Sports Network - N T V Muts Comments/prediction

MeanGreen61 · October 24, 2007

The Sports Network

DATE & TIME: Saturday, October 27th, 7:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Fouts Field (30,500) -- Denton, Texas. Television: None. Home Record: MTU 2-2, UNT 1-1. Away Record: MTU 1-3, UNT 0-5. Neutral Record: MTU 0-0, UNT 0-0. Conference Record: MTU 2-1, UNT 1-3. Series Record: North Texas leads, 5-1.

GAME NOTES: The red-hot Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders will try to remain in the win column when they travel to Denton to battle the North Texas Mean Green in a Sun Belt Conference tussle this Saturday evening at Fouts Field. After opening the season with four consecutive victories the team has won three of its last four contests, including two straight. The latest win came this past weekend, as the Blue Raiders defeated Arkansas State, 24-7. Since the beginning of last season the Blue Raiders have won eight of their last 10 league matchups. As for the Mean Green, they suffered their sixth loss of the season this past weekend, falling to Troy, 45-7. The lone victory for UNT came two weeks ago as the team slipped past UL-Monroe, 31-21. Since the beginning of the 2005-06 season the Mean Green have struggled in league action, posting a pathetic 5-13 mark. Last season the Blue Raiders hammered the Mean Green, posting a solid 35-0 victory over UNT. Although the Mean Green suffered the setback the team still has a commanding 5-1 edge in the all-time series.

The success of MTU's offensive unit can be pinned solely on the shoulders of one man, and that is quarterback Dwight Dasher, who is leading the team in passing, as well as rushing yardage. Dasher comes into this matchup with 495 yards and three scores on 5.2 ypc, and while in the pocket, Dasher has been just as dangerous, completing 54.8 percent of his passes. The signal caller has thrown for 960 yards and six TDs against just one interception. In the recent win over Arkansas State, the Blue Raiders recorded a solid 384 yards of total offense, and that includes 205 rushing yards on 49 totes. Once again the Blue Raiders were led by Dasher, as the QB rumbled for an impressive 96 yards on 20 carries. Unfortunately Dasher had some trouble in the pocket, completing just 9-of-20 passes for 118 yards and one score along with one interception.

What has crushed this defensive unit week in and week out has been its inability to slow down the opponent's ground game. Heading into this matchup teams are currently pounding MTU for a demoralizing 164.0 ypg via the run. Overall the defense is being abused for 362 total ypg, while yielding 24.0 ppg. In the recent win over ASU, the defense put forth its second consecutive outstanding performance, limiting the Indians to just 138 total yards, which includes a mind-boggling 22 rushing yards on 33 attempts. MTU forced four turnovers in the win and recorded a whopping nine sacks.

The Mean Green have been a one-trick pony offensively all year, but unfortunately that trick did not work too well this past weekend against Troy. UNT is currently producing an outstanding 298.1 ypg through the air, but in the 38-point loss to the Trojans, the team finished with just 179 yards via the pass. Quarterback Giovanni Vizza completed 22-of-38 passes in the loss and finished with 172 yards and one touchdown against one interception. Vizza, who has taken the starting job from Daniel Meager, has been inconsistent in the starting QB role, completing just 52.5 percent of his passes. Vizza has thrown for just 999 yards and has only six scores against eight interceptions. As for the ground game it is clearly on of the worst in the nation. In fact the Mean Green currently rank 106th in the country with a pathetic 96.1 ypg on the ground. not one player has rushed for over 300 yards on the year and after seven games the team has just five rushing scores.

This past weekend the Mean Green had a very strange performance defensively as the team forced an outstanding seven turnovers, but still managed to lose by a 38-point margin. In the setback the defense allowed a whopping 493 total yards and that includes an embarrassing 356 yards through the air. The team's struggles against the pass should not be surprising, considering the unit is being torched for 300.9 ypg via the pass. Overall this defense has been abysmal as teams are currently abusing North Texas for 521.3 total ypg and that has led to a mind-boggling 46.3 ppg. The Mean Green have forced 17 turnovers on the season, but have had trouble getting to the QB, as the team has collected only nine sacks. Jeremi Chapman has been a beast behind the line of scrimmage and is currently leading the squad with eight TFLs and 3.5 sacks.

North Texas has been dismantled defensively throughout the season and now the team must face one of the most athletic players in the Sun Belt. Expect Dasher to have his way with North Texas as he leads the Blue Raiders to another win.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Middle Tennessee 41, North Texas 23

untbowler · October 24, 2007

The Sports Network
DATE & TIME: Saturday, October 27th, 7:00 p.m. (et)
FACTS & STATS: Site: Fouts Field (30,500) -- Denton, Texas. Television: None. Home Record: MTU 2-2, UNT 1-1. Away Record: MTU 1-3, UNT 0-5. Neutral Record: MTU 0-0, UNT 0-0. Conference Record: MTU 2-1, UNT 1-3. Series Record: North Texas leads, 5-1.
GAME NOTES: The red-hot Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders will try to remain in the win column when they travel to Denton to battle the North Texas Mean Green in a Sun Belt Conference tussle this Saturday evening at Fouts Field. After opening the season with four consecutive victories the team has won three of its last four contests, including two straight. The latest win came this past weekend, as the Blue Raiders defeated Arkansas State, 24-7. Since the beginning of last season the Blue Raiders have won eight of their last 10 league matchups. As for the Mean Green, they suffered their sixth loss of the season this past weekend, falling to Troy, 45-7. The lone victory for UNT came two weeks ago as the team slipped past UL-Monroe, 31-21. Since the beginning of the 2005-06 season the Mean Green have struggled in league action, posting a pathetic 5-13 mark. Last season the Blue Raiders hammered the Mean Green, posting a solid 35-0 victory over UNT. Although the Mean Green suffered the setback the team still has a commanding 5-1 edge in the all-time series.
The success of MTU's offensive unit can be pinned solely on the shoulders of one man, and that is quarterback Dwight Dasher, who is leading the team in passing, as well as rushing yardage. Dasher comes into this matchup with 495 yards and three scores on 5.2 ypc, and while in the pocket, Dasher has been just as dangerous, completing 54.8 percent of his passes. The signal caller has thrown for 960 yards and six TDs against just one interception. In the recent win over Arkansas State, the Blue Raiders recorded a solid 384 yards of total offense, and that includes 205 rushing yards on 49 totes. Once again the Blue Raiders were led by Dasher, as the QB rumbled for an impressive 96 yards on 20 carries. Unfortunately Dasher had some trouble in the pocket, completing just 9-of-20 passes for 118 yards and one score along with one interception.
What has crushed this defensive unit week in and week out has been its inability to slow down the opponent's ground game. Heading into this matchup teams are currently pounding MTU for a demoralizing 164.0 ypg via the run. Overall the defense is being abused for 362 total ypg, while yielding 24.0 ppg. In the recent win over ASU, the defense put forth its second consecutive outstanding performance, limiting the Indians to just 138 total yards, which includes a mind-boggling 22 rushing yards on 33 attempts. MTU forced four turnovers in the win and recorded a whopping nine sacks.
The Mean Green have been a one-trick pony offensively all year, but unfortunately that trick did not work too well this past weekend against Troy. UNT is currently producing an outstanding 298.1 ypg through the air, but in the 38-point loss to the Trojans, the team finished with just 179 yards via the pass. Quarterback Giovanni Vizza completed 22-of-38 passes in the loss and finished with 172 yards and one touchdown against one interception. Vizza, who has taken the starting job from Daniel Meager, has been inconsistent in the starting QB role, completing just 52.5 percent of his passes. Vizza has thrown for just 999 yards and has only six scores against eight interceptions. As for the ground game it is clearly on of the worst in the nation. In fact the Mean Green currently rank 106th in the country with a pathetic 96.1 ypg on the ground. not one player has rushed for over 300 yards on the year and after seven games the team has just five rushing scores.
This past weekend the Mean Green had a very strange performance defensively as the team forced an outstanding seven turnovers, but still managed to lose by a 38-point margin. In the setback the defense allowed a whopping 493 total yards and that includes an embarrassing 356 yards through the air. The team's struggles against the pass should not be surprising, considering the unit is being torched for 300.9 ypg via the pass. Overall this defense has been abysmal as teams are currently abusing North Texas for 521.3 total ypg and that has led to a mind-boggling 46.3 ppg. The Mean Green have forced 17 turnovers on the season, but have had trouble getting to the QB, as the team has collected only nine sacks. Jeremi Chapman has been a beast behind the line of scrimmage and is currently leading the squad with eight TFLs and 3.5 sacks.
North Texas has been dismantled defensively throughout the season and now the team must face one of the most athletic players in the Sun Belt. Expect Dasher to have his way with North Texas as he leads the Blue Raiders to another win.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Middle Tennessee 41, North Texas 23

hmm, thats all? MUTS have a spread offense, ala OU, Troy and they only predict 41 points.

I sure hope the O-Line learn how to block a blitz in one week.

Monkeypox · October 24, 2007

This report sounds like it was written by a 6th-grader. No opportunity for hyperbolic adjectives has been missed. No real analysis. Again, someone just reads the stat sheets.

And I think it's funny that the inconsistency of Vizza is due to his completing "just 52.5%" of his passes, while part of Dasher's success is illustrated by his 54.8% completion percentage. Not like he's completing 60%.

Note that as a starter, mind you, Vizza's completion percentage has been 58.4%. Not to say that he HASN'T been inconsistent, because he certainly has. And Dasher himself is a true freshman playing some outstanding football, but he's throwing the ball significantly less than we are, so a completion percentage 2 points higher is fairly irrelevant. One of several major differences between the teams' offenses. We don't run the ball nearly as well, and they have a very solid O-Line.

GoMeanGreen1999 · October 25, 2007

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Middle Tennessee 41, North Texas 23

I doubt this game will be this close.

I sure hope the O-Line learn how to block a blitz in one week.

I will with you on this one - better learn how to contain the blitz or it will be ugly.

filmerj · October 25, 2007

The success of MTU's offensive unit can be pinned solely on the shoulders of one man, and that is quarterback Dwight Dasher, who is leading the team in passing, as well as rushing yardage. Dasher comes into this matchup with 495 yards and three scores on 5.2 ypc, and while in the pocket, Dasher has been just as dangerous, completing 54.8 percent of his passes. The signal caller has thrown for 960 yards and six TDs against just one interception. In the recent win over Arkansas State, the Blue Raiders recorded a solid 384 yards of total offense, and that includes 205 rushing yards on 49 totes. Once again the Blue Raiders were led by Dasher, as the QB rumbled for an impressive 96 yards on 20 carries. Unfortunately Dasher had some trouble in the pocket, completing just 9-of-20 passes for 118 yards and one score along with one interception.

Why wouldn't the quarteback lead the team in passing? He's the quarterback.

lightningstrikes · October 25, 2007

Why wouldn't the quarteback lead the team in passing? He's the quarterback.

No he is not "the" QB...he is a true freshman with a load of talent after "the" QB, Craddock, was hurt vs LSU. As of last week Craddock is back and we're running with two QB's...not just subbing one for another but having both out there for plays. It ha made for some interesting, fun plays!

We have a few more years of payback, consider this year number two coming up.