Just When You Thought Our College Football Irrelevance

[FirefightnRick]

For the Mean Green Nation member who still believes a turnaround has to be a waiting game.

SMU bowl eligible in June Jones' 2nd season,alone in first place of the C-USA western division.

Rick

Edited November 15, 2009 by FirefightnRick

[NT1978]

"We gave up a lot of yards, but we won the game," coach June Jones Mario Cristobal said. "We find a way to win games, and that's because of the chemistry and attitude in the locker room."

[gangrene]

"We gave up gained a lot of yards, but we won lost the game," coach June Jones Todd Dodge said. "We find a way to win lose games, and that's because of the chemistry and attitude in the locker room."

Edited November 15, 2009 by gangrene

[Green P1]

For the Mean Green Nation member who still believes a turnaround has to be a waiting game.

SMU bowl eligible in June Jones' 2nd season,alone in first place of the C-USA western division.

Rick

Come on Rick... we can't compare the two. They brought in a proven coach and we brought in a moron. It takes morons longer to turn things around.

[emmitt01]

Wanna feel even better? They head to Marshall next Saturday to pick up win #7...and if they don't get it there they will get it at home against Tulane the next week. Yeah, that's right, SMU will end this season 7-5 or 8-4 and will likely head where? The New Orleans bowl. TCU will head to a BCS game.

Meanwhile, in the shadow of both of these teams we will continue to chant our newfound rallying cry of "just wait til next year". We know it, recruits know it, RV has got to know it...and more importantly the casual fan who no longer bothers to show up knows it, as Bill Parcells said "you are who your record says you are".

We can talk about how we can't afford another coach. We can recite the "progress" mantra. Hell, at this point we could give away tickets (and in some cases our friends won't even take those). The bottom line is that Todd Dodge coaching here next season sends a clear message to fence sitting alums and potential fans. The other metroplex teams are committed to being competitive, and we are committed to our excuses.

Edited November 15, 2009 by emmitt01

[NM Green]

I agree that watching smu win the new orleans bowl this year will suck; however, i will say that the message of non-commital will be sent after next year. We have backed ourselves into a rock and a hard place and must live with dodge 1 more year. of course at that point smu will probably be competing for a bcs game and tcu will have another 10 win season - so we might improve or see the light at the end of the tunnel but we will be part of the dfw irrelevance smu has been for decades.

grv

p.s. - doesn't mean the coaching search and interviewing process cannot begin behind the scenes now.

[UNT_playmaker]

Talk about your team of the metroplex.....

In regards to where we stand in the metroplex, I think we are tied with Texas Wesleyan and or Devry....

[TheTastyGreek]

"......and we have a defense who does not put pressure on the quarterback or tackle. But don't blame our defensive coordinator, he has been here before, therefore don't blame him for anything. We don't need our defense to stop opponents, 35 points is nothing to overcome, we just needed to score 36 points."

Again... DeLoach can't coach QBs not to throw INTs for touchdowns. He can't coach the special teams unit not to get punts blocked. And he isn't responsible for teaching the offensive skill guys how to not fumble the football. He's also not teaching the offense to fail to convert on 1st and goal, and he's not coaching receivers to drop TD passes.

The defense has had a few good games, a discouraging number of bad ones, and one or two that were just adequate. Last night was an adequate performance. We should have won, and the reason we didn't wasn't because the defense blew the game.

Edited November 15, 2009 by TheTastyGreek

[GoMeanGreen1999]

"......and we have a defense who does not put pressure on the quarterback or tackle. But don't blame our defensive coordinator, he has been here before, therefore don't blame him for anything. We don't need our defense to stop opponents, 35 points is nothing to overcome, we just needed to score 36 points."

This defense held them to 14 point in the first half. What the heck happened to our offense? An offense that put up 28 points and over 300 yards in the FIRST half? Where did the play calling go in the second half? That's right, now I remember, we toss a PICK 6 and then turn around and get a punt blocked setting them up with a first and 10 from what our 30? Look if you want to blame the defense there are plenty of games to do it, but as TTG said, they didn't lose that game last night.

[MeanGreen61]

Wanna feel even better? They head to Marshall next Saturday to pick up win #7...and if they don't get it there they will get it at home against Tulane the next week. Yeah, that's right, SMU will end this season 7-5 or 8-4 and will likely head where? The New Orleans bowl. TCU will head to a BCS game.

Meanwhile, in the shadow of both of these teams we will continue to chant our newfound rallying cry of "just wait til next year". We know it, recruits know it, RV has got to know it...and more importantly the casual fan who no longer bothers to show up knows it, as Bill Parcells said "you are who your record says you are".

We can talk about how we can't afford another coach. We can recite the "progress" mantra. Hell, at this point we could give away tickets (and in some cases our friends won't even take those). The bottom line is that Todd Dodge coaching here next season sends a clear message to fence sitting alums and potential fans. The other metroplex teams are committed to being competitive, and we are committed to our excuses.

Emmitt you seem to have all the answers so why don't you tell us exactly what we should do ! Spell out your gameplan for success !

[Green P1]

Again... DeLoach can't coach QBs not to throw INTs for touchdowns. He can't coach the special teams unit not to get punts blocked. And he isn't responsible for teaching the offensive skill guys how to not fumble the football. He's also not teaching the offense to fail to convert on 1st and goal, and he's not coaching receivers to drop TD passes.

The defense has had a few good games, a discouraging number of bad ones, and one or two that were just adequate. Last night was an adequate performance. We should have won, and the reason we didn't wasn't because the defense blew the game.

You just can't expect a defense to force a fg, punt, or turnover against FIU with their backs against the wall. This is such a tired head argument.

Yea this crappy offense puts the D in plenty of bad positions, but how can you call a defense that has failed to bail the offense out all season long adequate?

[Green Dozer]

Again... DeLoach can't coach QBs not to throw INTs for touchdowns. He can't coach the special teams unit not to get punts blocked. And he isn't responsible for teaching the offensive skill guys how to not fumble the football. He's also not teaching the offense to fail to convert on 1st and goal, and he's not coaching receivers to drop TD passes.

The defense has had a few good games, a discouraging number of bad ones, and one or two that were just adequate. Last night was an adequate performance. We should have won, and the reason we didn't wasn't because the defense blew the game.

I do not completely disagree with you. But a defense cannot call 28 points allowed an adequate performance, and when you do give up the amount of points we consistently have done, you are going to lose more than you win. I have seen in person the defensive line getting their tails kicked at the line of scrimmage, stupid 15 yard penalty calls, not turning to look when the ball is passed, arm tackling, no pressure on the quarterback, getting burned up the middle, etc. The defense has to deal with the hand dealt and make the plays to. It has to put the offense in a good position on the field as well. Hey, there is enough blame for every unit on this team to share in.

[TheTastyGreek]

You just can't expect a defense to force a fg, punt, or turnover against FIU with their backs against the wall. This is such a tired head argument.

Yea this crappy offense puts the D in plenty of bad positions, but how can you call a defense that has failed to bail the offense out all season long adequate?

The defense gave up 14 points in the 2nd half. Both TDs were on drives that started on our half of the field because of a miscue on offense or special teams.

One of them, FIU needed 7 plays to go just 16 yards. Defense forced a 4th down.

In the entire game, the defense only surrendered as many points as the offense had scored halfway through the 2nd quarter.

For at least the 3rd time this season, the defense did enough to win the game if not for an INT-for-TD or a blocked punt or either. The defense hasn't been good, but it's been largely adequate to occasionally quite decent.

The defense did enough to win us the game against Ohio, Lafayette, and FIU. If it weren't for some of the most godawful kicking in the history of feet and balls, they probably would have done enough for us to win against FAU.

They aren't great. They shouldn't have to be. They've done enough to put us in position for 6 wins, if not for points scored against the offense or special teams, or for repeated and almost unrecoverable errors by both or either.

This is a defense trying to climb its way out of the cellar of D-1 football. When they have to fight the opponent, they tend to do enough. When they've got to fight the opponent and every other aspect of their own team... They aren't good enough to handle that. Yet.

[TheTastyGreek]

Agreed. Way too many long runs up the middle against our D.

Let me go ahead and say that I agree with this. And I hate it when I see DBs get burned without even raising their arms. And I hate seeing us get pushed around at the line of scrimmage. And I don't get the Gilmore stuff.

The defense isn't good. Some games, it isn't even adequate. But it's better, and generally it IS doing enough, despite all the problems and miscues and how we practice and the personality conflicts and whatever else is going on that kneecaps this whole operation.

This isn't a team with a whole lot of margin for error anywhere. We can't put Riley in 3rd and long situations, time after time, and expect him to be able to magically rescue us. We can't rely on the kicking game to hit a last second field goal from 48 yards away. And we can't put a ton of weight on our defense, because it isn't strong enough to support it. If they hold an opponent to 17-28 points... That's not a great result. But it ought to be enough, against a schedule with 8 Sun Belt opponents, 2 MAC opponents, and a service academy, to give us a chance to win games. So far this year... It HAS.

The defense is barely good enough to do it's own job. It can't compensate for special teams. It can't compensate when we're giving up points on offense.

I know what DeLoach is capable of here. If he can't get anything more than this out of the defensive unit, I sincerely believe that there is nobody else out there we could get who possibly could.

[Green P1]

The defense gave up 14 points in the 2nd half. Both TDs were on drives that started on our half of the field because of a miscue on offense or special teams.

One of them, FIU needed 7 plays to go just 16 yards. Defense forced a 4th down.

Well there's a Gold Star!!1!

Again................is it too much to ask for one single important stand by the D against FIU(or anyone?)

I quit, my head hurts.

[emmitt01]

Emmitt you seem to have all the answers so why don't you tell us exactly what we should do ! Spell out your gameplan for success !

You want my plan? Fair enough, here it is...if I was RV I would:

Tell Dodge that he is coaching a two game season. Win out and we're 4-8. Not great but it shows improvement and gives momentum going forward. Both of these are vital to selling this program to those I'm trying to get to buy in. Tell Dodge that short of four wins he will either need to tender his resignation or be prepared to be called "Todd Dodge, North Texas OC". His ego won't allow the demotion along with the firing of Ford.

Have a short list of potential replacements in hand. If we have to cut ties or re-assign Dodge I don't want the new guy hamstrung in recruiting.

Say that next season we have to be bowl eligible. Not necessarily in a bowl, because bowl tie ins can be hinky, but we need to have 6 or more wins. If not, fired. At this point we should be able avoid having to re-assign him.

Bring EVERY coach in and ask them to explain exactly what progress has been made in their respective area. Short of a very good answer, fire them.

Make it abundantly obvious that practice as it has been conducted will cease. We will hitlike football teams do, we will practice tackling, we will abandon soft zone/man coverage. "Blood alley" will return. Finesse football has seen it's last days at North Texas. And, because we need all the interest we can muster from fans, practice will be open.

That would be my plan. Fire away.

Edited November 15, 2009 by emmitt01

[eulessismore]

Agreed. Way too many long runs up the middle against our D.

I thought they at least held them on some possessions. I guess I'm surprised that the coaches were still moving D-Linemen around position wise as of 2 weeks ago and seem to still be changing up the rotation from week to week. I think that if people like Cantly can go into the offseason knowing that they'll be playing tackle, and whoever will be playing end, that it will help. Nobody can convince me that it doesn't require some adjustment on a player's part to go from one of those positions to the other. Also, the goals for weight and other conditioning criteria are different. I would like to see Cantly stay at tackle, and be playing at 290-300 pounds. Like Green P1, I still have my doubts about the undersized DE's, but for some, Obi in particular, there seems to be promise. Again, an offseason with him in the conditioning program should help. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's the defensive backfield that's shown the least progress as far as defense.

Edited November 15, 2009 by eulessismore

[MeanGreen61]

You want my plan? Fair enough, here it is...if I was RV I would:

Tell Dodge that he is coaching a two game season. Win out and we're 4-8. Not great but it shows improvement and gives momentum going forward. Both of these are vital to selling this program to those I'm trying to get to buy in. Tell Dodge that short of four wins he will either need to tender his resignation or be prepared to be called "Todd Dodge, North Texas OC". His ego won't allow the demotion along with the firing of Ford.

Say that next season we have to be bowl eligible. Not necessarily in a bowl, because bowl tie ins can be hinky, but we need to have 6 or more wins. If not, fired. At this point we should be able avoid having to re-assign him.

Bring EVERY coach in and ask them to explain exactly what progress has been made in their respective area. Short of a very good answer, fire them.

Make it abundantly obvious that practice as it has been conducted will cease. We will hitlike football teams do, we will practice tackling, we will abandon soft zone/man coverage. "Blood alley" will return. Finesse football has seen it's last days at North Texas. And, because we need all the interest we can muster from fans, practice will be open.

That would be my plan. Fire away.

Fair enough............thanks for responding.

[UNT_playmaker]

You want my plan? Fair enough, here it is...if I was RV I would:

Tell Dodge that he is coaching a two game season. Win out and we're 4-8. Not great but it shows improvement and gives momentum going forward. Both of these are vital to selling this program to those I'm trying to get to buy in. Tell Dodge that short of four wins he will either need to tender his resignation or be prepared to be called "Todd Dodge, North Texas OC". His ego won't allow the demotion along with the firing of Ford.

Have a short list of potential replacements in hand. If we have to cut ties or re-assign Dodge I don't want the new guy hamstrung in recruiting.

Say that next season we have to be bowl eligible. Not necessarily in a bowl, because bowl tie ins can be hinky, but we need to have 6 or more wins. If not, fired. At this point we should be able avoid having to re-assign him.

Bring EVERY coach in and ask them to explain exactly what progress has been made in their respective area. Short of a very good answer, fire them.

Make it abundantly obvious that practice as it has been conducted will cease. We will hitlike football teams do, we will practice tackling, we will abandon soft zone/man coverage. "Blood alley" will return. Finesse football has seen it's last days at North Texas. And, because we need all the interest we can muster from fans, practice will be open.

That would be my plan. Fire away.

How soon can you quit the DPD and take over our inept Athletic Director's job....

[Poneez]

Wanna feel even better? They head to Marshall next Saturday to pick up win #7...and if they don't get it there they will get it at home against Tulane the next week. Yeah, that's right, SMU will end this season 7-5 or 8-4 and will likely head where? The New Orleans bowl.

Not to nitpick, but we are most likely going to the Hawaii Bowl.

[TheTastyGreek]

Not to nitpick, but we are most likely going to the Hawaii Bowl.

You guys will basically be the home team.

[eulessismore]

Not to nitpick, but we are most likely going to the Hawaii Bowl.

I heard that Youri Yenga played well in the last game.

[Poneez]

I heard that Youri Yenga played well in the last game.

He is having a very good season. We are proud of him.

[Poneez]

You guys will basically be the home team.

Hope to have the local support but some of the UH fans are still mad about Coach Jones leaving...so it could go either way.

[untgirl04]

Let me go ahead and say that I agree with this. And I hate it when I see DBs get burned without even raising their arms. And I hate seeing us get pushed around at the line of scrimmage. And I don't get the Gilmore stuff.

The defense isn't good. Some games, it isn't even adequate. But it's better, and generally it IS doing enough, despite all the problems and miscues and how we practice and the personality conflicts and whatever else is going on that kneecaps this whole operation.

This isn't a team with a whole lot of margin for error anywhere. We can't put Riley in 3rd and long situations, time after time, and expect him to be able to magically rescue us. We can't rely on the kicking game to hit a last second field goal from 48 yards away. And we can't put a ton of weight on our defense, because it isn't strong enough to support it. If they hold an opponent to 17-28 points... That's not a great result. But it ought to be enough, against a schedule with 8 Sun Belt opponents, 2 MAC opponents, and a service academy, to give us a chance to win games. So far this year... It HAS.

The defense is barely good enough to do it's own job. It can't compensate for special teams. It can't compensate when we're giving up points on offense.

I know what DeLoach is capable of here. If he can't get anything more than this out of the defensive unit, I sincerely believe that there is nobody else out there we could get who possibly could.

Considering that our defense gave up an average of what, 45 points per game last year, I'd say there's still some improvement on defense. It's not where we'd like it to be by a long shot, but it's still better.