DRC: Way-too-early look at UNT's 2021 schedule

untlynchka1 · April 9, 2021

I think Seth is back next year barring a catastrophe. I agree with the post about last year affecting us. We had to break in a new qb, and defense without any kind of spring or really ability for the guys to get together during the summer.
Our D was atrocious last year, but we also had several games without our best defensive players because of the Vid.

This is just me wearing my green tinted shades, but if we are able to see 80% of the strides between year 1 and 2 as a starter that we saw from Mason, Aune could be in all conference conversations.
I know that’s a big if, but the guy is more physically gifted than MF, and none of us predicted him to be the POTY his second season as a starter. So....as a long time unt fan, I’ve got to hold onto what it is that keeps us going every year.......hope.

With the way he has improved recruiting, and just the overall image of unt with hs coaches and recruits, I think he is back next year unless we see a McCarthy level melt down.

I completely understand the, “we should expect better” crowd. I also try to step back and be a little more objective. As Jerry Jones said about Romo, Mason Fine was a miracle. He accelerated the rebuild and made us think we arrived before we were actually ready as a program. His senior year was, no doubt, a damn shame.

I do think we need to see ourselves look better coached this year. Especially on D, obviously, but I think we need to see our offense be more consistent in being able to sustain drives and not be an all or nothing offense. As “great” as our offense was last year, it was either unstoppable or unmovable. Too many times after our d gave up a score did we do nothing and give it right back to them to score again. Our offense needs to be able to consistently, AT LEAST, move the ball 30-40 yards and chew some clock on majority of their drives.

I’ve been drinking a little bit, so rant over. I might have not finished my original point so, sorry for that. Also, we definitely undervalued Graham Harrell, and he is my choice for the next hc if we do replace/lose SL. Which we won’t. Lol

Edited April 9, 2021 by untlynchka1

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · April 9, 2021

On 4/7/2021 at 11:17 AM, untjim1995 said:

The 2021 schedule is just brutal for where we are right now. Besides the Northwestern State game, the other three OOC games are against teams just way above our talent level right now--and two of those are on the road, not that SMU will feel like a true road game.

I see it like this:

NW State--win

@SMU--loss

UAB--loss

@LT--loss

@Mizzou--loss

Marshall--tossup

Liberty--loss

@Rice--win

@USM--loss

UTEP--win

@FIU--tossup

UTSA--loss

I'm on record for us to be a 4 win team again. We just don't have the horses on defense yet, nor do we have an OL I am confident in, while again probably having a new QB.

This year will be very interesting--the UNT 17 paid for us to buy out DMac after that Portland State debacle, thankfully and mercifully. He has two years left after this season, which means we buy him out after a bad season this year or he coaches with a huge ultimatum in 2022, knowing that we won't let him coach in 2023 as a lame duck, as that would just kill recruiting and any chance of keeping the locker room on his side.

More like

NWST: Win

SMU: loss

UAB: more of a loss but could be close

LT: tossup

Mizzou: Loss

Marshall: Tossup

Liberty: Tossup

Rice: more of a tossup since in Houston

USM: Tossup

UTEP: Win

FIU: more of a win but could be a tossup since in Miami

UTSA: more of a loss but could be close since at Apogee

I think 5-7 is realistic

southsideguy · April 9, 2021

9 hours ago, untlynchka1 said:

I think Seth is back next year barring a catastrophe. I agree with the post about last year affecting us. We had to break in a new qb, and defense without any kind of spring or really ability for the guys to get together during the summer.
Our D was atrocious last year, but we also had several games without our best defensive players because of the Vid.

This is just me wearing my green tinted shades, but if we are able to see 80% of the strides between year 1 and 2 as a starter that we saw from Mason, Aune could be in all conference conversations.
I know that’s a big if, but the guy is more physically gifted than MF, and none of us predicted him to be the POTY his second season as a starter. So....as a long time unt fan, I’ve got to hold onto what it is that keeps us going every year.......hope.

With the way he has improved recruiting, and just the overall image of unt with hs coaches and recruits, I think he is back next year unless we see a McCarthy level melt down.

I completely understand the, “we should expect better” crowd. I also try to step back and be a little more objective. As Jerry Jones said about Romo, Mason Fine was a miracle. He accelerated the rebuild and made us think we arrived before we were actually ready as a program. His senior year was, no doubt, a damn shame.

I do think we need to see ourselves look better coached this year. Especially on D, obviously, but I think we need to see our offense be more consistent in being able to sustain drives and not be an all or nothing offense. As “great” as our offense was last year, it was either unstoppable or unmovable. Too many times after our d gave up a score did we do nothing and give it right back to them to score again. Our offense needs to be able to consistently, AT LEAST, move the ball 30-40 yards and chew some clock on majority of their drives.

I’ve been drinking a little bit, so rant over. I might have not finished my original point so, sorry for that. Also, we definitely undervalued Graham Harrell, and he is my choice for the next hc if we do replace/lose SL. Which we won’t. Lol

Our special teams needs to improve as well, our kickoff man needs to be able to reach the end zone, punter was not pretty but got the job done, coverage teams need a lot of work. Can our defense rise and fast it fell? I hope so because if it doesn't it will be a long year no matter how good everything else is. I do agree our offense last year seem to be all or nothing. We moved the ball like a machine and then three and out. I think our OL gets better this year.

UNT Mean Green · April 9, 2021

This schedule is no joke, lets not kid ourselves. However, it is critically important that we do what we need to do in Conference USA play along with NW State. With an improved defense complimenting the offense, and more experience with more talented players, the right formula is in place to make tremendous strides!

El Paso Eagle · April 9, 2021

2 hours ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

More like

NWST: Win

SMU: loss

UAB: more of a loss but could be close

LT: tossup

Mizzou: Loss

Marshall: Tossup

Liberty: Tossup

Rice: more of a tossup since in Houston

USM: Tossup

UTEP: Win

FIU: more of a win but could be a tossup since in Miami

UTSA: more of a loss but could be close since at Apogee

I think 5-7 is realistic

I agree, except for Liberty. Freeze is a very good coach and he is probably coaching for a major P5 job after this coming season.

GrayEagle · April 11, 2021

I think that we will be improved this year but not near as much as in 2022. I think that we will have six wins this year but I hope 8-4 so I'm going to compromise in the middle...7-5. I won't pick the bowl win or loss because I don't know who the opponent will be.