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Look, I'm not going to lie. I saw the OU game in 2007 and the Clemson game in 2010. The corner is turned, yo. We had that thing at 14-7 with just a few ticks left in the second quarter, folks. At Clemson! And, our OL was poking holes in a big defensive line - against Clemson's first team in the first half! Guys, we are going to crush Rice and Army. I know most of you don't believe me yet. But, you will. And, I'm sticking with my prediction that we blow out FAU in Boca Raton. Also, I'm telling you now, we can hang with and beat Kansas State in the finale. These aren't pipedreams anymore. We're not hitch-hiking anymore; we're riding!

Why would ANYONE think that ANY GAME that we play this year would/might be a cake walk????......

I think Vito did an excellent job reporting on this game...especially considering he had to stand outside the stadium.

I know. Can you believe it, 1195 hits!! 50 post? Go figure.

Let' see (bare with me, going off memory) Coach Dodge spoke about the great atmosphere at Clemson. Away coaches have the choice of when they want to come out, 1st or 2nd (don't think i knew that). Dodge wanted his team to come out first to soak it all in. He was proud of his team. They battled until the very end. He said the team was down on the bus after the game, they thought they had a chance to win. Film yesterday (or this morning?) was filled with a room fool of focused kids. He said they're confident but know they've got some things to work on. (I liked hearing that) Clemson gained half their yards on 5 plays. Lance showed his explosiveness. On the shuffle play late in the game, Georgio thought he was gone but got tripped up from behind. Dodge said that's only the 2nd time he's seen Lance get caught from behind. The other was against WKU and he "took some ribbing" on that one. Dodge seemed pleased with our 3rd down conversions. Offensive penalties and mental mistakes have to be corrected. He talked about the infamous celebration penalty. Talked about being unselfish and they've talked about it all offseason. Players don't need to "bring glory to themselves." (Thank you Dodge for saying that) He put them in a bad position. Even though its up to the defense to get a stop, giving a team like Clemson the ball on the 50 is not good. Injuries: Ford may be back. Bennie Jones will not be. The kid worked hard and earned a scholarship.....Dodge was disappointed for him. Bragged on Lippo stepping up when J.J. Johnston went out. (I don't remember but I believe he expects him to be back Saturday. Um...... That's all I can muster right now...

Was it a questionable call? Yes Would the ref had called that on a Clemson player? Probably not. But we have to be smart enough to know that going in to the game. In these "guarantee" games we have to be near perfect to pull off an upset. That includes mentally. One stupid play can totally swing the game and that was it. I don't understand how anyone can defend him. He wasn't showing emotion. Pumping his fist or letting out a roar would have been showing emotion He posed after he made the TD. He said look at ME. He said I'm COOL. Could the ref have kept the flag in his pocket? sure. But that's the chance you take when you do something selfish and say "forget the team, look at ME." If I get a ticket for going 74 in a 70, could the officer let me go? Sure. But I know the law, I have no defense. I was speeding. "but come on, I was only 4mph over". Doesn't matter. A rule's a rule. They don't always get enforced but when they do, how can anyone defend it? Again, we have to be near perfect in these games. Especially on the mental side. Hopefully he learned from it. I'm sure he'll be getting a little extra conditioning this week. But the bottom line is, he put his whole team in a bad position.

- Linebacker Corico Hawkins on Lance Dunbar - "Dunbar can definitely play in the ACC any night, the SEC, the PAC 10, the Big 12, anything you want to call it. He is an exceptional running back. He will have a great season this year and I see why he is one of the top candidates for the Doak Walker Award." - Bart Wright, columnist for the Greenville News - This was a team from the northwest suburbs of Dallas expected to do very little, that came in with an offensive and defensive game plan that kept Clemson guessing all day long, on both sides of the ball. You could say Clemson was out coached and chances are nobody on the Tigers' coaching staff would put up much of an argument. http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1800&ATCLID=204988743

I like that kool aid you're drinking. Feel free to share. +1 for boundless positivity.

Something like this? I wouldn't mind a penalty every time if our guys came up what the great Icelandic soccer team FC Stjarnan comes up with.

Crappy call. Alot of you need to pull the stick out of your asses. Showing some emotion after the score should be allowed. It's not like the whole team gathered and pulled a grenade blast celebration.

No game will be easy this year.

Your football IQ is somewhere in the Corky range. (Life Goes On, Corky - Not Nelson Corky.)

You absolutely get Derek in when you can. That benefited him yesterday for in case something were to happen to NT, and more importantly to prepare Thompsonfor the future. Rick

I don't get the "defense is terrible, thank God we have Canales!" mentality based on this game. In the one stat that matters and given this team's recent history, I think holding Clemson to 35 at home is a heck of a lot more impressive than scoring 10. I'm not saying the defense is back or that the offense is worse, but let's just all slow down a bit here, eh?

I do not agree with you on this one. There is a really good chance that Thompson is going to be the QB around here for the next two seasons. That would be the case unless some stud recruit comes in and beats him out...not likely. Due to this fact, you get Thompson in any game you can so he can learn the speed of the game, and get reps against someone other than his own defense. The LAST thing you want to happen is for him to start next season without any additional game experience other than that drive against Ark. St. Tune is going to be the guy this year...no doubt about it, but Thompson would greatly benefit from some game action. Too many of you are sadly, to no fault of your own, used to NT throwing QBs to the wolves. This is actually a luxury to be able to get Thompson some time in games when everything is not riding on his shoulders. It will make his transistion to starting QB much easier.

Who all is going to be tailgating this weekend? What are you cooking? I will be and im going to probably be cooking boudain and jambalaya. Going to eat plenty of rice since the Mean Green is going to eat Rice on Saturday. GO MEAN GREEN!

Got back from Clemson this evening. Clemson has the detail and manicured campus of Oklahoma State's, the fan hospitality of Nebraska's, the pregame party of LSU, the stadium of texasU, accessibility of U Lafayette all sitting in the middle of rolling foothill mountains covered under 80 foot Pine, Cyprus and Oak trees. And it is a very easy place to get to from here. Coming back today we made it from Suwanee, GA(northeast of Atlanta)to Dallas in eleven hours, forty five minutes. If you ever get a chance to go this is the one place you should make for an out of town game. I was very proud of our team and how they played all things considered. I liked how this team handled themselves under pressure, not looking overwhelmed, moving the ball and forcing Clemson to punt and never giving up. Here's a shot I got of Darius Carey's touchdown. Other than for the loss this was one of my favorite road trips of all time. I'm looking forward to opening day at home next Saturday. I'll post more photos later. Rick

Brief Memories of a 10 Year Old Kid It would be Jess Neely's Rice Owls versus John Bridger's Baylor Bears at Rice Stadium. It was navy & white versus the green and gold. I was 10 years old and my eyes were wide open walking inside Rice Stadium on what I remember was a beautiful, Fall day in Houston off South Main. I was a guest of 2 of my pals whose dad was Superintendent of the Danbury (Tx) ISD--my school from the 1'st grade thru the 12'th. My friend's dad had some great tickets provided to him by a local Humble (Get A Tiger In Your Tank) Oil & Refinery employee. Humble Oil Refinery (later Exxon) was the main sponsor of Southwest Conference football back in that era and would be years later. My school's superintendent and my dad were good friends, fellow deacons at the local church and his 2 sons (as stated above) were 2 of my best friends. THAT SPECIAL AROMA YOU CANNOT FORGET: Can you recall that special aroma that you smelled at college football stadiums, especially underneath in the concessions area? I can still smell it; you know, the cigar smoke (when you could smoke at a stadium), the aroma of cotton candy, popcorn popping at each vendor station, roasted peanuts, etc, etc, etc. It was a smell I would even detect at our venerable Fouts Field, Denton, Texas, America. THE FAN'S PRE-GAME WALK THROUGH: I remember watching old men (35 years old & above when you're a 10 old) walking under the stadium along with their sons with binoculars wrapped around their necks, ie, Mr. Joe College Football Fan. Many of the gents of that day were still even wearing suits, for hat wear they wore fedoras or stetsons and that depending on if you were a businesman or a rancher (or both). I believe Texas and SWC broadcasting legend Kern Tips may have even been in the huge Rice Stadium press box calling this SWC classic. (I would find out later that all SWC football games were considered classics). I can still close my eyes and see vendors underneath that cavernous stadium who were trying to rent out to fan heading to their seats those old almost worn out stadium seats which went for .75 each as I recall. At Rice Stadium you almost needed those for protection against those weather worn splintered wooden bleacher seats which we had even at our 30 yard line seats. (Because I was on a kid's budget allowance from my parents, I didn't rent one of those stadium seats and I paid dearly with a nice splinter in my derrier--just another one of my memories that took place at my first college football game and at the Home of the Fighting Owls). Duly Impressed Was I: Continuing the pre-game walk through under the stadium I was impressed with how host Rice U were being good SWC neighbors to their Waco guests by allowing a kiost of Baylor gear being made available for their Baptist friends. This would be a nice assortment of Baylor Bear pennnants, green/gold pom-poms, baseball caps with BU in giant letters with a grizzle-looking bear on the front, too. I didnt' realize that visiting team's gear kiosts was a tradition at all college stadiums across the USA but again.......it was my first college football game. The End of the Innocense? 1961 was a most innocent time in America for all of us Baby Boomers who lacked for nothing, but we as "boomers" were smart enough not to ask for much, either. Most of our dads (my own at Dow Chemical/Freeport) had good paying jobs but were seldom considered rich although most of us kids thought they were. Our moms were mostly all stay-home moms, too, raising their kids while our dads brought home the bacon. John Kennedy was President--Lyndon Baines Johnson, Vice President--Price Daniel I believe was our Governor; and some guy up in Austin with the initials DKR was well on his way of building a real Lone Star "Giant" (but one that wouldn't have Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean and Rock Hudson in its cast). DKR's school even changed their colors from halloween orange to a most unique shade of orange you might see in a nicely laid (yet quite smelly) pile in the pastures of any Texas ranch. (I Don't Know Why I even brought this UT thing up in the first place other than the fact that that was my dad's favorite SWC school and so--I honor you, Dad & like most all of us Baby Boomers at this juncture of our life experience... you are sorely missed). Yet here it was, Game Day & Kick-Off time at the stadium home of Rice University--Texas' own Ivy League'esque "Harvard on the Bayou" which Houston sportscasting legend Morris Frank would call it many times on his Saturday radio football roundup show which I believe was on KPRC radio. Rites of Passage: College football game watching for those of us country kids who got lucky in 1961 would become important to yet another generation of young boys all across the great state of Texas. Once as a grown-up, you can ignore it or even avoid it for awhile due to life's circumstances or a Saturday work schedule, but you can never completely shake it once you've truly been exposed. At age 10, I caught my own personal fever for college football in Houston, Texas, America @......Rice Stadium--Home of the Fighting Owls and the Marching Owl Band, ie, the MOB. GMG!

Unblievable!! Some things never change!!

I see what you are saying, and that was my initial issue. And to a degree, it still is. But, if we correct our turnovers in the redzone, 24-35 sounds freakin' amazing for UNT considering where Clemson and UNT have been. Keeping the ball in our hands and away from Clemson was greatness. Eventually, we will be awarded for it. In reality, we have a LOT to work on. Mistakes, busted plays here and there, stupid penatlies, etc. But, on the other hand, there is reason to see this year as a little different.

I noticed two other guys making plays (and sure tackles) in the second half : #35 Zach Orr and #22 Ryan Downing I really think that Orr is going to be a big time player before he's done at NT.

We will crush Army....Rice? not so sure. We gotta convert in the red zone and stay away from giving up the big play. Positivity is great, a win would be better.

When? The time he said that no matter how much pizza you buy them or how much you have your people bend over backwards to support their flag football game, they may not be the most logically consistent or reasonable people on earth? I paraphrase slightly, of course...

Completely agree... Can't we reserve judgment until we play through more than one game? To everyone who wants a head coach that scored 10 points in his mean green play calling debut: we are living that dream. Are you sure you don't want to wait a little longer before making a statement you might regret? Dickey was right about our fans.

Don't know why this didn't occur to me before...

My first college game was the 1980 Cotton Bowl last second win by Houston over Nebraska. It was strange as my dad had never been what I would consider a football fan. He took me(7 years old) and my brother(10) to our fist college game. We had no connection to either school but he knew that my brother and I were football fanatics even at such a young age. It was bitterly cold but I was in awe to be in such a large stadium that was packed to the hilt with fans. The finish was amazing as the Cougars won on a last second touchdown pass into what seemed like quintuple coverage. Even with the last second heroics, the thing that I remember for some strange reason is the chant I kept hearing over and over again. Eat 'em up beat 'em up Rah Rah Rah. For some reason I thought that was the coolest thing ever. My first Mean Green game was 1994 vs Montana. I can still see Mitch on the field as time expired. He just needed one more play. We were this close to beating a team that was ranked either 1 or 2 in the country at the time. I was hooked instantly. I can say that I will actually miss Fouts as I have had some of the best times in my life there. See ya later McNeese, last second win over Oregon State, shootout over Utah State, storming the field after NMSU, smoking Baylor like cheap cigar. Realizing that my future wife(an Aggie) was the "one" when she went to see a game at Fouts on her birthday while we were dating and wore Mean Green Gear and cheered for UNT with everything she had. Damn I'll miss that place.

but that would have been cool and totally worth it!

sure. you have way too much faith in the sunbelt.

lol

Vito was just playing to some unfounded speculation on here earlier in fall camp, I can't think of a time the number 2 QB on the depth chart for the season did not see action in that season anywhere in the history of football ever.

I've been up reading all all your posts....quite frankly I agree with most of them. We made a few coverage mistakes..it cost us. We made some crappy/non tackles and it cost us. The biggest was obviously the endzone "taunting" call. That penalty has happened more than once to us....WHY !!! Tune was cool as a cucumber....he has good speed once he decides to move his feet..that's the problem as I see it..he may be waiting too long to "panic" and he loses that initial getaway step. Once he gets away, he seems to make decent decisions.(against Clemson). Offensive line was too slow at first but made great adjustments and had a great game in my opinion with the run blocking and pass blocking. Sure Tune got sacked...but the line can NOT hold out that size and speed forever, and Tune actually stepped into the the rush due to his own delays at times. I'M SO PROUD OF OUR OFFENSIVE LINE. Defense was good for a first game...caused more of 3 and outs than I expected....and secondary coverages caused Parker probs. Yes they have 2 good backs that had some good gains. But big plays will happen, theirs turned into points. Their regular stuff..did not ! We did a good job with that overall. We can all nitpick the hell out of this team for the next 11 weeks. But here's the thaaaaang, For about 50 minutes of this game, our team's performance told the Clemson crowd to "Sit Down and Shut UP" in their own house. What a feeling, huh...when has silence been so golden ???? For once, this was not our typical opener bodybag game...WE WERE NOT MANHANDLED !!!

I called it first. It is so obvious that we have not a real good coach in a long time. If we lose Canales, we lose.

Well, since you use three plays in the last game of the season last year to burn one year of eligibility, why would you burn a second in meaningless mop up minutes? This assumes that Coach Dodge meant what he said when he annoited Tune the starter for the complete year, no if, ands, or buts. Baine could have come in for the mop up job. Let's asssume Coach Dodge meant what he said, and Tune stays healthy the whole year. Your only use for Thompson is mop up duty, and you burn 2 years of eligibility for nothing. But GMG.

"I could probably grade yesterday's performance, but after thinking about it awhile, I think I need to give credit to the North Texas group causing our performance to appear less than what it was. They have a pretty darn good coach, as he coached a Texas HS team to 4 of the past 5 5A state titles - so the man knows how to coach. That doesn't always translate to the college level, but in his case, I think it does. Also, Dunbar could play on anyone's team. We have excellent defenders and he was moving thru them easily most times. The guy is simply that good. And their QB and WR's are EXPERIENCED, and were very good last season. They might be even better this year. Anyone that doesn't think NT will win a bunch of games this season is not looking. We beat a very solid, well-coached team that was firing on all cylinders. We just outplayed them. We'll be fine." Wow.

What else are you going to do in South Carolina on a Saturday night? Thier cousin is taking the weekly bath and they might as well visit a message board while waiting their turn.

I already said I was wrong. After 40 years of dreaming, give me a break!

Yep. Comparing two guys who aren't playing quarterback for us next year. Gotta love the offseason. Who's a better tackler: Zombie Landry or Zombie Ditka? [Edit: not about any specific post, just the general madness that overtakes us so close to the season starting]

Just wanted to say thanks to all the great Mean Green fans who showed up for the UNT-Clemson watch party at Fox and Hound Saturday. We had a super crowd...I am estimating at well over 50 with the crowd spilling out into the main dining area. The manager told me that for the next watch party we could have the main room if we would like. He said it was the largest crowd we had ever had the their place. Anyway, thanks to all for making it a great day to be a Mean green fan. Personally, I enjoyed everything about the day...including how well the Mean Green played against Clemson. Also, thanks to Tasty for taking a bit of time out to talk to me and my bride about what we should be doing in Athens and Crete in a couple of weeks. There were lots of GMG.com members in attendance and it is ALWAYS good to talk to them in person. Got to meet Eulessismore and Mean Green Matt as well (nice to talk to a fellow soccer fan, Matt). This, on top of seeing lots of other fans and GMG.com posters! I think everyone went home happy with the event and the way the Mean Green played. The next Alumni watch parties will be for the Army game and several sites are being set up around the state at various Buffalo Wild Wing locations. Check out the Alumni web site for a location near you! GO MEAN GREEN! GO ALUMNI!!!!

Beat Rice GMG

Bless you and your work, MGB.

I would bet on Rice beating the spread and winning this one unfortunately. They played #5 UT to a 34-17 game to open the season. We plyed unranked Clemson to the tune of 35-10. Unless Vegas didn't like what they saw from UT and they now think Clemson is the better team I don't see us winning this one. I'm going to go with Rice 42 UNT 31. Big plays kill us again. Until I see our defense not give up 2-3 50+ yard plays a game I don't see us winning the close ones.

Yup, in another thread I said that it is probably a must win for both schools and coaches. But because we are playing in Fouts, I will give us the edge.

out offense had the ball 42 minutes, and only scored 10 points. our defense was on the field for only 18 minutes, and gave up 35 points. what am i missing that gives some of you so much optimism? just asking.

I went to a handful when I was really young, but the first one I remember well was in 1994 and we lost in the waning seconds. Mitch Maher had a shot to win the game at the end of the 4th quarter but we couldn't complete the TD pass. It might have been the Montana game mentioned earlier? I recall I had gone up to Fouts that afternoon after taking the SAT in the morning, sat in the newly installed aluminum bleachers. Made conversation with acouple of older college kids around me who must've wondered how I knew so much about the team(or thought I was a TAMSter).

"the ref doesn't make the rules, he enforces them. our player was wrong, and deserved the call. it was a bush league grandstand from a player who showed no class and acted as if he had never see the end zone before. his action was a selfish play, which cost us a td. sit him down for a game and maybe he will grow up." I strongly disagree. Our player did nothing wrong.

WSU is terrible, but otherwise I disagree entirely with that.

http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1800&ATCLID=204988749

Canales is the next head guy at NT! sooner or later

I think it was considered more of a taunting of the fans because he sort of made the motion towards them - which to be fair I have seen called elsewhere before.

Positive thinking people!! Our motto should be 1 down 5 to go!! We win even if we lose!