akriesman

If you have access to ESPN3, you can watch replays of the entire games. It's a nice feature. Yesterdays game is at the link below. https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/3626679c-0464-4490-a8a5-73258d92a26c

I generally like what I saw from Ruder last night. A lot of his throws were off, but just slightly. He has a really nice touch on the ball, a quick release and seemed poised in the pocket for a first game. It was only an FCS team. So, we will see how well his poise holds up starting this week. I missed the last pick he threw. So, I am not sure about that one. Ruder seems to have all the tools. I think he just needs some time to get comfortable. The WR's certainly did him no favors last night. I was already missing Darden. The entire offense (other than Torrey) really needs to pick it up a notch next week. We all know SMU is going to put up a lot of points. The passing game has to click better and quickly.

This is spot on. I think the only real difference comes into play when a hiring company is part of the SMU alumni network. But, the world is a large place and outside of the Dallas area, the degrees have the same value IMO.

Tight End

With Adaway out, we are lucky that Torrey decided to come back. After that, we have talent, but no real experience at RB.

Ruder has a wonderful, quick release.

Whew. NW State has already blown 2 scoring opportunities.

Injured and out for the season. It hurts.

My dream situation would be for Ruder to look elite and for Aune to look improved. That way Ruder locks into the starting position, but Aune is more than capable to step in if Ruder is injured. You have to have a good backup with experience these days. All you have to do is look at the recent drop off when Mason Fine when down.

Pretty bad that Bean had more talent around him at North Texas, then he does at Big 12 Kansas. I know that Kansas is a FB graveyard. But, they still have 3 times the North Texas athletic budget. No excuses for them to struggle against FCS teams like they do. I can only dream of North Texas having a $121k athletic budget. Feel bad for Jason. It's going to be a long year. Enjoy this FCS win tonight, because there may not be another one this year.

Darden, as a 4th rounder, wasn't getting cut unless he has been awful in practice and the preseason. He has been just fine. I never even gave it a 2nd thought.

Grant is a damn good coach. I think the talent he coaches overachieves under him. We are lucky.

5-7 Losing Adaway is going to hurt. But, sticking with my prediction from a couple months ago. I think this team starts to gel when conference play starts with strong momentum carrying into 2022.

How do you know that ? This is the kind of blanket statement that rubs people here the wrong way. A lot of QB's can excel in their second year of starting. IMO, you can't attack Aune's weaknesses, because you have not seen him play this year. I am really excited about having Ruder here as he appears to have a potentially high ceiling. But, the best QB will win the job and our staff knows what they have this year. We do not. You have brought up some good points at times. Most of them have already been discussed ad nauseam here in the past (like Torrey being a bad choice on 4th and 1. That drove everyone crazy). If you want to be accepted, just take a bit of a softer approach without acting like a know it all as a newish poster.

Big game I think we are mostly likely to win: UAB at home Big game I want to win the most: SMU SMU won't get us any national cred. But, we need to close the gap on these guys, mainly for local recruiting. We should not be seen on a level lower than them. Period.

I think this years team will definitely be an improvement over last year. Darden is a huge loss. But, there is so much quality depth at WR. I expect Aune to be better. If not, Ruder is waiting in the wings. The D will make more 3rd down stops (Bennett's priority). It's just a shame the schedule starts out so tough. But, I feel this team pulls off a big upset somewhere against either SMU, UAB, Missouri or Liberty and finishes 5-7, setting the team up for a run in 2022. Seth stays as does Bennett.

Grant has earned my complete trust. The man has a system that works and can coach his butt off. If he thinks a guy is a good fit, I am onboard 100%. Benford could recruit some pretty highly regarded players. Look where that got us.

From the St Lous Post Dispatch yesterday. If true, the odds are good that Wren stays here. "University president Mun Choi and the committee are putting a high priority on finding a sitting Power 5 athletics director who has spent time at an SEC institution, sources have confirmed in recent days. That doesn’t mean MU would rule out ADs at current Group of 5 schools, but university leadership wants to land someone with experience at a major program, preferably in the SEC. That means we can probably eliminate industry outsiders, like Jon Sundvold or Mike Owens, who had surfaced as candidates in past AD searches. (The last time Mizzou hired a sitting AD from a school that’s currently in a power conference? Not since 1978, when Dave Hart came to MU from Louisville, then an independent. )" https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/can-mizzou-land-a-sitting-power-5-ad/article_9882d7db-6b3e-5776-998e-911bd893bc77.html

A stud nose tackle is probably the most important position on D IMO. If that is the case, we have a good one and should expect much better things from our D overall this season.

A REAL basketball coach.

2021 Recruiting Rankings 24/7 - Avg Alabama 95.00 (top) SMU 85.46 North Texas 83.09 Navy 79.64 (AAC) I wouldn't gloat so much about the recruiting difference between SMU and NT. You guys are pretty much right there with us and a LONG way from the upper echelon.

"McCasland concluded in 2020-21 his fourth season as head coach for the University of North Texas. In his four years at UNT, he has compiled an overall record of 79-51 (.608 winning percentage) and has led the Mean Green to its first NCAA tournament win in 2021" I still get giddy reading that.

I think it is really smart for Novil to return this season if he wants to play in the NFL. He has a better chance of padding his stats in a 4 man front IMO.

Straight from Sonny Dykes mouth: "You want people in our sport to be ethical enough where they don't fall prey to that," Dykes said, "but ... you got to win and you got a high-pressure job and you have all these things and then all of a sudden, you look up and you go, 'Oh, they didn't punish anybody, and they're not going to punish me. So why not?'" Yep. Sounds like SMU is in on it. At least Dykes is being honest.

I agree 100%. It would have to seem as though he lost the team.