MeanGreen61

From the official site. http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...0&ATCLID=189594

K State 5 UNT 0. Relief pitcher shuts down 8th inning rally by striking out 3 in a row with the bases loaded.

Why are you asking people to look into a crystal ball & tell you what will happen in the future. You're guess is as good as anyones.

New Star article bemoaning the LSU-UNT reschedules unfairness to ULM http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../509200353/1006

Give up fewer than 54 points to show defensive improvement.

This week's Bottom 10 from ESPN http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2166759

For who?

If the shoe fits!

NOT From the official NCAA site OFFENSE #114 Rushing - 111.0 ypg #116 Passing - 90.50 ypg #116 Total - 201.50 ypg #114 Scoring - 8.0 ppg (Actually only Buffalo at #117 is worse in total offense. FIU and FAU are 'provisional', but they are both ahead of us and not in the team total. DEFENSE #96 Rushing - 200.50 ypg #39 Passing - 194.0 ypg #77 Total - 394.50 ypg #87 Scoring - 30.50 ppg

Brett Vito: UNT buzz fizzles with big blowout 08:23 AM CDT on Monday, September 19, 2005 The look of disappointment on running back Patrick Cobbs’ face said it all on Saturday after Tulsa finished putting a whipping on North Texas in its home opener. UNT came into the night with the stage seemingly set for a breakthrough win over the Golden Hurricane in a non-conference game. The Mean Green were playing at home, coming off of a win and had the third-largest crowd for a UNT game in Fouts Field history waiting for a memorable night. None of those factors seemed to matter when Tulsa handed the Mean Green a 54-2 whipping that ranked among their most disappointing outings of the last few seasons. “We just got beat,” Cobbs said. “I don’t know how to put it.” But this wasn’t just any loss. This was a shellacking in a game that ate away at the positive momentum UNT built while setting the stage for its home opener. UNT headed into the year with a buzz surrounding the return of Cobbs and Jamario Thomas, the last two national rushing champions who were playing together at home for the first time in 2005. A total of 23,112 fans packed the stands to see if the Mean Green could move to 2-0 against one of the teams from the region UNT hopes will turn into a rival. There couldn’t have been a better time for UNT to break through for a non-conference win – or a worse time for the Mean Green to lay an egg. And that was just what UNT did. The Mean Green failed to score a touchdown and saw an early 2-0 lead vanish under a hail of points from the Golden Hurricane. The publicity the Mean Green received because of the return of Cobbs and Thomas has been replaced by questions of how UNT’s running game has gone from highly effective to just average in the span of just a few games. The turnover free play UNT received at quarterback from Daniel Meager in its season opener was replaced by a shaky outing from the redshirt freshman who was replaced for a short time by freshman Matt Phillips. Both quarterbacks spent the night on the run after the Mean Green’s offensive line struggled to keep Tulsa’s defense out of the backfield. A defense that came up with stops at just the right times in a season-opening 14-7 win over Middle Tennessee fell apart after a solid first quarter. The total collapse raised questions about where UNT is headed in its eighth season under head coach Darrell Dickey. “In the past, when we’ve struggled early, we’ve had guys who have pulled together,” Dickey said. “I’m going to find out who’s going to pull together. I’m going to find out who might be doubting what we’re doing, and the ones who are doubters, I’m going to get rid of them.” The situation the Mean Green face is not an unfamiliar one. UNT has stumbled early in non-conference games before rebounding in previous seasons. Texas and Oklahoma beat the Mean Green handily in their home openers in the 2004 and 2003 seasons, respectively. UNT rallied each time to win the Sun Belt Conference title and play in the New Orleans Bowl. UNT still has a non-conference game left with Louisiana Tech, another regional rival who could offer the Mean Green a chance to break through outside of the Sun Belt. The team’s offensive line could come together and help Cobbs and Thomas get back on track in time for one standout season together. Cobbs has 203 yards in two games this year, but Thomas has just 17 carries for 71 yards. That’s a far cry from the 180.1 yards Thomas averaged last year or the 152.7 Cobbs posted in 2003. Even if UNT bounces back, there is little doubt the Mean Green let a golden opportunity pass on Saturday. UNT will face a Kansas State team that drilled the Mean Green 55-10 in their last meeting in 2000 next week and then return home for a game against Troy on national television on Oct. 4. The athletic department has been working to promote the game throughout the fall while hoping for a big turnout. UNT could have used a few positives to point to against Tulsa to build buzz for the game. That opportunity vanished with a landslide loss to the Golden Hurricane. The way the Mean Green respond to that loss will determine if UNT can recover some of the momentum it lost. “Maybe this is what we needed,” Cobbs said. “Usually we start off playing big teams that bring us down to earth. Last week we were 1-0. … This might make guys get more focused and ready to play.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com

in the Sun Belt. 1 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 80.62 2 BIG TEN (A) = 80.39 3 PAC-10 (A) = 79.22 4 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 78.00 5 BIG 12 (A) = 77.17 6 MOUNTAIN WEST(A) = 71.20 7 BIG EAST (A) = 69.97 8 CONFERENCE USA(A) = 64.05 9 I-A INDEPENDENTS(A) = 63.12 10 WESTERN ATHLETIC(A) = 62.53 11 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 60.96 12 ATLANTIC 10 (AA)= 55.66 13 BIG SKY (AA)= 55.61 14 SOUTHERN (AA)= 54.00 15 SUN BELT (A) = 53.96

Don't know why you ask but, Section E, Row 31, seats 1&2 were occupied. If I can't make the 400 mile plus one way trip I ALWAYS have someone in my seats. Actually I'm glad that I couldn't make the trip up for this game because I'd hate to have spent the several hundred dollars for hotel rooms and gas to see this fiasco.

Reality. 1. 23,000 plus at the game. HOW MANY were students OR others attending their first game? If 'what you see is what you get', how many will bother to return? Better attendance for this season could be and probably is DOA. 2. This humiliating loss to Tulsa (of all teams) sets the program back in more ways than one. It will be pointed to by others the remainder of this year and probably some time to come. 3. Some really good pre-season publicity for the program (Jamario & Patrick) has crumbled quickly. 4. I think I'll puke if Plumm puts up any more post with smilies trying to put positive spin on what happened at Fouts Saturday and the aftermath.

The event, which drew more than 300 members of the local business community to the new athletic center, was co-hosted by North Texas Athletics, Outback Steakhouse and Coca Cola. Full article & photos http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...0&ATCLID=188863

This week's Mean Green report from CBS Sportsline. http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/teams/page/NTX

Sports Tulsa (0-2) at North Texas (1-0) September 16, 2005 NT fans should expect a heavy dose of running backs Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas Saturday night. In its home opener, the Mean Green will host the University of Tulsa, which has allowed over 200 yards rushing in each of its first two games. But other teams’ success running the ball against the Golden Hurricane is not the only reason to expect a heavy workload from the Cobbs/Thomas backfield. Last week, the Tulsa defense neutralized Oklahoma freshman quarterback Rhett Bomar, limiting him to five completions on 13 attempts for 42 yards, and forced him into throwing two interceptions. NT coach Darrell Dickey said the Golden Hurricane defense is very effective. “They can look the same and either play coverage or they can pressure,” Dickey said. The Mean Green’s ability to run the ball will also have a critical impact on the NT defense, as it faces an offense Dickey as high regards for. “Tulsa, offensively, is a team that I have great respect for,” Dickey said. “Steve Kragthorpe is as fine an offensive coach and as fine of a head coach as there is in the country. And what they do offensively causes you some problems.” One of the main problems that comes with facing Tulsa is the ability of Hurricane quarterback Paul Smith. “He was under pressure, he was throwing balls as he was going down, he was making plays, moving the ball against a very good defensive football team,” Dickey said. Smith’s favorite target is one of the best tight ends in the nation, Garrett Mills. Last week against Oklahoma, Mills had 13 catches for 152 yards. He also extended his consecutive games with a reception streak, which now stands at 29.

From the Tulsa board. 'A lame tradition stolen from Texas Tech' http://tulsa.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=17...54&sid=&style=2

WAC off to a stumbling start By David White / The Fresno Bee September 14, 2005 Which Central Section football teams are likely to be the best and win division titles this season? Visit the High School Football section throughout the season. Keith said: I watch both the Clovis High and CW games this weekend and I can't see the Eagles being as strong... [Join the talk!] Boise State is back to Year 1. Most of its Western Athletic Conference peers are trying to reach Win1. All that adds up to trouble for the WAC. It starts at the top with the Broncos, who have been bucked off their high-riding horse with their first 0-2 start since 2001. That's the year coach Dan Hawkins took over for Arizona State-bound Dirk Koetter, and also the last time Boise State lost more than one game in a season. The three-time defending WAC champion hardly is alone at the bottom of the barrel. WAC teams are 2-12 after two weeks, and both those victories (by No.23 Fresno State and San Jose State) came against Division I-AA opponents. There isn't a Division I-A conference with a worse overall mark. Even the Sun Belt Conference, which the WAC raided for Idaho, Utah State and New Mexico State last year, has a better record at 3-12. "I can just as easily see a scenario where we're 2-0 and everyone's booking their tickets to the Rose Bowl," Hawkins said. "It's just not an easy schedule for us. We have to embrace that and be able to hold hands with the beast. "If you don't enjoy that, then you're certainly not going to enjoy this season." The fall of Boise State has proven particularly egregious to the WAC, which competes with the Mountain West, Conference USA and other non-Bowl Championship Series conferences for national-media love. Boise State is the WAC's feature presentation with 26straight conference victories and 25straight home wins, both the longest such streaks in the nation. Nationally televised losses at Georgia and Oregon State have sent Boise State to the who's-not list of potential BCS busters. "We try not to get caught up in the highs and lows of what goes on out there, if it's good or bad," Hawkins said. "This crew hasn't seen a lot of bad. Nobody likes losing here. We have to forget it and move on." Boise State has this weekend off before hosting Bowling Green next Wednesday. Fresno State, Idaho and Louisiana Tech each plays a BCS opponent this weekend, while New Mexico State and Nevada take on in-state rivals from the Mountain West. Hawaii coach June Jones sees brighter days ahead. They're called conference games. "[boise State] lost two tough games against two tough opponents," said Jones, whose team has lost to USC and Michigan State by a combined count of 105-31. "I don't really put a whole lot into that right now. It's tough to go on the road and win. They're still a very good football team."

CFN predicted a Tulsa win in their pre-season analysis & possibly doesn't want to go against themselves with a change

Highs and lows UNT seeks next big non-SBC win under Dickey 08:49 AM CDT on Thursday, September 15, 2005 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer Jeremiah Chapman was part of one of the greatest moments in recent North Texas football history long before he ever pulled on his No. 90 Mean Green jersey. UNT’s starting defensive end was a senior at China Spring near Waco in 2003 when he came to Denton to watch the Mean Green play Baylor. UNT hammered the Bears that night, 52-14, in front of a Fouts Field record crowd of 29,437. Chapman signed with the Mean Green just a few months later. “Seeing all the fans we had there and all the support we had made a real big difference,” Chapman said. “That was a big win against a non-conference team.” The performance is one the Mean Green would like to repeat on a more consistent basis. UNT’s first chance will come on Saturday in a home game against Tulsa. The Mean Green have dominated the Sun Belt Conference over the last few seasons under head coach Darrell Dickey, winning 26 straight games and four consecutive league titles. A brutal non-conference schedule against the likes of Texas, Oklahoma and a host of other national powers has made it tough for the Mean Green to be as successful outside the league. Dickey has a 31-12 record in conference play, but is 7-34 in other games. UNT beat current Sun Belt member Troy for its second non-conference win of the year late in the 2003 season, but has not won a game out of the Sun Belt since. “We want to have more success in non-conference, but we are playing teams that are as well invested if not better invested than we are,” Dickey said. “Tulsa is in Conference USA. There were some discussions that maybe we wanted to be in there. Maybe there is a reason they are in there and we are not.” Despite a tough slate of non-conference games, UNT has pulled off a few big wins in non-conference play under Dickey. The Mean Green knocked off Texas Tech in Lubbock in 1999 and Cincinnati in the 2002 New Orleans Bowl in addition to their win over Baylor. Each of those victories has paid big dividends for UNT. “Winning non-conference games made us feel better about what we were trying to do and showed our players that if things went correctly that we could play with the BCS teams,” Dickey said. “We could build on that by telling them that we went out there and competed with Texas Tech and pulled out a win. That is something that we want to get done more, but it is tough.” While UNT’s path to the New Orleans Bowl still travels through the Sun Belt, the team’s players want to expand their success out of the league. “The knock on us is that we have won our last 26 games in the Sun Belt, but we can’t win out of conference games,” Chapman said. “We have something to prove. It would help us in recruiting because people want to win those big games.” Chapman was just one of several key players who signed with the Mean Green the year after they beat Baylor. Running back Jamario Thomas, the 2004 national rushing champion, quarterback Daniel Meager and defensive back T.J. Covington are among the five starters on this season’s team who were part of a highly-regarded 2004 recruiting class. Two-time Sun Belt Player of the Year Brandon Kennedy signed with the Mean Green the year after they beat Texas Tech. The Mean Green had much more to sell recruits on than one big non-conference victory in the recruiting seasons that saw them sign Meager and Thomas. UNT had just won a third straight Sun Belt title and the school had new facilities in the works during the heart of the 2004 recruiting season. Dickey came to UNT in 1998 and was in the process of trying to turn the program around when Kennedy committed to the Mean Green. UNT could have even more to sell recruits if it can pull off a signature non-conference win this year and continue its domination of the Sun Belt. UNT opened a new athletic center earlier this year and has begun raising funds for a new football stadium. UNT’s schedule is difficult once again this season, but offers opportunities to pick up a non-conference win. The Mean Green will host Tulsa and face Kansas State (Sept. 24), Louisiana Tech (Oct. 22) and LSU (Oct. 29) on the road. LSU is the only nationally-ranked team among the Mean Green’s non-conference opponents. “We are playing at home, but we are playing a good team,” Dickey said of this week’s game against Tulsa. “We don’t have any freebies on our schedule. Every week for us will be a dogfight.” Tulsa is 0-2, but played a nationally-ranked Oklahoma team close before falling 31-15. UNT opened with a 14-7 win over Middle Tennessee. “It’s very important to us to win out of conference,” UNT wide receiver Johnny Quinn said. “Tulsa is a good team that is very physical. It will be a tough game.” UNT to get $50,000 from LSU North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal said Wednesday that the school will receive $50,000 from LSU to help cover the costs of moving its game against the Tigers. UNT was scheduled to play LSU on Sept. 3, but was forced to move the game back because of the effects of Hurricane Katrina. UNT moved the game to Oct. 29 as part of a three-team trade that also involved Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette. The switch forced UNT to move its homecoming to Nov. 19 from Oct. 29, the original date of the Mean Green’s game against ULM. LSU Associate Athletics Director Dan Radakovich told the Baton-Rouge Advocate that the school had agreed to give UNT, ULM and ULL approximately $100,000 to cover the cost of moving their games. UNT’s costs included delaying printing publications with homecoming information and changing travel plans. UNT has a $500,000 contract to play LSU. “I didn’t want anyone to lose money in this situation because we had to move games,” Villarreal said. “It all worked out. Everyone is in a situation where everything was covered.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com. Non-conference highlights Dec. 17, 2002 UNT 24, Cincinnati 19 Kevin Galbreath rushed for 130 yards to lead the Mean Green past Cincinnati in the New Orleans Bowl. Sept. 18, 1999 UNT 21, Texas Tech 14 Jason Attaway, left, threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Broderick McGrew and UNT’s defense held Texas Tech in check. Sept. 6, 2003 UNT 52, Baylor 14 Brandon Kennedy returned a fumble for a touchdown and UNT went on to hammer Baylor. Non-conference lowlights Dec. 16, 2003 Memphis 27, UNT 17 Memphis scored 17 straight points early to put UNT away in the New Orleans Bowl. Dec. 14, 2004 S. Miss 31, UNT 10 UNT fell behind by 14 points early and never seriously threatened in the New Orleans Bowl. Sept. 11, 2004 Fla. Atlantic 20, UNT 13 UNT blew a chance to drive for a potential game-winning touchdown and lost Patrick Cobbs for the year with a knee injury

We find out Saturday

They certainly don't have a lot of respect from the prognosticators this week as all I've seen, including Vegas favor NT. Every ranker has UNT ahead of them, most well ahead. Just opinions but........

Predicted score at end of preview. http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform...ive/pv10376.htm Tulsa (0-2) at North Texas (1-0) The Sports Network DATE & TIME: Saturday, September 17th, 7:00 p.m. (et) FACTS & STATS: Site: Fouts Stadium (30,500) -- Denton, Texas. Television: None. Home Record: Tulsa 0-1, North Texas 0-0. Away Record: Tulsa 0-1, North Texas 1-0. Neutral Record: Tulsa 0-0, North Texas 0-0. Conference Record: Tulsa 0-0, North Texas 1-0. Series Record: Tulsa leads, 13-6. GAME NOTES: The Tulsa Golden Hurricane will battle the North Texas Mean Green this weekend at Fouts Stadium in a non-conference tilt. The Golden Hurricane had the 18th-ranked Sooners on their heels late in the third quarter last week, but unfortunately for Tulsa, it was unable to pull off the upset, falling to Oklahoma, 31-15. The Golden Hurricane will be looking to snap a non-conference road losing streak of 15 games this weekend. The last non- league victory for Tulsa on the road came against Oklahoma back in 1996. This is the last non-conference contest of the season for Tulsa, which will open its Conference-USA schedule next week against Memphis. As for the Mean Green, they are coming off a very tough 14-7 victory over the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders. The Mean Green collected their 26th consecutive conference victory with the win over MTSU. North Texas had its first game of the 2005 campaign cancelled against LSU due to Hurricane Katrina. Next week UNT will battle Kansas State on the road before coming home to battle Troy in a SBC clash. This will be the first meeting between the two teams since November 20th, 1982. In that contest, the Golden Hurricane got the best of North Texas, defeating the Mean Green, 38-20. The Golden Hurricane offense was able to collect 344 yards against the Oklahoma defense, unfortunately it was not enough to help Tulsa prevail over the Sooners. QB Paul Smith completed 24-of-36 pass attempts for 246 yards, but tossed a terrible interception that was returned for a touchdown. The Tulsa ground attack struggled, gaining just 98 yards on 39 carries (2.5 ypc). Smith lead the rushing attack with just 48 yards and one touchdown. Uril Parrish added 37 yards on 14 carries. Nine different receivers caught passes in the contest, but Garrett Mills caught the majority of them, hauling in 13 passes for 152 yards. Tulsa finished the game 8-of-17 on third down attempts and won the time of possession battle by a little over nine minutes. However inside the red zone, the Golden Hurricane converted just 3-of-4 attempts, with two of them going for field goals. A week after allowing Minnesota's Laurence Maroney to rush for a career-high 203 yards, the Golden Hurricane defense was embarrassed again, this time by super sophomore Adrian Peterson. Peterson racked up 222 yards and scored three times, while Oklahoma finished the game with 227 yards on the ground (5.0 ypc). Tulsa held Oklahoma to just 13 first downs and 5-of-13 on third down attempts, but inside the red zone is where the Hurricane struggled, allowing OU to convert on all three attempts. Linebacker Nick Bunting was busy throughout the contest and finished the game with a team-high nine tackles. It is painfully obvious that Tulsa has had trouble stopping the run which doesn't bode well for this weekend's matchup against the run heavy offense of North Texas. The Golden Hurricane will need a superb performance if they plan on keeping the game within reach. North Texas only racked up 274 total yards of offense against Middle Tennessee State, but that paired with the tremendous effort from the defensive unit gave the Mean Green their first victory of the season. Patrick Cobb led the rushing attack with 103 yards and one score on 28 carries, while Jamario Thomas added 58 yards on 10 rushing attempts. Cobb saw his first action since injuring his knee last season. The injury to Cobb opened the door for Thomas who went on to lead the nation in rushing (189.9 ypg) while scoring 17 touchdowns. He also set a UNT and Sun Belt record with 1,801 yards, earning him the league's Offensive and Freshman Player of the Year awards. While the ground game was extremely effective, the passing attack was the exact opposite. Daniel Meager finished the contest with just 122 yards on 10-of-15 passing. Expect a tremendous outing from both Cobbs and Thomas this week as they face a horrendous Tulsa defense. Both backs should have no trouble helping North Texas towards its second victory of the season. Coming into the season there were many questions about stability of the Mean Green defensive unit, but those questions were answered against Middle Tennessee State this past week. UNT did allow the Blue Raiders to rack up 383 total yards, however the defense forced five turnovers which led the Mean Green's victory. North Texas recorded three interceptions, including one by Maurice Holman which he returned 99 yards for a touchdown. Holman finished the game with 5.5 tackles. Cornerback Roderick Cotton led the Mean Green with 8.5 stops in the win. Usually when a cornerback leads a team in tackles, that means the defensive unit struggled to stop the run and in this case that is correct, as UNT allowed 188 yards on the ground. Look for the North Texas defense to continue to improve this weekend and as the season progresses. Tulsa has started the season against Minnesota and Oklahoma, which are two teams with dominant rushing attacks. It does not become any easier this week when the Golden Hurricane are pitted against the Mean Green's two-headed monster of Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: North Texas 38, Tulsa 17