NT80

I wish it was L. J. leaving and not Dr. Pohl.

NT Monday practice

Passing the torch: UNT's next quarterback 10:13 PM CDT on Monday, August 22, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – An extra set of eyes tracked North Texas senior quarterback Scott Hall wherever he turned last fall. It didn't matter if Hall was leading the Mean Green down the field on Saturday or joking around with his teammates after practice. Daniel Meager was watching. "I tried to learn what it takes to be a college quarterback, besides what you do on the field, from Scott, and then I watched when he played on Saturday," Meager said. "He was a great example." (PHOTO) GARY PAYNE/DMN Redshirt freshman Daniel Meager (left) says he gained valuable experience watching senior Scott Hall last season. UNT's season could hinge on Meager's ability to put those lessons into practice. The Mean Green lost Hall to graduation and sophomore Joey Byerly to academic troubles, leaving the Mean Green without a quarterback who has taken a snap in a college game heading into its season opener at LSU on Sept. 3. Meager, a redshirt freshman from Richardson Pearce, was scheduled to compete with Byerly for the starting job this season. The plan started to unravel when Meager tore a muscle in his shoulder just days into spring practice. With Meager out, Byerly took the majority of the snaps with the first-team offense and solidified his spot atop the depth chart. UNT was forced to change course after Byerly was declared academically ineligible over the summer. Finding a way to get Meager, or another player, up to speed quickly is the biggest challenge facing UNT this fall, when the Mean Green will look to win its fifth straight Sun Belt Conference title. "Having a veteran quarterback or solid quarterback play has been the key to winning more games than we used to," UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. "We have always been able to run the ball effectively. "Being able to make plays in the passing game and having a quarterback who can give us consistent play has been a big factor in us getting over the hump." Hall threw for more than 1,400 yards in each of his last three years and finished his career as UNT's passing efficiency leader. Meager and freshman Matt Phillips have the edge in the race to replace Hall. Phillips has been the surprise of fall practice. UNT signed the former San Angelo Lake View standout more than two weeks after national signing day. The last player UNT added to its signing class has quickly made his case to be the first quarterback on the field for the Mean Green. Phillips has impressed coaches in practice with how quickly he has picked up the Mean Green's offense and moved to second on the depth chart. "I've been learning everything I can, listening to Coach [Ramon] Flanigan and talking to the rest of the quarterbacks," Phillips said. "I am not trying to do anything special. I just want to get the job done." One advantage UNT's quarterbacks will have is working with a coaching staff that has tutored inexperienced quarterbacks in the past. Hall started as a freshman in 2000, and Andrew Smith led the Mean Green to the 2002 New Orleans Bowl as a redshirt freshman. "Coach Dickey is an excellent coach when it comes to protecting quarterbacks," Hall said. "They will give Daniel what he can handle. That is what helped me succeed and get better every year." The player who wins the starting job will have several experienced players around him, including the last two NCAA rushing champions in Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas. Flanigan, UNT's offensive coordinator, said those players will help ease the Mean Green's next quarterback into the starting role. Meager is aiming to be the next young quarterback to start for the Mean Green and put what he learned from Hall into practice. "I want to take advantage of the situation," Meager said. "I feel pretty comfortable out there. I just have to do my part." E-mail bvito@dentonrc.com GENERATION NEXT UNT is looking for a quarterback to replace four-year starter Scott Hall. The candidates, with comments by Denton Record-Chronicle Staff Writer Brett Vito: Player Ht. Wt. Cl. Daniel Meager 6-1 180 Fr. Former SportsDay area top-100 pick is the odds-on favorite to start. Matt Phillips 6-2 220 Fr. One of the big surprises of fall practice has moved into contention for No. 1 spot. Steve Warren 6-1 190 Fr. Athletic player comes from a run-first system at Burleson. Kellen Haynes 6-0 200 Fr. Threw for more than 4,000 yards during his senior season at Crosby. Jonathan Ieans 6-5 218 So. Has also played receiver, where he might be a better fit. Cullen Mills 6-3 227 Jr. Killeen native and Harker Heights-ex will face a long road to the starting role. UNT PASSING LEADERS THE LAST FOUR SEASONS 2001: Scott Hall, 1,453 yds., 17 TDs 2002: Andrew Smith, 1,206 yds., 7 TDs 2003: Scott Hall, 1,732 yds., 13 TDs 2004: Scott Hall, 1,818 yds., 14 TDs

They were wearing the new jerseys at Media Day and the pants should be the same (new color green next season). I think the solid green helmets they wear in practice will be the game helmets with just a logo sticker added. Look for a stacked North Texas logo like Deep Green's signature avatar.

I heard/read our uniforms will be the same color this year as last and that they will order the new color for next season. Sidenotes: the track will be repainted to freshen it up, the stands power washed and new endzone banners added.

I missed most of the game being at work, but as I was walking thru the room the announcers were talking that Johnson had just been injured. They flashed his bio on TV and I saw he was from MT so he got some National exposure.

The scrimmage last Saturday also was orginally scheduled for 7pm but was moved. We should know closer to the weekend, and if it will be at Fouts.

Yes, it's mostly about image; who you beat and who beat you. I'm not saying NT is on a level yet with ut and a$m but we are on a level with more programs than some give us credit for. A few OOC wins would go a long ways towards helping our image!

None that I can find. I think the pre-season Classics have been replaced by the 12-game season.

Not live. Someone posted that Cox may show at replay in La. around 2am.

WRONG. A Major Football Program is NOT determined by conference or by $$. Most think it is just because of who they associate within their conference. Don't believe the media hype. Is Boise Major? Louisville? Akron? Baylor?

Nice site shows week by week all games scheduled and if on TV; how about Tulsa hosting Minn @ 9:15pm CST on the first Thurs night ... College Football TV and time (EST) schedules (by week)

NT over Alumni 6-1

For those going be sure to stop by: NT Tailgate party at LSU

Lineman Thomas to return to practice By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – UNT redshirt freshman defensive lineman Isaac Thomas will return to practice within the next few days after recovering from dehydration, coach Darrell Dickey said. Thomas is projected to compete for playing time, but has missed the majority of workouts. The Mean Green lost all four of its starters along its defensive front after last season. Briefly ... Senior offensive lineman Dylan Lineberry missed practice after suffering a minor neck injury in the scrimmage Saturday. Lineberry is not expected to miss more than a few days of practice. ... Coach Darrell Dickey cut practice short because he was pleased with the effort during the scrimmage. ...................................................................................... Defense develops in scrimmage By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – The UNT defense bounced back from a rough start to post a solid performance in the first scrimmage of fall practice. The offense scored on three of its first four possessions before the defense came back to post stops on six consecutive series. Coach Darrell Dickey said he was pleased with his defense's ability to bounce back and saw several players beginning to adapt to their new roles. Briefly ... Freshmen Daniel Meager and Matt Phillips, who are battling for the starting quarterback job, worked with the first- and second-team offenses and threw touchdown passes. ... Linebacker Brandon Monroe, one of only three returning defensive starters, missed the scrimmage with a hamstring injury.

We are not 1-AA, D-II, D-III, or JUCO. Only 119 schools play 1-A football. Is Vanderbilt a major program? How about Bowling Green? One is BCS, one is not. One is ranked in the Top 25, one in the Bottom 25. What determines "major"?

Last time I checked North Texas was a major program in Texas and playing 1-A football...

Could Fouts be ready for the next scrimmage?

The words don't seem as visible with the black lettering and white outline, I'd have to see the real thing from a distance.

I was sitting up at the top row under the pressbox then when DD went off on them; it was very clear what he was saying all the way up there... They did seem to play better after that! I agree Kellen Haynes is probably #3, did well with the 2's. My first time to see both Meager and Phillips. Both did well at times and both messed up too. Phillips is bigger physically and Meager seems more mature having been in the system for a year. Both will get better with more reps and do alright in our run based system. No clear starter yet. Was that Branch #34 on offense that scored 65 yards on some nifty moves after a catch? He looked like the Branch of old, a nice weapon if needed. Tidbits: About 200 fans at the scrimmage. The field at Fouts is complete and they should start applying the rubber pellets today. They will take a while to settle completely but the field will be ready for use after the pellets are in, in fact it's better to use it to compress the pellets. The track around the field will be re-painted, the MGC deck will be re-done including a lower level, the stands will be power-washed and new banners hung from the base of the endzone stands. The USAToday edition featuring NT was delivered to 6-8 million hotel doors on Monday morning!

So much for Leach's policies of No transfer to another Texas school or an opponent of Tech. Tech fans owe UNT...they would still have Spike Dykes as coach if it wasn't for us. Wreck Tech!!

UNT football coach, AD get contract extensions 05:36 PM CDT on Friday, August 19, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle The UNT Board of Regents approved one-year contract extensions for head football coach Darrell Dickey and athletic director Rick Villarreal on Friday. Dickey’s deal was extended to Dec. 31, 2009 and a provision added that would result in a $100,000 payment if he serves the entire length of the deal. Villarreal’s contract was extended to May 31, 2010. His new deal includes raises of $15,000 on Sept. 1 and June 1, 2007. Villarreal’s buyout provision was also modified under the new deal to include a retention payment of $50,000 if he remains at UNT for the duration of the contract.

It's in far North Denton, you'll see it along Loop 288. thread with map to stadium

Gladly! I wish I knew how to do that photoshop/graphic stuff.

No contest out of the choices. I wish an interlocked NT was one of them.