Defense Racking Up INTs

[BillySee58]

I know the defense has been rightfully under the microscope with how bad they performed to start the season, but a promising element of this defense has been the interceptions.

From 2019 to now we have struggled defensively. A big part of that struggle has derived from inability to force turnovers and relying on forcing punts. Here are our INTs by season:

• 2019 - 4 INTs

• 2020 - 7 INTs (4 against UTEP’s backup QB)

• 2021 - 6 INTs

• 2022 - 8 INTs

• 2023 - 7 INTs

Already as many INTs halfway into this season as we’ve had any of the previous 4 seasons outside of last year when we played 14 games.

This is a promising sign that the defense can do what it’s supposed to do, which is clog the passing lanes and occupy areas that the QBs are used to being able to throw into, forcing INTs. Tackling needs to keep improving but ultimately I think the run game weakness had more to do with players/execution than it did scheme. 

 

Edited October 20, 2023 by BillySee58

[Green Otaku]

If the trend holds through the next 4 games I'd have a little more faith in the numbers. If we are being honest the first half of the schedule has been the easier half. Do the same to Tulane, Memphis, UTSA, SMU, and we'll be looking pretty good. 

[greenminer]

5 minutes ago, Green Otaku said:

If the trend holds through the next 4 games I'd have a little more faith in the numbers. If we are being honest the first half of the schedule has been the easier half. Do the same to Tulane, Memphis, UTSA, SMU, and we'll be looking pretty good. 

Compare what this defense has done through 6 games to what previous defenses have done through the first 6-12 games of their seasons.

The competition will get tougher but the point is, there are signs this will work and work well if some of the other fundamentals get corrected/improved.