Is Man-On-Man Defense Suitable For Us?

greenminer · January 28, 2011

It's still okay to be disappointed; top-20 is what we are striving for.

But raise your hand if you thought going into this season we were a top-20 squad. And try not to nit pick about "potential."

greenminer · January 28, 2011

God, this place turns into a shit hole after a loss.

Can you imagine, with all the traffic the football forum gets, what it would be like over there if coach Mac gets that team winning?

UNTLifer · January 28, 2011

It is, but losing to a terrible, 6 win team while allowing 90 plus points is a HUGE step in the wrong direction. A step we can't keep taking year after year if we expect this thing to end up where we want it to end up (top 20).

There was a reason this team was a unanimous selection to win the Belt this year. That looks almost impossible now. THAT is a step in the wrong direction.

Exactly my point, and yes, I know it was unanimous to win the West, but gay Denver's gonna have that wrapped up in no time.

I guess it all depends on where we want this team to go. Kansas has had, what I would consider, a half a clunker against a very good Texas team and lost. Then again, they were dealing with the death of a teammates mother. What other top teams are getting beat by a 4 win team or by a team that they beat by 17 earlier in the year or by a Southland Conference team by 20 pts? We should have won all three of those games, plus the game against the MUTS.

CMJ · January 28, 2011

Exactly my point, and yes, I know it was unanimous to win the West, but gay Denver's gonna have that wrapped up in no time.

I doubt that, given their schedule.

Edited January 28, 2011 by CMJ

UNT90 · January 28, 2011

Obviously, Johnny Jones must not be the man then to get us to where we want to go. I mean, look at all of the past SBC teams that are regularly ranked in the top 20 each year. If we can't come close to matching that list of teams, then we need some serious changes at the top. Oh wait...

Having expectations raised is great. They should be raised--to realistic levels. We aren't anywhere close to being a top mid-major yet. When we get to a place where we have a deeper team than what we have now, then we can talk about going undefeated in league play and being a serious player in March. Otherwise, a team with 6 (maybe 7) componenets is not going to be able to bring it every night at a high level. It happens to a lot of schools when injuries and other issues pop up. See Western Kentucky the last two years. If this turns out to be a "step-back" year, it doesn't mean that we aren't making strides as a program still. We can't let these losses blind us to the fact that the program has made the Super Pit an awfully tough place to play and that we are getting major attention from recruits that this university would have never gotten before JJ's run over the last 5 years.

If we are just gonna make this a black-and-white issue with absolutely no gray, then see my sarcastic paragraph above and take it to heart. Otherwise, lets let it play out and see where it goes. I know that we have some mind-numbing losses from the last few years and now this one. But it happens everywhere, even to top 10 teams--(Duke lost at Florida State, Villanova lost Providence).

The Sun Belt has had a sweet 16 team and a final 32 team in the last three tournaments, so yes, this league does produce high mid-majors and top 20 level teams (even if the aren't ranked as such). The fact that this team is stumbling (right now) in a down year in the Belt is very disappointing, and yes, expectations were raised for this year (or at least they should have been).

What bothers me more than the losses has been the way way they have occurred. Losing 66-60 to LaLa because of an off shooting night is one thing, but giving up 90 plus points to that dog of a team is inexcusable, as has been the defensive performance in each of the 3 conference road losses. That is hugely concerning to me.

The step back is not for the program, but for this team this year. With the incoming talent, I have legitimate hope that we are a top 20 team in 2 years. So, I would say that we are pretty close, as a program, to getting to that level. It's time for us to raise our expectations just a little, don't you think?

This team could right the ship against Denver, and then go on a conference win streak similiar to the way they closed out last season. The lack of consistent defensive intensity (along with the schedule) makes me skeptical of such a run, but it could happen. That still wouldn't change the fact that this was a terrible loss to a bad team characterized by a lack of effort on the defensive end of the floor.

Edited January 28, 2011 by UNT90

FirefightnRick · January 29, 2011

See?!?!?! Anyone want to disagree with my statement now?

No I definately agree, but mainly because of the sickening low expectations people often have of our teams around here.

Rick

CMJ · January 29, 2011

We won 4 conference championships in football during the last 10 years. Anyone happy with our football program?

I think most were at 4 in 4. Sure in another six years if we haven't done squat, people will probably be unhappy. However, considering the fact that 2 thirds of our ALL-TIME tournament appearances have occurred in the last 4 years - I'm gonna stay calm.