Where we will be hard pressed to better DT

Christopher Walker · August 20, 2014

So.... are we just masochistic, or what?

greenit · August 20, 2014

Even if our quarterback is below average this season, it doesn't make Derek Thompson's career any better than it was, which was average. Average is not fun (although I will happily take it, if it comes attached to a Bowl victory.) But I am excited about the possibility of our new quarterback: Anyone But Derek Thompson, because the possibility for above average quarterback play exists now.

Average compared to UNT QB' history? Or average compared to the top QB's in NCAA history? There is a huge difference.

Coach Andy Mac · August 20, 2014

There are only 3 that won bowls

the green rokemi · August 20, 2014

DT was better than Nathan Tune.

Was he? Tune played on some bad teams and put up the same type numbers if I remember right.

I'd also like to add that we would have probably beat Georgia if DT could have hit people on the deep ball.

UNTLifer · August 20, 2014

My gosh. I just +1ed UNT90. The world must be ending.

I did too. My goodness, let up on DT. His career is over and he led us to a bowl victory on New Year's Day. Be happy with the results and let him be. Could his stats have been better? Sure, but what good does it do to drag them through the mud now? I love that he went out as the MVP of the bowl game.

untlynchka1 · August 20, 2014

this was the best ball he ever threw... so glad he was able to go out that way

Thank you for saying that. So true. Don't hate me Jesse Martin. Please

MDH · August 20, 2014

He's Trent dilfer. Why are unt fans trying to put him up there with ray Lewis and Ed reed?

He was a game manager, yes. Having grown up watching Trent in Fresno, he was 100x the QB DT was.

Edited August 20, 2014 by MDH

untbowler · August 20, 2014

Even if our quarterback is below average this season, it doesn't make Derek Thompson's career any better than it was, which was average. Average is not fun (although I will happily take it, if it comes attached to a Bowl victory.) But I am excited about the possibility of our new quarterback: Anyone But Derek Thompson, because the possibility for above average quarterback play exists now.

DT was only as good as the coaching and playcalling allowed him to be, when the offense was opened up he was pretty good, when the playcalling was overly conservative and the running game was down, he was average to below average fighting to find open receivers.

Greer and Lil Mac will be no different, even DW would be similar with the playcaling collars on.

Army of Dad · August 20, 2014

So.... are we just masochistic, or what?

You've been registered on GMG for almost two years. You are a UNT fan.

Was that a rhetorical question?

GOMG2013 · August 20, 2014

DT was only as good as the coaching and playcalling allowed him to be, when the offense was opened up he was pretty good, when the playcalling was overly conservative and the running game was down, he was average to below average fighting to find open receivers.
Greer and Lil Mac will be no different, even DW would be similar with the playcaling collars on.

I agree with most of this. If our wrs show they can get a step or two on dbs, will the playcalling change? Or do we still only pass when nessessary?

Eagle1855 · August 20, 2014

Saying DT is the second-best QB in NT history isn't saying a whole hell of a lot, in the context of FBS football. We haven't exactly been UH, Texas Tech or even UTEP, when it comes to the level of QB play in Denton.

That said, I am thankful for the successful season DT helped orchestrate, last season, and his time as a member of our program.

I do think we'll be just fine once these "new" guys get some games under their belts -- especially with the relative comfort afforded by a veteran O-line.

UNTcrazy727 · August 20, 2014

DT was only as good as the coaching and playcalling allowed him to be, when the offense was opened up he was pretty good, when the playcalling was overly conservative and the running game was down, he was average to below average fighting to find open receivers.

Greer and Lil Mac will be no different, even DW would be similar with the playcaling collars on.

Ever think the play-calling was conservative because the coaches knew DT's limitations and wanted to put him in the best situation to succeed? Which was a run heavy offense with short passes and the occasional shot down field when defenses pressed.

MeanGreenTexan · August 20, 2014

Saying DT is the second-best QB in NT history isn't saying a whole hell of a lot, in the context of FBS football. We haven't exactly been UH, Texas Tech or even UTEP, when it comes to the level of QB play in Denton.

That said, I am thankful for the successful season DT helped orchestrate, last season, and his time as a member of our program.

I do think we'll be just fine once these "new" guys get some games under their belts -- especially with the relative comfort afforded by a veteran O-line.

Oh+god...no+please+don+t+PICTURE+GET+OUT

untjim1995 · August 20, 2014

First off, I admit that I was way wrong about DT--I thought him being the starting QB last year would lead to a 4 win season. Instead, it was a 4-loss season and a bowl win. So I do think we will miss his leadership in the huddle and on the sidelines and in the lockerroom.

DT was average as a QB. But the team he had last year didn't need him to be a great QB very often, so we got away with him not being great. The defense, special teams, and running game allowed the passing game to open up, where he had solid receivers. But his throws were more erratic than accurate, which is what average QBs often do.

Will McNulty be any better than DT? My guess is that he will be about the same statistically, but he will fall short on the leadership end of things. Will that matter, though? It all depends on how well the defense gels under Skladany and how Chico gameplans with McNulty. I personally feel like McNulty's ceiling is about where DTs was, but that ceiling for DT ended up being good enough for the team last season. One thing I do know is that DT starting all year long was a blessing to this program, which is why I kinda hope that McNulty will be the same way.

Scott Hall was deservedly considered a solid QB here under Dickey. He made throws when he needed to, he just wasn't asked to do that too much. He was tough minded and led the offense with confidence. DT basically did the same thing last season, as well. If we are lucky, McNulty will do the same. If not, .500 might be a real accomplishment in 2014.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 20, 2014

Best D I-A/FBS QB we ever had. We'll miss him.

pastorgrant · August 20, 2014

First off, I admit that I was way wrong about DT--I thought him being the starting QB last year would lead to a 4 win season. Instead, it was a 4-loss season and a bowl win. So I do think we will miss his leadership in the huddle and on the sidelines and in the lockerroom.

DT was average as a QB. But the team he had last year didn't need him to be a great QB very often, so we got away with him not being great. The defense, special teams, and running game allowed the passing game to open up, where he had solid receivers. But his throws were more erratic than accurate, which is what average QBs often do.

Will McNulty be any better than DT? My guess is that he will be about the same statistically, but he will fall short on the leadership end of things. Will that matter, though? It all depends on how well the defense gels under Skladany and how Chico gameplans with McNulty. I personally feel like McNulty's ceiling is about where DTs was, but that ceiling for DT ended up being good enough for the team last season. One thing I do know is that DT starting all year long was a blessing to this program, which is why I kinda hope that McNulty will be the same way.

Scott Hall was deservedly considered a solid QB here under Dickey. He made throws when he needed to, he just wasn't asked to do that too much. He was tough minded and led the offense with confidence. DT basically did the same thing last season, as well. If we are lucky, McNulty will do the same. If not, .500 might be a real accomplishment in 2014.

I don't think McNulty won the job, so you don't need to worry about that.

On the DT subject, the game changed drastically between when Scott Hall played and when DT played. QBs just put up better numbers across the board now in all levels of the game. For example, statistically, Tony Romo is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and is by far the best Cowboy. Through 93 starts, he had 174 TDs and 88 INTs vs 92 TDs and 82 INTs for Troy Aikman and 116 TDs and 87 INTs for Roger Staubach. Tony also had the most yards through 100 games and the highest fourth quarter quarterback rating of any quarterback in NFL history. He is also 5th all-time on career QB rating (95.8, by comparison Troy Aikman is 44th at 81.6 and Roger Staubach is 30th at 83.4). I like Tony Romo, don't get me wrong, Jerry is the reason the Cowboys can't put it together, but I think it would be tough to make the argument that Tony is a whole category above Troy Aikman or Roger Staubach. The point I'm making is that it isn't an even comparison to use raw stats and compare DT to previous UNT QBs. Put DT in historical comparison between entirely different eras, and he looks like a world-beater. Put him in comparison to his contemporaries and he is #61 out of 125 QBs (passer rating-I picked that stat up off this board somewhere). Solid, but not amazing.

My opinion on DT is that he was a solid QB his Senior season. I went into the season very down on him and he won me over and had a good year. He had 3 bad games and probably cost us all three of them (Ohio, Tulane, UTSA [the whole team was bad that game, but a decent game from DT would have been enough]), and I was also really disappointed in his second-half against Georgia, but that happens to Quarterbacks. Other players have bad games, too, we just don't notice as much. I also think that we don't beat Ball State if he didn't play like he did in the second half, and that he was great in the HOD bowl (though I think Brelan should have been MVP).

I'm thankful for a good year from him and looking forward to seeing what Greer can do.

GMG

Mean Green 93-98 · August 20, 2014

Best D I-A/FBS QB we ever had.

Now let's not get crazy here.

Cerebus · August 20, 2014

Scott Hall was deservedly considered a solid QB here under Dickey.

A solid QB? He is a Hall of Famer, the best QB we have had since the return to the top division and one of the top QB's in the history of North Texas football.

He made throws when he needed to, he just wasn't asked to do that too much.

Scott Hall didn't throw as often, but he was very important to the offense. His play action passes are the only thing that kept Patrick Cobbs, JaMario and the other backs from running into 9 and 10 man fronts.

Looking at each QB's last two years:

Hall 27TD 9INT 14.7YPC

Thompson 30TD 27INT 11.9YPC

Dodge 20TD 19INT

Vizza 32TD 36INT

Cerebus · August 20, 2014

Best D I-A/FBS QB we ever had. We'll miss him.

Are you talking about Scott Hall? We've missed him for a long time.

DallasGreen · August 20, 2014

Statistically.

But forget stats. Is he a better QB than....

Steve Ramsey
Vidal Carlin
Ken Smith
Ken Washington
Jordan Case
Joe Stevenson
Greg Carter
Scott Davis
Mitch Maher
Scott Hall

Or for that matter, was he better than Giovanni Vizza?

Too bad we never got to see on Vizza, probably one of the toughest QBs I've ever seen play here. I was a frat brother of Ramsey's and no one is even close to measuring up to Ramsey to Shanklin throws. Steve had 69 TD passes in just three years playing teams such as Arkansas, San Diego State ( with Dennis Shaw), Cincinnati ( with Greg Cook), and Louisville . All the rest I've seen play and with the exception of Jordan Case, I would still take DT. Jordan had a game against UT that was phenomenal, and that was against a hugely better UT team than the one we whine so much about in 1988.

northtexassigep · August 20, 2014

10 days till we play the horns and Derek and other past quarterbacks are still the main topic for discussion. Please, I'd rather get into more details over the uniforms this year.

DallasGreen · August 20, 2014

Was he? Tune played on some bad teams and put up the same type numbers if I remember right.
I'd also like to add that we would have probably beat Georgia if DT could have hit people on the deep ball.

Did you just come in from Fantasyland?