Turnovers

[Gopher07]

Been a really rough go of it from a turnover perspective. We're putting the ball in opponents hands too much and not getting enough of them to counterbalance.

Through four games:
2015: -2 turnover differential (-0.5 per game)
2014: +3 (+0.75/game) - ended the season with +0.7 per game
2013: +3 (+0.75/game) - ended the season with +0.3 per game

Turnovers aren't the whole story, but they're obviously super important. As Bill Connolly from Football Study Hall puts it:

Let's say your team is talented enough to win around 6 games. For every 0.5 in turnover margin that they are able to achieve, you can expect around 1.25 extra wins.

Over the course of a 12-game season, a team that averages -0.5 turnover margin per game would win 5 games (all other things being equal, which is a ridiculous statement in this context I know), while a team that averages +0.7 margin per game would win 8 games (what we did last year).

Can we turn around the turnover story this Saturday? It could go a long way toward making things a lot more respectable. Get turnovers, don't turn the ball over ... big keys if we want to win on Saturday, especially because we haven't shown that consistency yet this year.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Last year we averaged 1.54 turnovers per game and 2.31 forced per game. This year it is 2 per game and 1.5 forced per game. Both need to get better for us to be successful.

 

[60's Guy]

Last year we averaged 1.54 turnovers per game and 2.31 forced per game. This year it is 2 per game and 1.5 forced per game. Both need to get better for us to be successful.

Our coaching staff history says it will get better! Starting this Satuday. (I hope) ha

 

[Gopher07]

Our coaching staff history says it will get better! Starting this Satuday. (I hope) ha

Would go a long, long way. Just look at this weekend's opponent. They punched above their weight class when they beat Stanford (winning the turnover battle 2-0), got a P5 win on the road over Duke (winning the turnover battle 3-2) and proceeded to squeak by a mediocre at best Ball State team last weekend (losing the turnover battle 3-1).

If we win the turnover battle 3-1 this weekend, I think we'll win the game.

 

[beavergopher]

Having BBC on the bench won't help that stat. He came up with a couple huge ones last year.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

Having BBC on the bench won't help that stat. He came up with a couple huge ones last year.

True. But Myrick's got a little ballhawk to him. I'm counting on Claeys to rattle their freshman QB and force him into some mistakes.