McNulty utilizing experience in QB race

Harry · March 30, 2014

Andrew McNulty settled in under center on his second series during North Texas’ first major scrimmage of spring practice on Saturday and slowly drove the Mean Green down the field.

The junior managed the offense, fed his running backs the ball and watched as Antoinne Jimmerson dove into the end zone at the end of a 14-play drive.

The drive was just what coach Dan McCarney and offensive coordinator Mike Canales wanted to see from their quarterbacks and particularly McNulty, who perhaps is under more pressure than anyone else as the Mean Green prepares for the 2014 season.

The Iowa native is locked in a three-way battle for the starting job entering his junior season at UNT and his fourth year at the school. The other two players in the hunt are sophomore Josh Greer and redshirt freshman Dajon Williams.

Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/colleges/north-texas-headlines/20140329-football-mcnulty-utilizing-experience-in-qb-race.ece

FirefightnRick · March 30, 2014

..."and slowly drove the Mean Green down the field"...

Not the news I was hoping to read.

Rick

Graddean · March 30, 2014

And quickly threw an interception would be better?

emmitt01 · March 30, 2014

If there's one point that Mac and Chico seemed to want to drive home it's that McNulty is NOT a superior athlete...and they don't care.

Any talk of an uptempo, more spread out offense is just that...talk.

UNT90 · March 30, 2014

If there's one point that Mac and Chico seemed to want to drive home it's that McNulty is NOT a superior athlete...and they don't care.
Any talk of an uptempo, more spread out offense is just that...talk.

And has been for the last 2 years.

Can't believe people keep falling for the same old off season BS.

GOMG2013 · March 30, 2014

They admitted that McNulty knows the offense and has the most experience...but it is still a competition, and it could go into August. Its not going into August for McNulty to learn more. just like last year, it will be extended to see if someone else can learn the offense.

UNT90 · March 30, 2014

They admitted that McNulty knows the offense and has the most experience...but it is still a competition, and it could go into August. Its not going into August for McNulty to learn more. just like last year, it will be extended to see if someone else can learn the offense.

No.

Unless this offense is the most complicated offense in the history of ever.

DW has been here 2 years. He knows the offense. Josh Greer probably already has the offense down pat.

When a coach says "he needs to learn the offense better" what that coach actually means is "he needs to make the decisions we want him to make within the framework of the offense."

To think this offense is so complicated that kids playing football for the past 8 years can't grasp it is silly.

Again, don't buy into the coach speak that goes on continually with the media.

Harry · March 30, 2014

DW hasn't been here a year yet. He was a true freshman last year. This is his first spring.

UNT90 · March 30, 2014

DW hasn't been here a year yet. He was a true freshman last year. This is his first spring.

Yet he knew the offense well enough after 4 weeks of fall practice to push DT for the starting job last year.

The whole "don't know the offense well enough" is a joke. It's coach speak of the highest order when the coach doesn't want to give the real reason.

SilverEagle · March 30, 2014

If there's one point that Mac and Chico seemed to want to drive home it's that McNulty is NOT a superior athlete...and they don't care.
Any talk of an uptempo, more spread out offense is just that...talk.

"Uptempo" seems to mean something different to most fans. Near as I can tell, when most people say "uptempo" they seem to mean "run and gun and throw it down field every other play". And for those who have that fantasy, Emmitt is right....it ain't going to happen.

When I think of "uptempo" I tend to think of pseudo-two minute offense. Everyone gets up to the line quickly, there is an above average amount of motion, and then you get the play off within about 10 seconds. This works just as well for running the ball as it does "gunning it" down field every other play. You get the ball into the hands of your best play maker as quickly as possible and let him get as many yards as possible. Best example of this last year was the WR reverse or double reverse. It was an "uptempo" play and getting the ball in Brelan's hands on a running play was just as exciting to me as a 20 yard throw down field. AND once it got into motion, you had at least three options....one of which could have been a down field throw after Brelan froze the defense by going into motion and threatening the run.

What I had a problem with last year was situations like when we had a 20 point lead a couple of minutes before half against the MUTS and got the ball and we immediately went into the long-stretch-hand-off running play. THAT is not uptempo.

So, after a long harangue about what I think is "uptempo" what do some of you out there mean when you say "uptempo"? What does it look like for you?

UNTLifer · March 30, 2014

Yet he knew the offense well enough after 4 weeks of fall practice to push DT for the starting job last year.
The whole "don't know the offense well enough" is a joke. It's coach speak of the highest order when the coach doesn't want to give the real reason.

Does anything at all with the North Texas athletic program make you happy? I mean, honestly all you do is complain.

meangreendork · March 30, 2014

"Uptempo" seems to mean something different to most fans. Near as I can tell, when most people say "uptempo" they seem to mean "run and gun and throw it down field every other play". And for those who have that fantasy, Emmitt is right....it ain't going to happen.

When I think of "uptempo" I tend to think of pseudo-two minute offense. Everyone gets up to the line quickly, there is an above average amount of motion, and then you get the play off within about 10 seconds. This works just as well for running the ball as it does "gunning it" down field every other play. You get the ball into the hands of your best play maker as quickly as possible and let him get as many yards as possible. Best example of this last year was the WR reverse or double reverse. It was an "uptempo" play and getting the ball in Brelan's hands on a running play was just as exciting to me as a 20 yard throw down field. AND once it got into motion, you had at least three options....one of which could have been a down field throw after Brelan froze the defense by going into motion and threatening the run.

What I had a problem with last year was situations like when we had a 20 point lead a couple of minutes before half against the MUTS and got the ball and we immediately went into the long-stretch-hand-off running play. THAT is not uptempo.

So, after a long harangue about what I think is "uptempo" what do some of you out there mean when you say "uptempo"? What does it look like for you?

It's not too far from your idea of uptempo. It doesn't have to be a flashy plays for long gains. It does need to be the squad lining up quick, getting the call out fast,executing quickly and then running or passing to get the ball moving while the defense is constantly in the state of reacting. Basically, it's like getting into and dictating the defense's OODA loop by moving and thinking faster than they can, even if the moves aren't huge. Hell, I think the best part of no-huddles or quick-huddle offenses is that the defense doesn't really have time to think.

UNT90 · March 30, 2014

Does anything at all with the North Texas athletic program make you happy? I mean, honestly all you do is complain.

You register this as a complaint? Really?

Just trying to point out to people that coaches talk to the media with a purpose. A coach is never going to blast a player in the media unless that coach thinks it will motivate that particular player.

Coaches also say the sane things every off-season to keep the fan base interested, a la the "we are going to open up the offense" party line that has been floated out there the past 2 years, when anyone who has watched this team closely the last 3 years knows we are going to be a run first, hard nosed defensive team. That is the kind of football Mac wants to play.

I have no problem with the coaches saying certain things to keep fan interest.

I also have no problem with them not giving us the whole picture on competitions for starting spots. They couldn't do their job if they were brutally honest with Mr. Vito.

I do find it humorous that many treat these reports as gospel, and will continue to point out thhey are anything but.

Edited March 30, 2014 by UNT90

FirefightnRick · March 30, 2014

And quickly threw an interception would be better?

...."had little time to find any open recievers and there was little room for the backs to run in, all day long"...

That's what I want to read.

And I agree with Silver about "uptempo".

Rick

Edited March 30, 2014 by FirefightnRick

emmitt01 · March 30, 2014

I too am amused people put ANY stock in Mac's talk of change in the offense. I know I'm not looking for the Oregon offense but I also don't want to see the slow walk to the line, look to the sideline, let the defense adjust pace that we saw a lot last season.

Then again, this fan base listened when Dickey talked of "opening up" the offense for, what was it, 8 years?

KRAM1 · March 30, 2014

9 wins...HOD Bowl victory.

UNTLifer · March 30, 2014

That turtle pace we ran last year ended with a 9-4 record, should have been even better, that exceeded everyone's expectations and a bowl win on New Year's Day. Very few teams run at the pace you all desire and none are Alabama. I would trade Bama's success for TTech's or Oregon's pace any day.

Regarding the article, this tells me to expect to see McNulty under center unless Williams or Greer really pulls away from the others by opening day.

UNT90 · March 30, 2014

That turtle pace we ran last year ended with a 9-4 record, should have been even better.

Ever consider these two things are interrelated?

Ben Gooding · March 31, 2014

That turtle pace we ran last year ended with a 9-4 record, should have been even better, that exceeded everyone's expectations and a bowl win on New Year's Day. Very few teams run at the pace you all desire and none are Alabama. I would trade Bama's success for TTech's or Oregon's pace any day.
Regarding the article, this tells me to expect to see McNulty under center unless Williams or Greer really pulls away from the others by opening day.

Bama's success is far fetched. But it's obvious that uptempo, quick snap, "gimmick" offense gives the "little guy" the best chance of winning.

emmitt01 · March 31, 2014

That turtle pace we ran last year ended with a 9-4 record, should have been even better, that exceeded everyone's expectations and a bowl win on New Year's Day. Very few teams run at the pace you all desire and none are Alabama. I would trade Bama's success for TTech's or Oregon's pace any day.
Regarding the article, this tells me to expect to see McNulty under center unless Williams or Greer really pulls away from the others by opening day.

Funny, considering that quick uptempo offense is EXACTLY what has solved Bama and the rest of the SEC's stranglehold on college football. Just ask OU.

SilverEagle · March 31, 2014

That turtle pace we ran last year ended with a 9-4 record, should have been even better, that exceeded everyone's expectations and a bowl win on New Year's Day. Very few teams run at the pace you all desire and none are Alabama. I would trade Bama's success for TTech's or Oregon's pace any day.
Regarding the article, this tells me to expect to see McNulty under center unless Williams or Greer really pulls away from the others by opening day.

With all respect...that "uptempo" special teams and VERY aggressive defense is what got us 9-4 last year. Without them we would not have been bowl eligible. If we had had an offense that was as productive (and uptempo) as our special teams and defense, we would have been, (depending on who we faced in our bowl game,), 13-0 last year.

As a reminder, it wasn't our "turtle" offense that had us tied with Georgia in the middle of the 3rd Qr. last year.

Mean Green 93-98 · March 31, 2014

There seems to be some misunderstanding about what "uptempo" means. It does not mean "aggressive" or "having fast athletes." Uptempo is where the offense is getting back to the line and snapping the ball as quick as possible, hoping to catch the defense flatfooted.

MeanGreenTexan · March 31, 2014

There seems to be some misunderstanding about what "uptempo" means. It does not mean "aggressive" or "having fast athletes." Uptempo is where the offense is getting back to the line and snapping the ball as quick as possible, hoping to catch the defense flatfooted.

And even if the defense is quick enough to get back in their alignment pre-snap, at least they don't get to put in any subs.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · March 31, 2014

Just read and you see what they want:

McCarney

-Consistency

-Productivity

-Toughness

-Leadership

-Efficiency

Canales

-Trust among players (McCarney would call this leadership)
-Knows the system
-Get into good, not bad, positions (again, efficiency)
-Consistency

IslandEagle · March 31, 2014

Just read and you see what they want:

McCarney

-Consistency

-Productivity

-Toughness

-Leadership

-Efficiency

Canales

-Trust among players (McCarney would call this leadership)
-Knows the system
-Get into good, not bad, positions (again, efficiency)
-Consistency

Good summary. The starting QB will be the one who demonstrates these attributes the most. I would love, of course, but that to be the most talented athlete as well, but all levels of football are filled with talented players who never reach their potential for one reason or another. The rules are clear, we will find out who wants the job enough to respond to them.