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Topic: A look at MAC-game only stats
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L.C.
11/22/2023 12:43 PM
Edit - Now updated to reflect Final Stats, and added a new stat, "ability to Rush the ball into the endzone from Red Zone"

Comparing MAC teams based solely on performance in MAC games equalizes things for differences in non-conference schedules. The numbers can be found here:
https://getsomemaction.com/stats.aspx?path=football&year=...

Offense:
Scoring - Ohio #7 at 22.9
Pts/Red Zone opportunity - Ohio #9 at 4.67 (some math required for this number)
Yards - Ohio #4 at 347.7
total yards/play - Ohio #6 at 5.2
Rushing Yards - Ohio #8 at 137.1
Rushing yards/play - Ohio #8(tie) at 3.7
Passing Yards - Ohio #3 at 210.6
Passing yards/Attempt - Ohio #4 at 6.9
Pass Efficiency - Ohio #3 at 128.5
Sacks given up - Ohio #2 at 15 in number, #3 in yards at 963
Penalties By - Ohio #6 at 51
First downs - Ohio #2 at 21.1
3d down conversions - Ohio #2 at 43.8%
4th down conversions - Ohio #6 at 53.3%
Ability to rush the ball in from Red Zone - #11 31.1% of the time

Defense:
Scoring - Ohio #1 at 15.4
Pts/Red Zone opportunity - Ohio #1 at 4.07
Yards - Ohio #1 at 264.4
Total yards/play - Ohio #1 at 4.7
Rushing yards - Ohio #1 at 96.0
Rushing yards/play - Ohio #1 at 3.3
Passing Yards - Ohio #2 at 168.4
Passing yards/attempt - Ohio #1 (tie) at 6.1
Pass Efficiency - Ohio #3 at 117.4
Sacks By Ohio - #4 at 31, #5 in yards at 168
Opponent Penalties - Ohio #2 at 59.8 yards/gaem
Opponent First Downs - Ohio #1 at 14.2
Opponent 3d down conversions - Ohio #1 at 29.5%
Opponent 4th down conversions - Ohio #5 at 46.2%
Ability to prevent rushing TDs from Red Zone - #11 24.1% of the time


Margin=Offense-Defense
Points - Ohio #3 at +7.5 (behind Toledo 14.9, Miami 11.0)
Yards - Ohio #2 at +83.3 (behind Toledo 98.9)
Time of Possession - Ohio #1 at 33:25

Special Teams:
Net kickoff distance - Ohio #10 at 39.1 yards
Net Punting - Ohio #9 at 35.4 yards
FG Percentage - Ohio #7 at 65.4%
Kickoff Returns - Ohio #7 at 18.4 yards
Punt Returns - Ohio #11 at 2.7 yards

The one important stat that is missing is turnover margin. As I pointed out earlier, Ohio is undefeated when they are even or better in turnovers. All we have on this website is interceptions. There is no mention of fumbles at all:
Interceptions thrown - Ohio #5 (tie) at 9
Interceptions by Ohio - #2 at 12

Since we don't have Total turnover margin for MAC games only, let's look at all games:
Ohio #3 (tie) +.4

As you glance through these numbers, they confirm most of what we already knew. Ohio had a great defense, and was at or near the top in every area. Meanwhile, Ohio's Offense was towards the middle of the MAC. Passing was pretty good, but was held back by the lack of punch to the rushing attack. If they rushing had been a bit more successful, that would have opened up more success in passing.

Meanwhile, the third aspect of the game, special teams, Ohio was in the bottom half. This is an area where Ohio can improve, and needs to improve, as special teams can make a difference in the critical, close games.

Ohio's standing in these numbers may or many not improve after the final game. Akron has it's issues on offense and special teams, but their defense is pretty solid (#6 in total yards, #5 against the run, #3 against the pass).
Last Edited: 11/26/2023 7:29:04 AM by L.C.
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OhioCatFan
11/22/2023 12:51 PM
Thanks, L.C. This is very comprehensive. Those defensive stats are most impressive. If that was coupled with an offense that was as good as last year’s, we’d be undefeated and headed to a NY6 Bowl game. Oh well, as a Cub fan, I know how to say, “Wait til next year” with the best of them! ;-)
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Casper71
11/22/2023 2:13 PM
Great info LC. Note to staff… Go out and find a place kicker that can put the ball in the end zone and a punter.
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BillyTheCat
11/22/2023 2:33 PM
Casper71 wrote:expand_more
Great info LC. Note to staff… Go out and find a place kicker that can put the ball in the end zone and a punter.
We had one and couldn't afford to keep them. Those guys cost money
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L.C.
11/22/2023 4:26 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
... Meanwhile, Ohio's Offense was towards the middle of the MAC. Passing was pretty good, but was held back by the lack of punch to the rushing attack. If they rushing had been a bit more successful, that would have opened up more success in passing.
...

As I reflect on this offensive performance, and the change from last year, my suspicion is that the difference largely comes back to the injury last year to Rourke. First, he didn't get to throw all winter, so that hurt a bit. More importantly, though, I suspect that defensive coordinators knew he wasn't as much of a threat to run as in the past, so they focused on containing the running back, and on pass defense. The other thing was that the loss of Jacoby Jones hurt a lot. The passing offense was a lot more effective up through BGSU that it was after that.
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MonroeClassmate
11/24/2023 4:59 PM
The only MAC stat that mattered in 2023 came from Peden Stadium:

OHIO 16
Miami 30

Go BOBCATS; Bring home another Bowl Victory...
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L.C.
11/24/2023 8:01 PM
MonroeClassmate wrote:expand_more
The only MAC stat that mattered in 2023 came from Peden Stadium:

OHIO 16
Miami 30

Go BOBCATS; Bring home another Bowl Victory...

Nine regular season wins is a good season. Nevertheless, if you look at the stats, there is no reason to believe that Ohio was the best team in the East, much less the best team in the MAC. Ohio finished about where I expected them to in MAC games, and better overall. Go, Bobcats, and bring home a bowl win for a second consecutive 10 win season.
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Casper71
11/25/2023 7:45 PM
Billy, I hope the staff does a metric to see if kicking short is a plus or minus. It just seemed to me opponents started a lot of drives outside the 25. It would be an interesting analysis. I also wonder if it just some kind of coaches preference and not the lack of a kicker that can put it in the end zone.

As for Nil money and kickers one thing I remember about the Miami game is, I believe, he kicked every one of his kickoffs into the end zone if Miami can get a kicker that does that I think we can.
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bobcatsquared
11/25/2023 8:24 PM
The Miami kicker is not a bad one, perhaps the best in the country. He has made all 23 of his FG attempts this season and 33 of 34 XPA.
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L.C.
11/25/2023 11:25 PM
Casper71 wrote:expand_more
Billy, I hope the staff does a metric to see if kicking short is a plus or minus. It just seemed to me opponents started a lot of drives outside the 25. It would be an interesting analysis. I also wonder if it just some kind of coaches preference and not the lack of a kicker that can put it in the end zone.

As for Nil money and kickers one thing I remember about the Miami game is, I believe, he kicked every one of his kickoffs into the end zone if Miami can get a kicker that does that I think we can.

Special teams was a big difference in the Miami game, and it wasn't just their excellent kickoffs, and perfect field goal kicking. Ohio had 4 yards in punt returns, while Miami had 100. Thus, in net punting, Ohio averaged only 29 yards per punt, while, Miami's net punting average was 46 yards.

Looking only at offensive and defense, Ohio and Miami are very close. Ohio actually outgained Miami 363 yards to 291, but that was more than offset by the 96 yards advantage that Miami had in punt returns, plus their advantage in kickoffs, in the 3-3 FG kicking, and in turnovers. Winning the battle of turnovers and winning special teams is very important.

Edit - I have now updated the stats above to reflect end of season MAC-only numbers. Reviewing the final MAC-only stats, Ohio had a great defense, but had two weaknesses that kept them from being a great team:

The first one was the anemic rushing attack, which was one of the worst in the MAC. That, no doubt, reduced the effectiveness of the passing attack, and also reduced the number of points scored. When you can run the ball, you can pick and choose when you want to pass, plus you can force the ball into the end zone, without having to take a FG because of some incompletion along the way.

Ohio was generally #2-3 in total yards and passing stats, but was an anemic #8 in total rushing yards and rushing yards per attempt. Even worse, when it got to the Red Zone, while Ohio was one of the best at throwing the ball for a TD, there were particularly weak in ability to rush the ball into the endzone, coming in at #11.

The second weakness that limited the team is that Ohio had some of the worst special teams in the MAC. In particular, they were #10 in net kickoffs, #9 in net punting, and #11 in punt returns.

Both those weaknesses were at play in the Miami game, and the reasons why Ohio lost. I highlighted the special teams above, but I should add that Ohio had only 50 yards rushing in the game, it's low for the year.
Last Edited: 11/26/2023 7:24:42 AM by L.C.
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