DRC: The Monday edition of What We Learned

Brett Vito · October 8, 2018

DRC: UNT can win when it isn't playing its best, plus a look at the larger role Rico Bussey is taking on

https://www.dentonrc.com/sports/the-monday-edition-of-what-we-learned/article_dfba95f3-dba4-5fc7-b5f1-a607ca9ec41d.html

NorthTexasWeLove · October 8, 2018

UNT can win? Yeah...Vs 0-18 team. Had we played against anyone else in the conference as we did in that game this past Saturday...We lose by 2 maybe 3 touchdowns. That was atrocious offense. Bad execution by our players and piss poor play calling....again. We run vs 8/9 man fronts on 2/3/4th and shorts and pass into 8 man drops and 3 man rushes. Do you know what that tells me....The opposing team is onto this coaching staff and their philosophy. It's time to change it up.

Also....I'm tired of seeing season best stats on our defense. Week 1-4 I thought we were done with that from last year. Last years defense is starting to creep into their play.

THOR · October 9, 2018

bussey is the best wr this year and was last year as well...i am surprised about lawrence and his drop off this year

Wag Tag · October 9, 2018

1 hour ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

UNT can win? Yeah...Vs 0-18 team. Had we played against anyone else in the conference as we did in that game this past Saturday...We lose by 2 maybe 3 touchdowns. That was atrocious offense. Bad execution by our players and piss poor play calling....again. We run vs 8/9 man fronts on 2/3/4th and shorts and pass into 8 man drops and 3 man rushes. Do you know what that tells me....The opposing team is onto this coaching staff and their philosophy. It's time to change it up.

Also....I'm tired of seeing season best stats on our defense. Week 1-4 I thought we were done with that from last year. Last years defense is starting to creep into their play.

5-1 what was your forecast?

greenminer · October 9, 2018

There is evidence that suggests Chico shines when he is cornered, given no chance, or given the role of wounded dog. The KState game at Fouts comes to mind. I think the Miners are figuring things out and our game against them suggests they are turning a corner.

That might be the best 0-18 team we have ever faced lol. Wouldn't be surprised at all if they get one or two Ws before this season is over.

greenminer · October 9, 2018

Watch Guyton have a 20 catch, 4 TD-type of bowl game.

NorthTexasWeLove · October 9, 2018

43 minutes ago, Wag Tag said:

5-1 what was your forecast?

8-4.

Your point?

Still takes away nothing I said.

Wag Tag · October 9, 2018

9 minutes ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

8-4.

Your point?

Still takes away nothing I said.

Could of should of would of. All Monday Qb talk! The record speaks for itself! That is the fact. I also predicted ! 8-4! GMG

emmitt01 · October 9, 2018

1 hour ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

8-4.

Your point?

Still takes away nothing I said.

Edited October 9, 2018 by emmitt01

akriesman · October 9, 2018

Sorry Brett. I am not convinced about the running game.

UTEP is ranked 111th against the run out of 129 teams. They give up an average of 5.3 ypc and 207 yards per game.

Here is how the 2 featured backs did for us against another bad run defense.

Yards per carry (last carry to first)

Smith: 1, 4, 4, 3, 9, 3, 3, 4, 2, 20, 7, 1, 2, 5
Torry: 0, 2, 7, -1, 7, 3, 25, 0, 0, 1, 21, 4, 4, -2, -2, 0, 1, -1, 1, -2

Nick Smith

13 Carries, 64 yards 4.9 ypc avg
2 <= 1 yard
10 runs 2-9 yards
1 run 20 yards

DeAndre Torrey

19 Carries, 70 yards, 3.7 ypc avg
12 runs <= 1 yard
5 runs 2-7 yards
2 runs over 20 yards

I really like Deandre Torrey as a scat back. He is a big play guy as is Nick. But, as a featured back, he lacks the size and strength we need right now. You can''t have 12 runs that are <= 1 yard out of 19 carries. That puts the offense in a world of hurt. Nick was much better this week. But, overall, it was still not a great performance against a poor defense IMO. If you take away the three 20+ runs, the YPC for both backs would have been dreadful this past weekend.

Here is how Smith/Torrey fared against the 5 other teams we have played. I left out Easly, who was 74-386 total with a nice 5.2 ypc average.

SMU - 103 ranked defense against the run out of 129

Torrey 2-6, 3.0 ypc
Smith 17-31, 1.8 ypc

Just a terrible day against a poor run defense that appeared to be stacking the box.

IW

Torrey 16-44, 2.8 ypc
Smith 6-18, 3.0

I would have expected far better against an FCS program.

Arkansas 48 ranked defense against the run out of 129

Torrey 4-13, 3.3 ypc
Smith N/A

Easly had a nice average in this one.

Liberty 126 ranked defense against the run out of 129

Torrey 8-51, 6.4 ypc
Smith 1-66

Part time in support of Easly

Louisiana Tech 82 ranked defense against the run out of 129

Torrey 1-14, 14.0 ypc
Smith 3-31, 10.3 ypc

Again, part time in support of Easly who softened up the defense with over 100 yards.

So, out of 129 teams, the run defenses we have played are ranked 103, unranked (FCS), 48, 126, 82 and 111. So, it is not like we have played some tough run defenses.

Anyway, I am not trying to bust on our players. But, we need much more production, especially in the short yardage situations, in order to take the pressure off Mason and the passing game IMO. Right now I would say that our running game still gets an incomplete at best.

Edited October 9, 2018 by akriesman

All About UNT · October 9, 2018

3 hours ago, greenminer said:

There is evidence that suggests Chico shines when he is cornered, given no chance, or given the role of wounded dog. The KState game at Fouts comes to mind. I think the Miners are figuring things out and our game against them suggests they are turning a corner.

That might be the best 0-18 team we have ever faced lol. Wouldn't be surprised at all if they get one or two Ws before this season is over.

I have to agree that UTEP is figuring things out. I also have to agree that the last two teams have realized that pass rush can cause Mason to look like he was as a freshman. Sure he can make you pay for it but do it enough times and it will pay dividends.

cogido · October 9, 2018

No mention of the offensive line ? Mason and the running backs are sitting ducks behind this o-line.

MrStrange18 · October 9, 2018

6 hours ago, cogido said:

No mention of the offensive line ? Mason and the running backs are sitting ducks behind this o-line.

Offensive line is one of the funniest things people complain about. The best 5 guys are out there. There is not a ton of scheming that can be done to fix anything or make them block better.

Those are the guys we have. We just need to work to their strengths and away from what makes them bad.

At this point in the year... they are what we got.

Receivers on the other hand... the drops are going to kill us.

Aldo · October 9, 2018

13 hours ago, THOR said:

bussey is the best wr this year and was last year as well...i am surprised about lawrence and his drop off this year

I think the Lawrence drop off may be due to other guys stepping up. Lawrence was always a guy that bailed out Fine in exceptional ways.

We haven't needed that nearly as often as Fine's first couple reads have been there (early on in the season).

MGNation92 · October 9, 2018

13 minutes ago, Aldo said:

I think the Lawrence drop off may be due to other guys stepping up. Lawrence was always a guy that bailed out Fine in exceptional ways.

We haven't needed that nearly as often as Fine's first couple reads have been there (early on in the season).

Plus, from my untrained eye, it seems like a lot more teams are running man coverage against us, which doesn't lend to Lawrence's skillset as much. He has the smarts to find the open holes in the zone, but not necessarily the athleticism(like Darden) to beat man coverage play after play

edcollopy · October 9, 2018

Lawrence has 5-6 drops already if my memory serves. Just seems odd for him since he's usually very sure handed.

Aldo · October 9, 2018

1 hour ago, MGNation92 said:

Plus, from my untrained eye, it seems like a lot more teams are running man coverage against us, which doesn't lend to Lawrence's skillset as much. He has the smarts to find the open holes in the zone, but not necessarily the athleticism(like Darden) to beat man coverage play after play

Man and zone both. Lawrence eats up zone for second lunch.

Additionally as a slot receiver, those aren't the routes he runs. He has keys he reads, so a play can have him split LBs, stop in front, go behind.

97and03 · October 9, 2018

I think the emergence of Darden and the number of throws to the RBs has decreased Law’s touches.

Aldo · October 9, 2018

4 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

number of throws to the RBs

This is a good point.

The proportion of receptions by RBs is on the money with last year, though. Targets would be a better stat but I don't have that atm and it's lunchtime.

Either GH or SL has it down to a science. Usage is maintained throughout a game (or at least they were when I paid attention to it last year). Interesting. I don't know if they've got a stat sheet they're keeping track of and sticking to, but it's something that I hadn't really noticed until last season.