Actually, our defense was way better this year statistically than we were in 2014. We were pretty good in 2012 and 2013. He's not that bad. I'm sorry but look at Manny Diaz. His D didn't bring the house down until 2009. 2006-2008, we lost to ULL, Arky St., and FIU. We never beat Troy. We had Troy beat in 2006 and the D completely buckled. In 4 years with Manny, we won 27 games. With Nix, we've won 29. I would also argue that in 2009, Diaz was the beneficiary of a really good Tony Franklin offense. It did play a part. We can criticize Nix all we want, but I agree with Wiley, our O put our D in some really bad spots. Basically, if our O took better care of the football and scored from the opponent's 1 yard line, we would have won 10 games this year including the bowl game.
You may say "You're crazy". But if you re watch the bowl game, you'll see 3 things.
1. The D got a great pick on WMU's 20 yard line. We get down to the 1 as we have a lot and didn't punch it in and got 0 points. Had we got that, the game is tied late in the 4th and Stock doesn't have to force a throw that caused the pick that sealed it.
2. We were driving with momentum near halftime and Parker loses the football. Had we not done that, we are getting points.
3. Collis TD called back. I thought it was BS but the O had a chance to get a huge score and didn't use complete discipline to ensure the TD.
Do those 3 things on O and we win by 10.
In the VU game, we get to their 1 yard line and we don't punch it in. Do that and we win by 3.
Also, we got to their 25 on a 1st down and turn it over. If we don't do that, we get 3-7 more points. Neither one of those things have to do with the D.
In the Illinois game, our special teams allow a punt block return for a TD and in the 4th Q last drive, we call run plays that chew clock instead of getting us closer or scoring a TD. Either point would have won it. Neither point was on the D.
We win 10 games and no one cares about the D. I'm not defending Nix but we played pretty good at times and the O didn't do their part and Stock knows it. We just did a complete overhaul / upgrade on O and I don't think it was by accident.
Yes, we got gashed by LaTech and WKU but we were on the road and the O stunk in those games by going 3 and out a lot and turning it over a lot too. Bama, hell, we played them better than Michigan State did and just as good as UGA did. Not upset there.
