Last time we highlighted some of the reasons why sevens teams (Tennessee, Florida, Kansas, South Florida, TCU, Middle Tennessee State, and Texas Tech) dramatically improved their defense statistical rankings from 2004 to 2005, using factors such as returning starters, returning defensive coaches, and strength of schedule.
This time we’ll take a similar look at the past six national champions and their defensive rankings the year before and during their title runs:
1. 2005 National Champion Texas Longhorns (13-0): #16 —> #33 (rush defense); #58 —> #8 (pass defense); #23 —> #10 (total defense); #18 —> #8 (scoring defense)
2. 2004 National Champion USC Trojans (13-0): #1 —> #1 (rush defense); #110 —> #34 (pass defense); #30 —> #6 (total defense); #17 —> #3 (scoring defense)
3. 2003 Co-National Champion LSU Tigers (13-1): #40 —> #3 (rush defense); #2 —> #18 (pass defense); #8 —> #1 (total defense); #15 —> #1 (scoring defense)
4. 2003 Co-National Champion USC Trojans (12-1): #6 —> #1 (rush defense); #42 —> #110 (pass defense); #6 —> #30 (total defense); #17 —> #17 (scoring defense)
5. 2002 National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes (14-0): #50 —> #3 (rush defense); #32 —> #95 (pass defense); #33 —> #23 (total defense); #20 —> #2 (scoring defense)
6. 2001 National Champion Miami Hurricanes (12-0): #26 —> #40 (rush defense); #70 —> #2 (pass defense); #34 —> #6 (total defense); #5 —> #1 (scoring defense)
The rankings tend to show that every national champion over the past five years had the foundation for a good defense the year before they won a title. Compare that to the past two years of the Irish defensive rankings, and it appears our team might be another year away from a championship caliber squad unless we see some dramatic improvement (see Parts I, II & III for the possibilities):
2004-2005 Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense (15-8): #4 —> #34 (rush defense); #116 —> #103 (pass defense); #54 —> #75 (total defense); #46 —> #53 (scoring defense)
Next time we’ll look at the recent national champions and look at similar factors (returning starters, returning coaches, and strength of schedule) to see how those factors compare to the 2006 Notre Dame defense.
Go Irish Go
