Two Bigger Concerns than QB

MeanGreenHoops · August 19, 2013

I'm going to choose to believe that DT winning the job at QB is a good thing, but that comes with two caveats which were my two biggest concerns before that news.

1. Dline - I'm afraid that the loss of Quentin Brown in the spring could really hurt us. In the pass happy CUSA, we need pass rushers and I was really excited to see him play, Maybe Polk put on 30 lbs? This is the 2nd biggest weakness on the team.

2. WR - We were really bad at wideout last year. None of the scholarship players seem to be taking jobs with the possible exception of Carlos Harris. If you want to see a QB struggle, put 8 in the box, and dare him to throw with no receivers who can get open, and no down field speed to stretch them.

These two are bigger concerns because I haven't heard of anybody mentioned in these positions in the little news we've heard that are really making plays.

Edited August 19, 2013 by MeanGreenHoops

Mean Green 93-98 · August 19, 2013

I'm afraid that the loss of Quentin Brown in the spring could really hurt us. In the pass happy CUSA, we need pass rushers and I was really excited to see him play

I believe Quenton Brown is supposed to be back in time for conference play.

None of the scholarship players seem to be taking jobs with the possible exception of Carlos Harris.

Did you forget our #1 receiver?

LongJim · August 19, 2013

2. WR - If you want to see a QB struggle, put 8 in the box, and dare him to throw with no receivers who can get open, and no down field speed to stretch them.

No, you're mistaken. That can be solved by throwing a true freshman or a transfer who has never played a down of D1 football out there. It's a cure-all. :shifty:

Harry · August 19, 2013

I'm going to choose to believe that DT winning the job at QB is a good thing, but that comes with two caveats which were my two biggest concerns before that news.

1. Dline - I'm afraid that the loss of Quentin Brown in the spring could really hurt us. In the pass happy CUSA, we need pass rushers and I was really excited to see him play, Maybe Polk put on 30 lbs? This is the 2nd biggest weakness on the team.
2. WR - We were really bad at wideout last year. None of the scholarship players seem to be taking jobs with the possible exception of Carlos Harris. If you want to see a QB struggle, put 8 in the box, and dare him to throw with no receivers who can get open, and no down field speed to stretch them.

These two are bigger concerns because I haven't heard of anybody mentioned in these positions in the little news we've heard that are really making plays.

Losing Q was huge no doubt. That really hurt.

greenminer · August 19, 2013

good thread. thanks.

drex · August 19, 2013

Third biggest problem...destertion of the fan base early in the season.

Stan R · August 19, 2013

Third biggest problem...destertion of the fan base ~~early~~ late in the season.

Eagle1855 · August 19, 2013

Did you forget our #1 receiver?

Whom I like, but would likely be a #3 WR at most "major" programs.

MeanGreenHoops · August 19, 2013

I believe Quenton Brown is supposed to be back in time for conference play.

Did you forget our #1 receiver?

I probably should have been more clear. I was referring to guys who need to step in and wasn't including guys who are back. Brelan is a really good player, but after that??

Sorry if I misspelled Quenton.

I went to the spring game and liked the speed of Polk but he was so small out there at DE. Coach has pointed out linebackers as among the freshmen who are playing well but we don't have a need there.

I would feel a lot better if I'd heard things like, I'm really impressed with Kidsy and Syd Moore. Those guys are not going to redshirt, rather than hearing that Dajon Williams wasn't going to. Or hearing that Jarrian Roberts was pushing to start at DE as is Roderick Lancaster because he's so big and fast.

I'm also hoping this thread is interesting enough to get a limerick out of TTG

PlummMeanGreen · August 19, 2013

Third biggest problem...desertion of the fan base early in the season.

Along with piss ant attitudes who don't seem to care that new and potential football recruits read this

board frequently.

GMG!

Edited August 19, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

TheTastyGreek · August 19, 2013

I'm also hoping this thread is interesting enough to get a limerick out of TTG

Though our offense may wind up generic

There are MANY concerns worse than Derek

Like when people congest

Forums outside The Nest

With their stupid political hysterics.

Though his numbers don't set him apart

Mr. Thompson can always take heart

And be on the job lookout

To plan next year's cookout

If he falls down the QB depth chart.

GrayEagle · August 20, 2013

Third biggest problem...destertion of the fan base early in the season.

Yes, but usually we are 0-3 by the time we get to see our first home game. Maybe this year will be different.

MeanGreenHoops · August 20, 2013

:worthy:

Though our offense may wind up generic
There are MANY concerns worse than Derek
Like when people congest
Forums outside The Nest
With their stupid political hysterics.

Though his numbers don't set him apart
Mr. Thompson can always take heart
And be on the job lookout
To plan next year's cookout
If he falls down the QB depth chart.

:worthy:

VideoEagle · August 20, 2013

Though our offense may wind up generic
There are MANY concerns worse than Derek
Like when people congest
Forums outside The Nest
With their stupid political hysterics.
Though his numbers don't set him apart
Mr. Thompson can always take heart
And be on the job lookout
To plan next year's cookout
If he falls down the QB depth chart.

Quality writing as always. My limericks tend to involve men from Nantucket.

houstonmeangreen · August 20, 2013

Though our offense may wind up generic
There are MANY concerns worse than Derek
Like when people congest
Forums outside The Nest
With their stupid political hysterics.
Though his numbers don't set him apart
Mr. Thompson can always take heart
And be on the job lookout
To plan next year's cookout
If he falls down the QB depth chart.

Try again!!! grade = D

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 20, 2013

I'm going to choose to believe that DT winning the job at QB is a good thing, but that comes with two caveats which were my two biggest concerns before that news.

1. Dline - I'm afraid that the loss of Quentin Brown in the spring could really hurt us. In the pass happy CUSA, we need pass rushers and I was really excited to see him play, Maybe Polk put on 30 lbs? This is the 2nd biggest weakness on the team.

2. WR - We were really bad at wideout last year. None of the scholarship players seem to be taking jobs with the possible exception of Carlos Harris. If you want to see a QB struggle, put 8 in the box, and dare him to throw with no receivers who can get open, and no down field speed to stretch them.

These two are bigger concerns because I haven't heard of anybody mentioned in these positions in the little news we've heard that are really making plays.

Welcome to the club...I've been harping on these for about a year now. DL for several years.

The reason you have the word "playmaker" is that football isn't perfect. Because of the defense, the play you call may not work to perfection. A playmaker at wide receiver will recognize the defensive alignments the same way a quarterback will and fight to get the ball at all cost.

At this point, we have only one guy who is a semi-playmaker, and that is Brelan Chancellor. Playmaking can't really be coached. It has to come from within the player. The playmaker hates to lose, whether it's running a route or making a block. He hates to lose.

Every down is part of the game. The playmaker wants to win every down. Last year, Brelan Chancellor was sometimes a playmaker. But, he was mostly alone. And, after the was injured and out for the rest of the season....

We can talk facilities. We can talk coaching. We can talk administration support. We can and have talked about all of these things. However, when the whistle blows and the ball is in play, it's up to the players to understand how the game is unfolding in front of the them and make plays to their team's advantage.

GrayEagle · August 20, 2013

I got to thinking. WR seems to be a problem, but is it?

Lack of speed? Counting the two freshmen, we have five who can run a 4.5 forty or better. Two are slot receivers but the other three could play outside and give the defenders plenty to contend with. The possession receivers are only a half-step slower.

Stone hands? Stradford and Sampson are gone and they were the only ones that I saw consistently drop passes. There may have been a few that they could barely get a hand on but I remember our receivers as having decent hands.

Can't run routes? That's going to happen to at least one receiver each passing play. Jams, double coverage, etc. will take away good routes but should leave another receiver open. By the time receivers get here they've run hundreds, even thousands of routes in practice and if they haven't learned or can't be coached into good route-running they need to find another position.

The best receivers have to have someone get the ball to them without preferential treatment from the quarterback. The quarterback needs to be able to look off receivers so that the whole browneyed world doesn't know who's being thrown to. Someone is open nearly every pass play; the quarterback just needs to find him.

The biggest problem with receivers has been injuries. Brown, Lancaster and Schrapps are accomplished receivers who can help this offense if they are healthy. Chancellor can't miss any games. We have to stay as injury-free as possible.

Receiver is a little like running back in that freshmen can contribute. Experience helps but it's not mandatory. I have a gut feeling that the receiving corps will surprise.

Edited August 20, 2013 by GrayEagle

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 20, 2013

And, to the defensive line...

...if OU is stealing recruits the week before and week or signing day from the likes of UNT, Louisiana, and Houston, you know it is difficult to find DTs. So, what do we do?

Thus far, we have stuck for a four man front. I'm not a fan of sticking to doing what doesn't work. I'm tired of posting the different ways other schools who are similarly at a recruiting disadvantage for DLs have changed their defenses to make up for it.

The coaching staff either will change it someday or they won't. And, if they won't, we will continue to watch other schools run over us, we will continue to lose; and, the current coaching staff will be fired.

That's the way football go.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 20, 2013

The biggest problem with receivers has been injuries. Brown, Lancaster and Schrapps are accomplished receivers who can help this offense if they are healthy. Chancellor can't miss any games. We have to stay as injury-free as possible.

Receiver is a little like running back in that freshmen can contribute. Experience helps but it's not mandatory. I have a gut feeling that the receiving corps will surprise.

You are only accomplished if you have accomplished something. We don't have any idea if these guys will ever accomplish anything. That's the problem. We have a roster full of receivers who have yet to step up and prove that they can make plays during games.

Injuries do not matter if you have someone with Lou Gehrig's work habits coming in when Wally Pipp is injured. As of yet, we don't have any Gehrig's on the roster - guys who are ready to take advantage of the guy in front of them being injured.

Whether by scholarship or as walk-ons, the coaches give these players an opportunity. Whether they take full advantage of such by being ready at all times - whether starting or standing on the sideline - is up to them.

We need more Lou Gehrigs on this roster.

emmitt01 · August 20, 2013

No, you're mistaken. That can be solved by throwing a true freshman or a transfer who has never played a down of D1 football out there. It's a cure-all.

True. Much better to continue with an "experienced" player who showed they couldn't solve those same 8 man fronts.

BillySee58 · August 20, 2013

True. Much better to continue with an "experienced" player who showed they couldn't solve those same 8 man fronts.

I've stopped complaining that DT shouldn't be the guy and am trying to focus on supporting him, which I will do if he's under center.

But, the more I see people like you, and others who actually know what they're talking about, post about our situation at qb the more obvious things seem and the more I understand why this makes me and others so angry.

The people who actually watch college football realize that DT just isn't going to get it done and we need someone who, I don't know, has the skill to give us a chance.

The people who have their heads buried in the sand having watched basically nothing but UNT football for years are the ones who think DT is the man for the job because he's experienced and he's a good kid, student, leader, lunch pail mentality etc.

LongJim · August 20, 2013

But, the more I see people like you, and others who actually know what they're talking about, post about our situation at qb the more obvious things seem and the more I understand why this makes me and others so angry.

LOL--NOBODY here knows what they're talking about. Their opinions are as valid as anyone else's.

If the #2 and #3 QB's want to start and are the savior--then TAKE THE JOB.

So far they haven't done enough to make the coaches think they are ready to do that. There's no way an entire offensive coaching staff is going to hold out the player giving the team the best shot to win at the most important position on the field. If that was the case, then Seneca Wallace would not have played a down at Iowa State.

I just want to see the QB at UNT with a full complement of weapons and a whisper of depth for more than 1 or 2 games at a time.

LongJim · August 20, 2013

True. Much better to continue with an "experienced" player who showed they couldn't solve those same 8 man fronts.

If the backups want to play, then they need to take the job. They're fantastic, so they need to be fantastic.

GrayEagle · August 20, 2013

You are only accomplished if you have accomplished something. We don't have any idea if these guys will ever accomplish anything. That's the problem. We have a roster full of receivers who have yet to step up and prove that they can make plays during games.
Injuries do not matter if you have someone with Lou Gehrig's work habits coming in when Wally Pipp is injured. As of yet, we don't have any Gehrig's on the roster - guys who are ready to take advantage of the guy in front of them being injured.

Whether by scholarship or as walk-ons, the coaches give these players an opportunity. Whether they take full advantage of such by being ready at all times - whether starting or standing on the sideline - is up to them.

We need more Lou Gehrigs on this roster.

Perhaps instead of using "accomplished" I should have used "three-star". They must have accomplished something along the way or they shouldn't have been given that rating.

When you have the talent of a Lou Gehrig you won't have to wait for an injury in order to take over. I don't think that any of our backups have that kind of talent but, yes, they need to be ready when called upon.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 20, 2013

Perhaps instead of using "accomplished" I should have used "three-star". They must have accomplished something along the way or they shouldn't have been given that rating.

When you have the talent of a Lou Gehrig you won't have to wait for an injury in order to take over. I don't think that any of our backups have that kind of talent but, yes, they need to be ready when called upon.

And, Lou and Wally came from an era where kids porbably worked harder anyway. Wally was no pushover as an athlete back then either. He'd led the AL in homers and triples, and had been in MVP balloting twice.

Wally was a known entity and the Yankees were making a calculated risk in taking Gehrig over Pipp once Pipp returned. Their gamble paid off. And, Pipp, the very next year he was in the top 15 of vote getters for the NL MVP Award with his new team the Cincinnati Reds. So, it's not like he dropped off the face of the earth.

We can agree on the point that everyone needs to be ready, giving starter-like effort in practice and game preparation. You never know when the guy in front of you will be injured. And, if you want to be a star and have a shot at the next level, it only makes sense that you'd be ready.

If I were a coach, I'd be asking the players all the time, "If you are not ready to start every game, why do you keep hanging around?" I know with McCarney, he's had to rebuild the roster purely from a numbers standpoint, so some dead wood was probably (unhappily) tolerated.

If we are to believe what Bellazin and others have said about this season, though, we should take gospel their declaration the roster is now full of players with both feet in and buying into the program. The proof will be when an injury does occur. We'll then see whether those guys standing on the sideline are ready.

As far as WR and DT go...I agree with the thread that they are big concerns. At DT, I still think we don't have enough depth for a 12 games season (although, I do like that we have two bye weeks in there). At WR, though, there should be no excuse this year. We have enough bodies. We now need the players in those bodies to emerge and make plays.

Edited August 20, 2013 by The Fake Lonnie Finch