Thoughts From Last Night

emmitt01 · September 23, 2007

1)Good crowd...on the alumni side. I heard someone say that Jub Jub mentioned there being something like 7,000 people in the parking lot during the game. I don't care what you say about it the parking lot needs to be shut down during the game. And don't whine that "then those people won't bother to show up at all" because I couldn't give a rat's ass. We don't invite them out for tailgating...we want them out there for tailgating AND A FOOTBALL GAME. If they're just there for tailgating I could do without the added participants in the foreplay who aren't there when it's time for the good stuff.

2)The defense still has a ways to go. I was glad to see Dom Green back on the field but it showed that this was his first real game action in over 8 months. Our DB's gave up FAR too much easy stuff across the middle. We still have no pass rush (hey Mendoza, it's called a blitz...this is D1 football! This aint intramurals!)

3)Meager was not a good QB last night. I know, I know, he didn't give up points or have punts blocked or commit penalties. True enough. What he did do is allow the defense to take half of their defensive assignments and throw them away. They KNEW by midway through the second quarter that he could not hurt them deep. Well, what did that leave them to do? Exactly what I knew they would do if they watched ANY film. Sit back and try to jump the out route. We are damn lucky they didn't get ahold of one of them. When you run an offense predicated on taking what the defense gives you and then have zero ability to put it over the top when that is what they beg you to do then you will lose. I have come to realize from watching our game against SMU and listening to SMU's games against Tech, Ark State and now TCU that their secondary is just that bad! 601 yards is a helluva stat line but only thing that matters in the end is that zero that still hangs in the win column. I know he didn't have the world's best protection but if you'll go back and look at his interceptions they were into double and triple coverage. At first I commented around me "that's just Danny trying to make a play." Then I realized that it was just Danny forcing it. When I judge a quarterback I realize that he can do one of three things. He can win a game for you (these QB's are rare). He can manage the game and play within the system (these are your good to great QB's). Or, he can do what no QB should ever do, he can lose a game for you. Am I saying Danny is solely responsible for the last two losses? No. Am I saying that as our field general he cannot and should not force things leading to extra possessions for the opposition? You're damn right I am.

El Paso Eagle · September 23, 2007

1)Good crowd...on the alumni side. I heard someone say that Jub Jub mentioned there being something like 7,000 people in the parking lot during the game. I don't care what you say about it the parking lot needs to be shut down during the game. And don't whine that "then those people won't bother to show up at all" because I couldn't give a rat's ass. We don't invite them out for tailgating...we want them out there for tailgating AND A FOOTBALL GAME. If they're just there for tailgating I could do without the added participants in the foreplay who aren't there when it's time for the good stuff.

I believe this is something they started at the UTEP games last year. You are allowed to leave someone in the parking lot to “watch” your things but not to keep tailgating. After a certain point, you are asked to go in to the game or leave.

GMoney · September 23, 2007

Our DB's gave up FAR too much easy stuff across the middle.

It depends on the coverage and depth of the passing, but many times crossing patterns are the job of the LBs. Unless it's man to man and the passes are over 12 yds, this is the LBs drop zone in zone coverages.

Travis · September 23, 2007

It seems that we just lose when he is at qb. It may not be all on him.... but, we just lose plain and simple.

What frustrates me is that it appears to be the same mistakes most every time.

We expected to see his TD's to interception ratio to be awful. But, it is disappointing when the picks that are made on him were truly mistakes that he should have learned from already.

As for the long ball... he needs to get ball in the air quicker he waits too long and usually underthrows the guy. He just can't connect with them.

2nd game in a row where we choked at the end.

disappointing.

SLCoutsider · September 23, 2007

3)Meager was not a good QB last night. I know, I know, he didn't give up points or have punts blocked or commit penalties.

I agree on all your points. But this statement is a little generous. Those endzone ints took 6 - 14 potential points off the board. Just as good as giving them to FAU. Not to mention the kick in the crotch to the team's morale.

This was my first game at Fouts and it was definitely a great scene. The stadium isn't as bad as I was expecting. I'm looking forward to attending more home games.

I thought the cheerleading was lame. They were totally out of the picture just standing around in the 4th quarter while the UNT dancers and the band were still working it.

GoMeanGreen1999 · September 23, 2007

I believe this is something they started at the UTEP games last year. You are allowed to leave someone in the parking lot to “watch” your things but not to keep tailgating. After a certain point, you are asked to go in to the game or leave.

This needs to change bad at UNT. Just like emmitt said, there were waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many people sitting in the parking lot listening to the game on their radio.

meangreendork · September 23, 2007

I agree on all your points. But this statement is a little generous. Those endzone ints took 6 - 14 potential points off the board. Just as good as giving them to FAU. Not to mention the kick in the crotch to the team's morale.
This was my first game at Fouts and it was definitely a great scene. The stadium isn't as bad as I was expecting. I'm looking forward to attending more home games.
I thought the cheerleading was lame. They were totally out of the picture just standing around in the 4th quarter while the UNT dancers and the band were still working it.

The picks Meager gave up could've been what won the game. His poor passing, sitting in the pocket too long and waiting also gave away important opportunities to score AND eat up the clock. He didn't make good use of 3-5 good opportunities to score due to interceptions or just 3-and-outs, and even if he didn't get the scores on those drives, the longer drives could've taken away FAU's opportunities to score. I mean, the 10 points that took the game away all came in the last quarter or so.

Travis · September 23, 2007

DM seems to pass well when no pressure is on him...

But, give a hint of a pass rush and he falls apart.

TheTastyGreek · September 23, 2007

3)Meager was not a good QB last night. I know, I know, he didn't give up points or have punts blocked or commit penalties. True enough. What he did do is allow the defense to take half of their defensive assignments and throw them away. They KNEW by midway through the second quarter that he could not hurt them deep. Well, what did that leave them to do? Exactly what I knew they would do if they watched ANY film. Sit back and try to jump the out route. We are damn lucky they didn't get ahold of one of them. When you run an offense predicated on taking what the defense gives you and then have zero ability to put it over the top when that is what they beg you to do then you will lose. I have come to realize from watching our game against SMU and listening to SMU's games against Tech, Ark State and now TCU that their secondary is just that bad! 601 yards is a helluva stat line but only thing that matters in the end is that zero that still hangs in the win column. I know he didn't have the world's best protection but if you'll go back and look at his interceptions they were into double and triple coverage. At first I commented around me "that's just Danny trying to make a play." Then I realized that it was just Danny forcing it. When I judge a quarterback I realize that he can do one of three things. He can win a game for you (these QB's are rare). He can manage the game and play within the system (these are your good to great QB's). Or, he can do what no QB should ever do, he can lose a game for you. Am I saying Danny is solely responsible for the last two losses? No. Am I saying that as our field general he cannot and should not force things leading to extra possessions for the opposition? You're damn right I am.

I can't really argue with much here. Meager struggled. He made some mistakes at critical times. But the past two games, what I've seen makes me believe that Meager falls into the second category of QBs you identified above. He can manage and play within a system. Coming into the season, I didn't believe that Meager could even be an adequate QB. I was wrong.

The 0-3 record absolutely kills me. This should be a 2-1 team. We don't need another Scott Hall, and we don't need the old DeLoach defenses. If we only had the adequate, bend-but-don't-break defense of Fred Bleil, we'd be 2-1. That's all we need. Put a mediocre defense on the field, and we're sitting at 2-1.

I've never hesitated to say so when I felt Daniel Meager was costing us games. Right now, I don't see it that way. He isn't winning them single-handedly, and he probably never will. Don't call me a Meager apologist (Dickey apologist is still ringing loudly in my ears), but I still think he's enough for us to win.

Of course, I still have fond memories of Matt Phillips from the Green Team and his amazing comebacks in 2005. So that goes to show you what I know about evaluating Quarterbacks.