It was only four years ago this month that after the Lions went from 3-7 in 2012 to 0-10 in 2013, the previous coaching regime told us there was "empirical evidence" that the team was actually improving.
Of course, that was patently false.
Under Head Coach Al Bagnoli we've already seen massive evidence based on real statistics that showed strong improvement in both his first and second seasons.
But the list of 2017 improvements and the percentage degree of improvement in category after category compared to 2016 really takes the cake.
Let's look at the numbers:
-Wins went from 3 to 8, a 166% improvement
-Touchdowns scored rose to 31 from 21, a 47.6% improvement
-Points allowed fell to 175 from 247, a 29.1% improvement/reduction
-Touchdowns allowed fell to 23 from 32, a 28.1% improvement/reduction
-3rd down conversion rate rose to 43% from 34%, a 26.4% improvement
-Total penalty yardage fell to 577 yards from 772 yards, a 25.2% improvement/reduction
-Scoring rose to 239 points from 185 points, a 23.7% improvement
-Passing yardage rose to 2,408 from 2,014, a 19.5% improvement
-Total penalties fell to 60 from 73, an 18.5% improvement/reduction
-Rushing yards allowed fell to 1,270 from 1,559, an 18.5% improvement/reduction
-Average time of possession rose to 33:31 per game from 29:18, a 14.3% improvement
-1st downs rose to 200 from 177, a 12.9% improvement
-4th down conversions allowed fell to 56% from 64%, a 12.5% improvement/reduction
-Total offense rose to 3,593 yards from 3,265 yards, a 10.0% improvement
-Total defense/yards allowed fell to 3,290 from 3,591, an 8.3% improvement/reduction
-1st downs allowed fell to 169 from 178, a 5.0% improvement/reduction
-Passing yardage allowed fell to 2,020 from 2,032, a 0.5% improvement/reduction
There were just three areas where there was some regression:
-Sacks fell to 15 from 17, an 11.7% reduction
-Sacks allowed rose from 36 to 38, a 5.5% increase
-Rushing yards fell to 1,185 from 1,251, a 5.2% decrease
The overall improvements listed above are simply outstanding. The only really rough stats came in the sacks for and against categories. The 5% reduction in rushing offense was acceptable with the graduation of Alan Watson and the wise decision to use indispensable QB Anders Hill less as a runner this year.
Just for fun, let's look at the statistical percentage improvements compared to the nadir of the program in 2013:
-Wins went from 0 to 8, a statistically impossible improvement to show in percentages
-Touchdowns scored went from 9 to 31, a 244% improvement
-Scoring rose from 73 to 239 points, a 227% improvement
-3rd down conversions went from 17% to 43%, a 152% improvement
-Rushing yardage went from 519 to 1,185 yards, a 128% improvement
-Total offense went from 2,043 to 3,593 yards, a 75.8% improvement
-Passing offense went from 1,524 to 2,408 yards, a 58.0% improvement
-Points allowed went from 402 to 175, a 56.4% improvement/reduction
-Touchdowns allowed went from 52 to 23, a 55.7% improvement/reduction
-Rushing yards allowed went from 2,429 to 1,270, a 47.7% improvement/reduction
-Average time of possession went from 24:44 to 33:31, a 39.2% improvement
-Total defense went from 5,141 yards allowed to 3,290, a 36.0% improvement/reduction
-Passing yards against went from 2,712 to 2,020, a 25.5% improvement/reduction
Now THAT's empirical evidence!
6 comments:
A lot of our sacks allowed came from Hill. He has always held the ball rather than throwing it away. I love the fact that he is a very tough and durable QB; but I also think that it is reasonable to fault him just a little bit in this regard.
Discuss amongst yourselves...
I think maybe also we ran a lot of deep routes that required Hill to hold the ball longer.
Great stats. What a turnaround. Hard to believe we gave up 5,141 yards of offense, although at the time it felt like more!
With a healthy Ronald Smith Imcan only imagine what Hill would have done. Impossible to,double up both Wainwright and Smith.
Pardon the pun, but, "Don't shoot the mailman, just because they deliver the bills." Indeed the prior coaching regime was highly inept, but the true culprit was a certain Athletic Director who hired that coach and under whom the program was a disaster for the majority of her tenure. I cannot think of a more sinking feeling for a player than to practice all week and know, come game day, you have no chance of winning. However politically expedient, she was an awful choice, whom too many people seemed afraid to send packing. We are all fortunate today, that however long overdue, drastic changes were finally made. Better late than never!
Mitch Mailman
Mitch
She heard a distant rumble, saw a smudge of dust on the horizon, saddled up her pony and barely beat the posse out of town.
This is not, however, ultimately her fault, Bollinger's or Mangurian's.
The fault lies with every CU fan who, for the last 60 years, put up with institutional apathy and disdain, and just accepted and commiserated. Not Good Enough.!
Every one of us knew we sucked, and no one did anything about it.
It took a two year civil war to stop this stupidity, and eventually the problem was solved in 6 months, from her resignation to Taylor's appointment to Pilling's hire to Bags.
So as we bask in the glow of a great season, let's not forget what had to be done to make it happen.
And not on the field or in the bubble.
Big Dawg: Completely right, and very well stated!
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