gangrene

I would love to be in the position to demand a run at the national championship every year but it just ain't gonna happen. Texas has waited 36 looong years to be back in the position they're in right now. Since 1936 (the first year polling began with the AP poll), there have been a total of 30 schools that can lay claim to being crowned a national champion. And many of those years the national title was shared between two schools. Those 30 teams are: Notre Dame, USC, Oklahoma, Alabama, Miami, Ohio State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Michigan, Texas, Tennessee, Michigan State, Florida State, Penn State, LSU, Pittsburgh, Army, Syracuse, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Washington, BYU, Clemson, UCLA, Maryland, Texas A & M and TCU. Aside from the teams listed above, only 13 other teams have finished ranked in the top 5 since 1970. Those teams are: Houston, Arkansas, SMU, Boston College, Air Force, West Virginia, Arizona State, North Carolina, Arizona, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Oregon and Utah. The way the system is set up now, it's practically impossible for a school in a non-BCS conference to play in the national championship game. Does anyone on this forum truly believe we'd be playing for a national championship this year, had we gone undefeated? Even if we had blown out LSU, we'd be lucky to be ranked in the top 5. The reality is that national respect doesn't come quickly and easily in NCAA D-1 football. It costs a lot of money and requires a LOT of commitment by all parties involved with the program to ensure continued success and progress from one year to the next. We are at a very critical crossroads for this program and we can take one of two directions. We can either learn from this season's failures, regroup, rebuild and re-dominate the SBC next year. Or, we can take the attitude that "it was fun while it lasted" and continue to make lame excuses for why we sucked and everybody else is in a better position than we are (like "those Florida schools"). I fail to see how my expectations for an 11-2 or 10-3 record (that's winning 1/2 of the OOC games, 8-0 in SBC and winning/losing the NO Bowl) are reflective of " the attitude that has afflicted this program for years".

If we were on the playground, I'd push you down and you'd run to the principal's office crying.

Now that's funny!

I agree. I never expect to see the words dynasty and North Texas football in the same sentence...talk about high expectations! We're NOT Miami (private university) and it's not 1970 or whenever they started to turn their program around. We've got very stiff competition for recruiting, fans and media coverage. As long as UT and A&M are around, we'll always be an afterthought. I simply want a football program that can be competitive with Top 25 programs, win half of our OOC games and dominate a conference that even SMU could win every year. I would like a program that Big XII opponents wouldn't mark down as a "win" before the season even started. I expect to get progressively better each year and to occassionally crack the Top 25, but I don't expect us to EVER play for the national championship. At our stage of D-1 football, I still don't understand why we can't do more to promote the program. And, speaking of SMU, I think SMU probably still has fans from their "Mustang Mania" campaign. As I recall, that campaign consisted of a lot of cheap freebies, like stickers, buttons, posters and buy 1/get 1 ticket offers. They got an enormous amount of PR coverage out of it and they had a youth program that included more freebies for children. They were filling Texas Stadium and the Cotton Bowl on a regular basis...but they also a good product on the field that could compete with top-notch programs (even if the players were bought and paid for). I saw a good attempt to promote the UNT football program (with the press coverage of PC ad JT) this year from a media perspective, but there is so much more that could be done. We NEED to fill up Fouts on a regular basis.

but, at 6'9" and 345 lbs, he sure would be an intimidating force to have: http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewp...y=31690&Sport=1

Good eye...he IS a giant! That picture was from 2004, but #76 is Marcus Gordon for Highland CC. He was listed as a 6"6" 320 DL from Memphis, TN. After playing for Highland CC, he transferred to Louisville. It looks like they converted him to an OL and he's listed at #3 on the depth chart at LG behind a 6'4", 300 lb SR and a 6'5", 290 lb SO. He should probably reconsider his decision if wants to get any PT.

PHS Coach has it right. That information is even posted on the UNT athletics website: http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...562&SPSID=37327 All potential walk-ons who are currently enrolled at another institution of higher education (i.e., junior college, community college or four-year college) and currently on the football roster (or at one time have been on the football roster) fall under the category of transfer. Because of this, no member of the North Texas Athletic Department may be in contact with you (regardless if you contact North Texas first) until North Texas receives a release from your current school (per NCAA rules).

NT80 - thanks for posting.

Would it be possible for someone to post and pin (administrators?) what we currently know to be the 2006 schedule? You could asterisk and footnote it so everyone would understand that it's unofficial, but at least it would give all of us a general reference for what we can expect in next year's opponents.

I've already seen 2006 football schedules for MUTS, Troy, LaLa and FIU listed on their "official" sites but I've not seen anything listed on our web site. I know who we're playing because it's been posted here in GMG a few times but it seems that an official announcement, as the other schools have done, could benefit us in several different manners. It could potentially boost excitement and awareness by the average UNT supporter/fan and also serve that same purpose for potential students or student-athletes. I'd be foolish to think that our coaching staff doesn't make next year's schedule available for players they are currently recruiting, but how would a potential walk-on that may have UNT in mind go about finding this information? Texas has released partial schedules through the 2009 season (which only lists A & M). I know that our schedules sometimes aren't finalized until a few weeks before the season starts, but what harm would it do to release the list of teams we are relatively certain we will be playing with TBD dates and times? While searching for our schedule, I also found a link to a forum (all posts are from October) discussing UT's 2006 schedule which includes Sam Houston State. I'll just say that a few comments regarding UNT pissed me off and leave it at that. Here's the link so you can read for yourself: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/sha...l_schedule.html All in all, the timely posting of future football schedules isn't really a big deal but sometimes it's the little things that count.

I know this season was bad, but I hope we will have more than 9 Mean Green fans at the game.

Is it fair to have the national championship game between Southern California and Texas in the Rose Bowl...a mere 16.8 miles from USC's campus??

I guess I was foolish to believe the pre-season hype that this year's version of the Mean Green would repeat as SBC champs and that the tandem of PC and JT would be virtually unstoppable....but I did. I had high expectations of winning 2 or 3 OOC games, sweeping the SBC and winning the NO Bowl for the second time. In hindsight, to say those expectations were too high is a massive understatement. I've attended more UNT games this year (both home and away) than I have in the past 10 years. I'm a UNT alumn and support the school every chance I get, but I am also a huge college football fan. While sitting in the stands watching our boring offense committ penalty after penalty, getting in 4th and 50 situations and turn the ball over time after time, I missed some exciting and GREAT NCAA college football games. I'm extremely frustrated and disappointed with the results this season and I've decided it's time to move on. This love-hate relationship just isn't working for me. Every time I had hopes that the old flame could be rekindled, something else happened to slap me in face and bring me back to reality. Listening and watching the Mean Green will be a hard habit to break , but I'm going to attempt it because the Mean Green are no good for me this season. I'm not one who looks for moral victories and minor improvements. This season has been mentally anguishing for me and I have to take drastic measures before I go into severe depression. So I'm doing it. I'm ending it right now. I'm cutting myself off from attending, watching on TV (do we even have any TV games left this season?) and listening to UNT games on the radio. I'm sure I'll still see the score updates on the ticker, but I will restrain myself from turning on the Radio. My self-imposed ban on UNT football will remain in effect until February 1, 2006...the day in which I hope to see a good class of fresh recruits. Seriously...I've grown so disinterested and disgusted with this year's team that it IS painful to follow. Call me a bandwagoner, or whatever else you choose...but I've had enough for this year. I've got better things to invest my time in so I've done what many on this board have suggested...I've lowered my expectations. Frankly, I don't care if we win another game this season because it really doesn't matter. I was really pissed at a pre-season comment a Texas Tech alumn and friend of mine said when he told me that UNT has nothing to play for (completely dismissing the NO Bowl as a reward). Now, I believe we really do have nothing to play for except experience so we won't have endure that "we're too young" crap excuse again next year. I have no ill will toward any of the coaches or any of the players. I have no opinion as to what should happen with the coaching staff at season's end. I really don't care at this point. I want our program to improve by leaps and bounds but I believe we've taken a MAJOR step backwards this year. I've taken off my green-tinted glasses for this football season, but I'll put them back on for all other sports. GO WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM...BEAT THE HELL OUTTA SMU!!!! Now I'm going to follow the BCS and hope to see one of the all-time best Championship matchups between UT and USC.

I forgot to answer the poll question. Well...let's just say that I don't accept it this year. Winning the Belt and going to a bowl game is nice, but damnit...I want MORE. I want to be competitive in OOC games against Top 25 teams. I want to beat the mid-major schools and gain some national respect as a decent football team rather than simply being the best of the worst. It's sort of like being the smartest kid in Special Ed. This week's Sagarin ratings list the top SBC school as #124. There are only 119 D-I schools so that is a HORRIBLE reflection of our conference IMHO. I challenge UNT, and the SBC as a whole, to step it up a notch and start making some drastic improvements ON the field.

Hmm...I bet the TCU fans would agree with you. But....where would TCU be right now if they had beaten SMU???

I know...it just seems like soooo long ago. Let's hope we "hang half a hundred" on ULL!!

FIU to Play Local Rival Miami in Football Courtesy: Sun Belt Conference Release: 11/01/2005 Courtesy: Associated Press FIU football will meet Miami on the gridiron in each of the next next two seasons MIAMI - Florida International University’s Golden Panthers will face the nationally-recognized University of Miami Hurricanes for football games at the Orange Bowl in each of the next two years. The games will be played on October 14, 2006 and October 6, 2007. They will be the first gridiron meetings between the two Miami-based schools, which are located only 11 miles apart. "From every measurable standard, these games will have a tremendous impact on our program,” said FIU athletic director Rick Mello. “Recruiting, ticket sales, media exposure, alumni out reach, marketing and above all, exposure in our own community will be significantly enhanced by playing the five-time national champion in our hometown. “I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to both Paul Dee and Larry Coker for making this happen. From this day forward, our University will make every effort to ensure these two games are a win-win situation for both programs." "We're very pleased to play Florida International University," said UM athletic director Dee. "Rick Mello had expressed an interested in playing the University of Miami, and as we looked around the country for Division I-A teams, it became clear that Florida International University was a very viable candidate as an opponent. “Since the games will be played at the Orange Bowl, we made a few concessions to guarantee FIU a number of tickets. Maybe this will start something. I can't help but think that this will help FIU's overall program, but also their recruiting and ticket sales. "Now that we will play 12 games every year, we want to play seven home games if we can, and that increases our revenue and is good for our fans," Dee continued. "We've played Florida A&M a lot of times over the years. We played South Florida this year. And we have games scheduled against Central Florida (in 2008-2010). We played Florida State every year and we play Florida intermittently. All of these schools play really good football. It's important that we all play locally." FIU football coach Don Strock added, “This is a great opportunity for a young program like ours to play a team that has won five national championships. I appreciate University of Miami athletic director Paul Dee and head coach Larry Coker for giving us this opportunity. “Being that we are neighboring schools, I’m sure this will be a draw for a lot of fans from both universities and hopefully, become the start of a rivalry that will continue for many more years to come.” "Playing FIU is good for both schools,” believes UM’s Coker. FIU has really upgraded its football program. They have played some Big 12 schools and they traveled to Texas Tech and Kansas State this year. It'll be good for both programs and the fans of both schools. The travel is non-existent. It'll be a special game and a fun game. I think our fans like to see local teams, since they know the players, and the players will know each other, too. FIU will give our fans a reason to come, and it'll draw FIU fans, too."

Completed mine yesterday as well. There's a grand total of one question relating to the athletics program.

1) We have two rushing TDs this year. PC had one against MUTS and Meager had one against Troy. 2) Yes, PC threw a TD pass to JQ agaist LaTech.

UNT score 20+ ??? points??? When's the last time that happened??

I'm guessing OU fans/alumns would have a hard time grasping this idea of relative comparison as well.

From what I have been reading lately, I have come to the conclusion that some of the "long-time" supporters are the ones who are most content with the SBC domination. I think it's sort of like that old story about how some people had to walk 5 miles to school, uphill in the freezing snow. Then, they suddenly got a ride. Even if that ride was in the back of open-bed pick-up truck, it's better than walking. UNT football was walking 20 years ago and now we're riding in the back of that pick-up truck. For those that never knew anything else, they are perfectly happy and content. But some of us have ridden in a Mercedes with heated seats and the idea of freezing our asses off in the back of that truck just doesn't seem too appealing anymore.

Yep.

I can't count how many times I've seen Bomar to Meager comparisons. Now I'm seeing Dickey to Stoops comparisons and comparisons to how OU's disappointing season is similar to ours. What are you people smoking?? These comparisons are simply absurd and most of them are coming from people who suggest that some of us have set our expectations for UNT too high. No school in the nation sets higher expectations for their team than OU. I'm no OU fan and I'm no Bomar fan but you can take a wild guess as to who I would want quarterbacking my team. I also don't think DD should be fired for not winning the Belt this year but there are simply no grounds to compare DD's accomplishments of 4 consecutive SBC titles to what Stoops has done in the last four years either. I used to brag about how we had the second longest conference winning streak but that never seemed to impress anyone (so I'd have to bring out that claim to being the top music school). Only in my dreams would comparisons to OU's football program ever be legitimized. I'm dumbfounded...I just don't get it.

Hey UNTSIG....easy on that negativity unless you want to be called out and strip searched for your right to comment. I agree completely with your post, but I think what we really need to do is define what constitutes a "successful" season. Is it winning the Belt...period. Or, is it winning the Belt AND a couple of OOC games, the NO Bowl and gaining some national respect (i.e. recieving some votes in the "others" section of one of the two national polls)??? Likewise, would everyone be happy IF we won all of our OOC games but lost all of our Belt games?? (I know that wouldn't happen given our OOC competition vs. the SBC competition.) It is not unheard of for a team to have what would be considered a disappointing season and still receive a bowl invite. In fact, it happens every year. My disappointment with this season lies with the fact that I obviously had set my expectations too high. I would have considered this season to be a great success had we won 2 of our OOC games, went undefeated in the Belt and won the NO Bowl. I would have considered it a mild success had we won ONE of our OOC games while playing competitively in the others (except LSU) and swept the Belt again, win or lose in the NO Bowl. I had also hoped for a better year for PC and JT considering all of the national pub we received. It's too bad all of that hype and attention has gone to waste.