Spiff's Spots of Observation and Other Statistical Nonsense

[SpiffCoug]

WOOT! WOOT!! Can you say winning streak?!

Now that I've finally defrosted from the game, here are some things I noticed while freezing my tuckus off and by updating my spreadsheet.

- After nine games of dinking and dunking, BYU finally went deep often. BYU averaged 18.1 yards per completion and 10.2 yards per attempt. Both were season highs. Previous highs were 15.1 ypc vs Virginia and 8.6 ypa vs UConn.

- Here are the ypc and ypa numbers for the three pervious starts for Stewart (ypc: 10.5, 11.3, 11.3); (ypa: 6.5, 6.8, 7.0).

- BYU had a season-low five penalties.

- The Cougars are averaging 27:15 time of possession. I know it's a meaningless stat, but it is the lowest ToP since at least 1993. BYU had the ball ofr 25:31 against UNLV.

- Last year BYU averaged one point per 55.0 seconds of ToP. This year BYU is averaging one point per 49.8 seconds of ToP. That's an increase in efficiency of 9.5%. It's the seond best rate for a Bronco-led BYU squad. For the record, I don't know if this stat means anything.

- For a comparison, here are points per ToP under Bronco/Anae.
o 2012 one point per 67.0 seconds
o 2011 one point per 63.2 seconds
o 2010 one point per 71.8 seconds
o 2009 one point per 52.1 seconds
o 2008 one point per 53.5 seconds
o 2007 one point per 65.1 seconds
o 2006 one point per 49.4 seconds
o 2005 one point per 58.8 seconds

- Against UNLV BYU had a season high of 13 explosive plays. The Cougars had just 15 explosive plays in the previous four games combined.

- After going 4 of 4 on 4th down against Nevada, BYU has gone just 1 of 5 since.

- The Defense has given up 323 yards passing in the last two games. That is fewer yards than Virginia, Utah St, UCF and Boise each had.

- But the defense has not forced a fumble since the UCF game.

- Fans seem to think BYU gives up a lot of conversions on 3rd and Long, but it's really not true. I track 3rd and Long (7 or more yards) conversions, and BYU has yielded on just eight of the last 47 3rd & Long (.170) attempts. The season rate is .244.

- The Cougars have forced 19 punts the last two games.

- UNLV ran just three plays inside the red zone last week, a season best for the BYU Defense.

- Ross Apo had his first catch of the season. He was targeted twice. He now has one catch on seven targets this year.

- Christian Stewart has proven quite adept at throwing to WRs. Against UNLV the PER, when throwing to WRs, was 158.18. It was 146.55 against Middle Tenn. Even in the blowout loss to Boise it was a solid 139.12. In the last four games, the WRs have 75 catches for 968 yards with 7 TDs and just one INT.

- If you are a betting man, just don't take BYU his year. They have failed to cover in seven of the last eight games. Favorite or underdog doesn't matter.

- Bronco is now 16-1 (.941) against teams in a grey helmet. He is 1-0 against teams in an orange helmet (which is what I believe Savannah St's helmet color is). That lone orange win came against UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl in 2010.

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[Mars]

Thanks for these.

[SenorCougar]

Great job!