McCarney on Why He Started McNulty

[untbowler]

I have no problem with McNulty starting. We're not ready yet to contend for a Sunbelt title IMO. So, lets build this thing by putting young guys in experiences they can learn from.

Well glad to know we can afford to just throw this season out with the bath water. I am sure that makes the ticket paying fans happy to know. I love the 7 years of constant rebuilding.

[pastorgrant]

This is all astounding. Did anyone really expect better than 1-4 out of these first 5 games? Enough to start talking like this about coach Mac? Give the guy some time and see how he does in SB play... Or even next year or...two before you freak out.

[Travis]

I appreciate the coach coming in and trying to build character but what did Darius Carey do to kick him off the team? We are paying these guys twice as much and getting the same results.

Cooley, i often enjoy reading your post. But, I hope you trust that the things Darius Carey did warrented him leaving the team. And, believe me, it did. This should not be in question.

Edited October 3, 2011 by Travis

[Travis]

This is all astounding. Did anyone really expect better than 1-4 out of these first 5 games? Enough to start talking like this about coach Mac? Give the guy some time and see how he does in SB play... Or even next year or...two before you freak out.

I agree with what you are saying. But, I understand to a degree of what the sentiment is around here. A few of us in the stands of the Tulsa game were grumbling about why Osborn isn't in there. If it really was a pervioius week study because the last few months couldn't determine who the outright number two is... then, splitting the game could have been a reasonable decision. Especially, after our freshman made some pretty bad errors with the interceptions, a few bad reads, not seeing a few wide open players, and over throwing some balls to wide open ones.

You are right though... this will take time to get better, I just hoped to see a bit more fight in us at Tulsa. McCarney knows more about the game than I do with a great staff on hand. We will get there.

*sidenote* there was only one issue I had about the game. when we were on the 1 or 2 and it was third or fourth down... why on earth did we try to option the damn ball!?!?! you gotta be kidding me.

Edited October 3, 2011 by Travis

[All About UNT]

This is all astounding. Did anyone really expect better than 1-4 out of these first 5 games? Enough to start talking like this about coach Mac? Give the guy some time and see how he does in SB play... Or even next year or...two before you freak out.

There is just one problem with that statement. That is you telling us that we cannot win more than 1 of those games when we saw 3 quarters of dominant play against Indiana and even after being tested they held on for a win. We all expected to be competitive and ring Tulsa's bell a little bit. We failed to do that... why?

1.) This team was setup to lose under a freshman with no exp starting at QB.

2.) Accusations of nepotism have been made and the team is probably not liking the situation

3.) This team knew that all chances of winning the game were gone with DT but that the one way they still had a shot was sitting on the bench until late in the 4th quarter.

4.) The despair continued until the coaches had the epiphany to pull young McNulty. Then the team started playing

5.) We beat Indiana with a passing game.........SO WHY DID WE DO NOTHING BUT RUN DUNBAR???????? Don't tell me we don't have receiving threats because I am not swallowing that BS.

This loss goes to the coaches....plain and simple. You give the team the tools to succeed.....they want to win now.....not 4 years from now when they are gone. Playing McNulty gives across that exact message to those that are busting their asses right now. You are essentially telling these players on the field that you don't care about winning right now and that the frosh needs to take snaps against a team we told you we could beat in the locker-room....just so he can be great 3 years from now when you plan on winning. I promise you that is how this team felt because it is so freaking transparent as to what their coaches motives were.

Now moving on......if (God Forbid) DT is out again.....and the coaches plan on starting McNulty over a proven Osborn....I will personally mail in my tickets to the coaching staff and tell them that I will see them in 2 years. I had nothing but Great Expectations for Andrew until I saw his hard to find playoff tape on Youtube...and then I saw the arm....and it looked atrocious IMO. Playing him is one thing but failing to take him out of the game and setting your team back up to succeed is just idiotic at best.

Sorry for the rant.

[eppy4life]

Now moving on......if (God Forbid) DT is out again.....and the coaches plan on starting McNulty over a proven Osborn....I will personally mail in my tickets to the coaching staff and tell them that I will see them in 2 years.

I don't believe that one bit. I understand your frustration but you're just like the rest of us... addicted to the abuse. I'll see you next week.

[KRAM1]

For me, UNT is EXACTLY where I expected it to be after 5 games...1-4. That being said, the Tulsa game was a bit of a step back for me from all the progress I have been seeing game in and game out. I'll give Coach Mac his reasoning on starting McNulty. He's the HC and he gets to make the call. Obviously, he knows a bit more about coaching and player evaluations than even the most ardent of fan. BUT, where I have my question relates to why McNulty was left in the game for as long as he was without being replaced by Osborne. Maybe McNulty is a "practice player" at this point in his career and will develop into a game day player with experience. Thus, the need to get him game day experience. On the other hand, perhaps Osborne is a "game day" player and less of a practice player. Seems to me that Osborne has gotten some pretty good results when he is in the game. DT is "our guy" and he will probably be back for the FAU game. So, that should really help the team and the possibilities for a win for the Mean green. I fully expect to see win #2 Saturday.

As for attendance. Come on folks. Attendance has been fine for our two home games, and I find it a bit more than interesting that people will even consider not attending Saturday because the team is 1-4 or because they didn't like the decision to play McNulty over Osborne. get real folks, you either support the Mean Green or you don't. If you are a member of the Mean Green Nation you will be in your seat at Apogee on Saturday. I know you will, even if you share my frustration over the Tulsa game results. It's more the casual fan that I am concerned about attending Saturday...especially if that 20% chance of rain develops.

We all know this is going to be a 2-3 year process. There will be mis-steps along the way, but we have already seen progress. The seniors on this team are doing all they can to help develop our younger players. They, in my opinion, have "earned" the right to have some great crowds. The seniors know that the future is bright for this program and that they have "held the fort down" as best they can awaiting the reinforcements. Let's, as members of the great Mean Green nation, not let the seniors down as they keep working.

Disappointed, certainly...questioning the call to leave McNulty in the Tulsa game as long as happened...yes indeed, but certainly not giving up on this team or this staff. My bride and I will be there Saturday to witness win #2 in all our "Green Glory". I know I will see each and everyone of you as well.

[eppy4life]

Let's, as members of the great Mean Green nation, not let the seniors down as they keep working.

I agree with most of your post but this quote struck me as funny. Let's also, as members of the great Mean Green nation, remember our seniors win/loss record.

[KRAM1]

I agree with most of your post but this quote struck me as funny. Let's also, as members of the great Mean Green nation, remember our seniors win/loss record.

Yep, the won-loss record has nothing...nothing to do with the leadership our seniors are showing this season in working with the younger players to prepare for the next few years when the progress will be seen in "wins". They could easily have simply played out the string, but they haven't...check with JJ about that if you would like a more "up close and personal" look at what I am talking about.

I get your response, but just wanted you to know I was not talking about the past wins/losses, but they way they are handling themselves in the present.

[island eagle]

Some people feel that certain drugs should be legalized! I guess Carey is the the only kid in America doing drugs. (if true)

Cam Newton's camp was on payroll and kept playing! This is a perennial bottom ten program. Build the program first before cleaning it up. It's not morally right but it's right out of building a program 101.

I agree that Prohibition is probably the worst idea we have come up with in a long time. It didn't work in the 1920's and it isn't working now. It just perpetuates the problem and makes it worse.

But, there is a difference between what is legal or decriminalized and what is wise. I doubt that having the team stoking up each night is a good idea and if a coach wants to enforce that, he has my blessing. We all (at least most of us) like to party in our own way and I criticize nobody who does so responsibly, but if it is affecting my job performance or job attitude, then it is time for me to adjust my priorities. The same should go for student athletes.

[UNTLifer]

UNT fans are amazing. You turned on Coach Dickey during a streak of 4 straight conference championships and 4 straight coach-of-the-year awards. Now you're turning on a coach after his first four games on the job. Four games in which he beat a Big-10 team.

Amazing

God bless Texas!

First of all, the fans turned on Dickey before he started winning in conference. In 2001 after an unbelievable loss to ULM, there were For Sale signs in his front yard and RV was ready to fire him until "higher ups" told him otherwise. The next week started the conference winning streak/bowl run, and I don't think DD ever won over all of the fans, but the team's success made him tolerable.

We haven't turned on Coach Mac, we just don't understand why he has put McNulty in these situations and why he started over Osborn. His answer to Vito's question was the easy way out. Vito should have kept digging, because Mac's answer is typical "coach speak" that can't be disputed because his practices are closed.

I will be driving almost 6 hours to Denton this weekend to watch the FAU game, and if McNulty starts, it will be my last trip for a while.

[greenminer]

Vito is a beat writer, not an investigative reporter. There might be some wiggle room as far as the those two can cross, but you can't ruin your working relationship with the people leading the teams you are covering.

Maybe you think that is justifiable, but maybe the DRC doesn't.

[Green Mean]

I will be driving almost 6 hours to Denton this weekend to watch the FAU game, and if McNulty starts, it will be my last trip for a while.

What if he leads them to victory?

[eppy4life]

They could easily have simply played out the string, but they haven't...check with JJ about that if you would like a more "up close and personal" look at what I am talking about.

Forgive me for the slight dig on our senior class. Those kids do work hard I'm sure and have had to sit through a miserable experience they didn't sign up for. I think my frustration level is just at an all-time high and I'm beginning to feel disinterest creep in. That worries me. I'll be missing the game this weekend because of a family reunion and sadly I'm not as upset as I should be.

[UNTP1]

Some people feel that certain drugs should be legalized! I guess Carey is the the only kid in America doing drugs. (if true)

Cam Newton's camp was on payroll and kept playing! This is a perennial bottom ten program. Build the program first before cleaning it up. It's not morally right but it's right out of building a program 101.

There are people out there who feel a lot things should be legalized. That doesn't make it ok to do those things. And it doesn't matter if every kid in America is doing drugs. Carey didn't even have to quit, he just had to pass one drug test, or at least figure out a way to cheat to pass one. He was given multiple chances an couldn't do it. Even if we're going by whatever morally absent "building a program 101" you are referring to, then fact that someone can't even figure out how to cheat to pass one drug test or quit for a week to pass one makes them a person who I don't want in the program.

[Cr1028]

There is just one problem with that statement. That is you telling us that we cannot win more than 1 of those games when we saw 3 quarters of dominant play against Indiana and even after being tested they held on for a win. We all expected to be competitive and ring Tulsa's bell a little bit. We failed to do that... why?

1.) This team was setup to lose under a freshman with no exp starting at QB.

2.) Accusations of nepotism have been made and the team is probably not liking the situation

3.) This team knew that all chances of winning the game were gone with DT but that the one way they still had a shot was sitting on the bench until late in the 4th quarter.

4.) The despair continued until the coaches had the epiphany to pull young McNulty. Then the team started playing

5.) We beat Indiana with a passing game.........SO WHY DID WE DO NOTHING BUT RUN DUNBAR???????? Don't tell me we don't have receiving threats because I am not swallowing that BS.

This loss goes to the coaches....plain and simple. You give the team the tools to succeed.....they want to win now.....not 4 years from now when they are gone. Playing McNulty gives across that exact message to those that are busting their asses right now. You are essentially telling these players on the field that you don't care about winning right now and that the frosh needs to take snaps against a team we told you we could beat in the locker-room....just so he can be great 3 years from now when you plan on winning. I promise you that is how this team felt because it is so freaking transparent as to what their coaches motives were.

Now moving on......if (God Forbid) DT is out again.....and the coaches plan on starting McNulty over a proven Osborn....I will personally mail in my tickets to the coaching staff and tell them that I will see them in 2 years. I had nothing but Great Expectations for Andrew until I saw his hard to find playoff tape on Youtube...and then I saw the arm....and it looked atrocious IMO. Playing him is one thing but failing to take him out of the game and setting your team back up to succeed is just idiotic at best.

Sorry for the rant.

"Playing for the future" or getting the freshman some experience at the cost of being blown out again this year is a disservice to Lance and the rest of the seniors. I just get the feeling that if Chico is the head coach that Osborn starts that game.

[Green P1]

I'm so sick of the "what did you expect, it's rebuilding" attitude. Everyone understands that's it's rebuilding. If we're going to hide every boneheaded move under the shield of rebuilding then we just need to close the football forum down for 2-3 years. Nothing positive can be gleamed from wins just as nothing negative from losses because it's "rebuilding" and all expectations are moot.

[Eagle-96]

1. Darius Carey was kicked off the team for violating team rules. It doesn't matter what he did(and frankly it is none of our business). He was kicked off because Coach Mac thought it was enough of a violation(s) to warrant dismissal. I back Coach Mac wholeheartedly in his desire to play the right way, not just play. I'm sorry Cooley. I agree with you most times but I think you are wrong if you want UNT to overlook violations at the expense of winning now. That just makes us Miami.(and no, I wouldn't trade places with Miami as they are an embarrasment to college football).

2. Coach Mac has a plan. He is not starting McNulty out of nepotism. No coach worth his salt will jeopardize their job to play a friends kid. He evaluated the play of Osborne and McNulty and went with the one that played the best last week against the scout team. He been there and done that at the highest levels of college football. I trust his handling of this football team. I, and alot of others, expected 1-4 with the possible win being against Indiana. That is where we are.

3. We have three qbs that have D1 game experience now. At the start of this year we had one with very limited experience. Game experience is crucial to a qbs development. There is no substitue for in game reps. I will feel much better going into next season with the experince at the position. We haven't been truly solid at the position since Scott Hall graduated. As good as Hall was, he had to go through growing pains during his freshman year to get there(BTW "there" will eventually by the UNT Hall of Fame). Those freshman ups and downs are what prepared him for the next 4 years.

[GrandGreen]

I didn't realize breaking the school record for back to back attendance is considered "killing attendance"

I don't agree with the "killing attendance" comment about McCarney. However, setting school attendance records for two continuous games is absolutely nothing to be proud of. A brand new stadium and two great opponents and NT can't average over 25k, that is something to lament not brag about.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I don't agree with the "killing attendance" comment about McCarney. However, setting school attendance records for two continuous games is absolutely nothing to be proud of. A brand new stadium and two great opponents and NT can't average over 25k, that is something to lament not brag about.

I disagree with Coach Mac's decision to start McNulty. However, to level "attendance-killing" charges against him is asinine at best. The man has busted his tail probably more than any coach in North Texas history to get the students, alumni, and community interested. We can't place any of the blame on Coach Mac for failing to sell out Houston and not having a better turnout against Indiana.

[foutsrouts]

I just got back from Oklahoma, and am very disappointed in our coaching staff for playing McNulty nearly 90% of the game. I don't give up on any freshman, but the guy does not YET look like he is ready to play at this level. Our alleged second team QB should have been given an opportunity to show what he has got, but we still don't really know how good he is because he has barely been allowed to play. Reality or not, it almost looks like our coach is playing Iowa homeboy favorites here. A lot of ifs and buts involved, but we had a chance to be in this game if we had better play under center. At least I can say that I did have an enjoyable trip outside of the final score. On a side note, went to Fayetteville yesterday for the first time since the 90's, and that SEC built Hog stadium really blew me away. Very impressive.

[UNTJarhead0802]

Wow, we sound like we're Florida fans- let's start the website www.firecoachmac.com.

You can't expect kids who are so used to losing for some time now to not step on their cranks in the process of trying to win. They're going to do dumb things. We're going to look horrible this year at times. For every Indiana first half, we're going to have another Tulsa game. Expect four or five wins this year. Considering where we came from, that's pretty damn good. Anything sooner, you have unrealistic expectations. It will get better, but next year is when UNT will begin making some serious noise.

If you'd like to continue to crucify the coach, go ahead. But you and entirely too lofty of expectations are to blame. Not a dude who is using game situations to test his horses. And, if you think one win or competitive game would allow us to out recruit Tulsa, please read my above statement regarding unrealistic expectations. Now, commence with your overbearing retaliation of my comments.

[foutsrouts]

Wow, we sound like we're Florida fans- let's start the website www.firecoachmac.com.

Expect four or five wins this year. Considering where we came from, that's pretty damn good.

If we are competing, then 4 or 5 wins this season sounds acceptable. If we're getting embarrassed like we were for 3+ quarters against a Tulsa team that really did not impress me as having far superior skills or athleticism, then that is unacceptable to me. At least we competed very well last year under Coach Canales. Don't think anyone is anywhere close to screaming for a firing at this point. Just looking for logic. Hope he does a little better job "splaining" his logic tonight than what I have heard thus far.

[UNTP1]

A lot of people are mad because McNulty played ahead of Osborn when WE haven't seen what Osborn can do. Frankly I don't care what WE have seen. Obviously the COACHES have seen enough from McNulty and Osborn to make the decision to go with McNulty. People are acting like nobody has ever seen Osborn play when the coaches have actually been evaluating him for a while. I have enough faith in this coaching staff making decisions based on their evaluations that I don't need him to play so that I can "see what he can do". I am not an experienced D-1 college head coach and I'm pretty sure nobody else on this board is so why should we feel entitled to see what Osborn can do?

Edited October 3, 2011 by UNTP1

[foutsrouts]

I am not an experienced D-1 college head coach and I'm pretty sure nobody else on this board is so why should we feel entitled to see what Osborn can do?

Probably because we have already seen what McNulty can do, and if you have seen him play, the arm and decision making are not very impressive at this point. On a positive note, he does seem to run the offense pretty well for an 18 year old freshman.