The Blue Board

Statistically, it is very close so far. It's difficult to gauge such things, though.

Defensive Stats per game
Category------------2011------2012
Total D-------------183.62---203.13
Rush D--------------72.15-----57.25
Pass D-------------111.46---145.88
Pass Eff D---------83.69-----86.62
Scoring D-----------8.15-------8.13
Turnover Margin---.62--------2.13

You can see we are giving up 20 more yards per game but are more stout against the run, thus forcing teams to pass more. Pass D is giving up 30 more yards, but Pass Efficiency D is more important, and we're within 3 points. Scoring D is basically the same, and we've given up more points with the 2/3s on D than last year, because we've had more games completely in hand early than last year. We are playing almost entire quarters with 0 starters on the field and have given up probably 1/3 of our points that way. Turnover margin is a huge one - we're WAYYY better in that category.

Other categories of improvement from last year:
Category------------2011------2012
Total O-------------429.62----436.38
Pass Eff O---------142.52----184.75 (huge difference)
Scoring O-----------34.85-----40.63

Our average punting and net punting has improved. Our FG kicking has improved with no misses inside 43 yards and several hits from beyond 50.

So while the defense has basically stayed even, our offense and special teams have improved significantly, so we're more complete across the board.

Yes it is. That's the truth.

I was comparing our D this year to your D this year. Not our D this year vs last year. Saying our D this year is more suffocating than yours this year just as ours last year was more suffocating than yours. The difference in my mind was that your last years D was more opportunistic than ours in '11 and would produce timely turnovers and gamechanging plays where I don't feel that is the case this year. I feel our defense is more opportunistic than yours this year and producing a lot of turnovers.