I Hope Todd Dodge Can Learn Intensity At A D1 Level

KingDL1 · November 8, 2009

I have seen time and time again where we don't hit hard, run hard, where we execute poorly, and seem generally unprepared. I can't help but feel that this is a direct reflection of practice. I think Todd has done some great things with recruiting, cleaning up the team, and promoting the Mean Green. At spring practice last year and again this year we seem to have a lack urgency and intensity. At tailgating, I have heard time and time again from those who say they get to attend the closed practices that we are just not running a truly intense practice, in speed, pushing players, and not even close to other D1a schools. I don't know I am not at these practices and I have never attended practices at other Universities, though it seems we are always somewhat unprepared. I heard it again today from those that I really believe know what they are talking about before the game.

I remember when Coach Delaoch was here before he had our guys hit the opponent so hard that the sound in the stands gave me chills and maybe I am just ahead of him. I think this is something we are lacking on all sides of the ball and special teams.

And forgive me at times our guys look like wusses, soft and inefficient. But I believe the talent is really getting there.

I am just confused why we would run the practices in a soft manner, because in my mind it shows on the field.

Is it that Dodge has not figured this out yet, is it that he coddles our players a bit much, does he need to visit some other team's practices?

I just keep scratching my head.

No, I am not saying I want to get rid of Dodge. And I am not talking about on the sidelines of a game but practice

Green P1 · November 8, 2009

Todd Dodge subcribes to the AI school of thought.

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Travis · November 8, 2009

are you losing hope in his ability to do something with this program?

KingDL1 · November 8, 2009

are you losing hope in his ability to do something with this program?

Not really just growing impatient, but it does look as if Dodge has to always learn the hard way.

UNT90 · November 8, 2009

The intensity on the defensive side of the ball, in particular, has regressed so far from the Ball St. and Ohio games. The defense flew to the ball in those games.

I am tired of what appear from the outside to be uninspired efforts.

GoMeanGreen1999 · November 8, 2009

The intensity on the defensive side of the ball, in particular, has regressed so far from the Ball St. and Ohio games. The defense flew to the ball in those games.
I am tired of what appear from the outside to be uninspired efforts.

Which was more uninspired tonight - offense or defense? Going from 49 points to the worst team in D1 to giving up 33 to one of the better teams in the conference tonight, I would say is a better job. Was it great, no, but better. The offense on the other hand went from 68 points to 6. By the way, punting the ball late in the game is basically giving up. Also when down 3 scores, just go for it instead of kicking a field goal to STILL be down three scores.

UNT90 · November 8, 2009

Which was more uninspired tonight - offense or defense? Going from 49 points to the worst team in D1 to giving up 33 to one of the better teams in the conference tonight, I would say is a better job. Was it great, no, but better. The offense on the other hand went from 68 points to 6. By the way, punting the ball late in the game is basically giving up. Also when down 3 scores, just go for it instead of kicking a field goal to STILL be down three scores.

The offense was terrible tonight, also, but it hasn't been steadily terrible for the last 4 weeks. The defense has. The ULM offense is not exactly a powerhouse, but probably could have scored over 40 if they wanted.

I was just commenting on the lack of intensity, aggresiveness, and any penetration by the defense. A situation that has gotten worse as the year continues.

Every phase of the game was awful tonight, and every coach on this staff should be embarassed by this effort.

GoMeanGreen1999 · November 8, 2009

The offense was terrible tonight, also, but it hasn't been steadily terrible for the last 4 weeks. The defense has. The ULM offense is not exactly a powerhouse, but probably could have scored over 40 if they wanted.
I was just commenting on the lack of intensity, aggresiveness, and any penetration by the defense. A situation that has gotten worse as the year continues.
Every phase of the game was awful tonight, and every coach on this staff should be embarassed by this effort.

Well this defense won't be much better next year. Can you watch another year of it?

ForneyGreen · November 8, 2009

Every phase of the game was awful tonight, and every coach on this staff should be embarassed by this effort.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Bingo - it was all bad. ULM could have scored more - just about any ULM downfield pass would have been completed. They tried to take time off the clock toward the end but could have hung 40+ pts on us.

It was incredible how our D-Line would get blown off the line of scrimmage - and how little pressure we could put on their QB as their WR's ran free.

They definitely wanted this game much more than us.

UNT90 · November 8, 2009

Well this defense won't be much better next year. Can you watch another year of it?

I'm having a hard enough time getting through this year. I'll think about next year after Spring practice.

3 years of terrible defenses is disconcerting, regardless of who are the coordinators or the head coach.

GoMeanGreen1999 · November 8, 2009

Look this team is already 100% better this year in terms of wins than last - what more do people expect? With what we have returning next year, we should be able to win at the very least 3. Progress folks, progress. Just taking a little bit more time than many of us expected. By the 6th year we should be around .500 again.

LoveMG · November 8, 2009

deal or dud? I vote dud. bring on the next coach. it cannot be worse than what we see out there now.

Travis · November 8, 2009

deal or dud? I vote dud. bring on the next coach. it cannot be worse than what we see out there now.

word

ForneyGreen · November 8, 2009

word

word * 2

GoMeanGreen1999 · November 8, 2009

deal or dud? I vote dud. bring on the next coach. it cannot be worse than what we see out there now.

I doubt very seriously we will see a change at the end of this year. On a side note, apparently we have a new coach on the sidelines.....anyone see RV out there today? Not exactly sure how pacing the sidelines visibly upset works to encourage our coaches and players, but oh well.

Cerebus · November 8, 2009

I doubt very seriously we will see a change at the end of this year. On a side note, apparently we have a new coach on the sidelines.....anyone see RV out there today? Not exactly sure how pacing the sidelines visibly upset works to encourage our coaches and players, but oh well.

RV is down on the sidelines every game.

Mean Green 93-98 · November 8, 2009

I doubt very seriously we will see a change at the end of this year. On a side note, apparently we have a new coach on the sidelines.....anyone see RV out there today? Not exactly sure how pacing the sidelines visibly upset works to encourage our coaches and players, but oh well.

If what we saw this afternoon is what we see the next three weeks, I would not write off the possibility of a coaching change.

I firmly believe that Todd Dodge will be a fine head coach at this level (i.e., a winning coach)--but I don't know if it's going to happen before RV is forced to make a change.

GoMeanGreen1999 · November 8, 2009

If what we saw this afternoon is what we see the next three weeks, I would not write off the possibility of a coaching change.
I firmly believe that Todd Dodge will be a fine head coach at this level (i.e., a winning coach)--but I don't know if it's going to happen before RV is forced to make a change.

Did you read Tasty's story on the likelyhood of him being a winning coach? ....what did you see today that gives you any indication that the next three weeks will be different? I still say he is not going anywhere.

untbowler · November 8, 2009

I do not see Dodge going anywhere until RV is also shown the door. They are tied togther at the hip.

Mean Green 93-98 · November 8, 2009

Did you read Tasty's story on the likelyhood of him being a winning coach?

I read the statistics that he looked up. Statistics only say so much. Many coaches are not successful early in their coaching careers because they will never be successful--they cannot lead, they do not have the football IQ, etc. But not every situation is parallel, and sometimes coaches enter the next level before they're ready. Todd Dodge clearly has a high football IQ, as observed by coaching greats such as Mack Brown and Bill Parcells. I just don't think he was ready to be a 1-A head football coach.

....what did you see today that gives you any indication that the next three weeks will be different?

Nothing. I was not trying to suggest they will be. I think this team has experienced too much losing to get mentally prepared to win. I hope they prove me wrong.

I still say he is not going anywhere.

Why? Based on what people have said on this board? RV said at the beginning of the season that he was going to evaluate TD at the end of the season, and needed to see clear improvement. Two wins may technically be improvement over last year, but I would think he expected progress beyond what we had in Coach Dodge's first year. One to two more wins may be all that it takes to keep him here. But if he loses out, especially with more blowout losses, I don't expect him back. I hope we don't have to find out.

UNTBill · November 8, 2009

The intensity on the defensive side of the ball, in particular, has regressed so far from the Ball St. and Ohio games. The defense flew to the ball in those games.
I am tired of what appear from the outside to be uninspired efforts.

A coach, I don't know who, was talking to the defense. He was sitting on the bench looking at his clip board while talking

to the players. Talk about intensity. This coach had none.

UNT90 · November 8, 2009

But if he loses out, especially with more blowout losses, I don't expect him back. I hope we don't have to find out.

Blowout losses would indicate that the team has quite, which should not bode well for the coach. This would indicate that he has lost the team.

The reason I say this is because, looking at mutual competition, we should be competitive with every team left on our schedule, including Army, who beat Ball St. by 7 and needed all 4 quarters to do it. But, this team doesn't appear to be the same team that we saw against Bll St. and Ohio.

Using this logic, we are only 1 point away from Troy, who beat WKU by only 20 on Saturday, and WKU is 4 points better than us, since we lost to Troy by 24.

We are about where I thought we would be in my preseason predictions.. We are far from where I thought we would be after our first 2 games.

Green P1 · November 8, 2009

But, this team doesn't appear to be the same team that we saw against Bll St. and Ohio.

I'll agree 100%. That team looked like it had confidence in both itself and it's coaching staff. There have been spurts, but we've not seen that team since week 2. By no fault/decision of their own, this team has quit on itself/Dodge.

UNT_playmaker · November 8, 2009

I do not see Dodge going anywhere until RV is also shown the door. They are tied togther at the hip.

Thank you this is so very true, our entire program will continue to be where it is today.

eulesseagle · November 8, 2009

I thought the NT defense played one of its best games. The "D" line and LBs looked really good at stopping the run and passes over the middle. The weakness, IMHO, is still the corners. The corners looked terrible, again. One poster said something to the effect of getting their hands up.

LaMo does have one of the best "D's" in the conference and it showed last night. They did an excellent job containing Dunbar, forced RD into 3 interceptions (got to remember that he had only thrown one in the two previous games) and RD was sacked 3 times (I believe the "O" line had only given up 1/2 sack per game this year).

I think everyone has to admit that even at half time NT was still in the game and even about half way into the 3rd quarter. Just didn't happen.

IMHO NT has a chance to win out.