DRC: UNT press conference notebook -- Littrell coy with QB plans, Torrey WR experiment could be over

UNTLifer · August 31, 2021

12 minutes ago, Salsa_Verde said:

Here come the SL apologists and fan boys. No clear cut starter for the second year in a row, that is concerning.

No, but what is the downside of seeing how they perform in a game situation against a defense other than our own?

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · August 31, 2021

Seth is definitely not sold on any QB yet, so he’s gonna roll both out there, evaluate, and pick one for Smu. That seems the most logical, right?

97and03 · August 31, 2021

Doesn’t bother me

MeanGreenTexan · August 31, 2021

49 minutes ago, NWKGREEN said:

You all are making a pretty big deal about this. He knows his starter and you will see it Saturday. He will stay with his guy until the game is out of hand and then bring in #2. He will want QB1 to know he has complete confidence in him so he is not looking over his shoulder after every play. Just my prediction.

This is conventional wisdom. ...but you're new here, so we won't be shocked when you're upset about any flip-flopping. Unless Jace just plain runs off with his chance, which he might!

El Paso Eagle · August 31, 2021

25 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Seth is definitely not sold on any QB yet, so he’s gonna roll both out there, evaluate, and pick one for Smu. That seems the most logical, right?

I'm not sure what "logical" is in Seth's thinking. I still think he has the mentality that anyone can be successful in his offense and more worrisome, that he still thinks he can "outscore" his way to victory.

97and03 · August 31, 2021

Quit yer bitchin’

At least Shanbour wasn’t named starter

MGNation92 · August 31, 2021

1 hour ago, BillySee58 said:

I think it has more to do with the fact that Cam is not vaccinated and the protocol on a non-vaccinated player is pretty intense. If someone on the team tests positive and Cam was in close contact, he has to quarantine too. Basically puts you in a position where if anyone tests positive, there goes your backup QB too. Makes your QB depth chart extremely uncertain week to week, and not worth that level of high maintenance just for a backup.

Or the fact that Mac took the majority of snaps in the preseason, was the highest graded QB in the preseason (according to PFF) and threw exactly 0 balls that were likely to be turned over.

The Pats will lean heavy run/play action a lot like they did in Brady's early years. They got a lot back on defense and Mac fits their system/culture a lot more than Cam does(even though by all accounts Cam was a good teammate in his time in NE)

Just throwing in my 2 cents as a Pats fan.

Back on topic. Just add this to the long list of Littrell complaints I have. He lost Mason Fine, and now he has no idea what to do. Pick a guy and stick with him. Fine had bad games(although they were few and far between), and he stayed in. Let the guy work through his mistakes and learn from them, no use in playing ring around the QB for another season. If we're constantly switching starters again I might change my prediction from 4-8 to 2-10. There's no reason this should be a debate.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 31, 2021

45 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Seth is definitely not sold on any QB yet

I don't believe that at all, and based on comments you made like yesterday, I don't see how you do. Seth already knows who's going to start at SMU.

Edited August 31, 2021 by Mean Green 93-98

Salsa_Verde · August 31, 2021

1 hour ago, UNTLifer said:

No, but what is the downside of seeing how they perform in a game situation against a defense other than our own?

An FCS defense? I mean what are you really going to find out? In theory this is a downgrade in terms of defense to go up against. If we were playing another D-1 team my opinion would be yeah let’s see what they got. The coaching staff really wants to see what these guys can do up against a lower tier FCS school?

Edited August 31, 2021 by Salsa_Verde

El Paso Eagle · August 31, 2021

39 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

Quit yer bitchin’

At least Shanbour wasn’t named starter

He also lead his team last year to the FCS runner up

BillySee58 · August 31, 2021

39 minutes ago, MGNation92 said:

Or the fact that Mac took the majority of snaps in the preseason, was the highest graded QB in the preseason (according to PFF) and threw exactly 0 balls that were likely to be turned over.

The Pats will lean heavy run/play action a lot like they did in Brady's early years. They got a lot back on defense and Mac fits their system/culture a lot more than Cam does(even though by all accounts Cam was a good teammate in his time in NE)

Just throwing in my 2 cents as a Pats fan.

I’m talking about why he got cut, not why he didn’t win the starting job. You keep two QBs and Newton was neither.

Brett Vito · August 31, 2021

BillySee58 · August 31, 2021

2 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

QB... Aune will trot out there to start. If he wants to keep his job, he's going to need to be near perfect against this FCS defense. Ruder will come in after NWSt has already given up & look REALLY GOOD against a defeated defense in the 2nd half. Aune needs to understand his leash is gonna be extremely short VS SMU. Perform well, and he might just wrestle the starting job from Ruder. Turn the ball over, &/or stall the offense, it'll be Ruder for the rest of the season.

Looked at last year’s depth chart before the HBU game and Aune was listed first with Bean on the other side of the “or.” It was in one of Brune’s VIP articles so I can’t link it but just something to note that Aune being listed first didn’t mean he got first crack at it last season.

Hunter Green · August 31, 2021

3 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

Why should he tell the opponent who the QB will be? The object is to win the game foremost, giving the opponent notice doesn't help the cause.

Does anyone really think he doesn't know who the starter will be?

It should be an easy win, but coaches don't coach that way.

But there's no game film on Ruder, so what difference would it make to smut? He also doesn't have or much real game experience so it could be Littrell is taking some of the pressure off of him in case he does suck. In that case, Aune is the (somewhat) proven veteran he can turn to as an out.

Just my humble opinion.

Go Mean Green!

BillySee58 · August 31, 2021

South Texas Green · August 31, 2021

I've got absolutely no problem with Littrell naming co-starters for the first game.

If one of them was head and shoulders above the rest, then I'd certainly hope the staff would be confident in going with one guy. It would be in their best interest (read: job security) to have a go-to-guy by now. The fact is neither QB has separated himself from the rest of the pack.

There's nothing wrong with seeing how each QB does in Week 1 and let's be honest, having an FCS opponent out of the gate is the best-case scenario for seeing what each of the QB brings to the table in live-game action. Sorry, but scrimmages just aren't the real thing.

The optimist in me thinks both guys have the talent to lead the offense, but in the end, their performance on the field should dictate who takes the reigns moving forward.

Let's get some good work in Saturday and start the year 1-0!

GMG

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · August 31, 2021

1 hour ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

I don't believe that at all, and based on comments you made like yesterday, I don't see how you do. Seth already knows who's going to start at SMU.

If Seth was confident, he would’ve named a starter by now. No matter if it’s for evaluation or whatever the hell his motive is for this, he’s not as confident as he should be.

Monkeypox · August 31, 2021

I'm positive both of these QBs are capable enough to show baseline competence running the offense. I'm less-than-positive that either are going to be difference-makers.

But Littrell is conservative as a coach (despite his less-than-conservative offense), and he's not in a position where he can take any risks, coming off the losing seasons, so it's not like he's going to gamble at QB for future gains.

Unless someone is awful, we aren't really going to learn anything in week 1, because it SHOULD be a blowout win. And unless someone is amazing, we aren't likely to learn anything in week 2, because we will probably crap the bed vs SMU (just based on SL's history). I just see this shaking out like last year unless someone shows they are CONSISTENTLY good, which never happened last year.

Someone has to take the reigns this year, but will they?

UNTcrazy727 · August 31, 2021

1 hour ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

If Seth was confident, he would’ve named a starter by now. No matter if it’s for evaluation or whatever the hell his motive is for this, he’s not as confident as he should be.

I wish he'd name a starter, but I think he's holding out for SMU.

We're going to roll Northwestern State regardless so he probably doesn't see the benefit naming one now. I suspect both QBs will get lots of playing time on Saturday so we don't tip our hand, but only 1 guy will be taking snaps vs SMU.

Edited August 31, 2021 by UNTcrazy727

Mean Green 93-98 · August 31, 2021

28 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

If Seth was confident, he would’ve named a starter by now. No matter if it’s for evaluation or whatever the hell his motive is for this, he’s not as confident as he should be.

He's done this stuff before. He's playing coy. Don't you think Seth knew he was gonna pull Mason's redshirt before that first SMU game ever kicked off?

Edited August 31, 2021 by Mean Green 93-98

eulessismore · August 31, 2021

3 hours ago, Udomann said:

I believe I read recently that you couldn't cut players in regards to their views, or status, on vaccination. If that's close to true and even done under the radar it's got a huge legal implication.

totally not UNT related, just a thing I heard

I've never seen any concern about "views", but everything I've read says that employers can require vaccination. I don't think that testing protocols can work for anyone what with near proximity within position groups and quarantining anyone exposed. Some of these anti vax players will probably learn soon about how indispensable they are.

This is what I see on the CDC website: "Whether an employer may require or mandate COVID-19 vaccination is a matter of state or other applicable law. If an employer requires employees to provide proof that they have received a COVID-19 vaccination from a pharmacy or their own healthcare provider, the employer cannot mandate that the employee provide any medical information as part of the proof."

Cr1028 · August 31, 2021

I’m still waiting for him to name a starter for the 2020 season.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 31, 2021

42 minutes ago, eulessismore said:

I've never seen any concern about "views", but everything I've read says that employers can require vaccination. I don't think that testing protocols can work for anyone what with near proximity within position groups and quarantining anyone exposed. Some of these anti vax players will probably learn soon about how indispensable they are.

This is what I see on the CDC website: "Whether an employer may require or mandate COVID-19 vaccination is a matter of state or other applicable law. If an employer requires employees to provide proof that they have received a COVID-19 vaccination from a pharmacy or their own healthcare provider, the employer cannot mandate that the employee provide any medical information as part of the proof."

I assume he's not talking about federal legality, but what the NFLPA would go along with.

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · August 31, 2021

1 hour ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

He's done this stuff before. He's playing coy. Don't you think Seth knew he was gonna pull Mason's redshirt before that first SMU game ever kicked off?

Well I think he had higher expectations for Alec Morris, but he knew that he would be solid, not starting by week 2. Who knows what he thinks and we will never find out.

MeanGreenTexan · August 31, 2021

2 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

Looked at last year’s depth chart before the HBU game and Aune was listed first with Bean on the other side of the “or.” It was in one of Brune’s VIP articles so I can’t link it but just something to note that Aune being listed first didn’t mean he got first crack at it last season.

Oh yeah, I know. I'm pretty sure any time there' an "OR", they list them by alphabetical order.

I just think it's gonna be Aune to actually start. Littrell has shown before he's pretty loyal to guys who've been around.