Auburndawg
New Fish
SoDawg1 has posted a thoughtful case for why Sark should return for year 6. His thesis is basically this:
"The DAWGS have IMPROVED as a team EVERY YEAR under SARK. The fact that various variables have impacted the team and caused the 'Record/Result' to be the same, does NOT mean the team is not better and improving."
I agree that it is possible for a team to be improved, but not have that improvement be reflected in more wins. But SoDawg1 does not offer any data to support his thesis. Like most Sark supporters his assertion is based on his observation of how the team plays.
When you look at the actual numbers, however, it is hard to see any real improvement since 2009.
First, of course there is the won lose record in the PAC-12, 4-5, 5-4, 5-4, 5-4, 3-4.
Now lets look at some statistics, just looking at PAC-12 games, because teams play different non-conference schedules, making it hard to get an apples to apples comparison.
Scoring Offense
2009 24 pts per game/5th in the league
2010 21 pts/7th
2011 30 pts/5th
2012 23 pts/9th
2013 34 pts/4th
Total Offense
2009 355 yds per game/5th in the league
2010 363 yds/6th
2011 397 yds/7th
2012 359 yds/10th
2013 455 yds/5th
Scoring Defense
2009 25 pts per game/7th in the league
2010 31 pts/8th
2011 32 pts/9th
2012 24 pts/4th
2013 30 pts/8th
Total Defense
2009 379 yds per game/7th in the league
2010 393 yds/7th
2011 418 yds/7th
2012 357 yds/2nd
2013 429 yds/9th
So, yes the offense is better this year, but the defense has taken a big step backwards. The main thing is, I don't see "improvement every year;" I see a team that was in the middle of the PAC statistically in 2009 and is still there today.
Lets break down our record in PAC-12 games. I divided the games into two categories, games against teams with winning league records, and games against teams with losing league records:
2009 2-3 against teams with wining records. 2-2 against teams with losing records
2010 1-2 against teams with wining records. 4-2 against teams with losing records
2011 0-3 against teams with wining records. 4-1 against teams with losing records
2012 2-2 against teams with wining records. 3-2 against teams with losing records
2013 0-4 against teams with wining records. 3-0 against teams with losing records
Improvement? Well, we haven't lost to a bad team this year, but in past years we won a game or two against good teams.
Finally, there are blow outs; losses by 29+ points:
2009 0
2010 4
2011 2
2012 3
2013 1
What does it say that the only Sark team that didn't suffer at least one rout was the team made up of Ty's recruits?
I think the reason people think they see improvement is due to our ridiculously weak non-conference schedule, and the good fortune of playing Cal and Colorado - two of the worst PAC-12 teams in living memory - at home.
The numbers say this program has not improved significantly since 2009. And college football history says 5 years is plenty of time for a coach to show what he is capable of.
"The DAWGS have IMPROVED as a team EVERY YEAR under SARK. The fact that various variables have impacted the team and caused the 'Record/Result' to be the same, does NOT mean the team is not better and improving."
I agree that it is possible for a team to be improved, but not have that improvement be reflected in more wins. But SoDawg1 does not offer any data to support his thesis. Like most Sark supporters his assertion is based on his observation of how the team plays.
When you look at the actual numbers, however, it is hard to see any real improvement since 2009.
First, of course there is the won lose record in the PAC-12, 4-5, 5-4, 5-4, 5-4, 3-4.
Now lets look at some statistics, just looking at PAC-12 games, because teams play different non-conference schedules, making it hard to get an apples to apples comparison.
Scoring Offense
2009 24 pts per game/5th in the league
2010 21 pts/7th
2011 30 pts/5th
2012 23 pts/9th
2013 34 pts/4th
Total Offense
2009 355 yds per game/5th in the league
2010 363 yds/6th
2011 397 yds/7th
2012 359 yds/10th
2013 455 yds/5th
Scoring Defense
2009 25 pts per game/7th in the league
2010 31 pts/8th
2011 32 pts/9th
2012 24 pts/4th
2013 30 pts/8th
Total Defense
2009 379 yds per game/7th in the league
2010 393 yds/7th
2011 418 yds/7th
2012 357 yds/2nd
2013 429 yds/9th
So, yes the offense is better this year, but the defense has taken a big step backwards. The main thing is, I don't see "improvement every year;" I see a team that was in the middle of the PAC statistically in 2009 and is still there today.
Lets break down our record in PAC-12 games. I divided the games into two categories, games against teams with winning league records, and games against teams with losing league records:
2009 2-3 against teams with wining records. 2-2 against teams with losing records
2010 1-2 against teams with wining records. 4-2 against teams with losing records
2011 0-3 against teams with wining records. 4-1 against teams with losing records
2012 2-2 against teams with wining records. 3-2 against teams with losing records
2013 0-4 against teams with wining records. 3-0 against teams with losing records
Improvement? Well, we haven't lost to a bad team this year, but in past years we won a game or two against good teams.
Finally, there are blow outs; losses by 29+ points:
2009 0
2010 4
2011 2
2012 3
2013 1
What does it say that the only Sark team that didn't suffer at least one rout was the team made up of Ty's recruits?
I think the reason people think they see improvement is due to our ridiculously weak non-conference schedule, and the good fortune of playing Cal and Colorado - two of the worst PAC-12 teams in living memory - at home.
The numbers say this program has not improved significantly since 2009. And college football history says 5 years is plenty of time for a coach to show what he is capable of.