Record Breaking Effort Not Enough

[MeanGreen61]

Record-breaking efforts not enough for Mean Green

NT racks up 613 yards in 45-31 loss

Richard White

Issue date: 9/11/07 Section: SPORTS

It was an evening of mixed emotions Saturday night as NT junior quarterback Daniel Meager and junior receiver Casey Fitzgerald put on an aerial display for the ages, shattering multiple school records along the way.

Still, their efforts were not enough as Southern Methodist University (1-1) handed the Mean Green (0-2) a tough 45-31 loss in Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

"After the situation last week at Oklahoma [losing 79-10], we had a lot of soul searching and looked each other in the face," head coach Todd Dodge said. "Our kids are hurting right now and our coaches are hurting right now because they came to win."

Meager, who totaled only 517 passing yards playing in all 11 games in 2006, passed for a school record 601 yards Saturday night, which demolished former NT quarterback Steve Ramsey's 495 yards in 1969. Meager also set a school record with his 46 completions and 64 attempts. Exhausted from his performance, Meager had to receive an IV drip immediately after the game.

The magnitude of his accomplishments was short-lived though, as Meager put his stats in perspective with the loss.

"The numbers really don't mean anything, but the scoreboard does; that's the only thing that really says anything. It's very depressing," Meager said. "Like Coach Dodge said, 'As a competitor it really burns inside when you lose.' I don't like to lose anything, so this is really hard for me."

Fitzgerald followed his 126-yard performance against OU by catching 18 passes for two touchdowns. His 327 receiving yards, which shattered Scott Ford's 1992 record of 231, were the fourth-best for a single-game in NCAA Division I history.

Like Meager, Saturday night's historical feats were also bittersweet for Fitzgerald.

"I guess I did all right," Fitzgerald said. "That's a great accomplishment, but I was just trying to get that win. We played our hearts out."

The Mean Green also broke the 1969 school record of 579 total offensive yards with 613 yards Saturday.

Despite the historic night, SMU broke a 31-31 tie late in the fourth quarter by intercepting Meager for a second and third time in the game. The Mustangs scored two touchdowns in the final four and a half minutes, including returning one of Meager's interceptions for a score on their way to securing the win. SMU leads the all-time series 28-4-1.

After failing to produce in almost every area against OU, NT displayed marked improvement against SMU.

The offensive line gave Meager solid protection all night as he spread the ball around to receivers Fitzgerald, senior Brandon Jackson (10 receptions for 133 yards and one touchdown) and sophomore Korey Washington (eight receptions for 70 yards).

The game also marked the first time since 1997 that two NT receivers had more than 100 yards receiving.

Dodge said be believes plenty of good will be taken from the loss, which showed the first signs that the players have grown into his spread offense.

"You talk about painting a picture of your football team," Dodge said. "This was a pretty good indication of what we can do."

What plagued NT, in addition to Meager's interceptions, was a second-straight poor showing by the defense, which let SMU players run right through unfinished tackles. SMU sophomore quarterback Justin Willis dominated the NT defense. Willis was 30-for-42 passing for 353 yards and two touchdowns in addition to rushing for 82 yards.

"We still got to improve our tackling, improve that out of control, in control kind of thing on defense," Dodge said.

Looking beyond the current bye week, Meager said he hopes the impressive offensive assault is the breakthrough NT needs heading into its first conference game on Saturday, Sep. 22 at home against Florida Atlantic University.

"I hope this is where it really clicks for us," Meager said. "We don't have a lot of time to get this thing rolling. We have to get rolling right now."

[pollock]

"We have to get rolling right now."

Dayumn. Is 700 yards out of the question?

[adman]

Dayumn. Is 700 yards out of the question?

How bout we let Danny Boy throw for about 500-550 and just as his arm begins to tire we bring in Vizza for another 250 - 300? What's the record for most offense in a season anyway?

[gangrene]

Dayumn. Is 700 yards out of the question?

Not if we have to play another game from behind against a team with a decent run defense and a horrible pass defense.

"The numbers really don't mean anything, but the scoreboard does; that's the only thing that really says anything. It's very depressing," Meager said. "Like Coach Dodge said, 'As a competitor it really burns inside when you lose.' I don't like to lose anything, so this is really hard for me."

I will say that I really like that quote from DM.

[StealthEagle84]

What I like out of this article, and from the quotes from the players is how Dodge's winning attitude is becoming entrenched in our players. I don't ever recall the players saying things like this last year. I feel that our players will take this off week, and the rest of the season for that matter, to continue to improve and get better. Dodge has made if very clear that he expects nothing but to win and I love this new attitude from our program.

[Guest ike]

Dodge for President in '08... maybe in 2012 after a couple of great seasons...

[UNTLifer]

Couple of good quotes:

"I guess I did all right," Fitzgerald said. "That's a great accomplishment, but I was just trying to get that win. We played our hearts out."

"I hope this is where it really clicks for us," Meager said. "We don't have a lot of time to get this thing rolling. We have to get rolling right now."

[Eagle1855]

How bout we let Danny Boy throw for about 500-550 and just as his arm begins to tire we bring in Vizza for another 250 - 300? What's the record for most offense in a season anyway?

I dont know, but Im guessing the 1989 U of Houston team is up there... they posted 1,021 yards on the Ponies on the way to a 94-21 victory that year. A lot on interesting quotes from the 1989 article...

UH calls it execution; so does SMU

By JERRY WIZIG

Staff

After the Astrodome scoreboard mercifully was turned off Saturday, the fallout remained on both sides following the Houston Cougars' 95-21 demolition job on SMU.

In the wake of the first 1,000-yard show by an NCAA team, there is conjecture as to how the Cougars might have taken a little pity.

Punt on third down, for example?

"I thought about that a couple of times," UH Coach Jack Pardee said Sunday. "But you can't be hypocritical. How do you tell your own players to work hard all week and execute, then you do something like that?"

SMU Coach Forrest Gregg and his players were angry. They felt the Cougars needlessly poured it on during their NCAA-record 1,021-yard show. UH averaged 11.9 yards per play.

Gregg noted Pardee pulled quarterback Andre Ware after a six-touchdown, 517-yard first-half passing performance "or they could easily have scored 100 or whatever they liked."

But noting backup David Klingler was throwing deep passes until late, Gregg added, "I didn't appreciate that, whoever was responsible."

Gregg's emotions seemingly had cooled only a little by Sunday. "I won't dwell on it now," he said. "It's over and done with. We will never, ever forget it.

"I've been in that situation myself. The object is to win, not to embarrass your opponent. The emphasis here was to score as many points and get as many yards as possible. That's not a good feat against a bunch of freshmen.

"But if that makes them (the Cougars) feel good, I'm glad for them."

Pardee said he understood Gregg's emotions.

"I told Gregg that this situation isn't what college football is all about," Pardee said. "I can understand his feelings. It's demoralizing.

"I'd been dreading this game all season. How do you get it over with when you stress good execution to your players all the time?

"My goal has never been to gain 1,000 yards. We just executed well. When the defense comes up to take away the short routes, our receivers react and run deep. That's the way they're taught." Offensive coordinator John Jenkins, the man who calls the Cougars' plays, responded, "We had no goal of 1,000 (yards), no sir. That didn't figure into it at all.

"If all I was interested in was the statistics, or Andre's chances for the Heisman Trophy, we'd have left him in there to throw for about 12 touchdowns and 1,200 yards.

"I tried to remind our guys during the week that we'd been through three spring practices here. We've had about 15 scrimmages in that time. In two or three, we were casual and lollygagging around and looked terrible. That would happen to us this time if we went out and played SMU with that kind of attitude.

"They (the Mustangs) do a great job, but they're just freshmen, yet you have to take them seriously, like you take any game seriously."

SMU players indicated they would take the Cougars more than just seriously in the future.

Said quarterback Mike Romo, "Coach told us that we'll be here for four years and to remember this. We won't forget."

"I don't think even Oklahoma would do something like this. I'm sure they wouldn't," Tre Giller said.

"We're going to be the power someday, and things will change," receiver Michael Bowen said. "We'll remember this."

When Gregg noted starters like Manny Hazard, Paul Smith and Brian Williams were still running pass routes late in the game, Jenkins said, "We don't have anybody else. We were using everyone we had, every walk-on."

Receivers Verlond Brown, Kevin Mason and Henry LeBlanc were already out for the year with injuries. Tracy Good (leg injury) was held out. Kody Smith hurt a knee on the game's first play. With Kimble Anders and Chuck Weatherspoon the team's only two superbacks, Anders had to play inside receiver and Weatherspoon played nearly the entire game.

"I had more running backs than this in the USFL with a 40-something-man roster," Jenkins said of his Houston Gamblers days. "We had Todd Fowler, Sam Harrell and Daryl Clark. If Spoon had been hurt, we'd have had to use five receivers or put an offensive lineman in the backfield."

Walk-on Craig Alexander already was an alternate receiver. Jenkins also used walk-ons Tim Woods and Derrick Reeves plus freshman Marcus Grant. Grant had practiced just two weeks after the NCAA declared him eligible under Proposition 48 guidelines.

Jenkins tried to add another body, Jeff Adams, an equipment manager who had played receiver at Baytown Lee. But the NCAA said that since Adams receives financial aid for books and tuition, he would count on the football scholarship roster if suited up.

"We played everyone capable of playing, outside of people that we are redshirting," Jenkins said. He may put out a call for volunteers this week in the student newspaper, the Daily Cougar.

UH's offense let the final seconds expire at the SMU 17 without going for the touchdown to breach the 100-point mark. The last series included three straight running plays by Anders, a shovel pass to Anders, an incomplete screen pass and a pass to Woods for no gain.

Gregg, asked if he still considers Pardee a friend, replied, "This is not a good day to be asking me that."

Pardee said he didn't know what could have been done to alleviate the Mustangs' situation. "How do you get over the death penalty?" he asked.

[GrandGreen]

The sad part of the above SMU story is that the next week, they beat NT. The recent UT and OU losses were bad, but that lost to SMU might be the worst game I have ever seen NT play.

[LoveMG]

"I don't think even Oklahoma would do something like this. I'm sure they wouldn't," Tre Giller said.

[Eagle1855]

The sad part of the above SMU story is that the next week, they beat NT. The recent UT and OU losses were bad, but that lost to SMU might be the worst game I have ever seen NT play.

yeah I meant to post that as well. That SMU team won 2 games that season... one over "perennial football powerhouse" U-Conn, the other was our beloved NT. Ahh memory lane.

Anyways, back to the topic at hand. Eliminate costly turnovers, we win last week's game. Add in a couple defensive plays, and it's a pretty good beating. If we improve as much between now and the 22nd, as we did between OU and SMU, we'll finally post a W over FAU (though it pains me to say "finally")

[GreenBat]

The sad part of the above SMU story is that the next week, they beat NT. The recent UT and OU losses were bad, but that lost to SMU might be the worst game I have ever seen NT play.

I was thrown out of the SMU press box that game by their SID, Ed Winieski. He was a fat, piece of $h!+. He threw me out for saying something like go "Wendal" when Wendal Moseley NT's back-up QB did something positive. He turned around and said "There's no cheering in the press box, get out." He was not well liked, even by his own university as the student newspaper wrote a nasty editorial on him later that year or the next.

[good_ken]

I like this SMU quote:

"We're going to be the power someday, and things will change," receiver Michael Bowen said. "We'll remember this."

Well, the entire football world is still waiting; anytime now......still waiting.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

The sad part of the above SMU story is that the next week, they beat NT. The recent UT and OU losses were bad, but that lost to SMU might be the worst game I have ever seen NT play.

I'm not sure if it was the worst I've seen NT play but it had to be the worst game by a Corky Nelson NT team that I've ever seen. At least, Corky came back to beat SMU the following year.

[PlummMeanGreen]

I'm not sure if it was the worst I've seen NT play but it had to be the worst game by a Corky Nelson NT team that I've ever seen. At least, Corky came back to beat SMU the following year.

It yall are talking about that game at old Ownby Stadium, I was so gol'darned mad after that game I almost threw my school ring (diamond and all) onto their football field. Changed my mind on doing that when I thought the SMU'ers might find it, take it to a pawn shop and put the proceeds into a new stadium building fund.

GMG!

[Harry]

He was a fat, piece of $h!+.

Tell us how you really feel Bat