Words of wisdom from the Akron coach

MeanGreen61 · September 13, 2005

Words of wisdom from his pre-Muts game press conference.

"If you win the turnover battle you win 78% of your games. More games are lost rather than won and that is something we have to teach the players. It is not always about making plays, but not giving up the ball".

MeanGreenBuzz · September 13, 2005

If everyone played not to lose football like this guy football would be a boring sport.

FirefightnRick · September 13, 2005

I'll take boring over losing any day.

Rick

eulesseagle · September 13, 2005

This sounds like DD's Philosophy, ball control!!

I have not looked at UNT's turnovers during the last 4 years but I would say that they maybe the lowest in the SBC. Perhaps one of you guys who know where to look for all the "stats" can research that for us.

This philosophy works in the SBC but we need some "W's" in the OOC category. We definitely have a chance to beat Tulsa and La. Tech this year and perhaps K-State.

Our new cornerback from the J.C. ranks sure looked good against MTSU. I was impressed.

MeanGreenBuzz · September 13, 2005

Of course we want to win, but I would have taken playing to win football over what we did in the NO Bowl last year. We played not to lose and lost because of it. If we had played to win we would have won or atleast had a shot. From the time we opened the game with 9+ straight rushes we had already lost, and the same goes for when we played Memphis. Until we opened up the passing in '03 we didn't have a shot at them. Some times you have to take risks otherwise you have already put yourself in a losing position.

*edit*

eulesseagle has it exactly.

This philosophy works in the SBC but we need some "W's" in the OOC category. We definitely have a chance to beat Tulsa and La. Tech this year and perhaps K-State.

Edited September 13, 2005 by MeanGreenBuzz

stebo · September 13, 2005

I have not looked at UNT's turnovers during the last 4 years but I would say that they maybe the lowest in the SBC. Perhaps one of you guys who know where to look for all the "stats" can research that for us.
←

I would also like to see our +/- stat from the last 4-5 years somewhere... I think it might be the best in the Belt and probably top 25 in the nation.

PlummMeanGreen · September 13, 2005

Of course we want to win, but I would have taken playing to win football over what we did in the NO Bowl last year. We played not to lose and lost because of it. If we had played to win we would have won or atleast had a shot. From the time we opened the game with 9+ straight rushes we had already lost, and the same goes for when we played Memphis. Until we opened up the passing in '03 we didn't have a shot at them. Some times you have to take risks otherwise you have already put yourself in a losing position.
*edit*
eulesseagle has it exactly.
←

Could it have been we got beat in last year's NO's Bowl because USM had better (faster) overall talent than NT? Many of us saw our bowl opponent in the 2004 New Orleans Bowl almost dismantle the nationally ranked Cal Golden Bears on ESPN a week or so before they dismantled us.

Yet USM has been recruiting at a higher level than NT for several years, although in Mean Green Country we're (only) a quarter of a century behind USM with football related venues, we are at least finally in catch-up mode but USM (today) still has better overall facilities to recruit toward and you can start with I.M Roberts Stadium, their on-campus football stadium.

Non DD fans won't like this statement, but what we've asked Darrell Dickey to recruit with facility-wise in todays NCAA D1-A "facilities arm race" the last 7 years and the results he's had in spite of what he had to recruit toward in Denton is something short of a miracle; but again, we are finally catching up facility-wise with the USM's of the college football world. We know there is still room for recruiting improvement, but that is one reason 99% of the Mean Green consituency sorta' think what we are doing on those 200 acres at Eagle Point Campus will dramatically help us in that vital area.

$ Also, as far as the University of Southern Miss is concerned, their alums know Big Time athletics is not free or something just to chat about on their message board, but their alums donate to the Golden Eagle Club and buy football season tickets like there's no tomorrow.

.......................................................................................................

As Harry recently quoted the great Darrell K. Royal about how out of 3 things concerning the forward pass that 2 things that can happen with the pass are bad, our lower number of passes and those short to medium range high percentage passing game has kept the Mean Green turnovers at a very low ebb.

Although it looked like the MUTS were going to kick our butts the other night with all the offense they had, our bend but not break defense still held on and the MUTS in their 5'th atttempt still have 0 wins against the University of North Texas.

GMG!

Edited September 13, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

MeanGreen61 · September 13, 2005

I would also like to see our +/- stat from the last 4-5 years somewhere... I think it might be the best in the Belt and probably top 25 in the nation.
←

From the official NCAA site (couldn't get 2002 info to open)

2005 only 1 game - Ntl ranking #1...TO margin 5.0 (#1 Sun Belt)

2004 Ntl ranking #6...TO margin 1.08 (#1 Sun Belt)

2003 Ntl ranking #10...TO margin .85 (#1 Sun Belt)

2001 Ntl Ranking #31...TO maring .36 (#1 Sun Belt)

GreenFlag · September 14, 2005

From the official NCAA site (couldn't get 2002 info to open)
2005 only 1 game - Ntl ranking #1...TO margin 5.0 (#1 Sun Belt)
2004 Ntl ranking #6...TO margin 1.08 (#1 Sun Belt)
2003 Ntl ranking #10...TO margin .85 (#1 Sun Belt)
2001 Ntl Ranking #31...TO maring .36 (#1 Sun Belt)

WOW!