MeanGreen61

Life's a beach ain't it?

Same story, fifth verse. Usual result with MUTS being 0 for 5 in '05

Maybe a big crowd, maybe not........ http://middletennessee.rivals.com/showmsg....38&sid=&style=2

======================= ULM board seems to think that LSU forced the change. Wrom: ZRCLBDXRQBGJSNBOHMKH To: ALL (1 of 6) Can someone explain to me how we got bullied into chaning the ULL game from Nov. 19th to Nov. 26th. From looking at the composite schedule, UNT was originally slated to play their last game on Nov. 12th. Why was it not possible to move our game with UNT to Nov. 26th, thus allowing us to keep our Pre-Thanksgiving weekend date with ULL. We are now guaranteed a sorry attendance for the Nov. 26th home tilt with ULL! Is there something that I am not understanding here? It seems that LSU has struck again. Wrom: JYFMYXOEAIJJPHSCRTNHGS To: Bmack15 (2 of 6) There better be some cash coming out of Baton Rouge for this one. Not only do we have the 2 week break we didn't want now we have a game over Thanksgiving. I was all for helping iron things out with the circumstances etc. but this is pretty steep if in fact we don't get any compensation. Wrom: WZIDREXCAXZOWCONEUQZAAFXI To: bb (BB19) (3 of 6) UL will be compensated nicely for this. As for ull, who cares, really! Wrom: SHJEXXIMQZUIVOTQNQEMSFDULHPQQWOYIYZ To: Bmack15 (4 of 6) Make it a Thanksgiving day game and I will come. The game would get national attention on TG especailly if the bowl game was on the line. The layoff for ULMonroe would be shorter going into the game. I think I like the later date regardless, because if either team makes the New Orleans Bowl they will have had a game closer to the bowl. Wrom: UNNYCGPKYLEJGDGVCJVT To: Bmack15 (5 of 6) I don't know the arrangements that have been made, but it sure APPEARS LSU is up to being a bully as usual. Hopefully I'm wrong and the Louisiana Indians athletic department is getting some substantial cash from this change. Wrom: LBXFGGMEPYOQKEDOTWFA To: ULMPenn unread (6 of 6) 5694.6 in reply to 5694.5 Well we better hope that the cash payoff is greater than the potential cash "loss" as a result from moving the game. Now we have a two week layoff during the middle of the season, back to back road games at MTSU and UNT, and our in-state rivalry game moved to the Saturday following Thanksgiving! I would have preferred to play UNT on the 26th but there is nothing we can do about it now.

ULM probably didn't have a choice. Beleive an Arkstfan post said they are to receive $1million for playing a future game at LSU as part of some agreement to aid/play instate schools........but that LSU has the option to cancel. That's a big stick

Texas Rivalry brings out balance MTSU, North Texas often force each other to mix things up By ADAM SPARKS sparks@dnj.com If history is any indication, don't expect a pair of the nation's best running and passing teams to rely solely on their respective strengths Saturday. North Texas has touted an elite running attack since the Sun Belt's football inception in 2001, while MTSU has aired the football out with the best in the country for roughly the same amount of time. But against each other, the two teams have typically borrowed from the opponent's playbook to gain an edge. "I think if you look at (North Texas), you get caught up in the running game, but Johnny Quinn is as good a receiver as there is in the Sun Belt," said MTSU coach Andy McCollum. "They are going to run you and run you and then play-action, but they throw the ball much better than they get credit for." Indeed, both North Texas and MTSU have pulled out all the stops in this four-game series, and the Mean Green have apparently balanced their attack the best. While North Texas has touted each of the nation's last two rushing champions in Jamario Thomas (2004) and Patrick Cobbs (2003), it's actually been the selective aerial attack that has buried the Blue Raiders in past meetings. In fact, North Texas has actually averaged 209.5 passing yards and 176.3 rushing yards in four wins over MTSU, a balance that has frustrated the Blue Raider defense intent on containing the Mean Green's ground game. Case in point comes from last year's matchup — a 30-21 North Texas win — where the Blue Raider defense was stingy up front, but gave up long pass plays while being outscored 24-0 in the second quarter in four scoring drives that totaled only 18 snaps. "I thought (former quarterback) Scott Hall did a great job throwing the ball for them. He was always hot against us. He hit big plays on us. You have to control the run and keep the ball in front of you," McCollum said. "That's a big key. They will do some things that are tough for you defensively throwing the ball off the play-action and the option. We have to be solid in that area." And North Texas has to do the same in another area. MTSU has passed the ball to its usual standards versus North Texas, but it has also displayed a sporadic ground game. Tailback Eugene Gross' lone 100-yard rushing game last season came against North Texas — running for 113 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown. "That's where our focus is," said MTSU junior center Marcus Gates. "We want to be a balanced offense, unselfish and focus on the run to gain some tough yards." The Blue Raiders have especially ran the football well in the red zone, dealing the Mean Green a dose of their own medicine. MTSU has scored nine rushing touchdowns to North Texas' six rushing scores in the series. On the flip side, North Texas has reached paydirt seven times in the air, while the pass-happy Blue Raiders have thrown for just four touchdowns. Nevertheless, each team must still focus on stopping the opponent's strength and simply wish for the best elsewhere. "We won't change much. We'll still do what we do best, and Middle Tennessee will still do what it has always done," said North Texas coach Darrell Dickey. "That's how these games have always been. Both teams play well in every phase of the game, not just running the ball or throwing the ball or special teams, and that's why this game is always so close. I'm sure this will be the same kind of game." Originally published September 9, 2005 http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A.../509090318/1006

Off the muts board. MTSU tries to loosen Belt from Green’s grasp By Nate Rau, nrau@nashvillecitypaper.com September 09, 2005 There’s an old college football coach’s mantra which says teams see the most improvement between their first and second games. Middle Tennessee is hoping that rings true Saturday when the Blue Raiders host Sun Belt Conference rival North Texas at Floyd Stadium. If the Blue Raiders are disheartened by the fact they’ve never beaten North Texas, perhaps they can gain some measure of confidence from the fact Saturday’s showdown will be the first game for the Mean Green. North Texas had its season opener at LSU last week postponed because of Hurricane Katrina. MTSU (0-1) on the other hand, got to measure itself against a solid Alabama team. The Blue Raiders lost, but have something to build off after the 26-7 defeat. The offense, in particular, should have the chance to improve after measuring itself against an excellent ’Bama defense. “I think it’s an advantage,” senior offensive lineman Marcus Gates said. “We have to fight to correct our mistakes from [Alabama].” The Mean Green have beaten MTSU and gone on to win the SBC crown each of the past four seasons. North Texas is favored to do so again, but many prognosticators have the Blue Raiders hot on their trail. “This is our conference rival and we want to play mistake-free, an almost perfect game,” Gates said. Beating UNT means clamping down on the Mean Green ground attack, which features two solid running backs in Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas. In 2003, Cobbs led the nation in rushing with 152.7 yards per game, but missed last season because of injuries. Thomas filled in and, surprise, led the entire nation in rushing (188.9 yards per game). "They are two great tailbacks and that is well documented,” MTSU coach Andy McCollum said. “They do a tremendous job. The unknown going into the game is how they will use them.” Hold your hats This game could morph into North Texas’ potent running game against Middle Tennessee’s spread passing attack. A high-scoring affair seems likely, given UNT has two rushing champs at running back and the MTSU passing attack has been tested by Bama’s defense. Until proven otherwise, North Texas deserves the benefit of the doubt. Prediction: North Texas 38, MTSU 35 http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cf...s&news_id=44275

Posted on Fri, Sep. 09, 2005 UNT INSIDER Streak is secondary for Mean Green in opener By Jeff Wilson Star-Telegram Staff Writer Only three North Texas players remain from the Sun Belt Conference's inaugural football season in 2001. Patrick Cobbs, Ja'Mel Branch and Jason May have been witnesses to almost four full seasons of Sun Belt perfection, including four league titles, four New Orleans Bowl berths and a 25-1 conference record. The lone blemish on the Mean Green's conference ledger -- the program's only Sun Belt loss, 19-17 to Louisiana-Monroe in 2001 -- preceded what has become the nation's second-longest conference winning streak. That run of 25 consecutive victories started with a 24-21 win over Middle Tennessee on Oct. 13, 2001. Almost four years later, the streak faces its toughest test Saturday against the same school. But, for Cobbs and Branch, who played as true freshman in 2001, the streak has been only an afterthought, if a thought at all, going into Saturday's season opener in Murfreesboro, Tenn. "If you worry about it, then it just adds pressure," said Cobbs, the Sun Belt's Offensive Player of the Year in 2003. "And, right now, that's the last thing we need, some more pressure." Much is expected of UNT, mostly because of the running back tandem of Cobbs and Jamario Thomas. The nation's past two rushing champions -- Cobbs did it in 2003 before using a medical redshirt last season -- have been featured in USA Today and ESPN The Magazine. There's also a mental edge, even though Middle Tennessee has been installed as a four-point favorite Saturday. The Blue Raiders have never defeated UNT, going winless in four meetings. But UNT will start redshirt freshman Daniel Meager at quarterback, and likely sub in true freshman Matt Phillips. Defenses will key on Cobbs and Thomas until UNT can establish a quarterback as a passing threat. "When we've only been able to run the ball, we've run the ball well, but we haven't won many games," said coach Darrell Dickey, who watched redshirt freshman Andrew Smith lead UNT to an undefeated conference season in 2002. "It's only when we're able to effectively throw the ball that we were able to score enough points and make enough plays to win." Questions exist on defense, too, where eight new starters take the field. Among them is Branch, a former receiver who will start at cornerback against the pass-happy Blue Raiders. Middle Tennessee, led by quarterback Clint Marks, threw for 2,945 yards in '04. "We've had a good week of practice and been watching a lot of film, trying to key in on a lot of things they do," said Branch, an academic casualty last season. "We just have to continue to work hard and put it together on Saturday." The streak -- topped only by Boise State's 26 in the Western Athletic Conference -- is on the line. But so is helping UNT evolve from green to Mean Green. "I would be not telling the truth if I didn't think it [the streak] didn't cross our players' minds, if it didn't cross my mind," Dickey said. "It would be nice to keep alive. It's something our players have pride in. But that's not the only thing at stake." UNT KEYS TO THE GAME Establish the pass: The Mean Green quarterback, whether Daniel Meager or Matt Phillips, needs to keeps Middle Tennessee's defense from keying on the running game. Run like mad: If Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas combine for 300 yards, the high-powered Blue Raiders offense will be kept off the field. Remain calm: The defense will give up points, the QBs will make mistakes, but neither can panic if UNT falls into an early hole. http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/colleges/12600695.htm

North Texas at Middle Tennessee St. IN THE SPOTLIGHT September 09, 2005 Daniel Meager is preparing for his first ever college start. Middle Tennessee may have the most returning starters in the Sun Belt, but only one really matters: junior quarterback Clint Marks. Marks finished last season second in the nation in completion percentage, and began this year by completing 12 of 18 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown against Alabama. “He was probably the best thrower in our conference last year,” NT defensive coordinator Kenny Evans said. “It is a lot of short passes and a controlled passing game. They are hoping they can get it to the right people and get a block here or there and turn it into a big play.” Last week, Marks used seven different receivers in his 12 completions, including five to senior wideout Cleannord Saintil. Evans expects a similar game plan from the Blue Raiders and hopes his young secondary can rise to the challenge. “They are going to throw the ball a lot,” Evans said. “We have a lot of new faces out there and they are going to have to get their jitters out early and play.” While the Mean Green is forced to deal with the conference’s most efficient quarterback, the Middle Tennessee running game has struggled. Last year, the Blue Raiders running attack finished ninth out of 10 teams in the Sun Belt, and last week the Middle Tennessee running backs gained a total of 59 yards on 19 carries. Although it may seem one-dimensional, NT coach Darrell Dickey says it is very efficient. “Their quarterback Clint Marks is a good player,” Dickey said. “They have a good scheme with the players to do it. We are going to have to be on top of things.” On the opposite side of the ball, Middle Tennessee may be returning ten starters, but it is the Mean Green that is confident entering the game. “We have had some success against that defense,” NT offensive coordinator Ramon Flanigan said. “It would be different if they were returning a lot of guys that held us in check the last few years. But we have had some success and we feel comfortable with our guys doing what we do on offense.” The Mean Green plans on using at least two quarterbacks this week, redshirt freshman Daniel Meager will get the start with true freshman Matt Phillips coming off the bench. “They are both going to play,” Flanigan said. “We are going to see how the game goes. We want to get Phillips some action as early as we can. We have a lot of confidence in both of those guys and Kellen Haynes also if he gets pressed to play.” With the famed NT running game, the Mean Green is expecting to see a 5-2 defense from the Blue Raiders. But Flanigan insists that even with an inexperienced quarterback, the game plan will remain the same. “We are going to do what we have done the last few years,” Flanigan said. “We are going to run the ball if we can and if they put a lot of people in the box we are going to throw the ball.” If forced to throw the ball, the Mean Green offense has high expectations for the performance of its wide receivers. “Everybody in the country knows about Patrick [Cobbs] and Jamario [Thomas] but the biggest surprise is going to be how good our receivers are,” Flanigan said. “We have more speed at receiver than we have ever had. A lot of people don’t know about it yet.” Over the past four seasons, NT leads the series 4-0. But the four games were decided by a total of 27 points. After seeing the Blue Raiders against Alabama last Saturday, Dickey expects a game similar to those of the past. “From what I have seen of their team, and what I am anticipating from our team,” Dickey said. “It will be another close, hard fought, hard-hitting physical game that will go down to the wire.”

Football: UNT-LSU reschedule nearly done Details for game to be finalized by this morning 09:16 AM CDT on Friday, September 9, 2005 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer North Texas is finalizing a deal that would allow the Mean Green to reschedule their game against LSU, UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal said. “We are working out the last details and will know by morning,” Villarreal said Thursday night. “We have everyone on the same page and are waiting on the last phone call. It’s a matter of dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s.” Villarreal declined comment on the exact scenario that would allow UNT to play its game against the Tigers that was scheduled for Sept. 3. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina forced the teams to postpone the game. UNT has considered multiple solutions to reschedule the game, including the following changes: * UNT and LSU would reschedule their game for Oct. 29. * UNT would move its game against ULM to Nov. 19, a bye week for the Mean Green. * ULM would then push back its game against Louisiana-Lafayette from Nov. 19 to Nov. 26. The problem with that scenario is that it would leave ULM with back-to-back open weeks. ULM athletic director Bobby Staub said he is hesitant to make the change because of the effect it would have on his team. A second plan mentioned could have UNT play LSU on Oct. 29, ULM on Oct. 22 and Louisiana Tech on Nov. 19. Villarreal originally set a Thursday deadline for LSU the game to be rescheduled. That deadline was pushed back, but all of the teams involved want to get the deal done as soon as possible. “We hoped we would have had this done, but we’ve run into a couple of challenges,” said Dan Radakovich, a senior associate athletic director at LSU. “It’s something that we are working feverishly to finish up because time is of the essence.” LSU already has lost one home date when Saturday’s game against Arizona State was moved from Baton Rouge, La., to Tempe, Ariz. The loss of the ASU home game only added to the importance of playing the UNT-LSU game in Baton Rouge, to both programs. UNT has signed a $500,000 contract to play the game. LSU was expected to draw a capacity crowd of more than 90,000 and would also receive a financial boost from playing the Mean Green. Villarreal said the game would still be played in Baton Rouge. “We hate that everyone has had to go through this,” Villarreal said. “LSU has already lost one home game and people are going through a lot in Louisiana. To go over there and play a game will be great.” Agbottah cleared to play UNT freshman safety Kartay Agbottah has finally received his paperwork from the NCAA Clearinghouse and will be eligible to play this season, UNT head coach Darrell Dickey said Thursday. Dickey said Agbottah had the necessary test scores and grades all along, but the Clearinghouse was slow to process the information. The former Irving MacArthur standout missed 10 days of practice and will not travel with the Mean Green to their game at Middle Tennessee on Saturday. Agbottah is listed as a backup at free safety and is expected to contribute this season. Dickey said senior Cass Starks and freshman Steve Warren would help fill the void in UNT’s secondary. The Baton Rouge Advocate contributed to this report. BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

You still hangin' around hopin' for an acorn?

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform...ive/pv10375.htm North Texas (0-0) at Middle Tennessee State (0-1) The Sports Network DATE & TIME: Saturday, September 10th, 7:00 p.m. (et) FACTS & STATS: Site: Floyd Stadium (30, 788) -- Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Television: Local. Home Record: UNT 0-0, MTSU 0-0. Away Record: UNT 0-0, MTSU 0-1. Neutral Record: UNT 0-0, MTSU 0-0. Conference Record: UNT 0-0, MTSU 0-0. Series Record: North Texas leads, 4-0. GAME NOTES: In a Sun Belt Conference opening contest for both teams, the North Texas Mean Green will clash with the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders at Floyd Stadium. The Mean Green were suppose to open their schedule against LSU last week, but complications caused by Hurricane Katrina postponed the contest. Although last season the Mean Green posted just a 7-5 overall record, they were able to capture their fourth straight conference title and attend their fourth straight bowl game. UNT has been a dominant force in the Sun Belt, posting the second-longest conference winning streak in the nation with 25 victories. The Mean Green have lost eight straight season-openers, but Coach Darrell Dickey will try to push his squad to overcome and snap that mark. As for the Blue Raiders they were defeated by the Alabama Crimson Tide, 26-7, in their season-opener. MTSU would like to start its SBC schedule on a high-note, but the task will be extremely difficult. Last season the Blue Raiders were just 4-4 in the SBC which was good for fifth place in the conference. Although upending four-time defending Conference Champ North Texas could be tough, the Blue Raiders have reason to feel confident, as they enter 2005 with a better squad. UNT has dominated the series against Middle Tennessee State, winning all four meetings, including a 30-21 victory last season at Fouts Field. The cancelation of last week's matchup prolonged the UNT fans from seeing the tandem of Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas in the backfield. North Texas has boasted the nation's leading rusher in each of the past two seasons and with both players back and healthy there is no reason why the team shouldn't be among the nation best in rushing in 2005. Cobbs, who was slated for a big year in 2004, was sidelined with knee injures which kept him off the field for nearly the entire campaign. The injuries to Cobbs led to the emergence of Thomas, who went on to lead the nation in rushing (189.9 ypg) while scoring 17 touchdowns. Thomas set numerous records, including an NCAA freshman mark for 200-yard rushing games (five) in a season. 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. Fans will finally get to see if Cobbs and Thomas can coexist in the backfield. Having a powerful rushing attack should only help the growing pains of quarterback Daniel Meager, who takes over for the departed Scott Hall. Meager, who is a redshirt freshman, should also benefit from the return of Johnny Quinn, who is one of the most dangerous wideouts in the SBC. Quinn is coming off a career year in which grabbed 49 balls for 785 yards and nine scores. During the Mean Green's tremendous run through the Sun Belt over the past four years the defensive unit has been a staple of consistency. However, that was not the case last season. North Texas struggled with inexperience in '04 and allowed a whopping 414.2 total ypg and that is something Coach Dickey hopes the team can change in 2005. The defense should show signs of improvement this year, but how much improvement depends on the progress of the young, inexperienced players. The biggest concern for this unit comes on the defensive line, where North Texas must replace all four starters from a year ago. End Eli Hutchinson, who has the most experience on the line, will make the start tonight for the Mean Green and should be the leader of this unit throughout the season. The linebacking corps is no doubt the strongest unit of the Mean Green defense. Led by middle linebacker Derek Mendoza, the squad will be the anchor to an otherwise weak defense. Corner T. J. Covington will lead a secondary which was torched for 241.1 passing ypg last fall. The Blue Raiders, who were horrendous on the ground last season, racking up just 106.5 ypg, started the 2005 campaign where they left off, totaling just 34 yards on 25 carries in the loss to Alabama last week. Eugene Gross led the inept ground attack with just 37 yards on 12 carries, while Alex Suber contributed a meager 22 yards on seven carries. The ineffective ground attack probably hindered a passing game that ranked 15th in the nation last season. QB Clinton Marks completed 12-of-18 attempts for just 117 yards and one score which is far off from his 2004 numbers, when he passed for 2,749 yards on the season. Coming into the season Chris Henry was supposed to be the main target for Marks, but in the opener Henry caught just one pass for negative four yards. Instead of using Henry, Marks more often than not threw towards Cleannord Saintil, who grabbed five balls for 64 yards. Expect the Blue Raiders' passing game to post much better numbers against a weak UNT secondary. While the MTSU offense struggled to post points, the defense had trouble handling the Crimson Tide offense, allowing 345 yards in the setback. The Blue Raiders did hold the Tide to just 212 passing yards, which is an improvement from 2004 when the MTSU defensive unit allowed 273.5 ypg through the air. The defense was unable to pressure the QB, recording just one sack on the night. MTSU also struggled against the Crimson Tide's ground attack, allowing 133 yards and two scores. After missing all of last season with a neck injury, linebacker Jonathan Bonner returned last week and collected 5 1/2 tackles. Although the return of Bonner was special, the leader on the defensive side against Alabama was Bradley Robinson who had 8 1/2 stops and one interception in the setback. MTSU must do a better job up front, or expect then to struggle against the run again. Middle Tennessee State should give the Mean Green a good fight, but expect UNT to run Cobbs and Thomas all the way to a 26th straight Sun Belt Conference victory. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: North Texas 34, Middle Tennessee State 20 09/07 11:28:01 ET

MUTS grad business venture. Chose this over beachfront property in Arizona Day Care Center in the 'Boro. "Hangin' out Tennessee style"

MUTS grad & wife on Jerry Springer Show

Interviewed today. Near end of interview mentioned Demario Thomas & got a laugh when he said "he may be better than both of them (Patrick & Jamario) http://middletennessee.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=452767

"McCollum tries to downplay the home opener Saturday at Floyd Stadium as just another league game, which is tantamount to saying Angelina Jolie is just another girl. This game is quite important on a variety of levels and for a many a reason. Saying otherwise just doesn't fly". "I think everybody else is making it bigger than it is," McCollum says. "I don't have to. Everybody else does that. This is our next game, and it is big because it is our home opener and it is North Texas and because you're playing a team nobody in this conference has beaten, including us." And that makes North Texas the man.

The intelligent ones in the Tennessee population left and and joined others moving to the Promise Land. That's why Tennessee is now just Hillbilly Heaven and Texas is A Whole Other Country.

Horn's Spencer wins punting job at UNT 02:23 AM CDT on Thursday, September 8, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – Freshman Truman Spencer of Mesquite Horn will be the punter when the Mean Green opens the season at Middle Tennessee State on Saturday. Spencer competed throughout fall practice with kicker Nick Bazaldua. UNT coach Darrell Dickey said Spencer performed slightly better and he prefers to have a separate punter and kicker. Junior defensive tackle Sky Pruitt (shoulder) returned to practice, but Dickey said it was too early to say whether Pruitt would play Saturday.

Ex-Tulsa basketball player transfers to UNT 02:19 AM CDT on Thursday, September 8, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle Seneca Collins, a former member of the Tulsa basketball team, has transferred to UNT and joined the football team. Collins started 17 games for Tulsa last season and averaged 7.5 points a game. Coach Darrell Dickey said the school is trying to determine how many years of eligibility Collins will have at North Texas. Dickey is considering the former Duncanville standout at defensive end, tight end or defensive tackle. UNT basketball coach Johnny Jones said he would talk to Collins about playing for the Mean Green if he was interested in continuing his basketball career and Dickey approved.

http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2005/Co...oTexas_MTSU.htm Keys to the Big Games Week One, Sept. 10 - North Texas at MTSU a. One, Two, Buckle my Shoe – Although the Mean Green didn’t have the opportunity to open the season at LSU last week, they’ll still have an advantage somewhat coming into the game from this perspective. They’ve got two of the best backs in the nation – Jamario Thomas and Patrick Cobbs – who were the nation’s leading rushers respectively the last two years. Quite frankly, they’re the two most talented offensive players on this team and in this conference. But, how is the game plan going to change having both of them healthy? Is it going to change at all? Can they play together? At this point, only the North Texas staff knows for sure, but OC Ramon Flanigan is too good and too smart to not find a creative way to get his two best threats on the field at the same time. Sure, they’re not going to be a power I team with one of them at fullback blocking for the other as Marcus Allen did years ago at USC for Charles White. But, Auburn put a ton of pressure on teams last year by having Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown in the backfield together. If they can’t co-exist on the field at the same time, then each of them needs 20 to 25 carries each to put maximum pressure on the Blue Raider defense. But, when they’re alone in the backfield, they’re individually wearing a bullseye. When they’re together, you don’t know what to do or who to focus upon. What’s it going to be, status quo or double jeopardy? We’ll find out when MTSU finds out. b. A Marks-man – Middle Tennessee QB Clint Marks doesn’t wow you with his left arm. He doesn’t have a howitzer for a throwing arm, but the man does know where to throw the ball. Last week, he had the unfortunate opportunity to face an Alabama defense that is as athletic as any in the nation. Marks and the Blue Raiders only registered 123 yards passing, but he did complete 65% of his throws and the running game was virtually eliminated by Alabama’s deep front seven. But, that Alabama game could be the best thing that happened to Marks and this passing game. Facing Alabama one week, then a North Texas secondary that still has some issues to work out, isn’t the worst situation in the world. Marks stands to have more time to throw and more room in the secondary to find open receivers. In other words, his margin for error is a little larger this week than last, and if he can keep that margin down, the Blue Raiders have a great chance to move the ball through the air and keep the UNT offense off the field. c. The streak…Can it live? – They (whoever they are) say that all good things must come to an end. Streaks end on a daily basis. Florida State beat Miami, finally. Cal Ripken sat out a game after 100 years of playing every day. Well, maybe the streak of Sean Puff P Daddy Diddy Combs changing names still stands true, but we’ll digress. But, as it stands now, every Sun Belt team in the conference is looking for the streak to end, that being the reign of the Champs - North Texas. Some day it’s going to end, but to whom and where? Can it be this week against Middle Tennessee State? Middle Tennessee seems to have everything going for it – experience on offense, including QB, tough, physical defenders, UNT didn’t play last week and the game is on MTSU’s turf. The conditions are ripe for a streak breaker, but is UNT just that much better than the rest of the teams in the Sun Belt? Troy, MTSU and others will vehemently deny that sentiment, but if that’s the case, why the four year long streak of championships and Sun Belt victories? If MTSU doesn’t take care of the streak this week, it’s very difficult to see any team stopping the streak this year. So, as Eminem said, “you get one shot”, what are you going to do with it, MTSU? Conclusion – MTSU had a tremendous showing last week on defense against Alabama, in particular, in the first half, but there are some that might argue that stopping Alabama this year and UNT’s dynamic duo of backs are two different things altogether. In the end, they’re the two best players on the field and one, if not both, will gash MTSU’s run defense enough to open things up for the UNT’s rookie QB Daniel Meager and the UNT WRs. The streak goes to 26, barely. North Texas – 31 vs. MTSU – 30

Football: UNT aims to fit pay with goals Study: Football salaries rank second in Sun Belt 08:52 AM CDT on Thursday, September 8, 2005 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer In terms of wins and championships, the North Texas football team’s coaching staff has no rival in the Sun Belt Conference. That isn’t the case when it comes to coaching salaries, a study conducted by the Denton Record-Chronicle using the Freedom of Information Act shows. UNT has boosted its coaches’ salaries over the last few years, but still ranks second to Middle Tennessee, the Mean Green’s opponent in its season opener on Saturday. The study shows: n MTSU’s coaching staff is making a total of $871,000 with an average of $72,333 going to each assistant coach. UNT’s staff is drawing $774,000 with an average of $63,278 paid to each assistant. The Mean Green’s total jumps to $823,000 if a series of guaranteed incentives for head coach Darrell Dickey are included in the total. n UNT ranks third in assistant coaches’ salaries behind MTSU and Arkansas State. n Dickey ranks fourth in the league among head coaches with a base salary of $204,500, a total that includes a yearly annuity payment of $20,000 and a $6,000 car allowance. Guaranteed incentives for maintaining membership in the Sun Belt Conference and appearing on his weekly radio show push the total to $259,500. Dickey’s salary ranks second in the league if guaranteed incentives are counted as part of his base salary. Howard Schnellenberger of Florida Atlantic ranks first in the league at $272,863 in base salary while Florida International’s Don Strock is third at $250,000, both without incentives. Some members of the UNT athletic department see those totals as a sign of rapid progress. Others view the data as an indication that the program still must improve its salaries to stabilize a Mean Green team that has won four straight conference titles. “In every area, we are trying to make ends meet,” Dickey said. “We don’t have a lot of money here. It’s a tough situation. We have lost five coaches in the last four years. It’s a situation that hopefully we can address at some point because these guys have done a good job and have worked hard.” Playing catch-up One fact both the UNT administration and coaching staff agree on is the school is trying to make up ground quickly to put its football program on par with the rest of the teams in Division I-A. UNT only returned to the top level of college football in 1995 and has been scrambling to make progress ever since by building facilities and improving its programs. “We want to be a top Division I program and you need to be able to reflect that in everything you do,” UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal said. “Salaries are part of that. We want to be competitive and among the highest in the conference. We have made a lot of progress and our goal is to continue it, but at the same time we have built new facilities, put in new video equipment and upped the aid for fifth-year seniors. You want to get those salaries up there, but you also want coaches to have the tools that are necessary for them to be able to recruit and be successful.” UNT opened a new $7.4 million athletic center this year that includes new weight facilities and a football practice field. The school also has begun raising money for a new football stadium. The athletic budget has increased from $7.2 million in the 2000-01 school year to $12.25 million for the fiscal year that ended on Aug. 31. No program has shone brighter during that span than the football team. UNT has won the Sun Belt Conference title and played in the New Orleans Bowl in each of the last four seasons. The Mean Green have drawn more publicity than ever before this fall because of the accomplishments of running backs Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas, the last two national rushing champions. The duo has appeared on the cover of USA Today and also been featured in ESPN The Magazine and other national publications. UNT booster and Houston furniture magnate Jim McIngvale named his friendship with Dickey as a key reason he donated $1 million toward construction of the Mean Green Athletic Center. Rewarding success The question UNT faces is how to reward its football staff for its achievements while also addressing the needs of other teams and building the overall program. “We don’t look at it in terms of where we rank in the conference,” UNT offensive coordinator Ramon Flanigan said. “What we look at is we think we have done a good job here. We are compared to other teams’ win-loss record. If we are judged by that standard, then it would be fair to judge our compensation by the same scale.” The success the Mean Green have enjoyed, working for Dickey and the atmosphere at the school are some of the reasons defensive coordinator Kenny Evans has stayed at UNT. “Salaries are not the only thing, but sometimes it’s a little disappointing when you think things are going to happen differently, especially after four championships,” Evans said. Dickey signed a new contract this year that did not include a raise, although he did have a clause added to his deal that would give him a $100,000 payment if he completes his contract that runs through Dec. 31, 2008. UNT’s assistant coaching staff received a total boost of $22,000 this season. Villarreal received a $15,000 raise. Villarreal said part of the reason UNT’s salaries trail those of Middle Tennessee’s coaches is that several members of the Blue Raiders’ staff have been at the school for extended periods, although Middle Tennessee’s highest paid coaches are relative newcomers. Keeping them in the fold Keeping his coaches has been a yearly dilemma for Dickey, who traces the problem partly back to the pay increases that are available for coaches who leave for staffs at higher profile schools. The Mean Green have lost Gary DeLoach (UCLA), Freddie Kitchens (Mississippi State), Spencer Leftwich (Tulsa), Sam McElroy (Tarleton State) and Eric Wolford (Arizona) to other college programs over the last four years. McElroy left UNT after the 2004 season to become a head coach. The other four coaches are working as assistants. “It’s not just money,” Dickey said. “Guys leave for more established programs and better conferences. It’s part of the profession. I just hope we can hang on to coaches when it comes down to just a financial issue.” The cost of turning over coaches is hard to quantify, but there is little doubt it has been a detriment to the Mean Green to some degree. Most of UNT’s assistants who have left departed in the middle of recruiting season. When an assistant coach leaves while recruiting a player, UNT simply subs in another assistant to continue wooing the recruit. The Mean Green’s offensive line has worked under three assistant coaches since 2002. “It’s been a pretty smooth transition,” UNT tackle Joel Foster said. “You just have to get used to each coach’s personality. We have been pretty fortunate to have good assistant coaches.” UNT has kept an impressive staff despite the challenge of ranking behind Middle Tennessee in coaching salaries and lacking a significant advantage over several other teams in the league. “I am sure that at some point the salaries will match up with the other teams across the country,” Evans said. “We are having to make so many changes. We are improving our facilities, the school is growing like crazy, and we have to hire people in every area to keep up with it. Salaries are one thing they would like to address, but haven’t been able to yet.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

Tribal Grounds thread. http://www.tribalgrounds.com/board/index.php?showtopic=19870

Received an e-mail advisal that season tickets were mailed yesterday.

LSU's move angers fans Glenn Guilbeau La. Gannett News Service BATON ROUGE - Talk radio in Baton Rouge exploded Tuesday afternoon in reaction to LSU moving its home game against Arizona State to Tempe, Ariz., on Monday. LSU athletic director Skip Bertman was "spineless" for letting Arizona State officials walk all over him, one fan said "Nick Saban (former LSU coach) would have never let LSU go to Arizona State," another caller said. "Sean O'Keefe (LSU chancellor) blew it. Mark Emmert (former chancellor) would have never let this happen." No. 5 LSU, which already postponed its Sept. 3 home opener against North Texas, plays at No. 15 Arizona State at 7:45 p.m. Saturday in Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. Both games were changed because the LSU campus has been the primary relief center for victims and evacuees of Hurricane Katrina, which rampaged New Orleans on Aug. 29. Most callers and fans understood why LSU is not playing at Tiger Stadium, but they do not understand playing 1,400 miles away in Tempe when stadiums in Shreveport, Houston or Oxford, Miss., could have held the game and given more local fans a chance to see the game. "Why not Shreveport?" a caller beckoned. "Houston would have been great," another caller said. "That's only a five- or six-hour drive, and there are lots of LSU fans in that area." As it turns out, neither Bertman nor anyone at LSU contacted other potential sites. LSU officials thought until Sunday and Monday that it would be playing in Tiger Stadium, but O'Keefe said the flow of patients onto the LSU campus has not slowed down enough "Now that the game has been moved and our spineless athletic director has ensured that we will not be able to play a home game, I implore you to tell all season ticket holders to activate their ticket for the game this weekend," LSU fan Carmen Caro of Baton Rouge said in an e-mail. "Even if they do not go, tell them that they must do this to ensure that we don't have to face 80,000 hostile ASU fans for our 'home' opener," Caro wrote. One radio show co-host said LSU should have made Arizona State either come to the game or forfeit. Buddy Songe, who hosts a noon to 2 p.m. show on WSKR (1210 AM), said most callers understood why LSU decided not to play at Tiger Stadium, but they thought a closer stadium would have allowed more fans to go. "I wouldn't say fans were angry," Songe said. "They were frustrated and disappointed. The fans feel LSU is a top 10 program now and that LSU needs to start negotiating like it's a top 10 program. They feel Mark Emmert and Nick Saban would not have let this happen." What really got to LSU fans was the wrong end of a two-for-one deal that is miles from happy hour. "For LSU to go to Arizona State this season and Arizona State to come here is a no-brainer," Songe said. "The fans don't like the fact that Arizona State got two for one." LSU will also go to Tempe in 2008 to play Arizona State as part of the original home-and-home agreement. Many thought LSU going to Sun Devil Stadium would simply mean Arizona State would come to LSU in 2008. Instead, Saturday's game has such a unique format, each team will get a home game afterwards. LSU will be called the home team for this game, controls all the tickets and will get all gate receipts. The Fiesta Bowl, meanwhile, is paying for virtually all of LSU's expenses to get to Tempe, and the plane Arizona State had booked to fly its team from Tempe to Baton Rouge will now bring LSU to and fro instead. "All the proceeds from the game after expenses will go to the hurricane relief fund, so nobody is going to make any money," Bertman said. "But the fans feel LSU should have acted like it had more leverage," Songe said. "I agree with the fans in a lot of ways. There's no way Nick Saban would be going to Arizona State twice." Arizona State is getting an extra home game, but it was not able to put it on its season ticket package and advertise it ahead of time. Tickets may not be available to a lot of Arizona State fans either, since LSU fans with tickets could sell their tickets to LSU fans in the western region. One LSU fan said the callers angry at LSU, O'Keefe and Bertman do not know all the facts. "We couldn't have played in Shreveport or Lafayette," said Ricky Couget of New Orleans. "They have the same hotel problem Baton Rouge has. They're all full with hurricane evacuees. We couldn't have played at Ole Miss or in Jackson, Miss., or in Houston. Their hotel rooms are all full, too. The whole southeast region has hurricane evacuees. "I think it's great we're playing at Arizona State. I'd much rather go there. Plus, if the game was at Arizona State and there was a natural disaster there, you know we'd all want the game played in Tiger Stadium. And it should be if that happened." While Bertman admitted that LSU contacted no other potential sites, he also said no other sites like Shreveport, Ole Miss, Louisiana-Lafayette, Houston or Jackson, Miss., contacted LSU. LSU assistant athletic director Herb Vincent said it would have been difficult logistically to get any neutral site ready for the LSU-Arizona State game in less than a week. "Arizona State offered a turnkey solution, and we jumped on it," Vincent said. "If we had planned earlier to play somewhere else, maybe we could've done it. But we were working on playing at Tiger Stadium, and everything around here has been so unpredictable. Plus there are hotel problems all over our region, and we would've been trying to put two teams up in hotels at neutral sites, not one." Now, LSU has to do little more than take a free plane ride on Friday to make this game happen. "Arizona State is ready now to host a game," Couget said. "None of those other places are ready and don't have the hotel space." Jon Fine, who hosts a 7 a.m. to 9 a.m show on 1210 AM, said he received no calls against LSU's decision. "The selfishness of the fans was superseded by their concern about the tragedy that has happened in New Orleans," Fine said. "Most people who called my show agreed with the move."

North Texas 24 Middle Tennessee 20 UAB 34 Troy 24 Texas Tech 48 FIU 17 Oklahoma State 24 FAU 9 Eastern Michigan 42 Louisiana.-Lafayette 20 Wyoming 44 Louisiana-Monroe 17 Arkansas State 28 Tennessee-Martin 20 http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/exclusives/mejia