Travis

Hmm Interesting take. I am not sure that long ball means more goals vs possession. It really doesn't work that way. Our girls all can trap, distribute, move off the ball, and make smart runs. It wouldn't be hard to implement if they are give the proper headspace and education. I don't think it is a difference in personnel so much as it is a new playbook (so to speak). These girls are capable and I bet many of them already have done it in their clubs. They show brief flashes of it at times but it isn't their priority. I think it would be easier transition than say a move from Dickey ball to Dodge ball. Possession typically creates more goals than long ball. Throwing up hail mary's (long ball) doesn't always mean they will turn into touchdowns. Typically you are on an island and we don't even have the forwards for that even now (I would argue). It is something similar to hail mary's (for lack of a better example)... It just doesn't work well against formidable opponents. Think how the Spanish play vs how the Nigerians play on the world stage. There is a reason long ball/quick transition type teams never win World Cups... most, if not all, don't even make it past the group stage. I do agree with you that I am not sure Hedlund can or would be willing to do that. He wins enough to have him firmly positioned at UNT with winning conference championships. But we wont ever make a splash in the NCAA's. And I would love love love more than anything to be wrong. But, if you track my soccer related posts since the early 2000's I have really been saying the same thing over and over. And I will be damned that Hedlund has made me into a prophet.

It is hard to question Hedlunds success. I completely understand why we would never let him go. UNT's content on winning conference championships and thats our only goal for the program. And it is a fine one compared to any other program we have. But, if we wanted to look beyond our conference and aim higher, then Hedlund would be a terrible pick. And it is terrible based on tactics alone. As a competitive club head coach, I can say that the strategy he implements against the best teams in the nation that make the tournament are truly the easiest to defend. He relies heavily on a counter with a long ball. He sits his forwards high and largely shells up the rest of the team. Drop a few defenders back to keep the one or two threats at bay and you win the game. You don't even need to change much against a Hedlund team because they practically give you the entire midfield to work with the vast majority of the time. (Think controlling the midfield as controlling the O and D lines in football. You control the lines you will pretty much win the game evey time). He gets away with it when it comes to conference because the talent is lesser. I would even say he gets away with it in preconference because other teams don't get the time spent on learning his team like they do in the tournament. There is a reason we perform so poorly in NCAA tournament games. And it isn't like the BB reference where the score may look lopsided in the end but much of the game was fairly close.... In these UNT soccer tournament games, we are flat out dominated and out coached through the whole game, every game... the 2018 aTm game included. To have a fighting chance we have to give up on the long ball during these games and go to heavy possession with the midfield as the strength to work the ball down the field. The problem is... to get good at it isn't just a one week prep. It is an entire season. A whole different approach/system. We haven't only played top tier soccer teams in the NCAA tournament. We played Texas Tech and SMU and neither were the Alabama's of the soccer program in those respective years. But in both of those, like any other tournament game, we get flat out dominated. It is just how it is when we play how we play.

Are they honestly content with her efforts??

Not necessarily relevant to this article I suppose.... but, how does one go about removing a terrible conference commissioner?

The simplest fact is that no one else has wanted him as an HC. I think that is telling.

So basically this will be a leaderboard for those who have no life?

Not for a million dollars would I take him back. well maybe for a million. But I wouldn’t be happy about it!

unforgettable.

Moderators are you just going to leave this kind of perverted filth on this board?!

That wouldn’t have happened even if we won the tournament.

There are other players besides JD?

I did not like how RV refused to use UNT. Thank god that was reversed when he left.

2001 MTSU.

I know Martin might stay at QB 2 or QB 3 most likely... but I am really rooting for the guy.

Never met the guy but always loved the back and forth with him on here for since as long as I can remember. These things are always so tough.

It’s quite sad.

If last year is any indication, I am pretty sure I can hang about 40 on us.

Anybody have a clip of the fight?!?

So are you saying that stoops tried to start up discussions again (but too late)?

Listen guys.... this thread is now 8 pages long and it needs to come to a close. so... democrats suck.

I think you guys are right. It is definitely a safe hire and not one where SL is swinging to the fences. I also agree with the others who say we had to make this kind of hire. I think that just shows where we are at with this program under SL. We are in a very difficult, semi no-win situation that we have to make the most of where we are to get ourselves out of it. I think it is safe to say that both are right on this and it just indicates we are in a pretty cruddy situation.

I expect all quarterbacks to be improved for 21.

The HC? I don’t care about Texas connections with our DC. I hardly care about it from an HC. Plenty of coaches get hired that have Texas ties and it serves them little. I just want a coach that can fit a scheme to players, can make adjustments, and can coach up the kids we do have. There are plenty of coaches that can come in here and do amazing things regardless of connections. Out of a list of things, that would come in dead last for me if at all. Relationships and connections can be established regardless of if you shook hands before or not.

Texas ties is way overrated. I don’t know why we bring that up all the time.

I was so excited when we got him. 😞 sad it didn’t work out