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Yeah it's been awhile. Like about a decade. From what I can tell the last time we started the season 3-3 was in 2003 under Darrell Dickey. We lost at OU 37-3 We beat Baylor at home 52-14 We lost at Air Force 34-21 We lost at Arkansas 31-7 We beat ULL at home 44-23 We beat Idaho on the road 24-14 We went on after that to win 6 straight games in the Sun Belt for a 9-3 regular season record before losing to Memphis in The New Orleans Bowl 27-17. So we ended the 2003 season 9-4. Could history repeat? GMG

When we last left Conference USA — or at least talked about how the league might shape up a few weeks ago — there were a few safe assumptions one could make. Rice, which won five of its last six and then beat Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl a year ago, would be pretty darn good after returning nearly all of its key players. Tulsa would be at the top of the league just like it always is. Louisiana Tech lost pretty much everyone, including head coach Sonny Dykes to Cal, but has a recent history of success and didn’t seem to be headed for much of a drop-off. And UNT? The Mean Green was largely overlooked and projected to finish in the middle of the pack. Five weeks and a few stunners later, it’s tough to come to any conclusions about C-USA, especially when it comes to the West Division. That’s good news for the Mean Green, which will dive into league play after a much-needed bye on Saturday at Tulane. UNT handled its buy-a-win game at home against Idaho and showed a lot of guts to come back from an 18-point deficit to beat a pretty good Ball State team. A 2-1 start was UNT’s best since resuming playing on the Football Bowl Subdivision level in 1995. What might have been even more encouraging was UNT’s performance last week at Georgia, when the Mean Green was locked in a 21-all tie with the ninth-ranked team in the country early in the third quarter. Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/colleges/north-texas-headlines/20130929-brett-vito-mean-green-could-be-key-player-in-c-usa-race.ece

Mac is 3-2 in games where UNT has had more than 7 days to prepare... In 2011 we lost to Houston 9 days after a Thursday night loss against FIU on the road... In 2011 we defeated Troy on the road after a 14-day layoff with an open week after losing to Ark St. on the road In 2011 We busted up MUTS at home 14-days after a WKU loss at home... In 2012 we won against ULL at home after a 10-day layoff after losing to Houston on the road In 2012 we lost to MUTS on the road after an 11 day layoff after the Tuesday night ULL win at home...

Read more: http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=135&f=1073&t=11956030

I’m back in town after a quick night and an early return flight from UNT’s loss to Ohio. Here are a few thoughts. First a few quick-hitters: – Ohio really shut down UNT’s running game, limiting the Mean Green to 104 yards on 38 carries, an average of 2.7 yards a pop. UNT’s longest run from a running back was 10 yards. Considering the running game is supposed to be a strength, that has to be a concern going forward. – One has to wonder if the book isn’t out on UNT offensively, especially after Ohio limited Brelan Chancellor to one catch for 33 yards. Take Chancellor away, stack the line and make someone else beat you. Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/09/morning-after-thoughts.html/

Offense: A strong, punishing running game that keeps defenses honest. A passing game that throws on first down. A tight end and two receivers other than Chancellor emerge. Quarterback depth is developed so we aren't starting from scratch after DT graduates. Defense: Better outcomes in 3rd and long situations. More sacks. Giving up big passing plays that are earned not just due to coverage errors. A new defensive end and tackle emerge. Take a few chances with the blitz versus allowing long sustained drives which can be demoralizing. Special teams: Better overall athleticism. I don't expect special teams to win games, just not lose them as they did against K-State etc last season. Hope that Macek can be solid. Overall: Would like to see us have a respectable first year in C-USA.

I just don't get it. Berglund is a great athlete with a quick release, gun arm and wheels. He's absolutely picture perfect for what Mac and Chico wants. I understand he lost reps in the spring. But not a mention of him this Fall....? From everything I've read he seems like a very good kid, respectful to his coaches and teammates...hard worker...motivated... In the spring game he got limited reps but showed remarkable speed and arm strength... And yet from Vito's latest report he is running third team and splitting time with a true freshman? Perhaps he is not a great practice player and fares better in the games? I just am trying to comprehend why this guy isn't moving up the depth chart faster especially when the more senior guys have struggled. This is one of the bigger head scratcher personnel things I can remember since following this program...

North Texas knows exactly what it has heading into the season with Brelan Chancellor. The senior is about as proven as a player can be at the college level after three seasons of highlight-reel catches and consistent production that has put him at the top of the scouting report for all of the Mean Green’s opponents. The concern for UNT heading into its Aug. 31 season opener against Idaho isn’t Chancellor — it’s the wide receivers the Mean Green is depending on to complement him. What wide receivers coach Mike Grant has seen during a little more than a week in fall practice has him and his players feeling better about the situation. Darnell Smith, who essentially fell into UNT’s lap last season after walking on following two years at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa, has emerged as a leader and likely starter. The return of Carlos Harris and the addition of transfers Darius Terrell and Carl Caldwell will provide UNT depth, while freshmen Darvin Kidsy and Turner Smiley are players whom UNT plans to develop. “We are going to be a strong group,” Grant said. “Brelan is the center of it, but we have some guys who are coming on.” Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/colleges/north-texas-headlines/20130813-football-unt-working-to-take-heat-off-chancellor.ece

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/855046/dajon-williams

NT wrapped up its first week of camp with its first scrimmage on Saturday. Practice is closed except for the first few minutes when media members can come in and grab a little video or shoot photos. Scrimmages are closed as well, which makes it tough to draw any hard-and-fast conclusions about how UNT is faring. We are essentially relying on the word of the coaches and players. With that being said, there were some interesting developments over the first six days of workouts: The quarterback race is still wide open for competition. Derek Thompson, Brock Berglund and Andrew McNulty (in no particular order) are all still in the hunt. Ironically, the player who seems to have helped himself the most is Dajon Williams, a freshman who seems destined for a redshirt year. Williams could be the future. Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/08/first-week-of-camp-thoughts-record-picks-update.html/

Throwback Uniform to be Revealed at Football Media Day Monday DENTON, Texas – In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of Mean Green football, North Texas will unveil a special throwback uniform at its annual media day Monday, Aug. 12. North Texas will wear the commemorative uniform in its season-opener against Idaho Aug. 31 at Apogee Stadium. The throwback uniform will represent some of the most successful eras in North Texas football history. The uniforms are also a component of the 100-year celebration, which included the naming of the All-Century team. Head Coach Dan McCarney will begin his media day press conference at 1:30, which will be immediately followed by the uniform unveiling. Mean Green players will be available for interviews immediately following. North Texas Football Media Day – Uniform Unveiling Monday, Aug. 12 - 1:30 p.m. Mercer Press Room – 5th Floor of Apogee Stadium

The purpose of this article is not to look at the guys who everyone in Denton will be talking about in UNT 2013 Fall Camp leading to their first season in Conference USA. Those guys are - of course - Brelan Chancellor, Derek Thompson, Brock Berglund, Darius Terrell, Darvin Kidsey, Reggie Pegram, etc... Rather, I would like to focus in on a few of the guys who may not be in the bright spotlight but could very well have a big impact on the success of the program now and in future years. Some are new and some have been around for awhile. This list is certainly not all inclusive. In scanning the updated roster I saw many, many players who have sort of fallen under the radar for various reasons. UNT Head Coach Dan McCarney has been very consistent in terms of signing high school players and redshirting most of them so strength coach Frank Wintrich can do his thing. The exciting thing about this building strategy Mac employs is that it provides you with a lot of wildcard, dark horse candidates to think about and consider as we inch closer to the 2013 season opener against Idaho. Here's a look at 10 guys that I think fit into this category. Read more:

UNTs players report for the beginning of fall camp tomorrow with practice and media day to follow on Monday. We have been talking about how UNTs roster shapes up and some of the key issues the Mean Green faces heading into the fall since the end of spring practice. There is a feeling around UNT that this could be the year the Mean Green turns it around, and that maybe its UNTs last good chance to turn it around after eight straight losing seasons. With so many seniors in key spots, its easy to see why. And that does not even take into account the one-time chance to get off on the right foot in Conference USA. Practice will be closed up tighter than a drum again this year, which means we wont see much, OK any, of the Mean Green before the season opener against Idaho. What issues will UNT be working on behind the scenes? Here are some thoughts: Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/08/unt-players-report-tomorrow-thoughts-notes-entering-camp-part-i.html/

We began a blog series this week looking at some of the key games in UNTs 2013 season. There are a host of games that could make or break the Mean Greens year, just like there is in any season. We started out with UNTs game against UTSA, or as we have decided to call it, the UNT-Fans-Wing-Zone-Green-Koolaid-Suicide-Pact game. We fear a host of UNT fans will gather in the stands at Apogee and elect to leave this mortal coil if the Mean Green (celebrating year 100 of its football program) falls to UTSA (celebrating year three of its football program). That brings us to No. 2 in our countdown: Idaho at UNT, Aug. 31, Apogee Stadium That game might not sound all that interesting, but its historic for UNT in several ways 1. UNT is opening at home, 2. UNT is PAYING a guarantee to get the Vandals to come to town and 3. UNT is making a big deal out of it because it is the first game in its 100th anniversary season. Opening at home, and paying to do it, are departures from the path UNT has followed for more than a decade. UNT hasnt opened at home since 2001. Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/07/a-look-at-unts-key-games-of-2013-part-ii-idaho.html/

Introduction: It's an end of an era. The Western Athletic Conference ceases to exist in terms of college football after the 2012 season. The 1-11, 1-5 Idaho Vandals, one of the last survivors, has become the latest to join the likes of Army, Brigham Young, Navy and Notre Dame as an Independent. Offense: Change is inevitable and Idaho hopes that truism is very much evident in 2013 when the Vandals take a 123rd points in offense and 122nd points in defense to the line of scrimmage. An 84th strength of schedule coupled with new coach Paul Petrino, brother of Bobby, and seven returning offensive starters bodes well. A ranking of 117th in recruiting plus 17 returning starters does not. There's a reason why Idaho stunk on offense and defense and it's simply not the coaching staff's fault. The players were significant culprits so whether a new voice will be able to turn things around will be a tall mountain to climb. Senior wide receiver Najee Lovett returns following reeling in 50 catches for 549 yards and six touchdowns. Junior WR Jahrie Level also returns after a stout 46 balls for 538 yards. Their success hinges on whether the Vandals did indeed improve. Read more: http://sportschatplace.com/college-football/tyrone/2013/june/28/idaho-vandals/