MGB: UNT press conference notes (updated with McNulty, Harris video)

[UNT90]

Agreed! My bad. I really should have suggested we edit the cry to "Complete the F'n pass, ......." but then I would have to advocate getting on a specific player. I do not advocate that.

The statistics show that we attempted a balanced attack, for sure. Getting the ball to Harris, Goree, et al, in stride headed upfield a few times should free up some running room. Someone has to be capable of putting a catchable ball there for them. Surely one of our quarterbacks could do that. Playbook be damned! I don't care if they draw the play up on the artificial turf if they can execute it. They have to find a way to get the defense to respect the pass or we will be seeing more of our talented running back corps get hurt.

One more thing : GO MEAN GREEN!  I'll get off my soapbox now. Thanks for letting me vent.

As always with stats, it's WHEN we ran and WHEN we passed the ball. For instance, 3 straight runs after an early turnover. 

Passing almost exclusively when we fell behind in the fourth.

A balanced attack needs to be balanced THROUGHOUT the game, not just at the end.

[flyonthewall]

As always with stats, it's WHEN we ran and WHEN we passed the ball. For instance, 3 straight runs after an early turnover. 

Passing almost exclusively when we fell behind in the fourth.

A balanced attack needs to be balanced THROUGHOUT the game, not just at the end.

this this this.  I did not see a balanced attack.  I saw a different game plan when we got behind.  If only the kid hadn't fumbled......

[UNT90]

this this this.  I did not see a balanced attack.  I saw a different game plan when we got behind.  If only the kid hadn't fumbled......

I did the breakdown. Also, I counted the shuttle pass to T Goree as a run. 

1st qtr: 12 runs, 6 passes

2nd qtr: 9 runs, 13 passes

3rd qtr: 8 runs, 7 passes

4th qtr: 5 runs, 11 passes

 

But there are also fallacies in this type of statistical analysis. I counted the T Goree shuttle pass as a run, but how many more dinky pass plays did we run? These are essentially running  plays, as they do nothing to force the safeties off the line of scrimmage. 

 

Edited September 14, 2015 by UNT90

[Andrew]

Great question Brett! The answers seemed pre determined and reflective in nature, but thanks for asking the questions! Don't worry if Benford doesn't get off to a good start you might have more questions to ask. 

[flyonthewall]

I agree, I wonder what the breakdown would be if you counted any ball that was thrown less than 5 yards from the line of scrimmage, and then any play where the ball was thrown more than 5 yards down the field?

[Harry]

I agree, I wonder what the breakdown would be if you counted any ball that was thrown less than 5 yards from the line of scrimmage, and then any play where the ball was thrown more than 5 yards down the field?

You actually read my mind -- the horizontal passes behind the line should not be counted the same as a forward pass.  When I heard that we passed as often as we ran, I was shocked.  I think it is that we are not consistently throwing the ball DOWNFIELD, thus allowing the defense to crowd the line of scrimmage.  Same thing could be applied to sacks, ie if you are doing a quick drop and short route you will not usually get a sack.  I have always felt that our low sack total has been somewhat deceiving.

[UNT90]

I agree, I wonder what the breakdown would be if you counted any ball that was thrown less than 5 yards from the line of scrimmage, and then any play where the ball was thrown more than 5 yards down the field?

impossible to do without re-watching the game and noting the downfield incompletes. 

[Ben Gooding]

Bottom line is, we suck. We are not good. This is the fifth year of this HC's tenure here. And. We. Suck. 

[UNTFan23]

You actually read my mind -- the horizontal passes behind the line should not be counted the same as a forward pass.  When I heard that we passed as often as we ran, I was shocked.  I think it is that we are not consistently throwing the ball DOWNFIELD, thus allowing the defense to crowd the line of scrimmage.  Same thing could be applied to sacks, ie if you are doing a quick drop and short route you will not usually get a sack.  I have always felt that our low sack total has been somewhat deceiving.

In the 3rd and 4th quarter we had a bunch of passes that were somewhere between 7 and 2 yards away from the line of scrimmage.  A huge number of our in-completions came from passes over 10 yards.

I also hate the wideout screen passes.  We rarely seem to have any success with that pass.

[greenit]

As always with stats, it's WHEN we ran and WHEN we passed the ball. For instance, 3 straight runs after an early turnover. 

Passing almost exclusively when we fell behind in the fourth.

A balanced attack needs to be balanced THROUGHOUT the game, not just at the end.

It is really not that out of balance earlier in the game.  It is pretty much that out execution sucked.

 

1st Q - 13 run, 5 pass

2nd Q - 10 run, 14 pass

3rd Q - 8 run, 7 pass

4th Q - 5 run, 11 pass

 

Total 36 run, 37 pass**

 

** numbers include runs/passes where there was a penalty that was accepted and resulted in no play, but it shows what was called.  It also counts plays where QB was sacked as a run play, when technically we were attempting a pass.

 

In the end, it shows that we maintained decent balance throughout, but our execution sucked pretty bad and turnovers killed a couple of drives.  One thing is clear, we cannot impose our will in the run game (couldn't last year and didn't on Saturday).  

If we punch in the ball on the 1st series, maybe it would have changed things a bit, but when we ran 3 straight times and had to kick the FG, you could just feel the air go out of the ball and it gave smoo some needed confidence to respond.

[Cerebus]

You guys beat me to it, but let me expound, perhaps even pontificate.  

The run/pass ratio is important, but it muddled by the fact we aren't stretching the field.   In the Dickey offense we never threw a lot, but when we did it was off of play action downfield.  If for sure kept the defense back, on the run and the pass.  The throws we are making here are often off of empty sets.  Scott Hall's 9.8 Y/A in 2003 was either the best or second best rate ever for a NT QB.  

Even my wife noticed this.  At half time she told me this was the worst offense we had ever had, and I asked her if she remembered Dickey's offense and she said that those teams didn't throw a lot but when they did they tried to hit homeruns.  

This offense, I really don't know what the hell we are trying to accomplish.  Probably to limit turnovers, but even that isn't working.  

[greenit]

It would be interesting to see a passing chart that breaks them up into left, middle, right and shows number of passes attempted 0-10, 10-20, and 20+ yards.

I think we know it would show most in the 0-10 range, but there were definitely a few down field that I remember.  

The throw to Smith, where he pulled up and the ball sailed over his head and was intercepted comes to mind.  There was also a ball that Goree let go through his fingers that got intercepted.  Harris had one ball that resulted in an interference call and another that looked like it should have/could have been interference, but wasn't called.  Those are the deeper ones that come to mind.  Most of the others seemed to be underneath.

[Ben Gooding]

Does Mac know that UT had the ball for only 16 minutes on Saturday?   Or that they only ran 38 plays as an offense?  They didn't have much time or much of a need to open it up.    

Not just that but Rice racked up 462 yards of offense, Rice had 30 1st downs, UT had 11 1st downs,  held the ball for 40+ minutes, held UT to 267 yds of offense. If this is any indication of what is to come, we are going to get smoked on Saturday. It's literally a blowout in the making. The finale vs UTEP might be an Apogee low in attendance. That speaks volumes it being the fifth year. 

[NT91]

NT will be winless going into HC. 

Just think what WKU and Marshall will do to NT.

[Side Show Joe]

You actually read my mind -- the horizontal passes behind the line should not be counted the same as a forward pass.  When I heard that we passed as often as we ran, I was shocked.  I think it is that we are not consistently throwing the ball DOWNFIELD, thus allowing the defense to crowd the line of scrimmage.  Same thing could be applied to sacks, ie if you are doing a quick drop and short route you will not usually get a sack.  I have always felt that our low sack total has been somewhat deceiving.

Seems to me like when we did throw down field, too many time the result was an interception.

Following the Spring Game, myself and others on this board pointed out that McNulty didn't have as good a game as the stats or the headlines indicated. Most of his big yardage numbers and multiple TDs were a result of busted coverages against a depleted group of backup DBs. But Mac and the athletic department painted the effort in the best possible light, even thought the Green team lost to the White team.

My biggest fear heading into this season was that our play at the QB position would be similar to last years, and we would be a 4 win team. I think many believe we are now in a worse spot. I don't believe the offense I saw on Saturday can win even 4 games. I understand Mac's rule about only dwelling victories for 24 hours, but I'm not sure it should apply to losses. I don't think it's wise to just dismiss a loss. You need to address the problem. Mac seems to believe our fortunes will magically change against Rice. In my book, that isn't a plan of action. Has coach Mac lost all credibility when it comes to assessing our QB situation and/or offensive game plan?

[UNT90]

It is really not that out of balance earlier in the game.  It is pretty much that out execution sucked.

 

1st Q - 13 run, 5 pass

2nd Q - 10 run, 14 pass

3rd Q - 8 run, 7 pass

4th Q - 5 run, 11 pass

 

Total 36 run, 37 pass**

 

** numbers include runs/passes where there was a penalty that was accepted and resulted in no play, but it shows what was called.  It also counts plays where QB was sacked as a run play, when technically we were attempting a pass.

 

In the end, it shows that we maintained decent balance throughout, but our execution sucked pretty bad and turnovers killed a couple of drives.  One thing is clear, we cannot impose our will in the run game (couldn't last year and didn't on Saturday).  

If we punch in the ball on the 1st series, maybe it would have changed things a bit, but when we ran 3 straight times and had to kick the FG, you could just feel the air go out of the ball and it gave smoo some needed confidence to respond.

decent balance throughout? 

We ran twice as much as passed in the 1st qtr and passes twice as much as ran in the 4th qtr.

Thats half the freaking game where we are anything but balanced. 

[UNT 04]

We might of had a balance offense but I'm tired of 3rd and whatever and throwing it 5 yards in front of the first down markers or 3rd and 20+ and thinking a draw going to do it. 

[greenit]

decent balance throughout? 

We ran twice as much as passed in the 1st qtr and passes twice as much as ran in the 4th qtr.

Thats half the freaking game where we are anything but balanced. 

You realize that through 3 quarters we were leading, correct?  He is a run first coach.  First quarter is almost always going to be about trying to run, even though we suck at it.  By half, it was pretty balanced.  Through 3 quarters, balanced.  1st drive of 4th quarter when we were only down 17-13, 4 runs/6 pass.  Last two drives when down 2 scores and limited time remaining, 1 run/5 pass.

After looking at the box score again, it appears the sacks are counted as pass plays (instead of runs like I counted them), and the official stats do not count the plays where penalties were accepted.  Actually, the final total was 31 run/36 pass.  smoo was 50 run/27 pass.

I am not as troubled by the run versus pass ratio, but we have got to be more effective at whichever play is called.  

 

 

Edited September 15, 2015 by greenit

[greenit]

We have got to improve on 1st and 2nd down.  

We ran the ball 15 times on 1st down.  We only had 4 plays of 5 yards or more plus 2 plays for 4 yards and 1 play for 3 yards.  Everything else was 1 yard or less.  That puts us in lots of 2nd and long.

We passed the ball 13 times on 1st down.  We only had 3 plays of 5 or more yards, plus 1 play of 4 yards and 1 play of 2 yards.  Everything else was incomplete or negative yards.

We ran the ball 7 times on 2nd and long.  We had 2 plays over 5 yards.  Everything else was 2 yards or less.

We passed the ball 8 times on 2nd and long.  We had 2 plays over 5 yards (10, 12).  We had 1 int and 1 sack and everything else was incomplete.

 

WE ONLY HAD 1 OPPORTUNITY THE WHOLE GAME AT 3RD AND SHORT. We promptly gained 1 yard via the run.

 

The moral of the story is:

1) We suck at running the ball on 1st and 2nd down
2) We suck at passing the ball on 1st and 2nd down

[greenminer]

Same ol' crap.

It is good to hear the Ivery will be worked into the Rice game plan.  I have been waiting to see what he can do.

Other than that, my only interest is seeing a few play-makers and hoping for Smith to get some real, in-game snaps sooner rather than later.  Sounds like Mac, as expected, will live and die by Andrew.

[EagleMBA]

You guys beat me to it, but let me expound, perhaps even pontificate.  

The run/pass ratio is important, but it muddled by the fact we aren't stretching the field.   In the Dickey offense we never threw a lot, but when we did it was off of play action downfield.  If for sure kept the defense back, on the run and the pass.  The throws we are making here are often off of empty sets.  Scott Hall's 9.8 Y/A in 2003 was either the best or second best rate ever for a NT QB.  

Even my wife noticed this.  At half time she told me this was the worst offense we had ever had, and I asked her if she remembered Dickey's offense and she said that those teams didn't throw a lot but when they did they tried to hit homeruns.  

This offense, I really don't know what the hell we are trying to accomplish.  Probably to limit turnovers, but even that isn't working.  

Pope Cerebus I, please feel free to pontificate. You have articulated what I wanted to say but couldn't find the right words. Must be that divine connection.

[Cr1028]

It would be interesting to see a passing chart that breaks them up into left, middle, right and shows number of passes attempted 0-10, 10-20, and 20+ yards.

I think we know it would show most in the 0-10 range, but there were definitely a few down field that I remember.  

The throw to Smith, where he pulled up and the ball sailed over his head and was intercepted comes to mind.  There was also a ball that Goree let go through his fingers that got intercepted.  Harris had one ball that resulted in an interference call and another that looked like it should have/could have been interference, but wasn't called.  Those are the deeper ones that come to mind.  Most of the others seemed to be underneath.

8 passes 0-10yds, 7 passes 10-20yds, 0 passes 20+yds. These include YAC so we don't know how far the ball was in the air. We would have to rewatch the game for that.

[Ben Gooding]

decent balance throughout? 

We ran twice as much as passed in the 1st qtr and passes twice as much as ran in the 4th qtr.

Thats half the freaking game where we are anything but balanced. 

ding, ding, ding. 

 

Not only that, but our run plays are literally the same version of itself over and over with virtusally the same level of (little to no) success. 

[EagleMBA]

Not only that, but our run plays are literally the same version of itself over and over with virtusally the same level of (little to no) success. 

That is consistent with Canales' philosophical quote tweets. For example, the one above would be "If at first you don't succeed, try and try (and try...etc) again."

[UNTexas]

They have a 24 hour rule? So, after 24 hours they move on, forget the last game, then make the same garbage decision again, and again, and again...

Giving Smith or Means a chance isn't a risk. It's wise. It's insane to think they'll get a different outcome with the current 1 and 2. 

UNT football is like a spouse that keeps beating you and we keep taking them back. So irritating.