Game Thread: N T @ Troy

[ipEAGLE]

Evidently you did not watch the game.

We are cursed by DD.

[KingDL1]

We are cursed by DD.

That may be true

[TIgreen01]

Regardless the oline is not blocking anyone, so there is no blocking for the run either.

agreed....good gosh what an awful, awful game. Well, back to the drawing board....hopefully we'll show up better at home next week.

[Monkeypox]

How the hell does our Defense which was TERRIBLE all the sudden kick it in and our Offense that was doing great start sucking?? I guess you can't have it all but come one, 5 turnover for 0 points?! Gotta be kidding me!

As I pointed out earlier, the only thing our offense was GREAT at was putting up a lot of passing yards between the 20s. Scoring has been a problem all year. The inability to get large chunks and sustained drives has been a problem all year. Being too predictable has been a problem all year. Blocking has been a problem all year. And, honestly, it's made fewer adjustments over the course of the season than the D. But all that passing sure is sexy!

[MeanMag]

As I pointed out earlier, the only thing our offense was GREAT at was putting up a lot of passing yards between the 20s. Scoring has been a problem all year. The inability to get large chunks and sustained drives has been a problem all year. Being too predictable has been a problem all year. Blocking has been a problem all year. And, honestly, it's made fewer adjustments over the course of the season than the D. But all that passing sure is sexy!

I sure would like to see a run other than an option-read. EVERYONE we play can sniff that out.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

EVERYONE we play can sniff that out.

Ironic that the first game in which Dodge didn't signal in the plays, we struggle offensively.

[LAZER]

Ironic that the first game in which Dodge didn't signal in the plays, we struggle offensively.

Yeah whats the deal with "espianage"......I bet thats why we lost, they had spies reading our plays...........

Edited October 20, 2007 by LAZER

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Worse offensive line play I have ever witnessed. Realize we have seven Troy turnovers, that's 7 Troy turnovers and only 7 points.

It is rather shocking that we got 7 turnovers and only scored 7 points.

[class84]

I know that even muttering the words 'tight end' is a capital offense in these parts. But when it becomes ridiculously obvious that we had no chance of blocking anything they threw at us, wouldn't it have helped to have an extra blocker stay in on passing downs to help out?

[KingDL1]

I know that even muttering the words 'tight end' is a capital offense in these parts. But when it becomes ridiculously obvious that we had no chance of blocking anything they threw at us, wouldn't it have helped to have an extra blocker stay in on passing downs to help out?

We sure as hell needed some kind of help blocking even if it is the water-boy!

[Coach]

I know that even muttering the words 'tight end' is a capital offense in these parts.

Dodge has used the tight end some this year.

[Cr1028]

This is ridiculous. The excuse that Coach Dodge doesn't have his players here yet isn't big enough to cover a Sun Belt team beating you like it was a paycheck game.

Would you consider Oklahoma State a paycheck game? They beat OSU and played well against the 2 SEC schools.

09/01 at #21 Arkansas L 46-26

09/08 at #4 Florida L 59-31

09/14 Oklahoma St W 41-23

09/22 at La Lafayette W 48-31

09/29 ULMONROE W 24-7

10/06 at Fla Int'l W 34-16

10/20 N Texas W 45-7

Edited October 21, 2007 by Cr1028

[rcade]

Would you consider Oklahoma State a paycheck game? They beat OSU and played well against the 2 SEC schools.

This is what we've come to -- making excuses for being steamrolled by Sun Belt teams? North Texas fans already have the lowest expectations in the Bowl Playoff Subdivision when it comes to out-of-conference games. If we start to accept this kind of loss within the Belt, which is still the worst conference in the subdivision, we're doomed.

I did not expect Coach Dodge to put a team out there that performs like this. I'm still holding on to some optimism about the long-term plan here, but he needs to look a lot harder at his coaching staff. These players are better than what we're seeing.

[TheTastyGreek]

This is what we've come to -- making excuses for being steamrolled by Sun Belt teams? North Texas fans already have the lowest expectations in the Bowl Playoff Subdivision when it comes to out-of-conference games. If we start to accept this kind of loss within the Belt, which is still the worst conference in the subdivision, we're doomed.

I did not expect Coach Dodge to put a team out there that performs like this. I'm still holding on to some optimism about the long-term plan here, but he needs to look a lot harder at his coaching staff. These players are better than what we're seeing.

Well put.

Thank you for posting this. Concern and optimism can coexist. And it doesn't make you a bad fan.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Fast forward to October 2007 and we have some fans who are satisfied with our current talent (starters) despite our solid Bottom 10 ranking. Before our new coaching staff gets too comfortable, let's impress upon them that offering scholarships to back-up high school kids (in August) is not going to get us where we need to be.

Still........why make a new HFC at UNT who only had 17 days to recruit last Winter as responsible for all this that some seem to be doing? We have a dreadfully slow football team of which most were not recruited under Todd Dodge's watch, folks. Why is that so difficult a concept for some to really understand?

It's been said before but why not say it again since its the truth of our present situation at hand: Most of these players were recruited to play in a Sun Belt Conference that no longer exists. Speed is the missing ingrediant for our team and in the SBC's first few years, you just didn't have to have as much of it.

Again, why judge TDodge on (mostly) recruiting classes that were hardly highly ranked even from an SBC perspective? Some of you are trying to make TDodge a bad coach with DD Ball recruits. Just as a reminder, DD's 1'st 4 years at UNT and his last 2 years for certain you're all aware of and hardly needs to be posted:

1998 3 & 8

1999 2 & 9

2000 3 & 8

2001 5 & 6

And we have a hardy handful who have the audacity to judge TDodge's present tenure as if he's already had his first 4 years in Denton? Come on folks, lets show that our UNT education was truly worth it all by our showing all our educated sense of reasoning abilities with what we have with our present situation as well as to all the reasons it is this way for the time being.

Edited October 21, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[houstonmeangreen]

This is what we've come to -- making excuses for being steamrolled by Sun Belt teams? North Texas fans already have the lowest expectations in the Bowl Playoff Subdivision when it comes to out-of-conference games. If we start to accept this kind of loss within the Belt, which is still the worst conference in the subdivision, we're doomed.

I did not expect Coach Dodge to put a team out there that performs like this. I'm still holding on to some optimism about the long-term plan here, but he needs to look a lot harder at his coaching staff. These players are better than what we're seeing.

exactly, remember these coaches are being paid perform, so we should have some expectations that exceed what we currently are getting. I don't see steady improvement, I see one fair game played last week. I don't expect us to really win games this season, but I don't expect us to be humiliated either.

[chrisfisher]

I'm ready for Mean Green basketball to start.

[greenminer]

This is what we've come to -- making excuses for being steamrolled by Sun Belt teams? North Texas fans already have the lowest expectations in the Bowl Playoff Subdivision when it comes to out-of-conference games. If we start to accept this kind of loss within the Belt, which is still the worst conference in the subdivision, we're doomed.

I did not expect Coach Dodge to put a team out there that performs like this. I'm still holding on to some optimism about the long-term plan here, but he needs to look a lot harder at his coaching staff. These players are better than what we're seeing.

Well put.

Thank you for posting this. Concern and optimism can coexist. And it doesn't make you a bad fan.

I have concerns just as either of you. But it started after a LaLa losss, a FAO burn, and SMU burn. The timing here is just off, as I have no quarrel (right now) with losing to a Sun Belt team that has blasted the snot out of Rice and Oklahoma State, and recently laid 31 points on Florida. Wait, you know that. What are we debating: if the Troy loss is surprising, or upsetting?

[PlummMeanGreen]

I have concerns just as either of you. But it started after a LaLa losss, a FAO burn, and SMU burn. The timing here is just off, as I have no quarrel (right now) with losing to a Sun Belt team that has blasted the snot out of Rice and Oklahoma State, and recently laid 31 points on Florida. Wait, you know that. What are we debating: if the Troy loss is surprising, or upsetting?

And FWIW, folks, until Coach Dodge & his staff start recruiting speed, we are going to have some more SBC losses since most of those schools seemed to have being doing that fairly successful while we were going to bowl games and getting beat at bowl games because? ? ? ? ?.......UNT didn't have speed to keep up with most of the CUSA schools we were playing in those bowl games, and unfortunately for all of us now, this thing called speed has translated to even most of the SBC schools.

TDodge has a mix of experienced college coaches on this staff mixed with some from a Texas 5A HS level who were pretty damn good at that level. In fact, while they were at that Texas 5A high school, they were able to build bridges with other Texas HS football coaches across the Lone Star State that our previous staff had all but somewhat alienated from the UNT football program; so if we'll just all give a new HFC in Mean Green Country the time to (truly) recruit his kids with the kind of speed he already knows he will have to have to even compete in the lowly Sun Belt Conference, nevertheless, if we'd give him the time, we'll all be better off for doing so.

For you who think we were supposed to win this year with a team that won 5 games the previous 2 seasons with a coach who really didn't even want to be in Denton and do all the PR that HFC's do, maybe its time for a handful of you to go back to College Football 101 classes again? AND............if that statement pisses you off, go ahead--make my day........................sue me.........................but some need to get ahold of themselves and try to gain some semblance of the same perspective that I'm sure Todd Dodge had when he first decided to take the North Texas job in the first place--with a piece of shit track stadium that is our infamous t_rd that just keeps getting polished over and over again-year after year after year after year.

I'm almost 60 freakin' years old and all I want to see now is the implosion or demolition of a stadium that has probably (truth be known) kept us out of at least 2 better leagues than the one we're in.

Todd Dodge did not take on an easy job at North Texas, sports fans, and for proof ask every coach who has been in good ol' Denton, Texas, America since Hayden Fry. For many of us, its been one helluva' roller coaster ride. And for you Young Gun Alums, none of us older nestors would ever wish the next 25 years be like our last quarter of a century in Mean Green Country; you know, like in our not having one Top 25 (maybe even Top 50?) ranked NCAA D1-A football team? The NO's Bowls were nice, but not as a Bottom 25 ranked program.

Edited October 21, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[meangreanmick]

Evidently you did not watch the game.

I did watch the game. 7 turnovers was great (though I would have a hard time crediting great play of defense vs poor play of their offense).

I am referring to the 356 yards of passing, 137 yards of rushing we gave up. I am referring to the touchdown passes of 38, 42 and 46 we gave up and the 3 defensive touchdowns we gave up in the first half to take us out of the game.

[KingDL1]

I did watch the game. 7 turnovers was great (though I would have a hard time crediting great play of defense vs poor play of their offense).

I am referring to the 356 yards of passing, 137 yards of rushing we gave up. I am referring to the touchdown passes of 38, 42 and 46 we gave up and the 3 defensive touchdowns we gave up in the first half to take us out of the game.

You must be kidding those turnovers were forced, and if our offense got it together we would have seen a different game. Worst defense you have ever seen? Kind of dramatic don't you think.

2 The defense is not essentially the same in regards to personnel or system. We have some good returning players that are just now getting in to playing shape and their impact is noticeable. Also the statistical ranking from last year are not nearly the same as this year in terms of the competition we have played. See stats, I have not updated in a week but Troy is ranked 15th in total offense. Last year our defense faced an average total team offense of 75 out 119 that is the bottom 37 percent. This year the current average is 43 opponent total offense with Monroe being the worst at 73 still two below last years average. This year our opponents so far are in the top 35 percent in total offense.

Stats before Monroe

I don't like to lose but damn I know where we were and I know where we are trying to go.

[pollock]

Ironic that the first game in which Dodge didn't signal in the plays, we struggle offensively.

Signaling had nothing to do with the fact that our O-Line couldn't block the Olson Twins.

[houstonmeangreen]

This is what we've come to -- making excuses for being steamrolled by Sun Belt teams? North Texas fans already have the lowest expectations in the Bowl Playoff Subdivision when it comes to out-of-conference games. If we start to accept this kind of loss within the Belt, which is still the worst conference in the subdivision, we're doomed.

I did not expect Coach Dodge to put a team out there that performs like this. I'm still holding on to some optimism about the long-term plan here, but he needs to look a lot harder at his coaching staff. These players are better than what we're seeing.

You are on the MONEY general. If there is any steamrolling to be done, let it be by the meangreen.

[rcade]

I have concerns just as either of you. But it started after a LaLa losss, a FAO burn, and SMU burn. The timing here is just off, as I have no quarrel (right now) with losing to a Sun Belt team that has blasted the snot out of Rice and Oklahoma State, and recently laid 31 points on Florida. Wait, you know that. What are we debating: if the Troy loss is surprising, or upsetting?

Losing to Troy is not a surprise. Fielding a team that had no hope to beat Troy is a surprise.

[FirefightnRick]

You must be kidding those turnovers were forced, and if our offense got it together we would have seen a different game. Worst defense you have ever seen? Kind of dramatic don't you think.

2 The defense is not essentially the same in regards to personnel or system. We have some good returning players that are just now getting in to playing shape and their impact is noticeable. Also the statistical ranking from last year are not nearly the same as this year in terms of the competition we have played. See stats, I have not updated in a week but Troy is ranked 15th in total offense. Last year our defense faced an average total team offense of 75 out 119 that is the bottom 37 percent. This year the current average is 43 opponent total offense with Monroe being the worst at 73 still two below last years average. This year our opponents so far are in the top 35 percent in total offense.

Stats before Monroe

I don't like to lose but damn I know where we were and I know where we are trying to go.

Wow, that SMU offense IS prolific, don't you think? 270 yards last year compared to 534 this year, same with Troy last year to this? And that was when this years defensive personell were just trying to get there considering this year we haven't quite arrived just yet?

Tony, since you know where we are trying to go. How about a rundown on who replaces the 9 or so veteran seniors from the defensive side of the ball including the 5 that started yesterday?

Rick