What Connor means to UNT

Army of Dad · July 29, 2015

You bring up a good point about Arkansas. They basically run the same system that Mac does and do it well.

except they have struggled to win on their own level (SEC).

Aldo · July 29, 2015

This is beside the point, but I definitely would not say struggled. They could have easily been 5-3 in conference play, as they were 2-6. They played the top teams close.

They couldn't finish games, but they didn't struggle.

Withers940 · July 29, 2015

Connor Means is Like Mox off of Varsity Blues just waiting to get his chance to shine

untjim1995 · July 29, 2015

This is beside the point, but I definitely would not say struggled. They could have easily been 5-3 in conference play, as they were 2-6. They played the top teams close.
They couldn't finish games, but they didn't struggle.

Arkansas is a talent-rich and tradition-rich flagship program in the best conference in our land. They are doing a great job of finding a niche for their style of offense, which I think will play well in the SEC, since they have gone spread happy, too. But Arkansas will get a much better QB than us even if they never passed the ball because they are Arkansas in the SEC. Kids in Arkansas want to play at Razorback Stadium. QBs in Texas don't want to come here unless they have no other option.

I have no problem with the McDickney offense...when its paired with a kick-ass defense and special teams. But it will never feature a throwing QB that is flinging it around all over the field, like at most other schools these days, who can put the team on his shoulders and bring you back on his own. Look at the QBs we have signed and played under Mac has been the coach--McNulty (underwhelming), Dajon (bad fit), and Greer (scared). None of them could even be trusted to throw a pass downfield against FBS competition, one of who seemed nervous as hell to be on the field, one who couldn't learn the playbook or anything else apparently, and one who could be trusted to only hand off the ball or throw two yard passes. Maybe Damarcus Smith changes this completely and he is Seneca Wallace 2.0, but we won't know that until October most likely. McNulty is Mac's guy--fully trusts him, knows he will run the gameplan the he wants it run, and he apparently is a good test-taker in Chico's class.

Aldo · July 29, 2015

But it will never feature a throwing QB that is flinging it around all over the field, like at most other schools these days, who can put the team on his shoulders and bring you back on his own.

Give me this QB but who is accurate at the short and intermediate ranges, and can give 65%Comp and 7.5+ yards per pass attempt. That's really not asking for much.

If he's from Tennessee, so be it. I just want to be able to pick apart MTSU, LaTech, Rice, etc, and balance it out with a great run game.

We have the everything else in place. 2016 and beyond, a group of receivers consisting of Bradley, Dillman, Goree, Rutherford, Smiley is a great core to pair with Wilson/Ivery. Young o-line.

Cerebus · July 29, 2015

Give me this QB but who is accurate at the short and intermediate ranges, and can give 65%Comp and 7.5+ yards per pass attempt. That's really not asking for much.

Except, of course, that we've never had a QB do it since we returned from 1AA.

We have never had a QB hit 65% of his passes in that period.

Only five times has we had a hit 7.0+ Y/A in that period:

DT in 2012 (7.1) and 2013 (7.3)

Scott Hall in 2001 (7.5), 2003 (a near miracle 9.6), and 2004 (7.7).

GMG24 · July 29, 2015

Except, of course, that we've never had a QB do it since we returned from 1AA.
We have never had a QB hit 65% of his passes in that period.
Only five times has we had a hit 7.0+ Y/A in that period:
DT in 2012 (7.1) and 2013 (7.3)
Scott Hall in 2001 (7.5), 2003 (a near miracle 9.6), and 2004 (7.7).

you just had to go and make me sports sad, no wonder no QBs want to come here. Yikes.

Mean Green 93-98 · July 29, 2015

A QB hitting 65% of his passes would be top 20 in the nation. Riley Dodge actually hit 67.7% of his passes in '09, and was #9 in the nation.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Mean Green 93-98

BillySee58 · July 30, 2015

except they have struggled to win on their own level (SEC).

And every G5/non-AQ program that ever had big-time success/pushed for a BCS bowl in the modern era has been very effective passing the ball. G5s don't go undefeated by lining up in the I and pounding the ball. Maybe I'm asking for too much, but I want to see something like that from us and I think we're capable as a program.

Mean_Green09 · July 30, 2015

And every G5/non-AQ program that ever had big-time success/pushed for a BCS bowl in the modern era has been very effective passing the ball. G5s don't go undefeated by lining up in the I and pounding the ball. Maybe I'm asking for too much, but I want to see something like that from us and I think we're capable as a program.

We won't ever be able to duplicate a Boise St. model just being a ground & pound team with a good D. We won't ever be noticed.

We have to figure out a way to balance our offense and put up 35 to 40 points a game. We won't ever grow this program to the level so many want by being a team who wins close low scoring games. Sure we can go to bowl games and have a shot at winning CUSA, but our ceiling will be limited.

Ben Gooding · July 30, 2015

We won't ever be able to duplicate a Boise St. model just being a ground & pound team with a good D. We won't ever be noticed.

We have to figure out a way to balance our offense and put up 35 to 40 points a game. We won't ever grow this program to the level so many want by being a team who wins close low scoring games. Sure we can go to bowl games and have a shot at winning CUSA, but our ceiling will be limited.

100% correct. Can't consistently recruit that philosophy at the G5 level.

BillySee58 · July 30, 2015

We won't ever be able to duplicate a Boise St. model just being a ground & pound team with a good D. We won't ever be noticed.

We have to figure out a way to balance our offense and put up 35 to 40 points a game. We won't ever grow this program to the level so many want by being a team who wins close low scoring games. Sure we can go to bowl games and have a shot at winning CUSA, but our ceiling will be limited.

IMO Boise State only is able to be consistently in the hunt as a G5 ground and pound team because they first built their program up to a destination one and perennial winner by throwing the ball like crazy. They established themselves in the early 2000s with a high-octane offense led by QBs like Ryan Dinwiddie and Jared Zabransky. Now they've had so much success for so long that they recruit on a level above all other G5 programs.

They can land P5-caliber lineman and play like a P5 school because they're getting those players. If we could have prolonged success then maybe we could do that. But I think we need to do that first.

FirefightnRick · July 30, 2015

If your interested in Boise check out how they succeed offensively.

They finished 12-2 last year beating Arizona in the Fiesta.

They outscored their opponents 39 points per game to 27.

But they rushed 158 times more than they passed.

How? By utilizing their weapons and spreading the ball around to their badasses in as many unique ways as the imagination can come up with.

They had a 1900 yard RB who also finished as their third leading receiver.

Their QB threw for 3700 yards but was also their second leading rusher with 790 yards.

Their 4th leading receiver was a RS Soph Tightened. Their three TE's finished with over 500 yards combined and 4 TD's.

Compare this to what NT does.

Zero imagination with basic pistol formation constantly handing a committee of backs the ball 8 yards deep. Everyone knows who is getting the ball,..it's the RB that just came in.

Poor QB developement in a two way system. He is either going to hand off in a delay or throw a short out route. Rarely stretches the field.

Pitiful utilization of the Tightend. Marcus Smith is easily one of our BADASSES. What did we do with him last year? We threw to him a rediculous 15 times, 6 of those were for scores. If you got a guy that scores one out of every three times you throw him the ball wouldn't that be an indication he needs it more than 15 a season? This tracks along a history with this staff of underutilizing/under evaluation of talent. Remember in '11 when Mac and crew couldn't find a place on the field for last year's Oakland Raiders Man Of The Year recipient Jamize Olawale.

Rick

MeanGreen13 · July 30, 2015

If your interested in Boise check out how they succeed offensively.
They finished 12-2 last year beating Arizona in the Fiesta.
They outscored their opponents 39 points per game to 27.
But they rushed 158 times more than they passed.
How? By utilizing their weapons and spreading the ball around to their badasses in as many unique ways as the imagination can come up with.
They had a 1900 yard RB who also finished as their third leading receiver.
Their QB threw for 3700 yards but was also their second leading rusher with 790 yards.
Their 4th leading receiver was a RS Soph Tightened. Their three TE's finished with over 500 yards combined and 4 TD's.

Compare this to what NT does.

Zero imagination with basic pistol formation constantly handing a committee of backs the ball 8 yards deep. Everyone knows who is getting the ball,..it's the RB that just came in.
Poor QB developement in a two way system. He is either going to hand off in a delay or throw a short out route. Rarely stretches the field.
Pitiful utilization of the Tightend. Marcus Smith is easily one of our BADASSES. What did we do with him last year? We threw to him a rediculous 15 times, 6 of those were for scores. If you got a guy that scores one out of every three times you throw him the ball wouldn't that be an indication he needs it more than 15 a season? This tracks along a history with this staff of underutilizing/under evaluation of talent. Remember in '11 when Mac and crew couldn't find a place on the field for last year's Oakland Raiders Man Of The Year recipient Jamize Olawale.

Rick

that Jamize thing always rubbed me the wrong way. I used to hoop with him at the rec and he was a really nice guy and stupid athletic... I always wondered why they never used him cause he definitely had the athleticism and it couldnt have been an issue of character...

FirefightnRick · July 30, 2015

that Jamize thing always rubbed me the wrong way. I used to hoop with him at the rec and he was a really nice guy and stupid athletic... I always wondered why they never used him cause he definitely had the athleticism and it couldnt have been an issue of character...

If nothing else we can point to the fact that JO was part of the "smallest and slowest football team I've ever been around" crowd.

Rick

Withers940 · July 30, 2015

If your interested in Boise check out how they succeed offensively.
They finished 12-2 last year beating Arizona in the Fiesta.
They outscored their opponents 39 points per game to 27.
But they rushed 158 times more than they passed.
How? By utilizing their weapons and spreading the ball around to their badasses in as many unique ways as the imagination can come up with.
They had a 1900 yard RB who also finished as their third leading receiver.
Their QB threw for 3700 yards but was also their second leading rusher with 790 yards.
Their 4th leading receiver was a RS Soph Tightened. Their three TE's finished with over 500 yards combined and 4 TD's.

Compare this to what NT does.

Zero imagination with basic pistol formation constantly handing a committee of backs the ball 8 yards deep. Everyone knows who is getting the ball,..it's the RB that just came in.
Poor QB developement in a two way system. He is either going to hand off in a delay or throw a short out route. Rarely stretches the field.
Pitiful utilization of the Tightend. Marcus Smith is easily one of our BADASSES. What did we do with him last year? We threw to him a rediculous 15 times, 6 of those were for scores. If you got a guy that scores one out of every three times you throw him the ball wouldn't that be an indication he needs it more than 15 a season? This tracks along a history with this staff of underutilizing/under evaluation of talent. Remember in '11 when Mac and crew couldn't find a place on the field for last year's Oakland Raiders Man Of The Year recipient Jamize Olawale.

Rick

Love the research Rick!! I wish we could run the spread offense so bad. Just because you run a spread offense doesnt mean you are pass heavy just like what Boise proves. If you stay balanced and utilize your weapons, its hard to stop your offense.

Aldo · July 30, 2015

A QB hitting 65% of his passes would be top 20 in the nation. Riley Dodge actually hit 67.7% of his passes in '09, and was #9 in the nation.

OK maybe I'll tone it down and say 60% completion. Makes it top 50 in FBS. 7.5 is also top 50. I mean these are Washington State/Memphis/ArkSt/MTSU/AkState royalty we're talking about here.

Except, of course, that we've never had a QB do it since we returned from 1AA.
We have never had a QB hit 65% of his passes in that period.
Only five times has we had a hit 7.0+ Y/A in that period:
DT in 2012 (7.1) and 2013 (7.3)
Scott Hall in 2001 (7.5), 2003 (a near miracle 9.6), and 2004 (7.7).

That's true and my point is, we just need an average FBS guy to win in CUSA. Upsets against P5s can come later.

Gimme top 50 numbers, not #100.

Edited July 30, 2015 by Aldo

untjim1995 · July 30, 2015

OK maybe I'll tone it down and say 60% completion. Makes it top 50 in FBS. 7.5 is also top 50. I mean these are Washington State/Memphis/ArkSt/MTSU/AkState royalty we're talking about here.
That's true and my point is, we just need an average FBS guy to win in CUSA. Upsets against P5s can come later.
Gimme top 50 numbers, not #100.

With our track record of getting QBs here under Mac/Chico, I'd say you'd better go down to 55% and 5.5. And that is recruiting in a state with the offenses that are full of throwing QBs at 95+% of the schools. And yet last year's QB and this year's hopeful QB are both JUCOs. It is what it is--you just gotta hope that the busdriver keeps a steady hand on the wheel. That's the McDickney Offense in a nutshell.

foutsrouts · July 30, 2015

Poor QB developement in a two way system. He is either going to hand off in a delay or throw a short out route. Rarely stretches the field.

And the corner jumping those short out routes tends to result in pick sixes as we've seen so often during the Mac era. Isn't avoiding turnovers supposed to be at the top of the list in Mac's offensive philosophy?

Aldo · July 30, 2015

With our track record of getting QBs here under Mac/Chico, I'd say you'd better go down to 55% and 5.5.

Ha that's worse than what we have now!

I don't care where they're from. Texas, Tennessee, Florida...New Hampshire.

But as I said before, just gimme an average-stat QB with this team, and it could turn more than a game or two in our favor. We have a talented receiver/rb core.

Edited July 30, 2015 by Aldo

Cerebus · July 30, 2015

A QB hitting 65% of his passes would be top 20 in the nation. Riley Dodge actually hit 67.7% of his passes in '09, and was #9 in the nation.

Oops, I overlooked Riley on the stats. He did hit 205 of 303 passes, but for only 1,975 yards (6.5 YA) and his TD/INT Ratio (9TD 15INT) makes McNulty's ( 6TD / 7 INT) look fantastic.

Basically we threw a ton of screens and short routes, and everything longer than that had a high chance of being picked off.

Edited July 30, 2015 by Cerebus

Tyler Maryak · July 30, 2015

Good points. Good read.

Cr1028 · August 1, 2015

Mean has the size, tools, and talents, but....
Can this staff develop him? I have serious doubts about this staff's ability to develop and get a QB to play a high level. They have failed to do it since their arrival. If your a HS QB and you do your homework why would you come here? Yes there is the chance to start right away, but can the coaches get me to the next level?

Only time you start as a true freshman quarterback here is if your dad played for Iowa in the 70s.