Search the Community

A school-record seven North Texas teams earned a perfect score for the 2017-18 academic year, according to the Academic Progress Rate report released by the NCAA Wednesday. Since the NCAA began reporting APR data in 2005, North Texas has never more than six teams with a perfect score in one academic year. Posting a perfect 1,000 for the 2017-18 season were men's golf, women's golf, men's cross country, women's basketball, swimming & diving, tennis and volleyball. For men's and women's golf, women's basketball, and tennis, this was the seconded year in a row to report a perfect single-year score. Of the 14 teams sponsored by North Texas, 12 improved their single-year score from the previous year. "I'm very proud of our student-athletes for their many records and achievements this year," Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. "We take the greatest pride in their academic success which is reflective of the dedication of our student-athletes, coaches and academic staff. Collectively with the support of our donors and fans, we will continue to build champions and prepare leaders." In the multiyear APR data, eight UNT teams maintained or improved their score from last year's report. The multiyear scores cover a four-year period beginning in the 2014-15 academic year and ending in 2017-18. The NCAA mandates a four-year aggregate score of 900 as acceptable for each sport. The Mean Green tennis team has maintained a perfect 1,000 multiyear score to lead the way, and earn public recognition by the NCAA for being in the top-10 percent nationally. To see how each Mean Green team performed in the APR, find the full report by clicking the link below. https://web3.ncaa.org/aprsearch/aprsearch

RUSTON – After finishing 2018 with seven straight wins, Louisiana Tech will carry that streak into the new calendar year of 2019 when they take on North Texas on Thursday night at 7 p.m. inside the Super Pit. The matchup will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required) with Hank Dickenson and Paul Valamides calling the action. Fans can also listen to the Voice of the Bulldogs Dave Nitz and Jack Thigpen call the game through the LA Tech Sports Network on KXKZ 107.5 FM (Ruston), KJVC 92.7 FM (Mansfield) and KRMD 100.7 FM/1340 AM (Shreveport) as well as on the Louisiana Tech X mobile app. LA Tech (11-3, 1-0 C-USA) opened league action with a convincing 71-56 victory over travel partner Southern Miss this past Saturday. It marked the fifth time in the last six seasons that the Bulldogs began C-USA action with a win. With the win, the Bulldogs ended the month with a perfect 7-0 record, marking the first time since 1971 (and only the fourth time since 1950) that the team went undefeated in December. Sophomore forward Anthony Duruji poured in a season-high 23 points against the Golden Eagles, connecting on a career-tying four three-pointers. It marked his team-leading 10th game in double-digit scoring. Sophomore guard Jacolby Pemberton also connected on a career-high four triples (only had two total last season). Read more: https://latechsports.com/news/2019/1/2/mens-basketball-la-tech-and-north-texas-set-for-showdown-in-denton.aspx

read more: https://www.si.com/college-football/2018/12/04/new-mexico-bowl-north-texas-utah-state-odds-picks-betting-preview

This is great news for the conference and of course for UAB. Clark provides a great accomplishment here for other CUSA coaches and programs to shoot for. http://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-foot...b38g8exgc3

Graham Harrell (North Texas) – An All-American quarterback at Texas Tech from 2005-08, Harrell spent part of his career in Lubbock playing for Holgorsen, who was an assistant at TTU from 2000-07 and the Red Raiders’ co-offensive coordinator from 2005-07. After a stretch as a player in pro football, including three seasons with the Green Bay Packers (2010-12), Harrell got into coaching. He was the outside receivers coach at Washington State in 2014-15, where he worked under his old Texas Tech mentor Mike Leach. In 2016, he became the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at North Texas. This past season he led a Mean Green offense that was 22nd in the FBS in scoring (36.4 points per game) and 15th in total yards (472.8 per game), as UNT finished 9-3. North Texas head coach Seth Littrell is rumored to be in line to replace Bill Snyder at Kansas State, so that could potentially influence Harrell’s decision. read more: https://bluegoldnews.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/a-dozen-of-so-candidates-for-wvus-offensive-coordinator-job/

Utah State (10-2, 7-1 in Mountain West) The Aggies had an amazing year and were a serious New Year’s Six bowl option until they lost on the last day of the regular season to Boise State. That also kept them out of the Mountain West title game, but it shouldn’t distract from them being a quality team. They’re safely in the top 25 in both in human polls and S&P+, with a good offense and a solid defense to back it. Jordan Love, with his 28:5 touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio, is one of the country’s best under-discussed players.They lost head coach Matt Wells to Texas Tech after the regular season, but his players are still here and still good. read more: https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/12/2/17563248/new-mexico-bowl-2018-north-texas-vs-utah-state-where-when-and-team-info

Sat., Dec 15, 2:00 p.m. ET in Albuquerque, NM Three things to know before betting on the New Mexico Bowl: 1. Over the last three seasons, the Mean Green are 0-7 against the spread when playing away from home against teams with a completion percentage of 58% or better. North Texas was also just 0-6 against the spread after games where it forced one or fewer turnovers this season, and covered in only one of its final eight games. Meanwhile, Utah State was an impressive 9-3 against the spread on the year. The Aggies came extremely close to playing in the Mountain West Championship Game, but were unable to earn a big road win against Boise State in the final week of the regular season. One issue this Utah State team is facing is the fact that Matt Wells will not be coaching in this one. Wells agreed to become the new head coach at Texas Tech, and he is bringing offensive coordinator David Yost with him. But Frank Maile—who will be in charge of this team until Gary Andersen comes back for his second stint with Utah State—knows that he’s best off not changing anything here. Wells’s up-tempo spread system is the reason Utah State was so good this year, and that is the team’s biggest advantage against North Texas. read more: https://www.si.com/college-football/2018/12/04/new-mexico-bowl-north-texas-utah-state-odds-picks-betting-preview

When Arkansas State athletics director Terry Mohajir went to hire a football coach six years ago for a program that had been a reliable launching pad to the Power Five, he looked to the staff of one of the most profitable athletic departments in the country. At the time, Texas offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin wasn’t just a highly regarded rising assistant in college football, he was also attainable for a Sun Belt program whose total athletic budget is roughly one-fifth of schools like Texas. “He was making ($700,000) and that was pretty high,” Mohajir said. “It was pretty good money, but I was able to pay him more to be a head coach.” Fueled by an explosion in the cost of hiring and retaining top-level assistants, however, the economics of grooming the next generation of head coaches has been turned on its head in less than a decade. Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/columnist/dan-wolken/2018/12/05/college-football-assistant-coaches-salaries/2206867002/

While Brent Venables is the top name on many K-State fans’ wish lists, North Texas coach Seth Littrell has arguably been the most rumored replacement for Bill Snyder Why Seth Littrell? Littrell is one of the hottest names among mid-major coaches right now. He’s been mentioned either seriously or in passing for every open head coaching job this offseason. As Bill Connelly wrote in his North Texas preview before this season: But why is he so coveted? Littrell inherited the North Texas coaching job from former Iowa State coach Dan McCarney. McCarney had led the oft-hapless Mean Green to nine wins in his third season in 2013, but managed to win only four of his next 17 games and found himself unemployed after registering an 0-5 start in 2015. The Mean Green finished 1-11 that season, but Littrell spun the culture around, winning five games in 2016 and nine in 2017. He led them to nine wins again this year, and may have 10 if he stays on and beats Utah State in the New Mexico Bowl. So he’s a winner, and he’s also young. At 40, Littrell is one of the youngest coaches listed among likely Snyder replacements. read more: https://www.bringonthecats.com/?_gl=1*n7r7xn*

Re: New Mexico bowl is official Post by Aggie84025 » Today, 1:52 pm With Wells leaving and us losing to boise as well, I think this is a good spot. I am just thankful it is not the potato bowl. While the drive is short it is just not intriguing to me. North Texas is a good team and will be a real tough opponent. If we had our full staff here I would feel confident about this game, but with a depleted staff I am worried about a let down. Hopefully the players are motivated to go and perform well. Had a great time we played there a few years ago. USU Fan Forum LINK

Utah State rode a high-scoring offense and a disruptive defense to several weeks in the national polls and 10 wins during the regular season. The Aggies (10-2) will try to carry that momentum into the postseason. Utah State will face North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 15, as first reported by Stadium Network's Brett McMurphy. Game time is noon MST (ESPN) at Dreamstyle Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Utah State has played in the New Mexico Bowl once before, beating UTEP 21-6 there in 2014. "This is a tremendous opportunity for our program. It is a fantastic reward for all of the hard work and dedication that our players have put in, from all the offseason workouts, to watching film to the practice field. I am so happy for them," Utah State interim head coach Frank Maile said in a team press release. "We are excited to represent Utah State University, Cache Valley and Aggie Nation at the New Mexico Bowl." North Texas (9-3) finished second in the Conference USA West Division this season and ended the regular season winning five of its final seven games. The Mean Green are making their third straight bowl game appearance. Read more: https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900044784/report-utah-state-to-face-north-texas-in-new-mexico-bowl.html

DENTON - North Texas has accepted an invitation to play in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 15 at Dreamstyle Stadium in Albuquerque against Mountain West foe Utah State. “Conference USA has had a great relationship with the New Mexico Bowl and we are honored to be representing the league, the entire UNT community and the North Texas region in a postseason bowl game,” North Texas Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. “Coach Littrell, this coaching staff and these student-athletes have raised the level of expectations for this program. Playing in our third consecutive bowl game is something everyone associated with this university should take pride in.” The Mean Green continue their streak of consecutive bowl appearances under head coach Seth Littrell, posting a 9-3 regular season record. Littrell guided UNT to its second-ever back-to-back seasons with nine wins (1977-78) and the Mean Green have an opportunity to win 10 games for the third time in program history. This will be the 11th bowl game in North Texas history and third straight after playing in the 2017 R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl and the 2016 Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl. It will be the eighth bowl game for UNT in the last 18 years, and this is the Mean Green’s first trip to the New Mexico Bowl. “We are excited to be playing in the New Mexico Bowl against a very good opponent in Utah State,” Head Coach Seth Littrell Said. “Albuquerque is an easy travel destination for our fans and alumni and I know this team is excited to play in front of a national audience on ESPN in the very first bowl game of the season. It will be a tremendous challenge but we are excited to get to work.” North Texas was the only team in the Football Bowl Subdivision to never trail by more than one possession in 2018. The Mean Green had another banner year from their quarterback, junior Mason Fine, who has thrown for 3,734 yards with 27 touchdowns to only five interceptions, while also adding two more scores on the ground. The defense took a major step forward in 2018 for North Texas, as it improved its points-per-game allowance by 13.2 ppg and ranked fifth in the country in interceptions with 17. Offensively, The Mean Green are on pace to set a program record in points-per-game, at 36.4. The current record is 36.2, set in 1951. UNT also ranks within the top-25 nationally in 20 major team statistical categories heading into its bowl game. This marks the first time since 2002-2004 that North Texas will play in a bowl game in three consecutive seasons. In those years, North Texas concluded the four-year run in the New Orleans Bowl after winning four consecutive Sun Belt Conference championships. North Texas and Utah State have met seven times, with the Aggies holding a 4-3 edge. The last meeting was in 2004, when the Mean Green knocked off Utah State 31-23 in Logan, Utah. The Aggies finished the 2018 regular season with a 10-2 record and a 7-1 mark in Mountain West play. Following head coach Matt Wells’ departure to Texas Tech last week, the Aggies have tabbed Frank Maile as their interim head coach for the bowl. Bowl tickets are now on sale. For ticket prices and to purchase tickets online from the North Texas Ticket Office, visit MeanGreenPostseason.com. https://newmexicobowl.com/

Many thought something would be announced by Wednesday, when Taylor said he hoped to meet with Snyder and discuss his future. Instead, fans are still nervously checking their phones for updates. Taylor did not return a message seeking comment for this story, and the only statements Snyder has made have been one-liners to reporters camped outside K-State’s football complex. The waiting game has gone on long enough that one news outlet inadvertently posted a pre-written story announcing Snyder’s retirement and quickly took it down. And for North Texas athletic director Wren Baker to take to Twitter and calm fans about the rising speculation that Mean Green coach Seth Litrell is a potential candidate to replace Snyder, if he retires. How did we get here? There are a few explanations. read more: https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/kansas-state/article222501925.html Read more here: https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/kansas-state/article222501925.html#storylink=cpy

Tulsa: Philip Montgomery will return for a fifth season in 2019. “Coach is a good man,” AD Derrick Gragg told the Tulsa World. “He runs a clean program. He’s a player’s coach. They play hard for him. They haven’t quit.” Tulsa went 3-9 in 2018 and is 5-19 overall after going 10-3 in 2016. Source Football Scoop: http://footballscoop.com/the-scoop/

STATS STATS STATS http://www.cfbstats.com/2018/national/index.html Top 25 rankings through Monday, September 10, 2018 OFFENSE Scoring Offense - 11th at 52 ppg Passing Offense - 1st at 457.5 ypg Total Offense - 14th at 568 ypg Field Goals - Tied 1st at 3.5 made pg PAT - Tied 1st 100%, Tied 21st at 5.5 made pg First Downs - 2nd at 33 pg 3rd Down % - 19th at 53.1% Long Scrimmage Yards - Tied 4th of 10+ at 47, Tied 21st of 20+ at 14 Long Punt Returns - Tied 2nd of 20+ at 2, Tied 7th of 30+ at 1 Long Kickoff Returns - Tied 20th of 30+ at 1, Tied 3rd of 40+ at 1, Tied 2nd of 50+, 60+, 70+, 80+, 90+ at 1 DEFENSE Turnover Margin - Tied 18th at 1.5 margin pg (Sacks - just outside tied at 26th at 3 pg) Interceptions - Tied for 15th at 1.5 pg Rushing Defense - Tied at 14th at 74 ypg Total Defense - 20th at 276 ypg Opponent First Downs - 2nd at 10.5 pg Opponent Third Down % - 14th at 24% Opponent Fourth Down % - Tied 1st at 0% Opponent Kickoffs - 20th at 56.25 avg pk Time of Possession - 3rd at 38:45:00 pg Individual Player Rankings Mason Fine - 1st in Passing (431 ypg, 2nd is 40 ypg behind), 2nd in Total Offense (428 ypg, 1st has already played 3 games), Long Passing Plays (3rd 10+, Tied 3rd 20+, Tied 12th 30+) Rico Busseey, Jr. - 12th in Receiving Yardage (118.5 ypg), Long Receiving Plays (Tied 6th 10+, Tied 5th 20+, Tied 17th 30+, Jaelon Darden - 10th in Punt Returns (16.25 avg yppr), Long Punt Return Plays (Tied 3rd 20+, Tied 4th 30+ Cole Hedlund - 1st in Overall Scoring (16 ppg), Tied 1st in Field Goals (3.5 mad pg), Tied 1st in PAT % (100%), Tied 16th in PAT (5.5 made pg) Jalen Guyton - Tied 16th Long Receiving Plays DeAndre Torrey - Tied 2nd, 3rd or 14th in Long Kickoff Return Plays (30+ through 90+ yards) E.J. Ejiya - Tied 16th in Sacks (2), Tied 5th in Tackles For Loss (5), Tied 2nd in Kicks/Punts Blocked (1) Kemon Hall - Tied 3rd in Interceptions (2), Tied 11th for Passes Defended (4)

Broken Arrow coach David Alexander said during spring practice about Roland, "I’ve never had a player come so far as Demeco has. When he was a sophomore when he first got over here after wrestling I didn’t think that he was going to stick it out, sometime after wrestling in April he just decided he wanted to be a good football player. Demeco has transformed his body, he weighs 290, looks like 265. ... He's going to be a breakout guy, there's no doubt about it. He had a great winter, he looks great." Read more: https://www.tulsaworld.com/communities/brokenarrow/high-schools-broken-arrow-s-demeco-roland-commits-to-north/article_5a7842f5-c94b-5754-94b7-16a086736bd7.html

Good thing we have the week off. He took a lot of nasty hits before and AFTER releasing the ball yesterday. We have to get these o-line issues addressed and quickly. Also C-USA refs need to cut this after play crap out or we are going to become a league full of injured QB's.