoring Defense
Muschamp to Diaz - 29th to 3rd
Diaz/Robinson to Strong - 57th to 31st
Strong to Orlando - 87th to 29th
Orlando to Ash - 65th to 61st
Ash to PK - 61st to 99th????
At first I thought, maybe it was Covid... but wouldn't Ash have had a much more difficult issue with install than PK?
What changed so much this offseason that PK's defense has made such a leap in year two? Is it Gary Patterson? I don't know, I don't know that anyone can say for sure. I think we'd be foolish to not consider it. My curiosity will have me take a look at the offensive side of the ball but not until mid-week.
Hook'em and let's kick TCU's ass!
Scoring Defense
Best - Orlando 2017 (29th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (99th in the country)
PK 2022 - 4th/13 (29th in the country)
Defensive Efficiency
Best - Diaz 2011 (3rd in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (52nd in the country)
PK 2022 - 5th/13 (29th in the country)
Total Defense
Best - Muschamp 2010 (6th in the country)
Worst - Strong 2015 (106th in the country)
PK 2022 - 9th/13 (74th in the country)
Rushing Defense
Best - Diaz 2011 (6th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (114th in the country)
PK 2022 - 4th/13 (32nd in the country)
Passing Defense
Best - Muschamp 2010 (6th in the country)
Worst - Orlando 2019 (127th in the country)
PK 2022 - 8th/13 (101st in the country)
Passing YPC
Best - Diaz 2011 (11th in the country)
Worst - Orlando 2017 (105th in the country)
PK 2022 - 4th/13 (35th in the country)
Tackles for Loss
Best - Diaz 2012 (8th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (55th in the country)
PK 2022 - Tied 5th/13 with Ash 2020 (23rd in the country)
Sacks
Best - Tie Strong 2015 and 2016 (5th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (98th in the country)
PK 2022 - 11th/13 (72nd in the country)
Red Zone Defense
Best - Orlando 2018 (17th in the country)
Worst - Strong 2015 (121st in the country)
PK 2022 - 3rd/13 (26th in the country)
3rd Down Conversion %
Best - Orlando 2017 (3rd in the country)
Worst - Orlando 2018 (108th in the country)
PK 2022 - 10th/13 (91st in the country)
4th Down Conversion %
Best - Diaz 2011 (6th in the country)
Worst - Diaz 2012 (113th in the country)
PK 2022 - 8th/13 (71st in the country)
Interceptions
Best - Orlando 2017 (19th in the country)
Worst - PK 2021 (104th in the country)
PK 2022 - 9th/13 (62nd in the country)
Fumbles
Best - Diaz/Robinson 2013 (4th in the country)
Worst - PK 2022 (107th in the country)
All rankings averaged together by year
Best - Diaz 2011 (25th)
Worst - PK 2021 (83rd)
PK 2022 - 8th/13 (59th)
The good news is that PK is the only defensive coordinator we've hired in the last 13 years that has seen his defense improve from year 1 to year 2. The bad news is that our defense only ranks in the top 25 in one statistical category and that's tackles for a loss.
In the category of weird. Diaz, Strong, Orlando, and Ash all improved upon their predecessors in year 1. They also all became significantly worse the remainder of their years.
It could be a talent thing. It could be a weird anomaly. But as I went through the numbers. I was floored. Just take a look at the defensive efficiency metric and scoring defense.
Defensive Efficiency
Muschamp to Diaz - 29th to 3rd
Diaz/Robinson to Strong - 22nd to 12th
Strong to Orlando - 44th to 7th
Orlando to Ash - 45th to 40th
Ash to PK - 40th to 52nd???
Scoring Defense
Muschamp to Diaz - 29th to 3rd
Diaz/Robinson to Strong - 57th to 31st
Strong to Orlando - 87th to 29th
Orlando to Ash - 65th to 61st
Ash to PK - 61st to 99th????
At first I thought, maybe it was Covid... but wouldn't Ash have had a much more difficult issue with install than PK?
What changed so much this offseason that PK's defense has made such a leap in year two? Is it Gary Patterson? I don't know, I don't know that anyone can say for sure. I think we'd be foolish to not consider it. My curiosity will have me take a look at the offensive side of the ball but not until mid-week.
Hook'em and let's kick TCU's ass!
