Does NT Not Having A Game This Saturday Help Us,

PlummMeanGreen · September 1, 2005

What is your take on MT playing a game and NT not playing this Saturday due to the tragic conditions and loss of life left behind by Hurricane Katrina?

greenminer · September 1, 2005

I was thinking about this today.

Obviously, Coach Dickey and Co are going to take advantage of the situation and get more than a few extra days to look at MTSU film and prepare the team.

The flip side of this, and it worries me, is that MTSU will go into the game against us with a veteran squad AND a game under their belts. I think that is a HUGE advantage for them. I would think the biggest learning curve of the season is after that first game, when the players put all that practice into the situation for the first time and walk away having a much better idea of how things are going to feel.

Thoughts?

-gm

PlummMeanGreen · September 1, 2005

I was thinking about this today.
Obviously, Coach Dickey and Co are going to take advantage of the situation and get more than a few extra days to look at MTSU film and prepare the team.
The flip side of this, and it worries me, is that MTSU will go into the game against us with a veteran squad AND a game under their belts. I think that is a HUGE advantage for them. I would think the biggest learning curve of the season is after that first game, when the players put all that practice into the situation for the first time and walk away having a much better idea of how things are going to feel.
Thoughts?
-gm
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Guess I've heard that theory most my adult life about the significant improvement for a team from the 1'st game to the 2'nd game, but last year Middle Tennesse won their first game then lost their 2'nd game at home.

So I guess we're all glad for all the reasons they--play the game.

I have no idea if this off Saturday helps NT or not, but I still tend to think it helps more than it hurts this particular Mean Green team. We need some time to try to settle some defensive questions that have developed and I (for certain) think Coach Dickey and staff can best do this against Middle Tennessee than LSU.

GMG!

Edited September 1, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

DallasGreen · September 1, 2005

Playing at LSU the first game carried a severe risk of injury, absolutely NO CHANCE of a win, would shell shock a young QB, and would have greatly demoralized the whole team just like the UT debacle. There is no downside to not having to have your butt kicked in the first game like ' Bama will do to the MUTS. If we were to lose which I don't think will happen, it certainly won't be because we didn't play LSU. We never learn however and starting with UT @ Austin next year almost guarantees a home opener like FAU last year. I'm sure the "Stangs can't wait for the date at Fouts against a team that has just had its head handed to it in Austin the week before!!!!

Eagle1855 · September 1, 2005

It definately represents the first time we could start a season with a winning record in i-dont-know-how-long, so that alone should get these guys fired up!

IslandEagle · September 1, 2005

Playing at LSU the first game carried a severe risk of injury, absolutely NO CHANCE of a win, would shell shock a young QB, and would have greatly demoralized the whole team just like the UT debacle. There is no downside to not having to have your butt kicked in the first game like ' Bama will do to the MUTS. If we were to lose which I don't think will happen, it certainly won't be because we didn't play LSU. We never learn however and starting with UT @ Austin next year almost guarantees a home opener like FAU last year. I'm sure the "Stangs can't wait for the date at Fouts against a team that has just had its head handed to it in Austin the week before!!!!
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Next year, we should have a much more veteran team. I think that we will surprise some folks in Austin and will look much better than we did last time there. Of course, the Horns will win, but I think we put a credible show on IF one or more of our QB's develop this year.

buff64 · September 1, 2005

With so many new and untested players, it will hurt team preparations for MTS. I'm sure the coaches would have liked the opportunity to see how the players performed under game conditions.

untbowler · September 1, 2005

what happened to all the chicken-littles exclaiming that we would be lucky to get out of LSU with no injuries, well we have that opportunity now in that there are no injuries and also have an extra week for everyone to get healthy and learn the system even more. This can only help the team kcik MTSU's one tooth in.

PlummMeanGreen · September 1, 2005

Playing at LSU the first game carried a severe risk of injury, absolutely NO CHANCE of a win, would shell shock a young QB, and would have greatly demoralized the whole team just like the UT debacle. There is no downside to not having to have your butt kicked in the first game like ' Bama will do to the MUTS. If we were to lose which I don't think will happen, it certainly won't be because we didn't play LSU. We never learn however and starting with UT @ Austin next year almost guarantees a home opener like FAU last year. I'm sure the "Stangs can't wait for the date at Fouts against a team that has just had its head handed to it in Austin the week before!!!!
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DG, I look forward to the day that we do NOT open our season (it seems annually now) against "Top 5" NCAA D1-A opponents--notice I didn't say Top 10, but Top 5 ; of course, we need the Mean Green Club to annually raise the kind of monies that will allow NT Athletics to eventually alter this mode of schedule planning, too.

Does it bother anyone else (as I'm sure it does) that Rick V has to even say if we didn't play LSU this Fall (which we will), we have to find some way to cover, cut or come up with the $500,000 in our present athletic budget? He should only have to draw from reserves provided by Mean Green Club donors and not even think about a $500,000 budget cut, folks. Of course, most of those who need to know that are not reading this board, either.

meanrob · September 1, 2005

My gut reaction is that it is a good thing to go to MTSU without an LSU type game under our belt, especially if it was a blowout. But.....

the last time we got blown out by LSU, the next week we went to Lubbock and beat Tech.

So I said no bearing at all.

MootPoint · September 1, 2005

Next year, we should have a much more veteran team. I think that we will surprise some folks in Austin and will look much better than we did last time there. Of course, the Horns will win, but I think we put a credible show on IF one or more of our QB's develop this year.
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I like our chances next year with a QB with a full season under his belt, Jamario, JQ and a ton of other returning starters.

GreenN'walinsVet · September 1, 2005

DG, I look forward to the day that we do NOT open our season (it seems annually now) against "Top 5" NCAA D1-A opponents--notice I didn't say Top 10, but Top 5 ; of course, we need the Mean Green Club to annually raise the kind of monies that will allow NT Athletics to eventually alter this mode of schedule planning, too.
Does it bother anyone else (as I'm sure it does) that Rick V has to even say if we didn't play LSU this Fall (which we will), we have to find some way to cover, cut or come up with the $500,000 in our present athletic budget? He should only have to draw from reserves provided by Mean Green Club donors and not even think about a $500,000 budget cut, folks. Of course, most of those who need to know that are not reading this board, either.
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Well i agree that we should not have to worry about a 1/2 million shortfall, we also have to remember that we are a small school and all the money that is raised my the MGC is used to try and compete at the D-I Level. Our athletic budget is over 12 million dollars, i dont know what the other schools in the SBC spend but i would be willing to bet were in the top two or three and maybe #1

PerryG2480 · September 1, 2005

I know about the negative financial ramifications.

When it comes to football though, I think it helps us more than it hurts us. I don't want to think TOO far ahead because MTSU and Tulsa will both be tough games. BUT, we could feasibly be 2-0 headed into the Kansas St. game with a load of confidence...never know.

But let's beat the MUTS first.

calvin · September 1, 2005

This is a question that could go either way. It never helps to lose but also the experience is good. I think it is one of those things that if we win it will be because we didnt play last week and if we lose it is because we didnt play last week. 6 in one and half dozen the other. I think it might actually help our Qb's though. Could you imagine your first game ever being at LSU in front of 90,000 people and the intense pressure that the defense would put on you. I think that could make you lose your confidence in a hurry. Now instead they will be playing in front of 20-25K and the athletes wont be near the same.

greenminer · September 2, 2005

Guess I've heard that theory most my adult life about the significant improvement for a team from the 1'st game to the 2'nd game, but last year Middle Tennesse won their first game then lost their 2'nd game at home.

Sorry, Plumm; I still don't think I've heard a convincing argument otherwise. I'm just playing devil's advocate at this point, but the comparison to last year's MTSU results just doesn't parallel ours: that second game at home was against an FAU team that had 2 games under it's belt. We won't have any going into next weekend.

-gm

mad dog · September 2, 2005

I see this a lot of different ways.

Scenario 1) Not having a game gives our guys an extra week of practice and prep, and also another week of not being injured. We'll go into MTSU with as close to a full complement as we'll get during the year. We won't have a tough loss on our backs, and should have pretty positive frame of mind. MTSU, on the other hand, will almost certainly have a hard defeat following them around, perhaps some banged up players, and less than half the time we'll have to prep for us. Big win and we ride the momentum from an early season win for once to run the table on our season, upsetting KSU and giving LSU a run for their money in our Mid-season form.

Scenario 2) Still without a game snap, our quarterback play is erratic, and MTSU loads the box. With a game under their belts to provide experience and momentum (perhaps they even played their guys close), MTSU knocks us off and the sting from that defeat forces several tough losses en route to a losing season.

Scenario 3) In a surprise move the MUTS forget about the game in whiskey-induced amnesia. They forfeit and then Coach McCollum is fired in shame. The Blue Raiders suffer a series of defeats so terrible the University closes, all its employees banished into self-imposed exile.

MTSU fans still show up at the beginning of every season claiming "this will be the year that they beat North Texas."

Edited September 2, 2005 by illuvius32