How Would The 02 And 03 Teams Fair In Today's Sun Belt?

[calvin]

Everybody talks about how much better the Belt is now as compared to when we were winning the title every year so I was curious to see how our two best teams in the Sun Belt era would hold up against the Belt of today. The 02 team went 8-5 and won the NOB, and the 03 team was 9-4 and lost to Memphis in the NOB. I still think those teams could have won the league now b/c we were so great defensively. Man I miss the days of only rushing 3 people on 3rd down and still getting pressure and sacks.

Watching the FAU and MTSU game the other night, I still think our teams could have handled either one of them. I hate having good old day syndrome.

[CMJ]

I don't think we woulda won 26 straight. I'm not sure we would've won the league title, but we woulda been in the mix. A great defense always gives you a shot, and that D woulda probably still be dominant in the '08 SunBelt.

[greenminer]

Watching the FAU and MTSU game the other night, I still think Booger could have handled either one of them. I hate having good old day syndrome.

fixed.

It's okay to be addicted to nostalgia.

[calvin]

If you look at last year's champion though FAU, look at how they looked when they came to Fouts. We only lost what 30-20 or something like that. Dont you think the 02 team would have beat them ? It would have been tough for us to go to Troy and win, but with our defense, I always liked our chances.

[greenminer]

This year's squad would have definitely won a few games in the 2001 Belt.

[calvin]

I just looked, in 2002 in 13 games we gave up 192 points.

[Charlie NT 73]

I remember the Memphis NOB game. Geez did we ever get robbed in that

game. Bogger and another NT DE getting held, tackled, and mugged, just before

the QB completes the long pass from their end zone-damn ref's!

Could these NT teams be competitive in todays SBC? Maybe, maybe not.

In the NOB vs Old Southern Miss, their def coordinator devised the best

game plan to stop DD/RF running game cold. Worked perfectly. From that

point on, every team NT played, copied the same defense from Old Southern

Miss, and found they too could stop the NT running attack. Only problem was

DD/RF would not change the offense in any way. Man, how many times was

J-Mo hammered in the backfield before he even received the hand off?

So if DD was still here, running the same offense, with out changing anything,

these great teams might win one or two games this year in the SBC, because

the opponents would know already how to defense the very same running game,

would know what play was about to be ran, (draws, draws, draws), and did not

worry too much about pass plays.

[Quoner]

I remember the Memphis NOB game. Geez did we ever get robbed in that

game. Bogger and another NT DE getting held, tackled, and mugged, just before

the QB completes the long pass from their end zone-damn ref's!

Could these NT teams be competitive in todays SBC? Maybe, maybe not.

In the NOB vs Old Southern Miss, their def coordinator devised the best

game plan to stop DD/RF running game cold. Worked perfectly. From that

point on, every team NT played, copied the same defense from Old Southern

Miss, and found they too could stop the NT running attack. Only problem was

DD/RF would not change the offense in any way. Man, how many times was

J-Mo hammered in the backfield before he even received the hand off?

So if DD was still here, running the same offense, with out changing anything,

these great teams might win one or two games this year in the SBC, because

the opponents would know already how to defense the very same running game,

would know what play was about to be ran, (draws, draws, draws), and did not

worry too much about pass plays.

Yeah - thank God we're not stuck in a one-dimensional wasteland of an offense now.

[Charlie NT 73]

At least our one-dimensional wasteland of a offense has produced a record total offensive

season, produced more first downs that ever, produced new passing yardage records,

produced a AA wide reciever that was buried 5 deep on the roster, produced the SBC Freshman

of the Year, two of the very best recruiting classes in NT history, had 5000 fans for a spring game,

has brought back more hope, and excitment for the fans than ever before, has helped get the

ball rolling for a new satdium, a coach that really wants North Texas to have success in every aspect

of the program, and a coach that all the kid's moma's love!

Yes, a really one dimensional wasteland alright!

[Green Nightmare]

a coach that all the kid's moma's love!

Maybe those mom's can convince their sons to study, not to quit, violate team rules etc

[JesseMartin]

I wonder if it might not be parenting. Ever notice that lots (not all, but many) of kids get to college and just don't know how to handle the freedom of being away from mom and dad? Maybe it's similar for these players. I still find it odd that any of them have academic problems. J-Mo had dyslexia, part of why other schools passed over him, and he still never had academic problems, because the AD has (or at least had) a perfect setup for academic success.

[Quoner]

At least our one-dimensional wasteland of a offense has produced a record total offensive

season, produced more first downs that ever, produced new passing yardage records,

produced a AA wide reciever that was buried 5 deep on the roster, produced the SBC Freshman

of the Year, two of the very best recruiting classes in NT history, had 5000 fans for a spring game,

has brought back more hope, and excitment for the fans than ever before, has helped get the

ball rolling for a new satdium, a coach that really wants North Texas to have success in every aspect

of the program, and a coach that all the kid's moma's love!

Yes, a really one dimensional wasteland alright!

You just said such nice thing about me and I appreciate it, but:

You win games by running the ball well and playing defense. Everything else should come from that - you run to set up the pass, and if they take it away, then you pass to set up the run. You don't just pass to set up the pass.

I saw the same records running the ball instead of passing before - individual and team. Those teams also won more than 2 games.

The fans were excited about the change, but the luster is wearing off. Everyone acts (rightly or wrongly) that we are at a crisis junction for the future of our program.

Did Dickey not want success - or was he too busy actually achieving it to not talk it up enough

I know several kid's mommas who don't like Dodge - but he is next to Jesus in the SLC cougar demographic.

I really don't want to just bag you and Dodge because I am hoping we get this turned around, but I just can't handle the idea that Dodge came and wiped away the clouds by having our offense break out in 2 out of 16 games (which we both lost.) Our offense is, in kindest terms, a work in progress that has yet to come close to working against a team without significant speed and size deficiencies on the other side of the ball. This is what I want, and expect, to be fixed by the end of the year so that there can be hope that only one side of the ball needs to be overhauled in the off season.

[UNT_playmaker]

The 02 and 03 teams would have done very well.... This also includes Dickey being the coach....

[Smitty]

You just said such nice thing about me and I appreciate it, but:

You win games by running the ball well and playing defense. Everything else should come from that - you run to set up the pass, and if they take it away, then you pass to set up the run. You don't just pass to set up the pass.

I saw the same records running the ball instead of passing before - individual and team. Those teams also won more than 2 games.

The fans were excited about the change, but the luster is wearing off. Everyone acts (rightly or wrongly) that we are at a crisis junction for the future of our program.

Did Dickey not want success - or was he too busy actually achieving it to not talk it up enough

I know several kid's mommas who don't like Dodge - but he is next to Jesus in the SLC cougar demographic.

I really don't want to just bag you and Dodge because I am hoping we get this turned around, but I just can't handle the idea that Dodge came and wiped away the clouds by having our offense break out in 2 out of 16 games (which we both lost.) Our offense is, in kindest terms, a work in progress that has yet to come close to working against a team without significant speed and size deficiencies on the other side of the ball. This is what I want, and expect, to be fixed by the end of the year so that there can be hope that only one side of the ball needs to be overhauled in the off season.

You just don't get it, Quoner. Who needs wins when you've got excitement and yards and first downs?

[Cerebus]

I think you guys are forgetting how good those defenses were.

They would still roll into New Orleans.

[Smitty]

I think you guys are forgetting how good those defenses were.

They would still roll into New Orleans.

Absolutely. They were utterly dominant then and nothing I've seen suggests they would not be at least at the top of the league - if not still dominant - today.

Dominant defense combined with a powerful, explosive running game and capable passing game is tough to beat. Remember that final possession against Cincinnati in New Orleans? UNT preserved its lead and ran out the clock by running the ball down the Bearcats throat. They knew it was coming and could do nothing about it.

The spread can be fun to watch and maybe it will succeed here. But I loves me some smash-mouth football.

[Monkeypox]

With the exception of Jamario's freshman year, the DD ground game was rarely "explosive." I like a powerful run game, myself, but that was the definition of "3 yards and a cloud of dust" and without an absolutely DOMINANT defense, it was pretty sad football for the most part.

And while I believe that the 2002 team would be competitive in today's Belt, I don't see what the point is when you consider, sadly, that that was the "pinnacle" year.

[greenagain]

They could have embarassed this years NT team just like everyone else is..