I Feel Better About Our Season

[emmitt01]

Bear with me here. I know that the associative property doesn't apply in athletics but I'm still a bit optimistic. Every pundit or half-assed publication I have read gives us little shot against Rice or Tulsa. But then these same writers turn around and talk about how close SMU was to Tulsa last season and how they expect them to beat Rice. Well, if that crappy defense that we lit up last season can play with these two teams then I'll lay my even money on Deloach getting us to at least that level of play. Throw in the fact that Tulsa is in our house for the home opener and I feel even better. Call me crazy but I'm starting to drink the kool-aid (along with the screwdriver I just finished). Our offense should be able to shoot it out with anyone outside of LSU and probably Kstate so maybe, just maybe, the defense gives us just enough...or at least enough to be considered on par with SMU...cuz that defense was atrocious (and wasn't even coached by Mendoza).

[DirtySavage]

Rice was terrible last year. Not that we weren't. But they were terrible.

[UNTflyer]

It's way too early to make predictions...

But I predict we take at least one of those two OOC games with Tulsa and Rice.

[DallasGreen]

All of you must have had several screwdrivers with a heavy dose of green koolaide or else you saw a different team play last year than I did. Giving SMU & FIU their ONLY WINS is nothing to be proud of.

[UNTflyer]

All of you must have had several screwdrivers with a heavy dose of green koolaide or else you saw a different team play last year than I did. Giving SMU & FIU their ONLY WINS is nothing to be proud of.

I'm not sure anyone here is "proud" of what happened last year. But I share the optimism for this season. I really think we go 6-6 (and get snubbed for a bowl game).

Edited June 17, 2008 by UNTflyer

[MeanGreen61]

All of you must have had several screwdrivers with a heavy dose of green koolaide or else you saw a different team play last year than I did. Giving SMU & FIU their ONLY WINS is nothing to be proud of.

The French battle flag is waving again 1

[medpilot21]

I'm not sure anyone here is "proud" of what happened last year. But I share the optimism for this season. I really think we go 6-6 (and get snubbed for a bowl game).

I like your optimism and also think we go 6-6. As for being proud about last year?, I am. We found our starting QB and he is something special, our new head coach proved his offense works, and an All-American wide receiver wore a North Texas Jersey. Some positives there I think? No one expected North Texas to win the Belt in TD's first year. We knew the over-haul would take time. I look at last season as a year of lessons, and we learned a lot.

Lesson 1 - fix the defensive weaknesses. Mendoza is gone, Deloach is back. (Done)

Lesson 2 - Find a reliable kicker (Pending, but promising)

Lesson 3 - Install a high powered offense and score points (Done)

Lesson 4 - Find a pass rush. Hopefully grades will hold out on Gilmore, but he has really started to show up. (pending)

Lesson 5 - Fans and Alums step up and buy season tickets. Lots more were sold last year. (improved)

Lesson 6 - We were all a little spoiled, going to a bowl game and winning the conference every year. (I think we will appreciate it more now)

Yes, we have step or two left to take, but we are moving forward. Even in those horrible losses, the games were more exciting because that offense scored points. I never felt like we were out of the game until the gun sounded. Let's see what happens when the defense improves? I dont know if we go all the way to New Orleans this year, but we will be closer than we were last year. Deloach's defense gives us that. Most of us remember what it looks like with blitzes coming form everywhere. (Chris Simms could sure tell you)

I am proud of last season. It was year one in the Todd Dodge system and we did improve on offense. Now comes a tougher year two, and Coach D. gets to fix the defense. I have no doubt he will...

GMG!!!

[gangrene]

I'm not sure anyone here is "proud" of what happened last year. But I share the optimism for this season. I really think we go 6-6 (and get snubbed for a bowl game).

Ah yes, the old 6-6 mid-major conference bowl snub.

[Green Mean]

We found our starting QB and he is something special

And perhaps only to see him benched for Riley Dodge.

[GrandGreen]

Unlike most of you, I though last year would have been substantially better than it was. Based on a good Belt level defense and an improved offense, I predicted that NT would be among the leaders in the conference. What I failed to recognize was just how inexperienced and ill prepared the coaching staff was. Last years team was as bad as I have ever seen at NT. Yes the offense was improved, after DD's last two years, improvement was not difficult. However, most of the offensive fireworks occurred in two oc games and NT did not exactly light up the Belt on either side of the ball.

Again, I hope not as foolishly as last year, I think NT will be among the top tier in the Belt. I basically think that both the offense an defense will be substantially improved. The defense with the exception of the defensive line should be more talented and obviously the coaching will be much better. With another year in TD's system, the offense should be vastly improved. With five returning starters in the offensive line and upgrades in the receiving corp, the offense should be in the top two the Belt. I think seven wins next year is very doable. The level of skill personnel talent that TD has assembled in just two years, although still young, should begin to overwhelm the Belt.

[MeanGreen61]

And perhaps only to see him benched for Riley Dodge.

Don't count on it.

[EagleMBA]

For the good of the program, I hope Riley will be redshirted. Having two great quarterbacks only one year apart in eligibility is both a blessing and a curse. If Riley is clearly better, start him; he is a great talent, but so is Vizza. In any event, I pray that we don't burn his shirt for a trivial reason.

[Mean Green 93-98]

For the good of the program, I hope Riley will be redshirted. Having two great quarterbacks only one year apart in eligibility is both a blessing and a curse. If Riley is clearly better, start him; he is a great talent, but so is Vizza. In any event, I pray that we don't burn his shirt for a trivial reason.

I generally agree with you. It seems that the best plan for the future is to start Vizza in '08 and redshirt Riley to prolong the time we will have one of these two outstanding quarterbacks behind center.

But what if Riley catches up with and surpasses Gio? Don't you start your best QB now? And another thing to consider--Todd Dodge has been called the best quarterback coach in the state by none other than Mack Brown. Top-notch QBs will want to play for him, but not while Riley still has 4 years of eligibility. Riley's burning a redshirt this year may not be the worst thing--it may make it more attractive to recruiting top-notch QBs to the program who will backup and eventually succeed Riley.

[EagleMBA]

I generally agree with you. It seems that the best plan for the future is to start Vizza in '08 and redshirt Riley to prolong the time we will have one of these two outstanding quarterbacks behind center.

But what if Riley catches up with and surpasses Gio? Don't you start your best QB now? And another thing to consider--Todd Dodge has been called the best quarterback coach in the state by none other than Mack Brown. Top-notch QBs will want to play for him, but not while Riley still has 4 years of eligibility. Riley's burning a redshirt this year may not be the worst thing--it may make it more attractive to recruiting top-notch QBs to the program who will backup and eventually succeed Riley.

Good observation! Definitely some tough decisions coming up for Coach Dodge.

[UNTLifer]

I'd feel better about our season, and life in general, if I could find Shiner in a can!

[UNTflyer]

I'd feel better about our season, and life in general, if I could find Shiner in a can!

[emmitt01]

Don't count on it.

Exactly. Anyone who has read Dave Campbell's magazine this year would see that Dodge makes it perfectly clear that, barring something unforeseen, Vizza is the man.

[EagleMBA]

Shiner-in-a-can...HOW SWEET IT IS! I went to one of my usual Shiner providers on Saturday and bought a couple of six packs. At checkout, I remarked how hard it is to FIND Shiner in cans. They said, "Oh, WE have it!"; I said "Not anymore. I just bought your last two six packs." The manager came up and I told him the basic problem, i.e., no glass at tailgating means that I have to buy a couple of six packs of cans now and then to build inventory for the season. I have his card and his promise that if I call him anytime in mid-week he would hold a case for me for a Saturday pickup.

I'm going to sell that information on Ebay!!

[UNTLifer]

I live in Houston. Would this establishment that provides Shiner in a can have a branch in the Houston area? You man PM me if you like.