If McNulty continues to start our season is done...

UNT90 · October 19, 2014

I agree QB play was not the problem . It seems that since the kid is from Iowa some posters have been on him since he arrived in Denton . Most of the comments made against him have been without a legitimate basis.

McNulty's poor performance at Tulsa and arm strength that is more suited for the FCS level is the reason people don't like him as a QB. Well, at least me, anyway.

This was apparent on the first (?) TD drive where he had a receiver 7 yards behind the defense, wide open. He under three the ball, causing the receiver to have to come back for the ball. And get tackled at the USM 20.

It ended up not mattering, as UNT took it in for a TD.

But it could have. Flashes of early season Greer with that throw.

Just once I'd like to see a QB at UNT who has all the tools and the head to be an great G5 QB.

Sthenos · October 19, 2014

If the quarterbacks who turn the ball over and can only beat beat SMU and Nicholls State transfer, few tears will be shed.

You would hope they would be man enough to go ahead and learn the playbook and compete for the job in spring, but...if they want to transfer somewhere else where they won't know/learn the playbook, but will "excitingly" turn the ball over with regularity, so be it.

I generally like most of your posts. However, I just do not understand this post. First you are making a statement as if it a fact (" be man enough to go ahead and learn the play book ") Greer knows the playbook cover to cover! He had learned it before spring ball and in less than 3 months! That is the fact not your comment. The coaches backed that up with their statements after spring ball. They were pleased that the kid spent so much time and learned the book that quick. In regard to your comment on turning the ball over Greer only has 2 turnover both of which came in the first half of Texas game. Only accounted for 7 points against us. (Same team to hold Baylor's Petty to less than 33% comp. % and 111 yards) no more turnovers in next two games. La Tech scored zero points from our QB play in that game. Last have NO idea where comment came about transferring ? NOT HAPPENING!
I really enjoy the board but comments that are written as IF they are based on Fact and are totally incorrect ONLY serve to hurt our program. Most of these young men are great young men and work their tails off to be better. They are NOT professional but only young men who have a passion for the game. You have no idea how hard some of these guys work. I for one will continue to support those players that are attempting to do it right. THE ONLY EASY DAY WAS YESTERDAY.

Travis · October 19, 2014

Just once I'd like to see a QB at UNT who has all the tools and the head to be an great G5 QB.

So are you saying that we haven't had that in recent north Texas history? Because yes, I would agree.

UNT90 · October 19, 2014

I believe TFLF was talking about DW...

Sthenos · October 19, 2014

ame="Sthenos" post="873134" timestamp="1413753487"]
I believe TFLF was talking about DW...

My fault as I misread it! Sorry for the long winded reply. I do like these young men and hope all keep coming out yelling for them , tailgating and having fun on Saturdays even if we go home disappointed sometimes. Yesterday before the game I took a long walk around the tailgate area and it really was refreshing seeing so many people visiting , laughing , eating and generally having a great time.

meangreanmick · October 20, 2014

seriously I don't get the minimac haters. He made no big mistake in this game. He was supposed to drive the bus and did that well. Yall are the kinds of guys who would have screamed to take AJ macCarron out at alabama. The offense was not great but there was at least a semblance of rythm. I am not saying don't put DW in for some packages, I am agreeing that coach Mac takes sometimes a little too few risks, but the unconditional love for DW seems weird to me. Minimac gave the defense a fair shot to excel, it is not his mistake the D can neither stop the run nor the punt, nor that Special teams fall for a (decently probable) fake when they do.

Leading an offense that scores 20 points at home to a really bad defensive team is not good, nor adequate. It may have appeared adequate because USM isn't very good defensively.

Unfortunately, their QB was able to take advantage of our bad defense in a way that our QB was not able to.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 20, 2014

Dajon could have done exactly what McNulty did. Go look at Mcnulty's career numbers and tell me he is not terrible. He is not the future so why bother starting him. It will only set our program back further. Just because he did not turn over the ball does not mean he had a good game. He played it safe against a terrible USM game. Dajon would have done equally as average at last. Instead Mac will use this to justify McNulty as the starter for the season. In doing so our season and future is down the drain.

Roll me some tape of Dajon against UAB and tell us he is not terrible.

And, we have ample evidence that Dajon, not knowing the playbook, probably isn't capable of simply driving the bus.

Sorry, Dajon lovers...you can't just f'ing wing it around with no aim or pull it down and run every time. You do, at some point, have to grow up, learn a playbook, and show enough discipline to master the techniques needed to play quarterback.

As I stated in another thread, Dajon has proven that he's great against lesser FCS schools. So, he can transfer there or to a DII. The pressure would be off of him to do anything other than show up and running around the field against guys slower than him. That's ain't this level.

Got5onIt · October 20, 2014

Roll me some tape of Dajon against UAB and tell us he is not terrible.

And, we have ample evidence that Dajon, not knowing the playbook, probably isn't capable of simply driving the bus.

Sorry, Dajon lovers...you can't just f'ing wing it around with no aim or pull it down and run every time. You do, at some point, have to grow up, learn a playbook, and show enough discipline to master the techniques needed to play quarterback.

As I stated in another thread, Dajon has proven that he's great against lesser FCS schools. So, he can transfer there or to a DII. The pressure would be off of him to do anything other than show up and running around the field against guys slower than him. That's ain't this level.

Not knowing the playbook?? C'mon TFLF, how complicated is the playbook Mac runs with McNulty/Greer???

Andrew · October 20, 2014

Dajon ran far more complicated plays than McNulty did.

meangreendork · October 20, 2014

I don't think McNulty was the problem on Saturday. I think the OC play calls and defense as a whole (play calls and performance) were the problem. I just wanted to remind everyone of this.

Eagle1855 · October 20, 2014

So are you saying that we haven't had that in recent north Texas history? Because yes, I would agree.

We haven't ever had it.

Travis · October 20, 2014

We haven't ever had it.

We have had a couple guys be great for the mid-major level that we are.

Eagle1855 · October 20, 2014

We have had a couple guys be great for the mid-major level that we are.

No. We really haven't. Great is not a word I'd use for any UNT QB in the past 20 years.

We've had a couple guys play well. And we've had a couple others who helped the team succeed by not making big mistakes. But we've never had a QB the team rallies around that goes out and changes games by himself, like many of our mid-major peers (UH, UTSA, Texas State -- while at the 1AA level, and ULL all come to mind -- and that's just regionally-speaking).

It would be a lot of fun to see at UNT. And I think that's what we all hoped we had -- and may still have -- in Dajon.

Mean Green 93-98 · October 20, 2014

No. We really haven't. Great is not a word I'd use for any UNT QB in the past 20 years.

We've had a couple guys play well. And we've had a couple others who helped the team succeed by not making big mistakes. But we've never had a QB the team rallies around that goes out and changes games by himself, like many of our mid-major peers (UH, UTSA, Texas State -- while at the 1AA level, and ULL all come to mind -- and that's just regionally-speaking).

It would be a lot of fun to see at UNT. And I think that's what we all hoped we had -- and may still have -- in Dajon.

I'd have to agree. "Great" "mid-major" (basketball term there) QBs might include Rakeem Cato, Shane Carden, Case Keenum, Kevin Kolb, or Kellen Moore. Since our return to 1A, we've never had anyone approach that.

Travis · October 20, 2014

No. We really haven't. Great is not a word I'd use for any UNT QB in the past 20 years.

We've had a couple guys play well. And we've had a couple others who helped the team succeed by not making big mistakes. But we've never had a QB the team rallies around that goes out and changes games by himself, like many of our mid-major peers (UH, UTSA, Texas State -- while at the 1AA level, and ULL all come to mind -- and that's just regionally-speaking).

It would be a lot of fun to see at UNT. And I think that's what we all hoped we had -- and may still have -- in Dajon.

I do believe Hall was great. He put up decent numbers in a 'run first and second and usually third' based offense. When you consider his circumstance, he was simply great. The team rallied around him and followed his leadership. You could even see that his freshman year. No, his numbers weren't high, but he did amazing with the opportunities given. Dickey simply didn't open up the offense the way we probably could have. No one has come close to doing that well.

Not sure how anyone can argue that.

Travis · October 20, 2014

I'd have to agree. "Great" "mid-major" (basketball term there) QBs might include Rakeem Cato, Shane Carden, Case Keenum, Kevin Kolb, or Kellen Moore. Since our return to 1A, we've never had anyone approach that.

Those listed QB's were (are) great for their program indeed. But, great isn't just about putting up gawdy numbers with winning. When you look deeper into our own program we have seen a QB like Hall, who was a great, win some games and lead the team effectively and put up great numbers compared to the opportunities he was given.

And mid-major can be referred to all college sports football included that are not at the elite P5 or BCS level. Sports Illustrated, ESPN, etc. all use the reference in regards to football.

meangreendork · October 20, 2014

I do believe Hall was great. He put up decent numbers in a 'run first and second and usually third' based offense. When you consider his circumstance, he was simply great. The team rallied around him and followed his leadership. You could even see that his freshman year. No, his numbers weren't high, but he did amazing with the opportunities given. Dickey simply didn't open up the offense the way we probably could have. No one has come close to doing that well.

Not sure how anyone can argue that.

Hall was rock-solid. He was an accurate passer with a good arm, he made good decisions, and he was tough as nails. I do agree with you about Dickey's playcalling, too. Hall could've had great numbers since the skill positions could support it, but Dickey was not just run-first, but run-all-the-time.

gradumacated · October 20, 2014

My problem with McNulty is that while he can usually stay TO free and "drive the bus" you can't put the game on his back and ride him. No where was that more painfully obvious then the last couple of drives in the USM game. He simply can't make the big plays when needed that will win games, and this tendency is exacerbated by a HC who plays everything "by the book" and won't/can't take risks that can seize the initiative for the team and put them in a position to win.

For example, if Mac was coaching the Rams Sunday there's zero chance he calls a fake punt on 4th-and-three deep in your own half of the field with less then 2 minutes to go and down by 2. He would punt it away and lose to a last second field goal.

But as many have pointed out - this team has a laundry list of problems, with the defense just shading top spot. But the QB play doesn't help. There's no one on the team who can lead, there's no accountability, and the play calling is atrocious. I expected the team to be far more competitive than they're showing, and though I predicted 4-8 to begin the season I thought it would be last-minute losses that a young team could learn from and improve next season.

But what we're getting is subpar play, subpar play calling, and subpar coaching across the board. And it shows.

I feel sorry for Carlos Harris. He's an amazing player who deserves better than the cast that's around him. He's a baller.

More than anything this team needs a Marcus Trice-type player. A dog. Who can play that role?

Speaking of Marcus Trice, that's an example of an instant impact player this team needs from JUCO/transfer ranks - specifically, on the DL, and even LB and DB. Probably QB as well, and I'm reserving judgement on the WR corps until next year when we see the couple of redshirts in action. Another RB probably couldn't hurt either. We need to establish another spine/core of the team such as we had last year with Thompson/Brelan/Orr/Abbe/Trice. Multiple leaders with lots of experience who led by example.

greenminer · October 20, 2014

Hall is incredible, but he was not the offensive weapon by himself like Dajon could be.

Travis · October 20, 2014

Hall is incredible, but he was not the offensive weapon by himself like Dajon could be.

Not sure. We will never know... probably either way of what we think Dajon could be or what Hall could-have been... The opportunities weren't there for Hall to showcase all that he had and the opportunities might not be there for Dajon (even if it is his own undoing).

Mean Green 93-98 · October 20, 2014

Those listed QB's were (are) great for their program indeed. But, great isn't just about putting up gawdy numbers with winning. When you look deeper into our own program we have seen a QB like Hall, who was a great, win some games and lead the team effectively and put up great numbers compared to the opportunities he was given.

Hall was solid, very solid. But "great"? I suppose it's semantics, but if we are going to define what he did as QB as "great," that opens the floodgates for a lot of QBs to be called "great." I think the term should be reserved for Heisman candidate-caliber QBs, or at least close to that. And we have not had that in a long time, if ever.

And mid-major can be referred to all college sports football included that are not at the elite P5 or BCS level. Sports Illustrated, ESPN, etc. all use the reference in regards to football.

They do so ignorantly. If the term is going to be applied to football, it refers to lower-level FCS teams.

Eagle1855 · October 20, 2014

Hall was good because he did exactly what a Dickey-led team needed. The entire game plan was predicated on a successful run game that set up the play-action passes -- that Scott ran quite well. He was a good QB. But when the run game failed, that entire offense failed.

Travis · October 20, 2014

Hall was good because he did exactly what a Dickey-led team needed. The entire game plan was predicated on a successful run game that set up the play-action passes -- that Scott ran quite well. He was a good QB. But when the run game failed, that entire offense failed.

It wasn't like once the run game failed they switched to something else. Dickey just kept pounding the square peg in a round hole.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 20, 2014

My problem with McNulty is that while he can usually stay TO free and "drive the bus" you can't put the game on his back and ride him. No where was that more painfully obvious then the last couple of drives in the USM game. He simply can't make the big plays when needed that will win games, and this tendency is exacerbated by a HC who plays everything "by the book" and won't/can't take risks that can seize the initiative for the team and put them in a position to win.

For example, if Mac was coaching the Rams Sunday there's zero chance he calls a fake punt on 4th-and-three deep in your own half of the field with less then 2 minutes to go and down by 2. He would punt it away and lose to a last second field goal.

But as many have pointed out - this team has a laundry list of problems, with the defense just shading top spot. But the QB play doesn't help. There's no one on the team who can lead, there's no accountability, and the play calling is atrocious. I expected the team to be far more competitive than they're showing, and though I predicted 4-8 to begin the season I thought it would be last-minute losses that a young team could learn from and improve next season.

But what we're getting is subpar play, subpar play calling, and subpar coaching across the board. And it shows.

I feel sorry for Carlos Harris. He's an amazing player who deserves better than the cast that's around him. He's a baller.

More than anything this team needs a Marcus Trice-type player. A dog. Who can play that role?

Speaking of Marcus Trice, that's an example of an instant impact player this team needs from JUCO/transfer ranks - specifically, on the DL, and even LB and DB. Probably QB as well, and I'm reserving judgement on the WR corps until next year when we see the couple of redshirts in action. Another RB probably couldn't hurt either. We need to establish another spine/core of the team such as we had last year with Thompson/Brelan/Orr/Abbe/Trice. Multiple leaders with lots of experience who led by example.

What evidence do you have against a half decent opponent that you can "put the game on" Dajon's shoulders? Also ran Indiana and average UAB show that you cannot put the game on Dajon's shoulders because he doesn't have sense enough to protect the ball.

And, as far as throwing around the term "amazing"...Carlos Harris is the only receiver capable of running the routes correctly. And, because we have no quarterbacks who can make no more than one, maybe two reads, he's normally the primary receiver.

That doesn't make Carlos Harris amazing. All that proves is that we have no other receivers capable of simply doing what they are supposed to do. And, further evidence that our quarterback situation is horrible.

We once had a player named Fitzgerald who caught many, many passes It didn't make him amazing. It simply meant we had no one else to go...which, in the long run, isn't good.

Look over at the Criminal 5 part of the ledger. Oklahoma is in the same situation receiver-wise. That Shepherd kid is the only one that makes catches for them because he's the only one that can run routes. And, their QB can't make more than a read or two either.

Doing what you are supposed to do and having quarterbacks who are not talented enough to go through progressions doesn't make one receiver amazing. Far from it. It simply show a offense that is severely lacking in one of two things:

(1) Coaching,

(2) Talent, or

(3) Both.

I say, the answer is "c" - both.

Edited October 20, 2014 by The Fake Lonnie Finch