Solid metrics across the board for Saluki offensive and defensive units after two games
- Tom Weber
- Sep 8
- 4 min read
CARBONDALE, Ill. — After two games, advanced metrics look solid on both sides of the ball for Saluki Football, with a slight edge to the defense.
While it’s still a relatively small sample size — with one game against a Division II team and another versus a Power Four squad — here’s a closer look at each unit’s performance so far this season.
Offensive Line
The offensive line is playing clean football with zero penalties assessed against the unit through two games. Impressive, considering the crowd noise at Purdue.
The line is excelling in pass protection. Of the three sacks allowed this season, none were attributed to the offensive line (two were by the tight ends, one was by a running back). The O-line has been beaten by a defender only 10 times and allowed four QB hurries, but again, none resulted in sacks.
The O-line’s run-blocking grades are average. The way the line is graded is by how many times they either positively or negatively affect the play (note that on most plays, the effect is neutral). Looking at the numbers, the average grades are mostly the result of not many positively affected plays.
RT Cameron Dye is the team’s overall top-graded offensive lineman, and RG Derek Harden Jr. is the team’s top-graded pass blocker.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
