MeanGreenHoops

People are dogging him because his first start against Tulsa he threw up on himself. I don't know about the promise land because he hasn't played enough yet to know how good he will be. But you can see that he has good instincts. And that he can get out of a jam. Doesn't matter that it was backups. He got out of jams and made plays. He did it against Tulsa some as well. People are just way too had on the guy for his first ever start. The team needs playmakers. Over reaction to his first start was way overboard after the Tulsa game. He looks like he can make plays.

There's no one on the schedule like Tulsa the rest of the way. The offense needs somebody who can make plays and he can. I just think by the end of the season we'll be exited about the future of the offense because we'll have found a QB who can make plays. You don't think the fanbase needs moxie? Maybe you don't know what it means. In a losing season we definitely need something else to get excited about it. Someone who plays with courage and daring. That's moxie. It will give us hope. I think that's exactly what we need.

Their announcers win in a blowout over our offense as to who is worse. I did enjoy the commentary on how our head coach (who wasn't) was on his phone to get play calls. What a bunch of tools those two guys were.

All you guys dogging McNulty are going to be eating crow sooner rather than later. If he doesn't start next week I'll be surprised. He has moxie, pocket presence and vision. It will be a struggle at times because he's a true frosh but he's the future unless someone else gets recruited.

Depends - If it was the first game of the season - 23K If it was the second game of the season - 19K If we were 1-4 - 16K If we were 1-4 and it was threatening rain - 15K If we were 1-4 and it was threatening rain and the Rangers were in the playoffs- - 14K If we were 1-4 and it was threatening rain and the Rangers were in the playoffs and it was Texas/OU - 12K If we were 0-6 and it was threatening rain and the Rangers were in the World Series and it was Texas/OU- 10K If we were 0-6 and it was threatening rain and the Rangers were in the World Series and it was Texas/OU and it was halloween-8K If we were 0-11 and it was threatening rain and the Rangers were in the World Series and it was Texas/OU and it was halloween and the Cowboys had a press conference and there was a race at Texas Motor Speedway - 5K If we were 0-11 and it was threatening rain and the Rangers were in the World Series and it was Texas/OU and it was halloween and the Cowboys were in the Super Bowl and there was a race at Texas Motor Speedway and FC Dallas was in MLS Cup and the Stars were in the Stanley CUP - Negative 2K If we were 11-0 and we were in the SWC and SMU just got the death penalty and Bacone was located in Denton and they were also our natural rival for 50 years and no other sporting event was happening in the US - 31,850.

Good read. That's basically the lineup I said but swapping Holden for Adu/Torres. Is Holden really that much of a playmaker/#10?

I don't think it will affect attendance that much regardless of what we do this weekend. You all are under the impression that people are paying attention to how NT football is doing. The extra people who came to the first game aren't coming back until next year, or perhaps the last two games if we have run the table until then. Getting pounded the first third of every season runs off all the fans except the die hards. They go find some other bandwagon to join. If it weren't homecoming, I could see changing the time if it were ok for the players and coaches, but it is, so not a good idea. What would be worse is bad weather.

One thing that's missing is connecting play in the final third. Which I think is why we are not scoring. Part of that recently was missing Donovan out right. We need someone behind Dempsey who can unlock a defense. I can think of two guys who can do that, Freddy Adu and Torres. The problem with both is they are inconsistent, and don't play defense. I'm thinking Klinnsman thinks this way too which is why he had Torres in there when he was healthy. If you put one of those guys in the middle, you have to have a destroyer behind them in the midfield. I think this is why Klinnsman likes Beckerman. It's a perfect role for him. What's weird about that though is it leaves Holden out. Granted he hasn't been part of the team yet really anyway. I could see it going like this. ----------Howard---------------- Dolo-------Gooch-----Boca------Chandler -------Bradley/Beckerman------- Donovan----Adu/Torres------Shea ---Dempsey-----Altidore--- With Altidore up top and Dempsey a withdrawn forward. This should be able to unlock teams and I think would give Altidore chances to finish. It's risky because up the middle we'd be weak defensively in front of Beckerman or Bradley. I think that's our strongest team if everyone is playing well.

Beckerman is way too slow to play outside back. His best position is where Klinnsman has him, as a destroyer in fromt of the back four in a 4-1-3-2 formation. Although I think Bradley would be best in that position. Dolo is the best we have at right back. He's losing some of his quickness, but you saw the huge dropoff when Spector came in. Shea at this point looks like a starter on the left wing. I'd really disagree with Rogers starting, in fact I woulnd't have him in my top18. Just doesnt have the ideas or control, he's just fast. Assuming everyone is healthy, and that 4-1-3-2 I'd like to see -------------Howard--------------------- Dolo---Gooch---Boca---Chandler --------------Bradley------------------- Donovan---Holden---------Shea Dempsey -------------- Altidore I could also see Adu or Torres in there as more creative midfielders.

Please take your logic somewhere else. We like to overreact here. Two games ago we were on our way to a bowl game. Now, we have nepotism and people will never come see another game in our new stadium. Please get with the program.

So basically they all want to be their own little NFL.

I'd agree on the QB/Wr's especially if you had told me that #80 wouldn't be making plays.

Those big money games don't bother me, but not having 6 home games a year, especially now that we have such a great stadium would be so disappointing!

Great point. I'd like to see these as our money games for awhile. Teams with names, and money that aren't likely to be in the top 5.

I always felt this way until something happened. I work with a guy who is an OU alumnus. Last week he said to me, got the big game coming up this week. He meant it the same way they did playing another top 5 team Florida ST. For whatever reason it finally dawned on me that the mindset of most college football fans is who the best teams are playing are the big games. the problem is we aren't competitive in those games right now. If we were they wouldn't suck the life out of us. So while I agree with the premise that these games are a beat down at the moment, they are necessary for relevance. If we can get good, those games are the way you get to the top of the food chain. So all we have to do is get good

I'd agree with Slugg and LongJim. The d-line had couple of sacks, forced a fumble in the game had some 3 and outs, stopped them in the two minute drill, but the offense did nothing the entire 1st half. That gets the defense a pass in my book.

Fair enough. #2 is probably a little knee-jerk reaction to what we've seen for the last several years. As for this Sat., depends on the crowd bring the noise and the team believing they can win. Ok, it's not that simple, but the teams are fairly even so want-to is very important.

I've noticed this as well as him getting happy feet a lot against Houston. I thought in the early part of the game against Alabama he was doing better stepping into throws until he got hit. Then he seemed to want to just get rid of it, and the back foot thing may be him trying to stay away from the rush, kind of backing up to clear space before he throws so he doesn't get smacked.

Agree KingDL1, just posted as much on a new thread, before I saw your post. I'm not even concerned with records this year though because of that, except for the fact I know it would help with recruiting.

I know it's been a rough three weeks, but here are two reason why I'm hopeful. 1. Our team has improved every week. You can see it and with so many young players playing that is encouraging. 2. Our coaches clearly know what they are doing. So many adjustments and formations we aren't easy to gameplan for now. Now it's up to the players. Based on their effort so far I think we'll get there. It may not be a lot of wins this year, but it's looking like there is hope again. It is clear that the team is lacking playmakers more than any team since before 2001, but I like their effort and coaching to still be respectable in conference. After that it's all about recruiting.

Vito mentioned it again on the blog and people here have said we need a running threat at QB. No we don't need it. Did anyone see Keenum running Saturday night? And yet they had 680+ offensive yards. No what you need is a threat and then some balance off of that. We don't really have a threat yet. Running, passing whichever, neither is dangerous at this point. If we could run the ball, it'd open up the passing or vice versa. What would help Dunbar most is if the passing game was dangerous. But it's not at this point. /soapbox

I'll try. The crowd was amazing and Houston's coach mentioned that they didn't expect noise to be a factor and that made a big difference in the game early on.Lance Dunbar has struggled because he had a concussion in fall camp and hadn't practiced muchHe expects all 3 quarterbacks to play this seasonThompson is basically a freshman so he thinks he will improve a lot this season.They weren't happy with the secondary play in the game and they'll work on it.Alabama is loaded with draft picks but we will try to improve in that game.He had heard Olen was good but hadn't seen it until the Houston game, that was the reason for pumping him up during the game after the field goal and the kick off out of the endzone.We need more playmakers on the team like Brelan.Canales came down to the sideline which he also did during the FIU game from the press box. Said that the coaches were having to do a lot of the leading of this team right now which ideally the upperclassmen would be doing.Hoped that the team wasn't used to losing and accepting it, because it better make them sickAtterbury is the most confident player on the team right now.I'm sure there was more but that's what I can remember now.

The real thing missing from this team are playmakers especially on defense. Someone who will get a sack or an interception on 3rd down. Stop a running back for a two yard loss. Plays we haven't really seen since the Dickey years. We have some playmakers on offense but it seems not as many as years past at least not to this point in the season.

Great points all but one thing about the game itself that really stood out to me was the vast improvement in scheme this coaching staff has made in such a short time. Our defense was running more sets than I can ever remember seeing. Blitzes, fake blitz drop 8, stunts, mixing up coverages, we even had that amoeba defense where the guys all stand and move around so the line doesn't know who to block.. The offense had the pistol, QB under center, two backs, one back, option. We threw a lot at them. We have a big time staff. If they can recruit as well as they can scheme, we are going to be no fun to play against and soon.

Hadn't seen this posted yet. We went to the Alumni Pavilion grand opening Saturday. There were about 150 people there I think. Anyway, the band sent a pep band over and played the fight song. It was amazing the spirit the crowd had. It was better than most other spirit events I've been to. I began thinking, I think my school has changed for good. The highlight for me was Dr. Rawlins. He spoke just for a few moments and ended with the Winston Churchill quote "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning"