Another edition of the Sun Belt coaches call has just wrapped up.
No real zingers today, but as usual, a few interesting tidbits:
– Dan McCarney said the kicking job is wide open this week and will be based on competition in practice. Not a huge fan of that with kickers. UNT went that route a few years ago and ended up with a couple of guys with zero confidence. Zach Olen is definitely under the gun. I pointed out that he had made a few big kicks for UNT during his career. McCarney pointed out that UNT was near the bottom of the Sun Belt last year in field goal kicking. Yikes.
– McCarney said that UNT was very disappointed with its loss to Troy. One thing I didn’t mention that I found kind of ironic about that game. Troy got the ball and drove it down the field to kill the clock. UNT did the same thing to Troy last year.
– FAU coach Carl Pelini said that he knows UNT defensive coordinator John Skladany well and is impressed with what he has done with UNT’s defense. I haven’t had a chance to look back and see where they know each other from. I’m pretty sure it’s their days in the Big 12.
– Pelini said FAU is excited to get back into conference play
– Troy coach Larry Blakeney said that the Trojans win over UNT was one they desperately needed. He said he could tell UNT put its heart into that game. I worry about a hangover, especially in a week UNT has to fly to the East Coast.
– ULM coach Todd Berry said his team isn’t into moral victories after a near miss against Baylor.
– WKU coach Willie Taggart said that the way his team is playing after hammering Southern Miss validates what he and his staff said they would get done in Bowling Green. He also mentioned that what WKU is doing has helped on the recruiting trail (I admit it. I asked). I have always been a firm believer in that being where programs are built. College football is a Jimmy’s and Joe’s game, not an X’s and O’s game.