State of the Program

TheReal_jayD · November 25, 2019

Is this season a disappointment? Absolutely

Should we put are pitchforks up for now? Absolutely

The question you have to ask your self. Is this program in a better shape today that December 5th, 2015? With out a doubt in mind. We have a legit Division one roster. We didnt have anything close to that in 2015. Do we have some holes? of course we do. Seth biggest mistake in my opinion was burning Mason Fine red shirt freshman year and making a bowl game. It gave staff a false hope and burnt Mason red shirt before he or the team was ready. The 2016 team had zero business going to a bowl. Yes Seth lost to much better teams in 17 and 18 in Troy and Utah State. I believe the offense will get it figure out. or RB and WR are p5 quality with even more coming in. We have some exciting QB prospects coming up to battle for the job. I believe we are going to fill the Line with JUCO and Transfers to reinforce the line. I am not ready to give up on boodie at all just yet. You dont go to leading the FCS in offense to forgetting how to be an OC. I think him and Seth are both bright minds and will figure it out.

Now defense is a different cookie. I believe Reff will be gone. Should he have been gone sooner? Possibly but that is not the way Seth operates. Our recruiting struggled with Skenfelt.. We knew that, but it took Seth a little longer to figure it out and move on to Luke. Now we are on the verge of signing back to back top classes. I believe a new DC is going to help advance this program. Seth will have the budget to hire a quality candidate.

I don't think we should give up on Seth or Wren just yet. I believe we are trending the right direction. This year was a set back. We had record setting injures and the ball didn't bounce our way much. I believe this year will be the exception looking back. If we can hang on to this class. They are still in on some very talented names. Stay strong.... Support your Team.. GO MEAN GREEN.. go out and celebrate this senior class. They laid the groundwork

meanrob · November 25, 2019

Just now, TheReal_jayD said:

Is this season a disappointment? Absolutely

Should we put are pitchforks up for now? Absolutely

The question you have to ask your self. Is this program in a better shape today that December 5th, 2015? With out a doubt in mind. We have a legit Division one roster. We didnt have anything close to that in 2015. Do we have some holes? of course we do. Seth biggest mistake in my opinion was burning Mason Fine red shirt freshman year and making a bowl game. It gave staff a false hope and burnt Mason red shirt before he or the team was ready. The 2016 team had zero business going to a bowl. Yes Seth lost to much better teams in 17 and 18 in Troy and Utah State. I believe the offense will get it figure out. or RB and WR are p5 quality with even more coming in. We have some exciting QB prospects coming up to battle for the job. I believe we are going to fill the Line with JUCO and Transfers to reinforce the line. I am not ready to give up on boodie at all just yet. You dont go to leading the FCS in offense to forgetting how to be an OC. I think him and Seth are both bright minds and will figure it out.

Now defense is a different cookie. I believe Reff will be gone. Should he have been gone sooner? Possibly but that is not the way Seth operates. Our recruiting struggled with Skenfelt.. We knew that, but it took Seth a little longer to figure it out and move on to Luke. Now we are on the verge of signing back to back top classes. I believe a new DC is going to help advance this program. Seth will have the budget to hire a quality candidate.

I don't think we should give up on Seth or Wren just yet. I believe we are trending the right direction. This year was a set back. We had record setting injures and the ball didn't bounce our way much. I believe this year will be the exception looking back. If we can hang on to this class. They are still in on some very talented names. Stay strong.... Support your Team.. GO MEAN GREEN.. go out and celebrate this senior class. They laid the groundwork

I agree with most of your post but it's time to stop comparing now to the 2015 season. People use to use that line of thinking to say RV was better than Helwig. Saying that a current situation is better than the worst of the worst is not really saying much at all.

TheReal_jayD · November 25, 2019

10 minutes ago, meanrob said:

I agree with most of your post but it's time to stop comparing now to the 2015 season. People use to use that line of thinking to say RV was better than Helwig. Saying that a current situation is better than the worst of the worst is not really saying much at all.

I completely get that. But if recruiting in constantly improving then we are advancing as a program. I believe this season was an outlier and not the norm. I believe Seth could have loaded up on transfers and jucos last class. Went out this season and won 10 games and moved on to greener pastures. Instead he restocked the cupboard with talented freshman who could argue are better than most Jrs on them. I am not saying 2015 should be the bar. But yet continue to constantly improve.

ntmeangreen11 · November 26, 2019

I agree for the most part.

Let's get a few more solid commits, get them on campus, give the last two classes another offseason in the S&C program and see what we look like in the spring. I don't think it's an overstatment to say we will have more guys other FBS coaches wanted on our roster next year than any year I can remember. Mac recruited a lot of high school players and redshirted them as well, but he filled out his classes in January with guys everyone else passed on. There are a number of players who had good offer sheets we haven't even talked about. Changes will be made, and it will be nice to be the underdog once again next season.

Green Lantern · November 26, 2019

58 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Is this season a disappointment? Absolutely

Should we put are pitchforks up for now? Absolutely

The question you have to ask your self. Is this program in a better shape today that December 5th, 2015? With out a doubt in mind. We have a legit Division one roster. We didnt have anything close to that in 2015. Do we have some holes? of course we do. Seth biggest mistake in my opinion was burning Mason Fine red shirt freshman year and making a bowl game. It gave staff a false hope and burnt Mason red shirt before he or the team was ready. The 2016 team had zero business going to a bowl. Yes Seth lost to much better teams in 17 and 18 in Troy and Utah State. I believe the offense will get it figure out. or RB and WR are p5 quality with even more coming in. We have some exciting QB prospects coming up to battle for the job. I believe we are going to fill the Line with JUCO and Transfers to reinforce the line. I am not ready to give up on boodie at all just yet. You dont go to leading the FCS in offense to forgetting how to be an OC. I think him and Seth are both bright minds and will figure it out.

Now defense is a different cookie. I believe Reff will be gone. Should he have been gone sooner? Possibly but that is not the way Seth operates. Our recruiting struggled with Skenfelt.. We knew that, but it took Seth a little longer to figure it out and move on to Luke. Now we are on the verge of signing back to back top classes. I believe a new DC is going to help advance this program. Seth will have the budget to hire a quality candidate.

I don't think we should give up on Seth or Wren just yet. I believe we are trending the right direction. This year was a set back. We had record setting injures and the ball didn't bounce our way much. I believe this year will be the exception looking back. If we can hang on to this class. They are still in on some very talented names. Stay strong.... Support your Team.. GO MEAN GREEN.. go out and celebrate this senior class. They laid the groundwork

What have you heard about Bussey? Would love him to come back next year as I think it would help breaking in a new QB immensely, especially combining him with Shorter and Darden. Do you think he hits the grad transfer market or sticks with us?

Sig381 · November 26, 2019

rainbow puke GIF

NorthTexasWeLove · November 26, 2019

1 hour ago, meanrob said:

I agree with most of your post but it's time to stop comparing now to the 2015 season. People use to use that line of thinking to say RV was better than Helwig. Saying that a current situation is better than the worst of the worst is not really saying much at all.

THANK YOU!

UNTexas · November 26, 2019

All I know is its thankfully over Saturday. Awful team this year.

FirefightnRick · November 26, 2019

2 hours ago, TheReal_jayD said:

You dont go to leading the FCS in offense to forgetting how to be an OC.

Speaking of Eastern Washington...Ian Shoemaker took up where Reeder left off as their OC.

Eastern Washington again led the nation in offense averaging over 500 yards per game and all it got them was a 7-5 record, a 5th place finish in conference and a holiday staycation.

Who is the nation’s #1 FCS ranked defense you ask? That would be the #1 seed in the playoffs...North Dakota State.

Rick

Edited November 26, 2019 by FirefightnRick

BillySee58 · November 26, 2019

Agree with a lot there. A lot of people are falsely equating our current recruiting with our current record. Our current record is tied to the recruiting of the early Littrell years. Just as our record in 2022 will much more closely be tied to our recent recruiting efforts more than our 2022 class.

1 hour ago, TheReal_jayD said:

The question you have to ask your self. Is this program in a better shape today that December 5th, 2015? With out a doubt in mind. We have a legit Division one roster. We didnt have anything close to that in 2015. Do we have some holes? of course we do.

It absolutely is. But as someone else said, that can’t be the bar. Mccarney recruited terribly for years and the first year that we no longer had Dodge recruits was the 1-11 team. Littrell isn’t paid to be better than that. The level we are paying dictates much more expectation.

Quote

Seth biggest mistake in my opinion was burning Mason Fine red shirt freshman year and making a bowl game. It gave staff a false hope and burnt Mason red shirt before he or the team was ready. The 2016 team had zero business going to a bowl.

I agree that the 2016 team had zero business going to a bowl. That’s why I think, and thought, his biggest mistake wasn’t burning Fine’s redshirt, but signing so many jucos and transfers early on. Off the top of my head I think about 13 of the 25 scholarship spots we were afforded in the 2016 class went to guys who had 2 or less years of eligibility.

There was little expectation in years one and two and I was not a big fan of the JUCO guys because we were well short of 85 scholarship players. It’s hard to build a roster when you only get 25 a year and you’re having to replace guys you signed 2 years ago and 4 years ago instead of just of just the latter.

We saw this year that Fine could only cover up so many issues. Having Fine for one more year would be great, but having an extra 10 players in their fourth year here instead of guys who have been long gone would have been nice.

TheReal_jayD · November 26, 2019

14 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Agree with a lot there. A lot of people are falsely equating our current recruiting with our current record. Our current record is tied to the recruiting of the early Littrell years. Just as our record in 2022 will much more closely be tied to our recent recruiting efforts more than our 2022 class.

It absolutely is. But as someone else said, that can’t be the bar. Mccarney recruited terribly for years and the first year that we no longer had Dodge recruits was the 1-11 team. Littrell isn’t paid to be better than that. The level we are paying dictates much more expectation.

I agree that the 2016 team had zero business going to a bowl. That’s why I think, and thought, his biggest mistake wasn’t burning Fine’s redshirt, but signing so many jucos and transfers early on. Off the top of my head I think about 13 of the 25 scholarship spots we were afforded in the 2016 class went to guys who had 2 or less years of eligibility.

There was little expectation in years one and two and I was not a big fan of the JUCO guys because we were well short of 85 scholarship players. It’s hard to build a roster when you only get 25 a year and you’re having to replace guys you signed 2 years ago and 4 years ago instead of just of just the latter.

We saw this year that Fine could only cover up so many issues. Having Fine for one more year would be great, but having an extra 10 players in their fourth year here instead of guys who have been long gone would have been nice.

Completely agree!!!!

drycreek · November 26, 2019

agree with this !!!!good write-up

Cr1028 · November 26, 2019

Agree with most of what you said except that nothing I have seen from Bodie Reeder impresses me this season except the few times he got Pirtle free for easy touchdowns. From my perspective, his offense wasn’t even as good as Todd Dodge’s. Dodge couldn’t do squat in the red zone but at least he was pretty darn good between the 20s.

edcollopy · November 26, 2019

What I don’t like about the offense is all of the 10-15 yard out routes against the sideline. Toughest pass in the game to consistently convert. Too many times we’d throw those routes on 3rd and 3 when a screen or quick slant would have a better % of working.

MeanGreenDan · November 26, 2019

1 hour ago, Green Lantern said:

What have you heard about Bussey? Would love him to come back next year as I think it would help breaking in a new QB immensely, especially combining him with Shorter and Darden. Do you think he hits the grad transfer market or sticks with us?

I saw him at either the MTSU or Houston game on the alumni side by the concession stands during the game. He was in street clothes, no UNT gear or colors.

If he was coming back, surely he'd have been on the sideline with the team, right?

El Paso Eagle · November 26, 2019

Just now, MeanGreenDan said:

I saw him at either the MTSU or Houston game on the alumni side by the concession stands during the game. He was in street clothes, no UNT gear or colors.

If he was coming back, surely he'd have been on the sideline with the team, right?

Hopefully he's not being advised by the same people who mentored Guyton

FirefightnRick · November 26, 2019

27 minutes ago, edcollopy said:

Too many times we’d throw those routes on 3rd and 3 when a screen or quick slant would have a better % of working.

.....or throw a 3 yard route on 3rd and 4 or 5.

Ask yourself,...how many times the past 4 years have you’ve seen us throw a route short of the sticks? Too many to count.

You think recruiting players with more FBS offers will suddenly correct that..........in year 5?????

Rick

UNTLifer · November 26, 2019

Agree 100% with both @TheReal_jayD and @BillySee58

greenminer · November 26, 2019

15 minutes ago, FirefightnRick said:

.....or throw a 3 yard route on 3rd and 4 or 5.

Ask yourself,...how many times the past 4 years have you’ve seen us throw a route short of the sticks? Too many to count.

You think recruiting players with more FBS offers will suddenly correct that..........in year 5?????

Rick

Maybe not, but I think higher tier players across our roster Would put our offense in a position where the QB isn’t having to make such desperate or panicky decisions.

southsideguy · November 26, 2019

I am back to no expectations and if we win then I am happy. Easier to deal with the pain that way.

FirefightnRick · November 26, 2019

22 minutes ago, greenminer said:

Maybe not, but I think higher tier players across our roster Would put our offense in a position where the QB isn’t having to make such desperate or panicky decisions.

Richt, but show me a G5 football team that couldn’t use bigger, faster players?

Rick

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · November 26, 2019

1 hour ago, MeanGreenDan said:

I saw him at either the MTSU or Houston game on the alumni side by the concession stands during the game. He was in street clothes, no UNT gear or colors.

If he was coming back, surely he'd have been on the sideline with the team, right?

He is telling himself and others that he didn't tear his ACL. My friend is friends with the doctor, and he said there is no doubt that it's torn.

Hall Eagle 2011 · November 26, 2019

5 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

He is telling himself and others that he didn't tear his ACL. My friend is friends with the doctor, and he said there is no doubt that it's torn.

Does he have surgery scheduled soon? I would think he would’ve already wanted to have this scheduled and done with by now ... Whether his decision is to stay at NT another year (the smart move) or try to go ahead and attempt the draft (not smart move ... i.e. I’m getting Guyton vibes all over again).

Theres no shame in admitting it, so it seems silly he’s saying it’s not torn when I’m pretty sure someone confirmed this in an article or presser within a week or 2 of it happening? 🙄

Edited November 26, 2019 by Jessica M Hall

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · November 26, 2019

Just now, Jessica M Hall said:

Does he have surgery scheduled soon? I would think he would’ve already wanted to have this scheduled and done with by now ... Whether his decision is to stay at NT another year (the smart move) or try to get drafted (not smart move ... i.e. I’m getting Guyton vibes all over again).

Theres no shame in admitting it, so it seems silly he’s saying it’s not torn when I’m pretty sure someone confirmed this in an article or presser within a week or 2 of it happening? 🙄

Yeah I have no idea. I would like to see him stay, but if he really wants in the NFL he'll go to a P5 school. It's sad, but it's the truth

Hall Eagle 2011 · November 26, 2019

Just now, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Yeah I have no idea. I would like to see him stay, but if he really wants in the NFL he'll go to a P5 school. It's sad, but it's the truth

I wouldn’t be surprised of that either, but coming off of an injury, especially an ACL reconstructive surgery - a good 6-months recovery (speaking from experience - thank you UNT coed intramural soccer) - I would think it would be challenging to slide your way into a P5 school as a grad transfer post-injury. But what do I know. 😄 Hopefully he gets some guidance.