Houston's head coach doesn't think SMU is willing to pay the price for a winning football program

UNT90 · May 16, 2016

7 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

They are playing Oklahoma at the Texans' stadium. Oklahoma will have its way with Houston, you can count on that. And, the Sooners will have more fans in the stands, you can count on that. That is why they are playing it at the Texans' stadium - Houston's stadium wouldn't hold enough OU fans for OU to bother scheduling the game.

It's a pure recruiting tool for OU.

Agree. And, Houston did not drop down to I-AA for over a decade either.

We've never had the visibility in football or basketball as Houston, no matter how far back you go. If you are going to complain about the leadership now, go ahead and include the leadership way back when as well when we didn't get into the SWC.

To me, the key was not understanding the ramifications of the OU/Georgia suit against the NCAA for TV rights. We were mired in the I-AA back then. After the win by OU/Georgia, television rights became the thing. Notre Dame jumped in feet first, along with most major conferences. Us...nowhere to be found. We were hiring a high school football coach from...Marshall, TX.

People can beat on RV all you want. Where we find ourselves took decades of mismanagement. Rick's got us facilities and on track academically, and has continued to guide all the programs without drawing any penalties from the NCAA. We're clean.

After his contract runs out, then we'll see what the next guy can do. Hopefully, he'll take the clean program and great facilities Rick leaves, and take it up a notch.

Funny how you don't get what a HUGE recruiting tool it is for UH. OU doesn't need to play in Houston to recruit Houston. They are a powerhouse P5 that is extremely well known throughout the State of Texas.

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 16, 2016

11 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

Funny how you don't get what a HUGE recruiting tool it is for UH. OU doesn't need to play in Houston to recruit Houston. They are a powerhouse P5 that is extremely well known throughout the State of Texas.

OU does need it because their Texas recruiting has fallen off a bit:

http://newsok.com/article/5476577
http://blatanthomerism.com/articles/2016/2/sooners-recruiting-update-moving-on-to-2017
http://stormininnorman.com/2016/02/15/oklahoma-football-sooners-get-bad-rap-for-dearth-of-texas-recruits/

Texas and OU may have scoffed at A&M going to the SEC. But, whether or not A&M has been a champion there, they have brought many more schools into Texas more often than before. Both OU and Texas have been bit.

OU at the Texans' stadium is nothing more than a showcase for the Sooners. It's more of a shot at keeping up with the new SEC recruiting there than the Cougars.

Edited May 16, 2016 by MeanGreenMailbox

Harry · May 16, 2016

6 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

OU does need it because their Texas recruiting has fallen off a bit:

http://newsok.com/article/5476577
http://stormininnorman.com/2016/02/15/oklahoma-football-sooners-get-bad-rap-for-dearth-of-texas-recruits/

Texas and OU may have scoffed at A&M going to the SEC. But, whether or not A&M has been a champion there, they have brought many more schools into Texas more often than before. Both OU and Texas have been bit.

OU at the Texans' stadium is nothing more than a showcase for the Sooners. It's more of a shot at keeping up with the new SEC recruiting there than the Cougars.

Interesting article. Thanks for that.

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 16, 2016

1 minute ago, Harry said:

Interesting article. Thanks for that.

SEC.

Gotta look at Texas and OU since Texas A&M basically invited the SEC into Texas. It's been pretty ugly for both of them, slightly less for OU because they have traditionally recruited pretty well nationally. But, still...only three Texas recruits for OU this year was pretty eye-opening.

NTXCoog · May 16, 2016

29 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

They are playing Oklahoma at the Texans' stadium. Oklahoma will have its way with Houston, you can count on that. And, the Sooners will have more fans in the stands, you can count on that. That is why they are playing it at the Texans' stadium - Houston's stadium wouldn't hold enough OU fans for OU to bother scheduling the game.

It's a pure recruiting tool for OU.

OU may have its way with UH. Maybe not. But i bet you thought the exact same thing when UH was about to play #9 FSU last year. Everyone except UH fans and some AAC fans thought the same. Boy were they wrong

And you're missing this is not a moved UH home game. This is the Texas Kickoff game. The same game that aTm and ASU last year. The same game as LSU and Wisconsin the year before. It may be a recruiting tool for OU, but was it less of a recruiting tool for those schools? Its also quite likely the attendance will be higher than the aTm game last year. Might be highest of any of the Texas Kickoff games. If so, it wont solely be because of OU unless you think OU has a higher following than aTm and LSU in Houston (they dont)

And if ou fans outnumber uh, it will be by a negligible amount. This game is included in the uh season ticket package. We've already sold about 20k season tickets not counting 5000 student tickets that will be available for the game. Since NRG holds 72k, UH already has over 1/3rd of the seats before season ticket sales are done and before individual tickets go on sale.

UNT90 · May 16, 2016

1 hour ago, NTXCoog said:

OU may have its way with UH. Maybe not. But i bet you thought the exact same thing when UH was about to play #9 FSU last year. Everyone except UH fans and some AAC fans thought the same. Boy were they wrong

And you're missing this is not a moved UH home game. This is the Texas Kickoff game. The same game that aTm and ASU last year. The same game as LSU and Wisconsin the year before. It may be a recruiting tool for OU, but was it less of a recruiting tool for those schools? Its also quite likely the attendance will be higher than the aTm game last year. Might be highest of any of the Texas Kickoff games. If so, it wont solely be because of OU unless you think OU has a higher following than aTm and LSU in Houston (they dont)

And if ou fans outnumber uh, it will be by a negligible amount. This game is included in the uh season ticket package. We've already sold about 20k season tickets not counting 5000 student tickets that will be available for the game. Since NRG holds 72k, UH already has over 1/3rd of the seats before season ticket sales are done and before individual tickets go on sale.

But UNT has SMU at home...

GMG24 · May 16, 2016

1 hour ago, NTXCoog said:

OU may have its way with UH. Maybe not. But i bet you thought the exact same thing when UH was about to play #9 FSU last year. Everyone except UH fans and some AAC fans thought the same. Boy were they wrong

And you're missing this is not a moved UH home game. This is the Texas Kickoff game. The same game that aTm and ASU last year. The same game as LSU and Wisconsin the year before. It may be a recruiting tool for OU, but was it less of a recruiting tool for those schools? Its also quite likely the attendance will be higher than the aTm game last year. Might be highest of any of the Texas Kickoff games. If so, it wont solely be because of OU unless you think OU has a higher following than aTm and LSU in Houston (they dont)

And if ou fans outnumber uh, it will be by a negligible amount. This game is included in the uh season ticket package. We've already sold about 20k season tickets not counting 5000 student tickets that will be available for the game. Since NRG holds 72k, UH already has over 1/3rd of the seats before season ticket sales are done and before individual tickets go on sale.

Not true, I picked Houston.... Houston's program is taking off, they play very fast, and physical. Defense attacks and offense has the petal to the metal.

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 17, 2016

20 hours ago, NTXCoog said:

OU may have its way with UH. Maybe not. But i bet you thought the exact same thing when UH was about to play #9 FSU last year. Everyone except UH fans and some AAC fans thought the same. Boy were they wrong

And you're missing this is not a moved UH home game. This is the Texas Kickoff game. The same game that aTm and ASU last year. The same game as LSU and Wisconsin the year before. It may be a recruiting tool for OU, but was it less of a recruiting tool for those schools? Its also quite likely the attendance will be higher than the aTm game last year. Might be highest of any of the Texas Kickoff games. If so, it wont solely be because of OU unless you think OU has a higher following than aTm and LSU in Houston (they dont)

And if ou fans outnumber uh, it will be by a negligible amount. This game is included in the uh season ticket package. We've already sold about 20k season tickets not counting 5000 student tickets that will be available for the game. Since NRG holds 72k, UH already has over 1/3rd of the seats before season ticket sales are done and before individual tickets go on sale.

OU fans will vastly outnumber Houston fans; and, the Sooners will vastly outscore the Cougars. Houston can then go back to dominating the AAC and having the restaurant guy keep trying to beg his alma mater's way into the (dying) Big 12.

NTXCoog · May 17, 2016

29 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

OU fans will vastly outnumber Houston fans; and, the Sooners will vastly outscore the Cougars. Houston can then go back to dominating the AAC and having the restaurant guy keep trying to beg his alma mater's way into the (dying) Big 12.

Define vastly for attendance difference. I've shown that UH has over 1/3rd of the tickets already taken despite season ticket sales not being finished and individual tickets not going on sale yet. If not another ticket was sold to UH fans (unlikely), the max difference would be 2 to 1. Even if UH had only it's average attendance from last year at the game and not the higher attendance for the last several games (that SMU Thursday night game when the Texans were playing in town the same night did bad things to the average), UH would have half the seats.

I've shown my numbers on why UH won't be vastly out attended. Can you refute them or show why you think otherwise? Or are you just pulling your attendance thoughts out of your ....?

untjim1995 · May 17, 2016

20 hours ago, UNT90 said:

But UNT has SMU at home...

and Army!!

So thankful we built a new stadium to host these two powerhouses (from 50 years ago), since there is no way that Fouts could handle hosting teams like this in its decrepit, toilet bowl state...oh wait!!

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 17, 2016

2 hours ago, NTXCoog said:

Define vastly for attendance difference. I've shown that UH has over 1/3rd of the tickets already taken despite season ticket sales not being finished and individual tickets not going on sale yet. If not another ticket was sold to UH fans (unlikely), the max difference would be 2 to 1. Even if UH had only it's average attendance from last year at the game and not the higher attendance for the last several games (that SMU Thursday night game when the Texans were playing in town the same night did bad things to the average), UH would have half the seats.

I've shown my numbers on why UH won't be vastly out attended. Can you refute them or show why you think otherwise? Or are you just pulling your attendance thoughts out of your ....?

Vastly will be OU fans at least 2 to 1 over Houston fans. OU Club of Dallas and OU Club of Houston are their two biggest alumni groups in the United State. Add to that the generations of Sooner players from the Houston area, that OU had been on the radio in Houston for half a century, etc.

This is basically a "neutral site" home game for OU that they don't have to split ticket for, like they have to for the Texas game.

Plus, if you think Houston fans a jazzed about 2015, OU just made got finished making the playoff and return most of the offense that got them there. Their fans are just as juiced, and probably more (realistically) so than Houston fans.

UNTLifer · May 17, 2016

You people that think OU will run away from UH may be in for a big surprise.

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 17, 2016

How so? Houston returns Ward, a small QB like OU's small QB. So, they will see what they see everyday in practice - a small overachiever who runs when his receivers aren't open.

Houston's top RB and WR are gone. OU returns, perhaps, the best RB in the country, plus the kid who broke the girl's face. And, although OU lost their top WR, Houston graduated both starting safeties and CBs.

In the special teams, Houston's deep snapper, placekicker, and punter graduated; placekicker also handled kickoffs. OU returns everyone there.

Houston also lost their leading tackler, who also led in tackles for loss, and the starting nose from the DL. OU returns 3/4s of their secondary, their starting DT and one DE, and half their LBs.

The long and short of it is, on offense, Greg Ward will be facing an experienced defense which is accustomed to seeing - and, beating - talented QBs. In 2016, Houston has nothing else. That is fine against Tulane and Tulsa and the ACC. OU is a different story. They'll simply have a DE play home and shadow Ward with one of their OLBs.

OU's run game alone would be a load for Houston's defense even had the Cougars returned the top tackler and starting nose guard. Expect OU's kid from the Austin area to open his Heisman campaign with a huge game against Houston.

Throw in that Houston is replacing its entire secondary against a pretty accurate Baker Mayfield in the Sooners' high percentage passing offense, and you are looking at a long day for the Cougar DBs...as well as their coaches and fans who will have to watch it all go down.

Finally, Houston will be breaking in an entirely new kicking units. Again, OU returns all of their starters there.

The only hope Houston really has is for OU to fall asleep. However, because they have national title aspirations - and will have a house full of fans cheering them on there - the likelihood of them falling asleep on Houston is pretty much zero.

Or, they could do what BYU did in 2009 - injure OU"s starting QB early in the game and squeak by the Sooners in the end. That's about the only way Houston will even keep it close.

untjim1995 · May 17, 2016

Bruce Feldman over at Fox Sports has UH ranked #6 in his first poll, with OU following them at #7...

NTXCoog · May 17, 2016

9 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

How so? Houston returns Ward, a small QB like OU's small QB. So, they will see what they see everyday in practice - a small overachiever who runs when his receivers aren't open.

Houston's top RB and WR are gone. OU returns, perhaps, the best RB in the country, plus the kid who broke the girl's face. And, although OU lost their top WR, Houston graduated both starting safeties and CBs.

In the special teams, Houston's deep snapper, placekicker, and punter graduated; placekicker also handled kickoffs. OU returns everyone there.

Houston also lost their leading tackler, who also led in tackles for loss, and the starting nose from the DL. OU returns 3/4s of their secondary, their starting DT and one DE, and half their LBs.

The long and short of it is, on offense, Greg Ward will be facing an experienced defense which is accustomed to seeing - and, beating - talented QBs. In 2016, Houston has nothing else. That is fine against Tulane and Tulsa and the ACC. OU is a different story. They'll simply have a DE play home and shadow Ward with one of their OLBs.

OU's run game alone would be a load for Houston's defense even had the Cougars returned the top tackler and starting nose guard. Expect OU's kid from the Austin area to open his Heisman campaign with a huge game against Houston.

Throw in that Houston is replacing its entire secondary against a pretty accurate Baker Mayfield in the Sooners' high percentage passing offense, and you are looking at a long day for the Cougar DBs...as well as their coaches and fans who will have to watch it all go down.

Finally, Houston will be breaking in an entirely new kicking units. Again, OU returns all of their starters there.

The only hope Houston really has is for OU to fall asleep. However, because they have national title aspirations - and will have a house full of fans cheering them on there - the likelihood of them falling asleep on Houston is pretty much zero.

Or, they could do what BYU did in 2009 - injure OU"s starting QB early in the game and squeak by the Sooners in the end. That's about the only way Houston will even keep it close.

I'm not going to say OU won't run away with it. I don't know. But you're overselling OU and underselling UH.

Do you think OU's QB is a comparable runner to UH's? Greg Ward had more rushing TDs than anyone on OU's team, including their running backs. He was #5 in the nation in rushing TDs last year. Not among QBs, but amongst all runners. 1 TD behind LSU's Fournette, 2 behind Cowboys draft pick OSU's Elliot and just 7 behind Henry at Bama who led the nation. Do you really think a DE can keep up with Ward? He outruns DBs. Mayfield just isn't a mid-4.4 forty time like Ward. Not saying Ward's a better QB, but he's not the same type QB. And Ward did that last year with a makeshift OL due to injuries. At one point we were starting 3 freshmen and a converted DL. Imagine what he can do with a healthy line.

Houston RBs? Yes we lost our top 2 RBs who were injured most of the end of the season anyways, but then again, we didn't really have a RB vs FSU and did OK putting up 10 times more rushing yards than FSU with the exalted Dalvin Cook. Without a RB for most of the game, we put up 187 rushing yards against the FSU defense that averaged allowing 142. We even had a CB play RB for 2 games last season. But we do have Duke Catalon, a 4-star transfer from UT playing this year.

No OU RB is considered as good as FSU's Dalvin Cook, yet UH held Cook to 33 yards on 18 carries.

Again, don't know how the game will turn out, but you're picking only UH negatives. Yes, I'm only picking UH positives, but that's just a balance to your points.

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 18, 2016

16 hours ago, NTXCoog said:

I'm not going to say OU won't run away with it. I don't know. But you're overselling OU and underselling UH.

Do you think OU's QB is a comparable runner to UH's? Greg Ward had more rushing TDs than anyone on OU's team, including their running backs. He was #5 in the nation in rushing TDs last year. Not among QBs, but amongst all runners. 1 TD behind LSU's Fournette, 2 behind Cowboys draft pick OSU's Elliot and just 7 behind Henry at Bama who led the nation. Do you really think a DE can keep up with Ward? He outruns DBs. Mayfield just isn't a mid-4.4 forty time like Ward. Not saying Ward's a better QB, but he's not the same type QB. And Ward did that last year with a makeshift OL due to injuries. At one point we were starting 3 freshmen and a converted DL. Imagine what he can do with a healthy line.

Houston RBs? Yes we lost our top 2 RBs who were injured most of the end of the season anyways, but then again, we didn't really have a RB vs FSU and did OK putting up 10 times more rushing yards than FSU with the exalted Dalvin Cook. Without a RB for most of the game, we put up 187 rushing yards against the FSU defense that averaged allowing 142. We even had a CB play RB for 2 games last season. But we do have Duke Catalon, a 4-star transfer from UT playing this year.

No OU RB is considered as good as FSU's Dalvin Cook, yet UH held Cook to 33 yards on 18 carries.

Again, don't know how the game will turn out, but you're picking only UH negatives. Yes, I'm only picking UH positives, but that's just a balance to your points.

Your devotion is admirable, but I'm not overselling OU. They have better players and more returning starters from a team that was in the Playoff.

I'm not undeselling UH; they lost half of their defense and most of the yards off of their offense. They'll be breaking in too many players on both sides of the ball, plus their entire kicking games, punting and placekicking, in front of 70,000+ drunk, cousin-kissin' OU fans. It will be ugly for UH, sorry.

You are making my point about Ward - he's all Houston has. OU doesn't care. They play against better lines week in and week out than what Houston will show them. Keep the DEs at home, blitz from the corners, and shadow with OLBs.

It's not rocket science.

Dalvin Cook would sit behind either OU running back you choose, Samaje Perine or Joe Mixon. Perine outweighs Cook by 40 pounds as well, is stronger and faster. Mixon is also bigger, plus faster and, even though a backup, caught more passes than Cook last year. OU sometimes lines Mixon up at WR. Doubt Cook is that flexible. As big a headache as Perine will be, Mixon will be a nightmare for UH's DC because OU lines him up all over the offense.

Cook's a nice back. But, Perine and Mixon are ahead of him. And, Houston will have to somehow find a way to stop both of the them. Behind them, where Cook would be on OU's roster, is four-star recruit Rodney Anderson. OU is embarrassingly rich at RB IN 2016. They are big, fast, and will both pound and dice UH's new defensive starters.

Having LBs try to cover Mixon out of the back field will not be pretty. And, because he's a big or bigger than UH's secondary players, they will be punished all day long when Mayfield flips the ball out to him and he gets a full head of steam going.

Look at the bright side...UH will find out early weather their safeties will be good tacklers...or, whether Perine and Mixon leaves their cleat marks in their chests on the way to the end zone over and over again.

Edited May 18, 2016 by MeanGreenMailbox

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 18, 2016

Here. Here's is what UH's DC will have to contend with in Mixon alone...a back big (6'2, 215) and athletic (4.5 40) enough to play WR, where OU sometimes lines him up, and makes a habit of trucking LBs and DBs. This is OU's second string back:

Do not feel bad. Perine and Mixon will run over and around many defenses in 2016. Houston's will simply be the first.

Ben Gooding · May 18, 2016

21 hours ago, NTXCoog said:

Define vastly for attendance difference. I've shown that UH has over 1/3rd of the tickets already taken despite season ticket sales not being finished and individual tickets not going on sale yet. If not another ticket was sold to UH fans (unlikely), the max difference would be 2 to 1. Even if UH had only it's average attendance from last year at the game and not the higher attendance for the last several games (that SMU Thursday night game when the Texans were playing in town the same night did bad things to the average), UH would have half the seats.

I've shown my numbers on why UH won't be vastly out attended. Can you refute them or show why you think otherwise? Or are you just pulling your attendance thoughts out of your ....?

I think you answered your own question.

Cougar King · May 18, 2016

I can't wait to see Mailbox's excuses when UH beats OU.

Also NTX, even though you throw shade my way because of Coogfans propaganda, I still think you're a good poster.

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 18, 2016

20 minutes ago, Cougar King said:

I can't wait to see Mailbox's excuses when UH beats OU.

Also NTX, even though you throw shade my way because of Coogfans propaganda, I still think you're a good poster.

You'll have to live a long, long time to see that day. Better focus on the more realistic for 2016 - repeating as AAC champs. Unfortunately, OU's Mayfield and Perine are both Heisman candidates, so Stoops may leave them both in til midway through to fourth quarter to pad their stats during the blowout.

Edited May 18, 2016 by MeanGreenMailbox

UNT90 · May 18, 2016

17 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

Bruce Feldman over at Fox Sports has UH ranked #6 in his first poll, with OU following them at #7...

Houston will probably be favored on this game.

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 18, 2016

54 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

Houston will probably be favored on this game.

Except that, uh-oh...Vegas can read depth charts as well:
http://www.wagertalk.com/news/early-2016-college-football-lines/
http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/oklahoma-houston-odds-september-3-2016-729538

Edited May 18, 2016 by MeanGreenMailbox

Quoner · May 18, 2016

1 hour ago, Ben Gooding said:

I think you answered your own question.

If the question is "Can Ben Gooding do an algebra word problem and account for unknown variables?", then yes, yes he did.

Also, who's starting the GoFundMe to get Lonnie his own Sooners jersey and hat? 90?

GrandGreen · May 18, 2016

I for one don't care if OU or Houston wins. Houston is riding high right now and that is great for Houston, but I wonder any Houston fan would waste their time on a NT site. Go to a Houston or OU message board or at least someone that Houston is actually going to play.

UNT90 · May 18, 2016

1 hour ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

Except that, uh-oh...Vegas can read depth charts as well:
http://www.wagertalk.com/news/early-2016-college-football-lines/
http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/oklahoma-houston-odds-september-3-2016-729538

Long time to opening kickoff. Let's see where the betting public puts that line, shall we?

1 hour ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

Except that, uh-oh...Vegas can read depth charts as well:
http://www.wagertalk.com/news/early-2016-college-football-lines/
http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/oklahoma-houston-odds-september-3-2016-729538

Long time to opening kickoff. Let's see where the betting public puts that line, shall we?