Why North Texas Beats SMU on Sept. 3rd

[Side Show Joe]

First, SMU won't really have tap to study. Littrell already has a different offense from last season's under Mac, but add in a roster that could contain as many as 5 or 6 new starters or contributors on each side of the ball, and it will make it difficult for Morris and his coaches to game plan for their trip to Denton.

Second, although the Mean Green will have many news faces on the field, we will return a great running back. Jeffrey Wilson averaged 5.4 yards per carry through 10 games last season, in a very one dimensional running offense that allowed defenses to key on stopping the run. Plus, Wilson has proven to be a real threat when catching out of the back field. He stands to have a big year in this new system quarterbacked by Alabama graduate transfer Alec Morris, and featuring an upgraded receiving corp. The addition of a solid passing game should create opportunities for Wilson to have big runs against SMU's weak run defense.

Third, SMU finished ranked 123rd last season in Rushing Defense, and SMU has yet to win a game in Denton, losing all 3 contests by a combined score of 81-19.

My prediction: North Texas 42 SMU 34

I'm ready for some Mean Green football. Let It Fly!!!

Edited August 7, 2016 by Side Show Joe

[Ryan Munthe]

I really think we will crush SMU. 

[greenjoe]

Let it be so.

[FirefightnRick]

If we beat SMU it won't be because of our offense

Defense is the key.  

 

Rick

[UNT Mean Green]

2 minutes ago, FirefightnRick said:

If we beat SMU it won't be because of our offense

Defense is the key.  

 

Rick

Definitely agree. If we can just contain Davis' scrambling, we should be fine.

[southsideguy]

is davis the qb still, i thought he lost his spot last season?

[Wag Tag]

47 minutes ago, Side Show Joe said:

First, SMU won't really have tap to study. Littrell already has a different offense from last season's under Mac, but add in a roster that could contain as many as 5 or 6 new starters or contributors on each side of the ball, and it will make it difficult for Morris and his coaches to game plan for their trip to Denton.

Second, although the Mean Green will have many news faces on the field, we will return a great running back. Jeffrey Wilson averaged 5.4 yards per carry through 10 games last season, in a very one dimensional running offense that allowed defenses to key on stopping the run. Plus, Wilson has proven to be a real threat when catching out of the back field. He stands to have a big year in this new system quarterbacked by Alabama graduate transfer Alec Morris, and featuring an upgraded receiving corp. The addition of a solid passing game should create opportunities for Wilson to have big runs against SMU's weak run defense.

Third, SMU finished ranked 123rd last season in Rushing Defense, and SMU has yet to win a game in Denton, losing all 3 contests by a combined score of 81-19.

My prediction: North Texas 42 SMU 34

I'm ready for some Mean Green football. Let It Fly!!!

Faster and bigger at LB, DE! D could be very strong and a scheme that can quickly be learned! D is key! "F" pontentialpointe rial

[GrandGreen]

I think NT should definitely have home field and emotional edges.   It is also true, that SMU will have a difficult time scouting NT's offense or defense because those schemes will be new.  However, the converse is also true.   NT because their schemes are new will be far from perfecting them.

I think this game will be a toss up with the x factor being how many of NT transfers qualify and how quickly they can get to game time readiness.   SMU is in the second year of their rebuild and that is a major advantage.   However, even as bad as NT was last year; they should have beaten SMU at Ford.  

  

[UNTexas]

It will be the Toilet Bowl. I hope we win.

Edited August 7, 2016 by UNTexas

[GMG24]

 

Mr. Davis. 

Say Hello to my little friend! 

[GreenN'walinsVet]

FYI, I'm hearing most of the JC guys showed up and are qualified!

[MEANGREENCOACH2]

1 hour ago, GreenN'walinsVet said:

FYI, I'm hearing most of the JC guys showed up and are qualified!

I hope this is true!

 

[UNT Mean Green]

1 hour ago, GreenN'walinsVet said:

FYI, I'm hearing most of the JC guys showed up and are qualified!

Anything above 75% is a great success...anxious to see who made it once they update the roster later today or in the morning.

[UNT 90 Grad]

4 hours ago, Side Show Joe said:

First, SMU won't really have tap to study. Littrell already has a different offense from last season's under Mac, but add in a roster that could contain as many as 5 or 6 new starters or contributors on each side of the ball, and it will make it difficult for Morris and his coaches to game plan for their trip to Denton.

Welcome to the Daryl R. Dickey Practice facility, Coach Morris.   Coach Chico isn't here to Lock the Gate.  Instead, as we used to say in the Dodge days, it's Wide Open.

 

[EagleMBA]

4 hours ago, Side Show Joe said:

First, SMU won't really have tap to study. Littrell already has a different offense from last season's under Mac, but add in a roster that could contain as many as 5 or 6 new starters or contributors on each side of the ball, and it will make it difficult for Morris and his coaches to game plan for their trip to Denton.

 

Seth and Graham both learned a ton from "The Pirate", so SMUt will be looking at old game film for tendencies.

 

[Harry]

2 hours ago, GreenN'walinsVet said:

FYI, I'm hearing most of the JC guys showed up and are qualified!

Great news!

[greenminer]

Any coach with half a brain will look at what offense SL ran at UNC, Indiana and AZ to scout the offense.

Having said that, I'm cautiously optimistic after looking at his FIRST YEAR results:

In Littrell’s first season as Indiana’s offensive coordinator in 2012, the Hoosiers led the Big Ten and ranked 17th nationally in passing offense (311.2). They finished second in the conference in total offense (442.0) and fourth in scoring offense (30.8).

In his first season in Chapel Hill, Littrell helped Carolina establish several school records, including most passing yards, most passing touchdowns and most first downs.  Quarterback Marquise Williams was a second-team all-conference pick after leading the Tar Heels to a bowl game in his first year as the starter.  Williams set several individual school records, including most rushing yards and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.  Carolina gained more than 5,000 yards in Littrell’s first season as the play-caller and averaged 429.8 yards per contest.

I'm with @FirefightnRick: our offense will be fine.  This is a question of defense.

[Side Show Joe]

4 hours ago, FirefightnRick said:

If we beat SMU it won't be because of our offense

Defense is the key.  

 

Rick

Defense is important, and I honestly believe this season we will be better. I think some of last seasons defensive issues were directly tied to Cosh's system, and our offensive struggles at the QB position. Excessive numbers of "Three-and-outs" will take a toll on any defense. SMU is a high powered offense. I can't expect our new defense to shut them down. It is my hope that our D can slow them down long enough for our new high powered offense to out score them. If our O line can win at the line of scrimmage, we have the weapons to beat SMU's defense.

I'm not drinking the Green Kool-Aid. Last season I predicted we'd be lucky to win 3 games. I don't have a feel for how many we might win this season. A lot can and will change over the course of our schedule. But, I do believe we will beat SMU, and that our team will improve by the second half of our schedule.

Edited August 7, 2016 by Side Show Joe

[MeanGreenTexan]

23 hours ago, FirefightnRick said:

If we beat SMU it won't be because of our offense

Defense is the key.  

 

Rick

I beg to differ Rick.  
If we're going to rely on the defense to win this game for us, we're in trouble.   This season (at least), we're going to need a more offensive mindset of: outscore our opponents, instead of defensively holding our opponents to fewer points.

Hence @Side Show Joe's 42-34 prediction.  Which, I bet is a pretty close score prediction... which way?  Not sure.

I think if the game is close heading into the 4th quarter, we'll win... based on Apogee advantage and the heat finally wearing down the Ponies (think 2013 Ball St.).

I honestly have no idea how this game will go and I cannot make a prediction at all.   I do have a feeling SMU will score quite a bit.  Hopefully our offense can keep up.

[Army of Dad]

8 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

I beg to differ Rick.  
If we're going to rely on the defense to win this game for us, we're in trouble.   This season (at least), we're going to need a more offensive mindset of: outscore our opponents, instead of defensively holding our opponents to fewer points.

Hence @Side Show Joe's 42-34 prediction.  Which, I bet is a pretty close score prediction... which way?  Not sure.

I think if the game is close heading into the 4th quarter, we'll win... based on Apogee advantage and the heat finally wearing down the Ponies (think 2013 Ball St.).

I honestly have no idea how this game will go and I cannot make a prediction at all.   I do have a feeling SMU will score quite a bit.  Hopefully our offense can keep up.

What makes you think SMU will wear down like a northern team?

[MeanGreenTexan]

1 minute ago, Army of Dad said:

What makes you think SMU will wear down like a northern team?

It's still going to be friggin hot on the opposing sideline while our guys will be in shade for the entire 2nd half.

[Army of Dad]

2 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

It's still going to be friggin hot on the opposing sideline while our guys will be in shade for the entire 2nd half.

Shoot, I forgot this installment is at a better (later) time.

[Aldo]

To paraphrase the late, great John Madden: if we score more points than them by the time the game is over, we will win the game.

[HoustonEagle]

I sure hope you are right.  I  could use a Mean Green shot of adrenaline.  With that said I am not going into the game with any optimism.  I am having flashbacks to Coach Mac's first game.  My wife and I flew down to Miami to catch us play FIU.  I was so fired up to have a real coach after the Dodge debacle.  I went in looking for a win or at the least a close game.  What I got was total humiliation. 

Edited August 8, 2016 by HoustonEagle

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

SMU struggled with us last year at their place against our horrible team.  They didn't recruit any better in SMU Jesus' second season, so I don't expect they'll be any better. 

I give the edge to us because we run similar offenses, but Littrell has more college coaching experience.  I also like our defensive coaching staff better than theirs. 

Ekeler's a Bo Pelini Guy.  I don't care what anyone says about Pelini.  Okie Family took me to the 2004 Texas-OU game, the year Pelini was OU's DC.  I watched his defense shut out a Texas offense that featured Vince Young, Cedric Benson, Limas Sweed, Bo Scaife, Tony Jeffrey, and Ramonce Taylor.  Shut them out. 

Ekeler was with Pelini at OU (defensive grad assistant), LSU, and Nebraska.  Anyone who watches college football knows Pelini's defenses are aggressive.  We're going to see corner blitzes and other sh*t like we haven't really seen since the DeLoach days with Darrell Dickey.

I also have lobbied for the switch to a 3-man front for several years, arguing that smaller schools/not-traditional power schools like Utah and TCU went with 3-man fronts successfully because it's so hard to find many DTs.  

The 3-3-5 under Ekeler & Crew will lay waste to SMU Jesus' putrid second offering, and have them thinking twice about hiring another coach with so little college experience.