island eagle

At last.... a game in which we can highlight what they did right and not what they did wrong. I must admit I did not think the team had it in them, but they have proven me wrong. They stepped up to the plate and took the game.

I seem to remember that we did, but passed him over. On the other hand, I don't rely that much on my memory. Perhaps some other posters could come up with the story.

You mean to say we are going to stop having stupid penalties, ill-timed turnovers, giving up 90 yards plays, and making dumb decisions in key situations? I sure hope so.

As the saying goes: "Don't believe everything you think".....applies to both the non-religious and religious, all sides of the political spectrum and this as well.

I agree....there will be more purple than red & blue. Pony fans don't go to games.

I agree. However, with all statistics there are nuances. While our season ticket sales are nothing to brag about, our "walk-up" attendance ranks up at the top of the Sun Belt and consistently beats such schools as SMU and Louisiana Tech, to name a couple.....and that is with several consecutive losing seasons and gimmicks such as counting out of town "specials" as home games, etc. So, if there is good news here, it is that our potential and upside are very good. Of course, potential and 75 cents will get me the morning paper. We need to both win and build on what is already happening here.

I'll repeat again. The problem is not the injuries or the win-loss record per se. It is the fact that this team has shown ZERO improvement in key areas that have led to losses over the past few years and there was no sign of that changing this year, even before the injuries. Sure, the team showed significant improvement for the Clemson game, but it also showed that it had learned nothing about special teams play, stupid penalties, giving up big plays, lack of good tackling and poor call-playing at crucial times. That is not what you expect in a coach's fourth year with a veteran team. It are those factors that are the deal maker with me. If we had seen some sign that those issues had been addressed, then it might be another story. But as it is, the lack of improvement in some fundamental areas is the deal breaker for me.

With our without Case at QB, the opener against UH is a BIG mistake. Based on what we have returning and who they have returning, we are going to get our butts kicked in our new stadium opener. We really need to find a patsy to open this thing up with....and I mean a real patsy. Why can't we schedule Abilene Christian or somewhat like that. We have in the past with good results. Most people do not give a rats a.. who we play. They want to see the new stadium and they want to see a WIN.

It would be a big mistake in my opinion. The wheels were coming off with this team before the injuries took their toll--1. incredibly bad special teams play, stupid and ill-timed mistakes and penalties, 3. poor coaching decisions on crucial downs and 4. a tendency to give up big plays on defense. How would one more year change any of that???????

What you say is true, but it is only part of the story. This is a team that makes stupid mistakes and we continue to see the coaches do things that leave announcers wondering about what they may be thinking. A team can be undone by injuries, but this team was coming undone long before the injuries added up to where they are now. That is more upsetting than the win-loss record per se. I've been watching football for more than I care to say and in the old days, coaches would resign if things became unraveled to the extent that they are now. It was called pride and the understanding that if the job isn't being done, then there is a graceful way to exit and let everyone move on. Maybe it is just time to admit that everyone needs a change....the fans, the coach, the school, etc. I bear no ill-will to Todd Dodge and wish it had been different, but this just isn't working.

That something is that Darrell Dickey, whatever his faults, taught his teams toughness (both mental and physical) AND he actually had someone who could develop special teams. There is nothing that this team lacks other than those two things. Unfortunately, I do not see much progress in either of those realms, though I think Canales and DeLoach have been moving in the right direction.

Of course, some of that has to do with the punters we faced the last couple of weeks. Not many were returnable at all. That Rice kicker was some stud for a sophomore.

I guarantee they'd be yelling the same things, or worse, in Lincoln with the same inability to develop special teams and a team that continues to make crucial and silly mistakes.

Unfortunately, lots of "wiggle room" in it so the NCAA can bend over for the major programs and shaft the smaller ones.

I do not know of another major college in the country that gives its coaches 4-5 years to get their act together. If we continue with that strange and unprecedented tradition, we'll never get anywhere. If it is going to take a coach that long to win, then he is doing the school more harm than good. But, I do agree that we need to see how he does with Army and in the conference before pulling the trigger. But, how can anyone justify his tenure if he doesn't do it by then????

Either a name FBS coach looking to return to action or a hot offensive or defensive coordinator from a good school. In either case, they need to be good recruiters as well as capable of putting together a quality staff......ie......no high school coach EVER again. We should have learned from the Parker experiment, but obviously UNT officials are very slow learners.

It should be automatic that when the receiver is reaching for the ball, you know it is coming and should make a play on it if you are anywhere near him. Because if you hit him or run into him without looking back at the ball, you are going to get called for interference much of the time anyway.

That may be true, but they do not have any "fans" and their student body give apathy a new meaning.

Attendance for North Texas last night=23,000 plus. Attendance for SMU=16,000 plus. We still have the bigger upside and they know it.

Leppo performed very well against Clemson. I see no reason for him not to start against Rice.

My wife is a Rice grad. I have to say she is very smart, but she is definitely not a snob. In fact, she is a very popular local artist and volunteers for many charitable organizations. I don't think you can characterize Rice grads any more accurately than North Texas grads. The ones I've met through her have pretty much covered the same range as the Mean Green grads I know. By the way, she never minds me cheering for North Texas against Rice in either football or basketball. She even wears green and cheers for our team as well.....because she knows I care a lot more than she does about the final score of the game. By the way, she never advertises being a Rice grad. Sometimes people find out, but she does not make it out as a big thing. She got a degree, had a good career and now is semi-retired.

University of Texas versus Tulane in 1954. Watched from the "knot-hole" section of Memorial Stadium (cheap end zone seats for local school kids). I was to see every UT home game from that section for eight years, except for the last couple of years when my friends and I found we could sneak into the student section and watch the game from the 40 yard line.

Sounds like losers to me. I grew up in Austin, spent my childhood and high school years going to Memorial Stadium (have probably seen more UT home games than most of their alums....though I do have graduate degrees from there). I could have gotten into UT (it was much easier in those days and I had good admission test scores), but didn't want to go to a university in my home town...so I picked North Texas. I have been a tried and true Mean Green fan ever since. Sure, I'll root for Texas against most teams, but my heart is with UNT. Frankly, I find North Texas sports much more interesting than watching a semi-pro franchise with all the money in the world backing it. Where is the challenge or enjoyment in that?

Too early to say for sure, but I was less impressed by MUTS showing than some were. Score should have been much larger in Minny's favor.

Here is a link to the story: My link