The Fake Lonnie Finch

Okay, I'm fully back on the "It's Coaching, Stupid" train. Forgot about Sacto State nutting up on Oregon State. FIU is Sun Belt. We are Sun Belt. Can Dodge's recruiting have been so piss poor that our talent level is less than an FCS school? Surely not. I'm expecting better. The coaches - namely Dan McCarney, who is happening to be our head coach this season - said, "No Excuses." Fine. No excuses. Get you ass out there and win!

I still say, it's mostly coaching. But, look...I've also said the game is won and lost in the trenches. If we don't have the size and talent, we don't have the size and talent. I guess there's not much McCarney could have done about that. Still, I don't like excuses and whatnot. They're bothersome for a school our size.

Agree. 164%, agree. Our new uniforms are great. I like the green. Everyone else you listed, their uniforms just suck. Maryland were almost the most ridiculously stupid in the history of football. They'll never catch up with Oregon, who lead the pack by far in awful uniforms. I'm embarrassed for Georgia. Unlike Boise and the rest, they do have some football history and shouldn't have to resort to uniform shenanigans for attention. Shame on, Georgia's athletic department! Fire the AD and the coach. I fully understand the TCUs and Boise States of the world needing to build national recognition because they either: (1) sucked for so long, or (2) have no real football history. Georgia falls into neither category, and shouldn't do this kind of thing. In fact, no SEC or Big Ten team should get into this kind of chicanery. Non-Big Ten and SEC who should never join in uniform tomfoolery are: Texas Texas A&M Oklahoma Nebraska Colorado USC UCLA Notre Dame Classic schools whose players have won Heismans and whose football teams have won or played in championship games should never get involved in this crackpot uniform scheming. There is another problem in college football: throwbacks. Hell, all the helmets looks the same until the 1960s. There is no "throwback" at many schools. UNT - we'd have no problem with throwbacks. But, like OU or Texas...do you really want to see those two just run out in plain white helmets? Awful. Stop the insanity!

I thought this after the FIU game. But, after driving up to watch Tulsa against OU, I see the real problem: We do not have enough FBS-quality offensive or defensive linemen on our roster. In short, Todd Dodge didn't know what he was doing on or off the field. That last years' OL was anchored by Dickey recruits should have been a sign. Nice kids that Dodge recruited, I'm sure. But, very few of them have turned out to be FBS-quality players. And, that really hurts on the lines. So, if the team gets crushed this season, it's because we have mainly FCS-quality players playing a 12 game FBS schedule.

Texas has a Longhorn Network problem. Pac-12 would require them to share equally, same as SEC and Big Ten. My guess is, because Texas is a selfish program, they will attempt to cobble together some sort of Big 12 with the remnant of the old Big 12. They need enough schools that don't mind being pushed around by them. I just don't see Texas getting a Pac-12 invite because they'll be outvoted; which, they in no way want. Having seen their SWC and Big 12 shenanigans, the old guard of the Pac-8/10, will not allow Texas to just come in and ruin their conference as well.

Agree, that perhaps what we have can be servicable in the Belt. But, outside of that...we'll see how it goes against generic C-USA offensive line in Tulsa. As to the DTs, I've already stated my preference that they throw Brooks and Thompson into the fire. If we're going to get beat, let's at least have some guys in there who are already big enough to fit the part learning the part. The other weird TU-OU note I left out is that the punters for TU and OU are brothers, Cole and Tress Way. And, TU's Way, Cole, can sky the ball, folks. He had OU's Ryan Broyles calling for fair catches no matter what part of the field he kicked from. TU's gunners we're at Broyles well before the ball got there many times. This was also interesting: A guy both UNT and Tulsa recruited, a JUCO QB named Milton Howell, started at CB for Tulsa. Tulsa's defense is largely intact from last year, and they hit hard. But, OU just had more guns all the way around. Notably absent for Tulsa was defensive back John Flanders - the guy who intercepted Notre Dame in the end zone with about 20 seconds left in last year's game to seal that upset. Flanders in academically ineligible. That's probably the reason Howell was starting at CB.

Riley isn't the starter. So, whatever he did in spot time against KU is kind of irrelevant. The reality of it is, he's the #2 guy at an FCS school. LAWRENCE, Kan. — Sure, it was a loss. Nevertheless, McNeese State showed flashes of good things to come in a 42-24 season-opening setback on Saturday night to Kansas. The offense accounted for 420 total yards, with 325 coming through the air. Cody Stroud threw for 215 yards and a touchdown on 22 of 27 passing. He also punched in a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter. Backup Riley Dodge threw for 107 years and a touchdown on 9 of 14 passing. Let's just be glad we now have a coaching staff who will be recruiting FBS-level talent from here on out at all positions, QB included.

Went to watch alma mater #2 get crushed by OU. It got me to thinking about our fate this season, and the results of seasons past. First, OU had a walk-on running back rush for 131 yards and 4 touchdowns. http://newsok.com/dominique-whaley-gives-oklahoma-fans-players-an-unlikely-week-1-hero-to-pull-for/article/3601227 While it's not right to bash kids, let's be honest. If a walk-on who hadn't played a game in three years blows up for 130+ yards and 4 TDs, your offensive line in dominating. You have to wonder about a guy like Lance Dunbar would like like behind a serviceable line. At places like OU, you could stick Grandma Moses and tailback and she'd give you good production. Second, OU's defensive line play was sick. An end knocked down two passes and intercepting another. That's a good night for a defensive back. This was their starting DE. I am reluctant to blame former coaches on current results. But, when you look back, Dodge's best offensive linemen were guys Dickey left behind. The same can be said of the DTs. And, thus far, I think it's been a push with the DEs. We've debated for years that first recruiting class of Dodge and how it fell apart, was top-heavy with receivers who didn't pan out, etc. But, the real battle for McCarney and company is rebuilding the offensive and defensive lines. It's not that the guys we have aren't good guys or students. It's just that, once you look a the results, you have to wonder whether or not they belonged at this level. There's no secret that many of us were skeptical of Todd Dodge and his ability to grasp the game at this level. I think we're about to discover that merely getting rid of Dodge isn't going to be enough. Although I hate to say it, the new coaching staff has a bigger hole to dig out of than I ever imagined. As far as our game with Tulsa, even without alleged felon Damaris Johnson and graduate Charles Clay, they moved the ball well on OU. They had 400 yards of offense against Oklahoma, and the Sooners didn't pull their starters until midway through the 4th quarter. Both TU TDs were scored on OU's first teamers. G.J. Kinne is a real talent with ridiculous escapability. He converted a 3rd and 10 with a 13 yard run that was crazy in that he created the open space himself with some twisting and turning away from pressure. They have a couple of good backs as well. The stats were 31 rushes for Tulsa for 129 yards, 4.2 per carry. That's not bad against OU. The bottom line is, Tulsa may still roll into their game with us without a win, but they will give us everything they have. If we don't show some improvement against Houston, I'm not sure we'll compete even with Tulsa.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/college_sports/utsa/article/Sources-UTSA-football-on-Longhorn-Network-2153941.php Wow. They are desperate. So...now they've got five more football games as a bargaining chip?

A&M is kicking Texas in the head? I thought Texas' "brand" was so powerful that it didn't matter what anyone else did. Texas is kicking itself in the head by jumping the shark. A&M is simply moving to a better conference while it has the chance to do so. Otherwise, they'd be stuck going to the Pac-12/16 with OU and Texas were the culture is completely difference than either the SEC, Big 12, old Big 8, or old SWC. A&M is off the Titanic in a life boat. OU is in line to get in the next life boat. Texas, captain of the sinking vessel, is still trying to get people to go back into the ballroom and dance.

Good stuff! I really like the road unis. Brelan Chancellor photo with Stojkovic and Herron blocking reminded me that the return game wasn't that bad.

...and see if they can compete with OU. I don't think they can; especially without Damaris Johnson. Tulsa also lost one of their other Johnson receivers and H-Back Charles Clay. Kinne really isn't going to have many weapons on offense this year. Without Damaris Johnson, TU's only hope is their defense. It was young and decent last year. BUT...those coaches are now gone. And, the ones who replaced them have much less experience.

I never said our offense would score a single point. Recovered fumbles and safeties seem to be our thing this year. In effect, Kent Riddle and Clint Bowen are now co-offensive coordinators!

"...the idea that we will become a smarter, richer and more fun city should be your motivation." Douche Quote of the Year

OU could poop on Texas for all-time by going to the SEC with A&M. Texas would be double pooped on by their two biggest enemies. And, they will have no one to blame but themselves.

Baylor has pooped on TCU.

In Dodge's first game, we were blown out by 69. This year, in McCarney's first game, we were only blown out by 25. That's a 44 point swing. Based on the obvious improvement of the 2011 squad from the 2007 version, here are my revised expectations: UNT 53, Houston 23 Alabama 44, UNT 29 UNT 41, Indiana 16 UNT 84, Tulsa 52 UNT 42, Florida Atlantic 8 UNT 51, Louisiana 16 UNT 53, ULM (-1) UNT 49, Arkansas State 9 UNT 29, Troy 23 UNT 49, Western Kentucy 4 UNT 50, Middle Tennessee 26 The season is gravy from here on out. At the beginning of the season I figured us to 7-5 or 8-4. I now see, based on last night's results, I'm short-selling the thing. We're obviously better than our 25 point loss seemed to say. At 11-1, we'll be knocking on the door of being a BCS Buster! Yea! Ring in the new! Hail, Atlantis!

I agree with this. Look, if it's 27-16 or something at the end of the night, I'm feeling much better about it. Here's my problem: -The threat of T.Y. Hilton was no secret before the game -The FIU run game was no secret before the game. So, what do we get? -At kickoff, Hilton off to the races, giving FIU the ball at our 29. -A minute or so later - after a poorly conceived 4th and 1 fail - Hilton going 60 yards in one play. -A series or two later, FIU running all over our defense to the end zone with obligatory missed tackles. I mean, come on. I heard Jub and Hank talking about the coaches saying, "Well, you're going to have to kick it to Hilton at some point." No. No, you're not. Don't invite it on your young team first game out. At 14-0, FIU had 89 yards of offense. We weren't making it easy on them. And, it was dumb coaching choices that led to giving FIU great and good field position twice. No excuses, fellas. The coaches may have been overconfident in game one and let their brains fall out of their heads. Tailor the game to the talent you have.

If our offense is shut out by a Sun Belt school, it was more than just a play here and there not working. We had a couple of drive, maybe three all night. No follow through. The missed FGs are depressing me.

True to a point. Dodge did have nine seniors returning to that 2007 defense. And, it was all wasted. But, we can't be redshirting anyone at this point. If a kid even hints that he can make a play here or there, he needs to be on the field. Our line recruiting needs help big time, but we already knew that. We also need wide receivers. And, quarterbacks. Still can't get over that fact that the "offensive guru" we hired in 2007 left us with only one play maker on offense - and it was a running back. Couldn't Dickey have done that? Oh, yeah, he did - Jamario Thomas.

Awful sequence. Young team, on the road, play the percentages. Don't give FIU the ball, and more momentum, at the 40 so early in the game. And, if you are going to do it, do not do it out of the shotgun. I guess no college coach understands the concept of a fullback anymore. Oh, yeah...except school like OU and Alabama and Texas...schools in the Top 25 who understand your runners might need lead blockers.

They look a little tensed up. But, after having your ass kicked all these years in a row by FIU, I guess they knew what was coming.

In the post game, coach McCarney said "no excuses." Therefore, I give you no excuses. I'll be as hard on McCarney as I was on Dodge if we continue to suck.

This is like that mindset after the OU blowout in Dodge's opener. OU got up 63-0, had their third teamers in and Vizza accidentally hits Fitzgerald with a bomb. And, it's then 63-7. I mean, your perspective about how a player is playing has to involve whether or not the team on the opposing sideline still even give a sh*t about what is happening on the field. If Brooks pressures the QB in the first quarter so much so that he can't hit T.Y. Hilton for a 60 yard score, that's one thing. Getting a safety against fellow second teamers while behind by 27 in the fourth...worthless. It proves nothing. Do it when the game is still on the line.

Yes, but when did he enter the game. I didn't see the first half. I'm not real interested in him being in on the safety when the score is 41-14 with a minute and a half left in the game. At that point, the FIU team is already thinking about what bars and clubs to hit along La Calle Ocho and South Beach.