Brett Vito Thoughts on where UNT stands on defensive linemen

[Harry]

The topic of UNT’s defensive line, its production over the last couple of years and its future has become a hot topic the last couple of days.

It’s one I wanted to address here on the blog.

First off, UNT wasn’t fantastic in terms of its defensive line this past season. The Mean Green didn’t have have a first- or second-team All-Conference USA selection, but UNT wasn’t all that bad either.

read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2014/12/thoughts-on-where-unt-stands-as-far-as-defensive-linemen.html/

[817Fan]

-Would have felt a ton better about the D-line had we been able to keep our DEs committed this recruiting cycle.

Xavier Washington last year, Sam Miller, "Five" Howard this year... Those are impact guys off the edge that we haven't closed the deal on.

[GOMG2013]

Another thing that has been overlooked is that Chad Polk recieved all cusa honorable mention. That is something to build on and he will be returning. Can he become a dominant, every down DE? Dont know, but I expect him to work hard and improve on his 2014 season.

[UNT90]

Brett, what is the one common thread through all that losing?

And yes, we should be a be able to out-recruit ULL and La. Tech. ULL is in the Belt and La. Tech is in Ruston. I was at La. Tech last year. I saw their stadium. It isn't much better than Fouts.

People like Hudspeth get it done at ULL, which was terrible when he got there, or Todd Berry at ULM with the smallest budget in FBS and is in the godforsaken location of Monroe, La.

Please, for the love of God, stop making excuses just because you like DMac. His recruiting has not been good. Hopefully he and his staff perform miracles in the development department before next season.

Edited December 23, 2014 by UNT90

[GOMG2013]

Please, for the love of God, stop making excuses just because you like DMac. His recruiting has not been good. Hopefully he and his staff perform miracles in the development department before next season.

How can this be viewed as excuse making? Its providing a clearer perspective on the DL, and improving the knowledge of this fanbase. I have heard the fans crying about the DLine and the size for two years. It was going be bad LAST year.

It was supposed to get blown away this year. In both years, it held its own. Can it improve? Yea...Every aspect of this team has room for improvement.

The timing of this blog was due to the fact the DLine has been blamed for the problems on defense. there have been questions as to why we havent been going after a juco DT...or even one from UAB. Well this may answer those questions.

In my opinion, the DLine has been getting most of the blame and attention, while other areas have been given a pass. And even when other areas fail, its due to the DL and the size. Its the same excuse...our LBs arent making plays because the DL is getting whipped...our Dbs are getting burned because theres no pass rush.

I know we have some of our favorite players at LB and DB. I follow a few of them. Some of them had good years last year, but fans are giving them a pass this year for BELOW average performances.

Mac needs to step it up, but DL is a lot lower on the list than...QB, WR, CB, Safety, LB, OL...

[UNT90]

How can this be viewed as excuse making? Its providing a clearer perspective on the DL, and improving the knowledge of this fanbase. I have heard the fans crying about the DLine and the size for two years. It was going be bad LAST year.

It was supposed to get blown away this year. In both years, it held its own. Can it improve? Yea...Every aspect of this team has room for improvement.

The timing of this blog was due to the fact the DLine has been blamed for the problems on defense. there have been questions as to why we havent been going after a juco DT...or even one from UAB. Well this may answer those questions.

In my opinion, the DLine has been getting most of the blame and attention, while other areas have been given a pass. And even when other areas fail, its due to the DL and the size. Its the same excuse...our LBs arent making plays because the DL is getting whipped...our Dbs are getting burned because theres no pass rush.

I know we have some of our favorite players at LB and DB. I follow a few of them. Some of them had good years last year, but fans are giving them a pass this year for BELOW average performances.

Mac needs to step it up, but DL is a lot lower on the list than...QB, WR, CB, Safety, LB, OL...

The DL only held its own against the worst teams on an incredibly weak schedule. We don't have that luxury next year (thanks RV for those 2 whore games).

Go back and see how we did in every single one of the 8 losses.

Hint: the answer is terrible.

Also, 33 sacks is EXTREMELY misleading. We actually had 23 sacks in 11 games. All stats from that high school team we played should be discarded, including the DL performance.

[GOMG2013]

The DL only held its own against the worst teams on an incredibly weak schedule. We don't have that luxury next year (thanks RV for those 2 whore games).

Go back and see how we did in every single one of the 8 losses.

Hint: the answer is terrible.

Also, 33 sacks is EXTREMELY misleading. We actually had 23 sacks in 11 games. All stats from that high school team we played should be discarded, including the DL performance.

Im not saying our DLine is great. If our DLine stats are misleading because of the weak games, then our DB and LB stats are too. Throw away the stats from SMU too. Every unit on defense was below average. DLine, mainly DT gets discussed much more though.

Our DT stats are comparable to last season, our DE production is where there is a drop off.

mason and Lincoln was supposed to anchor these units, but they battled injuries. No one wants to bring that up though because we want to bash Mac.

Edited December 24, 2014 by GOMG2013

[greenit]

I hate to say it, but MLB had a big drop off as well. I guess it is not surprising considering we lost an NFL level player from the year before., but the MLB was out of position lots last year, and it was not just one player.

[UNT90]

Im not saying our DLine is great. If our DLine stats are misleading because of the weak games, then our DB and LB stats are too. Throw away the stats from SMU too. Every unit on defense was below average. DLine, mainly DT gets discussed much more though.

Our DT stats are comparable to last season, our DE production is where there is a drop off.

mason and Lincoln was supposed to anchor these units, but they battled injuries. No one wants to bring that up though because we want to bash Mac.

UNT, A Leader in Excuse Making.

It should be a slogan.

And I can blame Mac because all teams suffer injuries throughout the year. His poor recruiting led to a lack of depth on the Dline.

[UNTLifer]

See what happens when you dispute UNT90. The same talking points for the last few years, and oh, he is never wrong, nor will he ever consider another's opinion without calling it excuse making. Such a tired act.

Yell that we need to hire a coach with head coaching experience, we do that and hire a coach with more D1 experience than we have ever had, but it still isn't enough. Tout the accomplishments of Hudspeth at ULaLa, a coach you would have criticized had RV hired him, now that he has experienced success. You should work for a political party, and not the one you claim to follow.

[UNT90]

See what happens when you dispute UNT90. The same talking points for the last few years, and oh, he is never wrong, nor will he ever consider another's opinion without calling it excuse making. Such a tired act.

Yell that we need to hire a coach with head coaching experience, we do that and hire a coach with more D1 experience than we have ever had, but it still isn't enough. Tout the accomplishments of Hudspeth at ULaLa, a coach you would have criticized had RV hired him, now that he has experienced success. You should work for a political party, and not the one you claim to follow.

Kind of the other way around here.

I get piled on for expressing an opinion. I never make it personal. I rarely name call, and only do so after being pushed and pushed and pushed.

I almost always simply counter a point with my point. People like you don't like what I have to say so you post like you did above.

And yes, saying we don't have the money is excuse making. ULM has done a much better job than UNT over the last 10 years with far less money and far more challenges.

How can that happen? There really is only one way. They out worked us. Plain and simple. There was a recent post from a new grad that was asking how to get into the MGC. The guy posts here semi-regularly, which means he has been to numerous athletic events during his time at UNT, yet no contact from the AD.

This is lazy and a prime example of how you lose generations of fans.

If we ever get serious about athletics, the first thing we will do is hire an AD who is serious about building an athletic program.

We don't have that right now.

[UNT86]

Amen UNTLifer.

[UNTLifer]

You call people apologists, excuse makers, etc... when they don't agree with you, so stating you don't is laughable. I like differing viewpoints, but you have been performing the same song and dance for years and it has grown tiresome.

[UNT90]

You call people apologists, excuse makers, etc... when they don't agree with you, so stating you don't is laughable. I like differing viewpoints, but you have been performing the same song and dance for years and it has grown tiresome.

I say what they are doing is excusing making, not that they are excuse makers and apologists. That implies a character flaw, that they know what they are doing, and are doing it intentionally, which they aren't.

But, again, that doesn't fit your rah rah narrative.

But I do hope you have a Merry rah rah Christmas. ;-)

Edited December 25, 2014 by UNT90

[UNTLifer]

See, I really didn't expect you to agree with me, because your point always has to be the right one. Call me "rah-rah" if you want, I just see no purpose in continually criticizing the same old points day after day, week after week and year after year on a fan forum that outsiders, potential student athletes and potential fans read along with us die hards. First, you are barking up the wrong tree. Aim your venom at the BOR, the university president, hell, even call the governor's office and complain about his appointments to our board. Secondly, constantly bitching at us solves nothing and grows tiresome. It is a tired act.

Hope you had a Merry Mean Green Christmas!

[UNT90]

See, I really didn't expect you to agree with me, because your point always has to be the right one. Call me "rah-rah" if you want, I just see no purpose in continually criticizing the same old points day after day, week after week and year after year on a fan forum that outsiders, potential student athletes and potential fans read along with us die hards. First, you are barking up the wrong tree. Aim your venom at the BOR, the university president, hell, even call the governor's office and complain about his appointments to our board. Secondly, constantly bitching at us solves nothing and grows tiresome. It is a tired act.

Hope you had a Merry Mean Green Christmas!

Been over this a thousand times, so I guess one more can't hurt.

This is a public forum. People in the AD read this forum. Big donors who DO have influence read this forum. A phone call or a letter of complaint from me SHOULD be ignored, because I simply am not at the giving level to influence change, but...

If by providing information on this board that leads to questions being asked directly to RV about concerns by these big donors, then all of my posts will have been worth it.

Lets take scheduling, for instance. I told you guys that 2015 was going to be a 5 home game season the moment Tennessee was added. I tried to wedge that info into every conversation possible, being that it would be the second time in 4 years that we would have a 5 game home schedule and I wanted to know why this was happening. You said just trust the AD and everything would be ok. It wasn't going to be and isn't.

Because of my little part in harping on this point, RV was asked in 2 separate podcasts by Harry whether we would have a 5 home game schedule and refused to answer the question both times. He was also asked at an event (radio show, maybe?) by an attendee in the audience and again refused to answer the question.

People got to see whether he would tell the truth or not. Make your own judgement on how that worked out.

I'm sick of athletics being an embarassment to this university. I'm sick of no accountability in the AD's office. I'm sick of personal friendships being used to keep a job.

And, most importantly, I'm sick of losing.

Edited December 26, 2014 by UNT90

[untcampbell]

Cancer.

GMG

[UNT90]

I agree.

Losing is a cancer.

[UNTLifer]

Been over this a thousand times, so I guess one more can't hurt.

This is a public forum. People in the AD read this forum. Big donors who DO have influence read this forum. A phone call or a letter of complaint from me SHOULD be ignored, because I simply am not at the giving level to influence change, but...

If by providing information on this board that leads to questions being asked directly to RV about concerns by these big donors, then all of my posts will have been worth it.

Lets take scheduling, for instance. I told you guys that 2015 was going to be a 5 home game season the moment Tennessee was added. I tried to wedge that info into every conversation possible, being that it would be the second time in 4 years that we would have a 5 game home schedule and I wanted to know why this was happening. You said just trust the AD and everything would be ok. It wasn't going to be and isn't.

Because of my little part in harping on this point, RV was asked in 2 separate podcasts by Harry whether we would have a 5 home game schedule and refused to answer the question both times. He was also asked at an event (radio show, maybe?) by an attendee in the audience and again refused to answer the question.

People got to see whether he would tell the truth or not. Make your own judgement on how that worked out.

I'm sick of athletics being an embarassment to this university. I'm sick of no accountability in the AD's office. I'm sick of personal friendships being used to keep a job.

And, most importantly, I'm sick of losing.

Fair enough. I didn't realize RV had avoided/refused to answer questions. That is BS. Edited December 29, 2014 by UNTLifer

[UNT90]

Fair enough. I didn't realize had avoid/refused to answer questions. That is BS.

Gave a "we are working on it" in the first interview with Harry and when asked on the radio show (?). The 2nd time Harry brought it up, he gave a non-sensical answer that Tulsa leaving the league caused a scheduling problem that was unsolvable. What????

And he knew all along that it would be a 5 home game schedule. That is the troubling part. He also did the same thing in 2012, delaying to the latest possible moment the announcement of a 5 home game schedule that he knew was inevitable.

Edited December 27, 2014 by UNT90