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Hey all. Here's a quick statistical comparison to last season, which FIU also started out 3-2, but played arguably weaker teams (UCF, Alcorn St., Rice, Charlotte, Middle Tenn) than this season. Let's call it a wash for this purpose. Through five games last season, FIU was averaging per game:

Passing yards (2017): 227.2 p/g
Passing yards per attempt (2017): 7.4 p/g
Passing yards per completion (2017): 12.2 p/g
Completion percentage (2017): 60.8%
Passing TDs (total; 2017): 5
INTs (total; 2017): 5

Rushing yards (2017): 137.8 p/g
Rushing yards per attempt (2017): 3.9 p/g
Rushing TDs (total): 6

Points per game (2017): 18.8


Now for 2018:

Passing yards (2018): 245.4 p/g
Passing yards per attempt (2018): 9.5 p/g
Passing yards per completion (2018): 15.7 p/g
Completion percentage (2018): 60.5%
Passing TDs (total; 2018): 12
INTs (total; 2018): 4

Rushing yards (2018): 185 p/g
Rushing yards per attempt (2018): 4.7 p/g
Rushing TDs (total): 12

Points per game (2018): 38.2

Clearly, the offense is playing MUCH better to start the season, both through the air and on the ground. Although our completion % is similar to last year, we are averaging about 3 yards more per completion. On the ground we are averaging about 1 more yard per carry. That has resulted in us averaging 20 more points per game to start the season!

Last year, the offense got much better as the season went on, but I love the way the team has started hot to start the season. Hopefully we can build off these numbers. James Morgan has played excellent (better than McGough so far statistically).

Thanks for pulling that together. My perception was that the offense was slightly better but instead its a huge upgrade.

Im so impressed with the job Butch is doing.

Strosky, the OC should also get a lot of credit. When they were first hired I was skeptical, but he has definitely shown us more than Brent Guy has. I think we need to start figuring out why there hasn't been a step up in Defense.

Weird given how much improved the offense is that we keep swapping QBs?

It is more beneficial to let Morgan continue to improve and let CA play in larger 4th quarter leads than to keep mixing him in. Looks like Butch is over compensating for what happened at the Bowl Game last year.

Either way, we are much improved as we all expected. Some cautiously optimistic due to the loss of McG.

BTW, love the work QB commit (Stone) is doing.

#PawsUp

Actually we are giving up 4.4 ppg less this year through five games than last year.

Thanks for the detailed offense comparison to 2018, ‘Building...and thanks Jules as well, for the defense pot comparison. So far so good. Go Panthers!!