Riley Will Be Starting Qb By Conference Play

[GoMeanGreen1999]

The offense is really bad right now. Dodge may be getting desperate. The D was on the field most of teh 1st half. The O did nothing. And why the hell is Cam NOT starting??????

Two great questions: 1. Why is this offense so bad right now, and 2. Why is Cam not starting?

True, but why can we not point the finger at the DEFENSE. They were awful tonight. At the end of the game, 26 points isn't half bad. Does anybody know how many total possessions Tulsa had compared to how many possessions they scored on? I'm sure it is a terrible ratio. I'm as frustrated as everyone else, but I don't think you can mostly blame Vizza.

We should point the finger at the defense. It is bad, real bad. But 3 and outs don't help a bad defense either.

[MarkCiz]

Lets just all agree that the whole collection of this whole thing from top to bottom is pretty much crappy at this point.

Best sentence of the entire thread. I agree wholeheartedly.

[cdizzle86]

The biggest problem is the defense, but that is not fixable until Todd Dodge can recruit some real D1 defensive linemen who know how to spell and can actually get in to UNT and stay eligible. No help is coming for the defense this year. The offense has sucked so far, too. Riley has more upside than Vizza. Riley will be replacing Vizza within the next two years anyway. Why not let Riley go through his growing pains this year when we are going to suck anyway because of the worst defense ever?

Because right now Vizza is better at QB than Dodge. Put the best players in now!! That's another reason why Dodge was put in the slot.....he's too good to not be playing. Coach Dodge is on the hot seat right now....he can't afford to be playing it safe and saving the best.

[Smitty]

It's hard to believe that we actually have fans who look at Todd Dodge's first 14 games, particularly the last two, and come to the conclusion that the problem is at QB. Just amazingly short-sighted.

Amen.

By the way, which is worse: getting beat 70 by OU in Norman in your first game, or giving up 42 in one half to Tulsa, at home, in the second game of your second season (you know, when things should be improving)?

Fake Lonnie, you called it. It's not over, not yet, not by a long shot. But this program's direction is heading exactly where you called it.

[MeanGreenZen]

Giovanni Vizza 30/45 247 5.5 2TDs...this guy is horrible, he deserves to be replaced

No one said he is horrible, but we didn't hire Todd Dodge so our quarterback could throw for two touchdown passes a game.

Heck, Scott Hall used to throw for more touchdowns than that and he was playing Dickeyball.

[Smitty]

Because right now Vizza is better at QB than Dodge. Put the best players in now!! That's another reason why Dodge was put in the slot.....he's too good to not be playing. Coach Dodge is on the hot seat right now....he can't afford to be playing it safe and saving the best.

Short sighted.

Dodge is on the hot seat? In his second year? He's burning a year of eligibility of his QB of the future because he fears for his job?

[MeanMag]

The biggest problem is the defense, but that is not fixable until Todd Dodge can recruit some real D1 defensive linemen who know how to spell and can actually get in to UNT and stay eligible. No help is coming for the defense this year. The offense has sucked so far, too. Riley has more upside than Vizza. Riley will be replacing Vizza within the next two years anyway. Why not let Riley go through his growing pains this year when we are going to suck anyway because of the worst defense ever?

Wow man, Riley has more upside than Vizza at WR, but not at QB at this point. You are basically saying that Vizza lost us our game? Are you on something?

If your excuse for playing Riley at QB is eventually he will be replacing Vizza, then we should probably put in a peewee leaguer because eventually, he just might turn into a college QB if we leave him in there long enough.

[akriesman]

I am a bit shocked at this thread. Maybe I saw things differently than others.

Tonight, I saw a QB (Vizza) that was under constant pressure. And, one whose receivers dropped a couple of critical throws, including a TD at the end of the first half.

To be honest, I thought Vizza actually made something out of nothing on several occassions. If Vizza had the same time to throw that the Tulsa QB did, he would have shredded Tulsa's defense also.

This game was lost on the line of scrimmage. And, our secondary looked just silly on several occassions (as you would expect from young players).

[cdizzle86]

Short sighted.

Dodge is on the hot seat? In his second year? He's burning a year of eligibility of his QB of the future because he fears for his job?

Not really short sighted. Think about it for a second. Fans are demanding better athletics NOW. We need to be showing improvement NOW if we want students to vote in favor for a stadium fee. There is much more at stake now than when Dickey was around.

[Monkeypox]

I am a bit shocked at this thread. Maybe I saw things differently than others.

Tonight, I saw a QB (Vizza) that was under constant pressure. And, one whose receivers dropped a couple of critical throws, including a TD at the end of the first half.

To be honest, I thought Vizza actually made something out of nothing on several occassions. If Vizza had the same time to throw that the Tulsa QB did, he would have shredded Tulsa's defense also.

This game was lost on the line of scrimmage. And, our secondary looked just silly on several occassions (as you would expect from young players).

Now, I won't say I didn't see some crappy throws from Vizza, but I agree with you on all points. He had constant pressure. We didn't call a very good game, and we had some critical penalties and drops.

[Green Mean]

Barring injury or barring absolute quarterbacking ineptness, Vizza needs to be the starter. His coach cant call plays, his line cant block for him, his skill players are average at best(being very generous here)...what the hell do you expect him to do? Oh and not to mention the defense gives up a half century each game. THATS A RECIPE FOR WINNING!!

Edited September 7, 2008 by Green Mean

[Green P1]

I'm not choosing a side in this argument, but I still don't think Vizza has shown anything more than toughness/moxy(of which he has a boat load) in his days as a college quarterback.

[MeanMag]

I'm not choosing a side in this argument, but I still don't think Vizza has shown anything more than toughness/moxy(of which he has a boat load) in his days as a college quarterback.

Really? Vizza has shown a ton of maturity this season so far by limiting his bad passes, and making some pretty good reads and knowing when to pull it down and get the 1st. His decision making is not a problem this season, and it sure shows.

[eulessismore]

I am a bit shocked at this thread. Maybe I saw things differently than others.

Tonight, I saw a QB (Vizza) that was under constant pressure. And, one whose receivers dropped a couple of critical throws, including a TD at the end of the first half.

To be honest, I thought Vizza actually made something out of nothing on several occassions. If Vizza had the same time to throw that the Tulsa QB did, he would have shredded Tulsa's defense also.

This game was lost on the line of scrimmage. And, our secondary looked just silly on several occassions (as you would expect from young players).

Best stuff on this thread; maybe on this board tonight. Oh, what the hell, the part about line play pretty much sums it up. Honestly, I don't care that Todd Dodge burned Riley Dodge's redshirt; if we have linemen on either side of the ball that we're holding back to "save their shirts", and they can help us now, I say PUT THEM IN. Wasn't one of Dodge's selling points to recruits that they could contribute right away?

[Green Dozer]

Todge's master plan to insert his son as the starting QB is beginning to unfold. This week Riley's redshirt was burned when he was inserted into the game as a slot receiver. This is a good way to introduce Riley to the speed of the Division IA game. In the next few games Riley may see a series or two at QB. By the time we open the Sun Belt, the Vizza era will be over. I can't wait.

Yea, why don't we just start him against LSU? See, how ridiculous is that. Changing quarterbacks is not the answer to this offense's problems. I thought he looked good at receiver, and that may well be his best position at this level, time will tell. But putting him in at quarterback at this point would be a disaster in a lot of ways.

[Keith7]

Vizza isn't our problem, it is our defense being unable to stop teams on 3rd down.. and a couple of times on 4th down.. Our zone coverage was weak near the sidelines, Tulsa took advantage to the tune of 400 yards passing.. Run Defense did ok..

Don't blame this on Vizza, he did all he could.. He was running for his life all night and put up enough points to keep his team in the game, the defense just didn't hold up on their end

[eulessismore]

Yea, why don't we just start him against LSU? See, how ridiculous is that. Changing quarterbacks is not the answer to this offense's problems. I thought he looked good at receiver, and that may well be his best position at this level, time will tell. But putting him in at quarterback at this point would be a disaster in a lot of ways.

You know, I actually thought he looked good at wideout, also. I think it's a legitimate question as to whether he has the toughness to take the beating that Vizza has so far in his career.

[MeanGreenZen]

Yea, why don't we just start him against LSU? See, how ridiculous is that. Changing quarterbacks is not the answer to this offense's problems. I thought he looked good at receiver, and that may well be his best position at this level, time will tell. But putting him in at quarterback at this point would be a disaster in a lot of ways.

I guess you didn't read the title of the thread. I said he would be the starter by conference play. I also said he may see a series or two against LSU. And he will. If we are getting blown out, why would we keep our starter in the whole time?

NEWS FLASH: Riley Dodge did not come to UNT to play slot receiver. If he wanted to play receiver, he could have gone to Texas and played in front of 80,000 people every week and had a chance to win a national title. Instead, he came to UNT so that he could play quarterback. He will be our starting quarterback soon.

[MeanGreenZen]

You know, I actually thought he looked good at wideout, also. I think it's a legitimate question as to whether he has the toughness to take the beating that Vizza has so far in his career.

You question Riley's toughness? Did you see him play when he was so sick he puked on the field before the snap and then throw a touchdown pass in the state championship game? Toughness? Really?

[MeanMag]

I guess you didn't read the title of the thread. I said he would be the starter by conference play. I also said he may see a series or two against LSU. And he will. If we are getting blown out, why would we keep our starter in the whole time?

NEWS FLASH: Riley Dodge did not come to UNT to play slot receiver. If he wanted to play receiver, he could have gone to Texas and played in front of 80,000 people every week and had a chance to win a national title. Instead, he came to UNT so that he could play quarterback. He will be our starting quarterback soon.

News Flash: He came to UNT to help Dad win. Take out Vizza to put in Riley at QB and your best 11 players are NOT on the field. Period. You are smoking something mighty strong, friend.

[Green to the Bone]

I thought all night that this game was being lost on the line of scrimmage. not in the backfield. Vizza was under unreasonable pressure much of the night. He managed to salvage several key plays despite having big guys in white jerseys all over him. I don't know if it was a matter of Tulsa having the hosses or of our guys missing blocks and reads. But the effect was to limit our passing game -- which still came out with some pretty good stats -- while really reducing the running game.

Defensively, the early penalties restocked Tulsa several times when they were 3-and-long. I really attributed that to a lack of discipline. But beyond that, there were a good many Tulsa running plays in which the holes were opened in real life just like they're planned on the blackboard. Our defensive line just got shoved around wherever Tulsa wanted. If our D-line could have pressured their QB, things would not have gotten as out of hand as they did, or at least not as quickly. Again, a line of scrimmage problem.

My takeaway message was that this was not a failure at QB by any means. Vizza played well under tough circumstances. He still has some maturing to do, particularly in clock management. But no interceptions -- a huge improvement.

Changing QBs isn't what's called for here. People tend to look too much for individuals to save a program; TDodge, Vizza, RDodge and DeLoach have all had people on the board proclaiming them the bringers of light. How quickly the crowd turns.

And if Riley helps now as a receiver, OK with me. I want to start doing the things necessary to win now.

[eulessismore]

I thought all night that this game was being lost on the line of scrimmage. not in the backfield. Vizza was under unreasonable pressure much of the night. He managed to salvage several key plays despite having big guys in white jerseys all over him. I don't know if it was a matter of Tulsa having the hosses or of our guys missing blocks and reads. But the effect was to limit our passing game -- which still came out with some pretty good stats -- while really reducing the running game.

Defensively, the early penalties restocked Tulsa several times when they were 3-and-long. I really attributed that to a lack of discipline. But beyond that, there were a good many Tulsa running plays in which the holes were opened in real life just like they're planned on the blackboard. Our defensive line just got shoved around wherever Tulsa wanted. If our D-line could have pressured their QB, things would not have gotten as out of hand as they did, or at least not as quickly. Again, a line of scrimmage problem.

My takeaway message was that this was not a failure at QB by any means. Vizza played well under tough circumstances. He still has some maturing to do, particularly in clock management. But no interceptions -- a huge improvement.

Changing QBs isn't what's called for here. People tend to look too much for individuals to save a program; TDodge, Vizza, RDodge and DeLoach have all had people on the board proclaiming them the bringers of light. How quickly the crowd turns.

And if Riley helps now as a receiver, OK with me. I want to start doing the things necessary to win now.

I agree; a lot of players change positions from high school to college anyway. I actually thought he added something when he was in there; that he helped keep the ball moving towards the goal.

[Green Dozer]

You question Riley's toughness? Did you see him play when he was so sick he puked on the field before the snap and then throw a touchdown pass in the state championship game? Toughness? Really?

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I DID SEE HIM PUKE! WHERE DID I QUESTION HIS TOUGHNESS? NO WHERE. WHAT MAKES HIM TOUGHER THAN VIZZA? WHAT I DO QUESTION IS HOW YOU CAN BE SO SHORTSIGHTED THAT PLAYING HIM NOW, OR THIS SEASON, IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WHY WOULD YOU PUT HIM BEHIND THIS OFFENSIVE LINE? OH, I GUESS YOU COULD PROVIDE HIM AN INSURANCE POLICY!

[Green Dozer]

News Flash: He came to UNT to help Dad win. Take out Vizza to put in Riley at QB and your best 11 players are NOT on the field. Period. You are smoking something mighty strong, friend.

AMEN

[MeanGreenZen]

OH, I GUESS YOU COULD PROVIDE HIM AN INSURANCE POLICY!

Or maybe he could hide behind your bulldozer?