Thoughts on UTSA and looking ahead...

SSP · October 30, 2016

Today is the start of a new week and we still have a lot of football to play. This team has been unpredictable for the entire season. Depending on which team shows up... Anything can happen. I don't know if we got cocky (Lord knows that our fan base did) and relaxed after watching UTSA film or if we were just unprepared all the way around but our key playmakers didn't show up last night and UTSA played better than they have all season. You can pick on the coaching staff, our QB and his line, our Defense, the refs... But we were out played and prepared in every aspect yesterday. The question is - WHY? What changed?
Momentum? Where was it? Where was the fire that we have seen the past few weeks? What happened after the last three weeks leading into yesterday? Was it preparation? Was it lack of mental fortitude? What the hell happened? Why did the NT team that played MUTS come back again? We WERE NOT READY TO PLAY. WHY?

Injury questions...
Look at the last four games box scores. There were five key players that were instrumental in our wins that did not perform yesterday.
---Is Fines hand hurt? Lots of people asking this. I know that he has not represented himself as a killer in the passing game but watch some of his passes NOW... (with that being said- UTSA DBs out played our receivers. No one was open when he even had time to even throw. So here we are throwing "wishes" into double and triple coverage...)

--- Is Wilson still recovering from injury? Record breaking weeks then.... ??? I find it extremely hard to believe that our O line faced a tougher defensive front last night than they did at Westpoint. Don't get it.

--- McClain...? Are you ok, man? Where were you last night?

--- You can also add Jenkins and Brooks to the list of "Are you ok, man?".

--- It was evident that with the loss of Gunter on the OL last week... OUCH. His absence is noticed.

From my understanding, there were also numerous concussions last night. We might want to start praying for this team's health...

I saw a lot of people commenting negatively about Fred Scott in chat last night...
To you I say.... "Idiots..."
Welcome back, Fred. Thank God you are back. Don't do anything stupid. We need you.

---KENNY!!! ???? With as hard as this guy has been playing... I was blown away that that was only his FIRST touchdown last night. CONGRATULATIONS.

----If I bump into Eric Keena on Oak... I'm buying that guy a shot. Way to play, buddy.

---This is still the BEST, but most bipolar fan base I have ever seen....
The same people who are so quick to start posting about bowl projections are the same ones that are throwing this team under the bus at the first sign of struggle. Anyone can hide behind a computer to throw shots and you have a right to do that but do it with a little less contradiction and your comments might have more weight. Some of you sounded like confused little bickering girls in the chat room last night. Grow a pair and quit saying stupid crap or handle your booze.
I remember my first beer.... ?

I am unshaken in my belief in this coaching staff and this team. No doubt, we are going to have to be healthy, aggressive, prepared and MOTIVATED to compete this homecoming Saturday at Apogee. HOWEVER, this season is far from over. Anything could still happen with this team depending on which team shows up.

This has been by far, the best case scenario for us dealing with these growing pains in a "rebuilding year". I'm PROUD to be a NORTH TEXAS FAN. GMG!

Edited October 30, 2016 by SSP

southsideguy · October 30, 2016

i don't see us winning anymore games this year, just hope we can avoid any serious blowouts. I knew the second half would be tough for us but we have done better this year than i thought. We are now playing for next year.

SSP · October 30, 2016

13 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

i don't see us winning anymore games this year, just hope we can avoid any serious blowouts. I knew the second half would be tough for us but we have done better this year than i thought. We are now playing for next year.

Unfortunately for the Seniors that have invested 4,5 and even 6 years into UNT football... They don't have that luxury.

I agree that that is a realistic outlook... But, so is winning 2 more games and a bowl berth.

I guess we will see.

Edited October 30, 2016 by SSP

emmitt01 · October 30, 2016

This team has at least one more win in them (which alone would be a 4 win increase from last season).

I'm not ruling out going 2-2 to finish with 6 though

Side Show Joe · October 30, 2016

1 hour ago, SSP said:

This has been by far, the best case scenario for us dealing with these growing pains in a "rebuilding year".

Losing to UTSA wasn't even included in my worst case scenario. They are the only team we beat last season.

This is the only game on our schedule that would throw me into a hobo fit if we lost. After Mac's second loss to UTSA I was calling for him to be fired. I will never give any coach or player a pass for losing against UTSA. I don't usually get irate over a loss, but this is different.

Both Littrell and Wilson walked into difficult situations. We were embarrassed last night. And, to be totally honest I will get irate every time we loss to them. I will never accept it. I would hope most on here would feel the same way.

SSP · October 30, 2016

14 minutes ago, Side Show Joe said:

Losing to UTSA wasn't even included in my worst case scenario. They are the only team we beat last season.

This is the only game on our schedule that would throw me into a hobo fit if we lost. After Mac's second loss to UTSA I was calling for him to be fired. I will never give any coach or player a pass for losing against UTSA. I don't usually get irate over a loss, but this is different.

Both Littrell and Wilson walked into difficult situations. We were embarrassed last night. And, to be totally honest I will get irate every time we loss to them. I will never accept it. I would hope most on here would feel the same way.

I would hope that every loss generates an emotional response. If a program doesn't expect to win... chances are, they won't.

This is not even close to the same team or program as last year so the comparison is stretching it.

Theyve been humbled. Now we wait and see what they do with it.

Edited October 30, 2016 by SSP

GrandGreen · October 31, 2016

My thoughts:

First, most fans seem to always after a loss blame their team's effort and opine that their team beat themselves with little credit given to the winner. UTSA was the better team for 3 quarters came out with a better game plan and executed it very well. Those four turnovers by NT just like the 7 by Army were largely due to the play of the defense.

The best thing I can said about NT was that they certainly didn't give up.

The offensive line was back to being basically dominated. Yes, UTSA was playing to stop the run, but NT did not block well on ether run or pass plays.

The Alamo Dome gives UTSA a big home field advantage, I can't imagine the noise if they came remotely close to filling it.

NT cheerleaders work very hard.

I think NT got significantly out-coached.

The defense played much better than the offense, but again gave up too many long plays.

Fine was both the goat and star of the game for NT. He made plenty of freshman mistakes and was definitely a liability in much of the game. However, he also was the only offense NT could muster and showed glimpses of greatness particularly in the last quarter. Knew he was fast for a QB, but not that fast. He is going to be fun to watch and with a little more development should be the next great NT QB.

Funny and somewhat sad that UTSA who had those massive by CUSA standards crowds is now suffering the same attendance woes as most of the league despite being the only team in a huge area and a lot of community backing that NT currently only dreams of.

Ben Gooding · October 31, 2016

14 hours ago, SSP said:

I would hope that every loss generates an emotional response. If a program doesn't expect to win... chances are, they won't.

This is not even close to the same team or program as last year so the comparison is stretching it.

Theyve been humbled. Now we wait and see what they do with it.

No. Unfortunately, they really get to be humbled this Saturday on Homecoming. #thanksRV

NTAlum09 · October 31, 2016

It's all about confidence, anything can happen during the next 4 games.

foutsrouts · October 31, 2016

We plain and simply got whipped in the trenches, and that no doubt contributed to our turnovers. We weren't going against 250 pounders like we were at Army. Let's hope we can make the necessary adjustments before LA Tech, because it ain't going to get any easier from here on out.

Ben Gooding · October 31, 2016

11 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

My thoughts:

First, most fans seem to always after a loss blame their team's effort and opine that their team beat themselves with little credit given to the winner. UTSA was the better team for 3 quarters came out with a better game plan and executed it very well. Those four turnovers by NT just like the 7 by Army were largely due to the play of the defense.

The best thing I can said about NT was that they certainly didn't give up.

The offensive line was back to being basically dominated. Yes, UTSA was playing to stop the run, but NT did not block well on ether run or pass plays.

The Alamo Dome gives UTSA a big home field advantage, I can't imagine the noise if they came remotely close to filling it.

NT cheerleaders work very hard.

I think NT got significantly out-coached.

The defense played much better than the offense, but again gave up too many long plays.

Fine was both the goat and star of the game for NT. He made plenty of freshman mistakes and was definitely a liability in much of the game. However, he also was the only offense NT could muster and showed glimpses of greatness particularly in the last quarter. Knew he was fast for a QB, but not that fast. He is going to be fun to watch and with a little more development should be the next great NT QB.

Funny and somewhat sad that UTSA who had those massive by CUSA standards crowds is now suffering the same attendance woes as most of the league despite being the only team in a huge area and a lot of community backing that NT currently only dreams of.

This has been a theme for the season. If one or both of our co-DC's get plucked away from Littrell it COULD get ugly the next few seasons. The offense isn't progressing. At times it actually looks like it is regressing. No one wants to be critical of anything around here, but critics manifest expectations. Loathers create #RV.

*I think the loss vs nutsack stings worse because of what we have coming up on the docket. It has nothing to do with utsa, but everything to do with our upcoming opponents. If we win the Homecoming game I will be shocked and I will have 2 feet firmly planted in the Littrell bus. Right now, I am cautiously straddling.

UTSA Fan · October 31, 2016

18 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

My thoughts:

First, most fans seem to always after a loss blame their team's effort and opine that their team beat themselves with little credit given to the winner. UTSA was the better team for 3 quarters came out with a better game plan and executed it very well. Those four turnovers by NT just like the 7 by Army were largely due to the play of the defense.

The best thing I can said about NT was that they certainly didn't give up.

The offensive line was back to being basically dominated. Yes, UTSA was playing to stop the run, but NT did not block well on ether run or pass plays.

The Alamo Dome gives UTSA a big home field advantage, I can't imagine the noise if they came remotely close to filling it.

NT cheerleaders work very hard.

I think NT got significantly out-coached.

The defense played much better than the offense, but again gave up too many long plays.

Fine was both the goat and star of the game for NT. He made plenty of freshman mistakes and was definitely a liability in much of the game. However, he also was the only offense NT could muster and showed glimpses of greatness particularly in the last quarter. Knew he was fast for a QB, but not that fast. He is going to be fun to watch and with a little more development should be the next great NT QB.

Funny and somewhat sad that UTSA who had those massive by CUSA standards crowds is now suffering the same attendance woes as most of the league despite being the only team in a huge area and a lot of community backing that NT currently only dreams of.

Because people don't want to associate with losers. Whether your UNT with a long history or UTSA with a short, you gotta win to put butts in seats. Period.

6 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

This has been a theme for the season. If one or both of our co-DC's get plucked away from Littrell it COULD get ugly the next few seasons. The offense isn't progressing. At times it actually looks like it is regressing. No one wants to be critical of anything around here, but critics manifest expectations. Loathers create #RV.

*I think the loss vs nutsack stings worse because of what we have coming up on the docket. It has nothing to do with utsa, but everything to do with our upcoming opponents. If we win the Homecoming game I will be shocked and I will have 2 feet firmly planted in the Littrell bus. Right now, I am cautiously straddling.

Come on Ben, give him a break. It's a new scheme with players not suited to it. G5 is largely about QB play and you have a true freshman with a suspect o-line that can't protect him and run in the red zone. That is your team. QB and red zone running.

Edited October 31, 2016 by UTSA Fan

Ben Gooding · October 31, 2016

53 minutes ago, UTSA Fan said:

Because people don't want to associate with losers. Whether your UNT with a long history or UTSA with a short, you gotta win to put butts in seats. Period.

Come on Ben, give him a break. It's a new scheme with players not suited to it. G5 is largely about QB play and you have a true freshman with a suspect o-line that can't protect him and run in the red zone. That is your team. QB and red zone running.

Enough UNT fans give the coaching staffs of our athletic teams breaks. I'll pass on the break giving.

12 inches to goal...take the ball 12 feet away from those precious 12 inches. There is no break for that. Ever. Fine could have literally dove under the centers legs for a TD, but that would have called for that evil unforbidden under center formation.

FirefightnRick · October 31, 2016

I still think we haven't seen the entire playbook.

Rick

TIgreen01 · October 31, 2016

I hate to make this all about the QB.... But it kind of is. We have a true freshman running the show and it shows. He's a good one, I think... But he's not playing particularly well consistently enough. As the QB goes, so goes the entire offense. We have experienced players making freshman mistakes all over the field.

This is what a building year looks like, folks. Flashes of great and moments of face palm all mixed in from game to game. The positive is that we are doing this with a roster that we all thought was largely devoid of talent after last year's giant give up. The future is definitely bright and I'm all in with this team and coaching staff.

Marty · October 31, 2016

Growing pains! I predicted 4 wins but I think we'll get to 6. I'm thinking we'll beat Southern Miss at home, then finish with a win over UTEP!

oldguystudent · October 31, 2016

In undergrad, our rivals beat us eight times in the four years I was there in basketball. I don't think we beat them for a few more years. But the tides turned one day, and we've been mopping the floor with them for years now.

So will be the case with UNT and UTSA eventually.

When it does happen, I'm gonna find Correcamino's home address and plant about seven hundred Mean Green lawn signs in his yard, or staple them to the walls of his parents' basement, as the case may be. And I'm going to really enjoy it.

The only regret is that I wish our current seniors had enjoyed a little more success than 1-3 against them.

PlummMeanGreen · October 31, 2016

1 hour ago, TIgreen01 said:

I hate to make this all about the QB.... But it kind of is. We have a true freshman running the show and it shows. He's a good one, I think... But he's not playing particularly well consistently enough. As the QB goes, so goes the entire offense. We have experienced players making freshman mistakes all over the field.

This is what a building year looks like, folks. Flashes of great and moments of face palm all mixed in from game to game. The positive is that we are doing this with a roster that we all thought was largely devoid of talent after last year's giant give up. The future is definitely bright and I'm all in with this team and coaching staff.

Not sure we'd even have 4 wins without the true freshman Mason Fine. The W/L this season could have very well equalled last year's but now it won't. I think Seth Littrell might even agree.

We've had a taste of winning no matter our opponents thus far & it has felt good, but TIgreen01 you are right because--this "IS" what a rebuilding year looks like.

Look forward to seeing SL have a full recruiting year because me'thinks he & staff are going to be good at it.

Edited October 31, 2016 by PlummMeanGreen