MORGANTOWN -
Any West Virginia University football fan knows the defense has struggled mightily this season. This defense is on pace to be the worst in WVU history.
WVU has already given up 279 points through seven games. That is an average of 39.8 points per game. At that pace, the Mountaineers will allow 518 points this season before playing a bowl game. That would shatter the previous record of 364 points allowed in the 1978 season. WVU allowed 363 points in 2000 and 348 points last year.
WVU is statistically one of the worst defenses in the country in numerous categories. There are 120 FBS schools in the nation.
CATEGORY
|
RANK
|
STATISTIC
|
Total Defense
|
113
|
500 Yds. Per Game
|
Scoring Defense
|
115
|
39.8 Pts. Per Game
|
Pass Defense
|
120
|
360 Yds. Per Game
|
Red Zone Defense
|
97
|
86% Scores Against
|
3rd Down Defense
|
113
|
51.5% Conversions Against
|
4th Down Defense
|
82
|
57.1% Conversions Against
|
First Downs Against
|
106
|
24.2 Per Game
|
West Virginia is also home to one of the worst defenses in the Big 12. There are 10 teams in the conference. These statistics are in Big 12 games only.
CATEGORY
|
RANK
|
STATISTIC
|
Scoring Defense
|
9
|
53 Pts. Per Game
|
Pass Defense
|
10
|
422.8 Yds. Per Game
|
Total Defense
|
8
|
564.8 Yds. Per Game
|
First Downs Allowed
|
10
|
109 Allowed
|
3rd Down Defense
|
9
|
61.2% Conversions Against
|
4th Down Defense
|
9
|
66.7% Conversions Against
|
Red Zone Defense
|
7
|
88.5% Scores Against
|
West Virginia's pass defense ranks last in the Big 12 allowing 422.8 yards per game. That is a full 25 yards per game worse than Baylor, which is ninth in the Big 12 in that category.
If there is one thing WVU is doing relatively well, it is stopping the run. West Virginia is also average in terms of forcing turnovers, although this coaching staff preached all offseason that it was putting a huge emphasis on forcing turnovers. Early in the season the team performed well in that category scoring two defensive touchdowns off of turnovers in the first three games.
These are national rankings in the respective categories. They show where WVU ranks among the 120 FBS teams in the country.
CATEGORY
|
RANK
|
STATISTIC
|
Tackles For Loss
|
28
|
6.86 Per Game
|
Rush Defense
|
40
|
133.4 Yds. Per Game
|
Sacks
|
41
|
2.29 Per Game
|
Turnovers Gained
|
79
|
10 This Season
|
Interceptions
|
75
|
5 This Season
|
Obviously all of these statistics point to West Virginia's inability to stop its opponents. Not only are the Mountaineers failing to stop the opposition, but they are failing to hold them to field goals instead of touchdowns.
WVU has allowed 36 touchdowns through seven games in 2012. That equals the total number of touchdowns allowed in 13 games last season and the number of touchdowns allowed in the entire 2002 season. WVU allowed just 15 touchdowns in 13 games in 2010. WVU is on pace to allow 67 touchdowns this season.
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