meangreenJW

Fair enough. I deleted it. But it doesn't change my argument that this dude criticizes every coach and almost every player on our team with no experience or basis for it. The negativity is tiresome and I let it get the best of me.

They don't "have" to listen to FSU. They "do" have to listen to the ACC Commissioner who probably listens to FSU. Bowl agreements don't last forever. And there would be a LONG line for an ACC team (pretty much every bowl in the CUSA lineup for starters). So the bowl directors are beholden to the P5 commissioners because if they lose the P5 tie-in their bowl will be substantially less relevant and profitable.

As you probably know, part of the reason FAU got stuck in the Boca Bowl was waiting and pushing for the FSU matchup in the Indy Bowl. Sucks for FAU and CUSA because I think FAU is a top 20ish team.

Actually, I think he pretty well nailed how the process works. Speculation is by everyone else. I would imagine we could have chosen NM Bowl. I think 90% of people like NO over NM. Better destination, more history with the bowl. I can' imagine we'd have had 500 people in NM. But I do agree CSU would have been a more beatable opponent.

Exactly. But again, we have the fabulous four who when they aren't banned like to blame our coach, our players, our AD and the CUSA commissioner for not getting a home bowl game against Texas.

As a reminder, 3 of CUSA's 6 bowl ties are that weekend. Makes it tough.

A) None of this is true B)Our AD actually has more experience. But carry on being a jack@$$

Considerably more difficult that dentist office receptioning.

Seriously? We won 9 games. In a bowl in back to back seasons for the 2nd time ever. Literally no single national publication or sportswriter picked us to win more than 7. You are delusional. Was our D good? No. But we won 9 games. We also were top 10 in the country in "Big Plays" meaning our D was on the field a lot. Also, in games when we struggle offensively Seth and Graham continue to throw the ball a lot. There is no "running the clock" to keep the score close. So scores get way out of hand in a hurry. If we ran it more to milk the clock and played more conservatively in all three phases, the score (and defense) would look a little better. Regardless, we'll be highly favored to go to a bowl for the third straight year next year. And SL will have the 2nd best 3 year start for a head coach at UNT if we do. Yet all you can do is gripe and bitch about every damn thing. Here is a stat that was on twitter today. SportSourceAnalytics‏ @SportSourceA Just another reminder: from 2013-present, just four programs have won 9+ games each year, just 11 have won 8+ games each year, just 23 have won 7+ games each year, and just 33 have not had a season in last five years when they won less than six games. Only 23 teams in the country have averaged 7+ wins over the last 4 seasons. You know who's averaging 7 wins in his two seasons at UNT? SL. No one on this board is claiming the defense was great or that they are satisfied. But 99% see the progress being made in this program.

This is what I understand. President Smatty will match donations to any initiative on campus, not just athletics. Athletics needed to raise around $8-9 million. Last I heard, was about a million away. That was a few weeks ago. I'd guess they are getting close.

This may end up happening across the country. There has been several stories on this and it effects literally every major D1 University. It probably effects the bigger schools more because they have a much larger number of seats tied to donations and much higher demand for those seats, thus much larger donation requirements. Basically, the way I understand it tax laws allowed athletic departments to put "part of the ticket cost" into a required donation. Reality is the total price is probably what the market bears but by putting a substantial piece into required donation, the purchaser (us) received some tax benefit. It will be interesting to see how this effects schools across the country. I think you'll see donors and total donations decline. At a school like UT-Austin if they raise $25 million in a year, probably half of that is through the required donations for seats, suites and parking. Given their attendance has been falling, this can't help.

Pretty much sums it up.

I try to be positive/realistic in all things in life. I am especially so on UNT sports. And I don't like calling out players. That being said, I find it more difficult to watch Murray play than any other player I can remember. Just seems to always get whipped. If he starts next year, we didn't make the improvements I was hoping for.

I consider this season a huge success. We got 9 wins for the 7th time in history. Part of that history is D2 and we are in the best conference we've ever been in. That being said, our defense has to get better. And we must fine a way to improve on the O-line and D-line. We didn't get beat by Iowa because while their line was big it wasn't big and fast. We had problems blocking Southern Miss even though we won the game. Their line wasn't big but was extremely athletic. We struggled mightily against FAU an Troy because they big and fast/athletic linemen. Both of those teams had linemen comparable to the low to mid level Big 12/SEC teams. And they throttled us. We need our redshirts to be as good as advertised and recruiting to help if we want to seriously challenge those kind of teams. And our defense has get better all over the field. Hard to point to a defensive strength.

Actually, every program in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana have huge athletic linemen. People talk about DFW being such a recruiting hotbed and I think it is for skill positions but I'll take the hand those schools in the deep south play in terms of recruiting linemen all day every day. If you ever watch the Southland schools from Louisiana, they have linemen bigger and stronger than half of CUSA. Troy beat LSU for a reason this year. They've upset schools like Oklahoma State in the last few years as well. We look at down on schools like Troy but in reality, their tradition is just as good or better. CUSA barely has a better name with recruits than the Sunbelt and Troy has a long winning tradition.

Agreed. I don't get most of the criticism of this staff's recruiting especially on offense. They have recruited playmakers all of over the field. But the one area that does concern me is in the trenches. I know that's generally the hardest area to recruit and takes the longest to 'develop' but we were grossly out-manned vs FAU and Troy.

Some won't like this but here's my answer based on realism and facts. First let's start with our history. Here is our history since 1953. Seasons: 53 (1953 to 2017) Record (W-L-T): 249-326-11 Adjusted Record (W-L-T): 252-323-11 Conferences: CUSA, Sun Belt, Big West, MVC, Ind Conf. Championships: 9 Bowl Record: 7 Bowls, 2-5, .286 W-L% (Major Bowls) Ranked in AP Poll: 0 Times (Preseason), 0 Times (Final), 2 Weeks (Total) I do believe for first the time our coaches are being given resources comparable with the competition. But on some level, you are who your history says you are. Our history is six 9 win seasons since 1953 (counting this year). That is a 9 win season every 10.6 years. So to expect 9 win seasons every year isn't realistic IMO. With the schedules being created currently, I'd expect us to be 2-2 in non-conference games most years. Assuming we can go 5-3 in conference games, I expect an average record of 7-5. And before anyone blasts 5-3 in conference, please note there are several conference schools with drastically better history than UNT. And again, I'm of the belief that 50-100 years of data is a pretty damn good data point. So at 7-5, I'm accounting for improved resources as we have averaged less than 5 wins per season over the past 53 seasons. Of course, averages are averages for a reason. So my expectation is for us to be between 5-9 wins. 5 wins in rebuilding years (thinking QB after Mason kinda year). We only have 10 wins twice in 100 years, so expecting that isn't realistic. Well anything is realistic for us fans, but it's doubtful the administration and board 'expect' that and we have no historical data to back up that expectation.

wrong. It counts as an FBS win. They will in the FBS probationary year. They count as an FBS game (and win) for anyone that plays them. They aren't eligible for postseason play in 2018 but that has no impact on their opponents. They are full members in 2019.

Liberty counts as an FBS game for anyone who plays them. That has been debated ad nauseam on this board.

Agreed. People act like we can pick bowl, opponent, date, etc. And people act like they are experts and that UNT leadership failed when NO ONE on this board has clue how the process works. It's flat out stupidity on display. Good thing it isn't recruiting season when parents and recruits might be looking at a forum to learn more about the school. 1)Armed Forces wasn't an option because no one (schools, conference or bowl) wanted a 4th match-up in two years. 2)Frisco wasn't a good selection because it's a new bowl with a name no one nationally recognizes or cares about played in a 20,000 seat soccer stadium. Plus neither SMU or UNT would probably be real excited about a rematch and losing to those a-holes a 3rd time in two years would be unbearable and might hurt recruiting. 3) Bahama's Bowl - You know who played in this ridiculous bowl the last 4 years? WKU, MTSU, ODU, and UAB. 3 of those 4 have much better recent history and reason to have more 'clout' than UNT. Yet UNT has avoided that bowl this year and last year which is a credit to UNT. 4) Boca Bowl vs Akron and 5) Bad Boys Motor Bowl vs. Temple - I'm going to assume no one wanted these bowls but I'm sure some jackass will advocate for them just so they can be critical of their own school. I do think we would have beat Temple but probably in front of 250 people. 6) Cure Bowl in Orlando - Actually a pretty good destination due to Disney World and Universal but Georgia State is probably the worst name draw opponent there is. Orlando also is a pretty far destination. 7) Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, AL vs Ark State - Same situation as NOLA bowl but in a MUCH worse destination vs the Sunbelt non champion. 8) New Mexico Bowl vs Colorado State - Granted CSU is a slightly better name opponent (although Troy is and has been a better football team). But how can anyone really say we'd have been better off to play CSU in freiking Albuquerque? I think we'd have had 1/2 of what we had in NOLA. I couldn't make to NOLA but if I didn't have a work Christmas party I would have tried. I have no interest in Albuquerque. Does anyone? Again, outside of player families and the band, we may have taken 250 people. 9) Independence vs Florida State - This is the one bowl that I understand people wishing we were in. But acting like it's a colossal fail we weren't in it? Really? Of our primary bowl tie ins, WE GOT THE BEST BOWL! So you want our admin to risk having to play Georgia State in Orlando so they can hold out hope to play in the Independence Bowl if it doesn't fill by a Power 5? Really? Whether you like it or not, the ACC commissioner made the decision on who his team would play. That's how things work in modern day FBS football. Don't believe it? Ask UCF how fair this system is. I've already posted on this once before, but you guys are ridiculously foolish if you think UNT ever got to soley determine their destiny. First, you have a preference of the bowls that want you. But the bowl DOESN'T have to take you. It's up to them. Second, the Power 5 commissioners have the Power over any bowl with P5 tie ins (Independence). So they would determine who they will send and what team they will play. Lastly, for those of you mad at attendance and claiming poor attendance is the fault of UNT officials. This is the dumbest comment of all. You brag about our attendance at a Bowl Game 40 minutes from campus? You think that is something to brag about? There are about 5 schools that get an opportunity to play in their back yard. If we can't get 4-5k in a fun destination city 7.5 hours from Dallas, then we as a fan base need to be better. I didn't think the crowd was at catastrophic as others on this board do. Troy is about 5 hours from NOLA, has won 21 games the past two season and I estimate they had about 40% more people than we did. But no, the crowd wasn't great. And somehow that is the fault of our administration? But the criticism 'a few' of you guys continue to hurl at UNT coaches and administrators is mired in ignorance of the process, unfounded belief in our place in bowl pecking orders, and exhausting for those not living in fantasy land.

And is on fire this game. Wooldridge is better driver but hasn't proven he can make free throws in pressure situations.

Smart is a WAAAAYYYYY better free throw shooter

May not be doom and gloom. Original end date was yesterday, perhaps they extended because ticket office was closed.

Meanwhile our friends at nUTSAck are moving further ahead. The committee will submit two options as part of its tuition and fee proposal. The only difference between the options is the differential tuition charge for College of Engineering (COE) and College of Business (COB) students. Under the differential proposal, COB students would see an increase of $42 per semester credit hour (SCH) and COE students could experience an increase of $55 per SCH. The differential tuition rates would only be charged to students taking upper level courses in the COB and COE. Students earning a business minor would have to pay the differential tuition for their COB classes; there is no minor in the COE. Also included in the proposal is an increase of $1 per SCH in the athletics fee, an increase of $1.50 per SCH for the automated service fee, a transportation fee increase of $9 and an increase in the student service fee of 39 cents per SCH. The athletic fee increase was called to boost factors such as ticket sales initiatives, brand recognition, merchandising and cost-saving measures. The university believes it can increase the recognition of the university and, as a result, improve the recruitment of faculty, students and community outreach.

Just the fact that you immediately named those two kind of proof the opposite don't you think? I'm not saying people are seeking out their graduates but there is awareness about those schools because of their football programs. Tell me one thing you know about Butler or Gonzaga. Or name one degree they are famous for. The point is that you know the Boises, the Butlers, the Gonzagas because of their athletic programs (right or wrong). That awareness undoubtedly drives applications to their school which drives up the quality of students admitted.