A few national preseason polls

untjim1995 · August 18, 2016

Looks like most of these look at us winning between 1-2 games this season, because of Butt Cookman and UTSA being on the schedule.

I still say that 2-10 would be MAJOR progress from last year, especially when you consider we have a FCS-level of scholarship players around here, with a new coach and an offense that is 180 degrees from what we have run previously. We won one game last year and it took miraculous events to allow us to win that game by a TD at home. A win over BCU is the only game I expect us to win, but I do think we will beat UTSA, too. NO matter what, even if we go 0-12, and I recognize that is very possible, there is nothing that will happen on the scoreboard that will make me lose faith in Seth Littrell as our coach. What he is having to endure as a first-time head coach here is monumental in its difficulty. And he knows that this season is all about instilling in these guys a new way forward, both on the field and in the locker room. And, even more importantly, trying to win over the Texas HS coaches and parents that have looked down on us as a program for so long.

Wag Tag · August 18, 2016

13 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

http://collegefootballnews.com/2016/preview-2016-preseason-college-football-rankings

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/cbs/128

http://campusinsiders.com/news/college-football-rankings-predicting-teams-finish-07-11-2016

Looks like most of these look at us winning between 1-2 games this season, because of Butt Cookman and UTSA being on the schedule.

I still say that 2-10 would be MAJOR progress from last year, especially when you consider we have a FCS-level of scholarship players around here, with a new coach and an offense that is 180 degrees from what we have run previously. We won one game last year and it took miraculous events to allow us to win that game by a TD at home. A win over BCU is the only game I expect us to win, but I do think we will beat UTSA, too. NO matter what, even if we go 0-12, and I recognize that is very possible, there is nothing that will happen on the scoreboard that will make me lose faith in Seth Littrell as our coach. What he is having to endure as a first-time head coach here is monumental in its difficulty. And he knows that this season is all about instilling in these guys a new way forward, both on the field and in the locker room. And, even more importantly, trying to win over the Texas HS coaches and parents that have looked down on us as a program for so long.

Qb plays strong I can c 4-5 wins! GMG

risinggreen · August 18, 2016

8 minutes ago, Wag Tag said:

Qb plays strong I can c 4-5 wins! GMG

I agree. I think it's mainly about much improved defense and QB play, and I believe that we will get both to at least a reasonable degree. I'm not ready to throw in the towel until I see evidence on the field that tells me to do so.

Of course there's no doubt that this team has got to stay relatively healthy in several areas. I'm really looking forward to the opener and we're almost there.

TreeFiddy · August 18, 2016

I realize the hole he is starting in, but I will be very disappointed with less than 3 wins.

At least Littrell appears to have a D1 QB at his disposal, which we did not have the last 2 years.

I admit at this point is is mostly just hope.

Ben Gooding · August 19, 2016

A good QB can win games by himself in G5 play. A great 1 can do it in P5. I'm disappointed with less than competitive in every game, including Florida.

Last year we were awful and though we were blanked on the scoreboard the team was still competitive vs Tennessee. Just be competitive.

Wag Tag · August 19, 2016

5 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

http://collegefootballnews.com/2016/preview-2016-preseason-college-football-rankings

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/cbs/128

http://campusinsiders.com/news/college-football-rankings-predicting-teams-finish-07-11-2016

Looks like most of these look at us winning between 1-2 games this season, because of Butt Cookman and UTSA being on the schedule.

I still say that 2-10 would be MAJOR progress from last year, especially when you consider we have a FCS-level of scholarship players around here, with a new coach and an offense that is 180 degrees from what we have run previously. We won one game last year and it took miraculous events to allow us to win that game by a TD at home. A win over BCU is the only game I expect us to win, but I do think we will beat UTSA, too. NO matter what, even if we go 0-12, and I recognize that is very possible, there is nothing that will happen on the scoreboard that will make me lose faith in Seth Littrell as our coach. What he is having to endure as a first-time head coach here is monumental in its difficulty. And he knows that this season is all about instilling in these guys a new way forward, both on the field and in the locker room. And, even more importantly, trying to win over the Texas HS coaches and parents that have looked down on us as a program for so long.

What In football is not improved over last year by a strong margin? Coaching? Stronger, RB, WR , ? Stronger OL maybe a wash but with quick routes that should help and they will not b stacking the box! Defense defense defense every position stronger tha last year! One play maker on the line and we could blow up!!! "F"udge potential! GMG

NT91 · August 19, 2016

SMU ?

NT 14

LongJim · August 19, 2016

3-9.

Eagle-96 · August 19, 2016

Depth will be what does us in this year. We are woefully thin at almost every position except CB and S. The upside is that young guys are gonna get playing time by default which will help with experience in 17 and 18. Anything over 3 wins will be a miracle.

UNT Mean Green · August 19, 2016

Win the first one.

UNTLifer · August 19, 2016

Coach Littrell said we are going to a bowl game. I believe him, but more importantly, his players believe.

Edited August 19, 2016 by UNTLifer

untjim1995 · August 19, 2016

1 hour ago, Eagle-96 said:

Depth will be what does us in this year. We are woefully thin at almost every position except CB and S. The upside is that young guys are gonna get playing time by default which will help with experience in 17 and 18. Anything over 3 wins will be a miracle.

I agree. We have 5 teams we can realistically compete with on our schedule for actual wins: SMU, Butt Cookman, @Army, @UTSA, and @UTEP. I see us winning one at home (BC) and one on the road (UTSA is my guess). Obviously, we could win more than two, but I think getting above three means Littrell was the best hire we have made since Fry and it will probably cement the fact that he will be coaching somewhere else higher on the foodchain in a few years.

BTW, I still will think Littrell will be coaching somewhere else even if we win less than two games this year--because absolutely nobody in the college football world see us winning more than two games with the depth issues of scholarship talent on the roster and the character issue that is being addressed now (hopefully) within the locker room to try and make sure we never have a team quit on the university ever again to the point of allowing us to have another worst loss in modern college football history.

MeanGreenTexan · August 19, 2016

2 hours ago, NT91 said:

SMU ?

NT 14

No way. Not with this offense... against SMU's defense.

If this is the case, we're in SERIOUS TROUBLE this year.

oldguystudent · August 19, 2016

38 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Coach Littrell said we are going to a bowl game. I believe him, but more importantly, his players believe.

I have waaaaay more faith in Littrell than I ever did in Dodge (which was constantly zero), but the latter proudly proclaimed that his "system" was going to shock the world, starting with a road game at Oklahoma.

I'll wait for results.

forevereagle · August 19, 2016

10 minutes ago, oldguystudent said:

(which was constantly zero)

That high?

oldguystudent · August 19, 2016

1 minute ago, forevereagle said:

That high?

He got a few bonus points for not putting his shirt on inside out and backwards most of the time.

forevereagle · August 19, 2016

Just now, oldguystudent said:

He got a few bonus points for not putting his shirt on inside out and backwards most of the time.

You are much kinder than I am.

ChristopherRyanWilkes · August 19, 2016

Honestly, I think it's laziness on behalf of the national sports writers to predict UNT will be 1-11 again. They aren't taking into account several factors from last season that those of us who follow the program know. For one, during our big embarrassing FCS loss, it appears our players had literally quit on Dan McCarney. You can disagree with me, but the more I watch it the more it appears players were intentionally missing tackles among other things. Another factor last season was that we only had 5 home games last season and no freaking bye. That's a tough schedule even for a good team.

The biggest for me is that this team really appears to have bought into SL and the new coaching staff. They are young and bring a lot of energy. There's normally a boost anytime there's a new staff, hell even McCarney took a team that looked like they would have won 1 game until Chico stepped in and brought them to 1 game shy of a bowl game his first season. New system or not, I don't think just having a new coach and losing some non-contributors (aside from a couple players) is going to result in the same record as a season with all the factors mentioned above in play. I think people are really underestimating how bad the coaching and QB play was last year. Both of those are now extremely improved.

oldguystudent · August 19, 2016

22 minutes ago, ChristopherRyanWilkes said:

it appears our players had literally quit on Dan McCarney. You can disagree with me, but the more I watch it the more it appears players were intentionally missing tackles among other things.

I just went back and watched the highlights posted by Portland State. Man, I think you're right. I mean, maybe MiniMac was trying, but who gives a shit?

Eagle-96 · August 19, 2016

Hey, I hope I am wrong about 3 wins but I fear that I am not. Things have not looked this bright in many moons here with Littrell and Baker on board but getting to the promised land takes time. It's gonna take more FBS level bodies in here. Even without injuries we are super thin and will tend to wear down as games go on. Jimmy Johnson said it best with:

"Fatigue makes cowards of us all. Football rewards the guys that are in great condition. You get tired and you don't have that same fight. That same will to win".

We simply don't have the numbers to work guys in a rotation other than the secondary. Guys are gonna wear down and, while they may have the will and the skill, may not have anything left in the tank by the 4th quarter. That is going to be the true test of Littrell is how he deals with fatigue of his players.

UNT90 · August 19, 2016

16 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

A good QB can win games by himself in G5 play. A great 1 can do it in P5. I'm disappointed with less than competitive in every game, including Florida.

Last year we were awful and though we were blanked on the scoreboard the team was still competitive vs Tennessee. Just be competitive.

The team was not competitive vs Tennessee. At all.

1 hour ago, Eagle-96 said:

Hey, I hope I am wrong about 3 wins but I fear that I am not. Things have not looked this bright in many moons here with Littrell and Baker on board but getting to the promised land takes time. It's gonna take more FBS level bodies in here. Even without injuries we are super thin and will tend to wear down as games go on. Jimmy Johnson said it best with:

"Fatigue makes cowards of us all. Football rewards the guys that are in great condition. You get tired and you don't have that same fight. That same will to win".

We simply don't have the numbers to work guys in a rotation other than the secondary. Guys are gonna wear down and, while they may have the will and the skill, may not have anything left in the tank by the 4th quarter. That is going to be the true test of Littrell is how he deals with fatigue of his players.

People don't realize what a huge accomplishment 3 wins will be for Littrell this season.

If UNT wins 3 games, it is a great sign for the future and for Littrell as a head coach.

Ben Gooding · August 19, 2016

3 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

The team was not competitive vs Tennessee. At all.

People don't realize what a huge accomplishment 3 wins will be for Littrell this season.

If UNT wins 3 games, it is a great sign for the future and for Littrell as a head coach.

We held Tennessee to 10 points under their season average. Their fans, other than a Florida loss, was about as frustrating as I have seen them after our game. Our offense put our team in so many disadvantageous situations last year it was unreal. Field position, turnovers, no pressure put on opposing offenses, etc. etc.

GM1998 · August 19, 2016

4 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

I agree. We have 5 teams we can realistically compete with on our schedule for actual wins: SMU, Butt Cookman, @Army, @UTSA, and @UTEP. I see us winning one at home (BC) and one on the road (UTSA is my guess). Obviously, we could win more than two, but I think getting above three means Littrell was the best hire we have made since Fry and it will probably cement the fact that he will be coaching somewhere else higher on the foodchain in a few years.

BTW, I still will think Littrell will be coaching somewhere else even if we win less than two games this year--because absolutely nobody in the college football world see us winning more than two games with the depth issues of scholarship talent on the roster and the character issue that is being addressed now (hopefully) within the locker room to try and make sure we never have a team quit on the university ever again to the point of allowing us to have another worst loss in modern college football history.

What last year's team did on homecoming was tantamount to mutiny. Everyone associated with this team needs to prove to the fan base that they are worthy of our support. I know that sounds harsh, but the players should expect that. They took drastic measures (the homecoming beat down). Now they need to earn our trust and respect. I bleed Green, but I don't have time for quitters.

I hope Coach Littrell has the team ready to play 4 quarters. If he can do that then we will be competitive.

We aren't a demanding fan base. Play hard, display sportsmanship, and we will cheer for 4 quarters. Win or lose.

Go Mean Green, Beat SMU!!!

See you all in the stands!

Tyler Maryak · August 19, 2016

5 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Coach Littrell said we are going to a bowl game. I believe him, but more importantly, his players believe.

Not just that - In the first video of him addressing the team, he said their mission is to WIN their bowl game. He specifically said, "I did not say MAKE a bowl game. I said our mission is to WIN our bowl game." That, in combination with what I've heard and seen so far, has me counting on 4+ wins.

7 hours ago, NT91 said:

SMU ?

NT 14

5 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

No way. Not with this offense... against SMU's defense.

If this is the case, we're in SERIOUS TROUBLE this year.

It must have been a typo. It should look like:

SMU: 28

NT: 41

UNT90 · August 19, 2016

3 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

We held Tennessee to 10 points under their season average. Their fans, other than a Florida loss, was about as frustrating as I have seen them after our game. Our offense put our team in so many disadvantageous situations last year it was unreal. Field position, turnovers, no pressure put on opposing offenses, etc. etc.

That game was never, ever in doubt. That isn't what any sane person considers "competitive."

Their head coach had a close, personal relationship to Canales and chose not to run up the score. He could have.

Easily.

Expect more.