Realistic expectations come into focus

Brett Vito · September 3, 2011

Maybe it was the name people recognized. Or the way Dan McCarney took an Iowa State team that was terrible and turned it into one that seemed to be in a bowl game every year not too long ago.

McCarney’s infectious personality certainly had something to do with all those outsized expectations for North Texas this year.

Throw in the good feelings surrounding the opening of Apogee Stadium this week when Houston comes to town and there was a perfect storm around the UNT football program that sent expectations through the roof.

And way out of whack.

Any solid assessment of where the Mean Green stood heading into the season had to include the following pertinent facts:

UNT doesn’t have a proven college quarterback, a whole lot of proven linemen on either side of the ball or many skill position players who one can argue are among the Sun Belt Conference elite outside of Lance Dunbar.

What UNT had then and still has now is hope that a new coaching staff can do more with less.

Click Here for Entire DRC Article

This post has been promoted to an article

MeanMag · September 3, 2011

DRC

Good article. Everyone who's irate about FIU should give it a read.

SilverEagle · September 3, 2011

You know, REALISTICALLY[/i], North Texas should never have thought that it even had a prayer against Tennessee...final score..NT 21 vols 14. AND in the same year (1975) REALISTICALLY North Texas shouldn't have had any expectation that they could beat Houston, (who would end up being the SWC champs in 1976) final score, NT 28 UH 0.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat TCU in 1986....final score. NT 24 TCU 20

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat Texas Tech in 1988....especially after spotting them 21 points in the first half...final score NT 29...TT 24.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat UT.....we all know the results of that.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat RICE, another SWC school, in 1988....final score NT 33- Rice 17.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat SWC member SMU in 1990. Final score NT 14- SMU 7

You know, come to think of it, from the point of view of the REALISTIC observer, North Texas should have dropped football back in the early 70's.

TheTastyGreek · September 3, 2011

You know, REALISTICALLY[/i], North Texas should never have thought that it even had a prayer against Tennessee...final score..NT 21 vols 14. AND in the same year (1975) REALISTICALLY North Texas shouldn't have had any expectation that they could beat Houston, (who would end up being the SWC champs in 1976) final score, NT 28 UH 0.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat TCU in 1986....final score. NT 24 TCU 20

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat Texas Tech in 1988....especially after spotting them 21 points in the first half...final score NT 29...TT 24.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat UT.....we all know the results of that.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat RICE, another SWC school, in 1988....final score NT 33- Rice 17.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat SWC member SMU in 1990. Final score NT 14- SMU 7

You know, come to think of it, from the point of view of the REALISTIC observer, North Texas should have dropped football back in the early 70's.

ALSO IN 1975, North Texas got blown out 61-7 in a September game by a 7 win Oklahoma State team... If I didn't know better, I might reasonably assume that even teams on a positive track might just go out and have a godawful game once in a while in the early part of a season.

ALSO IN 1988, North Texas lost 3 games to 1-AA opponents. Including a shutout in the 1-AA playoffs! THE OFFENSE GOT SHUT OUT!!! Horror of horrors!

ALSO IN 1990, North Texas was coming off a defeat the year before to the same SMU team, then in their first year post-death penalty, when they'd otherwise gone 1-9! Lost by 26 on the road to arguably the worst SMU team in history... But winning by 7 the next year totally erases that shame.

It's been one game. And yes, that game sucked. Realistically, I think we all ought to just take a few weeks and let this thing come together a little bit.

MeanMag · September 3, 2011

You know, REALISTICALLY[/i], North Texas should never have thought that it even had a prayer against Tennessee...final score..NT 21 vols 14. AND in the same year (1975) REALISTICALLY North Texas shouldn't have had any expectation that they could beat Houston, (who would end up being the SWC champs in 1976) final score, NT 28 UH 0.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat TCU in 1986....final score. NT 24 TCU 20

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat Texas Tech in 1988....especially after spotting them 21 points in the first half...final score NT 29...TT 24.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat UT.....we all know the results of that.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat RICE, another SWC school, in 1988....final score NT 33- Rice 17.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat SWC member SMU in 1990. Final score NT 14- SMU 7

You know, come to think of it, from the point of view of the REALISTIC observer, North Texas should have dropped football back in the early 70's.

Does this mean you expect us to perform above realistic expectations against Houston and Alabama?

ForneyGreen · September 3, 2011

Ok - I see the overall point from Silver Eagle that we need to keep overall expectations high for our program (and I agree), but I think there's more to these listed results than realistic expectations.

REALISTICALLY[/i], North Texas should never have thought that it even had a prayer against Tennessee...final score..NT 21 vols 14. AND in the same year (1975) REALISTICALLY North Texas shouldn't have had any expectation that they could beat Houston, (who would end up being the SWC champs in 1976) final score, NT 28 UH 0.

That was a talented 1975 NT Team that was in its 3rd year under one of the greatest college coaches (IMHO).

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat Texas Tech in 1988....especially after spotting them 21 points in the first half...final score NT 29...TT 24.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat UT.....we all know the results of that.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat RICE, another SWC school, in 1988....final score NT 33- Rice 17.

The 1988 NT Team had some really good skill position players and a head coach in his 7th year of building a program. I probably wouldn't include Rice on this list because I expected NT to win that game - Rice didn't win a game in 1988.

REALISTICALLY, A 1-AA North Texas shouldn't have had any expectations that they could beat SWC member SMU in 1990. Final score NT 14- SMU 7

The 1990 NT Team again had some really good skill position players and a head coach in his 9th year of building a program. SMU was horrible in 1990 coming off of the death penalty.

I'm also not going to be happy with getting beaten badly by FIU and I won't be happy with the program until we are winning conference championships again, but let's give this thing some time to grow. Maybe Coach Mac will be winning games against SEC teams in Year 3. Well, maybe we'll win against an SEC team in 2 weeks

SilverEagle · September 3, 2011

ALSO IN 1975, North Texas got blown out 61-7 in a September game by a 7 win Oklahoma State team... If I didn't know better, I might reasonably assume that even teams on a positive track might just go out and have a godawful game once in a while in the early part of a season.

But that team would never have gotten on that positive track if they listened to the people who preface everything with "realistically"....especially after that early season debaucle.

TheTastyGreek · September 3, 2011

But that team would never have gotten on that positive track if they listened to the people who preface everything with "realistically"....especially after that early season debaucle.

I don't believe I heard that word out of McCarney's mouth once. Not in the postgame interview, not in any newspaper articles since.

MeanGreenTexan · September 3, 2011

...
It's been one game. And yes, that game sucked. Realistically, I think we all ought to just take a few weeks and let this thing come together a little bit.

I just hope it only takes a few weeks for it to come together. It looked like it only took 1 quarter for it to come together for the D, but we don't really know with the blowout fashion of that game.

I hope the offense finds a way to click in the next few weeks. I'd love to see a good game against Indiana and the rest of our conference foes.

NT71 · September 3, 2011

Expectations for this team is to cut down on mistakes, execute the gameplan and win baby win!!!!

I still think under Mac this team finishes 5-7!!

GMG

SilverEagle · September 3, 2011

I don't believe I heard that word out of McCarney's mouth once. Not in the postgame interview, not in any newspaper articles since.

I'm not talking about McCarney. But it can't be just the Head Coach's job to have high expectations.

Travis · September 3, 2011

I thought it was a good article.

Got5onIt · September 3, 2011

Excellent article.

Mean Green Matt · September 3, 2011

I agree that we need to be realistic, but the bottom bar of expectations should be at least 1 win above the best that Dodge did. I think this coaching staff, even without a high level of talent, should be able to accomplish that.

GrandGreen · September 3, 2011

NT lose the first game bad and looked worse than they did last year against everyone; but guess, FIU. Now, the majority of fans apparently think this is a rebuilding season and NT will be lucky to match last year's record.

As bad as it was it was one game. I don't see the talent level dropping from last year and I don't think a 4 win or less season is inescapable. No one should have thought that NT would beat FIU and NT didn't. I don't think FIU is a good as NT made them look, or NT is as incapable as they looked.

What concerns me is what looked like a DD game plan which only works if you have the superior athletes. Run up the middle even after you lose the starting center, and depend on in this case a very porous defense to keep you in the game. Didn't work for Dickey after he lost the athletic superiority and it won't work now unless NT is willing to wait years to slowly build up the roster. I see references to the lack of size still being a factor in spite of NT just getting run off the field by a smaller team in FIU.

I was not at the game, but it looked from the ESPN view that NT lacked the fire that they had the last half of last year and that is difficult to understand. NT is going to be massive underdogs in the next 4 games, and the game against FIU could look like a picnic if this team does not get much better.

The season has just started. I hope the team and staff unlike a lot of the fans don't give up because it is obvious they just don't have the talent. I expect a much better game next week against a better team than FIU and a team that is ready to do some damage by the time they get to the rest of the Belt schedule.

pastorgrant · September 4, 2011

ALSO IN 1975, North Texas got blown out 61-7 in a September game by a 7 win Oklahoma State team... If I didn't know better, I might reasonably assume that even teams on a positive track might just go out and have a godawful game once in a while in the early part of a season.

ALSO IN 1988, North Texas lost 3 games to 1-AA opponents. Including a shutout in the 1-AA playoffs! THE OFFENSE GOT SHUT OUT!!! Horror of horrors!

ALSO IN 1990, North Texas was coming off a defeat the year before to the same SMU team, then in their first year post-death penalty, when they'd otherwise gone 1-9! Lost by 26 on the road to arguably the worst SMU team in history... But winning by 7 the next year totally erases that shame.

It's been one game. And yes, that game sucked. Realistically, I think we all ought to just take a few weeks and let this thing come together a little bit.

I want so bad to give you +1 for this.

FloMoGrad · September 4, 2011

I was at the game, wife, 2.5 yr old and 7 month old. The team was flat. They looked flat in warmups and flat on the sidelines. The weather and delay I'm sure had something to do with it, but other than the student section, which was full and loud, the rest of the stadium was nearly empty. My expectations are still the same at 5 wins, we learned a lot, we'll progress and we're getting our sternest tests up front.

Not impressed one bit by FIU's facilities. Erector set.

Aquila_Viridis · September 4, 2011

I'd like to know what a REALISTIC expectation for next week's score is. Is it a 100 point margin? I'd say that would be a realistic expectation for a Division II school or maybe a Division I school without a coach. Anyway the final margin in this game is not nearly as much a concern as the infantile way this team started. Some people seem to think that the coach started the job this week. It DID look that way. What has been going on?

Got5onIt · September 4, 2011

I'd like to know what a REALISTIC expectation for next week's score is. Is it a 100 point margin? I'd say that would be a realistic expectation for a Division II school or maybe a Division I school without a coach. Anyway the final margin in this game is not nearly as much a concern as the infantile way this team started. Some people seem to think that the coach started the job this week. It DID look that way. What has been going on?

I think we'll have a really good outlook after next weeks game. Let's just hope UH doesn't come in here and have 4 straight FIU 1st qtrs on our guys.

The good news, a bad Ball St. team beat Indiana. If there's ever a game to look forward to right now, that is probably the one ( assuming Ball St. is as bad as they were last year)...