aztecskin

I think the broadcast starts at 6:30, and the game starts at 7pm? either way I will be there.

I don’t think it’s very hard to win 4 games in CUSA. Just takes some competence coaching and talent Consider that USM won 2 and didn’t have a QB last year. Literally zero. This year FIU and Tech are bad. Giving out wins to any competent team that is willing to take it. UTEP is bad. FAU is mediocre. It was similar back in 17 and 18. The competition is with two other teams. Can you be competitive in those two games? (while also not tripping on the riff raff).

I don’t do the Vito “compared to the rest of NT history” 9 wins vs CUSA+the schedule NT had is not super impressive. 9 wins in 1956 is like a perfect season. There are variables. This is why I say “compete for the league title” and “be competitive in non-con”. Those criteria are generic enough to allow some room for error, but also hold the standard high enough. 9 wins is too weak. Might be against puffs. Bowl appearance is the the same. Conf title is against presumably comparable comp. Competitive non-con is similar, in that we had the schedule and prepared for those games.

I don’t dock them points for that. I think getting to the championship is great. They were a little ahead of schedule, which is why I like putting that team together with the 18 team, which was better, and beat Ark. But the totality of those two seasons is a B- 1 blowout championship appearance 2 blowout bowl losses 1 SEC win

@MeanGreenTexan @UNTcrazy727 by the criteria of “compete for a title and be non-conference competitive” I think is is fair. 2017 was a team that got to the title game but eeked out wins vs UAB, Army, UTSA, and could have very easily had a losing record. It is comparable to 2022 in that expectations were not “compete”. I note that to highlight that I thought the 2018 team was more complete (and didn’t trail but for like 10minutes until ODU, Bowl game or something.) They did well by the above criteria — w v Arkansas — and lost to two very good teams in Tech and UAB. They didn’t go to the title game but I can appreciate it and think they deserve a passing grade. The bowl collapse, ODU loss, and the bad taste left by that UAB game drop them down a bit. I group 17/18 together because it was a good time. B- when you consider the championship game blowout, two blowout Bowl losses. 2022 has been fun in conference (competitive by that lose-to-only-good-teams-2018-standard) but awful in non/con. If NT gets rocked in the title game and bowl it will change my feeling of this season a ton. D- range. If they win a league title it raises the grade but I don’t think anyone’s memory of SMU/UNLV/Memphis is washed away. B-. Bowl for bonus points after a title.

Link Greg and I talked hoops, including arena size wishes.

I always say that it is at minimum to compete for a conference title every 3/4 years or so, and be solid in the "down" years. Beyond that, the good team every three/four years can/should make some noise outside of the conference. Like, 2016/17 -- NT got good a little too quick, was in the title game before they were really a strong team. 2018 they had a *very* good team, that didn't get to the title game. Beat Arkansas but that team *should* have done better in the bowl. B- grade 2019 through 2021 they were going to rebuild (new QB). I thought NT had the league's worst defense and was embarrassing when on TV. D- grade 2022 - Seth has a team competing for the title game but was awful in non-conference. Depending on if they win the league/bowl will see if this is a passing grade. Can go from D-to-B+ in my mind. It all boils down to having a program that we are proud of. Competing for a title every three years as a goal, allows the possibility for development and staff changes, and injuries. No one expects us to go undefeated against the SEC, but at least be competitive -- like beating a down Arkansas. (We should have beaten Cal, imho, and definitely the AAC squads this year)

Consider you could also still go to the championship game, and root against UTSA.

nationally ranked TCU lost to northwestern state. I think we are simply seeing a new early season normal.

It was ugly, but down two of the best players and everyone down with the flu. That's deserving of a little pass. They are trying to bed in four new guys so there isn't even the experience to rely on. Its not panic time, but it is concerning that no one can shoot the ball

I am about to buy my flight

Recap: https://meangreennation.com/missed-opportunity-uab-41-north-texas-21/ Pod: https://meangreennation.com/podcast/178-missed-opportunity/ @aldo and I got up early and recorded a podcast. Am I upset they lost? Yes. Am I devastated? No. I can hold the fact that UAB was a good team with their pride on the line and NT is banged up and had been punching above their weight for a few weeks all coming to a head.

It was like the 2018 game all over again. NT got conservative in the third quarter -- I thought they should have been more aggressive but they believed in their defense much more than I did at that time. Bye week should help the squad get a little healthier, help the offensive brain trust figure out the wrinkles they were thrown by UAB, and to make sure Rice is a formality so people feel good about spending money to go to San Antonio.

@Aldo and I woke up early and podcasted. Enjoy, folks. https://meangreennation.com/podcast/178-homecoming-blowout/ https://meangreennation.com/home-is-where-the-wins-are-north-texas-52-fiu-14/

UAB is still a good squad. They were driving to tie the game at FAU. That run game is ridiculous, and they have the top/near the top defense in the league. They *might* play a little better because this is a revenge game for them, and they know their backs are against the wall. After that, I think Rice is probably the most dangerous, but I said on the podcast "maybe FH gets injured for a quarter or something and Tech like, just goes off throwing the ball and its weird" Would absolutely love to host in Denton, but I think everyone on the squad wouldn't mind a rematch in the Dome.

Its a little later than usual, but that is only because I am a loving father who doe trick-or-treating with his kids. @Aldo was on the show as well. Podcast: https://meangreennation.com/podcast/177-2nd-place/ Written recap: https://meangreennation.com/road-eagles-north-texas-40-western-kentucky-13/

I don't think we said much different. (I liked Smith, but had 27 grabs for 264 0 scores, while Gumms has 20 grabs for 247 and 4TDs in half the play) I grouped them differently -- like I said "run game" and included OL+RB room. I also wasn't asking which team would beat the other. Just which is "better" like, against the competition. This is why I grouped pass catchers together. Like, this offense runs 12 personnel a ton. That offense did 11 personnel more. And the Jack- Mazin/Wheeler thing is basically a pass-rushing LB aka a DE so I like putting them with the DL. Also, its cheating to say "Darden' when he wasn't NFL-bound Darden yet, but a returner with spot pass-catching duty at the time. haha. 17: 34.4 ppg/ 34.5 allowed 22: 38/22* * not done. 2017 squad was squeaking out a lot of wins (UAB, Army, UTSA) while this team in conference has dominated their competition so far. 28 17 20 -4 27 3 15 3 -38 7 1 35 16 -24 All that to say that 'yes' one of our better teams since GH was here. I think 2018 was the best NT on paper, but didn't accomplish much. 2017 was better in result, but was thinner, and still growing as a team. 2022 doesn't have as many obvious NFL-candidates and is young!

I think this team is better than the 2017 team mostly because of fit and depth. Also a little bit of coordinator savvy. - Offense -- tie. 2017 was record-setting, but didn't have a lot of depth, and didn't have a lot of answers to when teams decided to just hit Fine a ton. - Fine vs Aune -- Fine by a lot. But Aune fits *this* system a bit better. I don't know that Fine could do the RPO stuff and see over the line as well. But we would likely run a slightly different offense to take advantage of Fine's superior accuracy. - Run game -- 2022 -- OL in 2022 is better, more experienced, and more productive. Also we have more depth now. Depth or RB chart is better now than it was then, but Jeff Wilson Jr was and is a baller and elevates whatever team he is on. Put him on this squad and he's running for 2K easy. Also our TEs are much better. Have three-deep and top two are big time for NT now. - WRs/TEs as pass-catchers -- 2022 -- Much more depth now, and more versatility with our TE group. I like Mike Lawrence but he wasn't run blocking like Jake Roberts. - Defense -- Overall I like Bennett as a coordinator a little bit more. I think he puts this year's over the top. They've also came up big against some good league opponents but of course we got roasted by SMU/UNLV. 2017 we faced FAU twice (that really changed Seth's view of offense, too). - DL -- I take 2022 by a slight margin. Mazin Richards has been great, but we don't necessarily have a sure NFLer. - LBs -- I like KD Davis/Wood, but EJ EJiya/Brandon Garner were very good for us. 2017 by a slight margin - DBs -- 2017 -- I really like Texada, but he also is targeted a lot because they think they can get something. Gaddie is good too, but Kemon Hall/Nate Brooks/Eric Jenkins were very good and two have seen some time in the NFL. Also, similar with Logan WIlson/STF/Quinn Whitlock. I liked Khairi Muhammad, Kishawn McClain, Ashton Preston. I think maybe our 2018 team had better depth than the 17 squad but I choose 17 because that was the year NT was in the title game. I think if you went down and did this comparison with the 18 team the individual aspects might change a bit, but that 18 team lost in two big conference games (Tech at home, UAB away) whereas this team went 1-1 against the two title-game participants. Shorter answer is yes, 2022 team is the best performing team we've had in a while and that is both frustrating and exciting (given the limitations we've seen) and it is also a matter of perspective. If you look at games against rivals and rival-adjacent teams: 17: L SMU W UTSA W UAB W Tech 18: W SMU W UTSA L UAB L Tech 22: L SMU L UTSA W Tech hurm

Yeah football coaches in general are very guarded -- hoops coaches are much more engaging on the whole. Compared to CUSA coaches, Littrell is even worse when it comes to conversation. The only worse were Doc Holliday, and Jay Hopson. They just loathed media interaction (at least at media days).

slightly on topic: WKU preview: https://meangreennation.com/2022-north-texas-at-western-kentucky-preview/

https://meangreennation.com/mgn-film-room-run-game-vs-utsa-22/ If for some reason you can't play the video embedded on the post, there is a YouTube video link. If you can't do YT or hate it like I do, then there is the embed. Before you tell me I should have maximized all the clips, I want to say that I should have maximized all the clips.

Yes but we played Zappe while he was with HBU. He and Kittley and the WRs put up yards against us. We had film, NT film, and experience with him. He wasn’t a complete unknown to us.

Agree. Again for me, so did the offense. They sprinted 40 yards. We call time out and they get to catch their breath maybe. The key play was the catch v cover 2 over the middle. That flipped the advantage. NT had them desperate, where they needed a miracle. They got it. Then they had the advantage and NT didn’t get the miracle. For a given drive? That’s just football. Reminds me of the Alabama/Geogia game. Sometimes a guy makes a play. This, of course, is why you want to make sure it’s not a one score game and a great drive can lose it.

They are sound and disciplined but the break down in coverage sometimes. Obviously that means we would need to take advantage of them with AA ... but It is basically the same gameplan we had vs UTSA --> stop the pass game, be sound against the run and control the ball with the run and take advantage of the single coverage they'll put on Shorter et. al

We went into detail on the timeout thing on the pod. There's a school of thought that it is the right thing to do. But I don't hate playing it straight. Its a risk either way -- we either give them time to set up their offense and pick a play -- or play it straight (our defense had played that drive well) Harris had thrown long twice on middle, sideline tosses (I'm ignoring the swing pass on third) and there was reason to believe he was going to miss. Like, it wasn't completely unreasonable to play the defense straight up. Texada had good coverage, played it well. He was beat. I have no problem with that -- that's football.