OldTimer

Football notebook: Mean Green manage to move ball 09:11 AM CST on Sunday, October 30, 2005 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer BATON ROUGE, La. — North Texas didn’t score the number of points it hoped in a 56-3 loss to LSU on Saturday — not even close. What the Mean Green did manage was to move the ball a little against the seventh-ranked Tigers. UNT coach Darrell Dickey and several Mean Green players saw that as a sign of progress. “We came out and established the run and that helped us to be more effective in the passing game,” UNT receiver Johnny Quinn said. “I don’t know how much better we were, but we did move the ball against the seventh-ranked team in the country.” UNT finished with 206 yards offensively, but squandered several scoring chances. The Mean Green had a 24-yard field goal blocked, which Dickey described as disappointing. Harmon moves into starting lineup Junior tight end Robert Harmon moved back into UNT’s starting lineup in place of fellow junior Beau Davidson, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the Mean Green’s loss to Louisiana Tech last week. UNT has used three tight ends in its starting lineup this season. Davidson started the first two games of the year before Harmon started the next two. Junior Jimmy Chaney then started the fifth game against Florida International before Davidson regained the starting job against Tech. Harmon entered the game as the Mean Green’s leading receiver among UNT’s tight ends with four catches for 64 yards. UNT has struggled to match the production in the passing game it received from its tight ends last season when Andy Blount finished second on the team with 30 catches for 427 yards and five touchdowns. Quinn extends catch streak UNT wide receiver Johnny Quinn didn’t waste any time in extending his streak of games with at least one reception during the Mean Green’s game against LSU. The junior snagged a 5-yard pass from quarterback Daniel Meager on UNT’s first drive of the game, giving him a catch in 32 straight games. Quinn’s streak ranked No. 10 among receivers playing at Division I-A schools heading into the weekend. He finished with five catches for 58 yards. Trick punt costly for UNT UNT saw a bit of trickery backfire on its first drive against LSU. The Mean Green drove from deep in their own 18-yard line to the LSU 45, where they faced fourth-and-3. UNT lined up as if it would go for the first down, but had quarterback Daniel Meager try to pooch kick the ball to pin the Tigers deep in their own end of the field. The plan proved costly when Meager’s punt only traveled 14 yards. Briefly … Nick Bazaldua’s 50-yard field goal in the second quarter was just the 16th in Mean Green history of at least 50 yards. The kick was the second longest of Bazaldua’s career and his season long. The senior kicked a 51-yard field goal last season in a win over New Mexico State. … UNT spent two timeouts on its first possession of the game. … UNT caught a break in the third quarter when LSU kicker Chris Jackson missed a 47-yard field goal at the end of the Tigers first possession of the second half. BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .

UNT Last week: LSU 56, UNT 3 Up next: vs. La.-Lafa- yette, 6 p.m. Saturday Any injuries? Safety Steve Warren (concussion) and LB Brandon Monroe (knee) missed the LSU game. RB Patrick Cobbs aggravated a sore right ankle and played sparingly after the first quarter. DB Roderick Cotton (ankle) was limited. News and notes: UNT was outscored 204-26 in its four nonconference games. ... QB Daniel Meager finished with a season-high 13 completions. ... The crowd of 88,887 at Tiger Stadium was the largest to see a UNT game. ... UNT has been outscored 41-2 in the first quarter. ... Jamario Thomas finished with a season-high 83 rushing yards. Brett Vito

NCAA Football Boxscore - North Texas at L-S-U Attendance: 88,887 Final 1 2 3 4 Score North Texas 0 3 0 0 3 (7) L-S-U « 14 14 7 21 56 Preview | Log | Matchup | Wrap | Box 1st Quarter L-S-U Touchdown - 3-yard run by Joseph Addai. (Colt David kick). 11:32 Remaining. L-S-U Touchdown - 23-yard run by Shyrone Carey. (Colt David kick). 2:06 Remaining. 2nd Quarter L-S-U Touchdown - 1-yard run by Shyrone Carey. (Colt David kick). 11:41 Remaining. L-S-U Touchdown - 15-yard pass JaMarcus Russell to Dwayne Bowe. (Colt David kick). 4:27 Remaining. North Texas Field Goal - 50-yarder by Nick Bazaldua. 0:06 Remaining. 3rd Quarter L-S-U Touchdown - 1-yard run by Justin Vincent. (Colt David kick). 0:33 Remaining. 4th Quarter L-S-U Touchdown - 49-yard pass from Matt Flynn to Xavier Carter. (Colt David kick). 13:51 Remaining. L-S-U Touchdown - 40-yard pass from Matt Flynn to Early Doucet. (Colt David kick). 9:53 Remaining. L-S-U Touchdown - 6-yard pass from Matt Flynn to Early Doucet. (Colt David kick). 3:28 Remaining. Final Team Statistics North Texas L-S-U First Downs 12 25 Rushes - Yards 30-105 36-183 Passing Yards 101 383 Return Yards 27 63 Passing (Att-Comp-Int) 29-13-1 28-24-1 Punts - Average 8-32.9 1-35 Fumbles - Lost 0-0 1-0 Penalties - Yards 5-55 12-118 Time of Possession 29:13 30:47 Individual Statistics Passing North Texas Att Comp Yards Int TD Daniel Meager 28 13 101 1 0 Matt Phillips 1 0 0 0 0 L-S-U Att Comp Yards Int TD JaMarcus Russell 21 17 244 1 1 Matt Flynn 7 7 139 0 3 Rushing North Texas Att Yards Average TD Jamario Thomas 26 83 3.2 0 Patrick Cobbs 3 21 7.0 0 Daniel Meager 1 1 1.0 0 L-S-U Att Yards Average TD Justin Vincent 12 70 5.8 1 Shyrone Carey 8 44 5.5 2 Jacob Hester 5 29 5.8 0 JaMarcus Russell 3 14 4.7 0 Skyler Green 2 11 5.5 0 Joseph Addai 3 7 2.3 1 Matt Flynn 1 6 6.0 0 Kevin Steltz 1 3 3.0 0 Team 1 -1 -1.0 0 Receiving North Texas Rec Yards Average TD Johnny Quinn 5 58 11.6 0 Robert Harmon 2 13 6.5 0 Joel Nwigwe 2 24 12.0 0 Brandon Jackson 2 1 0.5 0 Patrick Cobbs 1 3 3.0 0 Charles Brown 1 2 2.0 0 L-S-U Rec Yards Average TD Craig Davis 5 97 19.4 0 Skyler Green 3 30 10.0 0 Dwayne Bowe 3 51 17.0 1 Shyrone Carey 2 18 9.0 0 Bennie Brazell 2 24 12.0 0 Early Doucet 2 46 23.0 2 Xavier Carter 2 63 31.5 1 Justin Vincent 1 10 10.0 0 David Jones 1 15 15.0 0 Keith Zinger 1 17 17.0 0 Jacob Hester 1 6 6.0 0 Mit Cole 1 6 6.0 0 Kicking North Texas FGMade FGAtt Long EPMade EPAtt Nick Bazaldua 1 2 50 0 0 L-S-U FGMade FGAtt Long EPMade EPAtt Chris Jackson 0 1 0 8 8

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted on Sun, Oct. 30, 2005 Mean Green: not all bad By JEFF WILSON STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER BATON ROUGE, La. -- The outcome was as expected, an LSU victory and another North Texas nonconference loss. But don't dismiss the final margin as another lost cause. LSU 56, North Texas 3 doesn't fully represent the performance of the Mean Green's offense Saturday night at Tiger Stadium. For three quarters, that beleaguered unit looked as good as it has in seven games as UNT heads into its most critical stretch of the season. The nation's worst offense sustained drives, turning in its second-longest possession of the season (5:11). Quarterback Daniel Meager completed a season-high 13 passes. The running game averaged 5.5 yards per carry in the first half. Although UNT gained only 206 total yards, 11 below its average, it had 205 through three quarters for only the third time this season. "We came out and established the run," wide receiver Johnny Quinn said. "When we did that, we were able to be successful in the passing game. The score doesn't reflect it, but offensively we improved." Meager completed 13-of-28 for 101. His interception came after a well-thrown pass bounced of the chest of receiver Joel Nwigwe. UNT coach Darrell Dickey said Meager's effort was another sign the redshirt freshman is improving. "Daniel's really making progress," Dickey said. "He's doing the things we need to do to advance the ball, but we're just not showing the results of it." UNT (2-5) had two possession inside LSU's 10 but came away without points. The Tigers (6-1) blocked a 24-yard field-goal try by Nick Bazaldua in the second quarter, and sophomore running back Jamario Thomas was stopped at the LSU 1 on a fourth-down run late in the third quarter. Thomas had season highs in attempts (26) and yards (83). The nation's leading rusher in 2004, Thomas spelled senior Patrick Cobbs, who left after aggravating an ankle injury in the first half. Cobbs had only three carries for 21 yards. "He's starting to get healthy," Dickey said of Thomas, who has been bothered by a hamstring injury this season. "We've got to get those two guys fresh for our stretch run." The Mean Green has four games remaining. It resumes Sun Belt Conference play at 6 p.m. Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette at Fouts Field. At 2-1, North Texas is a contender for the Sun Belt title, which would be its fifth consecutive crown. "The fact that we did move the ball against the No. 7 team in the nation is a plus," said Quinn, who finished with five catches for 58 yards. "The score just got out of control, and we can't do that going back into conference play." 7. LSU 56, NORTH TEXAS 3 IN THE KNOW BREAKDOWN Why LSU won: The Tigers were sluggish at times but clearly the better team. Quarterback JaMarcus Russell was rarely pressured and the receivers had no trouble finding open space. Why North Texas lost: The Mean Green was "in over our heads," coach Darrell Dickey said. Plays that would have been big gainers against Sun Belt teams were minimized against the Tigers. Notable: The announced crowd of 88,887 was the largest UNT has faced, surpassing the 82,956 in the 2004 opener at Texas. Up next: UNT vs. La.-Lafayette, 6 p.m. Saturday; LSU vs. Appalachian State, 7 p.m. Saturday NORTH TEXAS KEYS TO THE GAME Keep progressing: The offense appears to be regaining its form in time for conference play. North Texas averaged 5.5 yards per carry in the first half. Stay cool: The defense looked overwhelmed by the atmosphere and the opponent on LSU's first drive. But UNT didn't seem shell-shocked thereafter. Avoid injury: Coaches didn't push running back Patrick Cobbs, who aggravated an ankle injury early and didn't play in the second half. Free safety Roderick Cotton (ankle) might miss UNT's next game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jeff Wilson, (817) 390-7953 jwilson@star-telegram.com

Tigers Tame Mean Green In Baton Rouge Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 10/29/2005 Courtesy: Stephen Howard North Texas wrapped up non-conference play in a 56-3 loss at Tiger Stadium. Game Stats BATON ROUGE (10/29/05) – The Louisiana State Tigers roared out to a 25 point halftime lead and never looked back, knocking off the Mean Green 56-3 in front of 88,887 at Tiger Stadium. A pair of LSU (6-1, 4-1) runs put the Mean Green (2-5, 2-1) in a quick 14-0 hole in the first quarter. Tiger running back Joseph Addai punched in from three yards out and Shyrone Carey made it 14-0 on a 23-yard run. Tiger quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell and Matt Flynn did their parts in dispatching the Mean Green. The sophomores combined to throw for 383 yards and four touchdowns, completing 24 of 28 passes. Despite facing one of the top defenses in the nation, the Mean Green offense had one of its top overall performances of the season. Jamario Thomas was able to find running room in the LSU defense, scrambling for a season-high 82 yards. The sophomore even broke loose for a 24-yard run in the second frame. The Mean Green was knocking on the LSU goal line in the second quarter thanks to a 21-yard Joel Nwigwe catch that took North Texas to the seven yard line. However, Tiger defensive tackle Kyle Williams blocked Nick Bazaldua’s 24-yard field goal attempt and gave LSU the ball on its own 36. Safety Aaron Weathers gave the Mean Green new life just before halftime. The sophomore intercepted a JaMarcus Russell pass and returned it 28 yards to the LSU 34-yard line. The interception set up a season-long 50 yard field goal from Bazaldua to bring the score to 28-3. The announced crowd of nearly 90 thousand is the largest to ever see a North Texas football game. The Tiger Stadium faithful eclipsed the previous mark of 82,956 set in the 2004 season opener at Texas. North Texas returns to Sun Belt Conference action when the Mean Green takes on Louisiana-Lafayette at Fouts Field on November 5.

Gone

28-3 at halftime...of course LSU is the 28. Our 3 was a 50 yd fg..we were in the 5 yard line at one time tried a FG and it was blocked.

go to the chat line pinned....last game someone had a radio and kept us updated.

No replies..give a way still available. Just send an email with info on how to contact me if you want it.

To the first to reply... tried this last year and never got to Denton to leave it, hopefully someone in the Arlington/Mansfield area will be able to meet somewhere and and get it.

Preview: North Texas (2-4) at LSU (5-1) 10:50 PM CDT on Friday, October 28, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle 7 p.m., Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La. (KWRD-FM 100.7, KNTU-FM 88.1) Line: LSU by 44 WHAT'S ON THE LINE UNT – The Mean Green is looking to prove it has progressed after lopsided nonconference losses to Kansas State, Tulsa and Louisiana Tech. LSU – The Tigers can extend a four-game winning streak and avoid a letdown after back-to-back wins over Florida and Auburn. WHO'S HOT UNT – Senior RB Patrick Cobbs rushed for 108 yards on 15 carries against Louisiana Tech (7.2 yards a carry). LSU – Junior Chris Jackson kicked a 44-yard field goal to send the Tigers' game against Auburn into overtime and then hit a 30-yarder to win it. WHO'S NOT UNT – Freshman quarterback Matt Phillips completed one pass in four attempts and threw two interceptions after coming on in relief of starter Daniel Meager in a loss to Louisiana Tech. LSU – Colt David missed a 28-yard field goal against Auburn. STAT THAT TELLS THE STORY LSU has outscored UNT, 101-7, in the only two games the teams have played. KEY MATCHUP: UNT RB PATRICK COBBS VS. LSU LB ALI HIGHSMITH Cobbs had one of his most productive games of the season last week. Highsmith is LSU's leading tackler with 43 stops. UNT WINS IF: Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas have a huge night, UNT plays a mistake-free game and LSU makes a series of critical errors. LSU WINS IF: The Tigers avoid a huge letdown after wins over Florida and Auburn. PREDICTED SCORE LSU 52, UNT 10

Basketball: Sun Belt looking for elusive win in NCAA tourney 09:03 AM CDT on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer MURFRESBORO, Tenn. —There might not be a coach in the Sun Belt Conference with a better perspective on how long the league has waited for a win in the men’s NCAA Tournament than Western Kentucky’s Darrin Horn. Horn wears a suit on the Hilltoppers’ sideline these days, but he was a standout senior back in 1995 when WKU knocked off Michigan in the opening round of the Midwest Regional in Dayton, Ohio. The Sun Belt’s men’s league has come up short of repeating that performance in each of the last 10 seasons when its lone representative in the tournament has fallen in the first round. “If you can win in the NCAA Tournament, it separates you,” Horn said. “Only 32 other teams in the country make it that far. It’s one more game and two more days of exposure for your team and the league.” Finding a way to gain that added exposure was one of the key questions the Sun Belt’s men’s coaches addressed during the final session of media days at Middle Tennessee on Tuesday. The league has come close to picking up a win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in two of the last three years before coming up short each time. Louisiana-Lafayette took Louisville to the wire before falling 68-62 last season, while Western Kentucky dropped a 65-60 decision to Illinois in the 2003 season. ULL also had a solid showing against North Carolina State in 2004, falling 61-52. Coaches and officials believe the Sun Belt team’s performance in each of those games is a sign that the conference is coming close to breaking through and moving up in the world of college basketball. “Lets be honest, did Louisville have any bigger challenge than UL-Lafayette until they played Illinois?” Denver coach Terry Carroll said. “No, they didn’t. They gave them a tough game.” While they didn’t make the NCAA Tournament, Denver and Western Kentucky both played in the NIT. WKU knocked off Kent State in the first round before falling to Wichita State. Denver played a tight game with San Francisco in the first round before falling 69-67. UNT coach Johnny Jones attributed the series of close misses to the improving talent in the league that includes Denver center Yemi Nicholson, the Sun Belt’s Preseason Player of the Year. “Denver showed last year that they could compete,” Jones said. “Yemi could make an impact in any league. The Sun Belt is better overall and we have better players. It’s just a matter of time.” Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters believes the time for the league to pick up its first NCAA Tournament win since Horn was sinking 3-point shots for WKU is rapidly approaching. “When you look at our budgets and compare them to some of the teams like Kent that have won in the NCAA Tournament, it shows that we have the resources,” Waters said. “We also have the facilities and the right coaches. We just have to break that ceiling.” Once a Sun Belt team breaks through, higher seeds or extra bids could follow. The Sun Belt’s teams have been decided underdogs against some of the nation’s top teams the last few seasons. “We need to win more non-conference games and put ourselves in a position to get a better seed,” UL-Lafayette coach Robert Lee said. “Any time you are a No. 13 or 14 seed, it makes it very difficult to win a first-round game. For our league to get over the hump we have to win some of those games to get respect on a national level.” The Sun Belt finished 12th in the RPI that measures the strength of a league last season, its highest finish since the end of the 1994 campaign. League officials are hoping that improvement is a sign its men’s teams are about to follow the lead of the Middle Tennessee women. The Lady Raiders upset North Carolina in 2004 and North Carolina State in 2005 during the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Arkansas State lost in the third round of the NIT, while Western Kentucky lost in the first round. “I think it helps us in recruiting to have a team in the league that has won a game in the NCAA Tournament,” UNT women’s coach Tina Slinker said. “It shows that once we get there, that we can win and gives the rest of the teams in the league confidence. We certainly draw from it.” The Sun Belt’s men’s teams hope to have that advantage beginning next season. Tournament headed to Biloxi in 2008 The final three rounds of the Sun Belt Conference basketball tournament will be played in Biloxi, Miss., beginning in the 2008 season, conference commissioner Wright Waters said. The conference tournament has traditionally been played at one Sun Belt venue. The final one-site tournament will take place in Murfreesboro, Tenn., later this season. The tournament will begin having the higher-seeded teams host first-round games before moving to a central site for the final three rounds beginning in 2007, when the tournament will be played in Lafayette, La. The conference will transfer the tournament to the Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi for at least three years beginning in 2008. Waters said the conference chose Biloxi because it is the best centrally located resort destination to host the tournament. “In a perfect world what we would like to have is two neutral sites, one for men and one for women, with lots of people and media coverage,” Waters said. “We need a step between that and where we are now.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .

Freshman to take over as deep snapper 10:31 PM CDT on Thursday, October 27, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle Freshman to take over as deep snapper DENTON – Freshman defensive end/tight end Eddrick Gilmore will take over for Beau Davidson as UNT's deep snapper, coach Darrell Dickey said. Davidson, a junior tight end, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a loss to Louisiana Tech last week. Gilmore took over for Davidson against Tech and secured the job with a solid performance. Coach Dickey: LSU is a big challenge UNT coach Darrell Dickey said that playing LSU will be the biggest challenge the Mean Green has faced during his eight-year tenure with the team. LSU is ranked No. 7 nationally and is comes into its game against the Mean Green on Saturday off of back-to-back wins over Florida and Auburn. "They are good at every position and they are very well coached," Dickey said. "We will have to hope the ball bounces our way a couple of times and fight and scratch to get into the fourth quarter with a chance to win."

Football: UNT to face huge crowd, challenge TE Davidson could be done for season 09:59 AM CDT on Thursday, October 27, 2005 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer North Texas will face a challenge unlike any other it has encountered this season on Saturday when the Mean Green face LSU at Tiger Stadium. As far as UNT’s players are concerned, that task is welcome in some respects. The Mean Green will be decided underdogs — 44-point underdogs to be exact — but UNT will have a chance to play in an environment unlike any other it has experienced so far this season. The Tigers are ranked No. 7 nationally and have drawn the two largest crowds in Tiger Stadium history in the last two weeks. A crowd of 92,664 watched the Tigers beat Auburn 20-17 in overtime last week. That throng was just slightly larger than the 92,402 fans that packed Tiger Stadium for LSU’s 21-17 win over Florida on Oct. 15. “It will be tough to play at their stadium,” Mean Green offensive lineman Jason May said. “It will get loud, but it will be a nice experience for all of us. If you are playing Division I football, you like to play in places like that because of the crazy atmosphere.” UNT has not experienced anything resembling what a night game at Tiger Stadium will be like. The Mean Green played in front of a season-high 46,514 in a loss to Kansas State earlier this year. UNT’s game against LSU was originally scheduled for the first week of the season, but was moved back due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. The change could impact the atmosphere surrounding the game. Instead of facing a team that is just getting started, UNT will take on an LSU squad that has won four straight, including a thrilling win at home last week. LSU trailed Auburn late in the fourth quarter when Chris Jackson kicked a 44-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. Jackson kicked a second field goal in overtime that proved to be the game-winner after Auburn’s John Vaughn bounced a 39-yard field goal attempt off of the upright. The win pushed the Tigers to 5-1 on the season and kept LSU in the hunt for SEC West Division title. LSU coach Les Miles credited the Tigers win in part to the crowd. “It was my first Saturday night here, and it was the first time I have seen anything like that,” Miles said. “I can tell you that it means a lot to our players.” UNT has struggled to a 2-4 start, but has actually found some success on the road. UNT opened the season with a win at Middle Tennessee and beat Florida International on a cold and rainy day in Miami. UNT’s players will have a chance to show what they can do on a larger stage when they take on the Tigers in yet another road game. “This is going to be the toughest team we have faced so far this year,” UNT linebacker Phillip Graves said. “We are going to have to execute and try to stay with them. To do that we are going to have to play to the best of our ability and cut out all of our mistakes.” Davidson could be out for season UNT found out early this week that it will be shorthanded for its game against LSU – and likely the rest of the season. Junior tight end Beau Davidson injured his shoulder in the Mean Green’s loss to Louisiana Tech last week and is likely out for the rest of the season, UNT coach Darrell Dickey said Wednesday. Safety Steve Warren and linebacker Brandon Monroe are also expected to miss the Mean Green’s game against LSU. Warren is out with a concussion while Monroe will miss the game due to a knee injury. Dickey said additional players could miss the game, depending on how they recover from injuries in practice this week. “We are losing guys at the wrong time,” Dickey said. Davidson started three games for the Mean Green and caught one pass for six yards. Monroe has battled injuries throughout the season. The sophomore missed the majority of two-a-days with a pulled hamstring and has been in and out of the lineup. He has started three games, including last week’s loss to Louisiana Tech, and ranks third on the team with 45 tackles. Warren has risen through the ranks of UNT’s defensive backs as a freshman and started his first game last week against Tech when he finished with two tackles. The former Burleson standout has 11 tackles on the year. BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com

It would seem with him at Syracuse and Blinn CC before coming to NT he should be a Sr. but the 2005 medial guide shows him as a Jr. (which doesn't mean it is correct). Just looked up the 2004 medial guide which also shows him as a Jr. I can see where Britt could make this mistake.

Brett Vito: Sun Belt, WAC vastly different conferences 08:35 AM CDT on Monday, October 24, 2005 Brett Vito Louisiana Tech had just gotten done running over North Texas on Saturday when Bulldogs coach Jack Bicknell stopped to ponder the difference between the WAC and the Sun Belt. “I think the WAC is a very good conference,” Bicknell said. “If you look at what the WAC teams have done compared to those in the Sun Belt, there’s no comparison. That’s not to say anything bad about the Sun Belt, but the WAC is an established conference that’s had some success against some very good teams.” For a short time just a few months ago, it appeared as if UNT might leave the Sun Belt to become a member of that far-flung league. The WAC expressed interest in UNT after the school’s failed bid to join Conference USA. After a few weeks that saw several scenarios bantered about, UNT stayed in the Sun Belt while their former conference mates Utah State, Idaho and New Mexico State headed to the WAC. The moves were probably the best for everyone involved when it comes to geography, but there seems to be little doubt as to what teams ended up in a better football league, especially after Tech’s performance against the Mean Green. The Bulldogs shut out UNT in the first half and coasted to a 40-14 win at Aillet Stadium in the Mean Green’s first game against a current member of the WAC since its decision to stay in the Sun Belt. UNT’s loss became just another setback in a dismal non-conference season for the SBC, which has combined to win a grand total of one non-conference game against a Division I-A team this season, despite 23 shots at it. If it was not for Middle Tennessee’s stunning win over Vanderbilt, the league would be zero for the year. That record can be attributed in part to a host of road games against traditional powers, but one would think the league would manage at least a few wins outside of conference play. The stage certainly seemed set coming into the season. The Sun Belt won nine non-conference games last season, the most for league since it starting its Division I-A football ventures back in 2001. Troy beat Missouri and Marshall, went to the Silicon Valley Football Classic and produced an NFL first-round draft pick in defensive end in Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Ware. UNT turned out a second straight national rushing champion in Jamario Thomas, who followed Patrick Cobbs. The league hoped to build on that momentum this year, but has watched its top program in North Texas struggle and nearly everyone take a step back when it comes to non-conference play. Louisiana-Monroe is in first place in the league standings with a 3-0 record, but fell to Division I-AA Northwestern State in its season opener. UNT knew when it joined the Sun Belt in 2001 that there would be some growing pains that go along trying to help build a new league. That fact didn’t change when the conference realignment puzzle was finally put together. UNT didn’t get into C-USA like it had hoped and stayed put in the Sun Belt to try and grow its program in a regionally based league instead of sending its athletes west on a repeated basis. UNT’s reasoning was solid, but it also left the Mean Green the challenge of trying to grow in the Sun Belt, which has struggled to take a step forward this season. As Bicknell pointed out, the WAC has certainly fared better. Fresno State is ranked among the top 25 teams in the country. There is little doubt the Sun Belt has been good for the Mean Green. UNT has won the league title and played in the New Orleans Bowl in four straight seasons. Despite a slow start, UNT is still very much in contention for a fifth straight title in a league the Mean Green are trying to advance. That process has been painful at times. One of those times came on Saturday. Tech dominated that game. In the process it also provided the Sun Belt another reminder of just how much work the league still needs to reach its goals of moving up the ranks of Division I-A conferences. BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .

Tight end Davidson could be out for season 11:39 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – Junior tight end Beau Davidson is probably out for the remainder of the season because of a shoulder injury, coach Darrell Dickey said. Davidson is one of three players injured in the loss to Louisiana Tech who will miss Saturday's game at LSU. Safety Steve Warren is out with a concussion, and linebacker Brandon Monroe has a knee injury. Briefly ... Saturday's Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships have been moved from Miami to Bowling Green, Ky., in the wake of Hurricane Wilma.

Underclassmen help UCF go from winless season to first place 09:19 PM CDT on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News Want to learn how to rebuild a football program? Watch Central Florida. The Golden Knights, 0-11 in 2004, are two wins away from becoming bowl eligible and are tied for first place with Southern Miss in the Eastern Division. "Everybody that I've talked to said UCF is the most talented team in this league," said East Carolina coach Skip Holtz, whose team meets UCF on Saturday. "They keep things very simple and run the ball. They will make you stop it, and as soon as you do, they will get some matchup [advantages] with their big receivers." In the preseason, UCF was picked to finish last in the Eastern Division with East Carolina. The key to the turnaround was coach George O'Leary's ability to get younger players to make an impact. A total of 23 freshmen or sophomores have started this season. UCF has only 10 seniors on its roster. Freshman running back Kevin Smith carried 18 times for 113 yards and one touchdown in last week's 34-24 win over Tulane. He also threw for one score. The Golden Knights also didn't look for some fancy offensive scheme like the spread to score points. UCF runs a basic multiple offense that uses the running game to establish itself. "We've been as balanced as the defense allows us to be," said O'Leary, whose team is 4-3 overall and 3-1 in conference. "I still believe you have to run the ball on any down and that's pretty much what we like to do." Player of the Year down to two: The conference's offensive player of the year award is probably down to a two-man race: Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams and UAB quarterback Darrell Hackney. Williams, who won the award last season, leads the conference in all-purpose yards (194.3), rushing yards (187) and scoring (12 touchdowns). Hackney is tops in passing yards (306.3), total yards (323.7) and passing efficiency (153.5). The teams meet Nov. 1 at Memphis on ESPN2. Bowl picture clearing up: With almost a month left to play, the conference has six teams in contention for bowl berths. Tulsa and UT-El Paso need one win to clinch bowl eligibility, and Southern Miss, UCF, Memphis and Houston are two wins away. The conference has five bowl tie-ins and sent five teams to bowl games last season. Briefly: Memphis' DeAngelo Williams, who leads the nation with 1,309 yards rushing, moved to fourth on the NCAA's all-time all-purpose yardage list with 6,858. ... Rice (0-6), whose 12-game losing streak is the nation's longest, hosts UTEP (5-1) on Saturday. ... UTEP receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins has caught a touchdown pass in five straight games and 14 of the last 16. E-mail cwatkins@dallasnews.com

Sun Belt anticipated a brighter outlook Two teams had bowl bids in 2004; one will be a challenge this year 09:25 PM CDT on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – The Sun Belt began its season hoping to build on a breakout 2004 season in which the conference sent two teams to bowl games for the first time. Right now the Sun Belt would settle for one team reaching the six-win plateau and becoming bowl eligible. The goal is no longer a foregone conclusion because of a tough year in nonconference play and unprecedented competitive balance within the league. "I think we will have someone get to six wins," Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters said. "It's important for the league for someone to get there, but it's something you can't control." The Sun Belt's teams have surrendered that control during a dismal nonconference campaign. So far the conference's teams have combined to post a 1-22 mark against other Division I-A teams with four out-of-conference games left on the league's schedule. The Sun Belt's overall out-of-conference mark is 5-23. The Sun Belt wanted to avoid a dismal nonconference performance this season by building on what it accomplished last season and adding Florida Atlantic and Florida International – a pair of schools that moved from Division I-AA and showed potential. FAU upset Hawaii and reigning Sun Belt champion North Texas last season. The Florida contingent was supposed to strengthen a core that included UNT and Troy. The Mean Green played in the New Orleans Bowl, and Troy played in the Silicon Valley Football Classic. So far no team in the league has been able to match what UNT or Troy accomplished in 2004. Louisiana-Monroe is the last unbeaten team in Sun Belt play at 3-0, but it lost all four of its nonconference games. Sun Belt coaches attribute the slow start to tough nonconference schedules that can make cracking the six-win barrier a challenge. Most teams in the Sun Belt play multiple games on the road against more established teams to earn guaranteed paydays that fund their program. FAU has played at Kansas, Minnesota and Louisville and has hosted Oklahoma State. "That's the way it has always been," Middle Tennessee coach Andy McCollum said. "We all start the season with tough schedules. Once we get into conference play, there is no room for error." UNT overcame those challenges to win four straight league titles, but its streak could end after a 2-4 start. If the Mean Green or another team does not win six games, the Sun Belt would have to petition an NCAA committee to go to the New Orleans Bowl, which hosts the conference champion. "The rules say that if the champion doesn't have six wins, then the bowl committee can take another team," Waters said. "We would petition to have the league champion be eligible to an NCAA committee, but you never know what might happen with that committee." E-mail bvito@dentonrc.com

UNT-LSU share numerous connections 09:31 PM CDT on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle UNT will face LSU for only the third time in Saturday, but the teams share several connections. UNT head coach Darrell Dickey was an assistant at LSU from 1991 to '93, when he coached tight ends. Mike Bugar, UNT's defensive line coach, was the Tigers' defensive coordinator during the same period. UNT strength coach Chris Seroka spent his last three years in a term that lasted from 1991 to '94 as LSU's strength coach. Mean Green graduate assistant coach Thomas Dunson was a backup linebacker at LSU in 1998-99. UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal coached LSU's tight ends and was its director of football operations from 1991 to '95.

*********************************************************** I have the utmost respect for the players and have not blamed them for the problems we have this year. 1. OL I have spent considerable time looking at the OL recruits from 2000 to 2004..we recruited 18 OLmen, 8 of them were complete busts, another 4 were JC's who played their two years and are gone...but during those years we won conference at least. That left only 5 players to carry over until this year...two transfers from other colleges that joined the team in the spring, and the true freshmen. If there was even a question that we needed experienced linemen to come in and help then we should have recruited some JC OL transfers last recruiting season. 2. QB...yes it was terrible to lose Smith, as a person and as a QB. That left Byerly and freshmen going into the off season and Byerly had only a few series in 2004.....we had no experienced QB's returning and we knew this before recruiting season last year. Yes we went after Zac Taylor and didn't get him. But the fact is that we did not recruit and sign an experienced JC QB. Who makes this decision....that is where the buck stops, and we are experiencing the result. I am looking at the DL recruiting from 2000 to 2004 and will post my results in another post. But we had to replace our entire DL this season, and the two DT's we thought would be #1 and #2...one we lost to grades, another had medical problems and has not responded. Our DL is less experienced and undersized. Again we knew we had to replace the entire starting DL and we only recruited 1 undersized JC DLman. More on this after I complete my analysis. That leaves Offensive play calling questions for another day. These are all just my opinions TO ANSWER THE ANTICIPATED QUESTION...NO I DID NOT NOT PLAY COLLEGE BALL NOR AM I A COACH. I graduated from North Texas State College way back in 1957 and have been a follower of NT sports for the last 48 years and still follow them, just like many of the older and respected posters on this board. I have only one question for the parents of players on this team. Will you be a supporter of NTS 40 some odd years from the date your son graduates? I am glad your son is on our team, I believe he will receive an outstanding education at NT. I won't be here 40 years from now but it is my hope that you and the other parents of NT football players WILL BE and W ILL BE still supporting NT along with you son.

"We've made some strides but we have miles and miles to go" NT Coach DD said. "our players have done a good job keeping a positive attiitude, but we know what we're up against this weekend. Tech has a very good program and we've got our work cut for us coming in there as huge underdoges". defeatist attitude?

For those calling for Phillips to come in, 4 passes with 2 interceptions is not a good indication. Maybe our players just don't care very much about winning. That means some really poor choices were made in the recruiting process. The result: we have reached rock bottom. I'm pretty sure we could see some dramatic improvement if the players' attitudes and expectations changed. I don't know how someone could live with themselves repeatedly going out like this. I would get tired of it. It was not that anyone expcted Phillips to be better than Meager but to get some experience in case something happened to Meager...who has a history of injury. Watched the Missouri and Nebraska game on TV Saturday...Mo has a great QB, the score was Mo 31-Neb 24...(something like that ...not a blow out or big loss).ie Neb could still win the game. The MO coach put in a QB who had not played a down of college football for a couple of series..and the announcers said he told them he was doing this to give him some experience in case of injury to his starter. **************************************************************** I don't blame the players for our problems....its the style of play DD plays. When he came he made no attempt to run an offense based on the abilities of his players that he had. He made the existing players change to his style even though they were recruited for different qualities. Even Nebraska...the leader in smash mouth running football has changed its style of play. They found out when they got behind they could not come back. DD mentioned that this weekend when he said our offense is not built to make large plays and play catch up. Have you noticed HS and college QB's changing the play at the line of scrimmage based on what the defense showed? Scott Hall, a 5th year Sr. did not have that option he could change the play from left side to right side, but not the play itself. I doubt if our QB's can do even this...when have you seen our QB change a play at the line of scrimmage...yet it happens everything in college football. Our QB problems I blame on DD. I know he was depending up Smith to be his QB, but he died before last season. He had the change to recruit a JC QB, Actually he would get Zac Taylor (who starts for Neb) and wound up not recruiting a JC QB with game experience. Then he gave Byerly in spring training, the majority of snaps....did they check on his academic progress? That left Meager.

If you watch him he will have something placed in the between the belt of his pants and his shirt that he pulls out and looks at every now and then.