By Pete Pelegrin
Twitter: @Petepelegrin

FIU (4-2) resumes play of the 2017 season Saturday when the Panthers travel to Huntington, West Va. to take on Marshall. The Panthers haven't had much success against the Thundering Herd in their history. FIU is 1-4 against Marshall in the all-time series that began with a meeting in the 2011 St. Petersburg Bowl when FIU was in the Sun Belt Conference. The Panthers beat the Herd for the first time last season at FIU.

Last week FIU coach Butch Davis joined me to talk about the Panthers offense midway through the season. Now here's a look at the FIU defense and special teams and how they have fared six games into the 2017 season compared to the 2016 season.

FIU has increased the number of tackles for loss and interceptions from a year ago after six games. The uptick in TFLs is double-digits. However, the Panthers have registered fewer sacks in 2017 compared to last season after six games.

"I think there are two areas I would have liked to have seen [improve] and hopefully in the second half of the season," Davis said. "Our coaches are working phenomenally on creating turnovers in practice and it hadn't really happened for us until [the Tulane game]. We did finally create and got some interceptions. If you keep putting the time and effort into trying to make them happen eventually you'll start making them happen."

FIU's turnover margin is the same after six games in 2016 and 2017, which is -6. FIU turned the ball over 10 times last season compared to four times by the opponent at the midway point of the season. This year the Panthers have 11 turnovers to the opponents' five giveaways.

A year ago after six games the FIU defense had two interceptions. The Panthers have three so far this season. FIU has recovered two fumbles after six games in both the 2016 season and this year.

"The second thing is pressure and sacks on the quarterback," Davis said. "The Tulane game was probably the best game we have had thus far, even though the number of sacks was only three, there were a lot of times that the quarterback was under pressure. If he had held on to it a little bit more we might have had eight sacks. But he threw long overthrown balls or he threw it out of bounds or into the ground. That's an area that we can dramatically get better in the second half of the season."

FIU has 39 tackles for loss this season compared to 27 last year. This season the Panthers have three less sacks (8) compared to 11 last year after six games.

The FIU defense has improved in allowing less rushing and passing yards from a year ago and also less points (see the numbers below). The Panthers are also better in the red zone defensively from a year ago.

FIU kickers are one reason the special teams have contributed to the 4-2 start. Kicker Jose Borregales is slightly ahead of the pace set by Austin Taylor last season. Punter Stone Wilson has improved on his numbers from 2016.

Wilson, who earlier this season won the Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week award, has put the FIU defense in good field position with his punting.

"Stone Wilson only had to punt one time against Tulane," Davis said. "I would love to play a game that he never has to punt because we score touchdowns and field goals. The one punt he had was 44 yards. He has been excellent. His get-off is good. His hang time is good. It gives you time to cover. He doesn't get nearly enough credit.

"Jose is getting a lot of credit for making the field goals but Stone has had to deal with some inconsistent and erratic snaps from time to time," Davis said. "He has bailed us out. He has gotten that ball when it's high, inside, low and got it down on the ground, spun around and Jose trusts him to get it that way. That gives Jose a lot of confidence because Stone has saved some bad snaps."

Borregales is 9 of 10 on field goals. Taylor was 8 of 9 last season at this point.

Wilson has added over five yards to his punting average from 2016. Wilson had a 37.5 average last year to his current 42.8 average per punt. Wilson's long last season was a 58-yard punt at UMass. He hit a 67-yarder in the 2017 season opener at Central Florida. He has also knocked six punts inside the 20, including one downed at the Charlotte 2, which was a big reason the Panthers held off the 49ers in a 30-29 win.

FIU hasn't had anyone break a kickoff or punt return for a touchdown yet but the Panthers do have several athletic speedsters that can at any moment.
Freshman Bryce Singleton had a 44-yard kickoff return at UCF. Singleton had a long return against Tulane called back because of a penalty.

"Bryce Singleton is one of those kids that has stick-and-ball sense," Davis said. "Some kids grow up with it that you just say let's go play basketball, softball, shoot pool or let's play ping pong. He would pick up the stick and he would be pretty good at it. He's got really good hands and as a freshman I would say he is one of the more mature freshmen coming in that the stage isn't too big for him. He doesn't get caught up in all that stuff. He just does his job. He's going to have a good career here."

FIU defense 2017 vs. 2016 (through the first six games of each season):
Scoring allowed: 154 points (25.7 per game); 201 (33.5)
Rushing yards allowed: 1054 yards (175.7 yds per game); 1252 (208.6)
Passing yards allowed: 1219 yards (203.2 yds per game); 1264 (210.6)
Total offense allowed: 2273 yards (378.8 yds per game); 2516 (419.3)
1^st downs allowed: 128 in 2017; 128 in 2016
3^rd down conversions: 26 of 76 (34%); 33 of 84 (39%)
Red zone defense: 21 of 26 (81%); 16 of 18 (89%)
                                 (16 TD, 5 FG); (12 TD, 4 FG)
Sacks: 8 in 2017; 11 in 2016
Fumbles recovered: 2 in 2017; 2 in 2016
Interceptions: 3 in 2017; 2 in 2016