DRC: Five thoughts on UNT's loss to FAU

Brett Vito · October 22, 2017

DRC:

http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/mean-green/2017/10/21/five-thoughts-unts-loss-florida-atlantic

Venson · October 22, 2017

Brett you are right. I wish you could have more than 5 thoughts. I would add one. UNT needs to find a DC after the season because Reffett is not getting the job done.

Mike Jackson · October 22, 2017

Just now, Venson said:

Brett you are right. I wish you could have more than 5 thoughts. I would add one. UNT needs to find a DC after the season because Reffett is not getting the job done.

I disagreed on the point 2 and that points directly back to everyone's thoughts about the defense this year. You really can't be humbled if you haven't achieved anything. This offense has dragged this defense along for all the wins against FBS opponents this year. And even Lamar had the scheme but not the players to put more points on the scoreboard at Apogee. I recall Lamar dropping 12 points in TD passes that game.

Venson · October 22, 2017

1 minute ago, Mike Jackson said:

I disagreed on the point 2 and that points directly back to everyone's thoughts about the defense this year. You really can't be humbled if you haven't achieved anything. This offense has dragged this defense along for all the wins against FBS opponents this year. And even Lamar had the scheme but not the players to put more points on the scoreboard at Apogee. I recall Lamar dropping 12 points in TD passes that game.

You are right. I didn't think about that.

BTG_Fan1 · October 22, 2017

15 minutes ago, Venson said:

Brett you are right. I wish you could have more than 5 thoughts. I would add one. UNT needs to find a DC after the season because Reffett is not getting the job done.

Agreed, the defense we were told would make progress.. because it would be led by a guy who had experience in it compared to ek who didn’t last year..

Our best Defensive players have regressed big time in McClain and Brooks..

Venson · October 22, 2017

4 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

Agreed, the defense we were told would make progress.. because it would be led by a guy who had experience in it compared to ek who didn’t last year..

Our best Defensive players have regressed big time in McClain and Brooks..

McClain and Brooks were preseason all conference. There was talk of McClain even getting drafted. After this season, he better hope he gets a free agent shot.

Ben Gooding · October 22, 2017

2 minutes ago, Venson said:

McClain and Brooks were preseason all conference. There was talk of McClain even getting drafted. After this season, he better hope he gets a free agent shot.

This is very true and unfortunate. It's kind of a shame. I am not sure what has happened in the scheme or coverage calls to make for such a dramatic drop in production. Is Muhammed playing SS now and McClain moved to FS, and did McClain play SS last year while Gray was at FS? If so, McCalin needs to be immediately moved back to SS because he is not half the player he is at FS. And move Muhammed to FS and hope he can fill in that production gap. Or I may have no idea what I am talking about...Always a possibility.

Venson · October 22, 2017

4 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

This is very true and unfortunate. It's kind of a shame. I am not sure what has happened in the scheme or coverage calls to make for such a dramatic drop in production. Is Muhammed playing SS now and McClain moved to FS, and did McClain play SS last year while Gray was at FS? If so, McCalin needs to be immediately moved back to SS because he is not half the player he is at FS. And move Muhammed to FS and hope he can fill in that production gap. Or I may have no idea what I am talking about...Always a possibility.

McClain played FS last year and is playing it again this year. The change is that Reffett is the lone DC. Ekeler kept Reffett in check last year and now he is gone to UNC. UNC has a good D, but their offense sucks since Littrell left. We need to find a DC and fast. We lost two coaches on the defensive side of the football. Could it have been more than them running to a P5 school? Could it have been the implosion that they saw coming and just didn't want to be a part of it?

BTG_Fan1 · October 22, 2017

1 minute ago, Venson said:

McClain played FS last year and is playing it again this year. The change is that Reffett is the lone DC. Ekeler kept Reffett in check last year and now he is gone to UNC. UNC has a good D, but their offense sucks since Littrell left. We need to find a DC and fast. We lost two coaches on the defensive side of the football. Could it have been more than them running to a P5 school? Could it have been the implosion that they saw coming and just didn't want to be a part of it?

Reff is blitzing more than Ek the team/players say.. so that is leaving McClain in more man on man coverage than zone..

Ben Gooding · October 22, 2017

1 minute ago, Venson said:

McClain played FS last year and is playing it again this year. The change is that Reffett is the lone DC. Ekeler kept Reffett in check last year and now he is gone to UNC. UNC has a good D, but their offense sucks since Littrell left. We need to find a DC and fast. We lost two coaches on the defensive side of the football. Could it have been more than them running to a P5 school? Could it have been the implosion that they saw coming and just didn't want to be a part of it?

I wouldn't think so. The only key contributors gone from last years D that comes to mind is Scott, Gray, and Combs. Outside of that mostly everyone is back. And Muhammed as filled in nicely for Gray and Soctt his last year IMO was a non-factor. But offenses can do what they please, at will. We need much, much, much better LB play. Not nearly aggressive enough from what I can tell. Those positions are supposed to be head hunters and too many times they are either playing paddy cake hand fighting on skates or completely lost in traffic.

We need Zach Orr 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 in this next class. Defense has to be a focal point THIS class. But it won't be because we have a Mike Leach disciple running our show.

1 minute ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

Reff is blitzing more than Ek the team/players say.. so that is leaving McClain in more man on man coverage than zone..

Blitzing with invisible players? Because hardly anyone ever gets home.

BTG_Fan1 · October 22, 2017

5 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

Blitzing with invisible players? Because hardly anyone ever gets home.

Hey Reffs the DC not me..

The MLB hasn’t been great.. Finney and Scott has experience last year, but Garner played a lot during Scott’s injury.. EJ and Garner need to step it up

Edited October 22, 2017 by BTG_Fan1

Venson · October 22, 2017

he needs to stop blitzing because when you do, you leave your secondary on an island. Everyone knows with the way offenses get away with murder in today's football, DBs can only cover for so long.

Ben Gooding · October 22, 2017

7 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

Hey Reffs the DC not me..

The MLB hasn’t been great.. Finney and Scott has experience last year, but Garner played a lot during Scott’s injury.. EJ and Garner need to step it up

EJ has been good. Not great, but serviceable. Not sure we hold the right to call any defensive player at UNT close to great.

Players like Tillman Johnson, Roderick Young, Brandon Garner, etc have ghosted. They are rarely ever called. We need more production out of Wheeler and EJ too. But these guys have a history of production and this season they've been overly quite.

Venson · October 22, 2017

2 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

EJ has been good. Not great, but serviceable. Not sure we hold the right to call any defensive player at UNT close to great.

Players like Tillman Johnson, Roderick Young, Brandon Garner, etc have ghosted. They are rarely ever called. We need more production out of Wheeler and EJ too. But these guys have a history of production and this season they've been overly quite.

They have been overly quiet. Again, I think it's the DC with this lack of production from players who produced last year.

BTG_Fan1 · October 22, 2017

6 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

EJ has been good. Not great, but serviceable. Not sure we hold the right to call any defensive player at UNT close to great.

Agreed he has likely been the best LB (him or Wheeler) if I had to pick but tonite he got trucked/ran over multiple times..

Rudy · October 22, 2017

Heres a troubling thought. NutsaCK fans are so happy about our loss, in 9 months, there will be Super Bowl babies in San Antonio.

BTG_Fan1 · October 22, 2017

5 minutes ago, Rudy said:

Heres a troubling thought. NutsaCK fans are so happy about our loss, in 9 months, there will be Super Bowl babies in San Antonio.

Congrats to UTSA on the teams first conference win of 2017.. we got that a month ago, and u only beat rice by 17.. congrats! 2 more Ws till you catch us! 3 to pass us! Hopefully you can manage that!

Ben Gooding · October 22, 2017

9 minutes ago, Rudy said:

Heres a troubling thought. NutsaCK fans are so happy about our loss, in 9 months, there will be Super Bowl babies in San Antonio.

They're not happy with real conviction. They're like nervously happy. As in, well, if UNT did this to us, and FAU did that to UNT, then Oh shit.

GrandGreen · October 22, 2017

My thoughts:

The team was obviously ill prepared and thought they were a lot better than they are

Littrell and company got an embarrassing lesson

FAU used their off week very well

Probably the worst game in NT history, yes even worse than Portland State

As bad as the coaching was for NT, the worst sin was keeping Fine in the game, there is no justification for that

This game could have easily been around 83-17, not that it matters

Again why was Fine in this game, ending his season in a slaughter like this was certainly possible

I hate to think it is all about the stats, but is there another explanation

All goodwill gains in the UTSA game, destroyed; Go from conference darling to joke in one game

As horrible as it was, it only counts as one loss

Only positive, NT still in best position to win West

Wouldn't it be grand to play FAU again in the conference championship

UNTEngr.#43 · October 22, 2017

What happened all I saw was the score?

Ben Gooding · October 22, 2017

1 minute ago, UNTEngr.#43 said:

What happened all I saw was the score?

OK, FAU came out opening drive and went 75 yards in about 2.5 minutes and 7 points. They continued this up to 24 points in the first quarter alone. Our offense would kind of move here and there but would either turn the ball over or punt. In the 2nd quarter, more of the same to the tune of a halftime score of 41-7. Seth Littrell was so over his head and desperate in the 2nd quarter that he went for it on like 4th and 5 on our own 30 yard line. Of course, in UNT fashion, didn't get it. Our O looked aimless. Our D literally forced 0 punts all game. Final Score 69-31. The Final score could've been named by FAU if they so chose. So, hey, Lane Kiffin showing some class, right?

In my honest opinion, this game was worse than the Portland State game. There were several variables that perfectly played into that Portland Fiasco. Here, nothing. An absolute unexpected ass whipping of pretty epic proportions.

Wag Tag · October 22, 2017

I often wonder on away games what kind of impact travel time and weather conditions have. 75 - 80% humidity can be a struggle.

southsideguy · October 22, 2017

Thought this ESPN reporter said it all about college football in his first paragraph. I don't think we are out of it and can still salvage a good season. This one hurt and was embrassing for the team, coaches and fans. Time to look forward to this weeks game. Hope to see more of Wilson running the ball. When Wilson gets rolling the offense gets going. Otherwise we will continue to get the 22 man blitz.

"College football can be painful. Heartbreak and disappointment are part of the deal, especially this time of year, as games garner more importance and people start to realize if their teams are for real or really out of it."

Edited October 22, 2017 by southsideguy

Got5onIt · October 22, 2017

New DC & ST coach.

GOMG2013 · October 22, 2017

8 hours ago, Mike Jackson said:

This offense has dragged this defense along for all the wins against FBS opponents this year.

I disagree with this when it comes to the UTSA game. The defense kept it close enough to win it with some luck and good plays from the offense at the end. Other than the QB scrambles, the defense did well against UTSA.

Your main point though, that the defense sucks overall is true though.

We are not going to stop a team with a good offense/decent QB. That's going to take some time. We need speed at LB and better safety play.