Utah State about to beat Auburn

[UNTflyer]

Great game by the Aggies.

Edit: Utah State about to blow it against Auburn

Edited September 3, 2011 by UNTflyer

[CaribbeanGreen]

Great game by the Aggies.

True Freshman QB (from Texas), three sophomores on an inexperienced O-Line... and they've gone into Auburn and put up 38 on the National Champs.

No excuses. It can be done.

(never mind the fact that Auburn looks like they're gonna win this. It's too bad USU's defense and special teams are collapsing.)

[SUMG]

Thought they had it won....not so sure now. Go Aggies!

[risinggreen]

the vaunted SEC doesn't look so vaunted today against the lowly "unvaunted" WAC. Pretty impressive game.

[UNTflyer]

Wow.

Edited September 3, 2011 by UNTflyer

[CaribbeanGreen]

Meltdown. Gotta feel for the USU offense.

There's time for a miracle, but....

[Eagle91Gator95]

Anyone else reminded of a certain trip to Austin on the late '80's by this game.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Complete meltdown. Almost as bad as Baylor's last night.

[CaribbeanGreen]

Complete meltdown. Almost as bad as Baylor's last night.

Worse - only because Baylor won.

This was a potential program-maker for USU. Now, it's just a soon to be forgotten footnote.

[TheTastyGreek]

Great game by the Aggies.

Edit: Utah State about to blow it against Auburn

Why do you jinx everything?

I'm stealing your computer during basketball season.

[SilverEagle]

What the hell is wrong with USU...... making Auburn sweat like that. Didn't they REALISTICALLY know that they didn't have a prayer?

[MeanMag]

True Freshman QB (from Texas), three sophomores on an inexperienced O-Line... and they've gone into Auburn and put up 38 on the National Champs.

No excuses. It can be done.

(never mind the fact that Auburn looks like they're gonna win this. It's too bad USU's defense and special teams are collapsing.)

I really hope you're right. Utah St. has had records as bad as ours for longer than us.

[CaribbeanGreen]

I really hope you're right. Utah St. has had records as bad as ours for longer than us.

Yep. Utah State hasn't won more than 4 games since.. get this... 2000.

..and they roll into Auburn with freshmen and sophomores all over the most critical offensive positions and put up 38 points on the champs. Glimmer of hope.

[MeanMag]

Yep. Utah State hasn't won more than 4 games since.. get this... 2000.

..and they roll into Auburn with freshmen and sophomores all over the most critical offensive positions and put up 38 points on the champs. Glimmer of hope.

They did the same thing to OU last year with the same coach, and still lost to in conference opponents SDSU, Hawaii, Boise St, Lousiana Tech and Idaho by somewhat large to very large margins so I would hesitate to draw too many lines between them and where we should set our expectations, if that's what your point is.

Edited September 3, 2011 by MeanMag

[NT03]

You are the king of jinxes

[CaribbeanGreen]

They did the same thing to OU last year with the same coach, and still lost to in conference opponents SDSU, Hawaii, Boise St, Lousiana Tech and Idaho by somewhat large to very large margins so I would hesitate to draw too many lines between them and where we should set our expectations, if that's what your point is.

So where should we set our expectations, if not to the level of perennial loser Utah State - with a true freshman QB and sophomores all over the line?

I'm not panicking, haven't lost any faith in the staff, am excited about the future (and LOVE starting kids)... BUT, I expect we'll see much better than in Miami. Yes, I think that even McCarney ver. 1 is better than it showed against FIU. I may not have done the best job of articulating this in the past, but my point is that I feel like our expectations for the year were, are, and should be higher than what we did against FIU. I believe we're better than that, even in this phase of rebuilding. I think it was just a bad, flat night, and NOT the norm. No, I don't expect to be very good or win a bunch of games - but I do think we'll be in games beyond the 1st quarter and will score offensive points this year.

I don't feel like the mantra of "lower your expectations" and the excuses of starting young guys is shared by McCarney or the staff. I think they'd agree they expected to score points and expect to be more competitive. It was a really bad night. We'll probably have more like it... but I don't think the offensive gap between NT and USU - both young teams with dismal recent history - is the same as 0 vs. FIU and 38 vs. Auburn. I expect those to be outliers, and feel like this staff and these players will figure some things out.

Edited September 3, 2011 by CaribbeanGreen

[greenminer]

So where should we set our expectations, if not to the level of perennial loser Utah State - with a true freshman QB and sophomores all over the line?

I'm happy for USU. But you can't convince us seniority on the line is moot.

We're in a mess. Stop comparing us to every other program out there. The expectation is to get better every snap, every practice. Fly to the ball. Get angry when things don't go your way. Just. Get. Better.

Stop looking at others and our past. There are just too many dynamics. Coaching trends, staff turnover, talent gaps, position switches, emotional highs and lows.

Kudos to USU and their game 1 heroics. But screw them. My own expectation is to get in a position where we can win every game. Not scare a game 1 opponent then lose conference games and top off at 4 wins for a decade. That is there coach's trend.

The FIU game sucks. Being shut out sucks. We get it. It's one game. Move on.

**edit

Just noticed we are now comparing our coverage to other local media coverage. ugh.

Edited September 3, 2011 by greenminer

[CaribbeanGreen]

We're in a mess. Stop this BS that is comparing ourselves to every other program out there. The expectation is to get better every snap, every practice. Fly to the ball. Get angry when things don't go your way. Just. Get. Better.

But stop looking at others and our past. There are just too many dynamics. Coaching trends, staff turnover, talent gaps, position switches, emotional highs and lows.

And kudos to USU and their game 1 heroics (both 2011 and 2010). But screw them. I like our potential more. This season is the best possible clean slate we have ever had. New facility. New, incredible staff.

The FIU game sucks. Being shut out sucks. We get it. It's one game. Move on.

Isn't there a UTEP game on or something?

A message board moderated by you would really, really suck. Let's just stop looking at any trends, any other teams, discussing our only game, or projecting any results. Soooo... helmet stickers?

I like our potential more than USU also. A lot more. Never said otherwise. Not bagging on the team at all. I'm the one who thinks we're better than we showed. I'm not making excuses - neither is McCarney. I'll bet we get a lot better this very season.

That said, me and the hundreds of other people still discussing the FIU game and looking at other programs and our similarities/differences to them are probably going to continue doing so. That's what college football message boards do.

I don't know what crawled up your undies, but you're the one who started off the middle school "you just don't get it" BS with me Thursday night. It happens, people get worked up. That very night, I pointed out I think we agree more than disagree, extended an olive branch, and was summarily ignored. So while you hold the world's lamest grudge and keep taking snotty little shots at me, I'll keep having rational football discussions with others here - even those I may not agree with on every little point. In other words.... I don't even know what the eff you're arguing. So, thanks... Move On.

[greenminer]

and feel like this staff and these players will figure some things out.

agree.

[MeanMag]

I'm happy for USU. But you can't convince us seniority on the line is moot.

We're in a mess. Stop comparing us to every other program out there. The expectation is to get better every snap, every practice. Fly to the ball. Get angry when things don't go your way. Just. Get. Better.

Stop looking at others and our past. There are just too many dynamics. Coaching trends, staff turnover, talent gaps, position switches, emotional highs and lows.

Kudos to USU and their game 1 heroics (both 2011 and 2010). But screw them. I like our potential more. This season is the best possible clean slate we have ever had. New facility. New, incredible staff.

The FIU game sucks. Being shut out sucks. We get it. It's one game. Move on.

**edit

Just noticed we are now comparing our coverage to other local media coverage. ugh.

This is exactly how I would expect all of us to treat this season. Comparing our shortfalls to other programs successes will always end in disappointment. No one likes losing, but we should know how to handle it by now.

[greenminer]

Nothing up my undies, and certainly not trying to get under your skin.

It's all fun debate.

On the flip side, I don't think message boards are where "no excuses" reside. As fans, we look for trends, and that's what we're talking about. In this case, a young line might explain our offensively futility. So in that regard, you and your "no excuses" theme probably wouldn't be a home run election for admin, either.

I agree that "no excuses" should be taught to the players. I'm glad that is what I read DMac saying in the post game.

Edited September 3, 2011 by greenminer

[CaribbeanGreen]

This is exactly how I would expect all of us to treat this season. Comparing our shortfalls to other programs successes will always end in disappointment. No one likes losing, but we should know how to handle it by now.

Not "shortfalls" per se... One game. Looking at other young and rebuilding programs gives me added confidence that we'll get there as well. Others with similar handicaps are performing well, ergo so can we.

I wouldn't trade our staff/facility/location with many. Long term, we're in a great position. We'll be a lot better by our next Belt game, too.

[CaribbeanGreen]

Nothing up my undies, and certainly not trying to get under your skin.

It's all fun debate.

On the flip side, I don't think message boards are where "no excuses" reside. As fans, we look for trends, and that's what we're talking about. In this case, a young line might explain our offensively futility. So in that regard, you and your "no excuses" theme probably wouldn't be a home run election for admin, either.

I agree that "no excuses" should be taught to the players. I'm glad that is what I read DMac saying in the post game.

Oh, I agree. It's all fun - and I still think we agree more than disagree. I read you earlier as saying the O-Line's inexperience effectively explained away the offensive output at FIU. I think they were part of a puzzle that included a immobile, young QB, a bit of shock effect when the lights came on, and a litany of WR's dropping balls. Now that the dust is settled, I'm sure you probably agree and weren't saying the OL was the ONLY reason. My bad.

The "no excuses" thing is just may way of saying you CAN win with a young OL. Not that it's easy or that we will, but I DO think we'll get a lot better with this very group this year.

That said, probably not next week. Have you seen this Houston game?

[greenminer]

Yeah, it was rough watching some of the other positions. One play that resonates with me is DT hitting a streaking Willie Taylor perfectly in stride and wide open. Except Willie turned his head up field too soon and the ball slipped right through his arms.

It was one of many instances, coupled with T.Y. having his way in Q1 and JJ going down, that really made the game rough.

UTEP football is not on my radar much anymore. I love my Miners, but I've been whipped into a pulp by Price's own trend: his teams are terrible in November. National COTY and Rose Bowl winner be darned.

I don't have TV, so I'll pull up the Houston live stats. I know next week is gonna be rough. I think that the our learning curve this week will be outstanding, but against Houston it might not show.

Edited September 3, 2011 by greenminer

[CaribbeanGreen]

Yeah, it was rough watching some of the other positions. One play that resonates with me is DT hitting a streaking Willie Taylor perfectly in stride and wide open. Except Willie turned his head up field too soon and the ball slipped right through his arms.

It was one of many instances, coupled with T.Y. having his way in Q1 and JJ going down, that really made the game rough.

UTEP football is not on my radar much anymore. I love my Miners, but I've been whipped into a pulp by Price's own trend: his teams are terrible in November. National COTY and Rose Bowl winner be darned.

I don't have TV, so I'll pull up the Houston live stats. I know next week is gonna be rough. I think that the our learning curve this week will be outstanding, but against Houston it might not show.

I really thought Price would do more at UTEP, especially after the initial success.

Also, what makes the FIU game even harder to fairly evaluate is how quickly it got out of hand. It was such a quick knockout blow that the entire game was affected by that variable on both sides. Were the calls the same? Was the intensity? I find it really hard to make any judgments on this team or its expectations given the speed at which FIU took control... part of why I just chalk things up to a bad, bad night.