BillySee58

Kidsy isn't redshirting because he can be a difference maker. Turner smiley, who is a decent looking freshman receiver, is redshirting because we have depth. Point is we have the depth to redshirt Kidsy, but he's a pretty special talent, same with Chad Davis. They are true freshman who are ready to contribute on a D1 team as freshmen.

It's not likely that we'll have a change to a 3-man front by next year, but there is a 0% chance that we will be running one by the end of the year. Abbe will be gone and next year that'll leave us with just Sir Calvin as our only 290+ defensive lineman. And we just aren't bringing any big lineman to rotate in. We don't have any guys who are truly big enough to play nose in our current scheme besides Abbe and Wallace, and of course Abbe is going to be gone after this year.

I agree with Lifer and to a degree with TFLF. TFLF brings up a good point with the 3 man front. However, the biggest problem is the nose guard. That is quite possibly the most important position in the entire scheme. If you plug in a 260 lb defensive tackle at nose guard because we don't have any big kids who can play then that makes things difficult on the rest of the defense. You need multiple 290+ kids to rotate in that nose. Taking on double teams every play takes a toll, even on the big boys. We just aren't getting the big bodies to pull that off right now either.

It is very reasonable. Problem is that wins have been hard to come by for DT and Mac, so as bad as USM and Tulane have looked I still have trouble penciling those games in as wins. Same with La Tech who I think we would take care of at home, but on the road not so sure.

I disagree. On the surface it seems that we'd be doomed after all the departures but Coach Mac has built up the depth on this team. We have some legitimate D1 players on our bench who are underclass men. On offense: We lose DT (could be a situation where we don't know what we got till it's gone), but return the other 3 qbs. We lose Byrd, but I doubt we skip a beat with Jimmerson, Pegram, Rollins, and Lewis back. We lose Prior and Miller, could hurt the run game a little but shouldn't affect the passing game, plus we'll have M Smith, T Smith, Cooper Jones, Chris Loving, and Wylie Reinhardt. Most are blocking tight ends anyways save for M Smith and Jones. Receiver will be the biggest hit where we lose Chancellor, D Smith, Pleasant, and Caldwell. We will be fine at starter with Carlos Harris, Terrell, and Kidsy back but depth will be a concern. Offensive line just loses Anyiam. On defense: Defensive line looks the scariest, lose Boutwell, Abbe, Bellazin, and McCoy. We have guys with starting experience (Lincoln, Mason, Polk) and some guys with promise (Wallace, Roberts, etc) but that is the scariest unit next year from a depth and talent standpoint. We lose Orr and Wright at linebacker which will hurt. Luckily we'll have Akunne back and Anthony Wallace (Oregon transfer) in the fold as well as some young guys who look good, like Fred Scott. We might be looking at a good juco guy to come in and help here. At defensive back we have James Jones, Kenny Buyers, and true freshman Chad Davis who are getting experience. One of them will replace Hilbert and possibly another one could move to safety to replace Trice. Hopefully Freddie Warner can be healthy to compete for that spot like he was. In short, we will most likely be hurting from a depth standpoint but we should still have a good starting lineup. A lot of competition this spring, but hopefully some of these guys have great falls as backups and out themselves in line to start or be immediate options off the bench. Coach Mac has kept his recruits on campus and we have some depth finally. Now we just need to start winning these close games.

I let him slide with that one, but Kawaun Jakes?

Yup, that's the reality of the situation. But some on here will call you a hater or give you excuses about coaching or supporting cast. Truth is DT hasn't delivered and that's why everyone is so critical of his performance. Not because he was 19-29.

No, but it is a good sample of how all the coaches do when DT is in is try and dink and dunk teams to death. That's what we did the K-State game and the Idaho game. The coaches don't trust him down the field (15+ yard passes). His completion percentage should be high considering we don't throw downfield.

I wonder if moving Loving to the d-line has or will be considered.

Exactly, that too. Guaranteed 7 point swing, I guess guaranteed 6 but they made the pat

I usually look forward to your posts and you didn't disappoint with this one. Absolutely agree.

Yup. Pick 6 is potentially a 14 point swing. Can't have those.

Come on Joey, just be a UNT fan already!

If we can stop the first drive and play as well on defense as we do the rest of the game we'll be great. We've given up just 13 points on defense combined in the last 58 minutes of the first game and 59 minutes of last game. That's 13 points in 117 minutes. Our defense is playing amazing, save for those early big plays. Offense needs to get in the endzone.

I agree. I just hope it isn't too late.

"Oh! You mean North Texas State!"

Good breakdown. Although the UTEP game is looking more than just a little winnable IMO.

You think it's because they played a bad team, I think it's because they had faith in DT that game. Yes, they go hand in hand. They had faith in DT that game, against that defense, so they threw it on first and second down. It wouldn't be any different if we had a stud qb who could perform well against good teams. The question is, do we have a stud qb? The coaches have no confidence in DT. Like what has been said, this is not the first time we threw a screen on a pivotal third and long situation late in a winnable game. They don't trust him to throw the ball more than 15 yards down the field at all and they would rather not throw it more than 10 yards down the field if possible, and it may be rightfully so after seeing the interceptions. This is why I'm calling for a new qb. Not because we run too much on first down, not because I think DT is the worst qb ever, but because our coaches don't trust him. The lack of trust combined with his physical limitations (lack of running threat and lack of downfield accuracy mainly due to wobbly passes) make our offense so predictable.

Million dollar question. We did against Idaho with DT and DW, we didn't with DT against Ohio. Ball state is going to be a very telling game for many reasons, this one included.

They had already wrapped up what championship?

I don't know what it would have taken for Scotty to unseat DT. Coach Mac is extremely stubborn with his starting positions as it relates to giving one to a new guy over an incumbent. Aside from qb, take a look at cornerback where James Jones should be starting.

Serious question, not a smart-ass rhetorical one. UNT90 and I have had an argument on here about this and I want to hear what others think. What were the first-down run vs pass percentages last week against Idaho? I think they mix it up when they have confidence in the passing game and mainly our qb. The other theory is that no matter who is under center we will predictably run the ball on first down (90's theory). If the former theory is true then I think we need a new qb regardless of who it is or if it's fair or not. We are improved from a talent and depth perspective, but not good enough to make it to a bowl game while being this predictable, allowing defenses to know exactly what's coming, and just having no faith in our qb.

I don't see anything that Scotty Young has done that makes me wish we had gotten him instead of BB. That being said, BB hasn't done anything so Young looks better by default.

Wow! I thought he might be their head coach in waiting.

That's why I'm so disappointed. I think if BB or DW had played that whole game against Idaho their numbers would've looked gaudy, much like DT's. We can't let teams stack the box like this all year again. We also can't have a qb who the coaches don't trust all season.