Defensive Stats: 2025 vs 2024

[UConnJim]

Four games into the season, it's pretty clear that the defense is not performing as well as last year, so I looked up the stats for comparison. What really stood out to me is that the defensive stats are a downtick across the board with the exception of sacks, tackles for a loss, and passes defended. Does anybody realize that UConn is ranked #7 in sacks at 3.5/game vs last year ranked #64 at 1.9/game? Or tackles for a loss, ranked #31 at 6.5/game vs. #47 at 5.8/game? This year, it seems the defense is more aggressive going after the passer, but it also seems to be leading to more big plays. And, the defense this year is loaded with new players, especially on the DL with 5 out of the 6 main rotational players new to UConn.

Stats:

Total Defense: 2025: #111 (408.5 yards/game), 2024: #46 (347.3 yards/game)

Scoring Defense: 2025: #94 (27.3 points/game), 2024: #42 (23.1 points/game)

Rushing Defense: 2025: #77, 2024: #39

Passing Defense: 2025: #112, 2024: #60

Passes Defended: 2025: #28, 2024: #24

Opponent 3rd Down Conversion: 2025: #51 (34.5%), 2024: #4 (29.7%)

Opponent 4th Down Conversion: 2025: #99 (66.7%), 2024: #36 (47.8%)

Red Zone % Touchdown: 2025: #69 (58.8%), 2024: #9 (37.2%)

Opponent Long Scrimmage Plays:
10+Yards: 2025: #107, 2024: #46
40+ Yards: 2025: #98, 2024: #27

Sacks: 2025: #7 (3.5/games), 2024: #64 (1.9/game)

Tackles for Loss: 2025: #31 (6.5/game), 2024: #47 (5.85/game)

 

[gopher2]

I wish I hadn't looked at this. Scariest stat to me is opponent long scrimmage plays.

Better get better! I think we will.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Ok how did we regress so much? It seemed like we were lined up for continued success?

 

[huskymedic]

Ok how did we regress so much? It seemed like we were lined up for continued success?

Not so sure we were “lined up for continued success” w/ 9 new starters on defense (DBs Chadwick and Brinson were only returning starters). Defense has had its positive moments but depth (and injuries) are hamstringing them.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I think we all were concerned about the front seven and so far that's what's happened. Hopefully they improve across the final two-thirds of the season.

 

[Kowalski]

Ok how did we regress so much? It seemed like we were lined up for continued success?

We didn’t return any of last year’s starting DL, linebackers or safeties. They were replaced with portal players that most of us probably never saw play. So I never understood why so many expected the D to be lined up for success. The quality of UConn’s defense was the obvious unknown coming into the season.

Hopefully, this new group will improve as the season progresses. We say glimpses at Syracuse.

 

[Purple Stein]

I'm surprised by the sack numbers and tfl numbers. I don't feel like we get much pressure in the opponent backfield at all.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Each of the past few years roughly half of our starting defense (~90% this year) are players new to the program. It will take some time for understanding of assignments, communication and trust of other players to maintain their assignments to reach the level where the defense will be as competitive as we want.

One thing we're going to need to start doing in order to get where we want to be is bringing in players to develop through the system and augment this with a starter or two from the portal. Turning over half of your defense from year to year can only be successful if the new starters were already in the system. If they are for the most part portal additions there will be a learning curve that spills into the season.

 

[uconnfan68]

Ok how did we regress so much? It seemed like we were lined up for continued success?

Gourdine and Stafford covered a lot of ground.

 

[LetsGoUC]

Yikes

 

[businesslawyer]

Ok how did we regress so much? It seemed like we were lined up for continued success?

How did we regress so much? We returned a whopping 1 defensive starter. On what basis did you believe our defense was lined up to be as good as it was last year?

I had absolutely no friggin idea how our defense would be this year.

 

[CTBasketball]

How did we regress so much? We returned a whopping 1 defensive starter. On what basis did you believe our defense was lined up to be as good as it was last year?

I had absolutely no friggin idea how our defense would be this year.

I am still holding out hope that we develop nicely come Week 6-7. Brock can turn it around.

 

[giddyup]

I am still holding out hope that we develop nicely come Week 6-7. Brock can turn it around.

Would be nice. The silver lining is we lost 2 games in OT so we are in positions to win. Even a moderate D improvement improves our chances of success quite a bit. The bad news: if you have a mule in a horse race it doesn’t matter how big the whip is.

 

[Jetskies]

I am still holding out hope that we develop nicely come Week 6-7. Brock can turn it around.

Jetsky speaking from experience -

it's the hope that kills ya

 

[CTBasketball]

Would be nice. The silver lining is we lost 2 games in OT so we are in positions to win. Even a moderate D improvement improves our chances of success quite a bit. The bad news: if you have a mule in a horse race it doesn’t matter how big the whip is.

Here enter the story of Sea Biscuit. A moderately overweight but sluggish looking pony who was heavily undersized, looked more like a mule.

 

[husky429]

I'm not worried about the scheme issues considering the amount of new pieces. You've gotta expect some defensive trip ups when the guys are all still learning to be a unit.

What does concern me is the d-line being able to get downhill and put pressure on the QB. That's a strength/desire/size issue that can't be remedied with scheme. Sometimes you've just gotta be bigger, stronger, badder.