Arizona
Arizona vs. BYU is a battle of elite defenses. Which one is better?
Overpaid and underpaid college football coaches in salary data
USA TODAY Sports’ salary database highlights Hugh Freeze, Billy Napier and Luke Fickell as overpaid, while Curt Cignetti stands out as a value pick.
By almost every statistical measure, the three best defenses in the Big 12 Conference so far this season belong to Arizona, BYU and Texas Tech.
Two of those teams happen to be facing each other on Saturday, Oct. 11, at Arizona Stadium.
Which one actually has the better defense?
That’s what we’re going to explore in this week’s “Cats Stats.” The answer might surprise you.
At first blush, one would give the edge to the Cougars. They’re first in the league in total defense (239.6 ypg) and second in scoring defense (12.2 ppg). The Wildcats are third (244.8) and fourth (15.6), respectively.
Even if you adjust the latter to account for the pick-six against Arizona last week, the Wildcats are still two points worse per game than the Cougars.
But we like to dig beneath the surface here at Cats Stats Inc. Other numbers better illustrate the effectiveness of the UA defense under Danny Gonzales.
The statistic most often cited to measure a defense’s worth is yards per play. Arizona has the edge in that category — over everyone else in the conference.
The UA has allowed 3.92 yards per play. Texas Tech is second at 3.94. BYU is third at 4.06. No one else is under 4.50.
If you separate run and pass defense, you can argue that the advantages each side has basically cancel each other out. But we would argue that the gap between BYU and Arizona against the run is narrower than the gap between the Wildcats and Cougars against the pass.
BYU allows 92.2 rushing yards per game and 2.8 per attempt; Arizona is at 96.6 and 3.0. Not much of a difference.
The Wildcats have the No. 1 pass defense in the conference in terms of yards allowed per game (147.2) and per attempt (4.9). The Cougars are barely behind them in the former (147.4). They’re nearly a full yard behind in the latter (5.8).
Arizona also has a sizable edge in completion percentage allowed (51.3% vs. 57.0%) and sacks per game (2.6 vs. 2.0). Overall, the Wildcats spend more time in the opposition’s backfield, averaging a league-best 8.60 tackles for loss per game. BYU is sixth at 6.20.
Conversion case
Still not convinced? Let’s dig deeper.
Two areas that are critical to team success are third-down and red-zone efficiency. Arizona’s defense has been better than BYU’s, both through five games.
The Wildcats have allowed opponents to convert 25.7% of their third downs. Only Texas Tech, at 25.4%, has been better in the Big 12. BYU is third at 29.7%.
(In a related development, Arizona has been slightly better at first-down prevention. The UA has allowed 13.2 first downs per game, tied with Texas Tech for the fewest in the Big 12. BYU is third at 14.8.)
Arizona is No. 1 in the conference at keeping the opposition out of the end zone once it crosses the 20-yard line. The Wildcats have allowed a touchdown on only 42.9% of opponents’ red-zone opportunities. The Cougars are tied for fourth in the league at 50%.
Who’s better at taking the ball away? Again, at least so far, it’s been Arizona.
The Wildcats average 2.2 takeaways per game, second in the conference behind Texas Tech (2.4). The Cougars are fourth at 1.8.
Even if you include fourth-down stops — Gonzales classifies those as takeaways, worthy of footballs being punctured by the Turnover Sword — Arizona has the edge. The Wildcats have 18 combined takeaways and fourth-down stops, an average of 3.6 per game. The Cougars have 15, or 3.0 per game.
BYU has been better at preventing big plays, but the difference is negligible. The Cougars have allowed 13 plays of 20-plus yards, per cfbstats.com, or 2.6 per game. The Wildcats have allowed 14 — 2.8 per game.
The real deal?
Both defenses have been elite at almost all of the above. BYU has a more extensive track record; the Cougars finished first in the Big 12 in total defense and yards allowed per play last season.
As such, it’s reasonable to believe that what BYU has accomplished so far on defense is real — and wonder whether Arizona is due for some regression. The Wildcats are new to this shutdown business, after all.
Skeptics also might question Arizona’s schedule so far. “U of A hasn’t played anybody.” About that …
We looked at three websites that calculate strength of schedule: ESPN, Sagarin and Massey. Arizona’s average SOS on those sites entering this weekend was 91. BYU’s was … also 91.
Both have faced an FCS opponent from the Big Sky Conference — Portland State (BYU) and Weber State (Arizona). Both have faced a Group of Five foe — East Carolina (BYU) and Hawaii (Arizona). Both have faced a Power Four opponent — Stanford (BYU) and Kansas State (Arizona). Both have played two conference games.
BYU has played one more road game; the ECU contest was in Greenville. Counterpoint: Arizona blew out Hawaii, which defeated Stanford the previous week. And although Stanford has a better record (2-3) than Kansas State (2-4), KSU is considered superior by most metrics. For example, ESPN’s FPI ranks K-State 43rd and Stanford 86th.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake, for one, doesn’t need any convincing. He believes Arizona’s defense is legit.
“Danny’s done a great job with the defense,” Sitake told reporters on Oct. 6. “They tackle well. They’re aggressive.
“Danny’s done a great job everywhere he’s been. He’s from that same lineage as Rocky Long, Bronco Mendenhall and them. So we’re very familiar with the defense.
“But the way he’s able to combine their base coverages with the pressures — he calls a really good game, and he can make things really difficult for any offense. So we’re going to have to be at our best.”
MARICOPA, Ariz. – It’s one of the busiest times of year for weddings in Arizona, usually because the weather couldn’t be better. But this weekend, the heat is changing plans for some couples getting ready to say “I do.”
Marriage is all about adjusting and adapting — something Elle Vanderham and Reece Pocock have had to do. They thought they were going to be married in perfect March weather; instead, they’ll be tying the knot in the 100-degree desert sun.
What they’re saying:
“Everyone comes in March, so we were like perfect, we’ll do it then,” said bride Elle Vanderham. “And then they all got here and everyone is dying.”
Love is heating up in Arizona, and so are the temperatures.
“What’s that saying… when you make plans, God laughs? Yeah, so here we are,” said Dana Schwartz, the bride’s aunt.
Vanderham and Pocock are set to tie the knot this Saturday in Maricopa. The two met when Pocock would come down from Canada for work. They were hoping for mild spring weather, but now they’re preparing for triple-digit heat.
“I’m very ready,” Vanderham said. “I’m just happy I don’t have to wear a felt cap and a suit jacket.”
Schwartz has been helping set up the event. She says changes had to be made to help keep the over 200 guests from all over the world comfortable.
“We brought in coolers and misters. We’re going to have umbrellas for out there,” Schwartz said. “We had to bring in a refrigerated truck because hydration is going to be a big thing. In fact, we had to buy more. You have to adjust the order of things. It’s all you can do.”
Like many Arizonans, they’re taking the heat in stride and rolling with whatever comes — a little preview of married life. Ultimately, they’re just happy to celebrate together.
“I’m very grateful for everyone I have in my corner,” Vanderham said. “And I’m very grateful for all the Canadians who came down even though they knew it was going to be hot.”
What you can do:
If you are attending an outdoor wedding this weekend or any event outdoors, doctors recommend hydrating as much as possible and seeking shade.
The Source: Interviews with Dana Schwartz, Elle Vanderham and Reece Pocock
Tommy Lloyd, Koa Peat, Brayden Burries dissect UA’s Big 12 tourney run
Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd, forward Koa Peat and guard Brayden Burries break down their Big 12 tournament win over Houston.
SAN DIEGO — At 7-foot-2, Arizona center Motiejus Krivas is one of the nation’s premier defensive centers. The junior out of Lithuania is a key part of the reason that Arizona forces its opponents to shoot their 2-pointers an average of 7.0 feet from the rim — the 11th highest mark in Division I. But for his NBA Draft stock, the question will be how valuable that skill set is in the modern NBA, given Krivas’ limited impact further from the basket. Here is where he ranks on a handful of notable big boards.
- Tankathon: 51
- The Athletic: 73
- ESPN: 27
- CBS: 30
This season, Krivas is Arizona’s fourth leading scorer, averaging 10.5 points per game on 58.2% shooting. He’s taken just 12 threes on the season, although he has made four of them. As for his impact elsewhere, he’s averaging 8.1 rebounds and an impressive 1.8 blocks per game. His profile is rounded out by 1.0 assists and 0.7 steals per contest.
Farmington, Farmington Hills push for revitalization of Grand River
Elderly driver sentenced to probation in West Portal crash that killed family of 4
Dallas Police tweak off-duty job rule after saying man impersonated police
Fire tears through longtime Miami Gardens home of retired teacher
National Park Service removes historic films about mill workers in Lowell
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Pritzker pushes prosecutions of Trump officials as part of Dem ‘Project 2029’ agenda
Iran’s Khamenei says enemy ‘defeated’ in written Nowruz message
Gold Trump coin moves forward after Treasury invokes rare authority
Meet the longtime biz partner of Ilhan Omar’s husband as questions swirl over her skyrocketing net worth
‘Nobody can blackmail us’: Leaders excoriate Orbán’s veto
-
Detroit, MI2 days agoDrummer Brian Pastoria, longtime Detroit music advocate, dies at 68
-
Oklahoma6 days agoFamily rallies around Oklahoma father after head-on crash
-
Nebraska1 week agoWildfire forces immediate evacuation order for Farnam residents
-
Georgia5 days agoHow ICE plans for a detention warehouse pushed a Georgia town to fight back | CNN Politics
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMassachusetts community colleges to launch apprenticeship degree programs – The Boston Globe
-
Alaska6 days agoPolice looking for man considered ‘armed and dangerous’
-
Colorado1 week ago‘It’s Not a Penalty’: Bednar Rips Officials For MacKinnon Ejection | Colorado Hockey Now
-
Southwest1 week agoTalarico reportedly knew Colbert interview wouldn’t air on TV before he left to film it