My genereal observations on the SMU game

outoftown · September 10, 2017

We lost the game, and it was worse than the final score indicated, as there were a bunch of successful result cosmetics. To me this game was almost entirely on the coaches. Not to say that there were not problems with stupid penalties at times, but I honestly think that our coaches got outcoached tonight. Badly outcoached. And that without that, this could well have been close. The flip side of this is, that if the coaches have a better game plan, then things can get better quickly (which would not be the case if the players were f-ing up). That said, we are definitely at a talent disadvantage compared to SMU and the current level of recruiting will not change that.

On that note I would like to reiterate that extending and more importantly raising SLs salary came too early and with little necessity.

- We got burned by a great WR whom we cannot bottle up completely. Still it feels like we could have done at least a somewhat better job of it. But he would have gotten 2 TDs no matter what we do I think.

- I miss coach Perry. I miss Keena. As of right now I would not miss coach Biagi. That muffed punt ad the beginning of the second half was sadly enough predictable and nixed a great start to the half by the D and had it completely gassed quickly.

- I have a hard time knowing if I am more disappointed by our offense or our defense today. But I know I am primarily unhappy with the OC and DC... and the special teams coordinator.

- I guess I am more disappointed with the offense after all, as the number of problems seems bigger. The D only has to clean up one down, the O needs to clean up all of them. The O-line was still too spoty to show a strong identity. But my real beef is with the play calling. On the first two drives we had a decent game plan. We threw early, and ran after and while we didn't spread it vertically we at least spread it horizontally. For no reason at all we started only running after that. SMU reacted and with being spread neither horizontally nor vertically things predictably went south. Instead we tried trick plays. I am very disappointed with GHs Canales style game plan for the last 20 minutes of the first half and the first 10 of the second. We predictably ended up in a lot of third downs where everybody knew the pass was coming and the line often broke down early. The result was also predictable.

When we finally started going deep on first or second downs (and both Fine and the receivers actually looked good doing it), it was too late.

-Once the game was kind of out of hand, the offense looked actually okish again, probably because we started spreading vertically a bit. The players actually executed. If anything it makes me more angry with the coaches for not trusting the QB/WRs earlier. Now who knows how much of that is on SMU not going as hard any more, but at least it left the box score looking much less ugly and showed the team is not giving up.

We have some decent WRs. Particularly Darden looked really crisp to me.

The defense had only one down where it had a problem, and everybody saw it: third down. Specifically third and long. Confronted with good and tall receivers, we gave too much cushion. For some reason we were bend don't break on third down where -considering this game was headed for shootout territory- we should have been break before bend on third down. We gave big cushions, and it felt like we stopped blitzing when we had them in third and long. In any case we got no pressure on the QB on third down (we did on other downs). I am optimistic that coach R will realise this when watching film and correct this. As long as the D was not gassed (which it completely was in the middle of the third quarter) we actually did nicely against the run.

-I watched Iowa today. I don't think Iowa has a Courtland Sutton. And they didn't look too good against the middle long ball either. That said they will wear the D out something good. But I can see where UNT actually looks better than against SMU next week. That UAB game will not be an auto W though.

-C-USA overall had a decent day by the way. MTSU beat Syracuse, UTSA is about to beat Baylor.

Edited September 10, 2017 by outoftown

BTG_Fan1 · September 10, 2017

4 hours ago, outoftown said:

We lost the game, and it was worse than the final score indicated, as there were a bunch of successful result cosmetics. To me this game was almost entirely on the coaches. Not to say that there were not problems with stupid penalties at times, but I honestly think that our coaches got outcoached tonight. Badly outcoached. And that without that, this could well have been close. The flip side of this is, that if the coaches have a better game plan, then things can get better quickly (which would not be the case if the players were f-ing up). That said, we are definitely at a talent disadvantage compared to SMU and the current level of recruiting will not change that.

On that note I would like to reiterate that extending and more importantly raising SLs salary came too early and with little necessity.

- We got burned by a great WR whom we cannot bottle up completely. Still it feels like we could have done at least a somewhat better job of it. But he would have gotten 2 TDs no matter what we do I think.

- I miss coach Perry. I miss Keena. As of right now I would not miss coach Biagi. That muffed punt ad the beginning of the second half was sadly enough predictable and nixed a great start to the half by the D and had it completely gassed quickly.

- I have a hard time knowing if I am more disappointed by our offense or our defense today. But I know I am primarily unhappy with the OC and DC... and the special teams coordinator.

- I guess I am more disappointed with the offense after all, as the number of problems seems bigger. The D only has to clean up one down, the O needs to clean up all of them. The O-line was still too spoty to show a strong identity. But my real beef is with the play calling. On the first two drives we had a decent game plan. We threw early, and ran after and while we didn't spread it vertically we at least spread it horizontally. For no reason at all we started only running after that. SMU reacted and with being spread neither horizontally nor vertically things predictably went south. Instead we tried trick plays. I am very disappointed with GHs Canales style game plan for the last 20 minutes of the first half and the first 10 of the second. We predictably ended up in a lot of third downs where everybody knew the pass was coming and the line often broke down early. The result was also predictable.

When we finally started going deep on first or second downs (and both Fine and the receivers actually looked good doing it), it was too late.

-Once the game was kind of out of hand, the offense looked actually okish again, probably because we started spreading vertically a bit. The players actually executed. If anything it makes me more angry with the coaches for not trusting the QB/WRs earlier. Now who knows how much of that is on SMU not going as hard any more, but at least it left the box score looking much less ugly and showed the team is not giving up.

We have some decent WRs. Particularly Darden looked really crisp to me.

The defense had only one down where it had a problem, and everybody saw it: third down. Specifically third and long. Confronted with good and tall receivers, we gave too much cushion. For some reason we were bend don't break on third down where -considering this game was headed for shootout territory- we should have been break before bend on third down. We gave big cushions, and it felt like we stopped blitzing when we had them in third and long. In any case we got no pressure on the QB on third down (we did on other downs). I am optimistic that coach R will realise this when watching film and correct this. As long as the D was not gassed (which it completely was in the middle of the third quarter) we actually did nicely against the run.

-I watched Iowa today. I don't think Iowa has a Courtland Sutton. And they didn't look too good against the middle long ball either. That said they will wear the D out something good. But I can see where UNT actually looks better than against SMU next week. That UAB game will not be an auto W though.

-C-USA overall had a decent day by the way. MTSU beat Syracuse, UTSA is about to beat Baylor.

Thank you for being the voice of reason.. and having long, well thought out responses for explaining the point.. Just not Coach XYZ sucks..

Wag Tag · September 10, 2017

SMU has done a great job in recruiting We have done below average. GH is very questionable as a OC at this time What happen to the right end? . Special team play is going to cost us games.

Edited September 10, 2017 by Wag Tag

UNT 90 Grad · September 10, 2017

I agree on the coaching. Three examples come to mind, two of which are special teams:

- why are we doing the two punt returner thing? Last week we already seemed challenged slowing down the coverage, so we take one more blocker out of the mix? And then the lack of organization is such that the two returners run into each other? Jeez.

- The end around kick return hand off -FAIL.

- There was the long developing play relatively deep in our own territory that failed and ultimately setup the safety. I'm guessing the play was intended to get the ball back into Fine's hands for a pass before it fell apart. Looked like we were trying to get too tricky and it bit us in the arse.

I've been a season ticket holder for about 15 years and, sometimes to my guests' frustration, I can count the number of times I've left a game early on one hand. I left early last night. I really despise SMU and that was too frustrating.

Edited September 10, 2017 by UNT 90 Grad

BTG_Fan1 · September 10, 2017

3 hours ago, UNT 90 Grad said:

I agree on the coaching. Three examples come to mind, two of which are special teams:

- why are we doing the two punt returner thing? Last week we already seemed challenged slowing down the coverage, so we take one more blocker out of the mix? And then the lack of organization is such that the two returners run into each other? Jeez.

- The end around kick return hand off -FAIL.

- There was the long developing play relatively deep in our own territory that failed and ultimately setup the safety. I'm guessing the play was intended to get the ball back into Fine's hands for a pass before it fell apart. Looked like we were trying to get too tricky and it bit us in the arse.

I've been a season ticket holder for about 15 years and, sometimes to my guests' frustration, I can count the number of times I've left a game early on one hand. I left early last night. I really despise SMU and that was too frustrating.

The only reason I can think of for 2 PR is to 1- limit the area they cover and the man not catching it blocks for the man but agreed we blocking has been terrible and blocking as well. After the reserve KR, the punt was nearly blocked and only lead to a 30 yard punt.

The KR was super and incredibly stupid, why pitch it back to a man inside you're own 10? I get it but do it that play when you are farther away from your own goaline..

We ran way to many trick plays, and no idea why.. wildcat 3 times in a tow to finally score on the opening drive? double reserve again inside your own 10? Just glad Fine didn't do the Tyler Wilson iNT from HoD..

A lot of things to be cleared up, but if ST just gets to average from the down right terrible state it is in now, we should be in a better spot.. No more 3 and outs to start the 2nd half then an idiotic muffle punt to give SMU life.. Darden please be the answer and calming voice at PR, because the 2 seniors are terrible (Jenkins and smiley)

SilverEagle · September 10, 2017

- We need to call up Coach Perry and tell him we are real sorry and would love to have him back

- We need to cut down significantly on those lateral passes. SMU figured it out real quick and batted two down and one was batted up and intercepted.

- Lateral passes are intended to get a good runner matched up one-on-one with a defensive player in order to get YAKS. The trouble with that is that they had more talented defensive backs covering those plays than we had talented YAK receivers. So unless we are going to throw those lateral passes to (multi-generational reference coming) the second coming of Abner Haynes, John Love, Marcus Camper or Breland Chancellor....move on to slants, sideline and long middle routs.

-What has happened to Kam Duhon? He was tearing it up in the spring and fall, but so sign of him thus far.

- hardly anything angers me more than seeing a WR (even a future pro player) catch the ball over the middle, have a DB climb on his back and then have him shake the guy off like he hadn't been there. The guy had BOTH ARMS ON HIM FORGODSAKES!

BTG_Fan1 · September 10, 2017

1 minute ago, SilverEagle said:

-What has happened to Kam Duhon? He was tearing it up in the spring and fall, but so sign of him thus far.

Isn't he a slot guy? Lawerence has been solid both games, and Darden may have had the best game of the WRs last night in terms of what people likely expected Guyton to produce like he did with us still wondering what role Darden would play.

UNTLifer · September 10, 2017

Here is my issue with the recruiting comments. SL and staff inherited a program that had zero relationships with high schools and have had to get back in to these schools. Also, I have been around too long to believe recruit rankings on kids fresh out of high school. Reason? The ratings are based on junior year results ans summer camps. Most of these sites do not have near the ability to observe and rate every young man. Offer lists are an option some like to use, but that also doesn't account for late bloomers or something occurring during a players senior year.

Take Jason Bean for example. People on here loved the commitment based on hjs rating and offer list. He threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 29 TD's last year and his coach raved about his ability, but something has happened and he is now the back up. Those same people that loved this commktment are now bitching about our staff going after a back up QB. It is ridiculous. Let these kids develop. The list is long of those that have succeeded who were not highly recruited out of high school and of those that were highly rated and failed.