Quotes from players - no energy, no excitement

[Big E]

In reading media reports, I’m concerned that several quotes from players and Littrell are referencing the fact they had no energy or excitement coming into the game, but had a good week of practice.  Littrell emphasizes a good week of practice leads to a good game.  That didn’t happen tonight.  And Ejiya said they couldn’t figure out a way to stop the FAU offense.  This game felt a lot like a combo of the SMU game this year, the Portland State disaster, last year’s UTEP game and the 2008 Rice drilling.  I’m really hoping this is an isolated situation, but these are the kinds of losses that are simply unacceptable.  If energy and excitement was lacking...why?  Do changes need to be made with travel-related issues, hotel, food, etc.?  How can you not be excited for this kind of match-up with the conference division in your control?  Disappointing...time for this program to look itself in the mirror and decide to be great or go home!

[BTG_Fan1]

Where are these quotes? I haven’t seen any post game interviews posted, or stories but I’ve been on my phone and may have missed those threads

[UNT 90 Grad]

7 hours ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

Where are these quotes? I haven’t seen any post game interviews posted, or stories but I’ve been on my phone and may have missed those threads

Lawrence briefly mentions the energy issue. 

[Venson]

Maybe it was the pool party they had that took all their energy. Their focus should have been football not a pool party. 

Edited October 22, 2017 by Venson
Spelling correction.

[Mike Jackson]

20 minutes ago, Venson said:

Maybe it was the pool party they had that took all their energy. Their focus should have been football not a pool party. 

shhh, culture doesn't matter.  You aren't allowed to mention that.  In totally unrelated news.  There is lost elephant walking around Denton named Fan Apathy Denton animal control hasn't been able to corner the animal to this point citing poor visibility.

[untbowler]

Defense was bad to night, but the offense in all honesty was just as bad. Kiffin took Littrell to school and had his .500 team ready for a big game. Littrell and company did not, end of discussion

[drex]

OK, here is my assessment, for what it's worth.  First, FAU had an off week to prepare for us, we were getting cocky after the UTSA game and FAU has a pretty good team.  We certainly made them look better than they are, but that is just the way it happened.  Also, playing in front of 2,000 people did not help either.  College kids can get complacent...hope the coaching staff snaps them out of their complacency.  Practices this week should be very interesting.

[UNTexas]

55 minutes ago, untbowler said:

Defense was bad to night, but the offense in all honesty was just as bad. Kiffin took Littrell to school and had his .500 team ready for a big game. Littrell and company did not, end of discussion

Pretty spot on. Littrell got schooled by a better coach. More experienced anyway. What an embarrassing loss...

[aztecskin]

Yeah said on the show that I think the staff got outcoached. Nothing saps energy quicker when you realize your boss doesn’t have a (good enough) plan. 

 

[NorthTexan95]

6 hours ago, Venson said:

Maybe it was the pool party they had that took all their energy. Their focus should have been football not a pool party. 

They had a pool party?  Really?  If so then that is stupid. 

[ForneyGreen]

I had a bad feeling about this game.  Most teams have a game each year where, for whatever reason, the team just isn't up to play.  If you're Alabama, that's probably fine because you'll get an "ugly win" that week.  Like SL said in his postgame interview, we're not good enough to take a week off - and we got schooled big time.

Good news is that the team is mostly healthy and they still control their own destiny.  Hopefully their play against ODU this week will show a sense of urgency and drive (and a little chip on their shoulder - something to prove).  I have a feeling they will play well against ODU.

[Travis]

I have never understood this... why work so hard and have your first place position. We are in the drivers seat... and you can’t get up for this game?!?  

This kind of thing blows my mind. 

[BTG_Fan1]

1 hour ago, NorthTexan95 said:

They had a pool party?  Really?  If so then that is stupid. 

Yep they were posting up pics of them on social media... 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm sorry but this whole they got full of themselves at 3-0 is so dumb, admit you didn't wanna play and you got your asses handed to you because you didn't care to show up/ put in the work... I don't hear teams that win all the time say "we got full of ourselves", if they don't how the hell should a team that 5-8 last year can be "full of themselves" after they have 2 of the last 3 games on luck vs UAB and UTSA.. 

I hope this is a wake up call, and a reminder after the beat down they took from SMU as well. How many beat downs do they need to take before they remember, they are not owed anything?

UNT has no reason to be "full of themselves".. How many of these guys have a winning record at UNT? 

 

[p_phelps]

I have this on Littrell all the way. We had 3 TOs that could have been used in the 1st half to calm us down before it was out of hand but nothing was done. The play that comes to mind is when we had them 4 and would have been 7-8 if the guy would have been called down instead was 4 and 2 and they ran up and got it. A time out could have made them punt and if we score there it's a ball game. Small things like that matter when we are so young. 

[BTG_Fan1]

9 minutes ago, p_phelps said:

I have this on Littrell all the way. We had 3 TOs that could have been used in the 1st half to calm us down before it was out of hand but nothing was done. The play that comes to mind is when we had them 4 and would have been 7-8 if the guy would have been called down instead was 4 and 2 and they ran up and got it. A time out could have made them punt and if we score there it's a ball game. Small things like that matter when we are so young. 

This is not just on SL... this is on the OC/DC and all the coaches, this is on all the guys on the "Leadership Group" or whatever it is called.. 

If you can not be motivated, then that group needs to be looked into. Yes they have done some really nice things in terms pulling out games like UTSA and UAB, but this games destroyed every bit of positive energy and vibe they had on campus.. This was a major game, and it wasn't all of a sudden right before kick off it became important, it was important since the bye week and only increased after the UTSA game..

 

[aztecskin]

16 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

This is not just on SL... this is on the OC/DC and all the coaches, this is on all the guys on the "Leadership Group" or whatever it is called.. 

If you can not be motivated, then that group needs to be looked into. Yes they have done some really nice things in terms pulling out games like UTSA and UAB, but this games destroyed every bit of positive energy and vibe they had on campus.. This was a major game, and it wasn't all of a sudden right before kick off it became important, it was important since the bye week and only increased after the UTSA game..

 

I think it is really easy to say 'they didn't want it enough'.

Littrell said they had a good week of practice  --- I don't know that they got full of themselves -- who can?

Kiffin was tweeting fun stuff during the bye week -- why didn't that kill his team? It could be that our team got beat down and no amount of desire would have fixed things. It could be that their staff was better prepared because they are better coaches? 

 

[GrayEagle]

5 hours ago, untbowler said:

Defense was bad to night, but the offense in all honesty was just as bad. Kiffin took Littrell to school and had his .500 team ready for a big game. Littrell and company did not, end of discussion

No, the offense was bad last night but the defense was horrible.  

At the end of the day the offense is still #16 nationally.  That's conference title, bowl game, type performance.  The defense, on the other hand, is now ranked #110 and the offense won't be able to cover that type of inefficiency much longer if they still maintain hopes of any type of conference title/bowl game.  When a defense gives up 800 yards to a similarly ranked team that's equivalent to not even showing up and letting the reserves play instead.  In fact, I'm not convinced that the second team couldn't have done better. 

All of the defensive coaches should be put on notice that there will be considerable improvement between now and the end of the season or expect to be replaced.

  

[BTG_Fan1]

7 minutes ago, aztecskin said:

I think it is really easy to say 'they didn't want it enough'.

Littrell said they had a good week of practice  --- I don't know that they got full of themselves -- who can?

Kiffin was tweeting fun stuff during the bye week -- why didn't that kill his team? It could be that our team got beat down and no amount of desire would have fixed things. It could be that their staff was better prepared because they are better coaches? 

Its easy to say they didn't want it because you could see it.. Missed tackles, Wilson getting tackled by 4-5-6 FAU players, and the OL are just looking around, LBs repeatly getting trucked and pushed back by RBs.. 

EJ made it sound like (and I believe said) that the team got full of themselves.. Again, how can you be full of yourself when you won 2 games in the last seconds.. and beat down a Lamar team who was only there to get paid (which by the way Lamar put up a bigger effort than we did).. USM is the best win and they only won because the defense grew a spine and held its own for a half.. 

You can tweet out fun stuff if you know how to prepare, heck they were tweeting out fun stuff this about GH being the OC of the week..

LK and his staff had FAU ready to play and it wasn't even close.. If they got beat down and they had no desire to play, they shouldn't be allowed to play, I'm sure we can find plenty of kids in this state that would love for the chance to play another game.. Wilson, McClain, and all the seniors this is one game closer to them being done with there careers (possibly) and anyone who had "no desire" just hurt themselves of tape for the next level but also their teammates.. What do they need to be desired, Wilson burfing up breakfast at the HoD again (then go on to block after Morris Fumbled the snap)? Hell, Fine got DESTROYED on the last pass of the UTSA game and don't have desire? Yes, it could be there staff was better, but I'm sorry its not the coaches playing the game between the lines.. They call the plays and get the players out on the field, but its on the players.. I did not see one player out there pushing, urging, demanding the group man up and get a stop or get the next first down. I saw a group of man turn into a bunch of kids who hoped they could hit restart or just turn off the game and act like it never happened... 

[aztecskin]

Defense beating dead after a long drive is being tired not desire. That’s Briles offense hasn’t done that to lots of teams — especially unprepared ones. 

The offense did not match the FAU intensity, but it was execution that was poor. They are linked and it could be mental but I think “energy” is a quick buzz word they used afterward. 

You move slower when they are making you wrong on RPOs — you become hesitant. 

It very well could be that our team came out and thought they were the best. It could also be that they weren’t ready for a team that was more ready to exploit our flaws than we theirs. 

We’ll know more vs ODU. Need a nice, palate-cleansing blowout over ODU here. 

[Cerebus]

12 minutes ago, aztecskin said:

Need a nice, palate-cleansing blowout over ODU here. 

Then we'll just have a ton of knee jerk "WE'RE GOING TO GO 9-3!!!1!" threads...

[BTG_Fan1]

31 minutes ago, aztecskin said:

Defense beating dead after a long drive is being tired not desire. That’s Briles offense hasn’t done that to lots of teams — especially unprepared ones. 

The offense did not match the FAU intensity, but it was execution that was poor. They are linked and it could be mental but I think “energy” is a quick buzz word they used afterward. 

You move slower when they are making you wrong on RPOs — you become hesitant. 

It very well could be that our team came out and thought they were the best. It could also be that they weren’t ready for a team that was more ready to exploit our flaws than we theirs. 

We’ll know more vs ODU. Need a nice, palate-cleansing blowout over ODU here. 

If you're a player and tired sub yourself out, if you can't get off in time.. Fake a cramp, or call a Time out.. UNT used 0 timeouts yesterday... I mean are the players not aware of these things? 

How can they be tired after the first series? The idea that we were worn down after 1 series, is either just another excuse or piss poor strength and conditioning.. Yes this offense has done this to a number of teams, meaning that they (the staff) should have been well aware of it. 

The point of all this is..

1- the players did not care, if they did care.. they showed it in a terrible way...Missed tackles, not helping up each other, and making FAU look like Alabama is an embarrassment.. 

2- They were overconfident, which hey they should have a chip on their shoulder because they beat a team many people were high on in UTSA, but again you can not overlook someone and they overlooked FAU by looking back and living off the "NewDenton" hype.. UNT has not earned the right to overlook and take anyone for granted.

3- They were not in the right in the right mindset, if it was from the wives coming and changing the planning (which I doubt, because the coaches im assuming spent time with there wifes during the players study/free time that I assume they would normally have) to the Pool-party and them thinking they had made it because of the past few weeks.. These things while major just add to appearance of it not being a business trip. 

Yes we as a fan base need a palate cleansing, but that is mostly geared towards the defense and honestly I do not think the defense is capable of doing that.. They are not forcing any turnovers and are giving up yardage to everyone.. We are giving up a whooping 37.85 points per game, with us averaging 36.28 on offfense, that FAU game alone increased PPG 5 points.. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

He said something like 'we can't just expect to show up, roll the ball out there beat those guys.  We have to be the most excited team to play.'  Then he mentioned the players needing to tear up/throw away their press clippings. 

This is my same assumption.  The guys got full of themselves.  

This game was going to happen... I'm just glad it happened when it did instead of next week @ home or VS LATech.

I expect the guys to be fully focused for the remainder of the season because they were just served a huge slice of humble pie... & it doesn't taste good.

 

[southsideguy]

why no excitement or energy, playing for first place and playing another conference member who was undefeated in their division.  Hope we rebound this week with a new outlook and lots of energy.

[EagleMBA]

1 hour ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

I expect the guys to be fully focused for the remainder of the season because they were just served a huge slice of humble pie... & it doesn't taste good.

 

At least they got pie. They sent me a shit sandwich!

[GOMG2013]

A pool party?  Is this for real or an exaggeration?