My Qb Spotlight On The First Day Of Practice

[KT1310]

Danget, I knew you guys would respond to something like that, but even though I am considered a student writer, I know that if it is just a rumor, I wouldn't write it.

It is true, you have my word on that. By true I mean I know for a fact that's what the coaches want.

Sorry for the edit, I forgot you guys were asking for a source. My source asked to speak on condition of anonymity because he is not really supposed to talk about the subject.

If you were at practice and talked to someone then I'll believe you but, I would think the players and coaches want Tune, because if that's the case, then it means he had a good camp/better camp than Thompson.

[Travis]

Interesting post. I find it baffling that nobody likes to talk about the conspiracy theory that the coaching staff betrayed Tune and the team by going ultra conservative in the first quarter against Alabama. Many UNT fans and players from last year think it was clear that it was a move to not allow Tune to succeed, just so Riley would keep his job and there would be no QB controversey.

I didn't think that.

I recall someone did an analysis of the game that proved that he wasn't just giving up based on the play calls.

[emmitt01]

Not knocking Tune, but a review of those games will show that he compiled most of his stats against Bama and Troy's 2nd and third team defense long after the games were decided. Bama doesn't bother me that much. Troy on the other hand....

1st team, 2nd team or the A-team...it doesn't matter, he protected the football. Make no mistake, if we don't protect the ball we will NOT make a turnaround. We're just not that good. If Thompson brings speed, arm strength, athleticism and INT and/or fumble numbers like we got from the QB position last season...we will lose. We could win only scoring 21 pts or so. We cannot win putting the defense in bad spots and spotting the other team cheap points off turnovers. I fully believe Tune gives you the best chance for this reason.

[UNT90]

1st team, 2nd team or the A-team...it doesn't matter, he protected the football. Make no mistake, if we don't protect the ball we will NOT make a turnaround. We're just not that good. If Thompson brings speed, arm strength, athleticism and INT and/or fumble numbers like we got from the QB position last season...we will lose. We could win only scoring 21 pts or so. We cannot win putting the defense in bad spots and spotting the other team cheap points off turnovers. I fully believe Tune gives you the best chance for this reason.

I agree with you and disagree with you, both at the same time. Yes, turnovers must be eliminated from the QB position, and Tune should be better equipped to do that. But, I think Thompson is better equipped to be able to move the football on offense. If you are going 3 and out every series it doesn't mattter if you aren't turning the ball over (just an example, not what I would expect from Tune).

For this team to make a dramatic turnaround, this team NEEDS Thompson to be the difference maker that he appeared he could be against Ark St. Tune may get you between 3-5 wins. Thompson may get you 7 or he may get you 1. It's a gamble, but surely we are due for some luck for a change.

I hope.

[Harry]

Do we really know Thompson? I say give Tune the first half againt Clemson and Thompson the second. Whoever plays better gets the start against Rice. If both struggle give Baine some time. Done.

[stebo]

Do we really know Thompson? I say give Tune the first half againt Clemson and Thompson the second. Whoever plays better gets the start against Rice. If both struggle give Baine some time. Done.

Agreed, this battle will go into the season. I think that Riley will throw the ball quite a bit, just not line up as the QB. Whoever can work with Riley the best will get the starting nod.

[eulessismore]

I can support whoever is on the field playing QB, and trust Coach Canales to play one as the starter from day 1, or mix and match them as needed to get the W's.

[GreenLegend37]

I can support whoever is on the field playing QB, and trust Coach Canales to play one as the starter from day 1, or mix and match them as needed to get the W's.

Honestly, I think that's the key. Whoever the North Texas starting quarterback needs to have 110% confidence from the people from both the inside and outside the athletic department. If he doesn't have any believers, that would definitely harp his confidence.

[eulessismore]

I will say that I'm torn; I like Tune for sentimental reasons (served well as backup in difficulty circumstances) and his accuracy on the long throw. I like Thompson for what he did for a high school program that had never accomplished anything of note before him, and for what he has shown in his limited appearance for North Texas. Honestly, I really liked Riley for his courage, leadership under pressure, and athleticism.

However, our coaching staff have their livelihools on the line, and their personnel decisions in 2010 will reflect that. I think that even if we have one starting QB for every game of the season, that others will play meaningful situational roles.

Edited August 9, 2010 by eulessismore

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

Do we really know Thompson? I say give Tune the first half againt Clemson and Thompson the second. Whoever plays better gets the start against Rice. If both struggle give Baine some time. Done.

That's how Dickey would have done it -- and we hardly won any OOC games and hardly ever had a starting OB before conference play. It is hard to make the difficult game decisions when you have to look over your back the whole game.

[foutsrouts]

Damn, I'm just happy because we have a large amount of people here who truly seem to care! I hope the best man wins the job, but let us all grab ten friends and take them to the Rice game regardless of the first week results. I'm honestly pretty excited about our prospects this season.

[KRAM1]

Damn, I'm just happy because we have a large amount of people here who truly seem to care! I hope the best man wins the job, but let us all grab ten friends and take them to the Rice game regardless of the first week results. I'm honestly pretty excited about our prospects this season.

Excellent...exactly the point. Regardless of the QB, let's all support the Mean green by showing up for the games and doing what we can to bring friends to the games. I expect to see two or even three very good QB's and an excellent "wildcat" playing for the Mean Green this season. Let's hope the #2 and #3 QB's have lots of "mopping up" duties this year.

GO MEAN GREEN!

[Harry]

That's how Dickey would have done it -- and we hardly won any OOC games and hardly ever had a starting OB before conference play. It is hard to make the difficult game decisions when you have to look over your back the whole game.

Dickey was not in a must win situation like Dodge is in.

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

Dickey was not in a must win situation like Dodge is in.

Precisely why Dodge should make a hard decision and go down swinging with that decision. It leaves too much to be debated if you always have your finger on the trigger waiting to fire the starting QB. Pick the QB you like the most and work within his skill set.

Edited August 9, 2010 by SteaminWillieBeamin

[Harry]

Precisely why Dodge should make a the hard decision and go down swinging with that decision. It leaves too much to be debated if you always have you hand on the trigger waiting to fire the starting QB. Pick the QB you like the most and work within his skill set.

So you saying Rodge will start agin Clemson?

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

So you saying Rodge will start agin Clemson?

That would be my preference. Obviously he needs to pick from the choices -- Riley isn't one.

Playing NCAA 11 with Tune is hard. They have his mobility next to nothing. I use Teegarden because of his mobility and the option threat. His throwing is far from stellar, but he keeps the defense honest in their blitzing. So if life were a video game, the freshman would have my vote.

Edited August 9, 2010 by SteaminWillieBeamin

[TheColonyEagle]

I agree with you and disagree with you, both at the same time. Yes, turnovers must be eliminated from the QB position, and Tune should be better equipped to do that. But, I think Thompson is better equipped to be able to move the football on offense. If you are going 3 and out every series it doesn't mattter if you aren't turning the ball over (just an example, not what I would expect from Tune).

For this team to make a dramatic turnaround, this team NEEDS Thompson to be the difference maker that he appeared he could be against Ark St. Tune may get you between 3-5 wins. Thompson may get you 7 or he may get you 1. It's a gamble, but surely we are due for some luck for a change.

I hope.

That's a big hope. We don't know anything about Thompson. That is awfully risky to put your future in his hands. I can't wait to see him play either but not until next year. Plus, as to NEEDING a difference maker this year, Riley's a difference maker, he was last year too, plus gave the added bonus of being able to run. But playmaking ability does you no good if you're giving the ball to the other team. We need as Dodge says, "a distributor of the football." I think our solid O-Line and Dunbar in the backfield are a perfect combination for Tune and this offense to succeed. He's a very smart QB with a good arm with accuracy. He's bulked up in in the off season, will have multiple weapons at his disposal, takes care of the ball, knows the offense very well and is most importantly, EXPERIENCED.

I think Tune's the one to lead this offense this year. And if he stays healthy, look for some hefty numbers from him as well.

Edited August 9, 2010 by TheColonyEagle

[Marty]

The ultimate decision will be Coach Dodge's but Canales is coming in at ground zero with all the QB's. Other than film, he has no history as to what they did or didn't do last season. An unbiased set of eyes is what I'm saying. Don't know what kind of influence he'll have on the decision though.

[forevereagle]

That would be my preference. Obviously he needs to pick from the choices -- Riley isn't one.

Playing NCAA 11 with Tune is hard. They have his mobility next to nothing. I use Teegarden because of his mobility and the option threat. His throwing is far from stellar, but he keeps the defense honest in their blitzing. So if life were a video game, the freshman would have my vote.

NCAA < Real Life

[UNT90]

That's a big hope. We don't know anything about Thompson. That is awfully risky to put your future in his hands. I can't wait to see him play either but not until next year. Plus, as to NEEDING a difference maker this year, Riley's a difference maker, he was last year too, plus gave the added bonus of being able to run. But playmaking ability does you no good if you're giving the ball to the other team. We need as Dodge says, "a distributor of the football." I think our solid O-Line and Dunbar in the backfield are a perfect combination for Tune and this offense to succeed. He's a very smart QB with a good arm with accuracy. He's bulked up in in the off season, will have multiple weapons at his disposal, takes care of the ball, knows the offense very well and is most importantly, EXPERIENCED.

I think Tune's the one to lead this offense this year. And if he stays healthy, look for some hefty numbers from him as well.

Tune's experience is 2 blowout losses in which the offense never moved the ball against the other team's 1st defense. Thompson's experience is one series, in which he entered cold, as a true freshman, against a 1st team defense which was playing hard to stop a potential rally, and he immediately went 3 for 3 with a touchdown, including three dead on strikes while throwing on the run.

It basically comes down to neither of these QBs having much in-game experience, but I'll take the one who made the absolute most of his chance and roll the dice.

Besides, if experience is all that mattered, Brad Johnson would have started ahead of Tony Romo. Kosar ahead of Aikman, Morton ahead of Staubach, etc, etc, etc...

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

NCAA < Real Life

You don't say...

They still have benefits. Even in the real world.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4685909/

[TIgreen01]

The biggest threat to our offense this year is the loss of the zone-read running game that Dunbar thrived in last year since someone other than Riley will be running at QB. Tune can't force the defense to take that extra split second to read the hand-off b/c he, himself, is not someone that has the wheels to get downfield before the defender can recover. I have not seen Thompson play, but have heard that he's a better runner than Tune---but not as good a runner as Riley was. It remains to be seen if he's able to make the zone-read effective.

The wild card is, as several have mentioned, how many snaps Riley gets at QB running the wildcat...or even just on trick plays or motion coming from the slot. If that's a viable threat, and we're running a ton of pre-snap motion (as is rumored to be the case), then you can effectively limit how much Tune's lack of mobility will effect the offense that Canales usually likes to run. Heck, any use of the TE over the middle of the field will help here, as well.

If I'm betting on who gets the start, I'd go with Tune...simply b/c he's the senior and he's proven he can protect the ball. If he struggles to put points on the board against Rice, Thompson will get his shot.

Edited August 10, 2010 by TIgreen01

[Mean Green 93-98]

Tune's experience is 2 blowout losses in which the offense never moved the ball against the other team's 1st defense. Thompson's experience is one series, in which he entered cold, as a true freshman, against a 1st team defense which was playing hard to stop a potential rally, and he immediately went 3 for 3 with a touchdown, including three dead on strikes while throwing on the run.

Your first sentence might give the wrong impression. Don't forget that Nathan Tune was the QB during most of that comeback effort against Arkansas State. UNT scored three TDs and allowed none while Nate was in at QB.

[emmitt01]

Most of Dunbars yards were on straight up handoff plays. Next "we need Riley" argument?

The biggest threat to our offense this year is the loss of the zone-read running game that Dunbar thrived in last year since someone other than Riley will be running at QB. Tune can't force the defense to take that extra split second to read the hand-off b/c he, himself, is not someone that has the wheels to get downfield before the defender can recover. I have not seen Thompson play, but have heard that he's a better runner than Tune---but not as good a runner as Riley was. It remains to be seen if he's able to make the zone-read effective.

The wild card is, as several have mentioned, how many snaps Riley gets at QB running the wildcat...or even just on trick plays or motion coming from the slot. If that's a viable threat, and we're running a ton of pre-snap motion (as is rumored to be the case), then you can effectively limit how much Tune's lack of mobility will effect the offense that Canales usually likes to run. Heck, any use of the TE over the middle of the field will help here, as well.

If I'm betting on who gets the start, I'd go with Tune...simply b/c he's the senior and he's proven he can protect the ball. If he struggles to put points on the board against Rice, Thompson will get his shot.

[UNT90]

Your first sentence might give the wrong impression. Don't forget that Nathan Tune was the QB during most of that comeback effort against Arkansas State. UNT scored three TDs and allowed none while Nate was in at QB.

Duly noted. I think we have a pretty good handle on Tune's ceiling. I'm hoping that Thompson is a very rare find that has a much higher ceiling than Tune. I'm hoping that Thompson can have Tune Ohio type performances against teams like Clemson, K State, Troy, and MTSU. Is that fair to either of them? No, but whoever said life was fair.