Expectations And Smu

[Dodge2007]

In all seriousness, UNT and the offense are going to be shut down early on. If you really looked at the spring game, Mean Green defense played a base defense and did not blitz nor try to put any pressure on the QB when we scored.

OU is going to eat us up, imo, obviously I hope I am dead wrong. Dodge's spread is no miracle worker and will take several games to get established. Ask Euless Trinity how hard it was to stop SLC..........and then ask Bob Stoops about stopping the spread.

Our QB's are going to get blasted early and often. Meager is injury prone so that concerns me. Woody is athletic but cannot throw the ball with any consistency and his decision making is poor or he wouldn't have played the LEAST during the spring. Tune is an athlete and Dodge will do wonders with him in August. He just might be the guy.

I flip flop between Tune and Meager and then sometimes flip again on the freshman.

The good thing about SMU is they will get the hell kicked out of them as well. The winner of the SMu - UNT game might be the one with the fewest injuries at the skill postion after the first game. This is simply by simplified and uneducated opinion, what do you think?

I hope the crowd is rocking and the METRO PLEX comes out to watch the game. IT could be a dandy.

Edited July 16, 2007 by Dodge2007

[greenminer]

Interesting thoughts. I have a couple things to say in reply:

I thought we blitzed a little in the spring game? Maybe I am remembering wrong. Either way, you're correct we had a pretty simple approach. Hopefully our depth and some help from our O will keep them off the field and allow them to shine when they are ON it.

Realistically, we could be in year 2 of this system and still get blasted by OU. no surprise there. Beating the Sooners would be an absolute miracle (and a welcome one!). They're just too fast in the secondary and have too much depth across the board.

Are you telling me you freaking timed the QBs in the spring game? I thought Meager was on the field the most, with the other 3 playing comparably with each other. Tune is a great athlete, but seemed to have the slowest feet of the bunch. That's just my opinion, but based on that I'm thinking he's going to have the hardest time come fall. Yes his arm and size are fantastic, but you need to be at least somewhat mobile in this O. I am still baffled by your seeming anti-WW sentiment. Yes the guy was absolutely horrid making his reads...IN THE SPRING GAME. But the arm is there and it was only after 15 practices. You seem so convinced that he can't improve on that and he's going to have to be moved elsewhere.

the only thing I feel strongly about re: the QBs that it's going to be between Meager, WW, Vizza, and possibly Tune. After that it's a coin toss because of possible improvements before September 1. BTW, has Dodge mentioned if he has a deadline to name a QB? I'd be curious to know.

You know, after reading FFR's observations on the spring game, I couldn't help but see the video again and notice Ieans. That guy fits the "secret weapon" mold. That's right, he was so secret even DD didn't know about it. I hope we see more of him and his athletic ability on the field this year.

SMU will seem like they're in slow-motion after playing the Sooners. But they should be much healthier and more motivated than last year, so it should be a dandy. Our O will be a work in progress, but it will be flowing and our D is going to surprise people and keep it close.

Edited July 16, 2007 by greenminer

[NT80]

Some interesting comments by both previous posts.

Endurance is the name of Dodge's game. In the spring game the offense started slow but was clicking by the end. Hank said the defense could blitz; and although the defense basically knew every play the offense could run it still got beat, if not also worn out in the end. That is the key to Dodge's offense: many passing options on the same play; take what the defense is giving each play. It's designed to wear out a defense by covering the whole field then putting fresh receivers out there to run them some more, then bust a RB up thru a hole or quick-count snap the ball when the D is tired. He will wear out an opponent (if QBs play smart and limit turnovers, etc.). It may take some time to get DD's players on the same page with this new offense, but it will eventually pay off.

Edited July 16, 2007 by NT80

[the real grad88]

If our short passing game can take the pressure off the run, I am really excited about J-Mo having a bang-up year. I think we could see him return to his previous form. All he needs is a little light, and he will be gone. I think he is one factor that makes this year really exciting to think about the possibilities. DD's offense quit working for our running game because all he did was go for the long, knock out punch. Since we connected on it so little, it wasn't enough of a threat to ever force the defense to adjust. They will have to respect Dodge's passing game, even if we are in a learning curve. That might open up some holes we need for J-Mo to do his thing.

[Cr1028]

Our QB's are going to get blasted early and often. Meager is injury prone so that concerns me. Woody is athletic but cannot throw the ball with any consistency and his decision making is poor or he wouldn't have played the LEAST during the spring. Tune is an athlete and Dodge will do wonders with him in August. He just might be the guy.

My coaches always told me, "you don't practice, you don't play". WW practiced the least and played the least. What's the big deal, he still scored on his first drive. Points is still how you win the game right?

[emmitt01]

Woody is athletic but cannot throw the ball with any consistency and his decision making is poor or he wouldn't have played the LEAST during the spring.

Well coach, by your logic Jamario is in some BIG trouble. He played the least of the running backs.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

In all seriousness, UNT and the offense are going to be shut down early on. If you really looked at the spring game, Mean Green defense played a base defense and did not blitz nor try to put any pressure on the QB when we scored.

OU is going to eat us up, imo, obviously I hope I am dead wrong. Dodge's spread is no miracle worker and will take several games to get established. Ask Euless Trinity how hard it was to stop SLC..........and then ask Bob Stoops about stopping the spread.

Our QB's are going to get blasted early and often. Meager is injury prone so that concerns me. Woody is athletic but cannot throw the ball with any consistency and his decision making is poor or he wouldn't have played the LEAST during the spring. Tune is an athlete and Dodge will do wonders with him in August. He just might be the guy.

I flip flop between Tune and Meager and then sometimes flip again on the freshman.

The good thing about SMU is they will get the hell kicked out of them as well. The winner of the SMu - UNT game might be the one with the fewest injuries at the skill postion after the first game. This is simply by simplified and uneducated opinion, what do you think?

I hope the crowd is rocking and the METRO PLEX comes out to watch the game. IT could be a dandy.

I think playing the OU game first will help us. Both OU and SMU have experienced O-lines returning. OU has great receivers and a host of tailbacks, but a new QB. And, they host Miami the next week, so they won't want to give too much away on offense. So, I'll bet they run alot in a pretty vanilla game plan against us.

SMU also has an experienced tailback and a good QB, but not many experienced WRs. I'd bet they run alot as well simply because they'll have to be successful there early in the season as the QB and new WRs get on the same page.

Our lack of starting experience along the defensive line will be tested, then, right off the bat. If you buy the idea that the OU players are better than the SMU players, we'll have already seen a better, stronger running game by the time we hit Ford Stadium. Although OU might pound us and eventually wear us out, I doubt SMU will.

As posted elsewhere, I think an upset of OU comes down to special teams plays, blocked kicks, long returns, burying them with deep punts, and the like. Their overall speed and strength is too much right now to expect to walk in there and fight with them toe-to-toe. SMU is different. If we can stop the run consistently, we've got a good chance to beat them again.

Edited July 16, 2007 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[Harry]

Not meanaing to be a negative Ned but I really think SMU will be good this year. Add to that, Bennett just cannot lose this game. I mean if he loses this game two years in a row it would probably mean he loses his job unless he won CUSA and got them to a bowl. This is the best on paper team SMU has had post death penalty in my opinion.

[Eagle1855]

Not meanaing to be a negative Ned but I really think SMU will be good this year. Add to that, Bennett just cannot lose this game. I mean if he loses this game two years in a row it would probably mean he loses his job unless he won CUSA and got them to a bowl. This is the best on paper team SMU has had post death penalty in my opinion.

completely agree. Being objective and realistic doesn't make you "Negative Ned"

[Green Lantern]

Not meanaing to be a negative Ned but I really think SMU will be good this year. Add to that, Bennett just cannot lose this game. I mean if he loses this game two years in a row it would probably mean he loses his job unless he won CUSA and got them to a bowl. This is the best on paper team SMU has had post death penalty in my opinion.

I also happen to think that SMU will be a good team this year and we will have our hands full with them. The problem is that we are playing them as our second game of the season. I think that we have way too many "unknowns" right now to think that this game is a sure thing. As stated, Bennett is really coaching for his job this year and I have to believe that the Ponies will show up for this game. A win for us is not out of the question but I think it will be much more difficult than many are predicting.

[MeanGreen61]

UNT/smu trivia. UNT & smu are 2-2 since the ponies returned from the DP. 3 of the 4 games were played when UNT was 1AA (89,90,92). UNT has won 2 of the last 3

[scratch1976]

UNT/smu trivia. UNT & smu are 2-2 since the ponies returned from the DP. 3 of the 4 games were played when UNT was 1AA (89,90,92). UNT has won 2 of the last 3

[scratch1976]

92? did we play SMU in 92?

[MeanGreen61]

92? did we play SMU in 92?

Yep, lost 28-14.