9 Wins and disappointing

TheColonyEagle · November 25, 2018

2 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

I am optimistic, but unfortunately you are correct. SMU, SoMiss, LaTech, Cal, UAB, and our likely eastern division opponents could all be losses.

IMO, Reffet will have his hands full. The D will dictate next season.

UAB is going to take a HUGE step back next year

letsgiveacheer · November 25, 2018

I really can't believe this. In my 40+ years of following UNT ball, we have had less than 10 winning seasons and here we are 9 and 3 for the first time in ages. We need to celebrate this moment, not degrade the team's accomplishment.

Forty years from now, should we return to our losing ways, UNT fans will recall this achievement with admiration. They will not remember that CUSA was in a down year, or that we had an easy schedule, they will just know of the 9-3 regular season, an achievement not to be dismissed.

Shark84 · November 25, 2018

27 minutes ago, Danish43 said:

Will have to get another big back like Wilson or Loren to get us thru small yardage.

Need better o-line play. No running back would have gotten that first down. Terrible run blocking and worse play call.

Philip Ferguson · November 25, 2018

Only 16 points away from a perfect season. I enjoyed the ride this year, and hope we cap it off with a nice bowl win. I’m already thinking about 2019...can I renew my season tickets yet??? GMG

greenminer · November 25, 2018

3 hours ago, letsgiveacheer said:

I really can't believe this. In my 40+ years of following UNT ball, we have had less than 10 winning seasons and here we are 9 and 3 for the first time in ages. We need to celebrate this moment, not degrade the team's accomplishment.

Forty years from now, should we return to our losing ways, UNT fans will recall this achievement with admiration. They will not remember that CUSA was in a down year, or that we had an easy schedule, they will just know of the 9-3 regular season, an achievement not to be dismissed.

What if we flipped this argument and Looked through the lense of today at Fry? Would he still be revered?

nostalgia has a way of glorifying the past.

greenminer · November 25, 2018

I’m ready for the next part of this season so maybe we can figure this team out. 😉

Mean Green Fan4Life · November 25, 2018

I'm hoping for an invitation to the First Responder Bowl in Dallas to play a name opponent. But, for now, I'm focusing my attention on our 8-0 Mean Green basketball team. We're heading to Norman on Tuesday to play the Sooners. Go Mean Green!

SilverEagle · November 25, 2018

4 hours ago, Shark84 said:

Need better o-line play. No running back would have gotten that first down. Terrible run blocking and worse play call.

As an advocate for a power back (or two) for short yardage situations, I also agree with this assessment. I've seen our defense make a 240 lb RB lose yardage on a 3rd and short situation. So better short yardage run blockers would also be a future "need" for us. I also agree with another poster that putting QS in to possibly run the ball on short yardage situations would have yielded some positive outcomes.or at least have him run an option play,

Big Z · November 25, 2018

Too predictable on the play calling at times...

Mean Green Matt · November 25, 2018

Could this season have been better? Sure. Could last season have been worse? Absolutely. These things happen. Recruiting has obviously taken a step forward this season which is reason for optimism. Most importantly, the expectations from this fan base have risen.

Philip Ferguson · November 25, 2018

4 hours ago, Mean Green Fan4Life said:

I'm hoping for an invitation to the First Responder Bowl in Dallas to play a name opponent. But, for now, I'm focusing my attention on our 8-0 Mean Green basketball team. We're heading to Norman on Tuesday to play the Sooners. Go Mean Green!

I’ll be at that game, too

southsideguy · November 25, 2018

The season is over, do we keep getting to practice until the bowl game or do have to stop until the bowl game is announced?

meangreendork · November 25, 2018

I'm not disappointed in 9-3. I love that part. I am worried that if not by a few points, the record would be worse.

I'm worried that the offense is having issues with blocking and is suffering in the 2nd half as a result. Linked to that, I'm worried that there is now enough tape out there to shut down the team next season.

The coaching staff has the ability to solve all of this but I'm not sure they will.

Big Z · November 25, 2018

10 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

The season is over, do we keep getting to practice until the bowl game or do have to stop until the bowl game is announced?

At this rate I would give them a week off to rest the wounds.

Green Lantern · November 25, 2018

5 minutes ago, meangreendork said:

I'm not disappointed in 9-3. I love that part. I am worried that if not by a few points, the record would be worse.

Sure, but as is the case in college football, it cuts both ways. You can also make the argument that we’re only a couple of plays away from being an 11 or 12 win team inconsistencies in the offense and all.

Good season with some frustrating ups and downs.

southsideguy · November 25, 2018

Any word on Rico?

Mike Jackson · November 25, 2018

What disappoints me the most is that this defensive squad is probably better than next year's defense. If I had told anyone before the season our defense would allow more than 30 points twice this year a win one of those games they would expect a Division Championship at the very least. This team missed a golden opportunities. Win against La Tech, the Southern Miss gave is probably a sellout. That would have been huge for the program. I don't know what the rules are but I definitely would not have been surprised if one of the local broadcast stations would have picked up the rights to one of the remaining games if we had gotten to 7-0. Yes 9-3 is a really good season but opportunities like this season presented rarely come around. And that goes for also all college football programs outside of the historically elite. I hope I am proven wrong about the defense. I don't see the offense improving much cause I am not aware of any great potential OL reinforcements next year.

Edited November 25, 2018 by Mike Jackson

Got5onIt · November 25, 2018

On the cusp of greatness, that’s the issue. But I’ll take 9-3 with a bowl win....

TIgreen01 · November 25, 2018

We have consistently recruited in the bottom quarter of CUSA going on 5+(or more) years. Littrell and his staff have hit on difference makers at a few of the skill positions, most obviously at QB. That plus this system is good enough to win in this conference. But the fact is that across the entire roster we’re playing at a talent deficit to almost every team we play, and for sure are out matched against the winning teams (who also happen to have been recruiting in the top half of the conference, by no coincidence). So I’ll take 9-3 all day everyday.

What will suck is if we can’t get a recruiting boost from these last two seasons because we lose half of our staff in the offseason. It doesn’t come down to just Littrell, but losing too many key assistants. That’s what has always killed us in the past. DDs staff kept getting gutted every year. McCarney had that one year where Memphis and SEC schools hired away 3-4 key guys. Prioritizing those key assistants and getting them raises needs to be our ADs focus, right now.

Edited November 25, 2018 by TIgreen01

MeanGreen_MBA · November 25, 2018

For all those who are complaining about 9-3

we are 4 plays from being undefeated

1. Blocked field goal to win vs La tech

2. Fumble on the 3 yd line for go ahead TD vs UAB

3-4 fake field goal/missed tackle vs ODU

I am thrilled at this season next year we will dominate we have most of our team back we did this with mostly underclassmen

greenminer · November 25, 2018

2 hours ago, MeanGreen_MBA said:

I am thrilled at this season next year we will dominate we have most of our team back we did this with mostly underclassmen

Since I put a lot of stock in returning experience in the trenches, I'm not as optimistic as you are. I recognize we get a TON of skill positions back, but what if they are running for their lives? We had 4 seniors starting between our 8 DL/OL spots. Plus Ejiyah and Garner will be gone.

It might be more telling if someone can look at the two-deep and count the number of starts/snaps that all those guys have played. See how much we are losing/retaining.

yyz28 · November 25, 2018

Look, it is GOOD to be 9-3 and be disappointed. ...and having listened to Coach Littrell’s pressers all year long, I am heartened by the fact that he clearly doesn’t feel we are good enough. There is no sugar coating. There is no spin. It’s “we fell short of accomplishing our goals and have to get better to get where we want to be.”

That is an attitude we can build on, and I think we should see a recruiting bump.

Good things happening, yet leadership isn’t satisfied. We’ve never had this at UNT. Let’s be disappointed we didn’t get where we felt we should while not losing sight of where we’ve come and that we are poised for even more.

Shark84 · November 25, 2018

4 hours ago, southsideguy said:

Any word on Rico?

Littrell said after the game that he thought RICO would be ready to go for the bowl game. They are evaluating it again today.

southsideguy · November 25, 2018

I sure hope so, we need him or Guyton needs to get back to the old Guyton.

southsideguy · November 25, 2018

Who would have thought UNT fans would be unhappy for a nine-win season. I remember the days I was hoping for 500 seasons and that was not so long ago. We need to enjoy these wins, yes we lost to some teams we should have won but look at CUSA yesterday. It was a crazy weekend. But that is what makes college football great. Sure we can be better and I think the best is still in front of us.