GMoney

If you look closely TCU actually finished 4th! Cincy finished 3rd. Not sure what would have happened if Texas lost but Cincy jumped TCU and may have been playing in the National Championship Game.

My bad, I guess I'm losing my memory in my old age. I remember Wendel throwing about 3 or 4 ints in the first half and I thought you came in in the 2nd half. Probably better you didn't, our QBs ran for their lives the entire game!

I don't remember much about Mitch's first year except for the fact that he came in at 1/2 time versus the 6th ranked OU. How's that for baptism by fire!

You can play with a 1/2 to a 1 1/2 degree separation. However, when you get to a 2nd degree you're out a few weeks and a 2 1/2 is probably a 6 weeks while a 3rd degree is surgery. I lost 4 1/2 games my sophmore year to a 2 1/2 degree separation which the doctor gave me a decision to have surgery or let heal (his words - "trade a lump for a scar").

It already has. There are high schools that have opened up to us that didn't in the past. There are kids on this roster we couldn't have even talked to in the past but through his relationships (an some of our assistants relationships) with the coaches we've been able to present NT (he's not playing now, but for an example William Cole).

I also saw it. I knew Ch 11 would come through. Great job and keep it going!

Craig Robertson, LB is the short answer. Leader with his actions on the field and does everything well - open field tackles, tackles for loss, and int(s).

We give up a fumble and they tie the score. In the past two years, this game would have been over. Instead, we come right back and get a score and not give in to the "hear we go again" attitude of the past. This is the sign of a team that MIGHT be ready to turn the corner - fighting back from adversity. The Good: 1. Running the football - OL and RBs 2. WRs - can make a person miss and make them pay for missing. 3. DL- got some pressure 4. LBs and DBs - not too many missed tackles, tighter coverage and much better gap control due to the big bodies in the middle 5. We got under the center 6. Saw some real TE formations The Bad: 1. Page (BSU's QB) missed some open receivers that a good QB won't miss (need to tighten up in some coverage situations). 2. Can't leave points on the field (missed FGs, penalty on int/td) 3. One bad turnover. One additional note: Definitely a bigger, faster and deeper team than the past. Some props go to recruiting and more go to Aaron Ausmus and having a dedicated FB strength coach. We looked more like a FBS team tonight. I wanted to see us compete for four quarters and be in the game late and we did. Now, we must build on this at home and not let this night and all the momentum it will build go away in one weekend against Ohio - especially in front of a home crowd. It's still a long season, but at least our first step was in the right direction!

I like his use of the term "beasting". I'm going to have to start using that one.

I hope we don't have to find out very often. I want him to be able to stay in the pocket and deliver passes. This will mean the OLine is doing their job, the WO's are getting open and Riley is not running for his life. With that being said, the few times when he has called running plays I expect it will give the D something else to consider.

As a former player, I just want to say this is bullcrap! This isn't a TD problem or a DD problem. This is an player by player problem. The systems are in place to help these kids like never before seen at NT. They're not perfect, but they are better than they have ever been. However, somewhere the kids need to begin to realize that their education is on them. You put in the work, you study, you go to class AND PAY ATTENTION and you will give yourself an incredible opportunity to succeed. Coaches can see if you're in class and they can get progress reports, they can punish you, but all that won't help if you do not decide to take it upon yourself to be something a little better than a football player stereotype! I'm stopping now because I'm starting to get really pissed off...

Chynna must have a little something. She was orginally committed to the University of Virginia. http://www.4shotsports.com/artman/publish/article_1749.shtml

I've said this for the past few years, you can tell nothing from a spring game. The D knows the O sets, plays, etc. The O is going to stay pretty basic because it is concern about execution of basics from which they build everything from. If the D dominates, you're worried about your O. If the O dominates, you're worried about your D. Just go to the game, be happy it's football in Spring, and take it for what it is.

Very true. When you're messing with illegal stuff bad things are always one small step away. It's a small step from using to selling. It's a small step from selling to being robbed. And, it's a small step to being behind the wheel feeling everything is okay when it's not. We (NT fans) should have learned this lesson. If you have the power or chance to try and cut this off, then you do so. I hoped it would not turn out this way (bad drug deal), but it when it was not a carjacking gone wrong I started to worry (I still hope the story is wrong). I pray for the family as this must be a very difficult situation to deal with.

I don't think having a big arm is absolutely necessary in college. Of course it helps, but it's not necessary. There have been plenty of successful college QBs with decent (but not great) arms - close to home, I'd say Mitch Maher. On a broader scale I can think of names like Major Applewhite, Jason White, Josh Heupel and Brad Smith. None of these guys had big arms. I think the key with all of these guys is accuracy. Let the receiver get the separation (which you can do easier on the college level) and make sure your QB puts the ball on the money with timing.

Very underrated comment!

nm

Tyler Washington had a little paperwork snafu and should be in a little later - no worries.

Maybe this isn't a LB pick up as some have said. This could be the old Miami/FSU way of recruiting big LB frames are bulking them up for DE with speed.

Nice to hear from you. I hope all is well. Mitch has already said (throughout) his posts much of what I would say, but I want to add a few things. First, as with most situations when a player leaves a program there is generally much more than meets the eye. I was originally recruited by and signed under Corky Nelson. After my freshmen year, Corky was fired and Dennis Parker was hired. I came in with 25 freshmen and 2 of us finished our eligibility. 23 left the program for a variety of reasons. Over the years, many players came and went and they all had their reasons. It is impossible to argue with a player's perception of why they are leaving and it is useless to even try. Their perception is their perception. However, I will say this, I have not seen a coach who does not care about the long term well being of his players and does not want them to succeed. Young men may feel they're being treated badly or unfairly when they're not being used they way they think they should be. They may feel the rules set by a program limit the things they want to do. They may have an idea in their mind of what college football or college life should be like and when it's not the picture they have in their mind then it's wrong or incomplete or not enjoyable. This also happens with the view of what they think coaches should be like and over time can grow into a relationship that no longer works for them. I don't know if this is how Vizza feels but I've seen things happen like this before. I know there are some good coaches on this staff. Coach DeLoach, Leftwhich, and Coach George are good coaches. Those following NT have seen what DeLoach and Leftwhich have done in the past. Also, I watched Coach George play (as a teammate) and later coach as a GA at North Texas then Coach at Juco and later in high school. He's a good solid coach. I believe in these guys and I still believe in Coach Dodge. Someone asked Mitch in an earlier thread about TD and what did he expect in the first 2 years. Well, I think we all expected and hoped for more. I know I did. But, I have not given up on his ability to be a leader of this FB team and to help mold young men into productive adults while getting wins. I believe the initial years have been a learning experience for everyone - unfortunately a painful one. But I also know the problems involved and being addressed are more than just wins and losses. There are leadership issues, grade issues, and we've all seen and read about the off the field situations. The program did not get this way over night and it won't be corrected over night. It will take time. There is some positive ground work being made but I agree it's hard to see through the past two seasons. Losing intensifies all problems just like winning can mask them. Losing is a gut check and some will stick through it while other don't. It was the same way when I played and that much hasn't changed. You need strong leadership from the top to the bottom to overcome issues like this. I do believe TD is a strong leader who expresses an upbeat approach almost to a fault. Now the leadership needs to come from within the team. You cut your losses and move forward with the guys you have because a coach will set direction but the players have to make it happen. The players need to make each other accountable. This is the only way this thing is truly going to turn around. A coach can only say and do so much but the players are the ones who know who they can and will trust. Until this happens, TD and his staff can do whatever they want, but things will not change. Mitch knew this and his teammates respected him because Mitch was solid on and off the field. We had others, but none better than Mitch. Bottom line - coaches can direct and set the course but until the players start being accountable to each other, trust each other and play for each other on and off the field then things will start heading in a direction we'll all be happy about. They'll win and they'll win the right way and every incoming player will know what is expected of them to be a part of the Mean Green and the "other" nonsense will cease. Greg Matthews

I've been told SMU pulled their ship to him. He is very small for DL (more like 5'10") and probably translates to a ML on a D1 level or he'll go FCS. I loved watching the kid play this year - great motor, good quickness, made plays and was double and triple blocked all year. I know some will use BK as an example of a small DL who made it, but BK was an exception to the rule and very special. There just aren't many small DL's on the FBS level that make it and it looks like most schools don't want to take the chance.

Huge win! Why can't we play a big named team that goes completely cold from the field like Louisville did? I guess you make your breaks but UL was horrible from the 3 pt line - 6 for 30!

You would get my amen but this team still needs speed! I'll take 5 DL (3 DT, 2 DE), 5 OLs, 2 speed WR, 2 DBs, and the rest at LB. Now, if it was just that simple.

While everyone is bitching a moaning about this, no one has asked if Miller wants to come back. Maybe he's done. Maybe 4 years of FB is enough. Maybe he wants to finish out his college life being a regular student. Maybe he doesn't want to go through another offseason and potential rehab that's ahead. Maybe his heart just isn't in it anymore. I don't know what Miller's mindset is, but to blatantly blame TD for not pursuing a redshirt on a kid who may not even want it is pretty sorry. From my perspective there seems to be more to this than just not wanting Miller around. He's a good kid, a decent player, at a position of need = there's a reason why a red-shirt is not being pursued and maybe it's because Miller has had his fill of college football and he's done.

http://www.biletnikoffaward.com/ What a great accomplishment! Congrats!