North Texas A Challenge For MTSU

[MeanGreen61]

Can you say.... A lot of pressure in the 'Boro over the Muts vs grUNTs game.

Thursday, 08/18/05

North Texas a challenge for MTSU

By DAVID CLIMER

Senior Writer

Andy McCollum has been MTSU's football coach for six seasons.

A 30-38 record isn't a ringing endorsement, but then 15 of those losses came against Division I heavyweights such as Alabama, Florida, Arkansas and Georgia, plus Illinois and Arizona when they were ranked in the Top 25. He is two-for-two against Vanderbilt, both games played on the SEC team's field.

The MTSUs of the world are forced to play these designated "money games'' where they become sacrificial lambs in exchange for a fat payday. These games enable lower Division I programs to survive financially.

McCollum understands this.

What has been frustrating to MTSU fans and McCollum is his inability to beat North Texas in the Sun Belt Conference.

MTSU is not alone in that regard — the Mean Green is riding a 25-game win streak in the Sun Belt.

This year MTSU and North Texas meet on Sept. 10. It is MTSU's first home game and North Texas is starting a freshman quarterback.

What an ideal time to make a favorable impression on your new boss.

Chris Massaro's feet haven't touched the ground since taking over for Boots Donnelly as MTSU's athletics director.

Massaro comes from South Carolina, where he was an associate AD and uncomfortably familiar with failed expectations in the football program.

Massaro is working day and night to give McCollum a fighting chance. He has been able to secure future games with Memphis, Maryland and Vanderbilt.

He got Louisville to play the Blue Raiders next season in the Coliseum. UAB is a home game for MTSU next season.

Massaro wants to give MTSU fans a reason to show up on Saturdays. If he can lure them there in any sizeable numbers, it is up to McCollum and the football team to bring them back.

"It is a big game for us,'' Massaro said of the home opener against the Mean Green. "They've won 25 straight conference games and it's time for us to put an end to that. On the other hand, we will have six conference games to play.''

Massaro doesn't seem like someone who will make a snap decision or yield to pressure to make a coaching change. He won't put any numbers on how many games McCollum has to win this season, but suffice it to say he wants to see progress being made on the scoreboard.

"There are several factors involved, obviously wins and losses,'' Massaro said.

He listed other key areas such as the staff's commitment to academics, cooperation with the university, media, their public relations skills. Massaro drops by for every football practice as an observer.

"There's been a lot of speculation about our football program, but I'll tell you I am pleased with what I have seen so far,'' Massaro said. "If the results aren't where we want them, what are the reasons why?''

It makes the North Texas game a must win for everyone concerned about MTSU football.

It will set the tone both on the field and in the stands. A loss there would be devastating and make Massaro's job that much more difficult. •

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...400/1106/SPORTS

[MootPoint]

Our team this year has so many question marks, I don't know whether they will go 10-1 or 5-6. More than anything this year, I feel like whatever happens this season will depend very much on the coaching (getting the team prepared, playcalling, doing something besides running up the middle when the other team stacks the box), so I guess we'll just have to see what happens.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Our team this year has so many question marks, I don't know whether they will go 10-1 or 5-6.  More than anything this year, I feel like whatever happens this season will depend very much on the coaching (getting the team prepared, playcalling, doing something besides running up the middle when the other team stacks the box), so I guess we'll just have to see what happens.

←

Agree..... I don't think anyone wants a pass-happy team but flexibility is needed when the running game is stalled. We actually made a lot of yards passing last year which helps keep the opposition defense from stacking up the line of scrimmage.

This year is really a question mark with so many new starters. We may do ok in week one but MTSU is the game that will likely start telling us about the season. A slow start is explainable this year with so much inexperience in the beginning.

[untgirl04]

This year is really a question mark with so many new starters. We may do ok in week one but MTSU is the game that will likely start telling us about the season. A slow start is explainable this year with so much inexperience in the beginning.

←

[untStein]

I see the MUTS game as the one SBC game we are most likely to lose. In years past we've had non-conference games that we could lose while working the kinks out. Obviously this year we're thrown right into conference play. Although they are young, I hope to see a more disciplined team early on. Last year discipline seemed like a big problem in the early going.

[Coffee and TV]

if memory serves me correctly (and it usually doesn't) then this team is a lot like our 2001 team in terms of age. Only this time its probably more talented.

[BIG DAWG]

feel like whatever happens this season will depend very much on the coaching (getting the team prepared, playcalling, doing something besides running up the middle when the other team stacks the box)

I forgot about all of the "not prepared," "horrible playcalling," & my favorite of all "do something besides run the ball" comments. I just thought I would hear them later in the year. Like when LSU beats us like LSU should (by alot), and then everyone will call for Dickey's head, then Dickey will lead this team to a conference title, another bowl game, another COACH OF THE YEAR honor, then we will talk the rest of the year about OOC wins and our lack there of.

What is going to make this year even sweeter, is that Dickey is going to do all of this with quite possibly a loss to the MUTS.

LONG LIVE DD AND THE PLAYCALLING, AND RUNNING THE BALL MORE THAN EVER, AND PREPARATION!

Be ready Mean Green fans, because we are going to run the hell out of the ball whether you like it or not. MORE THAN WE EVER HAVE BEFORE!

[DeepGreen]

Be ready Mean Green fans, because we are going to run the hell out of the ball whether you like it or not.  MORE THAN WE EVER HAVE BEFORE!

←

We sure better have our blocking schemes down this year, plus all able bodied backup linemen. I understand Southern Miss wrote the best selling sports instruction book, "How To Defend Against UNT's Run Oriented Offense", and all the teams we go up against have a fresh copy.

[PlummMeanGreen]

We sure better have our blocking schemes down this year, plus all able bodied backup linemen.  I understand Southern Miss wrote the best selling sports instruction book, "How To Defend Against UNT's Run Oriented Offense", and all the teams we go up against have a fresh copy.

←

Agree, Deep Green, but I don't think we will see any USM-type defenses in the SBC this or most any year.

Not wanting to get too boastful about our NT offense (even with or without a seasoned QB for the time being), but I think NT will be able to cram Sir Patrick Cobbs and Super Jamario Thomas down many of our non BCS opponent's throats (so to speak); especially those defenses in the Sun Belt Conference.

Has anyone seen NT throw any half-back passes in recent years? There are ways to keep SBC defenses off balance. NT may have to come up with some of what Hayden Fry called his "exotic" plays to keep those SBC "D's" guessing. Now concerning LSU, thats a whole different ball game.

I think we will have find 1 or 2 QB's who will be able to pass the ball downfield enough as to allow the always dangerous Johnny Quinn to stretch out some of those SBC defenses, too. I just don't see 'Belt defenses being able to do what the Golden Eagles did in the Big Easy. There is just not that kind of talent with our SBC opponents at this time.

Edited August 19, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen