What's our potential?

[BillySee58]

Had a great time at the game and celebrating the win since. Been thinking a lot about the win and Mac talking after the game saying this is only the beginning. After seeing that sea of green you can't help but wonder who out of those roughly 36,000+ UNT fans aren't itching to watch another football game.

Are we a sleeping giant that just awoke? Not to putt the cart ahead of the horse, but I really like the way we stack up against the teams in this conference next year. I know we lose a lot of guys, but we were just better than these teams in our division and we are set up right in one of the top 5 high school football hotbeds in the country, unlike these BCS buster teams like Boise and Northern Illinois.

Next year will be huge as well. If USM and UAB take the places of Tulane and Tulsa with scheduling then we could play 10 out of 12 games in the state of Texas next year. Talk about statewide exposure.

Keep enjoying the win. Just some exciting food for thought.

[Green Mean]

Just take it one game and one season at a time. As long as we continue to win we will continue to make major strides and progress in all aspects of a major university.

[BillySee58]

Just take it one game and one season at a time. As long as we continue to win we will continue to make major strides and progress in all aspects of a major university.

Well yeah, but what can that lead to? I have always liked UNT and during their bowl run in the early 2000s you could tell that it was good that they would win their conference, but that seemed like that was the ceiling. It just feels different right now.

[NorthTexan95]

I expect next season will be difficult to match what we did this year. I think we're still one ... maybe two ... good recruiting classes from having a true program that just wins every year no matter who we lose. With another good recruiting class or two we could be an ECU ... Tulsa (before this season ... a Houston ... that is just expected to win 8, 9, or 10 each season. I think we're two seasons away from possibly being a top 25 team.

Edited January 2, 2014 by NorthTexan95

[Cerebus]

Our potential?

[Ben Gooding]

It is different than the early 2000 teams. A few long time alums that I spoke with today talked about how this team is faster, stronger, and more importantly deeper than those teams. In the early 2000's the Sun Belt was considered the worse conference by far in college football, hence why we kept losing the bowl games yet dominating the conference. This years team and for the people that truly know football know that depth on this team is farrrrr better than those teams. Our potential weak link in 2014 is D line and everybody should know that. Everybody should also know that there are playing time players returning that will be potential staters. Also, everyone knows or should know that DT was a game manager. Example: he threw for 256 yards and 2TD's and 0 picks and was praised for it. The QB talent on this roster is mind boggling good, particularly for a CUSA team. O line will be coming back in damn near full force and the WR corps for next year is better than average, easily. Almost the entire secondary is coming back and a so is Derek Akunne and former 4 star player and Oregon LB Anthony Wallace to plug in Orr's place. What I like most of all of what we have returning is the RB corps. Jimmerson, Rollins, Pegram, and incoming freshman Willie Ivery. I know this is a long post, but I an just putting proof in the pudding as to why I think thus team is "different" compared to the 2000 teams. There is true D1 depth on both sides of the ball on this team. GMG! Beat Texas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mean_Green09]

Talent is there to be good again. Tough part is replacing leadership. Will be interesting to see who steps into those roles.

[UNT90]

Well yeah, but what can that lead to? I have always liked UNT and during their bowl run in the early 2000s you could tell that it was good that they would win their conference, but that seemed like that was the ceiling. It just feels different right now.

What we need is alumni involvement. Right now there are about 1200 members of the Mean Green Club. While those numbers are, from what I understand, increased from even the early 2000s, they are still WOEFULLY short of what they should be. We have about 100,00k alumni in this area, and only about 1% of them care enough about UNT athletics to contribute to it's success. That should be a source of embarrassment to all UNT alumni.

If you want to continue to win and win at a higher level, it will take involvement from A LOT of new MGC members. Can you get people reinvolved with UNT athletics? I don't know. There were A LOT of new faces at the bowl events, specifically the Tower Club event. UNT fans also accounted for over 500 rooms of the Omni (unsolicited from my bellhop). Can relationships be forged with these new folks and the MGC be expanded? Time will tell.

Winning at a higher level will take more money. More money to pay good coaches, more money to schedule better (continuing buying home games), more money to improve facilities.

Will UNT alumni step up and finally get involved? History says no, but history doesn't always have to repeat itself.

Edited January 2, 2014 by UNT90

[BillySee58]

Exactly to Ben and Greg.

Also, to those wondering about the d-line, don't know how many of you watched Alex Lincoln, Austin Orr, Daryl Mason, and Q Brown play today but they looked good. Especially Lincoln. Been watching highlights of the year lately and the younger d-line have really shown some bright spots. Polk is another guy who has played well despite being undersized. I have faith in Nelson and Mac that they'll get the d-line ready and keep those bodies fresh next year. Could easily be a drop off still though.

Really hope, whoever the qb is, that we keep doing those short passes that get the confidence up. Definitely like the rhythm the up-tempo offense can give the qb.

[BillySee58]

What we need is alumni involvement. Right now there are about 1200 members of the Mean Green Club. While those numbers are, from what I understand, increased from even the early 2000s, they are still WOEFULLY short of what they should be. We have about 100,00k alumni in this area, and only about 1% of them care enough about UNT athletics to contribute to it's success. That should be a source of embarrassment to all UNT alumni.

If you want to continue to win and win at a higher level, it will take involvement from A LOT of new MGC members. Can you get people reinvolved with UNT athletics? I don't know. There were A LOT of new faces at the bowl events, specifically the Tower Club event. UNT fans also accounted for over 500 rooms of the Omni (unsolicited from my bellhop). Can relationships be forged with these new folks and the MGC be expanded? Time will tell.

Winning at a higher level will take more money. More money to pay good coaches, more money to schedule better (continuing buying home games), more money to improve facilities.

Will UNT alumni step up and finally get involved? History says no, but history doesn't always have to repeat itself.

I can't speak for all the current UNT students, but intend on joining as soon as I can after I graduate.

[Ben Gooding]

I for one can't speak for other students, but I will also be joining whatever club, organization, and/or association after I graduate in May. Do whatever we have to do to continue the trend up.

[greenit]

I would like to see us put a little pressure on RV to publish the numbers so they can be measured and tracked. Specifically, I am talking about number of MGC numbers, total donations, # of season ticket holders. We have roughly 6500 seats that are not club level that require a MGC donation in order to purchase season tickets. At a minimum, we should have the club level sold out along with the 6500 non club level seats sold.

# of MGC members and # of season tickets sold should be at the top of mind of everyone in the AD, and it should be public information so there is a sense of pressure to continually grow the #'s.

[UNT90]

I for one can't speak for other students, but I will also be joining whatever club, organization, and/or association after I graduate in May. Do whatever we have to do to continue the trend up.

Recent grad membership is the way to go.!Doesn't cost you an arm and a leg and gets you used to contributing.

[BillySee58]

Also, didn't know if this was mentioned but we had as many wins this year as SMU and TCU did combined.

[eulessismore]

Also, didn't know if this was mentioned but we had as many wins this year as SMU and TCU did combined.

Yes! If June Jones steals a recruit from us, it will be someone foolish enough we'll wonder why we wanted him.

[ColoradoEagle]

We definitely have perennial top 25 potential with this location, coaching staff, and facilities. Whether or not that potential is ever realized is a completely different question. This year was definitely a pleasant surprise and move towards capitalizing on what's available to us that other programs would kill for.

[ADLER]

Also, didn't know if this was mentioned but we had as many wins this year as SMU and TCU did combined.

True, we had 9 FBS victories. Those two schools had a combined 7 FBS wins.

[GreenBat]

We definitely have perennial top 25 potential with this location, coaching staff, and facilities. Whether or not that potential is ever realized is a completely different question. This year was definitely a pleasant surprise and move towards capitalizing on what's available to us that other programs would kill for.

Tap the brakes a little. The team loses

QB1

RB1

WR1

WR2

TE1

TE3

SSDE1

WSDE1

DTa1

DTb2

SSLB1

MLB1

SS1

PR1

KR1

Kickoff kicker 1

NT has a lot of holes to fill. I think they'll be fine, but remember NO C-USA Teams have been in the TOP 25 this season.

[Ben Gooding]

I'm sorry, but the only pleasant thing about this year was the Rice win and today. Beating USM, La Tech, UTEP, etc, should be annual happenings. Losing to the likes of UTSA and Tulane with the facilities, coaching staff, talent, and recruiting area that North Texas possesses should not happen. Not to take away from 9-4, but we could have EASILY been 11-2 and potentially ranked in the too 25. That UTSA loss still makes my skin crawl.

[Ben Gooding]

Yeah, I see and know the losses. I also know most of those can and will be plugged. D-line is still the ? for 2014, but we have a lot of perfectly capable players returning in most of the areas.

[ColoradoEagle]

Tap the brakes a little.

If we're to be a top 25 team at our level, the next guy needs to step up and do as much or more than the guy he's replacing. At the beginning of the season, would you ever guess Kenny Buyers would be stepping into the starting role over Whitfield?

There will always be guys to replace. What we've never done as a program is continue to build on success. Instead we've just relied on one or two classes of players. I feel like the difference now with these facilities and this coaching staff is we have what it takes to build a program instead of a football team.

[BillySee58]

I'm sorry, but the only pleasant thing about this year was the Rice win and today. Beating USM, La Tech, UTEP, etc, should be annual happenings. Losing to the likes of UTSA and Tulane with the facilities, coaching staff, talent, and recruiting area that North Texas possesses should not happen. Not to take away from 9-4, but we could have EASILY been 11-2 and potentially ranked in the too 25. That UTSA loss still makes my skin crawl.

And here's what the schedule will likely look like next year.

Home games:

-SMU, Nicholls St, La Tech, USM, UAB, and an east division team (probably not MTSU)

Away games:

-Texas, Indiana, Rice, UTSA, UTEP, and an east division team (quite possibly MTSU in Murfreesboro)

SMU will be a lot like the Ball State game this year and Indiana will be a lot like the Ohio road game from this year. Our home schedule sets up very nicely and if we can continue our road success from the end of this year and close out the close ones we could be in a very good position to have a good record again.

[Army of Dad]

Talent is there to be good again. Tough part is replacing leadership. Will be interesting to see who steps into those roles.

Y'barbo is back, but I agree it will be very interesting to see who the new leaders will be.

[ForneyGreen]

Away games:

-Texas, Indiana, Rice, UTSA, UTEP, and an east division team (quite possibly MTSU in Murfreesboro)

Our away schedule next year is tough... UTSA will not be easy, and UTEP is not too far from getting much better. I agree that Indiana will be a lot like Ohio this past year, and Texas will be a huge challenge. Rice will also be tough.

I think our QB play next year will be the difference between another bowl year (and possible CUSA West Championship) and a down year. We'll be fine at the skill positions (RB, WR, CB, Safety) and I think our DL will be ok after another off-season of strength and conditioning work-outs. OL should again be our greatest strength.

QB play is the key. Starting QB needs to be consistent, smart, and a leader.

[foutsrouts]

I'm sorry, but the only pleasant thing about this year was the Rice win and today. Beating USM, La Tech, UTEP, etc, should be annual happenings. Losing to the likes of UTSA and Tulane with the facilities, coaching staff, talent, and recruiting area that North Texas possesses should not happen. Not to take away from 9-4, but we could have EASILY been 11-2 and potentially ranked in the too 25. That UTSA loss still makes my skin crawl.

I thought Ball State was pretty pleasant too. We were obviously much better than all of our other victory opponents with the exception of Rice.