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MeanGreenFan Odds and Ends 10.13.11
Posted by
Harry
,
13 October 2011
·
318 views
Wright Waters UNT Football Conference Realignment
MG FB State of the Union
Rushing Offense: UNT is 80th nationally averaging 128 yards per game ranking them 6th in the Sun Belt. For comparison purposes, MTSU is leading the Sun Belt averaging 168.2 rushing yards per game. UNT is ranked 102 nationally in passing offense averaging 174.5 per game and is 7th in the Sun Belt behind conference leader Troy who averages 330. But wait, it gets worse, UNT’s Total offense is ranked 108th in the nation at a 302.5 yard average ranking them 8th in the conference behind MTSU who averages 468.6. UNT improves in rushing defense as they rank 77th nationally holding opponents to 166.5 yards rushing a game. The best rush defense in the Belt is from FIU who hold teams to 106.67 per game.
On a brighter note, UNT leads the Sun Belt in two categories, punting where they average 41 yards a punt and turnover margin, where they cause an average .67 turnovers a game. UNT is tied for 1st in turnover margin with ULL in the Sun Belt making this an interesting game from a turnover perspective this coming Saturday.
Conference Realignment
I sort of go up and down on the latest conference realignment news and how it relates to North Texas. Right now, count me in as a little on the down side. The Big East with its recent all sports defections (Pitt and Syracuse) seemed sure to look long and hard at both Houston and - most importantly for UNT - SMU as possible additions.
The Big East certainly has its problems, namely the fact that current member Louisville is next up on the Big 12’s dance card if they decide to expand beyond 10 and Missouri decides to bolt to the SEC. The Big East has a very nice carrot in their auto-BCS bowl qualifications and basketball strength – make a ton of sense for both SMU and Houston even with the Pitt and Syracuse losses. The Big East made it clear that they wanted to get to 12 teams in football which made the chances of SMU being in the mix even better. Boise State is another name in the mix that could be added for football-only and could help the Big East maintain their coveted auto qualifier status for BCS bowls.
But in the end, it’s the basketball schools that may end up screwing this whole thing up. The Big East needs to get all of their current member institutions on the same page so they can go out and get the very best candidates to feel secure about the conference. All the reports I am seeing indicate that the basketball only schools are balking at any football additions and making the entire process very difficult. While I still see a window for North Texas in all of this, the more I hear the more I tend to think that the entire Big East may have to address their dueling football and basketball agendas before anything can happen on the expansion front.
Wright Waters Retiring
It was most certainly odd timing yesterday when we heard of the retirement plans of Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters. With everything so fluid in terms of realignment, I would have preferred that Waters wait until after the season to announce his decision. Perhaps Waters knowing that things were going to be changing wanted to go ahead and bow out?
I did not always agree with Waters and felt like he was not as aggressive as I would have liked to see him in terms of expansion in regards to UTSA and TSU, all in all the guy did a pretty nice job. It's not easy to start up a I-A football conference from scratch in this BCS and ESPN dominated era and Waters was able to provide a stable home for the Sun Belt member teams.
I think Waters crowing acheivment would have to be the New Orleans Bowl. Many dismissed the bowl given the fact that it would put two bowls in the same city and stadium. People felt that there would not be enough interest or fan support to justify the bowl but in actuality the bowl has more than held its own and is one of the best destination non BCS bowls in the country in my opinion.
I think a lot of UNT fans have hardened in regards to Waters during this recent drought of 6 straight losing football seasons. I think they forget the glory years under Dickey when UNT went to New Orleans 4 straight times. I did not hear anyone complain about Waters in those good times.
He ran things - albeit with much more limited resources than most I-A conference - in a classy way and I believe he was pretty respected throughout the country. So, from this UNT fan, thanks Wright Waters for your years of service to the Sun Belt and I hope you have an enjoyable retirement.
Rushing Offense: UNT is 80th nationally averaging 128 yards per game ranking them 6th in the Sun Belt. For comparison purposes, MTSU is leading the Sun Belt averaging 168.2 rushing yards per game. UNT is ranked 102 nationally in passing offense averaging 174.5 per game and is 7th in the Sun Belt behind conference leader Troy who averages 330. But wait, it gets worse, UNT’s Total offense is ranked 108th in the nation at a 302.5 yard average ranking them 8th in the conference behind MTSU who averages 468.6. UNT improves in rushing defense as they rank 77th nationally holding opponents to 166.5 yards rushing a game. The best rush defense in the Belt is from FIU who hold teams to 106.67 per game.
On a brighter note, UNT leads the Sun Belt in two categories, punting where they average 41 yards a punt and turnover margin, where they cause an average .67 turnovers a game. UNT is tied for 1st in turnover margin with ULL in the Sun Belt making this an interesting game from a turnover perspective this coming Saturday.
Conference Realignment
I sort of go up and down on the latest conference realignment news and how it relates to North Texas. Right now, count me in as a little on the down side. The Big East with its recent all sports defections (Pitt and Syracuse) seemed sure to look long and hard at both Houston and - most importantly for UNT - SMU as possible additions.
The Big East certainly has its problems, namely the fact that current member Louisville is next up on the Big 12’s dance card if they decide to expand beyond 10 and Missouri decides to bolt to the SEC. The Big East has a very nice carrot in their auto-BCS bowl qualifications and basketball strength – make a ton of sense for both SMU and Houston even with the Pitt and Syracuse losses. The Big East made it clear that they wanted to get to 12 teams in football which made the chances of SMU being in the mix even better. Boise State is another name in the mix that could be added for football-only and could help the Big East maintain their coveted auto qualifier status for BCS bowls.
But in the end, it’s the basketball schools that may end up screwing this whole thing up. The Big East needs to get all of their current member institutions on the same page so they can go out and get the very best candidates to feel secure about the conference. All the reports I am seeing indicate that the basketball only schools are balking at any football additions and making the entire process very difficult. While I still see a window for North Texas in all of this, the more I hear the more I tend to think that the entire Big East may have to address their dueling football and basketball agendas before anything can happen on the expansion front.
Wright Waters Retiring
It was most certainly odd timing yesterday when we heard of the retirement plans of Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters. With everything so fluid in terms of realignment, I would have preferred that Waters wait until after the season to announce his decision. Perhaps Waters knowing that things were going to be changing wanted to go ahead and bow out?
I did not always agree with Waters and felt like he was not as aggressive as I would have liked to see him in terms of expansion in regards to UTSA and TSU, all in all the guy did a pretty nice job. It's not easy to start up a I-A football conference from scratch in this BCS and ESPN dominated era and Waters was able to provide a stable home for the Sun Belt member teams.
I think Waters crowing acheivment would have to be the New Orleans Bowl. Many dismissed the bowl given the fact that it would put two bowls in the same city and stadium. People felt that there would not be enough interest or fan support to justify the bowl but in actuality the bowl has more than held its own and is one of the best destination non BCS bowls in the country in my opinion.
I think a lot of UNT fans have hardened in regards to Waters during this recent drought of 6 straight losing football seasons. I think they forget the glory years under Dickey when UNT went to New Orleans 4 straight times. I did not hear anyone complain about Waters in those good times.
He ran things - albeit with much more limited resources than most I-A conference - in a classy way and I believe he was pretty respected throughout the country. So, from this UNT fan, thanks Wright Waters for your years of service to the Sun Belt and I hope you have an enjoyable retirement.
