DMN: Can Seth Littrell point the arrow up in Denton?

Tyler Maryak · June 17, 2016

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/untmeangreen/2016/06/05/game-game-predictions-unt-2016-can-seth-littrell-point-arrow-denton

With such [relatively] low scoring games, it seems like Brett doesn't have much faith in the hopes of our passing game improving, huh?

EDIT: I just noticed that this article is from like two weeks ago, so if it's already been posted then my apologies.

Week 1: vs. SMU

Location: Apogee Stadium, Denton

Last meeting: SMU 31, UNT 13 (2015)

Breakdown: New UNT coach Seth Littrell will make his debut in a game against UNT’s fiercest rival. SMU leads the series 29-5-1, but the teams have split the last six games in the series with the home team winning every time. If UNT can pull off a win against SMU, Littrell’s long leash as a new coach will suddenly look a whole lot longer.

Key player: UNT’s hopes in its first season under Littrell will largely depend on the Mean Green’s success in finding a quarterback to run his pass-heavy system. UNT’s best option by far is Alabama transfer Alec Morris. The former Allen standout sat on the Tide’s bench for four years and arrived at UNT as a fifth-year senior transfer. UNT needs him to succeed right away at UNT.

Prediction: UNT-SMU Round 36 won’t exactly look like the clash of the titans. UNT finished 1-11 last year, while SMU was 2-10. The Mustangs are a year into their rebuilding project under Chad Morris, while UNT will be in Game 1 under Littrell. The Mustangs also should have the talent edge. SMU 27, UNT 24

Record: 0-1

Final record: 3-9 (2-6)

Edited June 17, 2016 by Tyler Maryak

Ben Gooding · June 17, 2016

Oh, look, DMN calling UNT and smug fierce rivals.

drex · June 17, 2016

They said SMU was OUR fiercist rival..sadly, we are not their fiercest rival.

Quoner · June 17, 2016

We only broke 20 three times last year, so it might be a bigger vote for improvement than it looks.

UNT90 · June 17, 2016

Wrong. Vito calling UNT and SMU rivals. It's what he does.

Also, Vito predicts 3 wins, 2 on the road, and none by more than 5 points, and that 5 point spread is against an FCS at Apogee.

This is going to be a very tough year.

StealthEagle84 · June 17, 2016

I need some of whatever Vito is smoking. If Vegas sets the over/under anywhere close to 51, I'm taking out a 2nd mortgage. We were 119th in the country last year in total defense and gave up 41.3 points/game while SMU was 118th in total defense and gave up 45.7 points/game. You don't change those statistics overnight. One of the two ought to score that many alone.

Aldo · June 17, 2016

4 minutes ago, StealthEagle84 said:

I need some of whatever Vito is smoking. If Vegas sets the over/under anywhere close to 51, I'm taking out a 2nd mortgage. We were 119th in the country last year in total defense and gave up 41.3 points/game while SMU was 118th in total defense and gave up 45.7 points/game. You don't change those statistics overnight. One of the two ought to score that many alone.

Both schools suck, but UNT is currently in the middle of a huge (and I do mean huge) rebuild.

SMU is in it's second year in it's system.

I hope that both teams score at least 40 points. 20-something by either team will be a snooze fest.

(Also, 40 points scored by us would be a huge swing in offensive output, so there's that).

StealthEagle84 · June 17, 2016

11 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Both schools suck, but UNT is currently in the middle of a huge (and I do mean huge) rebuild.

SMU is in it's second year in it's system.

I hope that both teams score at least 40 points. 20-something by either team will be a snooze fest.

(Also, 40 points scored by us would be a huge swing in offensive output, so there's that).

We will be vastly improved on offense, just wait. I can't emphasize enough how much Morris will improve the play at quarterback. Combine that with the new offensive scheme and I think we have enough athleticism on offense that Littrell & Graham will find a way to get those guys into open space. We'll score 35 easy on the Ponies.

MEANGREENCOACH2 · June 17, 2016

12 minutes ago, StealthEagle84 said:

We will be vastly improved on offense, just wait. I can't emphasize enough how much Morris will improve the play at quarterback. Combine that with the new offensive scheme and I think we have enough athleticism on offense that Littrell & Graham will find a way to get those guys into open space. We'll score 35 easy on the Ponies.

I just dont understand where you are getting this confidence from....

Did you watch the spring scrimmage/PRACTICE ????

I literally left early because of how BORING the event was. Praise whoever you praise that they didnt charge for that snooze fest. I just dont see how or where you are coming from.

Will we score more points.... yeah more than likely because we are going to see more pass interference penalties called that keep drives alive. Which will lead to more points being scored.(More thank likely field goals because Trevor Moore is our best player) I know Jeffrey Wilson is good as well CALM DOWN

southsideguy · June 17, 2016

we are a couple of years away from a turn a round. Just not a lot to work with and the new blocking scheme does not seem to be catching on with the players. I hope I am very wrong and I hope we have more running plays than what was shown in the practice game.

StealthEagle84 · June 17, 2016

I think you're reading too deep into what I am saying. I made that statement as it pertains to SMU. Their defense was just as atrocious as ours was last year and I don't thin it's hard to imagine us scoring 30+ points. I'm not saying we light up the scoreboard this season but we will be vastly improved on the last two seasons. The key to watch, and how I gauge a coaching staff, is how do we progress as the season goes on? Even the great teams (see Alabama and Ohio State) will vastly improved in the final weeks of the season compared to week one. So I'm not as concerned in what we do vs. SMU as I am in what we look like when we play Southern Miss and UTEP. That right there is how we should gauge our optimism going into 2017 and beyond.

MEANGREENCOACH2 · June 17, 2016

@StealthEagle84 Okay i understand your statement now

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · June 17, 2016

We'll go at least 2-2 in OOC games. So, 3-9 is too bleak. Littrell, Morris, & Co. will win at least four. I think the ceiling for 2016 is seven wins.

At that point, many of you will either:
(1) Eat crow, or
(2) Become fans of another school

UNT90 · June 17, 2016

11 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

We'll go at least 2-2 in OOC games. So, 3-9 is too bleak. Littrell, Morris, & Co. will win at least four. I think the ceiling for 2016 is seven wins.

At that point, many of you will either:
(1) Eat crow, or
(2) Become fans of another school

You are going to be severely disappointed, TFLF.

That said, I hope you are right.

Aldo · June 17, 2016

41 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

We'll go at least 2-2 in OOC games.

I think we can beat Army (I'll agree to 2-2, too).

And I think Rice can be had.

Gasp! Two road games that I think we ~~can~~ could win? The balls on this guy...

Ben Gooding · June 17, 2016

2 hours ago, StealthEagle84 said:

We will be vastly improved on offense, just wait. I can't emphasize enough how much Morris will improve the play at quarterback. Combine that with the new offensive scheme and I think we have enough athleticism on offense that Littrell & Graham will find a way to get those guys into open space. We'll score 35 easy on the Ponies.

We easily score 35 on smug I'll go ahead and chalk that up as a W, if it's "easily."

UNT90 · June 17, 2016

4 hours ago, StealthEagle84 said:

We will be vastly improved on offense, just wait. I can't emphasize enough how much Morris will improve the play at quarterback. Combine that with the new offensive scheme and I think we have enough athleticism on offense that Littrell & Graham will find a way to get those guys into open space. We'll score 35 easy on the Ponies.

Neither did the Spring game...

Tyler Maryak · June 18, 2016

1 hour ago, UNT90 said:

Neither did the Spring game...

Best one-liner by 90 since I joined this board.

SilverEagle · June 18, 2016

1 hour ago, StealthEagle84 said:

We will be vastly improved on offense, just wait. I can't emphasize enough how much Morris will improve the play at quarterback. Combine that with the new offensive scheme and I think we have enough athleticism on offense that Littrell & Graham will find a way to get those guys into open space. We'll score 35 easy on the Ponies.

In theory I agree with that statement. Keep in mind that the only potential starting QB for us that our opponents have tape on (in college) is O'Hara. For those that only use the spring dog-and-pony-show spring game as an indication of how we will do on offense, keep in mind that it IS a dog-and-pony-show.

Turning things around here in a short period of time is very possible. Hayden Fry's first year here was 5-5-1 and a tie of the MVC.

untjim1995 · June 18, 2016

If we win 3 games next year, Littrell will probably be a stud coach for a long time.

This team has absolutely no idea how to win, nor does it have the defense or the size to compete with everyone on this schedule except SMU, Butt Cookman, UTSA, and UTEP, two at home and two on the road. That's what you have as potential wins and I don't see us winning more than two of them. If we do, Littrell's time in Denton will be no longer than 2018 because a higher program will buy him away.

Cerebus · June 18, 2016

2 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

This team has absolutely no idea how to win

Score more points than the other team, or conversely, don't let them score more than you do. Either way works just as well.

Ben Gooding · June 18, 2016

8 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

If we win 3 games next year, Littrell will probably be a stud coach for a long time.

This team has absolutely no idea how to win, nor does it have the defense or the size to compete with everyone on this schedule except SMU, Butt Cookman, UTSA, and UTEP, two at home and two on the road. That's what you have as potential wins and I don't see us winning more than two of them. If we do, Littrell's time in Denton will be no longer than 2018 because a higher program will buy him away.

Still beating away I see. What do you do for a living? Is your wife remotely attractive? I only ask bc of your dog ass expectations on things.

3 wins doesn't make any coach a "stud" coach and I don't give a damn what said coach is working with.

UNT90 · June 18, 2016

3 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

Still beating away I see. What do you do for a living? Is your wife remotely attractive? I only ask bc of your dog ass expectations on things.

3 wins doesn't make any coach a "stud" coach and I don't give a damn what said coach is working with.

Ben Gooding · June 18, 2016

8 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

I suspected 90 to step in here. makes sense. I can't look at this board and just skim over bs without saying anything. I have never heard from anyone or anywhere where 3 wins will get you in "stud" status. UNT has some abused ass fans. It really is borderline pathetic.

UNT90 · June 18, 2016

20 hours ago, MEANGREENCOACH2 said:

I just dont understand where you are getting this confidence from....

Did you watch the spring scrimmage/PRACTICE ????

I literally left early because of how BORING the event was. Praise whoever you praise that they didnt charge for that snooze fest. I just dont see how or where you are coming from.

Will we score more points.... yeah more than likely because we are going to see more pass interference penalties called that keep drives alive. Which will lead to more points being scored.(More thank likely field goals because Trevor Moore is our best player) I know Jeffrey Wilson is good as well CALM DOWN

Moore had a very bad Sophmore year. I don't think I'd call him "our best player."

That honor last year went to Keena (sp?). He got plenty of opportunities to show his skill. Too bad he is the punter.

1 minute ago, Ben Gooding said:

I suspected 90 to step in here. makes sense. I can't look at this board and just skim over bs without saying anything. I have never heard from anyone or anywhere where 3 wins will get you in "stud" status. UNT has some abused ass fans. It really is borderline pathetic.

That gif was for you insulting someone's wife.

Grow up.