DRC Sunday column: UNT's struggles against SMU a talent issue

[Brett Vito]

DRC: Signing day success has helped SMU quickly pull away from UNT in long-standing series

http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/mean-green/2017/09/10/brett-vito-unts-struggles-vs-smu-rooted-talent-gap-can-traced-signing-day

[MGNation92]

Coaching wasn't the reason. You mean like all the stupid trick plays that didn't work? Or trying to run a wildcat formation against a stacked box? Or leaving quite possibly the best receiver in the country single covered all game? Or throwing all the short passes against a stacked box? Or not throwing it deep until we were 28 points down and the game was completely out of hand?

You're right Vito. Recruiting has been terrible under Littrell, but that might've been the worst coaching his staff has put together over his short career at UNT.

[Ben Gooding]

"He's a great player and one of the best receivers we are going to play all year," Littrell said. "That doesn't matter. We have to make competitive plays."

You're right coach, it doesn't matter. So why'd you say it? 

Good write up, @Brett Vito. True, truer than anyone around here wants to admit. But to add and maybe disagree a bit, our coaches were also out coached. They have the better players sprinkled around their roster, for sure. But I think we have some good players too. They should've won this game by talent alone. The coaching aspect of it allowed them to embarrass us. 

8 minutes ago, MGNation92 said:

Coaching wasn't the reason. You mean like all the stupid trick plays that didn't work? Or trying to run a wildcat formation against a stacked box? Or leaving quite possibly the best receiver in the country single covered all game? Or throwing all the short passes against a stacked box? Or not throwing it deep until we were 28 points down and the game was completely out of hand?

You're right Vito. Recruiting has been terrible under Littrell, but that might've been the worst coaching his staff has put together over his short career at UNT.

So true. SL must take over the play calling. He's the so-called offensive minded guru. Well, Missouri me then...I'm waiting. 

GH is very, very close to be officially stealing from the University of North Texas. 

[Side Show Joe]

I didn't read about this talent gap when he picked North Texas to win this game. (scratching my head)

No, I'll continue to believe we got out coached, and had a bad game plan. Does SMU have an edge in talent? Yes, but not big enough to route us like they did last night. The majority of last night's performance was a result of being out-coached and unprepared. That falls on the coaching staff. They need to own it.

[akriesman]

For two years now the big difference IMO has been Courtland Sutton.   He impacts the game more than just the 7 TD's he has against us in 2 games.    Sutton sure looks like a first round NFL pick.   SMU totally hit on that guy and he was only a 3* recruit out of high school.    

I am convinced that if Sutton alone switched sides yesterday, the results would have  swung the other way.     

In the game predictions I said Sutton would be the difference.  But, he was more of a beast than I even thought he would be.

 

[emmitt01]

3 minutes ago, akriesman said:

For two years now the big difference IMO has been Courtland Sutton.   He impacts the game more than just the 7 TD's he has against us in 2 games.    Sutton sure looks like a first round NFL pick.   SMU totally hit on that guy and he was only a 3* recruit out of high school.    

I am convinced that if Sutton alone switched sides yesterday, the results would have  swung the other way.     

In the game predictions I said Sutton would be the difference.  But, he was more of a beast than I even thought he would be.

 

Yep.

Let me reiterate, again, for those that believe SMU is more than just one VASTLY superior player...

SMU starting running back: At halftime he had 5 carries for 3 yards (1.6 per).  
By the end of the 3rd quarter 11 carries for 23 yards (2.09 per).  

Their quarterback...absent Sutton's 8 catches and 4 TD's...was12/31 (39%) for 149 yards and 0 TD

[TheColonyEagle]

All things equal....which QB would you want between theirs and ours?

I'll take ours. 

[Marty]

35 minutes ago, akriesman said:

For two years now the big difference IMO has been Courtland Sutton.   He impacts the game more than just the 7 TD's he has against us in 2 games.    Sutton sure looks like a first round NFL pick.   SMU totally hit on that guy and he was only a 3* recruit out of high school.    

I am convinced that if Sutton alone switched sides yesterday, the results would have  swung the other way.     

In the game predictions I said Sutton would be the difference.  But, he was more of a beast than I even thought he would be.

 

If I remember correctly, Sutton chose SMU because they wanted him to play receiver. The other schools recruited him as a safety. 

He's a beast no doubt, the best I've  seen in person.

[Big E]

1 hour ago, akriesman said:

For two years now the big difference IMO has been Courtland Sutton.   He impacts the game more than just the 7 TD's he has against us in 2 games.    Sutton sure looks like a first round NFL pick.   SMU totally hit on that guy and he was only a 3* recruit out of high school.    

I am convinced that if Sutton alone switched sides yesterday, the results would have  swung the other way.     

In the game predictions I said Sutton would be the difference.  But, he was more of a beast than I even thought he would be.

 

This is spot on!  Without him in the game, this game looks very different and becomes a battle until the end.  I agree with Brett that SMU does have a talent edge, has outrecruited us to this point, but there is no doubt we are improving the level of talent coming in.  Darden and Guyton are the real deal!  Lawrence looks like he will be a solid possession receiver for us and Fine may not be as tall as Hicks (hence the batted balls), but he definitely is a more accurate thrower and better scrambler.  Our o-line was only fair last night.  They couldn't get any push for the run, but they did hold most of the time for the quick pass and the late deep passes.  Guyton is a real deep threat for us.  He will light some people up this year.  Our RBs will be solid in CUSA.  Our dbacks are athletic and will get better, but Sutton is on a different level.  Dline play was pretty good and will hopefully be better when English is in the mix.  Linebackers were pretty decent last night, especially Ejiya.  Our punt return game was sad...two weeks in a row...unbelievable.  No protection and no room to run.  That has to get fixed now.

 

[GOMG2013]

Does Liberty and UTSA have more talent than Baylor?  Maryland have more talent than Texas?  Nichols State vs A&M?  Bad coaches and schemes can make the talent they have look worse if the talent is not put in the right situation.  

A good coach can also do more with less talent.  

At some point we have to stop making excuses for these coaches when other teams, even some in our own conference, are getting more out of players and finding diamonds in the rough.  Nothing was going to stop Sutton at all.  He is a 1st round draft pick this year and even players that are on NFL rosters had trouble guarding him.  But saying that, i would like the coaches to do more with the talent they have.  

Jenkins has talent.  Was he even used on defense?  I don't think he stops Sutton, but why can't Nate come out on 3rd and longs and you put in better, faster cover guys?  Can we see Hall and Jenkins on the field at corner on obvious 3rd and longs?  

[greenminer]

 

[DeepGreen]

Should be interesting to see SMU and Sutton against the Frogs this weekend.  I'll be there.

[Ben Gooding]

13 minutes ago, greenminer said:

 

I was going to create a thread for this when this came out last week. So, so true. Herman put his foot in his mouth last Saturday and looked and sounded like an idiot. 

[GOMG2013]

I just saw the Dallas Cowboys 1st and goal on the 2 yard line.  They have a massive offensive line and a beast at RB.  They threw it 3 times.  not a talent issue at all.  The talent was there to line up and at least try to run it in.  But bad coaching and stupid play calling can make talent look bad.

[Ben Gooding]

1 minute ago, GOMG2013 said:

I just saw the Dallas Cowboys 1st and goal on the 2 yard line.  They have a massive offensive line and a beast at RB.  They threw it 3 times.  not a talent issue at all.  The talent was there to line up and at least try to run it in.  But bad coaching and stupid play calling can make talent look bad.

Agreed. The fade TD catch by Sutton is what did me in. Why not have that guy double teamed. Just, why. 

The long in air TD catch was so infuriating. They had a safety over the top but they had him stunting down only about 10 yards off the ball on 3rd and 13. Why. Just, why. Put your S on the hash 20 yds deep. You KNOW they are going deep and odds are to Sutton. I was dumbfounded by safety placement, not safety play. And that boils all the way down to the coaches in its purest form. 

[GOMG2013]

7 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

Agreed. The fade TD catch by Sutton is what did me in. Why not have that guy double teamed. Just, why. 

The long in air TD catch was so infuriating. They had a safety over the top but they had him stunting down only about 10 yards off the ball on 3rd and 13. Why. Just, why. Put your S on the hash 20 yds deep. You KNOW they are going deep and odds are to Sutton. I was dumbfounded by safety placement, not safety play. And that boils all the way down to the coaches in its purest form. 

Like someone posted in another thread.  SFA playes him better and had a better scheme.  Now, do we have less talent than SFA?  Coaching.  

[trud1966]

4 hours ago, emmitt01 said:

Yep.

Let me reiterate, again, for those that believe SMU is more than just one VASTLY superior player...

SMU starting running back: At halftime he had 5 carries for 3 yards (1.6 per).  
By the end of the 3rd quarter 11 carries for 23 yards (2.09 per).  

Their quarterback...absent Sutton's 8 catches and 4 TD's...was12/31 (39%) for 149 yards and 0 TD

100% agreed on their QB. You don't even need statistics to evaluate it.  My eyes alone told me.  He was a straight back pocket passer, little mobility, and made several really terrible passes.  Yes, he did chuck some really long ones, that Sutton went up and got, or the secondary was asleep at the wheel, and we got burned.  But their QB was not a key factor in their win.  Seriously, the Lamar QB was more impressive to watch. 

Edited September 11, 2017 by trud1966

[FirefightnRick]

I didn't know Sutton played on defense too.  Dang that guy is good.

 

 

Rick

[All About UNT]

3 hours ago, trud1966 said:

100% agreed on their QB. You don't even need statistics to evaluate it.  My eyes alone told me.  He was a straight back pocket passer, little mobility, and made several really terrible passes.  Yes, he did chuck some really long ones, that Sutton went up and got, or the secondary was asleep at the wheel, and we got burned.  But their QB was not a key factor in their win.  Seriously, the Lamar QB was more impressive to watch. 

Also an ex-SMU QB