Starting Block

StealthEagle84 · September 6, 2016

You can slice it and dice it however you want, all day long, but at the end of the day turnovers are what did us in Saturday. That and giving up a freakin' touchdown on 3rd down and forever. Make note that we scored a TD on the next possession. Had we held them there and went on to score like we did, it would have been 17-14 at halftime with the momentum in our corner. That makes for a completely different story in the second half. And maybe we can blame Morris' turnovers on the fact that he hasn't played a real game in roughly four years. Who knows? Only time will tell. But now to my point........

Coming into this season, we all knew this year was setting up to be another rough go. While there were some positives from Saturday's game, it's obvious we have a lot work on. With that said, now we know where we're at. We have our starting block on which we stand. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not worried so much about where we're at right now but more so on the trajectory from here on out. I will base the success of this season on how we play the next chunk of games and especially how we play the final three or four games. I want to see us get better from one week to the next. So now we know where we stand and we can sit back and watch how we improve from here.

TheFranchise · September 6, 2016

Man, that TD on 3rd and 45 was ridiculous. I was shocked at the complete failure of pass coverage on that play. I believe that play did more damage to us than anything else on Saturday.

MeanGreenTexan · September 6, 2016

9 minutes ago, TheFranchise said:

Man, that TD on 3rd and 45 was ridiculous. I was shocked at the complete failure of pass coverage on that play. I believe that play did more damage to us than anything else on Saturday.

Honestly, Davis likely could have just chucked Hail Mary's like that all game to Sutton and he probably would have come down with 1/2 of them. I remember a catch similar to that one from Sutton last year at Ford. He's very good. I would not be surprised at all to see him the the NFL.

bstnsportsfan3 · September 6, 2016

12 minutes ago, TheFranchise said:

Man, that TD on 3rd and 45 was ridiculous. I was shocked at the complete failure of pass coverage on that play. I believe that play did more damage to us than anything else on Saturday.

I sat in the corner of the end zone there and watched as our DB's just let a 6'3 receiver go behind them and make a play...it was shocking...i literally couldn't believe it....yes our guys jumped for the ball but it was over their head and right into his hands....and they didn't even fight him...he just ran on back behind them..it was maddening...

MGNation92 · September 6, 2016

I said this is another thread.

It seems that the coaches are very knowledgeable and prepared with their schemes/gameplan. The players execution was where we were lacking

Morris was missing wide open guys/reads/throwing picks

Running backs missed huge holes

Defense put a ton of pressure on Davis, they just couldn't contain him

More practice time and i think we will be just fine. First game jitters are out of the way. Correct the mistakes and improve

Edited September 6, 2016 by MGNation92

TheFranchise · September 6, 2016

27 minutes ago, MGNation92 said:

I said this is another thread.

It seems that the coaches are very knowledgeable and prepared with their schemes/gameplan. The players execution was where we were lacking

Morris was missing wide open guys/reads/throwing picks

Running backs missed huge holes

Defense put a ton of pressure on Davis, they just couldn't contain him

More practice time and i think we will be just fine. First game jitters are out of the way. Correct the mistakes and improve

I completely agree. I liked what Coach Littrell and company were trying to do, but our guys just didn't seem to be able to keep up or fully execute it. More practice and time working out the kinks will do our guys a lot of good.

I also feel this was a respectable loss. By no means am I happy about it, but I also feel our guys didn't run out there and embarrass the school, either. They fought until the end and I felt until late in the game that we were still in it. As much as it hurts to say, I feel like SMU is going to be a pretty good team this season. For the sake of our schedule, I hope they are. Maybe it's the fact that I was born in SEC country talking, but I tend to like to see our opponents do well before and after we play them, because that ultimately makes us look better . . . especially if we beat them.

Edited September 6, 2016 by TheFranchise

Ben Gooding · September 6, 2016

55 minutes ago, TheFranchise said:

Man, that TD on 3rd and 45 was ridiculous. I was shocked at the complete failure of pass coverage on that play. I believe that play did more damage to us than anything else on Saturday.

Agreed. It was monumental. It took a lot of air out of the sail. It was a smu sort of play in its purest form. Stop that play and we seriously could be talking about a nice win to start the new era off. How it wasn't swatted away, or really picked. The ball had punt height on it. I leftmy 104 section seat to go sit with a buddy up in the 2nd tier of the wing and I was up there during this play. The ball hung up in the air forever. We had 3 guys close the gap on Sutton while none managed to play the ball. Another defensive blunder by the coaching staff. We should have had safeties standing on the 10 yd line pre-snap. Always give up 3 before you give up 7. Costly mistake in that game that really turned the game completely in smugs favor.

UNT Mean Green · September 6, 2016

33 minutes ago, TheFranchise said:

I completely agree. I liked what Coach Littrell and company were trying to do, but our guys just didn't seem to be able to keep up or fully execute it. More practice and time working out the kinks will do our guys a lot of good.

I also feel this was a respectable loss. By no means am I happy about it, but I also feel our guys didn't run out there and embarrass the school, either. They fought until the end and I felt until late in the game that we were still in it. As much as it hurts to say, I feel like SMU is going to be a pretty good team this season. For the sake of our schedule, I hope they are. Maybe it's the fact that I was born in SEC country talking, but I tend to like to see our opponents do well before and after we play them, because that ultimately makes us look better . . . especially if we beat them.

Good points. SMU is improved and has some good players that Morris has brought in, but if 4 is out for any extended period of time, it'll be quite detrimental to their season.

FirefightnRick · September 6, 2016

At least Sutton is 6'3" when he out jumps defenders for the ball. Can you imagine how it felt as an opposing fan watching Johnny Quinn out jumping their players for the ball?

Rick

Wag Tag · September 6, 2016

2 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

Agreed. It was monumental. It took a lot of air out of the sail. It was a smu sort of play in its purest form. Stop that play and we seriously could be talking about a nice win to start the new era off. How it wasn't swatted away, or really picked. The ball had punt height on it. I leftmy 104 section seat to go sit with a buddy up in the 2nd tier of the wing and I was up there during this play. The ball hung up in the air forever. We had 3 guys close the gap on Sutton while none managed to play the ball. Another defensive blunder by the coaching staff. We should have had safeties standing on the 10 yd line pre-snap. Always give up 3 before you give up 7. Costly mistake in that game that really turned the game completely in smugs favor.

Very dissatisfied with the Definsive coaches this game. Contain Qb double their stud wideout. Why would you have him in single coverage? The 45 yarder just magnifies the poor game-planning! Maybe rookie coach mistakes? I sure hope so! GMG

UNT Mean Green · September 6, 2016

20 minutes ago, Wag Tag said:

Very dissatisfied with the Definsive coaches this game. Contain Qb double their stud wideout. Why would you have him in single coverage? The 45 yarder just magnifies the poor game-planning! Maybe rookie coach mistakes? I sure hope so! GMG

Littrell said that the freshman CB blew assignment on the 88 yard post route to Sutton. How many times were there hands on Matt Davis in the backfield, only to have him evade the tackler? Not sure how a single play defines game-planning? Or could it just be "johnnys and joes"?

Ekeler and Reffett are rookies?

Edited September 6, 2016 by UNT Mean Green

Ben Gooding · September 6, 2016

1 minute ago, UNT Mean Green said:

Littrell said that the freshman CB blew assignment on the 88 yard post route to Sutton. Not sure how a single play defines game-planning?

Ekeler and Reffett are rookies?

The 88 yarder was a guy getting beat on a 3rd and 11 I think. I'm more so referring to the 3rd and 45. That was a coaching blunder. No other way to put it.

kj86 · September 6, 2016

Looked like fight for the ball was lacking on both offense and defense. WRs and DBs were too polite at times. "No, please, I insist, you take it."

golfingomez · September 6, 2016

i think the DB's being too polite is the best way to put it. considering how many times it was 'about to be third down' I wonder how many times the DB coach said... 'Hey, it's third down, don't be stupid and get a pass interference here, that resets everything.'

Regardless of why, there is no doubt that it was hammered home in film session.

Wag Tag · September 6, 2016

1 hour ago, UNT Mean Green said:

Littrell said that the freshman CB blew assignment on the 88 yard post route to Sutton. How many times were there hands on Matt Davis in the backfield, only to have him evade the tackler? Not sure how a single play defines game-planning? Or could it just be "johnnys and joes"?

Ekeler and Reffett are rookies?

How many passes did Davis complete from the pocket? Very few! Containment was key. The pass 88 there was NO deep safety! We should of been over and under that wide out the whole game. Limint 1 of those weapons you can win the game even with 3 pics . The d coaches are rookie defensive co ordinators! Hope it is player mistakes! GMG

GrandGreen · September 6, 2016

Actually if you are going to talk about a few plays making a difference, to be fair: how about the SMU running back that was tackled wide open by a leg cramp.

GOMG2013 · September 7, 2016

22 minutes ago, Wag Tag said:

How many passes did Davis complete from the pocket? Very few! Containment was key. The pass 88 there was NO deep safety! We should of been over and under that wide out the whole game. Limint 1 of those weapons you can win the game even with 3 pics . The d coaches are rookie defensive co ordinators! Hope it is player mistakes! GMG

Wag tag, you are on point. True, there was some bad technique, but I wonder what was the strategy going into the game. Sutton one on one several times. SMU gotta like those chances.

Looking at the hail mary replay we had 3 players in no man's land. 2 lbs waiting on a run or some body to come out of the backfield. Nickel was guarding no one. Could have blitzed or something.

88 yarder has to be on the coaches to put him in that position. Sad part is we got away with it early when c davis was burnt and it was overthrown. SMU had to be thinking we are going back to this if they are gonna play it like this. Should have been corrected.

akriesman · September 7, 2016

6 hours ago, TheFranchise said:

Man, that TD on 3rd and 45 was ridiculous. I was shocked at the complete failure of pass coverage on that play. I believe that play did more damage to us than anything else on Saturday.

I was very near the play as a few others were. I was shocked that our smaller DB's tried to catch the ball instead of knocking it down. It is much easier to disrupt Courtland Sutton than it is to try and out muscle him for the ball.

I do criticize the coaching a bit on that one as they should have been prepared. I certainly saw the Hail Mary coming.

UNTcrazy727 · September 7, 2016

2 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

The 88 yarder was a guy getting beat on a 3rd and 11 I think. I'm more so referring to the 3rd and 45. That was a coaching blunder. No other way to put it.

How was it a coaching blunder?!?!? We were in a prevent set and had three DBs right on him. One of them has to make a play.

Edited September 7, 2016 by UNTcrazy727

Ben Gooding · September 7, 2016

16 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

How was it a coaching blunder?!?!? We were in a prevent set and had three DBs right on him. One of them has to make a play.

Did we have safeties with heels on the 10? Or were we lined up in normal depth in a dime package? We needed 2 guys heels on 10. It should have been treated as .01 seconds on the clock in the 4th while trying to protect a lead. It was a blunder. Secondary coach Nate Brown should've popped blood vessels in his eyes screaming at his guys to get deeper. They weren't deep enough on snap and it cost us 7 points and all the momentum going way of smu. Let's not protect coaching staffs. It got us in the current predicament we are in. Call things out and be loud about it. It's one of the things I respect 90 for. If we were an SEC program every talking head in the country would be rightfully dragging the coaching staff through the mud for this. It's over now. Hopefully coaches and players alike learn from this.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Ben Gooding

THOR · September 7, 2016

So how many people did you want around their wr? 3 were surrounding sutton...sometimes badass players make badass plays...our boys just didn't make the play....shit happens

Edited September 7, 2016 by THOR

TreeFiddy · September 7, 2016

It was not a guarantee that they were going to throw a Hail Mary. It was just a likely that they would try to throw underneath and try to get into field goal range. Davis misplayed the ball badly and McClain should have been able to come over and knock the ball down as well, but didn't. The players were in position, but did not make the play.

UNTcrazy727 · September 7, 2016

On 9/6/2016 at 7:46 PM, Ben Gooding said:

Did we have safeties with heels on the 10? Or were we lined up in normal depth in a dime package? We needed 2 guys heels on 10. It should have been treated as .01 seconds on the clock in the 4th while trying to protect a lead. It was a blunder. Secondary coach Nate Brown should've popped blood vessels in his eyes screaming at his guys to get deeper. They weren't deep enough on snap and it cost us 7 points and all the momentum going way of smu. Let's not protect coaching staffs. It got us in the current predicament we are in. Call things out and be loud about it. It's one of the few things I respect 90 for. If we were an SEC program every talking head in the country would be rightfully dragging the coaching staff through the mud for this. It's over now. Hopefully coaches and players alike learn from this.

Look, I know you don't understand football very well, but you have to be to look at the picture I posted and still say our coaches screwed up? If they did what you're suggesting SMU could have easily picked up 25 yds and been right in the middle of FG range.

Wag Tag · September 7, 2016

1 hour ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

How was it a coaching blunder?!?!? We were in a prevent set and had three DBs right on him. One of them has to make a play.

Don't know if it would of matter but they could of been 20yds off the line hell 30 yes! Keep everything in front. That to me is a no brainier set! it is not the play but the formation before the play the DCs should be ripped! PS I love the coaching staff! GMG

GOMG2013 · September 7, 2016

On the Hail Mary, there's 2 LB sitting at The 40. Who are they guarding? That Official? They could have been on the edges to stop Matt Davis from rolling and getting a clean look or just straight up blitzing. 2 wasted players on 3rd and 45.