TIgreen01

What the ...?! Seriously? I never even thought to look for that game on your schedule b/c it has always been there!?...or seems like it. Is this the first year that you haven't played them? That said, with that game off your schedule, this IS your Baylor 2004. This game will be very important for your regional image. Hopefully we do what BU did to us....crush your hopes and dreams! As far as our dline, I'm not too worried. If Tech managed to hold you to 3 total points without getting a single sack, clearly that wasn't a key stat in the game. I think all we'll have to do is force Willis out of the pocket---be it with DL, LBs, DBs....he's clearly not as effective throwing the ball when he's improvising. You also forget that most of us saw Willis play in HS and are very familiar with him. He definitely gets happy feet and tries to force the action...or so he did. Now, if we do what we did against UT and sit back and hope our 3 down linemen get to Willis while dropping everyone else back?....we could be in trouble. Should be a good, ugly game.

Hogwash. This guy attended NT, left, then had to be convinced to come back....only to turn his back on it again when things didn't go his way. This is the very description of "apathy" as it exists at NT currently. I wish NT would fight more to keep the "eclectic" side. But when the people who drive the eclectic bus won't even stand up to fight and are simultaneously belittling the school and impeding progress, it gets pretty hard to support it.

Ok...mostly good stuff here, but I'd rank it as following: SMU Offense vs. UNT Defense Advantage: UNT UNT Offense vs. SMU Defense Advantage: SMU Special Teams Advantage: SMU --> by a HUGE margin. Our FG kicking is SCARY right now. Intangibles: Advantage: UNT ---WRONG. LOSE and the campus will spontaneously combust. Couldn't agree more with this. This game for them is similar to our visit to BU after our 52-14 walloping of them....this year's TCU game for them could be ugly, so they need to win over us to not completely spill the beans after gaining ground last year.

I'd just like to see us score a touchdown and hold them to under 20. For some reason, I can't get the visions of the 19-5 loss to TCU at Fouts a few years back out of my head. I think this game is going to be ugly. Neither team is worth a crap...SMU has more experience across the board, but has a freshman QB. Both teams have good RBs, but our dline is not very good. I think Bennett is going to look at how many yards we gave up on the ground last year, then look at the UT game film of them basically doing the same thing to us this year and you're going to see a whole lot of running between the tackles---from both teams. Realistic: SMU - 21 UNT - 10 The 'X' factor in this game is J. Willis. Willis should be as comfortable as he's ever going to get in college playing at Fouts field (played several big games there in HS)....if he stinks it up again this week (like I hope he will), he's going to have a tough year. This guy likes to run more than pass (I don't care what you read about Willis---in his big games in HS, he ran all over the field---sometimes for good, sometimes for bad---but I'd describe him as a wild runner). He could very well lose them the game by himself if we just come after him and force him to move around. SMU - 10 UNT - 17

I don't think you could stress this enough. The seats they give to visitors at DKR are beyond horrible.

Yep. Added a seat to my season tickets this year and only got the original seats mailed to me. I called the ticket office and they said they were doing a separate mailer for seat changes/additions. I called on Monday and he said that the mailer was going out that day, so I expect my other season ticket soon. Also, what is the deal on the La Tech seats? I forgot to ask about that, but I didn't get the extra 2 seats that were promised...or the car flag...or anything else that the promotional add offered if you renewed early. What's the story there?

This is a good question and one I'd like to see answered by our insiders. He seemed to be floating back and forth between 1st and 2nd team, starting the scrimmage for the 2nd team oline. What gives?? He's huge! That said, the most encouraging thing about seeing this team in person is seeing all the freshman. I didn't see an undersized player in the bunch and Foster and Drake are both already as big or bigger than just about everyone other than Banks.

I'm putting my money on Mayday to start the UT game. Arguably his best game last year was the LSU game...so he's already proven that he's not easily shaken in hostile environments. That, and I didn't see anything from anyone else on Saturday to displace him as the starter. Reading the paper today, DD commented that Mayday was doing very well and was just held out for precautionary reasons after a big hit on Friday...said his stock will not fall b/c of the missed scrimmage.

It almost seems that most of the reporters were only there for the 1st 2 or 3 drives. The offense moved the ball (sluggishly) during those drives, then bogged down for over an hour before we finally saw the 1st TD of the day---the pass from Quinn.

I agree on Tune's arm strength....you're not going to question whether or not he's got a weak arm or a cannon b/c he seemed to have that rare ability to know when to throw a bullet and when not to. That said, I don't know how anyone can list the QBs as Meager 1, Tune 2.....Tune played MUCH less than either WW or MP. He was stuck with the 3rd team Oline who couldn't get the ball snapped, or had false starts, holds, you name it. Until he gets some time with the 1st team, he can't be considered a threat to get any playing time and we are just 2 weeks from our first game. Right now, I would be perfectly fine with a QB rotation of Meager and WW. WW is a good change of pace player and seems to make decent enough decisions that he won't kill you with bad turnovers when he does come in. It was hard to get a gauge on his passing skills b/c the coaches called about 90% option read while he was on the field. I don't know if they were just trying to get more reps in on those plays or if that's how they plan to use him. Our oline looks much improved over last year outside of the fumbled snaps. Our dline, on the other hand, is going to get malled again. We need I. Thomas and it looks like the loss of Gilmore is going to hurt--esp. since Ransom can't seem to get on the field. Maurice Holman was the bright spot of the defense.

"Have you heard this one? We blackballed y'all's @sses from the SWC and the C-USA. Hope you had fun down in Division 2 and in the Sunbelt, which is what we call Division 2A around here. And yes you won the sunbelt a couple of times before showing your true colors...just goes to show you it's not cream that rises to the top of a pile of crap." --jtstang You couldn't ask for better bb material. It won't be hard getting up for this game!

We went 2-9 last year, including 0-5 at home. Our QB play was putrid awful by all accounts. I think it's COMMON KNOWLEDGE that we are in BAD SHAPE! To bring back an oldie, but a goodie, "We have the worst situation in the conference". But hope springs eternal! We have a true FRESHMAN that's going to lead us to VICTORY!! Yippee!!

No need to crap in our cheerios, illuvius! I (and all my season ticket buddies) are just excited that someone other than Mayday or Wilson Phillips might give us some hope this year! Who cares if he is a freshman if he moves the sticks?! Ok...back down to earth. The thought of a true freshman QB scares the crap out of me. I saw him play in the TX all-star game and will be there tomorrow. If he looks good again, could we really start seeing starting possibilities for this kid?....and how soon?? Seems like Hall (most similar situation to Tune) was starting by the 3rd or 4th game of his Freshman season (that was a miserable campaign, btw--which is why I'm scared of a true fresh qb). What's the precedent here?

Wow. This kid's stock is on FIRE! The only question left is exactly when does he take over the job: 2,3,4 or 5 games into the season?

Good post....I definitely like hearing that Meager is stepping up some in the leadership department. That said, I watched that Tx All-Star game and Tune was the best QB on the field. He had some hotshot top recruit playing infront of him that the coaches kept putting into the game---that kid did nothing....they'd put Tune in and he'd drive them straight down the field. For all the different abilities that each of our 3 QBs possess, none of them really move the chains with regularity. If Tune can do that, I hope he gets a shot.

No way. Scott Hall was a hotshot freshman QB playing behind Richard Bridges....who was not moving the team and hadn't really ever moved the team. EVERYONE wanted Hall to be QB.....he was clearly a 'football player' and a leader to boot.

I think that is unfair. Scott Hall had a very similar record his 1st year at the helm as well. Then our entire team gel'ed under that awesome defense and we took off. I am kind of indifferent on all the QBs, but right now I think that with an improved D (which we will see this year) we will be able to mask some of our offensive deficiencies....until our young QBs catch up---which is the same thing that happened from 2001-2004. I am not really pulling for any one QB to emerge over the other. I'd just like to see some consistency out there.

I'm interested in hearing how his leadership skills are looking....how is he with the players? Is he more like Phillips or Meager? From what I've seen of him (only the Spring game--where the sides were not even close to being even) he looked ok, but wasn't making great decisions with the ball (that could have been caused by being new to the system and also that he was running from Ike Thomas all night). Has that improved?

Thanks! Not sure if that's good or bad news, but it's good to know that he's at least out there and looking strong when he is on the field...

Thanks for the report! I saw someone, the other day, ask about Isaac Thomas and it seemed like the response from those 'in the know' was that the coaching staff was being very careful with him. Is he even out there practicing? So far, we are a week into practice and I haven't seen one mention of him. This has me worried. Our dline NEEDS that guy in a bad way for us to have a good season.

For the love of all things holy, somebody get a video of his TD up soon!!! I forgot to setup my tivo and missed the whole game.....I've been watching highlights but can't find them anywhere....somebody has to have recorded it!!!

Just to follow this up....I haven't been to a mall in DFW (ok...Collin County) that did NOT have a great selection of NT hats at the local Lids/Hatworld. I think that we've finally got the hat merchandising figured out....now, shirts/shorts/etc....we're way behind.

This sucks... but I'm hijacking this thread and turning it into a hate on SMU thread! THEY are they ones behind this!!! SMU sucks. They will pay. 9-9.

I like this idea and would definitely join the row. Having an organized tailgate is really the next logical step in the progression we're currently on. I almost would just recommend that the parking officials do exactly what they did for the Tulsa and Troy games last year (they funneled everyone to individual rows until the entire row was filled, then closed the row to through traffic--while making you take only one parking space and setup behind your cars). It definitely made for a more organized and safe feeling environment.

Good visual, but aren't there cars usually already in that first long row (first and second rows of blue parking, really)? I almost always park on the opposite end of the blue parking lot near the Murchison (shorter walk over to the alumi seats) b/c there are fewer cars over there...and I get there early--usually 4-6 hours before the game (if I had my way I'd be there at 8am for a 6pm game, but my wife and daughter can only take so much fun! ) All that said, I think that the blue parking isn't completely closed down to just tailgaters...and to do what you're talking about doing, it would have to be. Really, isn't the orange lot always cleared out of cars and reserved for just Mean Green Club members?