DRC: Emergence of Smith is great, but hints at deeper issues

[Brett Vito]

DRC Monday column

[UNTLifer]

Those big plays ASU made were due to lack of execution on the defensive side of the ball. If our receivers were that wide open, I would bet they could make the same plays. I think Vito is digging for some controversy that isn't there. Our gameplan on offense holds us back more than anything. I can tell by formation what we are going to run 80% of the time, so it shouldn't be that difficult for a college coach to gameplan for us. The delayed handoff is killing us with the amount of time it takes to develop. Hopefully, we just open it up and go starting next week.

[Greenhorn]

I was very pleased with Smith's play! I wasn't aware that he was a walkon.

[Harry]

I was pleased with Smith too. Macs frustration lies in the fact that walk-ons like Smith are playing well but the scholarship guys like Sampson are riding the bench.

I think Mac has a right to be frustrated with players who are not contributing. I also think you have to address why we are signing guys that can't help us and that's likely a private conversation that takes place between Mac and his staff.

This sport has evolved into a recruiting game. You cannot just be a good coach and not land any players. You have to be able to evaluate talent because you can only coach up so much.

[UNT Mean Green]

This is a good column by Vito. There are very few playmakers at the WR position at this point, and the depth with Chancellor and Teegarden being out only enhances that. The other problem is, if your QB cannot make ROUTINE throws from the generic passing tree it doesn't matter who you have at the WR position. We do have a lack of playmakers at the WR position who are participating in games right now, and this QB is as up and down as it gets.

Edited November 5, 2012 by UNT Mean Green

[GreenBat]

I was pleased with Smith too. Macs frustration lies in the fact that walk-ons like Smith are playing well but the scholarship guys like Sampson are riding the bench.

I think Mac has a right to be frustrated with players who are not contributing. I also think you have to address why we are signing guys that can't help us and that's likely a private conversation that takes place between Mac and his staff.

This sport has evolved into a recruiting game. You cannot just be a good coach and not land any players. You have to be able to evaluate talent because you can only coach up so much.

If a scholarship player is just not good enough, that's the coaching staffs fault that recruited him. Some people are not FBS caliber players. They might be great kids, but not be FBS players. Do not renew their scholarship. If they are lazy and don't work hard in practice. That is the current coaching staffs fault that they are still on the team. Leave them on scholly for the year, but do not let their lazy habits wear on the remander of the team.

[MeanGreenTexan]

If a scholarship player is just not good enough, that's the coaching staffs fault that recruited him. Some people are not FBS caliber players. They might be great kids, but not be FBS players. Do not renew their scholarship. If they are lazy and don't work hard in practice. That is the current coaching staffs fault that they are still on the team. Leave them on scholly for the year, but do not let their lazy habits wear on the remander of the team.

Hey GreenBat, looks like you don't have to campaign for Booger anymore! He's in the HOF!

[UNT90]

DRC Monday column

Coach Mac says that UNT needs to keep recruiting players like Chancellor. Dodge recruited Chancellor.

Recruiting, or should I say the lack of recruiting news, is very concerning. We need a good class of 25 this year to try and catch up on scholarship.

I am hoping that we land recruits with multiple offers from CUSA schools. We need to recruit against and outrecruit CUSA schools. Facilities and salaries have increased, success in recruiting has not, to this point.

[GreenBat]

Hey GreenBat, looks like you don't have to campaign for Booger anymore! He's in the HOF!

Thanks, I meant to change that before Homecoming. Just slipped by me.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Thanks, I meant to change that before Homecoming. Just slipped by me.

I dig the new one. Put me on that bandwagon!

[aztecskin]

This is the best offensive team yardage-wise since 2009. Worst PPG since 2008. I could buy the line of thinking that playmakers = touchdown makers in the endzone but my eyes tell me it has been Thompson throwing bad passes once we get there. Sure, it is a lot easier to toss it up to a Megatron in the endzone and complain if you don't have one. It isn't always the case, however. Detroit was scoring a lot last year but they aren't now. Do they have less playmakers this year? No.

Vito saying "Jarboe cought a 69 yard pass therefore he is playmaker" ignores all the other things that go into making a football play successful.

I'm more open to the playcalling/QB thing than anything else. Bynes, Smith, Delgado, Power, JimJim, Byrd, Brown are good enough to score enough.

[DeepGreen]

Coach Mac says that UNT needs to keep recruiting players like Chancellor. Dodge recruited Chancellor.

Recruiting, or should I say the lack of recruiting news, is very concerning. We need a good class of 25 this year to try and catch up on scholarship.

I am hoping that we land recruits with multiple offers from CUSA schools. We need to recruit against and outrecruit CUSA schools. Facilities and salaries have increased, success in recruiting has not, to this point.

Recruiting has concerned me from several years now, even pre-Dodge. Not putting all of this on TD, but let's not forget the quantity of wide receivers he recruited who did not pan out. At the same time, he failed to recruit quality linemen in sufficient quantities. Lack of recruiting is now showing its ugly head, especially when you resort to using walkons to fill critical positions.

[FirefightnRick]

I wouldn't know if we have playmakers riding the bench or not. Evidently we had at least one. But it makes me wonder if there are any others?

Rick

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Coach Mac says that UNT needs to keep recruiting players like Chancellor. Dodge recruited Chancellor.

Recruiting, or should I say the lack of recruiting news, is very concerning. We need a good class of 25 this year to try and catch up on scholarship.

I am hoping that we land recruits with multiple offers from CUSA schools. We need to recruit against and outrecruit CUSA schools. Facilities and salaries have increased, success in recruiting has not, to this point.

I have followed recruiting very little, how have we done the first two classes under Mac?

Recruiting has concerned me from several years now, even pre-Dodge. Not putting all of this on TD, but let's not forget the quantity of wide receivers he recruited who did not pan out. At the same time, he failed to recruit quality linemen in sufficient quantities. Lack of recruiting is now showing its ugly head, especially when you resort to using walkons to fill critical positions.

Is the lack of WR other than walk ons not fall on Mac's two classes?

[adman]

Coach Mac says that UNT needs to keep recruiting players like Chancellor. Dodge recruited Chancellor.

If I recall, many thought Chancellor was an "also recruit" by Dodge to get Byrd to come here. They played together at Copperas Cove. Which if true would speak volumes to Dodge's ability to identify talent. (No knock on Byrd. I like him. But Chancellor has proven to be a smidge more explosive in his tenure here.)

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Seems like we've improved on the OL since Mac got here. We've improved at TE (yes...I know...when you've got nothing, anything is an improvement).

I still say Mac will stand and fall based on whether he can put a defensive line together.

Look at the Bama-LSU game. Kansas State, Oregon, and Notre Dame can all go rot. The best two teams in the country are still Alabama and LSU. Those schools' defensive line knock the snot out of each other for 60 solid minutes.

But, when the game was on the line - 1:34 left and needing a field goal to tie and force overtime - Alabama's offense sparked. Junior Kevin Norwood, who had caught 2 passes in the first 58:26 of the game, gets open for three in a row for 44 yards. One incomplete pass later, a true freshman takes a screen pass 28 yards to the end zone.

Bama's defense gets a sack to end the game on the ensuing LSU possession.

That is playmakers making plays when they need to be made on both sides of the ball. A strong defense to keep you in the game. An offense whose members look at each other in crunch time and will themselves to make plays. Then, the defense nailing it down.

Give me what Bama and LSU have.

[CaliMeanGreen]

We need some JUCO D Linemanand a JUCO WR with some speed that is taller than 6'2. JUCO help at a few key positions could really help

[NT03]

We need some JUCO D Linemanand a JUCO WR with some speed that is taller than 6'2. JUCO help at a few key positions could really help

This

[eulessismore]

I wouldn't know if we have playmakers riding the bench or not. Evidently we had at least one. But it makes me wonder if there are any others?

Rick

I'd suggest Willie Hubbard, QB for Euless Trinity's 2009 State Championship team. For one thing, he's the only Trinity player on our roster now, and for another, I talked to a young lady who was wearing a #34 Jersey (yeah, in pink) that said "Hubbard". Having noticed him on the sideline earlier, I stopped and asked her about Willie. She reminded me of what he had done to help Trinity win that state championship. I told her that I hoped he'd see more playing time, and she said, "all he needs is a chance". And no, I'm not predicting he'll be a QB here at 5'11", 170. But, he helped Trinity do something it's usually not very good at doing, coming from 3 scores down to win a football game. He's listed as WR, but I'm wondering if he might convert well to db; he's reported to be speedy, and according to the young lady, has another 2 years.

Folks, I know we've had a couple of Trojans who didn't work out well for us, but we can't ignore this hotbed of football talent that surrounds me here. One thing about these young men; if one or two of them start liking to play at a school, they start recruiting their friends.

Here's one link:

http://www.examiner.com/article/euless-trinity-trojans-state-champs-again

Edited November 6, 2012 by eulessismore

[foutsrouts]

We need some JUCO D Linemanand a JUCO WR with some speed that is taller than 6'2. JUCO help at a few key positions could really help

I'm definitely for some JC help at those positions, but I'll take a tough receiver of any size as long as he can catch, run, and has the instincts for the position. 6'3" and above WR's who have the agility, coordination, and toughness to excel on any level above HS are a rare breed. Hopefully our transfer out of Austin will have that area covered.

[foutsrouts]

I'd suggest Willie Hubbard, QB for Euless Trinity's 2009 State Championship team. For one thing, he's the only Trinity player on our roster now, and for another, I talked to a young lady who was wearing a #34 Jersey (yeah, in pink) that said "Hubbard". Having noticed him on the sideline earlier, I stopped and asked her about Willie. She reminded me of what he had done to help Trinity win that state championship. I told her that I hoped he'd see more playing time, and she said, "all he needs is a chance". And no, I'm not predicting he'll be a QB here at 5'11", 170. But, he helped Trinity do something it's usually not very good at doing, coming from 3 scores down to win a football game. He's listed as WR, but I'm wondering if he might convert well to db; he's reported to be speedy, and according to the young lady, has another 2 years.

Folks, I know we've had a couple of Trojans who didn't work out well for us, but we can't ignore this hotbed of football talent that surrounds me here. One thing about these young men; if one or two of them start liking to play at a school, they start recruiting their friends.

Here's one link:

http://www.examiner....te-champs-again

I agree. Olawale rode the pine most of his time in Denton, and we all saw what he was capable of with the Cowboys. We're entering the time of year where I truly hope Mac gives some of the underdogs a shot.

[eulessismore]

I agree. Olawale rode the pine most of his time in Denton, and we all saw what he was capable of with the Cowboys. We're entering the time of year where I truly hope Mac gives some of the underdogs a shot.

+1. Yeah, Olawale. Every time I saw him get the rock in a Cowboys exhibition game, he would move the pile forward. That seems like an attribute that could be useful in red zone situations for a couple of teams I've followed. But, walk on players (or undrafted at NFL level) have to get noticed by coaches when there's a need for their talents.

[eulessismore]

We need some JUCO D Linemanand a JUCO WR with some speed that is taller than 6'2. JUCO help at a few key positions could really help

We need secondary help, especially corners who can handle single coverage. I'd take those wherever we can find them.

[GTWT]

We need some JUCO D Linemanand a JUCO WR with some speed that is taller than 6'2. JUCO help at a few key positions could really help

JUCO is a short-term fix to placate short-sighted fans. I support Coach Mac's approach of recruiting HS players who will be here 4-5 years. That's the way to build a program. UNT's problems have been around a long time & they won't be solved with band-aids. Be patient and watch the coaching staff buiild a team the way it should be built.

[FirefightnRick]

JUCO is a short-term fix to placate short-sighted fans. .......watch the ( North Texas) coaching staff buiild a team the way it should be built.

I knew that Bill Snyder was a fraud. What does he know?

Rick