stats alone never paint the full picture, there's always a million different variables, but they do say something about the job Shoop did this year (and about the new DC at Texas AM) so here they are, along with where they ranked nationally.

these are all vs Power 5 schools only, there are no FCS schools considered in these numbers

scoring defense - points per game
CLE - 19.1 (4th)
LSU - 21.1 (8th)
ALA - 21.1 (8th)
TCU - 21.2 (10th)
PSU - 21.7 (13th)

total defense - yards per game
PSU - 287.3 (2nd)
CLE - 290.1 (3rd)
LSU - 344.1 (16th)
ALA - 361.5 (25th)
TCU - 368.6 (29th)

total defense - yards per play
PSU - 4.25 (2nd)
CLE - 4.42 (5th)
ALA - 5.00 (18th)
TCU - 5.02 (20th)
LSU - 5.28 (31st)

rush defense - yards per game
TCU - 112.55 (7th)
CLE - 117.91 (12th)
ALA - 120.82 (15th)
PSU - 127.67 (19th)
LSU - 164.89 (51st)

rush defense - yards per play
TCU - 2.98 (5th)
CLE - 3.31 (10th)
ALA - 3.35 (12th)
PSU - 3.37 (14th)
LSU - 4.67 (66th)

tackles for loss per game
CLE - 9.82 (2nd)
TCU - 8.00 (8th)
ALA - 7.36 (17th)
PSU - 6.78 (26th)
LSU - 5.44 (65th)

sacks per game
CLE - 3.64 (7th)
TCU - 2.55 (27th)
PSU - 2.33 (38th)
ALA - 2.27 (44th)
LSU - 1.22 (87th)

pass defense - yards per game
PSU - 159.7 (5th)
CLE - 172.2 (12th)
LSU - 179.2 (14th)
ALA - 240.7 (63rd)
TCU - 256.1 (78th)

pass defense - yards per attempt
PSU - 5.4 (4th)
CLE - 5.7 (9th)
LSU - 6.0 (14th)
ALA - 6.7 (31st)
TCU - 7.2 (52nd)

passes defended per game
TCU - 6.27 (9th)
ALA - 6.00 (11th)
LSU - 5.78 (17th)
PSU - 4.89 (36th)
CLE - 3.91 (70th)

interceptions per game
TCU - 2.18 (4th)
PSU - 1.33 (17th)
ALA - 1.00 (29th)
CLE - 0.73 (70th)
LSU - 0.67 (73rd)

fumbles forced per game
TCU - 1.09 (30th)
CLE - 1.00 (31st)
ALA - 0.64 (55th)
LSU - 0.78 (59th)
PSU - 0.56 (78th)

opponent first downs allowed per game
CLE - 15.5 (2nd)
PSU - 15.7 (3rd)
LSU - 16.2 (7th)
TCU - 17.5 (11th)
ALA - 18.2 (17th)

opponent 3rd down conversion
CLE - 45 for 164, 27.44 percent (2nd)
TCU - 51 for 181, 28.18 percent (3rd)
PSU - 44 for 144, 31.25 percent (8th)
LSU - 49 for 135, 36.30 percent (24th)
ALA - 74 for 183, 40.44 percent (54th)

opponent 4th down conversion
PSU - 3 for 10, 30.00 percent (16th)
CLE - 5 for 13, 38.46 percent (29th)
ALA - 7 for 16, 43.75 percent (34th)
LSU - 6 for 11, 54.55 percent (63rd)
TCU - 9 for 16, 56.25 percent (67th)

This post was edited on 1/6/15 at 1:35 pm

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Posted by MastrShake

SoCal

Member since Nov 2008

7281 posts

Posted on 1/6/15 at 1:32 pm to MastrShake

if you assign a 5 to every first place finish, a 4 to every second, a 3 to every third, and so on, then divide by 5 for an average, here's how they would rank

Venables - 12
Shoop - 9.8
Patterson - 9.4
saban - 7.6
"the chief" - 6.2

obviously Venables is ahead here, but take a look at the roster he was handed compared to Shoop. this is each teams most recent depth chart, along with that players composite ranking as a recruit according to 24/7

Clemson

DE - Corey Crawford (SR) 4 star, number 201
DT - Grady Jarrett (SR) 3 star, number 1131
DT - Josh Watson (SR) 4 star, number 5 (prep school)
DE - Vic Beasley (SR) 3 star, number 483 (converted TE prospect)
SLB - Korrin Wiggins (SO) 3 star, number 660 (converted S prospect)
MLB - Kellen Jones (JR) 4 star, number 290
WLB - Tony Steward (SR) 5 star, number 15
CB - MacKensie Alexander (RS FR) 5 star, number 29
S - Jayron Kearse (SO) 4 star, number 216
S - Robert Smith (SR) 3 star, number 1196 (converted DT QB)
CB - Garry Peters (RS SR) 3 star, number 324

Penn State

DE - C.J. Olaniyan (SR) 4 star, number 167
NT - Austin Johnson (RS SO) 3 star, number 981
DT - Anthony Zettel (RS JR) 4 star, number 134 (converted OL prospect)
DE - Deion Barnes (RS JR) 3 star, number 313
OLB - Brandon Bell (SO) 3 star, number 708
MLB - Mike Hull (SR) 4 star, number 183
WLB - Nyeem Wartman (RS SO) 3 star, number 649
CB - Jordan Lucas (JR) 3 star, number 1253
FS - Marcus Allen (FR) 3 star, number 337
SS - Adrian Amos (SR) 3 star, number 952
CB - Trevor Williams (JR) 3 star, number 1202 (converted WR prospect)

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Posted by TigerBlood17

Member since Jan 2014

1460 posts

Posted on 1/6/15 at 2:51 pm to MastrShake

quote:
total defense - yards per play
PSU - 4.25 (2nd)
CLE - 4.42 (5th)
ALA - 5.00 (18th)
TCU - 5.02 (20th)
LSU - 5.28 (31st)
opponent 3rd down conversion
CLE - 45 for 164, 27.44 percent (2nd)
TCU - 51 for 181, 28.18 percent (3rd)
PSU - 44 for 144, 31.25 percent (8th)
LSU - 49 for 135, 36.30 percent (24th)
ALA - 74 for 183, 40.44 percent (54th)

To me, these are the most important stats to look at. Yards per game is skewed by the amount of plays each team runs, but yards per play is a more fair stat to judge off of. And gettin off the field on third down wins games.