aztecskin

It takes some really good interview skills to get quality answers from a coach or admin. Seth is not super talkative or forthcoming even with season radio dudes. I try to keep a little distance from the admin and staff because I don’t want to be too buddy-buddy.

https://meangreennation.com/135-still-bad/ -- podcast https://meangreennation.com/still-bad-southern-miss-41-north-texas-31/ -- game recap ----------- TL;DR: I think the Fire Littrell stuff is overreaction but it is also real telling of his weaknesses as a head coach. I think he can improve. I think NT is in a solid spot on offense and I was glad to see Aune get all the snaps. Defensively, we saw improvement but there is still a lot to work on, which is majorly disappointing. Ekeler's ST are terrible. 0/2 from SL on those hires, or if they aren't responsible, then the recruiting plan is bad for everything outside of the offense.

only the most informative posts. that’s my motto

Also, a podcast https://meangreennation.com/134-southern-miss-preview/ with @Aldo

https://meangreennation.com/north-texas-vs-southern-miss-2020/ A very side note: who ordered that alumni directory? I did, I never got it . . . It's below, but I know not everyone likes to scroll: Also, a podcast https://meangreennation.com/134-southern-miss-preview/ with @Aldo

So @Aldo and I were planning on doing a Houston preview podcast when it was announced that there would be no game this week. So we talked anyway. The 'Rona, scholarships, defense, golf. https://meangreennation.com/133-cancellation/

I think it was a hybrid year. Last year they were out of sync. The defense was young but the offense was experienced -- a senior QB, senior WR (Bussey), and returning talent. This year, we had those young defensive guys in Year 2 as starters, but an inexperienced QB. There were a lot of complaints the last two seasons that garbage time was not spent on developing the next QB and I think we are seeing some of that now. Jason Bean has talent, but it looks (to me) like he needs more game snaps. Same with Aune. When we were getting blown out last season, that was a good time to develop Bean more than having him turn and hand it off. There is talent across the offense -- Adaway, Torrey, et al, Shorter, Darden, Ogunmakin, White, Simpson. I would not have hated it if Seth went out and recruited a JUCO or grad transfer QB to lead things. Instead he decided to go with the youth. That can work, but they look like they are not completely ready. TL;DR: Not quite a rebuilding year, but a transitionary year. Lot of youth, and I think they can take their lumps this year and be good and solid next year. See Southern Miss' group growing together the last two seasons.

Yeah @wardly I mentioned the challenge there -- like, compared to the conference and the rest of the G5, Littrell has not overly impressed. Compared to recent NT history, however, and he deserves loads of praise. The key in the organizational process is to get passed that, and set goals that can be achieved, but challenge the coaching staff and the program. So I don't think it unrealistic to say "let's not have abominable defensive performances every week". That said, the only organizational recourse cannot simply be "you are fired". But maybe hold off on the pay raise.

I complained about the game. https://meangreennation.com/132-destroyed-by-smu/ I wrote about the game here: https://meangreennation.com/destroyed-smu-65-nt-35/

when I wrote that, I said it in my head with this voice. And I wanted little football cookies also.

I figure it is related to the long break. I would either refresh the feed in whatever app/service you use. If that doesn't work, just delete it and re-add it.

Looks like some weirdness in certain browsers. Never had this issue before. In the mean time if you click the Download link you should be able to stream it. http://listen.jspodcasts.com/mgn/MGN131.mp3

https://meangreennation.com/north-texas-vs-smu-preview-2020/ Wrote about the SMU game. There be some videos.

So @Aldo joined up via internet voice call and recorded it digitally. We call it a pod cast. It's like a 'broadcast' but one that can be played on our 'iPod'. Clever, eh? Anyway, you can find it at the internet home here: https://meangreennation.com/131-smu-preview/

@eeeeagle thanks! On MGN I was doing memberships but given my time constraints and everything I am offering memberships at CUSAReport. Supporting that helps me keep writing at MGN as well. CR - Memberships

@eeeeagle good questions. @Aldo linked to the article I wrote and I noted in the game recap here one of the things I saw that sort of explains the passing yards issue. The very short and incomplete history of defense is this: Early in football history defenses essentially put as many guys on the line as possible. It basically looked like goal line offense and defense everywhere. As offenses evolved — T-Formation, passing game evolution, and rules changes — defenses adjusted. More men were moved “back” to stop the pass game. Tom Landry developed the 4-3 FLEX defense based on some of that and to accommodate his players. Very genetically speaking the 5-2 defense evolved to the 3-4 and the 4-3 to the 4-4 and 4-2-5. The modern 3-3-5 was developed by Rocky Long for the same reason everyone invents something: necessity. Modern defenses (2005-present) are trying to stifle the offensive explosion by being more versatile and fast. NT is doing this 3-3-5/4-2-5 because Clemson and Alabama get all the NFL-caliber defensive lineman and we have to find a way to get pressure while also being solid in coverage. Gary Patterson at TCU has done an amazing job of finding “tweener” guys that got his system and can execute. He doesn’t get obvious athletes but still has produced great defenses over the years. Yes, Booger and other great players would thrive in whatever system — they make the system. Brian Urlacher played in a 3-3-5 in college and was also the prototype middle linebacker in a Tampa 2 (4-3) system. He was just a great player.

The Briles hire attempt was the most egregious thing. He didn't let his bosses know, wrote a letter saying he disagreed with his bosses, and brought lots of heat on the program. Weird is that he was under a new contract -- just extended prior to 2018.

No it was up there later that afternoon. I can see it on PocketCasts on iOS and on Podcasts app on iOS also. I see it on the Apple Podcasts page as well https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mean-green-nation-podcast/id524540634

Just delayed. Happens when it has been a long while since updates . . .

No @Aldo today and I blame that on my children, who allowed me short notice to podcast, not allowing me to rally the podcast team. https://meangreennation.com/130-2/

Transcription error. I'll adjust!

What is up internet people who share some of the same affinity for a university! I wrote about the season and what we can expect. You can read it by clicking on this hyperlink or typing "https://meangreennation.com/north-texas-begins-the-pandemic-season-with-questions-2020-mgn-season-preview/" into your internet browser of choice. Surf the world wide web and cruise the information super highway! (be ware of disinformation campaigns and slippery slopes into cultish conspiracy theories that will ruin your relationships and possibly the fabric of the democracy you live in) Enjoy!

<I very much dislike Disney so I am happy to throw that in the trash.> I think it is important to tell the full story of the people we are honoring, and not hide it. When Kobe Bryant died, some people were very vocal about the part where he was very credible accused of rape and admitted he was very wrong about the whole encounter. That is the kind of conversation we can have about every one of the people in our nation that we choose to honor. The point is to have an ongoing conversation about each of the pillars of our culture and discuss their value. It cannot and should not be a one-time conversation and then shut up forever. That ongoing conversation should be inclusive of all the stakeholders of this country or the institution and what have you. As for removing statues to people who were problematic, an amenable solution is to tell that story prominently and not put up a hagiography.

Mike Finger of the SAEN with a great column https://www.expressnews.com/sports/columnists/mike_finger/article/Mike-Finger-With-overdue-audacity-UT-players-15338551.php

I realize you are posting this as a extreme example to show how my thought process doesn't make sense -- but yeah. We have to examine everything and not just accept it unthinkingly. Like, for example. I think that college sports as we know them could easily be spun off into for-profit athletic clubs that compete professionally, that exist to benefit the university's academic mission. That would be a way to evolve the current model and not defended blindly. A North Texas Athletic Club Inc could sponsor professional teams in all the ones it sponsors now, and provide a path for professional development of its students. You could major in accounting, and get an internship at the Club. Major in sports management, and learn under someone actively doing sports management etc. It could still serve the mission without being the same thing we do now. I know a lot of you like to say "what is the big deal? Move on" -- well the same challenge can be put to you: what is the big deal with keeping it the same? Accept some evolution and move on.