actually…data/analytics shows that outside of being a top 3 defense in the nation, that improvements in offensive rating have a more direct correlation to higher Win Loss than improvements in defense. just read this somewhere today (?)…but since I cannot remember which of the 100 sports sites…the article references data with the following point…(though I am paraphrasing)… for every 20 spot increase increase in offensive scoring per game, (say you go from 80th in offense to 60th) it yields a higher win total of Y. It takes a jump in 40 spots in defense (from 80th to 40th) to yield a win total increase of “Y”. so, improvements in defense help, but not as much as improvements in offense do for total wins. so improving our offense even marginally could have a higher impact on total wins than a huge jump in defense.
How does historically bad defense factor into those statistics? In 2007 we had a phenomenal offense with one of our worst defenses ever. The defensive improvement was significant and so was the total improvement of the team as a result. Our offense still needs work but our defense couldn't get a stop, couldn't get a turnover, couldn't put pressure on a qb, and were both a bend and break defense. I mean we were baaaaad. Seems to reason that a mediocre defense would have had a significant improvement on our record last year.
We all agree that the Oline wasn't good. In spite of that, our O put up enough points to win games, had our defense even been average.
We’ve been about 25th in offensive efficiency under Napier and like 80th in defense. It is easier to go from 80 to 40 than it is 25 to 5.
Show me an example of inferior talent winning championships because of coaching. Total bullshit. It takes great coaching no doubt but our team last year wasn’t going to the playoffs unless Jesus was making miracles happen.
Assuming this is true your last sentence does not necessarily follow. The defense being so bad last year means it can increase by more spots even if each individual spot is less valuable than an offensive one.
Scoring more than the other team obviously helps but you shouldn’t have to score 40 to win the majority of games.
We have enjoyed great defenses for years until recently, and we have always won a lot of games and championships. Bama and Georgia did not win all of those games and championships because of their offense. Defense should always be a priority, if you want to win consistently, which gives you a chance at championships. The margin of error is small in college football.