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He was once among the hottest names in college football coaching circles, with a potential path to one day coach his alma mater, Oklahoma. Two years later, Seth Littrell remains at North Texas as he prepares for its final game of the year in what will likely be the Mean Green’s second straight losing season. Read more here: https://www.star-telegram.com/article247751335.html#storylink=cpy

TCU assistant Doug Meacham will interview at North Texas for the open head coaching position as one of two finalists, according to a person familiar with the interview schedule. North Carolina assistant Seth Littrell is the other finalist. Meacham has been the offensive coordinator at TCU the past two seasons. He was hired from Houston, where he was offensive coordinator, to install the Air Raid offense for the Horned Frogs and brought in Sonny Cumbie from Texas Tech as co-offensive coordinator. Under Meacham and Cumbie, the TCU offense has been one of the best in the country, and quarterback Trevone Boykin has been a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2014 and 2015 after spending the previous two seasons at running back and wide receiver. The Horned Frogs are 22-3 the past two seasons. read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/texas-christian-university/article46934515.html Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/texas-christian-university/article46934515.html#storylink=cpyread more:

North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal interviewed Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley this week for the Mean Green’s open head football coaching vacancy, according to a university official. It’s unclear whether Riley was the first candidate to be interviewed, but he was the most recent from a list of candidates that is believed to include Arizona State offensive line coach Chris Thomsen, the former head coach at Abilene Christian, and Texas A&M offensive coordinator Steve Spavital. Villarreal is also expected to inquire about the interest of TCU co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham or Sonny Cumbie. The 32-year-old Riley is in his first season with Oklahoma after spending five seasons as East Carolina’s offensive coordinator. Before that, Riley was an offensive assistant at Texas Tech. He is considered one of college football’s bright, young offensive minds. In Riley’s up-tempo spread scheme, the Sooners are averaging more than 530 yards a game and 45 points, including 60 the past three games. read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/football/article43462332.html Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/football/article43462332.html#storylink=cpy

North Texas coach Dan McCarney, already excitable when it comes to the subject of his football team, turned his annual National Signing Day news conference into a stem-winder. Quarterback has become his Niagara Falls topic. He is resolved to fixing instability at the position. Three started there last season and all, in the estimation of the coach, performed below average during a 4-8 campaign. Youre damn right were not good enough, said McCarney on Wednesday at Apogee Stadium. We werent productive, we werent consistent and we didnt play good enough at the quarterback position to get this program where it should be every season. Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/football/article9305711.html#storylink=cpy

Although Texas is 9-0 against UNT and has won the last three meetings (2002, 2004, 2006) by a combined margin of 148-7, Strong said he has a healthy respect for a Mean Green squad that posted a better record last season (9-4) than the Longhorns (8-5). Strong downplayed the significance of sending a statement to fans with a lopsided victory over a 24-point underdog in his debut in Austin. “Winning 3-0 would be good for me, just as long as I get that first win,” said Strong, who acknowledged being upbeat about his first game-day atmosphere in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. “I’m excited about the tradition. Then, I had to take a step back and realize I’ve got to go win this football game or I might not be enjoying it very long.” Tailback Johnathan Gray, a former Aledo standout, said the Longhorns view UNT as “a great team” coming off a bowl victory, but cornerback Quandre Diggs indicated the sentiment is not universal. “We want to be tough, be physical and beat guys down,” Diggs said. “That’s what we’re supposed to do and what we plan on doing.” Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/08/25/6067187/texas-depth-chart-still-in-flux.html Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/08/25/6067187/texas-depth-chart-still-in-flux.html#storylink=cpy

Shortly after he became the president of Baylor University, one of the first pieces of advice Ken Starr received was from a prominent member of the schools board of regents. Starr was told the key to building a great school was to win football games. Only in America does this make perfect sense. From Georgetown to Colgate to Michigan to Texas, ballgames are the best way to build an institution of higher learning. Since Starr took over in June 2010, Baylor has won football games. The Bears are 36-16 the past four years. Bet every dollar you have ever had and will have that Baylors donations and applications are at an all-time high in these past four years. This week, Baylor opens its latest toy, the $250 million McLane Stadium, where fans can watch in great comfort big games against Northwestern State, Lamar and Incarnate Word, among others. Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/08/18/6051708/college-athletics-sold-its-soul.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

That list includes running back Joe Bergeron, defensive back Chevoski Collins and running back Jalen Overstreet. Also bounced from the program, Strong said Sunday, are receivers Montrel Meander and Kendall Sanders, who were charged with second-degree felony sexual assault in July. Two other players were dismissed last spring. Combined with the departure of linebacker Kendall Thompson, a senior who was shifted to a medical scholarship because of recurring injuries, the Longhorns 2014 roster looks a lot thinner at receiver, running back and defensive back than it did last month. A case could be made that Strongs team has enough concerns that Texas, an 8-5 squad last season, will be hard-pressed to retain its No. 24 ranking in the coaches preseason poll through its nonconference schedule of North Texas (9-4 last season), Brigham Young (8-5) and UCLA (10-3). The UNT game, in fact, could be a rude awakening for Texas new regime if oft-injured quarterback David Ash is not on top of his game in the Aug. 30 opener. Just dont try to sell that idea to Strong, who will not embrace lack of depth, in light of recent player departures, as an excuse for poor play in August and September. Its not like, because we suspended guys, were going to walk into this camp like we dont have anybody. We have players, Strong said. Now, its a matter of us developing them. Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/08/03/6015994/strong-optimistic-longhorns-can.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Lone Star State breakdown The expenses and revenues for the 12 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in Texas in 2012. UT San Antonio becomes a full FBS school in 2014. School Expenses Revenue Profit/loss Texas $27.7 $109.4 $81.7 Texas A&M $18.1 $53.8 $35.7 Texas Tech $15.4 $34.6 $19.2 Baylor $20.3 $26.2 $6.0 UTEP $8.7 $11.8 $3.1 North Texas $6.5 $8.2 $1.7 TCU $31.2 $32.5 $1.3 Houston $8.5 $8.5 $0 SMU $14.6 $14.6 $0 Rice $10.7 $10.7 $0 UT San Antonio $6.2 $6.2 $0 Texas State $5.6 $5.6 $0 (2012 figures; In millions) Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/12/17/5427172/expenses-rise-in-business-of-college.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Once at the bottom of the garbage can of FBS teams in Texas, the Mean Green are in the process of remaking their image and are now in a bowl game for the first time in ... 45 years. Wait, that's not right - it just feels like it. The last time UNT was in a bowl was 2004, and this appearance snaps a nine-year drought - the sixth-longest in the nation. "There is no such thing as a bad bowl game," McCarney said on a conference call Sunday night. First of all, that's a load. There are tons of bad bowl games, but McCarney is right in this case. There is no bad bowl for North Texas. The job he has done turning UNT into a winner is not too different than the success he had at Iowa State. Now it's time for a fan base that was broken, disinterested or ambivalent to show up. There is no way the 92,000-seat Cotton Bowl is going to be full for the Heart of Dallas Bowl, but UNT's fan base needs to buy their allotment of tickets and demonstrate to future bowl representatives they will go places to watch their team. Barring another hellish ice storm, the game is too close to skip. Read more: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mac-engel/2013/12/north-texas-fans-you-gotta-show-up-to-the-bowl-game.html

DENTON The North Texas men survived a ragged performance before finally shaking off Oklahoma City in the closing minutes for a 78-70 win in an exhibition game Friday night at the Super Pit. The Mean Green struggled on offense, shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 58.3 percent from the free throw line. This is why you play exhibition games, North Texas coach Tony Benford said. We have some things we need to clean up, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Benford also said the team would have to adjust to new hand-check rules this season, evidenced by an average of almost 1 1/2 called fouls per minute of play. Any contact, and theyre going to call you, Benford said. We have to get better at recognizing that as a team. We have to defend without fouling. Teams across the country are going to have to adjust the way they play. Chris Jones and Jordan Williams led the way for UNT with 16 and 12 points respectively, and Keith Coleman and transfers T.J. Taylor (from Marquette) and Armani Flannigan (from Central Wyoming State) had strong efforts as well. Coleman had 11 points and eight rebounds, Taylor had 10 points and two steals, and Flannigan pulled down 10 rebounds and added six points and a block. Both teams suffered through an offensive drought in the opening period, combining to hit 29.5 percent of their shots from the field and making just 18 field goals in the first half. They combined to shoot just 38.3 percent for the game. Oklahoma City shot more free throw attempts than field goals. Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/11/01/5298776/unt-survives-exhibition-test.html#storylink=cpy

This has not been the easiest last year or so for North Texas head football coach Dan McCarney. The man deserves a break. He suffered a stroke last year, and now recently was in the hospital for another surgery. North Texas said that McCarney had successful surgery last Friday, and is OK. A source said this procedure has nothing to do with the stroke and that McCarney, 59, is fine and back to work. McCarney does not want to be specific about the procedure. Read more: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mac-engel/2013/04/good-news-for-north-texas-football-coach.html Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mac-engel/2013/04/good-news-for-north-texas-football-coach.html#storylink=cpy

In case you forgot about Tony Mitchell, he is still playing college basketball. This isn't a slam on Mitchell, rather to state the obvious - he is off the map. And for those of you who do know who Mitchell is, he told me on Wednesday he is not sure if he will turn pro after North Texas' basketball season ends. Bet hard that he will, and that even after an ish second season at North Texas his background and atleticism say he can still be a high draft pick. His game, athleticism, and background look very similar to Indiana Pacrers All-Star forward Paul George. Stay with me on this. Mitchell is 6-foot-8, 235 and can jump. George is 6-foot-8, 221 and can jump. No one knew who Paul George was when he left Fresno State, and now he is on the verge of becoming a franchise player for the Indiana Pacers.. George (6-8, 221) was the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft. He, like Mitchell, played two college seasons, both at Fresno State. In his second year at FSU, the Bulldogs finished 15-18; George averaged 16.8 points and 7.2 rebounds. Paul George was a second-team all conference player. Read more: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mac-engel/2013/03/the-next-paul-george-may-come-from-north-texas.html

North Texas returns to home base this week relatively unscathed from its excursion into the muck of LSU's swamp, other than a 27-point loss, of course, to the third-ranked team in the country. Rather than the red carpet, awaiting the Mean Green for today's home opener is Texas Southern, a team from the ranks of FCS, and UNT's most distinguished football alum. And coach Dan McCarney's continued scrutiny. The coach's wish list of improvements for this week slipped off his tongue with the unrestrained style of an auctioneer. Unacceptable, the coach said, were missed tackles and drives that went three-and-outs and a fumble and an interception. Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/09/08/4240808/north-texas-looks-to-rebound-after.html

ARLINGTON -- Rookie Lance Dunbar rushed for 105 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown, and Dan Bailey made three field goals in a 30-13 win over Miami in the preseason final Wednesday night at Cowboys Stadium. The final roster cutdown is Friday. Dallas opens the regular season at the New York Giants next Wednesday. In the battle for a backup running back job, Dunbar, second-year man Phillip Tanner and rookie fullback Jamize Olawale had strong games. Dunbar and Olawale played at North Texas. Dunbar had a 27-yard punt return to go along with his 105 yards. Tanner had nine carries for 48 yards and a touchdown. Olawale had seven carries for 53 yards with a long of 24 yards. "Dunbar ran the ball very well," Dallas coach Jason Garrett said. "He's a tough guy." Read more: http://sportsblogs.s...-30-13-win.html