DRC: UNT-Iowa coverage

[Brett Vito]

Game story: UNT gives Iowa scare before running out of gas

http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/mean-green/2017/09/16/football-unt-leads-iowa-third-running-gas-31-14-loss

UNT's defense improves in loss

http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/mean-green/2017/09/16/unts-defense-shines-loss-iowa

Notebook: Wilson bounces back after off outing in loss to SMU

http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/mean-green/2017/09/16/notebook-wilson-bounces-back-unts-loss-iowa

[CrackBackBlocka aka TFLF]

I think I'm just going to agree to disagree with the assessment of the defense.

Iowa's #1 tailback touched the ball 10 times for 104 yards - 80 on receptions; and, had a 70+ yard TD run called back.  Then, Ferentz pulled him out...in the second quarter.

#2 tailback was on his way to 100 yard day until he got injured.

#3 and #4 tailbacks abused us for 150+ yards on pretty average run plays.  Plain vanilla kicking our front seven down the field.  

This wasn't the old Air Force Flexbone, Oklahoma Wishbone, or Houston Veer.  They just handed off the ball and ran through and around us...with four different tailback.  And, still completed passes to nine or ten different receivers.  

Add to that the inability to get off the field on third down, 40+ minutes of basic, 1970s run first offense shoved down our throats, and still surrendering two TDs through the air.

Our defense got its ass kicked.  Badly.

Last week, SMU torched our secondary; this week Iowa brutalized our front seven.

Let's just be glad these two games are over and there is nothing but C-USA in front of us from here on out...plus one Army game. 

Can still get to 6-6.  But, make no mistake, the defense was manhandled today against a thoroughly disinterested team running a very simple offense game plan:  line up, hand off...line up, hand off...line up, hand off...convert third down...rinse and repeat.

Edited September 17, 2017 by CrackBackBlocka

[Cerebus]

How many sock puppet accounts are you going to make?

[CrackBackBlocka aka TFLF]

Relax.

[SilverEagle]

Quote

 

"Quinn is a great teammate and is a good football player," Littrell said. "It is a long season. I feel comfortable with two guys and know he is going to be prepared. He understands what the game plan is and is locked in. It was great for him to come in and make a couple of nice throws and a nice run. I can't say enough about Quinn."

 

Those throws, which were done under tremendous pressure, would have been called nice in practice during 11-11 drills. I think I would have picked another word. But then, I don't have Coach Littrells talent/tendency for understatement.

What we saw Saturday was a demonstration that not only do we have two equally talented QB's, we also have two equally confident QB's.

AND, if "Izzy" is fully healthy, AND his head is properly wrapped around the offense, AND he performs even reasonably well under pressure, we have something I haven't seen at north Texas since just about....... never. A legitimate three deep QB situation.

Ok never is too extreme. In theory, we had that situation last year.....but the fan base just didn't know it.

[97and03]

I think Vito was generous although holding them to 17 for three quarters was commendable. They wore us out in the end. 

I disagree with saying Khari had his best game just because of the tackle total. It means the front seven let through the RBs. Our safeties struggled mightily with covering TE and RB all day, so I am not ready to say he played a great game.

[BTG_Fan1]

1 hour ago, 97and03 said:

I think Vito was generous although holding them to 17 for three quarters was commendable. They wore us out in the end. 

I disagree with saying Khari had his best game just because of the tackle total. It means the front seven let through the RBs. Our safeties struggled mightily with covering TE and RB all day, so I am not ready to say he played a great game.

Khari had a solid game.. he was all over the field doing what I thought McClain should be doing..

the long TD run that was called back, was on Wheeler.. Khari did get carried in the endzone by there TE for score to put Iowa up, but what do we expect he gave up like 6-8 inches and 50+ lbs to him.. 

Again it was solid but not great, the closest we had to a great game was the DL that held down the fort for nearly 3 quarters. Khari was likely the best guy in the rest of the defense, going up against an offense that very physically imposing compared to him 

[MeanGreen_MBA]

15 hours ago, CrackBackBlocka said:

I think I'm just going to agree to disagree with the assessment of the defense.

Iowa's #1 tailback touched the ball 10 times for 104 yards - 80 on receptions; and, had a 70+ yard TD run called back.  Then, Ferentz pulled him out...in the second quarter.

#2 tailback was on his way to 100 yard day until he got injured.

#3 and #4 tailbacks abused us for 150+ yards on pretty average run plays.  Plain vanilla kicking our front seven down the field.  

This wasn't the old Air Force Flexbone, Oklahoma Wishbone, or Houston Veer.  They just handed off the ball and ran through and around us...with four different tailback.  And, still completed passes to nine or ten different receivers.  

Add to that the inability to get off the field on third down, 40+ minutes of basic, 1970s run first offense shoved down our throats, and still surrendering two TDs through the air.

Our defense got its ass kicked.  Badly.

Last week, SMU torched our secondary; this week Iowa brutalized our front seven.

Let's just be glad these two games are over and there is nothing but C-USA in front of us from here on out...plus one Army game. 

Can still get to 6-6.  But, make no mistake, the defense was manhandled today against a thoroughly disinterested team running a very simple offense game plan:  line up, hand off...line up, hand off...line up, hand off...convert third down...rinse and repeat.

One of the TD passes was a fluke bounce after a good defensive play by tipping the pass. It bounces 5 feet left and we intercept in the end zone

[BTG_Fan1]

3 minutes ago, MeanGreen_MBA said:

One of the TD passes was a fluke bounce after a good defensive play by tipping the pass. It bounces 5 feet left and we intercept in the end zone

While I agree that was a fluke... the first TD that was overturned for rolling out the endzone was a fluke as well.. 

Yes UNT got some bounces, and Iowa got some as well

[MeanGreen_MBA]

5 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

While I agree that was a fluke... the first TD that was overturned for rolling out the endzone was a fluke as well.. 

Yes UNT got some bounces, and Iowa got some as well

That was a fumble...fluke???

[BTG_Fan1]

3 hours ago, MeanGreen_MBA said:

That was a fumble...fluke???

It rolling out of bounds and UNT getting it back without giving up any points was a fluke... 

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

It rolling out of bounds and UNT getting it back without giving up any points was a fluke... 

Interesting assessment. How does it feel to be alone. 

[greenminer]

WTH is wrong with someone that feels compelled to keep coming back to the same party he gets kicked out of?

 

[BTG_Fan1]

7 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Interesting assessment. How does it feel to be alone. 

Could careless if I'm alone.. but we have to admit it was a luck play.. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

On 9/16/2017 at 10:37 PM, CrackBackBlocka said:

...

Our defense got its ass kicked.  Badly.

...

Were we not expecting that against Iowa?   I know I was.  
Iowa's OL versus a defense with 3 down linemen, built for speed?   Once they decided to butter their bread, it was over.   Started out throwing the ball for some reason, but then realized that they have road graders up front and just started rolling.   I wondered what was taking so long.   Nothing surprising there.    The defense won't see another OL like that again this year.   Rice's/ODU's OLs are decent, and UTEP's OL is big, but none of them are like Iowa's.

We'll be fine in conference play.

[MGNation92]

2 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Were we not expecting that against Iowa?   I know I was.  
Iowa's OL versus a defense with 3 down linemen, built for speed?   Once they decided to butter their bread, it was over.   Started out throwing the ball for some reason, but then realized that they have road graders up front and just started rolling.   I wondered what was taking so long.   Nothing surprising there.    The defense won't see another OL like that again this year.   Rice's/ODU's OLs are decent, and UTEP's OL is big, but none of them are like Iowa's.

We'll be fine in conference play.

Except against the pro-style teams. UTEP ate our lunch last year, and so did UTSA.  I get they're the exception, not the norm in our league, but I think that'll be telling on our season. If Reffett's defense can hold the point of attack consistently for 4 quarters against teams that want to shove it down your throat.

[Aldo]

6 hours ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

Could careless if I'm alone.. but we have to admit it was a luck play.. 

I'll meet you half way.

The forced fumble was not luck, but a great football play. Rolling out to a touchback, sure that helped.

22 hours ago, 97and03 said:

I disagree with saying Khari had his best game just because of the tackle total. It means the front seven let through the RBs. Our safeties struggled mightily with covering TE and RB all day, so I am not ready to say he played a great game.

Didn't read the article, but Khairi was blitzing and chasing down the QB, disrupting several plays, and was making great hits, going sideline to sideline.

[MeanGreenTexan]

16 minutes ago, MGNation92 said:

Except against the pro-style teams. UTEP ate our lunch last year, and so did UTSA.  I get they're the exception, not the norm in our league, but I think that'll be telling on our season. If Reffett's defense can hold the point of attack consistently for 4 quarters against teams that want to shove it down your throat.

You're right about UTEP.   Not sure what was up with the Mean Green that day, but it appeared to be a mix of "We've already sewed up our bowl bid due to APR, so we're not giving max effort today", and Aaron Jones.  They most-certainly have an NFL draft pick on their OL (Hernandez), but English will be back by then, and our DL will be slightly tougher to push around.  I don't think last year's result against UTEP will repeat itself... at all.

As for UTSA, that is a balanced attack.  I think our defense's speed/stunting/blitzes can work against those guys.  And may  *possibly* have English back for this game as well.

1 minute ago, Aldo said:

I'll meet you half way.

The forced fumble was not luck, but a great football play. Rolling out to a touchback, sure that helped.

Didn't read the article, but Khairi was blitzing and chasing down the QB, disrupting several plays, and was making great hits, going sideline to sideline.

*HSO*    Khairi certainly looked like the better Safety out there yesterday.  Sorry Kishawn.  
Kishawn had the table set for the past 2 weeks to make himself an NFL prospect.   He failed to do so.  Caught out of position several times and failed to make any major plays... especially on 3rd downs when we need him to step up.
Our draft drought will continue if we're going to rely on him to break it.

[MGNation92]

2 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

You're right about UTEP.   Not sure what was up with the Mean Green that day, but it appeared to be a mix of "We've already sewed up our bowl bid due to APR, so we're not giving max effort today", and Aaron Jones.  They most-certainly have an NFL draft pick on their OL (Hernandez), but English will be back by then, and our DL will be slightly tougher to push around.  I don't think last year's result against UTEP will repeat itself... at all.

As for UTSA, that is a balanced attack.  I think our defense's speed/stunting/blitzes can work against those guys.  And may  *possibly* have English back for this game as well.

I trust the coaches when they say the DL is our best position group, especially with English in the fold, but I'm concerned about the longevity. I think the next two games will tell us a lot more how we'll do in league play. Going into the bye week at 3-2 would be huge, especially with UTSA coming to town the following week. Hoping our guys can stay consistent, and consistently healthy

[Aldo]

11 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

You're right about UTEP.   Not sure what was up with the Mean Green that day, but it appeared to be a mix of "We've already sewed up our bowl bid due to APR, so we're not giving max effort today", and Aaron Jones.  

Bad gap play (by the DBs). Same reasons Army had two huge runs.

Edited September 18, 2017 by Aldo

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Were we not expecting that against Iowa?   I know I was.  
Iowa's OL versus a defense with 3 down linemen, built for speed?   Once they decided to butter their bread, it was over.   Started out throwing the ball for some reason, but then realized that they have road graders up front and just started rolling.   I wondered what was taking so long.   Nothing surprising there.    The defense won't see another OL like that again this year.   Rice's/ODU's OLs are decent, and UTEP's OL is big, but none of them are like Iowa's.

We'll be fine in conference play.

I actually thought our DL's did their job, but, outside of Ejiya, our LB play was very poor.  That hurts me coming from a school that has produced the likes of Gross, White, Kassel, Spencer, Hurd, Casey, Renfro, Orr, etc...

[MeanGreenTexan]

44 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

I actually thought our DL's did their job, but, outside of Ejiya, our LB play was very poor.  That hurts me coming from a school that has produced the likes of Gross, White, Kassel, Spencer, Hurd, Casey, Renfro, Orr, etc...

By midway through the 3rd quarter, you could see the line of scrimmage move 2 yards upfield by the time the RB got there after the handoff.  It's not that the DL wasn't doing their job, it's just that they were out-matched.  We won't see that kind of push again... especially once English gets out there (if he's healthy & as-advertised).  I think that game made the DL MUCH MUCH better as a unit.
I didn't think Garner played too poorly, and Ejiya has really turned into quite a player for us.  I think he could wind up being an all-conference player if he keeps this level of play up during conference play.   
We've certainly been spoiled at LB over the past 2 decades.  This is definitely a weaker unit than we're used to.  McDonald was in on some plays this week... maybe he's coming along.

[Aldo]

Iowa was also on the field for 40 minutes and 45 seconds.

40:45.

That defense was gassed.

Edited September 18, 2017 by Aldo

[MGNation92]

4 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Iowa was also on the field for 40 minutes and 45 seconds.

40:45.

That defense was gassed.

The all too familiar trend with Air Raid teams. Score fast, leave your defense out on the field for a long time.

Not to mention our 3rd down efficiency both ways is horrendous right now.

[Aldo]

5 minutes ago, MGNation92 said:

The all too familiar trend with Air Raid teams. Score fast, leave your defense out on the field for a long time.

Not to mention our 3rd down efficiency both ways is horrendous right now.

Even after this game we are averaging 30 minutes/game. That 40 minutes is Ferentz' second best ever. We're doing ok on TOP.

We can't stay on, or get off the field on 3rd down for sure.

Bright side on offense: We are converting not on 3rd down. We are currently on pace for the fewest 3rd down opportunities in the last 10 seasons, but the most 1st downs in that same span.

So we have that going for us.