Mendoza Blows Another One

untbowler · November 16, 2007

this same defense was on a team that ONLY won TWO games last year. How good can they really be?
the blame for our loses have to ALSO be placed on the offense and special teams.
you can't blame Coach Mendoza for everything. our "D" players are just sub standard. NT just needs better players who are faster and can tackle. period.

and here is the obligatory tear down the players and spare the coaches crap

GoMeanGreen1999 · November 16, 2007

All of the coaches need to learn to adjust from the HC down to the specialty coaches, we have lost way to many games b/c the other team adjusted and we have been stuck doing the same thing = insanity.
This is not H.S. anymore and you're no longer going to have 50 pt leads by Half-time with some of the best talent in the region. Learn to adjust and then maybe we win several more games. No reason we could not be 6-4 or even 7-3 right now, with minor adjustments.

We definately need a change in leadership from the defensive side of the ball for next year, but what is happening to our offense during the second half? Why do we do so well in the first half, then the other teams make adjustments at the half, and then it's almost as if the offensive coaches can't then made adjustments themselves for the second half. Shouldn't the offensive coaches be able to some degree, project some of the ways the defense may make changes at the half and have some contingency solutions for the second half? I don't know as I have never been a coach, but maybe someone one here that is or has can shed some light on it.

eulesseagle · November 16, 2007

untbowler-

how much of the blame do you put on the player's and coaches??

in the last 3 years UNT has only won 6 games. some, the coaches fault.....but......UNT does not have a decent defensive team. heck they droped two possible interceptions in the last drive and missed tackles.

face it.....UNT needs to recruit better defensive players.

untbowler · November 16, 2007

untbowler-
how much of the blame do you put on the player's and coaches??
in the last 3 years UNT has only won 6 games. some, the coaches fault.....but......UNT does not have a decent defensive team. heck they droped two possible interceptions in the last drive and missed tackles.
face it.....UNT needs to recruit better defensive players.

I'll agree that we could probably use better defensive players, but tonight made it pretty apparent that if used correctly the current players can contain the other teams, it is when the DC went into a prevent like defense that the defense suffered. This defense has the players but it just seems they are not being used to their strength and are having a set scheme that exposes their weaknesses rather than setting up schemes to play to their strengths. FFR pointed out the many different looks thrown out that gave ASU fits last night, which begs the question why were we not seeing this before. The defensive players may not be superstars but they are much better than the 49 ppg they have been getting torched for, that is why I lay the blame at the feet of the coaches. Also way to many missed tackles, which is a coaching and discipline issue.

This season has been a train wreck, but I do think we can all agree that the future is bright if the coaches use this season as a major learning curve and adjust the college level, they are still stuck in a H.S. mentality and that will not cut it even in the Sun Belt.

Censored by Laurie · November 16, 2007

I am amazed that there are still people on this board who find a way to defend Ron Mendoza. Is it the fact that his defense this week only gave up 31 points...and when compared to last week its a significant improvement? I don't think anybody is absolving Papa Todd from responsibility in this loss...we needed to milk more time on the last drive...and probably should've gone for it on fourth down late...but there has to be a point in a season where a defense has the ability to protect a 21 point lead...and it just hasn't happened.

Green Crazy · November 16, 2007

I don't see what the problem is...we're 18 points under our average. Oh happy days!!

GreenN'walinsVet · November 16, 2007

I dont think TD went conservative in the second half as much as he just continued to do what he has done all year. His offensive philosophy is to take what the defense gives you, plain and simple. Tonight in the second half, they dropped 7 and 8 guys back into coverage and forced us to run the ball, which we did, and with good success. That is not going conservative, that is smart. If we would of tried throwing as much as we do into 7 and 8 defenders then this game would have got ugly with all the interceptions and incompletions.

At the end of the game TD made the right calls as well. Once we got down to the 14 yard line, there was just over two minutes left and ASU had two timeouts and we had a three point lead. We ran on the first two downs to take away their timeouts witch is the corret call. If you throw the ball there and imcomplete it, then you let them save their timeouts and witch puts more pressure on the defense. On third down we ran again to put our kicker in line for a chip shot, and milk around 40 seconds off the clock, again the right call. If he makes that it then forces ASU to go to the endzone on their last drive instead of just field goal range. I know some of you are going to say that we would of lost anyway, but I disagree. On that last play our defense was playing a zone, and trying to keep ASU from getting a shot at a closer field goal, not protecting the end zone. If we would of had a 6 point lead a that point, then all of our defenders would of been around the end zone, and then there would of been no way that that reciever would of been that open.

Bottom line is, We were in position to win that game, and we didnt. Why, missed field goal, dropped interceptions, and then letting a reciever get behind our defense at the worst possible time. Is that coaches fault?, I dont think so, is that players fault?, not really, its just poor execution, witch is something that can be fixed.

Toecutter · November 16, 2007

I pretty much agree with your assessment. I guess the part that bothers me most is that this happens far too often. I hate to have a knee-jerk reaction, but it's just frustration rearing its ugly head. I do try to keep telling myself, that TD is laying the groundwork for the school's future success. I'm still on board with him, if for nothing else that I believe he brings a presence to the clubhouse that is important. The players should be "Men first" a "Student—second" and an "Athlete—third" on the priority list. We're never going to be a big time school. We pretty much have to face that, so if the players learn some life lessons that they can take from the program, then I should look to that as a positive.

As far as the rebuilding of the football program is concerned...It's like the riddle: "how do you eat an elephant?" "One bite at a time."

Edited November 16, 2007 by Toecutter

DallasGreen · November 16, 2007

NT should have gone for it on 4th down.

Agreed and go to the outside with Micah Moseley or Vizza. I much more trust those two in the clutch than Jamario.

Toecutter · November 16, 2007

Agreed and go to the outside with Micah Moseley or Vizza. I much more trust those two in the clutch than Jamario.

What has happened to Jamario? I think I read that he was averaging 5+ yards a carry, but it would be hard for me to believe it.

DallasGreen · November 16, 2007

Not the defense's fault I don't believe...this one's VERY hard to swallow!
The 6-1 look by our front is a 4-3 with the outstide LB's walked...but it does turn into something like a 6-1 when you're trying to block it.
We mixed up our looks, and did fine containing their QB who is a good athlete. Should have had a few more picks...but overall defense played well.

Still way too many broken tackles after the catch and still look super slow on slants or sweeps. You can't coach speed, but you can coach fundamentals of tackling.

Toecutter · November 16, 2007

Still way too many broken tackles after the catch and still look super slow on slants or sweeps. You can't coach speed, but you can coach fundamentals of tackling.

I agree with you 100%. That's been my biggest observation about the defense. Compared to the big schools, our team seems SUPER-SLOW! Like a bunch of 40 year old white guys out there.

GrandGreen · November 16, 2007

untbowler-
how much of the blame do you put on the player's and coaches??
in the last 3 years UNT has only won 6 games. some, the coaches fault.....but......UNT does not have a decent defensive team. heck they droped two possible interceptions in the last drive and missed tackles.
face it.....UNT needs to recruit better defensive players.

I think NT could have used pro players in that awful schemed prevent defense and still lost.

soccerguy59 · November 16, 2007

I was able to get inside info from some ASU OL and he said that the Defense was much better than they expected based upon stats and film. They were very surprised about their speed.

soccerguy59 · November 16, 2007

Moron alert

It is obvious you are not intelligent enough to understand sarcastic undertones and can only resort to name calling.

UNT_playmaker · November 16, 2007

It is obvious you are not intelligent enough to understand sarcastic undertones and can only resort to name calling.

Yep thats Unt_Lifer

NT03 · November 17, 2007

For those of you who want to place any blame at all on the offense , I ask the question. How many points did UT score on this DEFENSE ???

ASU has a great secondary , easiest the best in the Belt and better than any other mid-major. I'm glad that they will be mostly gone after this year !

soccerguy59 · November 17, 2007

Blame should be placed on all three sides of the ball, offense, defense, and special teams.

Offense - only 17 pts on 360 yds, 10 pts are directly the responsibility of the defense and special teams. 160 yds passing, 220 rushing, that has not been the ratio this season. But we controled the time of posession, a theme for most of the year.

Special Teams - blocked field goal and blocked punt, but missed field goal that could have changed the mental, strategic attitude, and clock management on the last drive. Kickoffs were short all night, allowing good field position.

Defense - bending but not breaking and allowing 7 pts in the first half. Contained the run but could not contain the pass, the run was suppose to be ASU's strength. We get burned on passing and give up over 480 yds.

So your statement of NO BLAME AT ALL ON THE OFFENSE is inaccurate.

Edited November 17, 2007 by soccerguy59

NT03 · November 17, 2007

Blame should be placed on all three sides of the ball, offense, defense, and special teams.

Agree... it's always a TEAM effort and no matter what , everyone goes home the same , with either a W or L

But we controled the time of posession, a theme for most of the year.

Easy to do , when it only takes the other team a few minutes to score each drive ...sometimes seconds.

NT03 · November 17, 2007

I was referring to Texas vs. Arkansas State at the beginning of this year

FirefightnRick · November 17, 2007

I ask the question. How many points did UT score on this DEFENSE ???
ASU has a great secondary , easiest the best in the Belt and better than any other mid-major. I'm glad that they will be mostly gone after this year !

ASU held Texas to 21 points on 340 yards.

Rick