Vizza Is The Starter Next Week - Bet On It

[eulessismore]

Well, we seem really vulnerable to the running quarterback, as well as to the big plays in general. Are we lacking speed on by the DT's and OLB's, or is it all just the schemes?

[chrisfisher]

Giovanni Vizza 35/57 380YDS 6.7AVG 3TD 3INT

He was shaky to start, but I think he played well in the second half.

About the same stats from prior games as Meager, a redshirt Junior.... and he also shows a certain toughness that I really like... I think I'll go with Vizza from now on...

[Monkeypox]

Vizza is a TRUE freshman making his first start. That was a pretty damn good performance overall. He gained confidence as the game went on and showed leadership skills that are sorely needed right now. Congrats to Vizza. You should be pretty proud of that performance, which was good enough to win.

Vizza will cut down on the turnovers as time goes on, which is why he needs to be playing now.

On the other hand, you have to agree with Rick that we won't win until the D shapes up.

Oh, I agree, we're going nowhere until our defense can make stops.... AND our offense can stop turning the ball over 3 and 4 times a game.

My goal is to win a bowl game. And then win more. And then win against real opponents I now consider unwinnable. I've seen enough of us simply going to NO to get our butts handed to us, and, BELIEVE me, I don't care HOW good our defense is, if we turn the ball over as much as we do and come away from the opponent's 30-yd-line without points 3 times in a game, we're not going to win against any half-decent opponent. So the wailing and moaning about how our defense is costing us games when NO ASPECT OF OUR TEAM is working properly bothers me. It's all the same people who were content to squeeze by the Sun Belt every year with numerous miscues and penalties and a terrible offense and then thought we'd have half a shot at winning in New Orleans.

Anyone can see our defense is laughably bad. Why? Anyone's guess. So I want to bring up the things that seem to not be so obvious to people, or, in many cases, hurts their feelings in regardsto certain players. But our offense has enough problems to keep us from getting anywhere meaningful as well, so while I absolutely LOATHE our defensive performance this year, I can't get too bent out of shape about it when our team is bad all over. Is our defense costing us games? Yep. Is our offense? Yep. Is our special teams? Yep.

Vizza did well tonight, but if you are expecting us to go out there and set the world on fire with our current offense, you will be mistaken. But I understand. I think there's a light at that tunnell, because we have the playmakers on that side of the ball and a coach who actually has been here before, as much as people might want to downplay that aspect.

But with regards to wins THIS YEAR, I don't see any part of our team capable of making that happen.

So I will repeat: It will get worse before it gets better. It's the nature of change.

Edited October 7, 2007 by Monkeypox

[akriesman]

About the same stats from prior games as Meager, a redshirt Junior.... and he also shows a certain toughness that I really like... I think I'll go with Vizza from now on...

Bingo ! That toughness is the leadership we need. You can't be a top QB without it.

When Vizza throws a bad pick, he does not sulk. Instead, he comes out firing again.

[FirefightnRick]

YEAH!!!, WE'RE THE IDAHO OF 2007

Drinks are on me.

Rick

[3XNTGRAD]

The difference is that Vizza got stronger has the game went on. And, he never had that "deer in the headlights" look.

It was his very first full college game. If you take out the first 3 or 4 drives, he played a really good game.

Ditto that. I thought he played strong the whole game, even more impressive (to me) given the shaky start.

The biggest overall difference to me was this -- how many plays lost yards with Vizza at QB? Not many, and certainly not any like some of Meager's 10-20 yard backward scrambles.

Vizza had a really good game for his first start. I think we'll continue to see great things in the future with him. I've been disappointed with aspects of Meager's play in the past, but I think it is also good to know that he's still there if Vizza has to come out. It's not like last season when we seemed to rotate futilely between QB's with no one really showing any success. Dodge has helped Meager to improve, and I'm sure the competition has helped Vizza as well.

[Travis]

No better than Meager IMO. It still makes no difference. 4 turnovers in a half.

Sure, but i would rather a freshman make freshman mistakes than a junior making freshman mistakes. Experience we can build on.

[Monkeypox]

Sure, but i would rather a freshman make freshman mistakes than a junior making freshman mistakes. Experience we can build on.

Exactly. My only point in mentioning the issues on offense is to say it's not JUST the defense that needs to be better if we actually want to win, and that they're not the sole cause of our woes.

[STE]

Much of the criticism of thrown at Meager was applicable to Vizza tonight. (i.e. too slow, holding on to the ball too long, under-throwing, throwing behind receivers etc.)

Having said that, I think Vizza should start. He got better as the game went on and he is clearly the future (at least until Riley matures).

[Smitty]

YEAH!!!, WE'RE THE IDAHO OF 2007

Drinks are on me.

Rick

No one - absolutely no one - disagrees with you, Rick. The defense is horrible and it should be priority #1. And I didn't have a problem with playing Daniel Meager, because I think he's done well under incredibly difficult circumstances (new system, poor offensive line) and he's played his guts out. Daniel Meager is not why North Texas is losing.

But I understand that Dodge is grooming Vizza not just for next year but also for the year after that, when more pieces should be in place - including on defense - for this program to really make strides. Despite what Dodge may say to the media, I don't believe that moving Vizza into the starter's job is about winning this year. It's about preparing next year and the year after that.

Edited October 7, 2007 by Smitty

[MeanMag]

The difference is that Vizza got stronger has the game went on. And, he never had that "deer in the headlights" look.

It was his very first full college game. If you take out the first 3 or 4 drives, he played a really good game.

I totally like Vizza better than Meager, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying Meager or Vizza wouldn't have mattered tonight.

[NT80]

Dodge said on the postgame radio show that the decision was made to start Vizza mid-week. He said he expected his first start would involve gitters/mistakes like Vizza had in the first quarter, but he did get more comfortable and stronger as the game went on. I think if he has a full week preparing as starter you will see him play even better next week against ULM. Now about our defense.....

[TheColonyEagle]

If you want to give Vizza a pass for being a freshman that's fine. He showed some flashes tonight. But I thought he was horribly inaccurate on a lot of his throws. He sailed a lot of balls and overthrew 2 (if memory serves) touchdown passes. The interception on the sideline should never have been thrown.

He does have some zip on the ball though and yes, he was in high school last year.

But it doesn't matter. The faster we score, the faster they get the ball back and can score.

We had the ball for over 40 minutes tonight.

[SilverEagle]

Well everyone that found fault with everything that Daniel Meager did can be happy now that they have a nice shiney new QB out there.....who makes just as many mistakes....if not more. But at least he's nice and new.

[MeanMag]

Well everyone that found fault with everything that Daniel Meager did can be happy now that they have a nice shiney new QB out there.....who makes just as many mistakes....if not more. But at least he's nice and new.

and at least we don't have to have the board cluttered anymore about what qb to play. I firmly belisve the decision to start meager was because emmitt said so.

[greenminer]

So how long can we expect Todge to put up with this D?

Not us...I get it: WE hate this D already. But what is Todge thinking? What are his plans?

read his mind. now.

[FirefightnRick]

We had the ball for over 40 minutes tonight.

To be exact: North Texas: 40:26......ULL: 19:34

But hey, look on the bright side. At least we held them to only 412 yards and 38 points, which is 143 yards and 17 points under our per game average.

Rick

[KingDL1]

Well everyone that found fault with everything that Daniel Meager did can be happy now that they have a nice shiney new QB out there.....who makes just as many mistakes....if not more. But at least he's nice and new.

Did you watch the whole game? Vizza is better and got stronger as the game went on with no turnovers in the second half.

[akriesman]

"To be exact: North Texas: 40:26......ULL: 19:34 "

So much for the defense being tired......

[GoMeanGreen1999]

To be exact: North Texas: 40:26......ULL: 19:34

But hey, look on the bright side. At least we held them to only 412 yards and 38 points, which is 143 yards and 17 points under our per game average.

Rick

Those two facts just show us how bad in fact our Defense really is. They had the ball for less than HALF of the time we had it, yet they beat us. So many drives their offense just sliced through our defense.

[FirefightnRick]

To be exact: North Texas: 40:26......ULL: 19:34

But hey, look on the bright side. At least we held them to only 412 yards and 38 points, which is 143 yards and 17 points under our per game average.

Rick

I forgot, this should get our 580 per game yard average down to 546. Something to get our jollies on and to look forward to next week as we only need to reduce that by 13 more to overtake San Diego State statistically as the second worse defensive team nationally.

Rick

Edited October 7, 2007 by FirefightnRick

[MeanMag]

Did you watch the whole game? Vizza is better and got stronger as the game went on with no turnovers in the second half.

Yea, you're right, we have a ton to be happy about tonight...

[NM Green]

I was always waiting for Meager to throw the pick of doom and he usually obliged. I don't get that fear with Vizza. Vizza will only get better. Thank you Meager and good luck with your post graduation plans.

GMG

[Cooley]

Guys, we don't have a legit D1 QB on this roster! Vizza was horrible most of the night. Let's just let Todd Dodge evaluate these guys for the rest of the year to help determine what type of depth he will have over the next 2-3 years.

Hopefully, he will look long and hard at some impact Juco defensive players; if he can't recruit impact high school kids. This is the nations worse football team. Vizza does not make it better this year and definately not in the future.

[MeanGreen61]

Those two facts just show us how bad in fact our Defense really is. They had the ball for less than HALF of the time we had it, yet they beat us. So many drives their offense just sliced through our defense.

Mean Green defense