Anyone else feeling kind of down?

meangreen11 · October 5, 2020

I have had this UNT funk since losing to an inferior Southern Miss squad. I just don't see any light at the end of the tunnel. It appears that we just got lucky landing Mason Fine and now that he is gone we are back to where we started from.

Does anyone else feel this way?

untjim1995 · October 5, 2020

13 minutes ago, meangreen11 said:

I have had this UNT funk since losing to an inferior Southern Miss squad. I just don't see any light at the end of the tunnel. It appears that we just got lucky landing Mason Fine and now that he is gone we are back to where we started from.

Does anyone else feel this way?

Welcome to UNT Football since 1991, minus about 7 years.

We have 7 winning seasons in that time frame, with 2 bowl wins. Best seasons in that bunch had 9 wins.

We have had 2 seasons where we won one game, 5 seasons with 2 wins, 4 seasons with 3 wins, and 6 seasons with 4 wins.

That covers 7 head coaches, 4 conferences, and 2 stadiums.

You just have to enjoy the 9-win seasons when they show up around here--because, inevitably, they go away very quickly here.

UNTLifer · October 5, 2020

Yes, to the "funk" of losing to USM, but I also felt the same way after smuT. Maybe it has something to do with those letters? Couple that with the Rangers sucking so bad I lost interest after the first week of their abreviated season and the Cowboys woes and "the funk" just lingers.

I am not concerned about the direction of our program considering recruiting has improved each year. I still firmly believe that SL should get a pass on the first year since he arrived and threw together a pretty solid group for his first class, he still had to rebuild relationships with area coaches resulting in the the next two classes that were not rated well. I think our results are showing this now. Our last couple of classes and this one are all much better. He could have gone transfer heavy, but he has decided to build mainly through the high schools so development time is needed.

What does concern me is the appearance of a lack of preparation and having the team ready to go at the beginning of ball games, the stupid penalties that reflect a lack of focus, teaching or proper preparation, or a combo of the three. The constant change of assistants and replacing both coordinators with a lack of spring ball and a fall constantly interuppted due to this damn virus hasn't helped either. I think SL gets a pass on this year while working to hold this crazy season together, but next year is nut-cutting time.

untjim1995 · October 5, 2020

2021 has always been SL's year to move on or get an extension. He knows it, Baker and Smatresk knows it, and so do most fans who aren't homers.

Does it suck to get blown out by SMU? Of course it does. But they are obviously the best team in the state right now. It sucks to get pounded at home by USM, but they have athletes on their lines that we can only dream of having right now.

Right now, this season basically boils down to staying ahead of Rice, UTSA, and UTEP, while breaking in a new QB, new coordinators, and younger talented recruits hat must get experience and development for us to get back to winning CUSA West again. Challenging for a top spot in CUSA West has never even been a possibility for this season. If it weren't for SL not going to K-State and getting a huge raise here, it wouldn't sting so much--we would understand that we have to rebuild. But that money and his tenure here combines to make people have misguided expectations. That's on everybody--SL, WB, NS and the fans.

Travis · October 5, 2020

Its hard to be 'up' when we pay one of the highest rates for a G5 coach and come out ranked 113 today.

TIgreen01 · October 5, 2020

It just reminds me of what happened to Dickey. We may pay near the top of the G5 now, but we’re always going to have to deal with our best assistant coaches getting poached after good years.

A coaching staff doesn’t come down to just one coach anymore than a team to just one player.

Littrell had a great staff when he arrived in 2016, then made it even better despite heavy losses after 2017. I think he’s whiffed more than he’s gotten right the past two off seasons.

That’s all this is to me. Same thing happened to Mack Brown at Texas. He has to identify and hire the right coaches, first and foremost.

GrandGreen · October 5, 2020

3 hours ago, Travis said:

Its hard to be 'up' when we pay one of the highest rates for a G5 coach and come out ranked 113 today.

Lots is made of Littrell's salary. Like magically the highest paid coach is the best. Nowhere does it work like that and certainly not in sports.

Hindsight is almost always easy. NT thought they were paying for one of the best upcoming coaches in the country. That doesn't appear to be true.

Was it an error by Baker and above, it certainly appeared that way. However, also realize how well NT is doing in almost all other sports.

Baker and up have some big decisions after the season if it doesn't miraculously trend upward.

Even on a financial basis, NT has to factor the costs of an inferior program vs Littrell's contract. Lost contributions, attendance, and reputation also cost.

Even if the season is the disaster, it now looks like; the big question is how does the team project to next year. This is overall a very young team and should be capable of vast improvement.

drex · October 5, 2020

I have been following NT since 1966 and the roller coaster ride is a killer.

vpackrats · October 5, 2020

Mike Doocy and his diary is feeling kind of down today.

Edited October 5, 2020 by vpackrats

untjim1995 · October 5, 2020

The pay SL gets is actually a good sign—we get to show other coaches that we can pay for good coaches.

2022 will have a coach here that is way better than what we have hired each time we have had an opening, assuming SL can’t make 2021 good enough to get extended.

NorthTexasWeLove · October 6, 2020

4 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

Lots is made of Littrell's salary. Like magically the highest paid coach is the best. Nowhere does it work like that and certainly not in sports.

Hindsight is almost always easy. NT thought they were paying for one of the best upcoming coaches in the country. That doesn't appear to be true.

Was it an error by Baker and above, it certainly appeared that way. However, also realize how well NT is doing in almost all other sports.

Baker and up have some big decisions after the season if it doesn't miraculously trend upward.

Even on a financial basis, NT has to factor the costs of an inferior program vs Littrell's contract.   Lost contributions, attendance, and reputation also cost.

Even if the season is the disaster, it now looks like; the big question is how does the team project to next year. This is overall a very young team and should be capable of vast improvement.

that's exactly how it works. Not just in football, but business. Producers get top dollar. Losers get fired, football or business. Not sure what you've been paying attention to.

Salsa_Verde · October 6, 2020

I don’t mind SL getting paid I just hope the administration isn’t gun-shy to pay the next guy whenever that comes up. This is the price of doing business in D-1. Football is not cheap and if you want to be any good you have to be one: willing to spend despite the risk of getting burned or two: putting people in place that know how to hire talent.

Edited October 6, 2020 by Salsa_Verde

UNTexas · October 6, 2020

It kinda feels like all sports have been a downer this year. I also could use some movie popcorn with butter. Everything is off.

Christopher Walker · October 6, 2020

3 minutes ago, UNTexas said:

It kinda feels like all sports have been a downer this year. I also could use some movie popcorn with butter. Everything is off.

This year has been a downer.

GrandGreen · October 6, 2020

4 hours ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

that's exactly how it works. Not just in football, but business. Producers get top dollar. Losers get fired, football or business. Not sure what you've been paying attention to.

Great answer, it just has little to do with the comment you are referring to. You must realize that your statement directly contradicts your theory that Littrell is paid way too much.

Littrell is getting top G5 dollars, so I guess according to your statement above; he must be a great producer.

By the way there are loads of people in business and football that are grossly overpaid.

Ever heard of the Peter principle?

Edited October 6, 2020 by GrandGreen

cogido · October 6, 2020

8 hours ago, drex said:

I have been following NT since 1966 and the roller coaster ride is a killer.

Wow. Since 1966 ! That’s like being in an iron lung for 54 years and hoping to get off life support some day. Go Mean Green

Edited October 6, 2020 by cogido
Correction

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · October 6, 2020

Nothing has been the same since 2018 La Tech. Everything collapsed from there.

southsideguy · October 6, 2020

This year just seem worse to me than years in the past. However, I have not reached the point of being angry like I did after Portland State game. In my new seat I am closer to field and watch the players a lot. If they are not on the field they seem disinterested. Maybe with no crowd it just makes it feel like a scrimmage. It just doesn't look the same down there for same reason. Maybe it is because we get killed in the first qtr and they get down but sideline seems lifeless.

The celebrating after you score and your way down is not a good look.

I do want to give a shout out to number 18. He was the first DB I have seen to really hit a receiver hard after a catch. Not seeing a lot of hard hits these days on defense.

NorthTexasWeLove · October 6, 2020

10 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

Great answer, it just has little to do with the comment you are referring to. You must realize that your statement directly contradicts your theory that Littrell is paid way too much.

Littrell is getting top G5 dollars, so I guess according to your statement above; he must be a great producer.

By the way there are loads of people in business and football that are grossly overpaid.

Ever heard of the Peter principle?

I'm not getting into a pissing match with you. The point stands. He's paid and he's not producing. Next.

Big Z · October 6, 2020

I more down about the CUSA basketball tournament at the Star being cancelled.

UNT 90 Grad · October 6, 2020

2 hours ago, Big Z said:

I more down about the CUSA basketball tournament at the Star being cancelled.

UNT football away game watching event(s) coming to the Star. I expect to see you there. 😉 UTEP game on 10/31 is already booked. I’m actively working on the others.

Back on topic: Is some of this Mason Fine hangover? He became the identity of this team. I don’t feel like we have one now.

(go ahead, insert bad football identity here)

Big Z · October 6, 2020

2 hours ago, UNT 90 Grad said:

UNT football away game watching event(s) coming to the Star. I expect to see you there. 😉 UTEP game on 10/31 is already booked. I’m actively working on the others.

Back on topic: Is some of this Mason Fine hangover? He became the identity of this team. I don’t feel like we have one now.

(go ahead, insert bad football identity here)

Always down for sure!

Are you going to to wear your Halloween costume at the event?