Statistically Speaking - Week Four

Apologies for not doing a 'statistically speaking' last week. Busy week for me, coupled with the fact that I needed time to recover from the Ferrum win - phew.

*With Jeff Highfill passing for 196 yards this past Saturday against LaGrange, he can now find his name in the top 10 passers all-time at Bridgewater - and he's not even halfway through his junior season. He's now No. 10 with 1,485 passing yards.

*You defensive guys listen up. I was finally able to compile the defensive statistics in Bridgewater football history as far back as the records would allow. Come to find out during my research, defensive stats were really only seriously kept starting in 1985. I was able to track interceptions back as early as 1971. I've posted the career top 10 lists for tackles, sacks, pass deflections and interceptions on the record book page of BridgewaterFootball.com. Here the active players who are closest to cracking the top 10 before their careers are over;

-Craig Smith (LB) has 165 tackles, good for 26th all-time
-David Clements (DL) has 10.5 sacks, good for 11th all-time
-Jeff Jones (now a TE) has 7.0 sacks, good for 21st all-time
-Tony Burt (DL) has 6.5 sacks, good for 22nd all-time
-Brandon Orndorff (DL) has 5.5 sacks, good for 28th all-time
-Josh Knight (DB) has 8 interceptions, good for 15th all-time

*Let's take a look at what NCAA statistical rankings the team and individuals find themselves in after four weeks;

-Team, Total Offense (440.5) - 17th
-Team, Rushing Offense (248.3) - 10th
-Team, Scoring Offense (39.8) - 6th
-Team, Scoring Defense (12.0) - 42nd
-Team, Turnover Margin (+1.0) - 46th
-Team, Team Kickoff Returns (23.9) - 39th
-Team, Team Punt Returns (14.4) - 26th
-Team, Team Net Punting (33.0) - 46th
-Phillip Carter, Rushing (99.5) - 41st
-Jeff Highfill, Passing Efficiency (147.4) - 34th
-Brandon Copeland, Punt Returns (15.6) - 19th
-David Argaud, Kickoff Returns (24.5) - 48th
-Luke Taylor, Field Goals Per Game (1.0) - 15th

Several of the players listed above lead the ODAC in their respective categories, like Carter's rushing yards per game, Highfill's pass efficiency, Copeland's yards per punt return and Taylor's field goals per game. David Clements (DL) is tied for the conference lead in sacks per game at 0.75.

*Now for the most interesting statistic, IMHO. The Eagles are a perfect 18-for-18 on red zone chances, 15 of which were touchdowns. It's by far the best red zone offensive production. So much so that Bridgewater is only one of four teams (out of the 234 in Division III) that have been perfect within the 20-yard line with 10 or more tries. There are two schools 11-for-11, and Mount Union is 10-for-10. Maybe this is one good way of looking at Highfill's fourth quarter interception in the Ferrum game. He was on the Panthers' 21-yard line.