[SB at UAB (4/5-7/24)]

I haven't had much to say about this year's team. I've had concerns, but wanted to refrain from negative comments. But, today's loss was beyond terrible. With the game on the line, there is no good reason to try and throw a runner out at second, when a runner is standing on 3rd. That was completely stupid. This team is mentally weak, and has regressed from where it was just two seasons ago. Like last season, our bats are struggling. The only difference from last season, is our pitching is a little worse too. Yes, we played a stronger OOC schedule, but we didn't beat any of those ranked teams either. From what I've seen so far, this team won't win the conference title or make a regional. And that is just sad considering where this program was just two seasons ago. Something has to change. 

I'll ask this question again..... Has DeLong taken this program as far as he can? 

[SB vs. Tulsa (3/22-24/24)]

Back to back to back walk-off winners. I doubt I'll ever see that again.

Very proud of the way the girls fought against great pitching in this series. Tulsa is going to be a tough out in the conference tournament. Coach should take the girls out and celebrate this series sweep. Remember, Tulsa was tied for the conference lead heading into the weekend. We moved them down to 4th place. 

Co-leader, FAU got to feast on a 3-25 Memphis team this weekend. Right now, UNT looks as good or better than any program in the AAC. 

[Jane B. Moore Memorial - Auburn Tournament (3/1-3/24)]

2 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Got ripped twice today. This team is either really struggling or we aren’t as good as we thought. Savage and Childers were horrendous in the circle. 

This team is senior heavy and should be much better. Pitching is not as good as it was just a few years ago. And, our bats are continuing to struggle. Overall, this team looks much like it did most of last season. That is not a complement. I'm beginning to wonder if De Long has taken this program as far as he can? Personally, I expected this program to be competing with Top 25 programs by now. 

[Are we not signing a transfer QB?]

I trust Morris to find a QB that can run this system. He reminds me a little of McCasland, and the way he was always able to find another point guard to run his offense. 

[Official Early Signing Day Thread]

This was a good recruiting day for North Texas. We may not have pulled in the top recruiting class in the AAC, but we certainly improved the talent on our roster today. According to 247Sports, we finished the day with the 6th best AAC class (in the top half of the conference). That is better than every recruiting class in the Sun Belt & C-USA today. We also finished with a better class than all but 1 MAC program and all but 3 MWC programs. I hate that we lost some really good talent in recent weeks, but this haul seems like a big step towards rebuilding our plundered offense. But, I think defense remains a big question mark until we actually see improvements on the field next season. 

[Who Should We Hire to be Our DC Next Season?]

8 hours ago, 3_n_out said:

He was the worst defense. THE WORST! I bet if you approach other DC candidates, they’ll say they can do much better…everyone of them

[CUSA/Liberty to a NY6 Bowl Game?]

While I wanted the AAC to earn the last access bowl spot, I always rejoice in seeing SMU get screwed. FSU might feel like they've had the worst day ever, but SMU has a strong case too. Today the ponies not only got passed over for a less deserving Liberty team, but also watch their future conference get demoted. SMU is ponying up $500 million and losing 9 years of revenue to join an ACC whose undefeated champion wasn't deemed good enough for the playoffs. Imagine how worse it will be once FSU, Clemson, North Carolina, & Virginia all leave and the ACC features a lesser lineup. Today the playoff committee ushered in the new age of the P3. Congratulations SMU on getting left out again... and paying for it.  😁

[Millwood Linebacker Micho Lavine Announces Decommitment from North Texas]

The simple truth is that this coaching staff needs a big defensive recruiting win to appease the fan base. Morris kept Caponi, and fans are going to remain skeptical of the leadership until they are given a reason to actually believe things are getting fixed. So right now, any defensive recruit that backs out of his commitment is going to be a bad look for our staff. Morris' honeymoon period is over. A large segment of our fans are not interested in hearing what will be done to fix our defense. And many aren't interested in cryptic assumptions regarding what might be going on behind the scenes. They want tangible evidence, like a big-time defensive player committing to the Mean Green. 

[Should Caponi get another year?]

7 hours ago, greenminer said:

there is always worse.

But not this season. 

[Who Should We Hire to be Our DC Next Season?]

1 hour ago, TheReal_jayD said:

He is looking good tonight. 

Yeah, and that Liberty offense would have dropped 77 on Caponi's defense. 

 

[Who Should We Hire to be Our DC Next Season?]

I've found the guy we need. 

Nate Reiling- New Mexico State DC. Current Salary: $195,000

 

 

In Dreiling’s first season in Las Cruces, the NM State defense turned heads across the nation. Dreiling inherited a defense that ranked 127th in total defense among FBS schools. The ‘22 Aggies were the most improved defensive unit in college football, climbing 98 spots to 29th in the nation. 

 

https://nmstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/nate-dreiling/3334

 

His NMSU defense looks solid tonight against Liberty's high-powered offense (5th in the FBS). That game is tied at the half. 

[Jon Cooper gone?]

32 minutes ago, NT80 said:

Does he also need a DC ???

If not, this is a perfect opportunity to reassign Caponi and go get a better DC. 

[Breaking: Dripping Springs WR Kyle Koch Commits to North Texas]

3 minutes ago, greenminer said:

wow! I cannot understand how some of y'all are so emotional engaged with these votes, particularly downvotes.

I totally agree. Votes for or against fellow posters really mean anything. Most won't even come with a comment. But, I also see no need to direct a negative reaction towards a newly minted recruit. 

[Breaking: Dripping Springs WR Kyle Koch Commits to North Texas]

7 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Would like to know the a-hole that downvoted a commitment. 

Yeah. We all want to see some beef added on the fronts, and LB's too, but we should never disparage a recruit that has committed to represent our university. I'm happy this young man chose to play at North Texas. We all should be happy about that. 

[HE’S STILL HERE?]

2 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Were you at the UAB game?  If so, where were your seats?

Nope, I wasn't there. I decided not to attend after watching Morris' UAB press conference last Tuesday. His blind support of Caponi despite all the data surrounding his failure was too much for me to overlook. I watched the game on ESPN+. I watch every game.  Having said that, I did expect UNT to win the game. UAB was already locked into a sub .500 record for the season. They were not good. But, Caponi's defense sure made it interesting down the stretch. 

Since you asked, my season tickets are located in 205. I've had the same seats since DATCU/Apogee opened. 

I'm sure my comments above will trigger a few downvotes, eyerolls, & vomiting eagles, and that's okay. As I've stated before. I really don't care. I will still be here long after the coaches and administrators are gone. And most of the fans that are irritated by my outspokenness too. 

[AAC Title Game]

Ha! I got 2 eyerolls and a downvote for posting actual facts about the AAC Title game. I guess some just don't want to hear the truth. 

[HE’S STILL HERE?]

6 minutes ago, Aquila_Viridis said:

My point is that instead of getting obviously annoyed and saying ‘we need to improve’, I’d have alot more confidence in the HC if he had a couple talking points on HOW it will improve. That would be better leadership. Instead that part was discouraging.

Yeah, I have no interest in hearing Morris talk about how anything will improve defensively until Caponi is replaced. I have no confidence in Caponi. And the longer Caponi remains, the less confidence I have in Morris. There are a lot of good offensive Air Raid coaches that fail as head coaches because they can't field solid defenses. So right now, Morris is looking a lot like Littrell, and we don't need more of that.

[HE’S STILL HERE?]

5 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

You get hired for a job. You aren’t provided the necessary tools (players in this case) to do your job and have to make do in year one. They hired you to run a system but those tools aren’t here and won’t be until the following year. What do you do?  Do you do the best with what you are provided or do you change to a system that you are not familiar with and try to learn that on the fly for just one year until your pieces arrive?  Something to consider. 

That's just an excuse for failure. The offense didn't have what they needed either. We haven't had a real QB since Mason Fine graduated. But, those coaches did their job and went out and found the right pieces and we ended up with the 8th best offense in the nation. Rogers wasn't just sitting on the bench for the past 3 years. No, our offensive coaches evaluated our needs and went and got him from the portal. Our special teams coaches went out and grabbed Rauschenberg from the portal. Caponi didn't do his job. He didn't adequately evaluate his players and he didn't go get the players he needed to field a successful defense. He failed at his job. And he was paid more than ever other assistant coach in the Group of 5. That's an embarrassment. And, that's entirely on him. Caponi doesn't deserve another year at UNT. He should be fired. 

[AAC Title Game]

Funny how the two teams playing in the AAC title game, feature the top 2 defenses in the conference. (1st & 2nd in fewest yards allowed & fewest points allowed). Defense wins championships. Fire Caponi!!!

https://theamerican.org/stats.aspx?path=football&year=2023

[HE’S STILL HERE?]

1 minute ago, Aquila_Viridis said:

That line of criticism is clearly getting to him. It would sure behoove him to elaborate as to why there is confidence and what the vision is for getting Caponi to where and when the defense is successful. I get that this whole coaching change is an investment with near term risk but also long term upside but after watching that defense in particular get burned by everyone all year, he would need to explain HOW there could be major improvement in the now near term. It’s not enough for just Coach Morris to have confidence. He should address why. That’s the only way there would be a chance of fans sharing that confidence. And if he thinks it is not important for us to share in it, that would be a mistake.

There is nothing Morris can say that will sell me on wanting Caponi in Denton for another season. Caponi's defense is the worst in the FBS. His defense sh!t the bed for an entire season. There is no excuse for that ever. And no Mean Green fan should be expected to accept those results as deserving of a second chance to fail at UNT. Fire Caponi!!! 

[HE’S STILL HERE?]

Morris laid to rest any hope of him firing Caponi at his UAB press conference last Tuesday. He clearly stated he supports Caponi's direction leading our defense into next season. I'm pissed about it. Caponi was paid more than every other G5 assistant in the FBS, and produced the worst results in the FBS. And those that are paid to lead our athletics believe this is good enough. You can't make this crap up. Ever with clear data of Caponi's complete failure, Morris won't let him go. It's irritating and sad all at the same time. How can we as fans be expected to be excited about next season when our program is being held hostage by pure stubbornness. Nothing in the stats or results support Caponi returning. But here we are. Someone in the athletic department needs to step up and make this right. If more fans and students walk away from our program, those at the athletic department will only have themselves to blame. This is an issue only because those with the power to fix it refuse to do so. 

You can listen to Morris' comments supporting Caponi in this press conference..........

 

[Grading the 2023 Mean Green]

15 hours ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

1. The defense was 100% a rebuild this season. I don’t have the exact numbers but we lost 5 or 6 of our top tacklers from last year’s already bad unit. Can’t really argue with the grades though. Hopefully, a lot of guys are told to enter the portal the next couple weeks. 
2. Most people had us wining 5 to 7 games this year. Giving Morris an F grade for finishing on the low end of what was expected is unjustified. No one thought we were going to contend for a conference title, so for you to now say we should have been in the hunt is just an attempt to justify your harsh grade. That said, I agree, we should be a bowl team. The FIU and Navy losses were unacceptable. I’d give Morris a “C+”. The offense exceeded all expectations and we closely competed with the top teams in the conference. I don’t expect that to change next year. With a revamped defense, I expect we’ll take a step forward. 
3. IMO, your WR and OL grades are too generous. OL had massive protection issues all year. Especially, against the blitz. It’s what cost us the Navy game. And our WRs had way too many drops to get an A+. Outside of Maclin, the rest of the room is average. I’d give the OL a “C” and WRs a “B+”. 

1. Show me one post or comment where anyone was calling this defense a rebuild before the season started. You can't. Because no one expected our defense to be this stinking bad.

2. I never read where Morris put our cap at 5 to 7. In fact the preseason media poll ranked UNT 7th, predicting a 7-7- record, that means UNT was expected to play in a bowl. 

 https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2023/7/25/23806619/tulane-ranks-atop-2023-aac-preseason-media-poll-newcomer-utsa-places-second

3. The line had issues, but some of those pass protection issues were due to the RB's not picking up their blocks, or even at time Rogers holding the ball too long. But they did allow far too many sacks. I could see why some might grade them lower than I did. I thought the WR's were solid, especially considering how Sides developed this season, once defense took Maclin away.  When the WR's are averages over 300 yards receiving a game, the WR's are doing a great job. 

[Grading the 2023 Mean Green]

18 hours ago, NM Green said:

I didn’t miss anything. I invested, I am concerned about the defense. I will still travel to Denton, to watch parties and away games. Ive been doing that since ‘86. 

I don’t expect everyone to be sunshine and daffodils but there is some negative juju on this site for a team that never quit. We got blown out by smu and cal. The guys played hard and through some disbelief from the fans all year, me included. They finished on a high note. I’m celebrating an end of a season win rather than a disappointing bowl loss. No apoligies 

Fix the deficiencies in 2024 and keep building. 

GMG

The negative juju is not a result of our players effort, it is a result of our DC's poor job performance, and the inability of Morris to fix it.

 Last night Caponi's defense gave up a touchdown on their final defensive stand of the season (a 5 play 75 yard drive resulting in a touchdown that allowed UAB to tie the game with 2:46 left in the game). If not for our outstanding (8th ranked in the FBS) offense, we probably would have lost.

I like Morris and want him to be successful, but the first deficiency that next to be addressed is our defensive coordinator position. We need a guy smart enough to evaluate our talent and get the right players,.... and then teach them how to tackle.

People can downvote or eyeroll this post all they want. I don't care. I'm not going to toe the party line around here and accept the new "rebuilding" narrative, or excuse our defense for being the absolute worst in the entire FBS. We all love this program, but we obviously have different standards about what success means. I have no desire to idly watch our program repeat the last 4 years of the Littrell era, or watch the same posters make the same excuses for the same failures. Too many around here stay quiet when they should call it like it is. Caponi doesn't deserve to keep his job. That's just the truth. 

[Grading the 2023 Mean Green]

6 minutes ago, NM Green said:

An F for Morris is too low. I am disappointed but was highly entertained this season.

Now this does not mean next year is better. It will be beast. Don’t know our schedule but if we have to go to UAB UTSA Memphis and get a visit from Tulane. I don’t know where 6 wins come from. But to complete the weirdest 5 win season I have ever been through with the Mean Green, and rallying the troops for two gut grit wins to end the season. He at least deserves a C. 

Hopefully he learned his lesson that you can’t lose in September and expect a stadium full of fans in October and November. It all hinges on September. Jared pleas press this and plan activities that get people there for 11a and 3p games in 98 degree heat. Swallow it. Prepare for it. Win it. Keep the MG Nation engaged in 2024.

GMG

Since you missed the explanation.....

His offense is amazing. And, his ability to find outstanding QB's is unquestionable. But at the end of the day, we are staying home for bowl season. This team played for the conference title last season, and was picked to be a bowl team this year. In school you need a 70 to pass. I'd have given him a passing grade if we had just won 50% of our games. Defense matters. He still needs to learn that. The fact that he's content to bring Caponi back next season doesn't help his grade either. We are what our record says we are... a team that won about 42% of our games. I can't give him anything but an F for that.    

 

And, if you want more fans next September, it would be a good idea to get a real DC before December... which Morris doesn't seem motivated to do. When 70% of the fans that actually care want Caponi gone, bring the guy back won't get fans excited for next season. Or help sell tickets. 

[Grading the 2023 Mean Green]

3 minutes ago, 3_n_out said:

That’s exactly why I didn’t give them a D