Even though our defense was awful

[DyeHardAllTheWay 0]

It was the best in terms of total defense since 2008. This year, we finished 57th in total defense, so hopefully that's something we can build on. Just shows how bad our defense has been.

2008: 29th

2009: 68th

2010: 60th

2011: 80th

2012: 81st

2013: 87th

2014: 59th

[NoALtiger 3,850]

Curious, does anyone know how total defense is calculated? Also what is included in total D? Seems like we gave up a ton of points this year and that is what I'm most interested in. TIA.

[cole256 17,043]

This is when you have to drop looking at numbers so much....Think of it this way if we had 2010 defense do we lose last week? I'm thinking no personally. Secondary was better than this years but by midseason people did NOT run on us. And that's just with rushing 4 people a majority of the time.

[N2AUtigers 5]

Points per game is the tell all factor in defense. Especially with the Malzhan offense. And I think this year it was the worst in AU history?

[api1957 1,783]

Total Defense is YPG. A skewed number this year because of penalties and turnovers we gave a lot of teams a short field to work with.

[WinForAuburn 128]

2014 Auburn Defense

YPG - 388 - 57th

PPG - 26 -60th

These numbers put us in the middle of the pack, however we went completely downhill and gave up 39 PPG over our last six sec games. 39.

[N2AUtigers 5]

Yes guess it's points per critical game that counts? Lol 26ppg is really not that bad. .

[McLoofus 35,182]

2014 Auburn Defense

YPG - 388 - 57th

PPG - 26 -60th

These numbers put us in the middle of the pack, however we went completely downhill and gave up 39 PPG over our last six sec games. 39.

Bingo. We were doing great until the train had a falling out with the tracks post-LSU. The season has to be looked at in 2 different parts.

[Metalsinger418 88]

LSU and Kstate boosted our defensive numbers. Our D last year at least made stops in the redzone.

[bamerslayer 0]

Our 2010 DL would have had a field day on Sims. We would have seen their Heisman candidate come in by halftime.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

it's a tale of two halves. Post LSU this is the worst defense I've seen in my life

[Auburn4life 24]

yea something had to happen with the players on D. Either between them and coaches or something. I know Auburn played tough opponents later in the year, but you could tell, it felt like 2012 all over until Bama game.

[meh130 1,043]

Defensive Statistic Rankings According to ESPN:

YDS/G - 389 - Ranked 59th

PTS/G - 26.1 - Ranked 61st

Rushing YDS/G -149.5 - Ranked 47th

Passing YDS/G - 239.2 - Ranked 85th

Total Tackles - 773 - Ranked 94th

Total Sacks - 20.0 - Ranked 95th

Total FBS schools: 128

[wareagleguy 1,393]

Hopefully it is upward and onward from here

[AUApostle 7,651]

yea something had to happen with the players on D. Either between them and coaches or something. I know Auburn played tough opponents later in the year, but you could tell, it felt like 2012 all over until Bama game.

You have to wonder if the Whitehead situation had something to do with it. Maybe some day we'll get the whole story of how it all unraveled. Or maybe there is no story.

[doc4aday 1,887]

My take is that teams started to figure out how to attack our defense, quality coaching should have figured this out, and made adjustments accordingly. Coaching, coaching, coaching is the main reason that we had the huge drop off. I am not saying that the players were not to blame whatsoever, but am saying that coaching was likely 90% of the problem. If our defense becomes the dominating force they are capable of with the right coaching, the offense will become a far more formidable force than it already is.

This will be the difference in being a good team and a great team. Hiring a top notch DC will have a profound effect on this team.

[AUFAN78 3,894]

My take is that teams started to figure out how to attack our defense, quality coaching should have figured this out, and made adjustments accordingly. Coaching, coaching, coaching is the main reason that we had the huge drop off. I am not saying that the players were not to blame whatsoever, but am saying that coaching was likely 90% of the problem. If our defense becomes the dominating force they are capable of with the right coaching, the offense will become a far more formidable force than it already is.

This will be the difference in being a good team and a great team. Hiring a top notch DC will have a profound effect on this team.

With our lack of defensive talent, it will take more than coaching. Sorry. Truth hurts, but still the truth.

[keesler 5,924]

IMO, the most important ranking is were we rank in our own conference. National ranking means very little because we play in the toughest conference in the country. Our success or failure hinges on were we are in our conference.

[AU64 10,122]

My take is that teams started to figure out how to attack our defense, quality coaching should have figured this out, and made adjustments accordingly. Coaching, coaching, coaching is the main reason that we had the huge drop off. I am not saying that the players were not to blame whatsoever, but am saying that coaching was likely 90% of the problem. If our defense becomes the dominating force they are capable of with the right coaching, the offense will become a far more formidable force than it already is.

This will be the difference in being a good team and a great team. Hiring a top notch DC will have a profound effect on this team.

With our lack of defensive talent, it will take more than coaching. Sorry. Truth hurts, but still the truth.

Afraid you are right on the talent issue.

We've had three solid DCs in the past 6 year...guys with very good careers before arriving at AU and also after leaving in a couple cases....and it goes back to Tub's time here. JMO but we get some very good talent in some places but not enough to build a solid team.

We've been killing it with recruiting of offensive linemen, QBs and RBs but on the defensive side of the ball, it's really been hit or miss and a few exceptional players have carried the defensive effort...and we just don't have that now.

Just watch any of the better defensive teams in the league...OM, Bama or whoever and they are nasty defenders, make solid tackles without needing three guys to assist, stick to the receivers, get off blocks on the edges and don't commit stupid penalties that keep the opponents on the field. We used to have a few guys like that...but none lately.

[80Tiger 899]

Yes guess it's points per critical game that counts? Lol 26ppg is really not that bad. .

In our 8 SEC games we gave up an average of 32.75 ppg. This includes the LSU game. If you take the LSU game out, which is the anomaly, we gave up 36.4 ppg in the SEC.

[war eagle6 0]

My take is that teams started to figure out how to attack our defense, quality coaching should have figured this out, and made adjustments accordingly. Coaching, coaching, coaching is the main reason that we had the huge drop off. I am not saying that the players were not to blame whatsoever, but am saying that coaching was likely 90% of the problem. If our defense becomes the dominating force they are capable of with the right coaching, the offense will become a far more formidable force than it already is.

This will be the difference in being a good team and a great team. Hiring a top notch DC will have a profound effect on this team.

With our lack of defensive talent, it will take more than coaching. Sorry. Truth hurts, but still the truth.

Afraid you are right on the talent issue.

We've had three solid DCs in the past 6 year...guys with very good careers before arriving at AU and also after leaving in a couple cases....and it goes back to Tub's time here. JMO but we get some very good talent in some places but not enough to build a solid team.

We've been killing it with recruiting of offensive linemen, QBs and RBs but on the defensive side of the ball, it's really been hit or miss and a few exceptional players have carried the defensive effort...and we just don't have that now.

Just watch any of the better defensive teams in the league...OM, Bama or whoever and they are nasty defenders, make solid tackles without needing three guys to assist, stick to the receivers, get off blocks on the edges and don't commit stupid penalties that keep the opponents on the field. We used to have a few guys like that...but none lately.

Just like Gus did with our offense to do when he got to AU; overachieve. I believe muschamp will do the same with our d. To put it short and sweet; it's called COACHING THEM UP

[around4ever 4,139]

Yes guess it's points per critical game that counts? Lol 26ppg is really not that bad. .

The first five games 14.4 PPG.

The last seven games 34.4 PPG

[AU64 10,122]

Yes guess it's points per critical game that counts? Lol 26ppg is really not that bad. .

The first five games 14.4 PPG.

The last seven games 34.4 PPG

Might want to do the same analysis with: Before Whitehead incident....and After Whitehead incident....

but we know that his suspension really had no impact on the rest of the defense ....right?

[aubaseball 2,595]

This number would be even higher if KF wouldn't have made the play on Treadwell. I have been beating the drum that we don't have enough talent on defense, which i think in part is still true, but after watching the bama game and the way we game planned to cover cooper was poor coaching. As a coach, if you couldn't see that to double team cooper was the right move then you shouldn't be a coach.