Todd Orlando and the First Defensive Series

[Htown77]

The defense played well against Iowa State.

My overall points was just:
1. I wish Orlando would stop giving up free points on the first drive of the game (especially since we play so many close games); and

2. There is no need to be surprised when our defense looks terrible at the start of the game and gives up points. It is normal for some reason and has no bearing on how the defense will play the rest of the game.

 

[wadster]

They average 35 a game and I guess you missed that play where the receiver was 15 yards behind the closest defender for a 70+ yd TD. We got torched and were lucky they didn't score more.

D played pretty well. You have to look at the whole game. So many 3 and outs. First 5 drives yields like 4 first downs. Yet we only gave up 10 pts in the first half. Should have held them to 20 total if Roach doesn't jump. Their other FG was a career long too. I've bagged on TO all year, but since the starters came back they are night and day better.

 

[Htown77]

Todd Orlando really is "defensive Greg Davis". I have never seen anything like it where the defense is just plain terrible at the start of the game, then can turn around and play well the rest of the game.

Tech scoring by quarter:
1st: 14
2nd: 7
3rd: 3
4th: 0

Today, Tech had two long touchdown scoring drives to start the game on their first two drives. After that, the Tech offense had more difficulty scoring as the game progressed.

The Texas defense also played its best in the last third of the season.
Avg. points allowed first 4 games: 25.5 points per game
Avg. points allowed middle 4 games: 37.5 points per game (ouch!)
Avg. points allowed last 4 games: 22 points per game (K-State scored 7 on a kick return which does not count against the defense)

The defense was not good in the first third and was horrendous in the second third. However is in the last third of the season, holding teams to 22 points per game is certainly enough to win in Big 12 play. The defense, on the whole, improved in the last third of the season. However, I really wish Orlando could get it together at the start of games.

I mean, it is really amazing how terrible the defense can be on the first series or two and how it has no bearing on how well the defense will play the rest of the game.