Five observations from the Mean Green win over SMU

Harry · September 7, 2014

1. Hard nosed defense: If this game proved anything, it’s that the Mean Green’s defensive performance in the first half against the University of Texas wasn’t a fluke. This defense is one of the best in Conference USA even without Zach Orr and Marcus Trice. Against SMU, the Mean Green defense came up with three sacks, two interceptions, three fumbles and a touchdown. On the season, the Mean Green has scored two defensive touchdowns. They also held SMU to 1-11 on third down conversions. This is a physical defense that isn’t afraid hit hard. They scramble all over the field and have a knack for forcing turnovers. A great defense is a characteristic of a Dan McCarney coached team, and don’t be surprised if they are near the top of major C-USA defensive statistics by the end of the season.

Read more: http://ntdaily.com/five-observations-from-the-mean-green-win-over-smu/

UNT90 · September 8, 2014

I didn't read the article, but I hope he gave John Skladany some credit.

He arrived in January, 2012. The transformation has been nothing short of spectacular. If he has another really good D this year, he will get offers to be DC at P5 schools. Hopefully we can keep him around for a while.

MeanGreenHoops · September 8, 2014

Wow, that was very well written. Better than stuff we see from the pros.

SilverEagle · September 8, 2014

5. Crowd was good, could have been better: The official attendance for the game was 22,398, which is the fourth largest crowd ever at Apogee Stadium. While it was a good crowd, it wasn’t what I thought it would be. I surely thought there would be at least 25,000 people in the crowd for UNT’s home opener, and for the first game that Apogee would sell alcohol. The student section seemed completely full, but there were still plenty of empty seats elsewhere in the stadium. The Mean Green has built quite a home field advantage at Apogee Stadium, but it could be even better if 30,000 or more fans come out.

SO, the question comes up yet again. What the hell is it going to take to fill up Apogee?

Lots of people have said "get a name opponent in there". Well, SMU is not only a name opponent, it is an opponent that is universally hated by just about all NT alumni. PLUS they were serving beer in Apogee for the first time ever. PLUS we got robo-called by the coach to please come and fill up Apogee.

Thoughts? Excuses? (new ones please, I've heard all the old ones).

Ben Gooding · September 8, 2014

Win a lot of games between now and Nov 8th we very well might have a sellout for homecoming. Solid kickoff time at 6:00. I think that's our best shot.

Green Mean · September 8, 2014

SO, the question comes up yet again. What the hell is it going to take to fill up Apogee?

Lots of people have said "get a name opponent in there". Well, SMU is not only a name opponent, it is an opponent that is universally hated by just about all NT alumni. PLUS they were serving beer in Apogee for the first time ever. PLUS we got robo-called by the coach to please come and fill up Apogee.

Thoughts? Excuses? (new ones please, I've heard all the old ones).

I've seen quite a few comments blaming the 11am start time and lots of people couldn't come out because of commitments from kid events etc. People have had months to plan their schedules around 1 game. To me that isn't a good excuse.

forevereagle · September 8, 2014

PLUS they were serving beer in Apogee for the first time ever.

I think the beer sales are not the magic attendance attraction that they are thought to be. This is a revenue booster from the fans already in the stadium.

greenminer · September 8, 2014

I've seen quite a few comments blaming the 11am start time and lots of people couldn't come out because of commitments from kid events etc. People have had months to plan their schedules around 1 game. To me that isn't a good excuse.

I can respect it. It doesn't matter how many months you plan in advance, parents are going to take their kid to the soccer game.

Whatever excuse the alumni have, it was enough to supersede their hatred for SMU.

I find this bait to talk about pageantry curious, since the students - the very people that have no idea how supposedly terrible the band is - showed up in droves on Saturday.

CaribbeanGreen · September 8, 2014

SO, the question comes up yet again. What the hell is it going to take to fill up Apogee?

Lots of people have said "get a name opponent in there". Well, SMU is not only a name opponent, it is an opponent that is universally hated by just about all NT alumni. PLUS they were serving beer in Apogee for the first time ever. PLUS we got robo-called by the coach to please come and fill up Apogee.

Thoughts? Excuses? (new ones please, I've heard all the old ones).

Robo-call is a non starter, since it seemingly went to people who were likely already in.

Don't overrate SMU's name value or even the level of wide-reaching venom aimed toward them.

I know we don't want the "same old excuses," but win. Win. Don't get blown out in week one. Easier said than done, of course, but with our history of losing and apathy and an alumni base overwhelmingly disengaged from NT athletics (which will change with this last generation of students who experienced NT in FBS, with Apogee, and being competitive), you need that carrot right now. Beat Texas, you easily sell out. Be remotely competitive with Texas, you're close. Most importantly, keep stacking wins on wins year after year. Stronger future alumni, re-engage the current alumni, everybody wins.

Coffee and TV · September 8, 2014

SMU's wonderful fanbase didn't help either. Houston brought about 4-5x's the amount they did 3 years ago.

adman · September 8, 2014

I didn't read the article, but I hope he gave John Skladany some credit.
He arrived in January, 2012. The transformation has been nothing short of spectacular. If he has another really good D this year, he will get offers to be DC at P5 schools. Hopefully we can keep him around for a while.

John Skladany will finish his career at North Texas. (Mac as well.)

kj86 · September 8, 2014

Re Alumni/Former students - Unless you just graduated last year, you have never witnessed any success with NT football. You have a favorite college football team and it isn't North Texas. It will take nothing short of being in the national championship playoff to get these people back. The concentration has to be on continued winning and making current students become the supportive alums when they get out.

Daddy Dumpsalot · September 8, 2014

I'm sorry, but I don't think our defense has proven themselves yet. Is our defense good, or are the 2 offenses we've played so far just horrible? As of right now, I think it's more the latter. UT scored 1 TD against BYU this last week.......one. And SMU has scored 6 points total in 2 games.

I think the jury should deliberate on our defense for another 2 games then reach a verdict.

I thought there was well over 22k, could be that 1k were waiting in the long beer lines.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Daddy Dumpsalot

untjim1995 · September 8, 2014

Re Alumni/Former students - Unless you just graduated last year, you have never witnessed any success with NT football. You have a favorite college football team and it isn't North Texas. It will take nothing short of being in the national championship playoff to get these people back. The concentration has to be on continued winning and making current students become the supportive alums when they get out.

Basically, the majority of giving alums we have are from the 60s and 70s, when we were good to great. When we decided that caring about football didn't really matter, we lost the strong majority of people who graduated during the 80s and 90s. Now, you have the fans from the 00's and the 10's being the future. The 00's fanbase at least gave us a decent base to build up from. The recent graduates and current students look to be like the 70s graduates who actually saw Fry's teams build something that made you want to follow them every game. Unfortunately, the students of the 80s and 90s really never got many reasons to stay with us, hence the reason we had even more Longhorns, Aggies, Sooners, Red Raiders, etc...that were at our school than UNT fans.

Caw Caw · September 8, 2014

Here was my observation from the UNT SMU Game:

SilverEagle · September 8, 2014

Basically, the majority of giving alums we have are from the 60s and 70s, when we were good to great. When we decided that caring about football didn't really matter, we lost the strong majority of people who graduated during the 80s and 90s. Now, you have the fans from the 00's and the 10's being the future. The 00's fanbase at least gave us a decent base to build up from. The recent graduates and current students look to be like the 70s graduates who actually saw Fry's teams build something that made you want to follow them every game. Unfortunately, the students of the 80s and 90s really never got many reasons to stay with us, hence the reason we had even more Longhorns, Aggies, Sooners, Red Raiders, etc...that were at our school than UNT fans.

And who is the head coach in this resurgent era? A man that learned his coaching, and motivating, from Hayden Fry. Sadly he learned his offensive philosophy from Woody Hayes......... :rolleyes:

Not a bad assessment 95.....

LongJim · September 8, 2014

I'm sorry, but I don't think our defense has proven themselves yet. Is our defense good, or are the 2 offenses we've played so far just horrible? As of right now, I think it's more the latter. UT scored 1 TD against BYU this last week.......one. And SMU has scored 6 points total in 2 games.

I think the jury should deliberate on our defense for another 2 games then reach a verdict.

I had my doubts about this defense, and there are still some here. However, they are fast, well-conditioned, and well-coached, and there's now some depth, so players are being kept fresher. I think the defense is good. Not convinced it's last-year quality yet, but I'm very very encouraged by what I've seen the last two weeks.

ColoradoEagle · September 8, 2014

Out of the five ~~turnovers~~ observations I witnessed, this was the best.

SilverEagle · September 8, 2014

I find this bait to talk about pageantry curious, since the students - the very people that have no idea how supposedly terrible the band is - showed up in droves on Saturday.

:huh: ???

UNT90 · September 8, 2014

I'm sorry, but I don't think our defense has proven themselves yet. Is our defense good, or are the 2 offenses we've played so far just horrible? As of right now, I think it's more the latter. UT scored 1 TD against BYU this last week.......one. And SMU has scored 6 points total in 2 games.

I think the jury should deliberate on our defense for another 2 games then reach a verdict.

I thought there was well over 22k, could be that 1k were waiting in the long beer lines.

UT didn't have Ash against BYU. Different team without him.

I do agree that there are still a lot of unknowns. SMU's QB situation is as bad or worse than ours. There were many plays that SMU QB's had all day to throw. Do that against Skocol and he will make you pay.

But, think we are much better defensively than on offense at this point.

La. Tech will give us a better barometer.

MeanGreenTexan · September 8, 2014

Out of the five ~~turnovers~~ observations I witnessed, this was the best.

Akunne Matata, b!%#*!!!

kj86 · September 8, 2014

Basically, the majority of giving alums we have are from the 60s and 70s, when we were good to great. When we decided that caring about football didn't really matter, we lost the strong majority of people who graduated during the 80s and 90s. Now, you have the fans from the 00's and the 10's being the future. The 00's fanbase at least gave us a decent base to build up from. The recent graduates and current students look to be like the 70s graduates who actually saw Fry's teams build something that made you want to follow them every game. Unfortunately, the students of the 80s and 90s really never got many reasons to stay with us, hence the reason we had even more Longhorns, Aggies, Sooners, Red Raiders, etc...that were at our school than UNT fans.

Right. There aren't many of us from the 80s that are all in and you're just not going to get many from the 80s/90s back no matter what. I know we get a lot of grief from students who say the alums don't do their part to fill the stadium, but there just aren't enough of us who are engaged to do it. It's going to take several more years of winning and turning out more engaged alumni. Students...keep it up. Keep encouraging your classmates to come out and, someday, they'll be turning folks away.

Eagle1855 · September 8, 2014

SO, the question comes up yet again. What the hell is it going to take to fill up Apogee?

Still have 36k students, right? Still got a couple hundred thousand alum in the D/FW area alone, right?

I guess the answer is: for gameday to become more of a priority to those two groups.

ColoradoEagle · September 8, 2014

You don't just have one winning season after eight years of losing and pack the stands. Beating SMU like we did will have some people coming back/out for the first time. Going to another bowl game, winning CUSA, beating Iowa, beating Tennessee, beating Florida, etc. All of that would/will boost attendance.

On top of that, we need a marketing department that knows what they're doing. They're very good at bringing out people who are pretty much already going to come out anyways. They've never been good at getting the word out to people who aren't that close to the program. On the podcast with RV, when the question came up, he basically said we don't have enough money to spam television and radio ads, and that if SMU couldn't get people out by spending millions, we couldn't either.

Unfortunately, I really think that's the mindset over there: Either post it to social media or make TV ads...those are our only options. I live 25 miles from the stadium, and I can tell you exactly how many schedule posters I've seen in the restaurants around Alliance Town Center.

Hint: It's zero.

aztecskin · September 8, 2014

If we keep winning we'll be fine. Older players are coming back (saw Cobbs there, saw a few Dodge-era guys too). Trice is talking mess to UTSA players about Nov. That's all contagious. It will be a slow climb back to relevance but I'm happy we are on the right track.