Worst Part About This Season

MeanGreenTexan · November 16, 2014

Anyone with an ounce of football knowledge who watched this game knows the QB play is not the biggest of our worries.
When your defense is getting ass-jacked by the likes of a team we steamrolled last year behind another second year coach then QB play is down the list. It's a worry, but not to the point that it's worthy of 100 pages of complaints over other aspects of this program. But this is football retard central so I know how it's gonna go all next week.
Rick

DLine and QB play.

When your DL can't get any pressure whatsoever on a QB, it gives him plenty of time to pick apart the secondary. When the center or guard is up the field and engaged with Akunne within 1 second of snapping the ball because no DL demands a double-team, you see weak LB play. The problems on D start at the DL.

I know you're watching the QB play. It's atrocious. The problems on O start at the QB. We've tried 3 different guys and they were all terrible except VS a FCS team who would struggle against (if not outright lose to) Denton Guyer, a winless SMU team, and in the 4th quarters of bad losses. I don't know how we won the FAU game so convincingly.

I'll give those of you who are saying the Offensive Line is the main problem the point that the OL play has certainly regressed (I'm starting to think it's because of Snacks playing G and Lemon kicking out to T), but when your QB is either a statue with no arm, a loose canon who cannot grasp the offense, or a back-peddling, sack machine bus driver; the OL is going to have a hard time blocking for that long.

UNTexas · November 16, 2014

I think the killer for me is I flew out for the game tonight. The UTEP fans were extremely classless but that's typical El Paso. The exemption was an older gentleman in line tapped me on the shoulder and thanked me for coming to EP for the game. Outside of that they were trashy and beers were $10 in the stadium. Jerry World is cheaper. Unreal.

In the end it was an embarrassing performance out of our team. The players didn't seem too concerned either. Celebration after plays when you are being humiliated? Seriously? There were guys smiling in the fourth. Damn...

foutsrouts · November 16, 2014

DLine and QB play.

When your DL can't get any pressure whatsoever on a QB, it gives him plenty of time to pick apart the secondary. When the center or guard is up the field and engaged with Akunne within 1 second of snapping the ball because no DL demands a double-team, you see weak LB play. The problems on D start at the DL.
I know you're watching the QB play. It's atrocious. The problems on O start at the QB. We've tried 3 different guys and they were all terrible except VS a FCS team who would struggle against (if not outright lose to) Denton Guyer, a winless SMU team, and in the 4th quarters of bad losses. I don't know how we won the FAU game so convincingly.

I'll give those of you who are saying the Offensive Line is the main problem the point that the OL play has certainly regressed (I'm starting to think it's because of Snacks playing G and Lemon kicking out to T), but when your QB is either a statue with no arm, a loose canon who cannot grasp the offense, or a back-peddling, sack machine bus driver; the OL is going to have a hard time blocking for that long.

Yep. You kind of need to outscore the other team, and usually it's up to the offense to accomplish that. 21-17 wins are just fine, but I prefer a QB led offense that has the capability to score 4 or 5 TD's a game all on their lonesome. We seem to have trouble with that, but maybe that's just me.

UNT90 · November 16, 2014

Worst part about next season; we have to play 7 road games.

Or maybe even 8...

But RV will balance the AD budget with that whorin', so it's ok...

UNTexas · November 16, 2014

Or maybe even 8...
But RV will balance the AD budget with that whorin', so it's ok...

Please tell me 8 isn't possible. Please.

Green P1 · November 16, 2014

That so many people think the QB position is the main problem with this program.
Rick

Or.... That so many people don't equate the handling of the QB position to the general level of quit/give up throughout the rest of the team.

TIgreen01 · November 16, 2014

Or.... That so many people don't equate the handling of the QB position to the general level of quit/give up throughout the rest of the team.

This. Our Dline is bad, and not much changes that. But the QB handling has been absolutely deflating to the team as a whole.

UNT90 · November 16, 2014

Please tell me 8 isn't possible. Please.

Probably won't happen, but that is where we sit at this late late moment in the college football scheduling world.

GrandGreen · November 16, 2014

That NT has to play so many teams that have great culture and a big recruiting advantages over NT.

Rice, UAB, UTEP, La Tech, FAU and to come UTSA and FIU, no way NT can compete with these juggernauts.

Edited November 17, 2014 by GrandGreen

MeanMag · November 16, 2014

We probably had one of the easiest schedules in the country

http://www.bcftoys.com/

TheWestie · November 17, 2014

The bloody marks on my arms where I nervous scratched my sunburn from the SMU game during the Louisiana Tech game.

Edited November 17, 2014 by TheWestie

oldguystudent · November 17, 2014

The three September games, two with early start times and one on a weeknight, were just murder for me to get to. By the time my fall deadlines had finally passed, the home game season was damn near over. I like the money that comes with this CUSA membership, but the scheduling that comes with it can suck a bag of Wurlitzer organs.

GOMG2013 · November 17, 2014

Our LBs are the worst.

Some say QB and DL. Why point out a unit that was average last year? Did we all of a sudden expect them to improve? No one expected these units to perform higher than average this season.

DL has been a little below average, but not surprising. QB started off horrible, but recently has been upgraded to below average.

Last season our LBs played at a great all conference level. Many expected at least average play from this unit with akunne returning, a four star transfer, and players that have been getting time. This unit went from great to horrible. UTEP... 7 solo tackles from 5 lbs. Scott and akunne with 12 assists. Unexceptable. And watching the game is worse than the stats. Out of place, taking wrong angles, getting juked, etc.

DL combined for 10 solo 13 ass, 3 TFL. Not great, but they were not getting blown off the ball. Its 4 DLs vs 6 or 7. If the LBs remain 5 yards from the line of scrimmage and do not come with pressure, then its easier to block the 4 DLs. Do we really think we will ever have 4 DLs that can bring enough pressure by themselves? Come on...im sure our lbs want to blitz and play closer to the line. a lot of this is on skladany. Orr and akunne did not sit 5 yards back last year. Lbs in coverage has been horrible, but we also try to get them to cover with no additional pressure. A lb cant cover that long.

Secondary went from all conference to below average. A lot due to injuries, but this unit was supposed to be one of the strongest.

OLine was supposed to be the best in cusa. Two preseason award list. Below average. This unit was also supposed to carry the new qb, and catapult the running game.

We have units that went from great expectations to below average, and that is our biggest issue. Not units that were supposed to average at best.

Edited November 17, 2014 by GOMG2013

MeanGreenHoops · November 17, 2014

Our LBs are the worst.
Some say QB and DL. Why point out a unit that was average last year? Did we all of a sudden expect them to improve? No one expected these units to perform higher than average this season.
DL has been a little below average, but not surprising. QB started off horrible, but recently has been upgraded to below average.

Earlier this year, I think you and I had a disagreement over this. I had watched the tape, (I think Rice) and mentioned our DL was just getting swallowed up. I don't care as much now, so I didn't really watch the units as closely as then, but i thought our DL was doing a decent job of getting push, and even some pressure when they did throw, but there was no one in the holes. For this game as least, LB was horrible. And perhaps I'm coming around more to your point in the Rice game that they are the biggest problem with the D.

UNTFan23 · November 17, 2014

The three September games, two with early start times and one on a weeknight, were just murder for me to get to. By the time my fall deadlines had finally passed, the home game season was damn near over. I like the money that comes with this CUSA membership, but the scheduling that comes with it can suck a bag of Wurlitzer organs.

Blame having our games on TV. I think RV and the athletic department in general would prefer to have September games as late into the evening as possible.

GOMG2013 · November 17, 2014

Earlier this year, I think you and I had a disagreement over this. I had watched the tape, (I think Rice) and mentioned our DL was just getting swallowed up. I don't care as much now, so I didn't really watch the units as closely as then, but i thought our DL was doing a decent job of getting push, and even some pressure when they did throw, but there was no one in the holes. For this game as least, LB was horrible. And perhaps I'm coming around more to your point in the Rice game that they are the biggest problem with the D.

Part of it is our secondary too. Look at how other teams play us. La tech, Rice, Tulane, UTEP, UTSA, UAB, Indiana, etc...they have thier corners playing up on our wrs and they have 8 in the box, daring us to run. These teams are not smashing us with a dominant DL. They are coming after our qb abd run blitzing us. Why cant we do the same to them?

If our secondary could do the same thing and play closer, our lbs would not have to worry about helping out in the passing game. you cannot pull this off by playing zone and corners being 10 yards off. Our issues at safety (im assuming) is why our lbs are dropping back and waiting. Fred Scott in coverage is unfair to him. He should not be put in that situation game after game. They are confused and cannot play aggressive.

Last year, trice and lee came up so much, you would have thought they were lbs. Lee is not himself and the other safety is a work in process. Wade played nice at the beginning, but then he got hurt.

Some of these tackles may be special teams but....MLB accounted for 134 tackles last year. 15 for loss. So far our MLBs have 72 and only 2 tfl. Weak OLB last year 96. 8 tfl. This year so far 56 and 2 tfl.

oldguystudent · November 17, 2014

Blame having our games on TV. I think RV and the athletic department in general would prefer to have September games as late into the evening as possible.

I fully understand that. See reference to CUSA membership in my post.

EagleGreen · November 17, 2014

THe worst part for me is the declining hope going forward...I'll have to drag my ass to the computer just to buy season tickets for next year, because I don't think it will really be worth it... 4-5 games playing suck teams...ugh.

The severe lack of realizing we were not ready out of camp is the biggest downer, followed by our ability not to adapt when things went south. No aggression out of this coaching staff when we found we were not good, just caution play. Dissappointing, to say the least. But, I think one of the major contributers to navel gazing is the thought that these are Mac's guys and he could not get them going. Maybe next year? I hope so.

Proud North Texan · November 17, 2014

Head coach and his entire coaching staff did not succeed "fail miserably" in their 4th year!! which is a sign that they are not going to do anything good For NT football in the near future.

Bad recruiting, bad QB, awful play calling, inconsistency in all aspects, and even the thing that coach Mac was really good at, has been very bad this whole season, which is his speeches before and after games.

The momentum is gone, the excitement is not there anymore, the future is really scary for NT football.

GMG

Coffee and TV · November 17, 2014

I think the killer for me is I flew out for the game tonight. The UTEP fans were extremely classless but that's typical El Paso. The exemption was an older gentleman in line tapped me on the shoulder and thanked me for coming to EP for the game. Outside of that they were trashy and beers were $10 in the stadium. Jerry World is cheaper. Unreal.
In the end it was an embarrassing performance out of our team. The players didn't seem too concerned either. Celebration after plays when you are being humiliated? Seriously? There were guys smiling in the fourth. Damn...

Next time just sit on that mountain with your flask and get a hanjee.

MeanGreenD · November 18, 2014

During the USM game, when each cheerleader was accompanied by 2 little cheerleaders, 2 of whom were handicapped. They were so cute, so spirited, and yet they cheered in front of a lifeless crowd who couldn't be bothered to chime in with a "Go Mean Green" or even applaud their efforts.

GOMG2013 · November 19, 2014

DLine and QB play.

When your DL can't get any pressure whatsoever on a QB, it gives him plenty of time to pick apart the secondary. When the center or guard is up the field and engaged with Akunne within 1 second of snapping the ball because no DL demands a double-team, you see weak LB play. The problems on D start at the DL.

I looked at the DVR recording of the UTEP game to look at the DLine and LBs again. LB play was still weak, but you are correct about the Dline also. It was not a matter of size though. They were not getting pushed back either, One problem we had vs the way UTEP played was we only sent the front 4 and they brought more.

A coaches job is to put the players in position to make plays. We had several players in position to make plays in the first quarter. They did not make the plays. The DLine played bad in the 1st quarter. One play is when Sir Calvin penetrated and got his hands on Showers, but Showers broke free. There were 3 other times our DEs could have made the play with no one blocking them and they got juked, or hesitated and the running back left them in the dust. Buyers let a play get around him by biting inside for a big gain. 2 offsides penalties on the Dline. before you know it, we are down 14-0 and game is over...

We really miss Bellazin and McCoy...