Can the 2014 UNT Football Team Surpass 2013?

[Harry]

It's still early, but I am interested to know how you expect this 2014 UNT Football team will fare as compared to 2013's bowl winning team?

[Mean Green 93-98]

"Can" ≠ "Will"

[Ben Gooding]

Texas-L

SMU-W

La Tech-W

Nichols St-W

Indiana-W

UAB-W

So Miss-W

Rice-L

FAU-L

UTEP-W

FIU-W

utsa- W

9-3 reg. season

Pending bowl opponent, who knows.

[NT03]

We finish the season 7-6, losing in a bowl game.

[Ben Gooding]

We finish the season 7-6, losing in a bowl game.

Thats possible. I just don't see us losing to Rice, utsa, Indiana, SMU, and UT. We'll steal a couple of those. And if we go 7-5 in regular season we will be matched with a softy team and should win the bowl. But I see where your going, could happen.

[UNT90]

Lots of question marks this year. Another bowl game would be a huge success.

[NT03]

Lots of question marks this year. Another bowl game would be a huge success.

Agree

I think this team might lose a few games it probably shouldn't just on inexperience

Must win games to gain bowl eligibility -

Nichols St

UAB

La Tech

So Miss

FIU

UTEP

Throw in SMU & that's my 7 wins for the year

Would have loved to seen last year's team with this year's schedule. Undefeated wouldn't be a far fetched idea

[JesseMartin]

I agree...but who knows how it will play out; this team could (COULD) end up being even better than last year's and we could be 11-1 or 12-0. Seems far-fetched but really, look at who we have to beat. If UT is no better than last year, and we ARE better than last year, we could reasonably see 12-0. The problem is there's really no way to gauge how good the guys are until we see what happens in Austin.

[Ben Gooding]

I agree...but who knows how it will play out; this team could (COULD) end up being even better than last year's and we could be 11-1 or 12-0. Seems far-fetched but really, look at who we have to beat. If UT is no better than last year, and we ARE better than last year, we could reasonably see 12-0. The problem is there's really no way to gauge how good the guys are until we see what happens in Austin.

12-0 is bold. If North Texas beats UT clear your schedule bc anything could happen. But with inexperience in key positions it will be much harder to win the grind it out type games. For ex. If this team falls behind by 21 such as what happened against Ball St, that would be an almost insurmountable lead to overcome with inexperience in key positions. North Texas' "slip up" game is at home v FAU. They are going to be much improved. I agree though, there are just too many what if's right now.

[Harry]

I see FAU as one of the tougher games on the schedule next year. That QB they have is going to be really good.

[UNT90]

I agree...but who knows how it will play out; this team could (COULD) end up being even better than last year's and we could be 11-1 or 12-0. Seems far-fetched but really, look at who we have to beat. If UT is no better than last year, and we ARE better than last year, we could reasonably see 12-0. The problem is there's really no way to gauge how good the guys are until we see what happens in Austin.

We will not see 12-0. Don't be crazy talkin up in here. If everything goes perfectly, including injuries, 9-3 is doable. Things never go perfectly. Last year was about as close as it gets, and you usually don't get back to back years like that (every single question answered beyond all expectations and no injuries to critical players).

[drex]

We will never leave Austin with a win...it just isn't in the 'script.'

[chrisfisher]

We will never leave Austin with a win...it just isn't in the 'script.'

You are probably right, but if there were ever a coach to lead us to such a victory, I think it would be Mac. He is just crazy enough to believe that we can win - combine that with his relentless energy to instill this vision into our players between now and August, and you just never know. What a win that would be!

[BillySee58]

I see FAU as one of the tougher games on the schedule next year. That QB they have is going to be really good.

From what I've seen of their qb, I think we should stack the box and force him to beat us with his arm. Their defense is pretty fast. That's what scares me about them.

This will sound pretty homer of me, but we were better than a 9 win team last year, at least against that schedule. All of our wins were pretty resounding and we looked like we were clearly the better team IMO, and the losses, outside of Georgia, were very close (6,3, and 8 points), included us giving up non-offensive touchdowns, and really should've been wins. At least two of them.

My point is, if our offense can take a step up, it's alright if our defense takes a step back, and maybe our team as a whole. We can win just as many games as last year, or more, without necessarily being a better or more talented football team. But who knows? Maybe we will be that as well.

[golfingomez]

We will not see 12-0. Don't be crazy talkin up in here. If everything goes perfectly, including injuries, 9-3 is doable. Things never go perfectly. Last year was about as close as it gets, and you usually don't get back to back years like that (every single question answered beyond all expectations and no injuries to critical players).

this

every good team needs help to have a successful season... last year we had a lot of it

[Green P1]

Mabes

[untjim1995]

I see us losing a competitive game at UT, but its not that out of question for us to beat them. Again, I bring this game up as a reminder, but I saw Arkansas State literally run Mike Sherman's first Aggie team in its opener into the ground. That A&M team had no QB at all (sorry Stephen McGee fans) and they lost at home in Collie Station. I don't think we will do that in Austin, but I think UT is not a good team. Their QB situation is just downright awful. Their defense is supposed to be strong, but teams ran on them like they were a JV team last year. That just happens to be our strength. Texas would have to help us greatly by turning it over a lot and being inept on offense, but that is very possible in a coach's opening game at a school like Texas. I realize that UT could probably win this game 42-7, but something tells me this one will be much tougher than they think. I can easily see a 17-13 type game. And I'm dead serious when I say that the 17 could belong to us. But lets just say for now that this game is a loss. 0-1

I think we beat SMU at home, La Tech at home, and Nicholls State at home. 3-1

I think we split the next 4 games, losing at Indiana and Rice, winning at UAB and at home against USM. 5-3

I think we win 3 of the last 4 games in conference, losing at UTSA. 8-4.

Beat a team from AAC/MAC/SBC in a bowl game--9-4

[emmitt01]

I see us losing a competitive game at UT, but its not that out of question for us to beat them. Again, I bring this game up as a reminder, but I saw Arkansas State literally run Mike Sherman's first Aggie team in its opener into the ground. That A&M team had no QB at all (sorry Stephen McGee fans) and they lost at home in Collie Station. I don't think we will do that in Austin, but I think UT is not a good team. Their QB situation is just downright awful. Their defense is supposed to be strong, but teams ran on them like they were a JV team last year. That just happens to be our strength. Texas would have to help us greatly by turning it over a lot and being inept on offense, but that is very possible in a coach's opening game at a school like Texas. I realize that UT could probably win this game 42-7, but something tells me this one will be much tougher than they think. I can easily see a 17-13 type game. And I'm dead serious when I say that the 17 could belong to us. But lets just say for now that this game is a loss. 0-1

I think we beat SMU at home, La Tech at home, and Nicholls State at home. 3-1

I think we split the next 4 games, losing at Indiana and Rice, winning at UAB and at home against USM. 5-3

I think we win 3 of the last 4 games in conference, losing at UTSA. 8-4.

Beat a team from AAC/MAC/SBC in a bowl game--9-4

One correction. Teams with running QUARTERBACKS shredded UT's defense. I don't think our bus driver will have those same results.

[untjim1995]

One correction. Teams with running QUARTERBACKS shredded UT's defense. I don't think our bus driver will have those same results.

I can't imagine that BYU's QB ran like he did against UT versus anyone else, but I don't know that...If we stay with them, it will be because our running game gains 200+ yards on them and we get some turnovers that give us a short field and we use up a lot of clock. I can see that happening in this game, just as much as I could see UT pounding us.

And I'm the one who usually thinks that this kind of game is just a waste of time and that we usually will get crushed. I just think that this Texas team is, by far, the worst AQ power we have played since we moved up to Division1-A in 1995. Looking back at the games at UT, OU, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Clemson, Texas A&M, and Kansas State from the past and I cannot see one of those teams being worse than this current Texas team. I just think this current Texas team is as bad as they have rolled out in a long time. Our game is a must-win for them if they want to fininsh above .500, I think. I see them losing to UCLA, Baylor, OU, @KSU, and at OSU. They seem to have Tech's number or I'd say they'll lose that game in Lubbock, but I think Tech has beaten UT once in the last ten years or so. BYU, at home for them after us, will be tough, too. I see them being a 7-5 team, at best, and that's assuming they beat us, BYU, @ KU, ISU, @ Tech, WVU, and TCU.

[TIgreen01]

I think we struggle to get back to .500. We have serious questions all over the defense, and new players will have to emerge on offense (possession receiver, starting RB, and QB), not to mention what I think is the real difference between last year's team and every other DMac team---special teams: specifically Brelan Chancellor returning kicks. That guy was a game changer for us last year. We will not replace him, but if we can find someone to step in and be productive it will help us immensely.

Granted, I really don't have a good feel for the rest of CUSA. It is surprisingly much weaker than I thought it would be, going in. When Rice and UTSA are your favorites going into the year, that is just not a tough conference.

[MeanGreenTexan]

It's so early, so I reserve the right to change my mind, but... We'll have something like 7-8 wins and will go to the New Mexico Bowl.

[JesseMartin]

It's so early, so I reserve the right to change my mind, but... We'll have something like 7-8 wins and will go to the New Mexico Bowl.

If you're right, I should be able to easily meet you crazy bastards in New Mexico for the bowl. The way things are looking our numbers should be up by then and there could be a decent little crowd from AZ that may make the trip...it's a lot easier than all the way back to Dallas.

[pastorgrant]

The schedule seems a lot easier this year. I don't think the team will be quite as good, but we could hit 9 anyway.

[UNT90]

La Tech and USM will be much better, but at least we have them at home.

Rice and Indiana on the road will be hella tough, as will FAU and SMU (although many don't want to hear it) at home. That could be four losses right there. Throw in UT and we are up to 5.

We could very easily be 6-5 going into the last game of the season with that craphole in San Antonio.

[greenminer]

Did Strong bring in a new DC, or is it the same guy they had last year?