DMN NT has too much,too soon? having too much

OldTimer · September 5, 2006

"We're going to find a way to run it even if we have to line up/run it nonstop until we figure out how"

UNT has case of too much, too soon

Dickey needs simpler plan, running game that gets off the ground

12:20 AM CDT on Tuesday, September 5, 2006

By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle

DENTON – When North Texas coach Darrell Dickey looked back, he wondered if having so much in his game plan was one reason the offense managed little against Texas.

UNT finished with eight rushing yards against the Longhorns in a season-opening loss Saturday. It was the Mean Green's lowest rushing total since finishing with minus-10 rushing yards in a loss to Texas A&M in 1996.

"We might have gone into it with more than we should have in our game plan," Dickey said. "We will have to analyze what we are capable of. I would rather have one or two plays that we run well and have less in the game plan than try to do too much."

UNT wants to eliminate what Dickey said was an unusually high number of alignment and assignment mistakes before meeting SMU on Saturday at Fouts Field.

The teams' first game since 1992 is expected to attract one of the largest crowds in Fouts Field history.

"Getting our running game going is the most important thing for us to do," tight end Beau Davidson said. "We are going to find a way to run it, even if we have to line up and run it nonstop until we figure it out. The mistakes we made are ones we can correct."

UNT running back Jamario Thomas finished with 38 yards rushing on 14 carries, including four that resulted in losses totaling 19 yards.

"It was tough to find any room to run," Thomas said. "We watched film and knew [the Longhorns] had speed, but you don't know how fast they are until you get out on the field with them."

Fortunately for UNT, Thomas has a history of bouncing back from tough outings.

In his debut against Texas as a freshman in 2004, Thomas lost a yard on two carries, and he didn't have a carry against Florida Atlantic the next week.

In Week 3 against Colorado, Thomas took over for Patrick Cobbs, who was injured. Thomas scored on a 57-yard run on his first carry and finished with 247 yards.

Thomas had a similar turnaround later in the year after a loss to Baylor, when he rushed for 58 yards and left with an injury.

UNT opened Sun Belt Conference play the next week with a win over Middle Tennessee in which Thomas, who won the national rushing title that year, had 179 yards and two touchdowns.

The Mean Green has to hope its game against SMU will feature another Thomas turnaround.

E-mail bvito@dentonrc.com

SMU at North Texas, 6 p.m., Fouts Field (no TV; KTCK-AM 1310, KTDK-FM 104.1; KWRD-FM 100.7; KNTU-FM 88.1)

emmitt01 · September 5, 2006

"We're going to find a way to run it even if we have to line up/run it nonstop until we figure out how"
UNT has case of too much, too soon
Dickey needs simpler plan, running game that gets off the ground
12:20 AM CDT on Tuesday, September 5, 2006
By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle
DENTON – When North Texas coach Darrell Dickey looked back, he wondered if having so much in his game plan was one reason the offense managed little against Texas.
UNT finished with eight rushing yards against the Longhorns in a season-opening loss Saturday. It was the Mean Green's lowest rushing total since finishing with minus-10 rushing yards in a loss to Texas A&M in 1996.
"We might have gone into it with more than we should have in our game plan," Dickey said. "We will have to analyze what we are capable of. I would rather have one or two plays that we run well and have less in the game plan than try to do too much."
UNT wants to eliminate what Dickey said was an unusually high number of alignment and assignment mistakes before meeting SMU on Saturday at Fouts Field.
The teams' first game since 1992 is expected to attract one of the largest crowds in Fouts Field history.
"Getting our running game going is the most important thing for us to do," tight end Beau Davidson said. "We are going to find a way to run it, even if we have to line up and run it nonstop until we figure it out. The mistakes we made are ones we can correct."
UNT running back Jamario Thomas finished with 38 yards rushing on 14 carries, including four that resulted in losses totaling 19 yards.
"It was tough to find any room to run," Thomas said. "We watched film and knew [the Longhorns] had speed, but you don't know how fast they are until you get out on the field with them."
Fortunately for UNT, Thomas has a history of bouncing back from tough outings.
In his debut against Texas as a freshman in 2004, Thomas lost a yard on two carries, and he didn't have a carry against Florida Atlantic the next week.
In Week 3 against Colorado, Thomas took over for Patrick Cobbs, who was injured. Thomas scored on a 57-yard run on his first carry and finished with 247 yards.
Thomas had a similar turnaround later in the year after a loss to Baylor, when he rushed for 58 yards and left with an injury.
UNT opened Sun Belt Conference play the next week with a win over Middle Tennessee in which Thomas, who won the national rushing title that year, had 179 yards and two touchdowns.
The Mean Green has to hope its game against SMU will feature another Thomas turnaround.
E-mail bvito@dentonrc.com
SMU at North Texas, 6 p.m., Fouts Field (no TV; KTCK-AM 1310, KTDK-FM 104.1; KWRD-FM 100.7; KNTU-FM 88.1)
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I just hope nobody makes the mistake of attributing this quote to Dickey when it wasn't his. That might start a bevy of personal attacks that are pointless.

September 6, 2006

An insane person would do the same thing again and again and expect a different result to sometime occur. I'm concerned about the mentality reflected in that quote, because it had to come from somewhere.

Better to figure out how to connect on some of those long shots. If they know you can do that, then they will give you room to run.

September 6, 2006

It is true that it was Davidson that made the "run" statement but I'm curious as to why he would say that. Could it be that he heard it from at least one of his coaches?

ADLER · September 6, 2006

It is true that it was Davidson that made the "run" statement but I'm curious as to why he would say that. Could it be that he heard it from at least one of his coaches?
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Hey, don't doubt it.

Beau Knows Football

gangrene · September 6, 2006

DENTON – When North Texas coach Darrell Dickey looked back, he wondered if having so much in his game plan was one reason the offense managed little against Texas.
"We might have gone into it with more than we should have in our game plan," Dickey said. "We will have to analyze what we are capable of. I would rather have one or two plays that we run well and have less in the game plan than try to do too much."
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I read this in today's paper and the bold statement is what really got me laughing. DD now thinks he has too many plays in his arsenal so he wants to scale it back to the three basic running plays and the draw.

Seriously though, I understand his concern about the possibility of the players having too much to remember, but that doesn't mean he needs to scrap the additional plays. It means that the team needs to study the playbook more and practice harder. Mistakes will be made, especially against a top-ranked opponent like Texas, but we can't just give up after one game.