Was the objective to count alligators or drain the swamp? To compare what new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco accomplished at Cincinnati during 2009 or the dismal showing of Tenuta and Brown at Notre Dame? Probably neither.
The point being, what do Irish fans have to look forward to in 2010 with Diaco calling the defensive shots? Remember nine of eleven Irish starters from the Charlie Weis era return. FBS Rankings out of 120 teams. You decide.
Total Defense: Cincinnati - 67th Notre Dame 86th
Scoring Defense: Cincinnati 44th Notre Dame 63rd
Rushing Defense: Cincinnati 61st Notre Dame 89th
Passing Defense: Cincinnati 78th Notre Dame 76th
Sacks: Cincinnati 10th Notre Dame 89th
Tackles for Losses: Cincinnati 3rd Notre Dame 48th
Passes Intercepted: Cincinnati 50th Notre Dame 23rd
Passing Efficiency Defense: Cincinnati 82nd Notre Dame 59th
Red Zone Efficiency Defense: Cincinnati 89th Notre Dame 15th
First Downs Allowed: Cincinnati 86th Notre Dame 72nd
Third Down Efficiency Defense: Cincinnati 69th Notre Dame 67th
Fourth Down Efficiency Defense: Cincinnati 111th Notre Dame 101st
Punt Return Yardage Defense: Cincinnati 89th Notre Dame 105th
Kick Off Return Yardage Defense: Cincinnati 32nd Notre Dame 69th
Fewest Penalties Per Game: Cincinnati 12th Notre Dame 69th
Not a defensive statistic, but looked impressive enough to include)
Also, the punt and kick off return yardage on defense is obvious a special teams issue, however the majority of the players participating play on defensive.
The two early story lines coming out of Cincinnati were that on defense the Bearcats replaced 10 of 11 starters in 2009 and that the game plan was always to score quickly and often on offense. Well it got the Bearcats as far as the Sugar Bowl and Florida.
NOTE: This post obviously lends itself to a simple table. Unfortunately after struggling mightily, the entire SAS staff could not get Goggle to work or cooperate. Pasting, tabbing, inserting, aligning, all failed. Thus a redundant post.
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