Amazing stat about last year's defense...

[tibor75]

*cough* Illinois *cough*

yeah, thank god that Ilini receiver bobbled the ball in the end zone...

and thank god for Krenzel's 3rd and 10 scramble in OT. The most underrated play of that whole year.

 

[jwinslow]

true, as was maurice hall that season (especially in that game and the option pitch vs UM).

 

[7 45 33 48]

there was no pass rush? I seem to remember Patterson in the backfield quite a bit against Michigan, and Kudla during both games.

I don't think the 05 defense is quite on par with the 02 one, however the 05 defense probably faced at least three better offenses (during the regular season) than anything that the 02 defense faced. Yes I remember the miami game, but the shutdown factor was similar during the 05 bowl game vs ND (walker is no mcgahee, but most other positions were pretty stellar at ND).

The defensive end opposite Kudla when Carpenter wasn't in there was average at best. Patterson may have put some pressure on the QB but it is not even close when you compare him to the 2nd best DE of 2002 in Will Smith. Scott (he was the best DE in 2002 because of Smith's injury) I believe had the same amount of sacks as Kudla but sacks aren't everything. Scott applied more consistent pressure than Kudla. The 2002 defense could get pressure with 4 and sometimes 3 pass rushers. This defense wasn't nearly as good as the 2002 defense in applying pressure to the quarterback with just the defensive line.

 

[7 45 33 48]

*cough* Illinois *cough*

I will give them a pass on the Illinois game, 13 points I believe and that FG was a miracle in those conditions. The 2002 defense had to deal with a mediocre Ohio State offense the 2nd half of the season. (The offense was pathetically conservative in the 2nd half of that Illinois game and ran 3 plays up the gut before the game tying FG.) What they did during that season with that offense is amazing. The pressure was on them from the Wisconsin game on through the season. It is unbelievable that the defense did not wear down by the time the scUM game rolled around.