Side.Show.Joe

I don't have high hopes for tonight, but I sure hope I'm wrong.

Last night I watched Kehres' Toledo defense hold EMU to 255 yards of total offense, and I was green with envy.

Be careful posting true facts around here. Some people don't want reality interfering with our program.

His defenses were good enough to post winning records in every season he has been their DC. I haven't looked up their rankings for every season. But, whatever they were ranked, It was never dead last in the FBS.

I apologize. There is so much irrational defense of our failures, I'm having trouble identifying those that actually believe the BS they are typing.

No. The entire idea of being content to be an "on the job learning university" is why we continue to fail. Caponi needs to go.

Looks can be very deceiving.... Caponi's UNT defense #133 Kehres' Toledo defense #32 Apparently, Kehres actually knows how to run the 3-3-5, and Caponi doesn't. The numbers don't lie.

1. The same people that want to give Caponi more time, are the same people that didn't want to fire Littrell during the season. Keeping Littrell until the end of the season put UNT behind the eight ball in early signing period recruiting. I see no reason to continue that flawed logic. 2.. Caponi had the opportunity to raid the portal and get the players needed. Either he chose to ride with what he had, or Morris wouldn't let him get players. Either way, someone screwed up, and we don't need that kind of incompetence on the staff. He's the DC the failure falls at his feet. If I come across as unyielding, it's because I'm tired of underperformance. A lot of our fan base is sick of excuses. Personally, I'm tired of the "We're working to fix it.... We got to get a week better.... We're improving.... We in a rebuild.... excuses". At this point, I have lost all faith in Caponi's ability to lead our defense. Nothing you can write in a few paragraphs will change the fact that we have the worst defense in the entire FBS. That is a total embarrassment that no UNT fan should be expected to overlook or excuse. Our team deserves a coach that can evaluate our defensive roster and go get the players we need. Not someone that needs a few seasons to hopefully get his guys. The portal has changed everything. And, what we should tolerate and demand at UNT needs to change too. Fire Caponi.

I disagree. Skladany had a very good defense, and we won the HOD with that strong defense. Air Raid coaches, which Morris is, have along track records of failing to field respectable defenses. Leach never won a conference title. His coaching tree is flawed when it comes to defense. Those are just the facts. If you can show me an Air Raid coach that is good at defense, I'll be shocked. Less than an hour ago, Lincoln Riley (Leach Air Raid coach) fired his DC. It is what it is.

This comment stuck out to me. It tells me Morris no longer trusts Caponi can figure it out and run the defense. What I don't know, is if Morris has the stones to fire Caponi with just 3 games left in the season. If Morris wants to win back the fan base that is not showing up to games, he needs to do what is best for the program and get rid of Caponi.

USC fired their Defensive Coordinator Alex Grinch, even though there are only a few weeks left in the season. This is what real programs do when a coach is a total failure. Wake up Morris. USC Football Officially Fires DC Alex Grinch, Per Head Coach Lincoln Riley - Sports Illustrated USC Trojans News, Analysis and More

Morris has no clue how to fix our team (defense). It's very similar to Littrell. Scary.

I wouldn't say we're with the big boys, but we are with a better collection of programs. The AAC has the inside track on access to the new 12 team playoff. As a fan base, we need to be united in demanding higher standards and not accept piss poor results. Beginning next season, we actually have a shot to make the FBS Playoffs (wow, I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth), if our leadership gets serious and forces the changes necessary for us to have a real chance to win the AAC. Everyone being honest with themselves knows this defense gives us no chance, and Caponi isn't the answer.

Ha! I got down-voted for posting actual facts. Not that I care, but it says a lot about how much some in our fan base need to open their eyes to reality and embrace higher expectations for our program. It amazes me that someone got riled up just because I posted actual facts.

Based on our performance over the last 3 weeks, I say we finish with one less score than SMU. 😥

Every rational person can see that Caponi isn't the answer. If Morris fires Caponi after the UAB game, who should we get? My pick...... Vince Kehres, the DC at 9-1 Toledo. No Texas ties that I can find, but the dude knows defense and wins wherever he goes. I don't care about Texas ties. I care about good defense that allows us to win games. Being at Toledo, he should be affordable. Vince Kehres’ Coaching Experience 2020-23 Toledo – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers (28-14) 2013-19 Mount Union – Head Coach (95-6) 2005-12 Mount Union – Defensive Coordinator 2004 Mount Union - Offensive Line 2000-03 Mount Union - Defensive Line We need a guy like this. https://utrockets.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/vince-kehres/1125

Of course you can change DC's during the season. Georgia Tech just did it in October. And, defenses modify their schemes during the season. We have run 4 man fronts this year. Against Navy, we ran a modified 50. It isn't like our players didn't play in other defenses growing up. So switching away from the 3-3-5 isn't impossible. 1st and most important... Caponi is reassigned to an analyst position with the intermural teams. I don't want that guy anywhere near my defense. 2nd- Evaluate offensive linemen, TE's and RB's that are not on the depth chart. Maybe one or two can contribute in the new front 7. 3rd- Teach our players how to tackle, instead of that chicken-winging crap they do on the field. These players need to learn how to wrap up.

I agree. Caponi just didn't do his job in the offseason. And, Morris didn't do his job when choose Caponi to run the defense.

Exactly. In his 22 seasons as a head coach Leach never won a conference title. Great offense. No defense.

No. Littrell needed to go back in 2020. The problem is we hired an air raid guy that doesn't understand defense. That's why we have a billon receivers and can't stop the run. Air raid coaches should be capped at the offensive coordinator position. No higher. Defense wins championships.

I will be mad until we have a real defense and actually win the games we should win, and become competitive in the game we aspire to win.

We played for the conference title last season, and brought back most of our talent. Not saying we should be in contention for the AAC title, but we were considered a bowl team before the season started. That's not unrealistic. This Morris defense couldn't get us into the C-USA title game this year. Caponi's defense is crap, and everyone knows it. Morris allows this to continue week after week. That is unrealistic.

So, you admit the department never called this season a rebuild. You admit Morris went into the Media Day and talked about us competing for the AAC title this season. Thanks. Morris actually changed us to a worse defense. That's regression, not a rebuild.

Littrell was only hanging on by a thread because the leadership at UNT and fans like you kept making excuses for his failures. No one is buying that crap anymore. No more excuses. If you can show me where the AD was calling this a rebuild and I'll shut up. But, you can't, because it was never meant to be a rebuild.

Show where the athletic department told us Morris was coming here for a rebuild. All I read was how he was going to elevate out programs as we moved to the AAC.