So let’s look at a little DFEI.
2017 - 6th against the #12 offenses.
2018 - 29th against the 8th.
2019 - 42nd against the 14th.
2020 - 37th against the 34th.
2021 - 47th against the 10th.
2022 - 8th against the 9th.
2023 - 6th against the 10th.
2024 - 2nd against the 40th.
Let’s keep in mind it’s likely that the 2024 offensive version has improved their standing over the regular season due to the Georgia/Clemson games.
Based on these metrics, it’s worth noting that our 2024 SEC-SEC-SEC schedule was not a gauntlet.
The obvious and clear jump in the Sark era is on the defensive side of the ball. There is a clear influx of offensive talent over the Herman era although his accumulation of offensive guys was underappreciated (don’t take that to mean Herman is the second coming). More depth pretty much everywhere.
There is some consideration to the QB gets too much credit and too much criticism theory. It’s certainly present here. And ironically enough the defense, and it’s players, get considerable criticism in prior years even though they’ve been the better unit for 3 years running.
As an example in the Bama 2023 game, since that’s the premier game in the Ewers era. That was tied for their 2nd lowest point total of the season. The defense set our offense up at the Bama 30 and the 5 and represented the only game in which Milroe threw two picks. Yet there’s a little talk about the defense in that game.
So, yeah, it’s not clear that Ewers is better, or more important, to his teams success than Sam. And for those that want to post up Ewers for the team’s success but rail on those defenders probably need a bit of an ass whipping.