FalconBlog--Triumphs and Trials in the BGSU Falcon Nation

Falcon Year In Review

Here it is, the long-awaited (snicker) Falcon Year in Review. I waited until the MAC stats were final, and then until I got around to it! A note when comparing stats between years. In 2002 and 2004 we played 12 games, and in 2003 we played 14 games. So we have to use averages.

OFFENSE

On the most important item, this was the most prolific scoring team in MAC history, and that obviously includes the last two seasons. We scored 44.3 points per game, up 11 from last year and 4 from the last UM season.

What happened can be tracked to the two things I pointed out from last year's team as area's of improvement: improving the turnover ratio and red zone efficiency.

In both cases, those were accomplished, and the scoring followed, as you would expect.

In 2002 we were +9 in turnovers. Last season, we were -6. Well, we swung back with a vengence this year, with a +15 rating. That's a 21 turnover swing, or darn near two per game. That's going to help the team score.

Most of the difference came from the offense, actually. Our turnovers went from 28 to 10--fewer fumbles, and only 4 interceptions as opposed to 13 the year before. Defensive turnovers stayed pretty consistent.

The other area of concern was in the red zone. I don't like to use red zone percentage, because it counts FG's and TD's the same. Good teams get in the end zone in the red zone. UM's 2002 team had an absolutely sick 5.38 points per red zone trip (out of six, I don't count the XP). As an aside, I saw on the Fiesta Bowl that his Utah team has a similiar record this year as well.

Last year, we fell a little. Our overall percentage was only 73.4% and we averged 3.86 points per trip. That bounced back in 2004, to 83.3% and 4.58 points per red zone trip, which is best in our conference and certainly improved. Also, red zone trips went from 49 to 72, so combined with the greater efficiency, there's your point increase right there.

This was the least running team we have had recently. We ran the ball about 47.8% of the time, which is below 50% for the first time in the Meyer/Brandon era. Our rushing yardage was done 38 yards a game, and attempts were down 5.6 per game.

The reason for this is simple and easy to see. We lost Josh Harris, who was a running threat, and put in Omar Jacobs, who is less of a running threat. Harris carried 15 times per game in 2003, while Omar carried 8 times per game. Add those carries back, and we're the same running team. The average per rush (4.7) was identical to the year before.

Total offense was up, on average, about ten yards per game. Our per play average was up from 6.3 to 6.7 yards per play. Our average on a pass catch is 13 yards a play, and everytime we drop back to pass, we average almost 9 yards.

Third down conversions continued to be a strength. We moved up from 50% last season to 51.9% this year. That's strong. We were 9 of 11 on fourth down.

We protected Omar well....he was sacked only 13 times, as opposed to 21 for Josh the year before.

If you are interested in MAC Comparisons, here they are:

Scoring offense (1st)
Yards Per Game Passing (1st)
Turnover Margin (1st) (Next highest was +8)
Yards Per game running (3rd)
Total offense (1st)
Pass Efficiency (1st)
First Downs (1st)
4th Down conversions (1st)
Red Zone % (3rd)
3rd Down conversions (1st)
Sacks against (1st)
Time of possession (8th)

What can we do more to score next year? Its hard to tell. This was a pretty well performing team. Keeping a +15 TO ratio will be hard, but taking care of the ball. Will Omar get better? If he does...man!

DEFENSE

The defense was much maligned this year. Let's see what kind of truth there is to that. We talk about bend but don't break...not allowing points is the key for our team. Since we score so much, that makes sense, I guess. But it failed us in two games, when we bent, broke and snapped.

The magic word for our defense is consistency. Our numbers are simply very consistent over the course of the season, based on the last three years. Our defense gives us what we expect. Some numbers were stronger than last season, but we were in the middle of the pack in most MAC categories. (MAC Defense seemed a little stronger this season, or offense was weaker, you get the idea). We did appear to lose a little ground compared to the teams we compete with.

Our points per game is consistent. We allowed 25.3 in 2002, 21.7 last season, and 23.5 this year.

On a play-for-play basis, the team improved over last year.

We gave up 30 yards per game more than last year, but teams ran nine more plays per game, so the per play average actually fell from 5.4 to 5.2.

Rush defense? Rushing yards were down about 21 yards per game, and from 4.2 yards per carry to 3.6 per carry. Clearly, some of these rushing statistics are impacted by the fact that we often had huge leads on teams, but my conclusion is this. Fundamentally, we can defend the run. We failed to bring it in big games on the road, and that cost us a MAC Championship we clearly had the ability to win.

Passing defense remained consistent, and given that we graduated three guys from last year's secondary, I don't think that's a disaster. INT's were up to 14 from 11 (but that was 14 in 12 games and 11 in 14 games), and passing percentage was 55.5% (54.7% in 2003), yards per game up 52 yards and yards per catch and per pass almost identical to the year before. Teams attempted eight more passes a game than they did the year before due to being behind, which accounts for the per game difference. The internal numbers here show a consistent performance by the defense on a season-long average. In the MAC, total yards are poor, but the interceptions and lacks of TDS make us tops in pass efficiency against.

We didn't get off the field as well as last year. Last season, our opponents only had a 33.2% 3rd down conversion rate. This year, it was 40.2%, which was like it was in 2002.

Sacks? Sacks were down .5 per game. This is not a strength for the team, but I suppose dropping guys into coverage and not blitzing too much is bend/break philosophy. We may not be able to leave our corners too stranded.

In the red zone, we actually led the conference in points per trip. The defense allowed 71.4% scoring and 3.64 points per trip. This, of course, vindicates the bend but don't break philosophy.

How did we far in the MAC?

Scoring Defense (3rd)
Pass Yards Per Game (9th)
Rushing Defense (5th)
Total Yards Per Game (6th)
Pass Efficiency Against (1st)
Opponent First Downs (12th)
Red Zone Efficiency Against (1st)
Third Down Against (6th)

Bottom line. The defense only needs to be good enough to keep the other team below the offense. Having said that, scoring defense is strong, but with the other stats below what other teams in the conference have, you wonder if the dam is close to breaking. Our defense was consistent and a little better this year, and if they are this good again next season, we could easily win the MAC.

Special Teams

Special teams at BG are OK. They are fine, they aren't hurting us, and they aren't propelling us. They aren't the equalizer (ie, blocked kicks) that they are on an UM coached team, but we did OK.

Our Kick returns with down from the year before, but we have averaged between 18.2 and 20.3 for three years, and face it, we're not a ball control team. Two yards is nothing. Just don't fumble. (8th in MAC)

Punt returns were up five yards. Sharon did a great job. (5th in MAC).

Punting has been consistent. Nate is OK, getting the job done. Once again, we're not living or dying on five yards on the punts. Don't shank one, don't get blocked. (11th in the MAC).

Field goals and extra points. Shaun had a better season, though a late season cold streak brought his numbers back to normal. He hit 71.4% for the season, which is up from 66.7% last year. One was a monster at Ohio U (52 yards, very cool). He didn't miss an extra point. (FGs were 7th in the MAC).

Our kick return average (19.3) is about what is was the year before (18.9) but above the final UM season (15.9). (8th in MAC).

Punts, on the other hand, were 8.2 this year, down from 9.4 last year and 15.7 the year before.

Our field goal defense sucked. Teams were 11 of 12 against us.

How about blocked kicks? We blocked three kicks last season. We blocked 8 in UM's last season. They blocked 7 in Utah this year. Its just a segment of the game we don't seem to be getting or emphasizing.