I'm paying more attention to this fall camp than I have in years...

meanrob · August 1, 2016

Forty percent due to new excitement. Forty percent to see what Littrell has in-store. Twenty percent I have more time on my hands.

Granted, we don't have all the pieces. Probably not even a lot of pieces. Ok, not very many pieces. But this still could be the start of something special.

edcollopy · August 1, 2016

it's the sense of having someone with a touch on today's game and today's kids...that is where I am feeling hope. My fear is the return to Todd Dodge offensive numbers but get crushed defensively...I hope having a competent defensive staff will prevent a Dodge repeat.

meangreenbob · August 1, 2016

10 minutes ago, meanrob said:

Forty percent due to new excitement. Forty percent to see what Littrell has in-store. Twenty percent I have more time on my hands.

Granted, we don't have all the pieces. Probably not even a lot of pieces. Ok, not very many pieces. But this still could be the start of something special.

I concur. This could be the start of something big!! Go Mean Green!

Edited August 1, 2016 by meangreenbob

meanrob · August 1, 2016

Again, Rome wasn't built ovenight but my top three things I'm looking for-

1) Red zone offense- Do we tighten up inside the red zone or look for opportunities down the field?

2) Third down conversions- Similar to above. Harrell has got to have plays to pick up third downs. Without looking at the numbers I'd say our percentage has been pretty abysmal the past five years.

3) How he incorporates the run and running backs into this offense. We have talent there. Use it.

Hard to gauge the defense. But I hope we are aggressive.

Edit- I looked at the numbers. For the last five years our third down % has been 33, 39, 47, 33, and 38. Downright ugly. Only in 2013 did we complete at a higher percentage than our opponent. Two years at 33%......horrible.

Edited August 1, 2016 by meanrob

Army of Dad · August 1, 2016

Just now, meanrob said:

Again, Rome wasn't built ovenight but my top three things I'm looking for-

1) Red zone offense- Do we tighten up inside the red zone or look for opportunities down the field?

2) Third down conversions- Similar to above. Harrell has got to have plays to pick up third downs. Without looking at the numbers I'd say our percentage has been pretty abysmal the past five years.

3) How incorporates the run and running backs into this offense. We have talent there. Use it.

Hard to gauge the defense. But I hope we are aggressive.

3) SL said something along the lines of his first thought for offensive this year is how to get the ball into Wilson's hands.

I think it's his intention to use the talent at that position.

Aldo · August 1, 2016

16 minutes ago, meanrob said:

1) Red zone offense- Do we tighten up inside the red zone or look for opportunities down the field?

I think this is a great question. SmartFootball kind of talks about this. http://smartfootball.com/gameplanning/how-can-a-pass-first-team-score-more-touchdowns-in-the-red-zone#sthash.Bau1mhwn.dpbs

Basically figure out what works with your offense. Are you pass first, do you have a great runner, or do you have a great receiver?

In the spring game, we packaged the Y-stick with run plays (QB and RB draw) that got big gainers. Could also run some plays that incorporate the corner route (like smash), or just attack with the fade (many different plays).

Or they could have some jumbo sets we haven't seen (like at UNC) when close to the goal line.

Another strategy could be score before you even get to the red zone. Problem solved. (sarcasm. Mostly.)

oldguystudent · August 1, 2016

1 hour ago, edcollopy said:

My fear is the return to Todd Dodge offensive numbers but get crushed defensively...I hope having a competent defensive staff will prevent a Dodge repeat.

Somebody asked about that at that meeting in the club in June. Littrell responded that he went out and found the defensive coaches that he hated playing against. He kinda acknowledged that he's an offensive guy, so he's properly delegating authority on the defense.

I wouldn't hope for miracles this season because we just don't have the roster, but his statements on the matter do give me hope going forward.

baberuthbomber8 · August 1, 2016

1 hour ago, edcollopy said:

it's the sense of having someone with a touch on today's game and today's kids...that is where I am feeling hope. My fear is the return to Todd Dodge offensive numbers but get crushed defensively...I hope having a competent defensive staff will prevent a Dodge repeat.

Our D should be ahead of our Offense I believethis year

golfingomez · August 1, 2016

1 hour ago, edcollopy said:

My fear is the return to Todd Dodge offensive numbers but get crushed defensively...

you didn't like giving up 45 points per game???

greenminer · August 1, 2016

Nitpickers. We heard it best when they said "Football is football."

FirefightnRick · August 1, 2016

Right there with you rob.

I'm interested in the development of the players and hope they succeed but I also understand we are going to be hurting in numbers. Estimates are that we will be going into camp with roughly 48 FBS caliber players. Fourty Eight!

It could be a very long season.

Rick

southsideguy · August 2, 2016

lets face it our defense can not be worse, where is cosh now? We need to play his defense.

GrandGreen · August 2, 2016

2 hours ago, FirefightnRick said:

Right there with you rob.

I'm interested in the development of the players and hope they succeed but I also understand we are going to be hurting in numbers. Estimates are that we will be going into camp with roughly 48 FBS caliber players. Fourty Eight!

It could be a very long season.

Rick

I am sure NT didn't have anywhere close to that number last year.

untjim1995 · August 2, 2016

5 hours ago, FirefightnRick said:

Right there with you rob.

I'm interested in the development of the players and hope they succeed but I also understand we are going to be hurting in numbers. Estimates are that we will be going into camp with roughly 48 FBS caliber players. Fourty Eight!

It could be a very long season.

Rick

I don't think it could be a very long season...will be is more like it.

We are under a mountain of pure manure left behind by Mac and company. Littrell and staff can literally go 0-12 and we won't have one idea on if he is right for the job or in way over his head. We have huge question marks at QB and all of the defense with very little size or talent. That's why the juco route has so much appeal to this staff. We gotta get bodies in here that aren't looking down at UNT the way the Texas HS recruits and coaches seemingly do. Just pray we don't lose too many starters this upcoming season that stunts the growth of the talent that is here.

oldguystudent · August 2, 2016

10 hours ago, southsideguy said:

lets face it our defense can not be worse, where is cosh now? We need to play his defense.

He's DC for the Richmond Spiders, a perennial FCS playoff team and 2008 national champion. Now I've got to start watching them to see how far they fall.

southsideguy · August 2, 2016

1 hour ago, oldguystudent said:

He's DC for the Richmond Spiders, a perennial FCS playoff team and 2008 national champion. Now I've got to start watching them to see how far they fall.

someone gave him a job?

oldguystudent · August 2, 2016

18 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

someone gave him a job?

The way that guy runs defense, I'm kinda surprised he didn't end up at Austin Westlake.

UNTLifer · August 2, 2016

14 minutes ago, oldguystudent said:

The way that guy runs defense, I'm kinda surprised he didn't end up at Austin Westlake.

Just too lazy to look at how his past defenses performed, but was his defensive system a result of our personnel or was his system his system?

oldguystudent · August 2, 2016

16 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Just too lazy to look at how his past defenses performed, but was his defensive system a result of our personnel or was his system his system?

Don't know what he did before, but I sure as hell did see the precipitous drop from 2014 to 2015. Even losing a bunch of seniors, you shouldn't drop off like that.

Aldo · August 2, 2016

25 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Just too lazy to look at how his past defenses performed, but was his defensive system a result of our personnel or was his system his system?

Saw the same complaints from the UCF board (or was it USF?) about his bend don't break system.

UNT90 · August 2, 2016

Cosh was here one year, had to contend with an offense that was FBS King of the 3 and out (and could only manage one TD against an FCS opponent), had a head coach that enjoyed libations more than coaching or recruiting, and didn't get to recruit "his players" for his system.

I wouldn't hire him, but I get why he failed so badly at UNT.

Edited August 2, 2016 by UNT90

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · August 2, 2016

18 hours ago, Aldo said:

I think this is a great question. SmartFootball kind of talks about this. http://smartfootball.com/gameplanning/how-can-a-pass-first-team-score-more-touchdowns-in-the-red-zone#sthash.Bau1mhwn.dpbs

Basically figure out what works with your offense. Are you pass first, do you have a great runner, or do you have a great receiver?

In the spring game, we packaged the Y-stick with run plays (QB and RB draw) that got big gainers. Could also run some plays that incorporate the corner route (like smash), or just attack with the fade (many different plays).

Or they could have some jumbo sets we haven't seen (like at UNC) when close to the goal line.

Another strategy could be score before you even get to the red zone. Problem solved. (sarcasm. Mostly.)

Seth Ltittrell, a fullback, led OU in touchdowns in 1999, the first year they ran the spread with Mike Leach as offensive coordinator. So, unlike Dodge, I think Littrell has a bit of experience and knowledge about how to get the ball into the end zone.

Cr1028 · August 2, 2016

3 hours ago, Aldo said:

Saw the same complaints from the UCF board (or was it USF?) about his bend don't break system.

I thought they called it a "shatter don't break" system.

2 hours ago, UNT90 said:

Cosh was here one year, had to contend with an offense that was FBS King of the 3 and out (and could only manage one TD against an FCS opponent), had a head coach that enjoyed libations more than coaching or recruiting, and didn't get to recruit "his players" for his system.

I wouldn't hire him, but I get why he failed so badly at UNT.

Don't forget his K-state defense gave up 41 points to a Chico-coached Todd Dodge team.

He also had the privilege of being fired by Lou Holtz and by Skip Holtz.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Cr1028

Cerebus · August 2, 2016

I agree there is a lot of optimism in the air. Fresh starts will do that. In addition the new hires are giving off an air of not only confidence, but a willingness to take on the responsibility and accountability.

Time will tell if these changes have actually improved the situation, but I agree it's an exciting time.

Green P1 · August 2, 2016

20 hours ago, Army of Dad said:

3) SL said something along the lines of his first thought for offensive this year is how to get the ball into Wilson's hands.

And hopefully how to get it to stop falling out of those hands all the time.