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Texas Tech football: DC Keith Patterson has had very Tech-like defenses

By Matthew Conner

TEMPE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 24: Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson of the Arizona State Sun Devils runs drills prior to the game against the California Golden Bears at Sun Devil Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils won 51-41. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 24: Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson of the Arizona State Sun Devils runs drills prior to the game against the California Golden Bears at Sun Devil Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils won 51-41. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

2014 Arizona State: Patterson’s defense allows over 400 yards per game in a debut season in Tempe

If you asked most Texas Tech football fans if they would like to have a defense that ranked No. 81 in the nation, they would jump all over that.  Unfortunately, having only one top-100 defense in the nation for the last six years will make you accept what is actually less than mediocre.

Unfortunately, a slightly below mediocre defense is the best that Patterson achieved at first at Arizona State when his unit ranked No. 81 in the nation in 2014.  Allowing 417.1 yards per game, the Devils finished in the bottom 35.2% of the defenses in the country but were good enough on that side of the ball to have a 10-3 season.

At No. 49 overall against the run, ASU was actually better than average allowing 157.4 yards per game.  While they did give up five 200-yard games, they also held three opponents below 100 yards as a team.

As per usual, the Devils were vulnerable through the air ranking No.103 in the country at 259.7 yards per game allowed.  But that year, only three teams threw for more than 300 yards on Patterson’s unit.

Again, Patterson was able to craft a defense that got to the QB.  With 39 sacks, ASU ranked No. 13 in the country and fourth in the PAC 12.   ASU produced yet another 10-sack player in defensive tackle Marcus Hardison while nine more Devils had at least two sacks.

In 2014, ASU was also particularly adept at taking the ball away.  Finishing the season with 27 turnovers forced, they ranked No. 24 in the nation.

That’s an area where Tech has struggled in more seasons than not.  Last year, the Red Raiders took the ball away only 18 times, 78th in the nation, which was far below what most David Gibbs’ defenses have historically ranked in that critical category.

But despite having just an average defense, ASU managed to win ten games in 2014, something that Tech has not done since 2008.  The key for the Devils was in their scoring defense, which held six opponents under 30 points and three conference foes below 20.  If Tech can field a similar defense in 2019, a ten-win season would not be out of the realm of possibility given how mediocre most expect the Big 12 to be.

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