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Regardless of what's going to happen (or not) to the current coaching staff, the team's progress matters. Knowing what the team does well and what it needs to improve is extremely important to the goal of getting the program competitive in the SEC again, regardless of who's tasked with that goal. So, not knowing whether there's a press conference in our immediate future, we continue to forge ahead.
Here are the latest NCAA statistical rankings for the Vols after the South Carolina game, grouped into three categories: Those things in which UT is in the Top 30, those things in which UT is in the Bottom 30, and everything else. First up, the Stuff UT Is Doing Well.
Categories In Which Tennessee Is In The Top Quartile |
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Category |
2011 |
NCS | GS | FL | AK | GA | MSB | AL | SC | TR | MO | VAN | KY |
Pass Sacks Allowed | 40 | 29 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | ||||
Tackles for Loss Allowed | 38 | 97 | 55 | 57 | 55 | 58 | 26 | 14 | 6 | ||||
Passing Offense | 50 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 28 | 21 | ||||
Red Zone Efficiency | 58 | 65 | 57 | 43 | 24 | 22 | 14 | 19 | 25 | ||||
Passes Intercepted | 86 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 24 | 26 | ||||
Fewest Yards Penalized Per Game | 51 | 39 | 53 | 59 | 42 | 39 | 40 | 26 | 26 | ||||
Total Offense | 104 | 23 | 15 | 30 | 17 | 18 | 22 | 34 | 29 | ||||
Scoring Offense | 106 | 43 | 15 | 37 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 37 | 30 |
Dropped out: Defense Third-down Efficiency (now 31), Kickoff Return Yardage Defense (now 33).
New Arrivals: Total Offense, Scoring Offense.
Same story, different week. The offensive line is a pass-protecting machine, the one play given up to Jadaveon Clowney this weekend notwithstanding, and the offense is very good, primarily because of a very good passing game and an improving run game.
Here's a Bonus Chart that compares offensive statistical rankings this time last year with this year's rankings, because Tennessee's rankings should, theoretically, be as bad at the end of October as they will get for the entire season.
Category |
Post-October 2011 |
Post-October 2012 | Improvement |
Total Offense | 102 | 29 | +73 |
Scoring Offense | 96 | 30 | +66 |
Rushing Offense | 119 | 68 | +51 |
Sacks Allowed | 42 | 3 | +39 |
Passing Offense | 45 | 21 | +24 |
The offense has greatly improved with the exception of passes intercepted, which was 109th at this point last year and is 103rd a year later. The problem, of course and as we all now know, is that the defense is negating the gains and obscuring the progress. I won't add that little bonus chart here because we all know what it would look like. I included this one because there are many sound reasons and arguments for making a change to the coaching staff, but what Derek Dooley and Jim Chaney have done with the offense is not among them.
#OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE
Categories In Which Tennessee Is In The Bottom Quartile |
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Category |
2011 |
NCS | GS | FL | AK | GA | MSB | AL | SC | TR | MO | VAN | KY |
Fumbles Recovered | 71 | 66 | 60 | 79 | 97 | 70 | 93 | 86 | 97 | ||||
Total Defense | 28 | 70 | 48 | 77 | 68 | 79 | 87 | 95 | 99 | ||||
Scoring Defense | 36 | 54 | 38 | 64 | 61 | 81 | 90 | 96 | 101 | ||||
Pass Defense | 12 | 86 | 73 | 66 | 66 | 74 | 84 | 92 | 103 | ||||
Passes Had Intercepted | 63 | 1 | 28 | 78 | 76 | 100 | 92 | 101 | 103 | ||||
Defense Fourth-down Efficiency | 48 | 37 | 76 | 82 | 88 | 85 | 97 | 102 | 103 | ||||
Time of Possession | 37 | 38 | 81 | 87 | 83 | 63 | 82 | 94 | 106 | ||||
Red Zone Efficiency - Defense | 47 | 58 | 95 | 108 | 104 | 110 | 116 | 117 | 118 |
New Arrivals: None, woo.
Climbed out: Pass Sacks (now 86), Turnovers Lost (now 82), Offense Fourth-down Efficiency (now 58).
Defense, defenese, defense. Defense. Defense.
So far in 2012, Sal Sunseri's defense is giving up 33.88 points per game. Last year at this time, Justin Wilcox's defense was allowing 23.88 points per game, and against Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina, they allowed 33, 20, 37, and 14 points. If this year's team did that, it would have still lost to Florida and Alabama, but it would have beaten Georgia and South Carolina, and our conversations would be very different this morning.
THE BIG FAT MIDDLE
And here's the rest, for tracking purposes.
Categories In Which Tennessee Is In The Middle |
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Category |
2011 |
NCS | GS | FL | AK | GA | MSB | AL | SC | TR | MO | VAN | KY |
Defense Third-down Efficiency | 57 | 57 | 27 | 18 | 17 | 28 | 14 | 29 | 31 | ||||
Kickoff Return Yardage Defense | 7 | 76 | 63 | 64 | 53 | 33 | 30 | 28 | 33 | ||||
First Downs | 98 | 40 | 30 | 44 | 18 | 21 | 25 | 41 | 39 | ||||
Passing Efficiency | 69 | 32 | 8 | 35 | 24 | 39 | 39 | 49 | 39 | ||||
Fumbles Lost | 6 | 43 | 59 | 40 | 47 | 49 | 49 | 51 | 40 | ||||
Fewest Penalties Per Game | 56 | 52 | 53 | 75 | 69 | 71 | 66 | 45 | 45 | ||||
Kickoff Returns | 41 | 38 | 14 | 23 | 55 | 65 | 49 | 52 | 57 | ||||
Offense Fourth-down Efficiency | 91 | 58 | 54 | 38 | 76 | 74 | 77 | 100 | 58 | ||||
Turnovers Gained | 91 | 3 | 7 | 28 | 20 | 11 | 39 | 48 | 59 | ||||
Offense Third-down Efficiency | 56 | 43 | 49 | 63 | 67 | 54 | 49 | 63 | 59 | ||||
Punt Returns | 61 | 59 | 51 | 54 | 38 | 41 | 47 | 48 | 63 | ||||
Rushing Offense | 116 | 45 | 42 | 71 | 57 | 49 | 45 | 57 | 68 | ||||
Tackles for Loss | 67 | 65 | 53 | 62 | 81 | 74 | 69 | 84 | 71 | ||||
First Downs Allowed | 18 | 71 | 79 | 77 | 70 | 62 | 72 | 75 | 79 | ||||
Turnover Margin | 59 | 4 | 18 | 48 | 41 | 55 | 69 | 80 | 80 | ||||
Punt Return Yardage Defense | 85 | 5 | 8 | 26 | 29 | 20 | 20 | 73 | 81 | ||||
Turnovers Lost | 20 | 23 | 51 | 55 | 69 | 94 | 85 | 93 | 82 | ||||
Net Punting | 104 | 32 | 56 | 42 | 46 | 60 | 73 | 75 | 84 | ||||
Rushing Defense | 69 | 46 | 36 | 84 | 74 | 92 | 81 | 89 | 85 | ||||
Pass Sacks | 100 | 68 | 47 | 83 | 94 | 100 | 95 | 91 | 86 | ||||
Pass Efficiency Defense | 48 | 28 | 13 | 29 | 17 | 30 | 39 | 66 | 87 |
Players in the Top 30
Player | Stat | 2011 | NCS | GS | FL | AK | GA | MSB | AL | SC | TR | MO | VAN | KY |
Cordarrelle Patterson | Kickoff Returns | - | - | 5 | 15 | 16 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||
A.J. Johnson | Total Tackles | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 7 | 5 | ||||
Byron Moore | Interceptions | - | 5 | - | - | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | ||||
Tyler Bray | Passing Yards Per Game | - | 10 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 16 | ||||
Tyler Bray | Total Passing Yards | - | 10 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 24 | 23 | 18 | ||||
Tyler Bray | Points Responsible For | - | - | 12 | 22 | 10 | 16 | 19 | 32 | 24 | ||||
Tyler Bray | Total Offense | - | 17 | 20 | 21 | 14 | 23 | 28 | 36 | 28 | ||||
Tyler Bray | Passing | - | 16 | - | 27 | 22 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 29 | ||||
FORMERLY IN THE TOP 30 | ||||||||||||||
Justin Hunter | Receiving Yards Per Game | - | - | 14 | 18 | 13 | 26 | 41 | 31 | 34 | ||||
Cordarrelle Patterson | All-Purpose Running | - | - | 8 | 23 | - | - | 28 | 29 | 36 | ||||
Justin Hunter | Total Receiving Yards | - | - | 11 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 47 | 37 | 37 | ||||
Justin Hunter | Receptions Per Game | - | 9 | 14 | 19 | 13 | 25 | 47 | 45 | 43 | ||||
Curt Maggitt | Forced Fumbles | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | 27 | 28 | 43 | ||||
Tyler Bray | Passing Efficiency | - | 30 | 5 | 28 | 22 | 35 | 35 | 49 | 36 | ||||
Curt Maggitt | Forced Fumbles | - | - | - | - | - | 21 | - | ||||||
Derrick Brodus | Field Goals | - | - | - | - | 18 | 23 | - | ||||||
Brian Randolph | Solo Tackles | - | - | 13 | - | 29 | - | - | ||||||
Cordarrelle Patterson | Total Receiving Yards | - | - | 30 | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Willie Bohannon | Fumbles Recovered | - | - | 17 | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Eric Gordon | Interceptions | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Prentiss Waggner | Interceptions | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Marsalis Teague | Interceptions | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Maurice Couch | Forced Fumbles | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Byron Moore | Solo Tackles | - | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Michael Palardy | Field Goals | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Curt Maggitt | Pass Sacks | - | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Cordarrelle Patterson | Scoring | - | 25 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
Devrin Young | Kickoff Returns | - | 30 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
2011 | ||||||||||||||
Austin Johnson | Interceptions | 23 |