OldTimer

http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...0&ATCLID=217209 Some interesting information from the official NT site about Ark State game on history records of winless seasons at Fouts Field and penalty comparison in SBC Excerpts: NT and Ark St rank 7th and 8th of 8 teams respectfully in penalty yards. NT 747 yards on 83 penalties Ark St 810 yards on 106 penalties LaLaf 539 yards on 62 penalties. Fouts streak on the line 0-4 record in jeporady (sp?) facing winless seasons under DD at Fouts Field and only the 3rd winless season in the fields history In 54 seasons of playing at Fouts NT has only gone winless twice 0-1 in 1972 and 0-4 in 1982. This is only the 2nd losing season at home in the last 15 years with the other coming in 1999 when NT was 1-3 at home. My note: DD was coach in 1999--his 2nd year at NT. I would recommend reading the entire game notes before the games it has interesting info on the game and appropriate history and stats.

Right on. This is a DD thing, not a RF thing...as far as recruiting goes.

I don't believe a lot of our board doesn't understand how important Bruce Bell was to NT. His job as asst AD for the Houston ISD before coming back this last year was to work with 23 schools in the Houston ISD. His prior experience was as an asst coach at the Colony HS, FTBend Kempner, and Houston Waltrip, FT Bend Willowridge, and Forest Brook HS. I could list the recruits from his area the last two years if anyone questions this insider contact knowledge. I am not opposed to Pegram being hired, he just can't replace the working knowledge of the coaches in the Houston area that Bell has. Bell was the RB coach for NT..Cobbs, Thomas I hope he at least stays through the recruiting season, even though he will be hampered with fighting the fact he won't be here for the players he commits which opposing coaches are sure to throw at him.

I believe we need to define who recruits what area...I would appreciate info from anyone on this issue. Most know I am not a RF proponent and have heard rumors about his lack of recruiting...just can't say he recruits the DFW area...I believe other coaches have part of this area...maybe the surburbs and FW. 2005 recruits in what I consider the DFW area: Karthay Agbattah Irving MacArthur David Collins Kennedale Jonathan Stewart Arlington Sequin Steve Warren Burleson 2004 Roy Covington Dallas Skyline Deavin Cox Dallas Bishop Lynch Brady Harmon Weatherford....already gone Colt Mahan Keller David Meager Richardson Thomas Pratt Coppell....already gone Issac Thomas Mansfield Micah West Irving

UNT backfield duo missing dynamic Running game has not worked out the way Cobbs, Thomas planned 10:36 PM CST on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – Patrick Cobbs stands on the verge of a pair of milestones heading into his last game at North Texas on Saturday. A second 1,000-yard season is within the senior running back's reach against Arkansas State, not to mention a chance to surpass the 4,000-yard mark for his career. Cobbs expected success when he returned for a second shot at his senior season in 2005. What North Texas' career rushing leader never anticipated was making a charge at history largely without his running partner. Cobbs' name was hardly mentioned without fellow former national rushing champion and UNT teammate Jamario Thomas. Both were expected to have big seasons, but only Cobbs' has materialized in what has been a difficult year for the Mean Green. "We are surprised with the way it has worked out," UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. "Our plan was to let those two guys share a ton of carries. We have struggled for a lot of reasons." Cobbs has battled an ankle injury. Thomas has had to deal with a bad hamstring and added weight. Both are surrounded by inexperienced teammates on a UNT squad that is 2-8. Cobbs has overcome those obstacles to make his senior season an individual success. The team captain enters his final game with 974 yards on the season and 3,870 in his career. Cobbs said he would love to reach the 1,000- and 4,000-yard marks, but adding to his statistics is not what he has enjoyed most about his return from a knee injury that forced him to sit out most of 2004 with a medical redshirt. "There is no doubt it was worth coming back," Cobbs said. "I had fun, spent another year in college and finished up two degrees. I built a lot of relationships and got to be a mentor to younger guys." One of those players is Thomas, who has suffered a dramatic drop-off after producing one of the best seasons in college football history for a freshman running back. Cobbs won the national rushing title in 2003, averaging 152.7 yards a game. Thomas stepped in the following season and ran for 180.1 yards a game. But Thomas injured his hamstring in a win over Idaho late in his freshman year and has struggled ever since. It looked like he might come out of his slump against Louisiana-Lafayette on Nov. 5, but he aggravated his hamstring injury and has missed UNT's last two games. The former Longview Spring Hill standout has 361 rushing yards and has not scored a year after posting 1,801 yards, 17 touchdowns and six 200-yard games. Arkansas St. (5-5, 4-2) at North Texas (2-8, 2-4), 1 p.m., Saturday E-mail bvito@dentonrc.com JAMARIO: THEN AND NOW 2004 Category 2005 13 Runs of 30 yards or more 2 180.1 Rushing yards per game 45.1 17 Touchdowns 0 6.3 Yards per carry 4.1 28.5 Carries per game 11.1 COBBS YEAR-BY-YEAR Season Att. Yds. TDs 2001 93 399 3 2002 159 761 8 2003 307 1,680 19 2004 28 56 0 2005 194 974 5 Career 781 3,870 35 Took medical redshirt after suffering knee injury in second game of 2004 season

Mean Green Softball Signs Six Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 11/21/2005 Courtesy: Rick Yeatts DENTON (11/21/05) -- North Texas softball head coach Kelly Burns announced the signing of six student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on Monday. The class, made up entirely of high-school athletes, includes two pitchers and four players from the state of Texas. "With these six signees we have a very diverse group that will be able to help us in many ways," said head coach Kelly Burns. "They will push our team to excel while adding much needed depth. With them, they bring added power, speed, pitching, catching and much versatility. All are talented and play the game with passion. I am very proud of this group of young ladies and know that they will help build this program." For the 2006-07 school year, the signing class includes the following players: Kayla Lawson (P/IF, Santa Fe HS/Edmond, Okla.), Caitlyn Luetge (IF/OF, Rockdale HS/Rockdale, Texas), Lauren Morales (C, Ball HS/Galveston, Texas), MacKenzie Sharp (P/IF, Kilgore HS/Kilgore, Texas), Sierra Scott (OF/IF, Marcus HS/Highland Village, Texas), Rebecca Waters (IF/C, Davenport HS/Davenport, Okla.) Kayla Lawson Lawson was named MVP of Santa Fe’s softball team the last two years. The Co-MVP Conference Player of 2005, Lawson compiled a 16-4-2 record on the mound with a 0.35 earned run average. For her career, the Edmond, Okla., native posted a 63-18-2 record with 619 strikeouts and an earned run average of 0.48. Lawson, a four-time first-team all-conference player, helped lead her team to a 2003 state championship. "Kayla was one of the top sought after recruits in Oklahoma," said Burns. "On the mound she moves the ball well and will compliment the rest of our staff. She is a very versatile player and will see time on the mound as well as work in the infield. I expect her to be able to hit for herself and add depth to our pitching staff." Caitlyn Luetge Luetge was named Rockdale High School’s most valuable player in 2005 after leading the team to the regional finals. She was also named first-team all-district in 2005. The Rockdale, Texas native played club ball with the Texas Terminators Gold and competed at the AFA Nationals in Beaumont this past summer. Luetge also competed in track and powerlifting at Rockdale. "Caitlyn impressed us at camp this summer, not only with her power and strength, but also with her eagerness to learn," said Burns. "She is very coachable and athletic. Caitlyn will see time both at third base and the outfield as well. She also brings more power to our hitting lineup and I look for her to contribute on the the scoreboard." Lauren Morales Morales was a four-year letterwinner at Ball High School in Galveston, Texas. The catcher was a first-team all-district selection and was named the team’s most valuable defensive player. "Lauren is a talented catcher with a very strong arm who receives the ball very well," said Burns. "She is also very energetic and always talking and moving on the field. Her passion for the game is undeniable." MacKenzie Sharp Sharp was an honorable mention all-state player and District 17-4A MVP in 2005. A four-year letterwinner at Kilgore HS, Sharp compiled a 37-10 record on the mound from her freshman year through her junior campaign. During that time, she posted an earned run average of 0.55, while striking out 549 batters. Sharp set a school record, posting 27 strikeouts in a 12-inning game. She was also an all-district performer in volleyball and a regional finalist in swimming. "Mackenzie is a power pitcher who will bring more velocity to our pitching staff," said Burns. "She is also a very agile athlete who fields her position well. She is a hard worker and should be a dominating force on the mound." Sierra Scott Scott was a four-year letterwinner at Marcus High School in Lewisville, Texas. She was named first-team all-district in 2005 and second team in 2004. "Sierra brings much needed speed to our lineup and is able to hit for power from the right and play the short game from the left side of the plate," said Burns. "She will work both in the infield and the outfield." Rebecca Waters Waters batted .467 her senior year with 11 doubles, three triples and 24 runs batted in, leading the Davenport Fastpitch softball team to the Class A State Championship. The Davenport, Okla., native was a part of two other fastpitch championship teams, including her freshman year when she played alongside her sister, Susan, a current Mean Green softball player. As a senior, Waters also received Oklahoma All-Region and All-State accolades. The infielder plays summer ball for the Oklahoma Rebels and also competes on the basketball and softball teams. "Rebecca is another very versatile athlete who will help our depth in several positions," said Burns. "She is capable of playing middle infield, the corners and will work some behind the plate as well. We also look forward to adding her power at the plate in our lineup." The Mean Green finished the 2005 season with a 15-38 overall record and a 6-14 conference mark. NT returns seven starters and 15 letterwinners for the upcoming season.

Slow Start Hurts Mean Green In 70-52 Setback At UNC Wilmington Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 11/22/2005 Courtesy: Rick Yeatts WILMINGTON, NC (11/22/05) – The North Texas men’s basketball team (1-1) got off to a sluggish start against UNC Wilmington (4-1) and was unable to recover in a 70-52 setback at Trask Coliseum on Tuesday night. The Mean Green actually outscored the Seahawks 32-31 in the second half, but fell behind by double figures within the first five minutes of the game and trailed 39-20 at the half. North Texas pulled within 14 points of UNC Wilmington three times in the second half, but couldn’t get any closer. The Seahawks hurt North Texas on the boards, collecting 11 more rebounds and scoring 14 second-chance points. They also converted 25 Mean Green turnovers into 21 points. North Texas hit just 34 percent of its shots from the field and 21 percent of its three-point attempts, while UNC Wilmington connected on 43 percent of its shots. The Mean Green was led by junior guard Kendrick Davis with a season-high 18 points and team-high four assists. Jeffrey Simpson was the only other North Texas player to score in double figures, finishing with 13. The senior center also pulled down six rebounds and blocked two shots, both team highs. UNC Wilmington was led by John Goldsberry with a team-high 15 points, five assists and two steals. The Seahawks also got 34 points from its bench, while NT’s reserves scored eight. North Texas remains on the road for its next game, catching Arizona State on Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. (CST) in Tempe, Arizona. The game can be heard live on KWRD (100.7 FM) in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Basketball: UNT women face Division II foe before taking on national-power Boston College Men looking to move to 2-0 with win over UNC-W 08:16 AM CST on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer North Texas coach Tina Slinker is well aware of what lies ahead for the UNT women this week in the form of a game against national power Boston College. UNT could have a tough time against BC, which makes the Mean Green’s game tonight against Southern Arkansas all the more important. UNT is already off to a 1-0 start and would like nothing better than to head into a game against the Eagles on Saturday with a 2-0 record for the first time since the 2002-03 season. “We need to get to 2-0 before we go to Boston,” Slinker said. “They played UConn to 14 points. We want to go into that game with momentum.” UNT got off to a solid start this season by beating Stephen F. Austin for the first time in the program’s history on Friday. Senior guards Mian Williams and Erika Bobo led UNT by scoring 18 and 15 points, respectively, in a tight 71-65 win. The victory was the 200th of Slinker’s tenure at UNT. The UNT women were scheduled to play Wichita State tonight, but had to find another opponent after the Shockers backed out of a deal to play the Mean Green. Southern Arkansas is a member of the Division II Gulf South Conference. The UNT men’s team will also return to action tonight when it faces UNC-Wilmington. The game follows an easy season-opening 85-48 win over Hardin-Simmons, a non-scholarship Division III school. Senior center Jeffrey Simpson scored 17 points to lead the Mean Green, who cruised through their opener to give head coach Johnny Jones his 50th win at UNT. The Mean Green will face a much tougher challenge tonight against UNC-Wilmington, which beat Wyoming, Butler and Northwestern to win the BCA Invitational championship to open the season. UNT beat the Seahawks last year, but that was before they added Todd Hendley. The 6-9 sophomore forward transferred to UNC-Wilmington from Wake Forest and is averaging 10 points a game. Senior guard John Goldsberry leads the Seahawks with an average of 10.5 points an outing. The UNT men are looking to move to 2-0 to open the season for the first time since the 1994-95 campaign. BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com . This text is invisible on the page, but this text is affected by the invisible item's flow. This text is invisible on the page, but this text is affected by the invisible item's flow.

UNT to make decision on QB this week 03:25 AM CST on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – UNT will make a decision on whether to start Matt Phillips or Daniel Meager at quarterback during practice this week, head coach Darrell Dickey said. Meager has started each of the Mean Green's games, but Phillips has played in relief the last two weeks. Phillips threw for 217 yards last week in a loss to Louisiana-Monroe, the top total for a freshman during Dickey's tenure.

Actually he went to several QB camps and is currently ranked in Rivals top state 100...in the 70-80 range. He also plays TE...at least last year.

Brett Vito: Upcoming offseason key for UNT 07:23 AM CST on Monday, November 21, 2005 Brett Vito The timing seemed strange as the fireworks echoed through Fouts Field on Saturday night. UNT had just lost another close game to a Sun Belt Conference opponent, adding one more blow in a nightmare season for the Mean Green. UNT fell behind Louisiana-Monroe early and couldn’t complete a late rally. And yet, head coach Darrell Dickey took a little time to talk about what he feels is a bright future for the Mean Green. Dickey pointed out – as he has on numerous occasions this season – that the Mean Green have several talented young players. Quarterback Matt Phillips threw for 217 yards, marking the best outing for a freshman in the Dickey era. Sophomore wide receiver Brandon Jackson finished with eight catches for 113 yards. Both totals were career highs. Junior Johnny Quinn cleared the 2,000-yard mark in receiving yards for his career after making a series of remarkable grabs and still has a year left to play for the Mean Green. Junior linebacker Phillip Graves finished with a career high 16 tackles. Sophomore running back Jamario Thomas has struggled this year but won the national rushing title as a freshman. “I feel good about a lot of the kids on this team and what we can accomplish in the future based on what I have been seeing here as of late,” Dickey said. “We have a good future ahead of us, but so far it hasn’t been enough.” Dickey has a point. UNT does have some talent coming back for next season. The question is whether the Mean Green can fill some key voids over the next few months to supplement that talent. This team may have solid young players, but it also has some glaring weaknesses. Some would like a wholesale change in the coaching staff, but that doesn’t seem likely. So in the spirit of the holiday season, here is what should be on every UNT fan’s wish list this December and the offseason. A start in the finale for Matt Phillips Dickey said after Saturday’s loss to ULM that there is a good chance Phillips will start the Mean Green’s season finale against Arkansas State on Saturday. At this point, it’s the only logical scenario. Phillips has posted back-to-back solid outings, including throwing for 138 yards against Florida Atlantic two weeks ago. At this point Phillips deserves a chance to show what he can do as a starter. UNT couldn’t get any worse throwing the ball. For those of you keeping score at home, UNT ranks No. 116 nationally in passing offense (120.4 yards a game) and 113th in passing efficiency (89.7 rating). UNT’s struggles are not all the fault of embattled starter Daniel Meager, but Phillips has earned his shot. Help up front UNT’s offensive and defensive lines were strengths in the past but have struggled this year. The Mean Green are undersized on both sides of the ball, which has contributed to UNT ranking dead last in the Sun Belt in rushing defense, with an average of 214 yards allowed in six conference games. UNT also only ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in rushing offense with an average of 158 yards a game, a stunning statistic considering the Mean Green feature the last two national rushing champions. UNT lost a group of key players up front last season, including center Andy Brewster, defensive end Adrian Awasom and interior defensive linemen Michael Pruitt and Evan Cardwell. The Mean Green have yet to replace those players adequately and must address that problem in recruiting during the offseason. Assistants who are dynamic recruiters UNT will have at least one opening on its staff with the departure of recruiting coordinator/running backs coach Bruce Bell, who is retiring after national signing day. The loss to Bell should be a scary thought for UNT fans considering he has not only coached Thomas and senior Patrick Cobbs to national rushing titles, he has also served as the Mean Green’s recruiting coordinator since 2003. UNT signed its best class in years that season when Thomas, Jackson and five other players who are starting signed on with the Mean Green. UNT will have to replace Bell, and who knows if he will be the only coach to leave. Whoever takes over for Bell won’t have the advantage of selling a winning program on a bowl streak. A few dynamic personalities who could sell the program couldn’t hurt the cause. If Dickey can address those concerns, the Mean Green could resume their place among the Sun Belt elite possibly end their non-conference struggles. If those problems go unaddressed, it could be a tough climb back to another winning season for the Mean Green, even with a host of talented young players coming back next year. BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com

So far I have not received any information on prospective recruits from last Saturday's game. Folks, I am concerned about recruiting this year: 1. Lopsided wins by Tulsa and La Tech, improved wins/status TV exposure(I have seen 2 or 3 of their game on TV) of UTEP, we recruit against these teams big time. Even Baylor and SMU have increased their wins/losses this year making it even harder to compete with them....but not as major factor as the other 3. 2. Losing Bruce Bell who covered the Houston area and (Per Footballscoup Ramon Flanigan-though it is rumored he did not recruit last yer) won't help. If any other coaches are let go it will just reduce the manpower available. On the bright side of darkness...with no bowl game, the remaining coaches will have more time to recruit. Even if you can't talk with the recruits....their letter jackets tell a story that might lead to ID. Remenber to look at weekend BB games for a group of prospects...with no angel flight members.

footballscoup.com has stated in a ":scoup" that KState has already given the job to the South Florida coach. Obviously not publically or officially acknowledged until after the season ends.

UNT drops another close Sun Belt game 02:15 AM CST on Sunday, November 20, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – North Texas entered its game against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday in the unfamiliar position of playing spoiler in a game against a Sun Belt Conference rival. The Mean Green didn't fare much better in that role than it did in defending its conference title. UNT fell behind early again against a conference opponent and failed to complete the comeback in a 24-19 loss to ULM at Fouts Field in front of a homecoming crowd of 19,632. Colleges Louisiana-Monroe 24, North Texas 19 UNT drops another close Sun Belt gam More North Texas The Indians (5-5, 5-1) clinched at least a share of the Sun Belt Conference title and moved within one game of becoming bowl eligible by knocking off the four-time defending conference champion, which was already out of the title race. UNT (2-8, 2-4) lost its fifth straight game and its fourth Sun Belt game by less than a touchdown. "It was the same old song," UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. "Our kids really played hard, but a lot of little things kept us from winning the game. It hasn't been our year, and it wasn't our night." UNT fell behind 14-0 but rallied behind backup quarterback Matt Phillips to stay in the game. Phillips threw for 217 yards, the top total for a freshman in the Dickey era that dates to 1998. Running back Patrick Cobbs added 105 yards rushing for UNT. Phillips' passing yardage total broke his season high of 138 yards reached last week in a loss to Florida Atlantic when he also came on in relief of Daniel Meager. "I feel real confident," Phillips said. "Just being around the guys, it's a different atmosphere. The guys respect me more and don't look at me as a true freshman." Dickey said there is a strong possibility Phillips will start UNT's season finale at home against Arkansas State next week after he rallied the Mean Green from an early deficit. UNT struggled early against Indians quarterback Steven Jyles, who threw two touchdown passes in the first half, including a 39-yard strike to wide receiver Drouzon Quillen that gave the Indians an early 14-0 lead. "We had a good scheme coming in," UNT linebacker Maurice Holman said. "We just didn't execute early in the game." Jyles finished with 218 passing yards, all but 18 of which came in the first half. UNT started the game with the redshirt freshman Meager at quarterback but switched to Phillips after the Indians scored their second touchdown. Phillips immediately led the Mean Green on a six-play, 72-yard drive that Cobbs capped with a 4-yard run. UNT pulled to within 14-13 on a pair of Nick Bazaldua field goals but never was able to pull ahead. ULM extended its lead to 17-13 on a Ragan Walters field goal and then tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run by Jyles. Brandon Jackson scored on a 29-yard pass from Phillips to close the gap to 24-19, but by then it was too late. "It has been wearing at me," Cobbs said of UNT's losing streak. "We have lost a lot of close ones and won close ones. Our year could have been really bad or really good. This year we didn't get any bounces and didn't capitalize on the ones we did get." Briefly: Sophomore Brandon Jackson finished with eight catches for 113 yards. Both totals were career highs. ... Johnny Quinn finished with 94 receiving yards and moved into sixth place on UNT's career list with 2,005. E-mail bvito@dentonrc.com for game summary box score use attached link. http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform...px?GAMEID=10381

The only play I heard (on the car radio in the garage) was the TD that Cobbs made behind the blocking of the FB Henderson. Is this something new for NT? has Henderson being the lead blocker before now?

http://www.footballscoop.com/scoop.htm Link to footballscoup...Look for Kansas State/ Take it for what you believe its worth. Check it out after the season with what actually happens like RF and Buffalo.

Simpson Scores 17 Points In Victory Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 11/18/2005 Courtesy: Rick Yeatts DENTON (11/18/05) – Senior Jeffrey Simpson scored 17 points in the opening eight minutes to lead the North Texas men’s basketball team to a 85-48 victory against Hardin-Simmons on Friday night in the Super Pit. Head coach Johnny Jones earned his 50th victory at North Texas and third season-opening win in the Super Pit. The Mean Green has won its last five season openers and now holds a 38-25 advantage against Hardin-Simmons. In the first eight minutes of the game, Simpson was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line. He scored 17 of his team’s 26 points as the Mean Green jumped out to a 26-11 lead. The center finished the game with 17 points and eight rebounds. Twelve North Texas players saw action as the Mean Green cruised to a 40-23 halftime lead behind 45.5 percent shooting from the field. The Mean Green scored 24 straight points to start off the second half. The North Texas defense did not allow a single point in the second period until the Cowboys connected with a free throw, 40-24, with 11:19 left in the game. North Texas outscored the Cowboys in the second half, 45-25. Sophomore Michael Sturns scored in double digits with 14 points. Senior Isaac Hines scored nine of his 11 points in the second half. He also recorded seven rebounds and dished out three assists. North Texas returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 22 when the Mean Green takes to the road to play UNC-Wilmington at 7 pm. North Texas vs. Hardin-Simmons box score

Women's coach gets 200th win at UNT 11:55 PM CST on Friday, November 18, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON - Tina Slinker picked up her 200th win as UNT coach and the Mean Green won for the first time in 26 games against Stephen F. Austin, 71-65, Friday night. Slinker, in her 17th season at UNT, is 200-240. Mian Williams led UNT with 18 points. Erika Bobo had 15 and 10 rebounds in both teams' opener. North Texas 71, Stephen F. Austin 65 SFA (0-1)–Mills 9-15 1-4 19, Egenti 1-6 0-0 2, Simpson 0-5 1-2 1, Vinson 2-12 2-2 7, Carr 3-7 0-0 7, Green 2-10 0-1 5, Killingsworth 5-10 4-4 15, Mosley 0-0 0-0 0Ansley 0-0 0-0 0, Edwards 3-6 0-0 6, Smith 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 26-74 8-13 65. NORTH TEXAS (1-0)–Howard 2-6 3-4 7, Ajekwu 0-1 0-2 0, Bobo 4-11 7-8 15, Mireles 0-2 0-0 0, Williams 4-10 10-14 18, Lee 2-3 0-0 5, Jackson 2-4 0-0 5, Hall 0-0 0-0 0, Wali 1-2 4-6 6, Quattrocchi 0-0 2-2 2, Wilson 1-1 0-1 2, Jackson 1-6 5-6 7, Vation 0-1 0-0 0, Sanders 2-6 0-0 4. Totals 19-53 31-43 71. Halftime–UNT 32-31. 3-point goals–SFA 5-22 (Egenti 1-2, Simpson 0-2, Vinson 1-5, Carr 1-4, Green 1-4, Killingsworth 1-5), UNT 2-8 (Mireles 0-2, Williams 0-2, Lee 1-2, Jackson 1-2,). Fouled out–Mills, Killingsworth. Rebounds–SFA 47 (Mills 13), UNT 44 (Bobo 10). Assists–SFA 12 (Vinson 4), UNT -- 12 (Bobo 6). Total fouls–SFA 30, UNT 17.

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Men's basketball: UNT men open season tonight Arkansas transfer eager to hit court with Mean Green 09:00 AM CST on Friday, November 18, 2005 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer The time that has passed since Kendrick Davis last played a college basketball game amounts to a little more than a year. Basketball coach Johnny Jones watches his players run drills during practice on Thursday at the Super Pit. The Mean Green open the season at home tonight at 7 p.m. against Hardin-Simmons. It just seems like longer to the former Arkansas standout who will suit up for North Texas for the first time tonight. Davis transferred to UNT after his sophomore year and is expected to be a key contributor for the Mean Green, who are looking for a breakthrough season after finishing within two games of the .500 mark in three of the last four years. “It seems like I have been waiting to play forever,” Davis said. “Last year was a blessing. Coach [Johnny] Jones picked me up and let me sit out a year so that I could come in and help the team this season.” UNT is hoping Davis is the last piece needed to get over the hump and make a run at the Sun Belt Conference West Division title. The Mean Green finished with a 14-14 record last year. “We like our team,” Jones said. “We are bigger, strong and quicker this year and have a lot of guys who return. We also bring in some new guys who will be able to help us.” Davis is the most impressive of those newcomers. As a freshman, the 6-4 shooting guard averaged 10.3 points a game for Arkansas and hit a driving layup with 25 seconds left to give the Razorbacks an upset win over 20th-ranked Mississippi State. Davis seemed destined for a standout career at Arkansas, but saw his playing time diminish in his sophomore year when he averaged just 5.4 points in less than 13 minutes a game. “I left Arkansas because I wanted more playing time,” Davis said. “I helped the team my freshman year, but didn’t play many minutes my sophomore year. I wanted to go some place I could play.” Davis decided on UNT because it was close to his home in Houston and the connection he felt with the Mean Green’s coaching staff. The match appears to be one tailor-made for UNT, which lost senior shooting guard Leonard Hopkins to graduation last season. Hopkins led UNT with an average of 18.1 points a game his senior season and finished as the eighth all-time leading scorer in Mean Green history with 1,340 points. “Some people have talked to me about replacing Leonard, but I don’t look at it that way,” Davis said. “I just want to help the ball club win games.” Several teams in the Sun Belt have benefited from the addition of transfers, including UNT, which featured LSU transfer Shawnson Johnson in the 2003-04 season. “It makes your team better if you can bring in transfers with the right mentality who are there for the right reasons,” Jones said. “Kendrick has the right mentality.” Davis will join several top returning players from last season’s team, including starting guards Isaac Hines and Calvin Watson, not to mention center Jeffrey Simpson. Hines became the first player in UNT history to lead the team in assists (3.7), steals (2.1) and rebounds (6.4) in the same season last year. The former Collin County College standout was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt team as a second-team selection. Watson averaged 11.3 points per game and hit multiple 3-point shots in 17 of 28 games, while Simpson posted 9.9 points per game in conference play. Davis is just one of several key additions the Mean Green made to that core of players. Freshmen forwards Harold Stewart and Harold Edwards and freshman center Justin Howerton are also expected to contribute. “Our bench will be 50 times better than it was last season,” Hines said. “We have guys who know their roles and are willing to play them.” UNT believes its core of veterans, Davis and a deep bench will give the Mean Green a chance to exceed expectations. The Sun Belt’s coaches picked UNT to finish fifth out of six teams in the Sun Belt’s West Division. “We are picked fifth, but that is just a number,” Davis said. “Anything is possible.” Jones believes one of those possibilities is Davis playing a key role in a breakthrough season. “Kendrick isn’t a one-dimensional player,” Jones said. “He is a capable ball-handler who can create opportunities for other players, has a good mid-range game and can step back and hit the three. He is also a good defender who plays with a lot of enthusiasm. “The rest of our players will be able to feed off of him.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com . Roster Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. 23 Isaac Hines G 6-0 175 Sr. 33 Calvin Watson G 6-5 215 Jr. 32 Quincy Williams F 6-8 230 So. 12 Kendrick Davis G 6-4 195 Jr. 45 Jeffrey Simpson C 6-8 220 Sr. 54 Justin Barnett C 6-10 275 Sr. 3 Lionel Brown G 5-11 165 Jr. 15 Harold Edwards F 6-6 215 Fr. 34 Justin Howerton C 6-10 240 Fr. 20 Coby Ray G 6-1 190 So.* 10 Jared Ruffin G 6-0 175 Jr. 21 Harold Stewart F 6-8 195 Fr. 11 Michael Sturns G 6-4 190 So. 2 Keith Wooden F 6-9 245 Jr.* 13 Rich Young F 6-5 205 Jr. 14 Chris Higgs G 6-2 180 Fr. *Note – Sitting out 2005-06 season due to NCAA transfer rules Schedule No. 18 Hardin-Simmons 7 p.m. Nov. 22 at UNC-Wilmington 7 p.m. Nov. 30 at Arizona State 8 p.m. Dec. 3 Chattanooga 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at Texas A&M 7 p.m. Dec. 10 Nicholls State 7 p.m. Dec. 19 Angelo State 7 p.m. Dec. 23 at Houston 7 p.m. Dec. 28 UT-Permian Basin 7 p.m. Dec. 30 Stephen F. Austin 7 p.m. Jan. 2 at Tulsa 8 p.m. Jan. 5 Louisiana-Lafayette* 7 p.m. Jan. 7 New Orleans* 7 p.m. Jan. 12 Florida International* 7 p.m. Jan. 16 Denver* 7 p.m. Jan. 19 at Arkansas-Little Rock* 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at Arkansas State* 3:05 p.m. Jan. 26 Troy* 7 p.m. Jan. 28 South Alabama* 7 p.m. Feb. 2 at Louisiana-Lafayette* 7:05 p.m. Feb. 4 at New Orleans* 1 p.m. Feb. 9 Middle Tennessee* 7 p.m. Feb. 11 at Western Kentucky* 7 p.m. Feb. 15 UT-Pan American 7 p.m. Feb. 18 at Denver* 3 p.m. Feb. 23 at Troy* 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at South Alabama* 8:05 p.m. March 3-7 at Sun Belt Tourney, Middle Tennessee TBA * — Sun Belt Conference game

Please email Harry or me if you can help us id prospective football players at the game Saturday. If its cold enough they will probably wear their letter jackets...with the name of the school and possibly their uniform number or their name. They also wear name tags and can be seen beneath the stands for restrooms or food during the game. Regular season HS FB games are mostly over so we should see more prospects this week and next. Thank you for your help. NTOldtimer

Posted on Wed, Nov. 16, 2005 NORTH TEXAS FOOTBALL NOTES No bowl, but UNT can't quit By JEFF WILSON Star-Telegram Staff Writer DENTON - Games in late November have been significant ones for North Texas the past four seasons. Conference titles and bowl berths have been won and seasons have been extended into December. Not this season. A 26-23 loss Saturday at Florida Atlantic eliminated any chance of the Mean Green capturing its fifth consecutive Sun Belt title and a fifth straight berth in the New Orleans Bowl. But, with two home games remaining -- the first against conference leader Louisiana-Monroe at 6 p.m. Saturday -- UNT isn't quitting. A class of successful seniors wants to close out with a couple of victories. "Just winning is the motivation for these last two games," coach Darrell Dickey said. "I think it has to do with they have a lot of pride, and they want to finish their careers on a very positive note. I see nothing but positive attitude out of those guys." QB quandary Backup quarterback Matt Phillips helped rally UNT from a 17-6 second-half deficit Saturday after starter Daniel Meager was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Phillips, a true freshman from San Angelo Lakeview, was 8-of-16 for 138 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 5 yards for another score and put the Mean Green in position to force overtime with a 47-yard field-goal try that just missed. Darrell Dickey said Meager, a redshirt freshman from Richardson Pearce, has improved and could play Saturday, but his availability to practice during the week will determine who starts. "Even if Daniel's well, Matt may warrant more playing time," Dickey said. "Matt's a very good quarterback, and he seems to have a very good presence about him. He's done well for the limited time playing in games and practice-wise that he's had." Little things The Mean Green's three conference losses have been by three points each, and Darrell Dickey said the main culprit has been not placing importance on what he called "little things." That includes the kicking game. UNT missed an extra point, failed to get off a field-goal try and missed another field-goal try Saturday. "That's seven points in a three-point game," he said. "Those are the things we feel like we can control, and they just haven't been happening for us." More injuries UNT avoided injuries through much of the first half of the season, but aches and pains are starting to mount. Darrell Dickey said running back Jamario Thomas is day-to-day with a hamstring injury after not playing Saturday. Running back Patrick Cobbs is nursing ankle and shoulder injuries but should play Saturday. Linebacker Maurice Holman and safety Roderick Cotton were nursing leg injuries and didn't travel to Miami. Dickey said he expects Holman to return to practice this week. ONLINE: meangreensports.com IN THE KNOW LOUISIANA-MONROE AT NORTH TEXAS 6 p.m. Saturday, Fouts Field, Denton Radio: KNTU/88.1 FM, KWRD/100.7 FM Records: La.-Monroe 4-5, 4-1 Sun Belt; North Texas 2-7, 2-3 Tickets: $8-$16; (800) 868-2366, www.meangreensports.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jeff Wilson, (817) 390-7953 jwilson@star-telegram.com

Football: Hard work paying dividends for UNT quarterback 09:39 AM CST on Thursday, November 17, 2005 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer Even back in his days at San Angelo Lake View, Matt Phillips wasn’t the flashiest of quarterbacks. Brown bag always described Phillips best, right down to his daily routine during his days as a three-year starter for the Chiefs. While the rest of his friends jumped in cars and dashed to the nearest fast food restaurant or the lunchroom, Phillips grabbed his food and headed straight to the coaches’ offices. “Matt would come in every day with his lunch,” Lake View offensive coordinator Scott Lipsey said. “We would sit there and look at film. We spent a lot of time while he was here working on his game.” That extra time is paying off in ways even Lipsey didn’t expect during Phillips’ freshman season at North Texas. Phillips earned the backup quarterback job during fall practice and took advantage of his first chance at extended playing time last week when he came on in the fourth quarter of the Mean Green’s game against Florida Atlantic and led UNT on three scoring drives. UNT still lost the game, but Phillips made his case for additional playing time during the rest of the season. “Matt’s been effective because he comes in every week and studies like he is going to play,” UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. “He has a real good presence about him. He has a lot of upside.” Phillips has been working toward his outing against FAU ever since he was a freshman at Lake View, where he took advantage of every bit of his physical talent and developed into a standout high school quarterback who was overlooked by most Division I colleges. “It really started for me back in high school,” Phillips said of his journey to becoming a Division I-caliber player. “My coaches thought that I could play at the college level and put pressure on me to do more. That paid off.” The process started during Phillips’ freshman year, when he made an impression on Lake View’s coaches while starting at quarterback for a team of players in the ninth grade. Phillips got his first break the following spring when Lake View’s starting quarterback broke his ankle in practice. Phillips started for the Chiefs through the first few games of the next season. “We decided that it wouldn’t be right for a senior to lose his starting job due to injury and rotated our quarterbacks in our first district game,” Lipsey said. “After that game the senior came in and told me that Matt was our future and to play him the rest of the season.” The move paid off for Lake View. “What people don’t understand is that Matt threw for 1,500 yards and rushed for another 700 every year he was our quarterback,” said Joey McQueen, Lake View’s former head coach, who is now at Smithville. “He had close to 4,000 passing yards in his career.” Phillips’ high school coaches say those impressive statistics have much more to do with his work ethic and dedication to studying the game than just his raw physical talent. Phillips stands 6-1, but is a stockier than most quarterbacks at 220 pounds. That unusual build and an unimpressive 4.8 40-yard dash time made Phillips’ development as a pocket passer all the more important to his future as a quarterback. Phillips knew he needed to take advantage of every edge he had. “Matt is a hard-working kid who studies the game,” said Brady Gilbert, the secondary and special teams coach at Lake View who is also a family friend. “He found a way to make himself a good player because he is driven.” Few Division I teams were interested in Phillips, despite his success at Lake View. “Matt’s not real flashy,” Gilbert said. “That kept him from going somewhere else. People were more interested in him as a fullback or a linebacker.” Gilbert and the rest of Lake View’s coaches called all their contacts to try and find Phillips a place to play after his senior year. One of the first coaches they contacted was UNT assistant Eric Russell, who recruits the West Texas area. Phillips also went to single day camps at Texas Tech, TCU and Baylor to try and catch a coach’s eye. “We had some people call us and tell us that we might be missing out,” Dickey said. “We got some film, looked at that, brought him in and are glad he is here.” Phillips arrived at UNT early, got off to a quick start in two-a-day practices and moved into a two-man battle with highly regarded redshirt freshman Daniel Meager for the starting job. Meager eventually earned the starting spot with a solid performance while Phillips tailed off late. “I started off just being myself, but after a while things started to get more complicated,” Phillips said. “It took me a while to get over that learning curve.” Phillips only received limited playing time in the first few weeks of the season and entered the FAU game with 27 yards on 3-of-8 passing. Phillips tossed a 25-yard touchdown pass late against Kansas State, but also tossed two interceptions on just four attempts against Louisiana Tech. McQueen told Phillips to continue working when he called to discuss his frustrating start earlier this season. Phillips got his chance to break out when Meager was knocked out of the Mean Green’s game against FAU with a concussion. After tossing a pair of incomplete passes on his first series, Phillips came back to throw for 138 yards while leading the Mean Green on a comeback that came up short. “At the beginning, Matt didn’t have the poise you need as a quarterback,” UNT wide receiver Brandon Jackson said. “I could tell when we played Florida Atlantic that he did. He was nervous at first, but once we started rolling, he showed that leadership.” A solid fourth quarter only added to Phillips’ confidence. “I feel more comfortable now than I did a week ago,” Phillips said. “There is something different about the atmosphere now. The guys saw that I can hang in during a tough spot and they responded to it.” Dickey said this week that UNT would consider giving Phillips more playing time Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe, but his decision would be based in part on how Meager recovers from his concussion. Meager is one of the top-rated quarterbacks UNT has signed under Dickey, who could very well bring in additional contenders for the starting job next season. Phillips came to UNT as an underdog and will likely remain one. Just don’t overlook him, his former coaches say. “Matt has taken advantage of his talent,” Lipsey said. I am not surprised at all at the success he has had. He’s a diamond in the rough.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .

Slinker seeks 200th win at UNT tonight 12:46 AM CST on Friday, November 18, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – Women's basketball coach Tina Slinker goes after her 200th victory with the Mean Green tonight when North Texas hosts Stephen F. Austin at the Super Pit. Slinker is 199-240 heading into her 17th year at UNT. She is the program's all-time leader in wins. "The only reason that I want that 200th win is it would be a great way to start the season off," Slinker said. "I haven't really thought about it being No. 200 as much as I want to get that first win to get us going in a positive direction."

UNT's Meager to get start at QB 12:49 AM CST on Friday, November 18, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – Redshirt freshman Daniel Meager will start at quarterback against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday, coach Darrell Dickey said Thursday. Meager was knocked out of last week's loss to Florida Atlantic with a concussion. The former Richardson Pearce standout has thrown for 764 yards and three touchdowns this season. Dickey said Matt Phillips also could see time. The freshman came on in relief of Meager against FAU and threw for 138 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter.