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Rushing Defense

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DaddyBigBucks

DaddyBigBucks

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Our rush defense vs. Nebraska - statistically

Understandably, there hasn't been much hand wringing over losing our spot atop the rushing defense standings. In the grand scheme of things, it's not that important. But what is a message board but a place to discuss who's best?

To that end, let's analyze OSU's Rushing Defense vs. that of Nebraska (the team that took over the number one spot).

Which team holds the opposition FARTHER below their rushing average?

NEBRASKA

Opponent____Rush ypg____Rush yds vs. Neb.____Difference
Maine_________91.5___________-6_______________97.5__
Wake Forest__205.14_________130_______________75.14_
Pittsburgh____121.14_________114________________7.14_
Iowa St._____109.33__________57_______________52.33_
Texas Tech___100.5__________44________________56.5__
Baylor _______131.67_________51________________80.67_

YTD AVG_____126.55_________65________________61.55_

AVG ypg rushing by remaining opponents: 159.63

OK, so Nebraska holds their opponents 61.55 yards below their season rushing averages. Whoop-de-freakin-Doo.

Check this out...

OHIO STATE

Opponent____Rush ypg____Rush yds vs. tOSU____Difference
Miami_________156.83__________48____________108.83__
Texas_________264.67_________112____________152.67_
San Diego St.___144___________13_____________131____
Iowa _________182.14_________-9_____________191.14__
PSU___________203___________117_____________86____
MSU__________229.67_________116____________113.67__

YTD AVG_____196.72__________66.17___________130.55_

AVG ypg rushing by remaining opponents: 199.45


So:
  • OSU's opponents are averaging over 70 more yards per game on the ground. To say we've faced MUCH better rushing offenses is a huge understatement.
  • OSU is holding their opponents under their averages by more than TWICE as many yards as Nebraska
  • Nebraska's road gets a little tougher ahead, but remains weak.
  • Our opponents rushing averages would be about 20 yards per game BETTER if they hadn't played us.
  • Taking this into consideration, our road ahead is slightly easier, though still vastly tougher than the crap-fest that is the cornhusker schedule.
  • We both held one team to negative yards.
    • They did it to Maine, 91.5 ypg - ranked 105 in DIVISION I-AA
    • We did it to Iowa, 182.14 ypg - ranked 30 in DIVISION I-A
  • With stats padded by Maine, who sucks even against I-AA competition, Nebraska still can't manage HALF of our number in this metric.
This just in... The 2005 Buckeye Defense is pretty good.
 
Last edited:
Cool analysis. And I agree that Ohio State has a great defense. You might want to make a quick little change:

DaddyBigBucks said:
OHIO STATE

Opponent____Rush ypg____Rush yds vs. Neb.____Difference
Miami_________156.83__________48____________108.83__
Texas_________264.67_________112____________152.67_
San Diego St.___144___________13_____________131____
Iowa _________182.14_________-9_____________191.14__
PSU___________203___________117_____________86____
MSU__________229.67_________116____________113.67__

YTD AVG_____196.72__________66.17___________130.55_
Click to expand...

I think we all know you mean "rush yds vs. OSU."
 
Upvote 0
I made this post in the how bout our defense thread last nite, but figured that it would really apply well to this thread.

Crazybuckfan40 said:
Just thought I would continue this thread from last week. Couple of interesting stats regarding our rushing defense. We have faced 7 of the top 100 runners in the country.

RB Our Game Season
Brandon Murphy 15/48 = 3.2yds/carry 5.21yds/carry 126.67yds/game
- He was 2.01yds/carry under and was 78.67 yds under his season avg.

Jamal charles 10/26 = 2.6yds/carry 8.52yds/carry 95.17yds/game
- He was 5.92yds/carry under and was 79.17 yds under his season avg.

Vince Young 20/76 = 3.8yds/carry 5.51yds/carry 68.83yds/game
- He was 1.71yds/carry under and was 7.17 yds over his season avg.

Lynell Hamilton 7/10 = 1.4yds/carry 4.04yds/carry 67.33yds/game
- He was 2.64yds/carry under and was 57.33yds under his season avg.

Albert Young 10/25 = 2.5 yds/carry 5.91yds/carry 102.14yds/game
- He was 3.41yds/carry under and was 77.14yds under his season avg.

Tony Hunt 16/64 = 4yds/carry 6.41yds/carry 97.57yds/game
- He was 2.41yds/carry under and was 27.57 yds under his season avg.

Javon Ringer 16/76 = 4.75yds/carry 7.06yds/carry 80.00yds/game
-He was 2.31yds/carry under and was 4 yds under his season avg.


Overall that is 94 carries for 325 yds. avg. 3.45yds/carry

That is outstanding considering that is against guys that are averaging 6.09yds/carry and 91.1yds/game

So that means we hold guys to 2.64yds/carry less than what they are averaging.

Keep in mind those season totals involve our game so if we would take them out ever single person stats would go up and it would look even more lopsided what we do to runner.

Well the Indiana running back Chris Taylor is averaging 79yds/game and 5.11yds/carry so that means we will hold him to 2.47 yds a carry.

So for him to get to 100 yds he has to get 41 carries.

I say we have the best run defense in the nation. Even know Nebraska has the number 1 by avg. They played Maine(DivIAA) and Pitt who don't have rusher in the top 100. They have faced 4 backs in the top 100 to our 7.
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
MililaniBuckeye said:
Texas Tech is hardly known for it's rushing attack.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree, but I wouldn't kick Taurean Henderson off my team.

How many Buckeye fans would like a pass catching RB who has racked up 748 yards and 14 TDs on 101 touches from scrimmage? I mean, every 7.2 times Henderson touches the ball he scores a damn touchdown! Geesh, how we couldn't use a guy like that on our team! :biggrin:

/sarcasm
 
Upvote 0
Let's see...#1 rushing defense in the B12 North versus #1 rushing defense in the Big Ten...that might be the only data you need. :wink:

Nice breakdown, though. It really shows how well this defense is doing against some excellent competition.

It's interesting to project forward that if our D performs at the same level statistically that we can expect to give up ~70rypg, while Nebraska would be giving up ~98rypg over their remaining games.

Of course, our future opponent stats are skewed somewhat by Minny being on the slate...I think we'll hold them to more than 130 yards below their average.
 
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A little more behind the numbers.

Ohio State is ranked #2 nationally in Rush Defense at 66.2 ypg average. I'm going to compare OSU to five other national leaders in rush defense by listing the relative ranking of the rush offenses of the opponents. In other words, how good were the rushing offenses of the opponents the top six defenses have faced?

I've cutoff the numbers with Oklahoma at #6, since #7 Colorado is carrying an 88.8 ypg average, representing a full third in ypg average drop-off against where the OSU rush defense is currently rated. To put that in perspective, the gap between #2 OSU and #7 Colorado is the same margin as the gap between #7 Colorado and #24 Oregon State.

Lacking any 'real' mechanic, 1AA schools are rated relative to the 1A school with the nearest ypg average.

1st ranked - 65.0 ypg - Nebraska opponent rushing offense ranks:
#105(1AA) Maine
#23 Wake Forest
#80 Pitt
#93 Iowa St
#99 Texas Tech
#72 Baylor
:: MEAN - #78 :: MEDIAN - #87 ::

2nd ranked - 66.2 ypg - Ohio State opponent rushing offense ranks:
#47 Miami OH
#5 Texas
#63 SDSU
#30 Iowa
#24 Penn St
#14 Michigan St
:: MEAN - #31 :: MEDIAN - #27 ::

3rd ranked - 69.8 ypg - LSU opponent rushing offense ranks:
#55 Arizona St
#101 Tennessee
#92 Mississippi St
#65 Vanderbilt
#60 Florida
:: MEAN - #75 :: MEDIAN - #65 ::

4th ranked - 69.8 ypg - Kansas opponent rushing offense ranks:
#96(1A) Florida Atl
#24(1AA) Appalachian St
#73 Louisiana Tech
#99 Texas Tech
#51 Kansas State
#56 Oklahoma
:: MEAN - #67 :: MEDIAN - #65 ::

5th ranked - 77.7 ypg Boston College opponent rushing offense ranks:
#86 Brigham Young
#96 Army
#93 Florida St.
#58 Clemson
#83 Ball St.
#62 Virginia
#23 Wake Forest
:: MEAN - #84 :: MEDIAN - #85 ::

6th ranked - 79.2 ypg - Oklahoma opponent rushing offense ranks:
#42 TCU
#41 Tulsa
#48 UCLA
#51 Kansas St.
#5 Texas
#88 Kansas
:: MEAN - #46 :: MEDIAN - #45 ::
 
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Great post, Big Bucks. I just wish someone will point this out to Mark May and idiots like him when they try to say that NU has the best D in the nation and "support" that statement by citing to the fact that NU has the #1 run defense.
 
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Just to let you guys know what you went up against that day back in September, (quick math could be off):

Texas, to your original numbers while not quite as good as tOSU, held their opponents to 96 less ypg on average. Not 130, but pretty good.

Our opponents average: 33.5 in rushing offense, with a median of 30

and our pass defense is #6 in the country. While I am certain that we haven't played any strong passing attacks, all of the teams, minus one of course, that we have played had to throw a lot more than they wanted to being behind so much.

That day in September showcased some damn good defenses. Kiper has actually bumped Ced. Griffin into his top 25 seniors, and he has Huff there as well, and Hawk as the #2 player overall, with Rod Wright and Carp hanging on the fringe. and Aaron Harris made SI's mid season AA.
 
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