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Here is a Q&A I did with Ronnie Turner from the Houston Chronicle about UNT’s game against Texas Southern: 1. How much did that season-opening win do for Texas Southern? TSU’s 44-41 victory over rival Prairie View A&M provided a huge emotional lift for the program. The Tigers entered the game with a five-game losing streak to Prairie View and were coming off a 4-7 finish in the previous season. First-year coach Darrell Asberry had a successful regular-season debut and gave fans reason to be optimistic about the remainder of the year. The Tigers’ offense showed great promise, racking up 544 yards en route to helping TSU overcome a 20-7 first-quarter deficit. And a normally weak unit, special teams, was very solid, led by senior kicker Robert Hersh, who kicked a game-winning 47-yard field goal as time expired. The defense, however, had its hat handed to it by Prairie View’s potent offense, allowing 500 yards. Defensive coordinator Kevin Ramsey definitely has his work cut out. 2. Does this team look at a game with UNT as a chance to put itself on the map? For TSU, a game such as this provides the best test and opportunity to show the college football world how far the program has come. However, the Tigers are hardly at the strength they’ll need to contend against an FBS program, even one not quite as dominant as North Texas. Plus, TSU’s recent matchups against FBS teams haven’t been kind in the least bit. The Tigers are 0-4 against FBS teams since 2008, having been outscored 245-13 in those matchups. Connecticut was the last FBS team to put a beating on TSU, rolling to a 62-3 victory in 2010. The likely best-case scenario for TSU against North Texas is to keep the outcome respectable and to make sure key players leave Denton as healthy as they arrived. Read more:http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2012/09/7032.html/

Here's a link to their roster: http://athletics.tsu...ball&roster=25 oops no pictures on the 2012 roster - guess we have to use the 2011 one: http://athletics.tsu.edu/roster.aspx?roster=1&path=football

http://www.gomeangreen.com/images/NotesWK2.pdf Courtesy UNT Athletics.

5. TEXAS SOUTHERN JAGUARS (4-7 overall, 2-7 SWAC) COACH: Darrell Asberry (first season at Texas Southern, 40-25 overall) STARTERS RETURNING: 15 (7 offense/8 defense) OFFENSIVE STAR: QB Riko Smalls, Sr. (166-of-316, 2,177 yards, 12 TD, 9 INT; 215 rushing yards, 4 TD) DEFENSIVE STAR: MLB William Parker, Sr. (61 TT, 10.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 3 PBU, 3 PD, 2 FR) OTHER KEY PLAYERS: QB Dantavious Parker, Sr. (10-of-23, 154 yards, 1 TD; missed season due to injury) RB Kendall Denson, So. WR Donnie Davison, Sr. (20 receptions, 256 yards) WR James Davis, Sr. OL Ray Rodriquez, Sr. OL Moses Alvidrez, Sr. OL Marvin Hollie Jr., Jr. OL Kenneth Hall, Jr. OL Kendrick Williams, So. DL Armir Bloom, So. DL Ernest Gilley, Sr. (13 TT, 4.5 TFL, 1 sack, 3 PBU, 3 PD) DE Jamal Baker, So. (24 TT, 5 TFL, 2 sacks) LB Samuel Gordy, Sr. (28 TT, 4.5 TFL, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 3 PD) LB Tyrell Jones, Jr. (29 TT, 5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF) DB Tray Walker, So. (22 TT, 3 INT, 8 PBU, 11 PD, 1 FR) DB Darveon Trahan, So. (33 TT, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD) DB Eric Brown, Sr. PK/P Robert Hersh, Sr. (missed 2011 due to injury) BIGGEST LOSS: DL Marquis Jackson (50 TT, 18.5 TFL, 6 sacks, 5 PBU, 5 PD, 3 FF) OUTLOOK: Texas Southern hopes to quickly forget a seven-loss season a year ago with a new head coach, offense and $95 million stadium. The Tigers hired Asberry from Shaw University to re-energize the program. Asberry is familiar with the SWAC, after his years playing quarterback at Jackson State. Last season, Texas Southern, which is no stranger to strong defense, won its second consecutive FCS total defense title. The defensive line will be without Jackson (transferred to Portland State), but the loss shouldn't hurt too badly because Bloom, Gilley and Baker all resume duties as starters. The Tigers secondary was very young last season. Leading the way was Walker, a freshman who had 11 passes defended with three interceptions, and Derricus Purdy returns after sitting out last season. Similarly, the Tigers missed PK/P Hursh, who also sat out last season due to injury. Parker and Smalls should compete for playing time as the lead signal-caller. Smalls filled in for the injured Parker and didn't miss a beat, passing for 2,177 yards and 12 touchdowns, while rushing for four touchdowns. The offensive line brings back every starter from 2011, but the backfield is a major question mark after it lost Martin Gilbert and Marcus Wright, who accounted for over 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns collectively. SCHEDULE Sept. 1 - vs. Prairie View A&M (Houston) Sept. 8 - at North Texas Sept. 15 - vs. Jackson State Sept. 22 - vs. Alabama A&M Sept. 29 - vs. Sam Houston State Oct. 6 - at Alabama State Oct. 13 - at Southern Oct. 27 - vs. Grambling State Nov. 3 - vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff Nov. 10 - at Alcorn State Nov. 17 - vs. Mississippi Valley State Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/08/15/in-fcs-huddle-2012-swac-preview/#ixzz25TDeiZSG

5. TEXAS SOUTHERN JAGUARS (4-7 overall, 2-7 SWAC) COACH: Darrell Asberry (first season at Texas Southern, 40-25 overall) STARTERS RETURNING: 15 (7 offense/8 defense) OFFENSIVE STAR: QB Riko Smalls, Sr. (166-of-316, 2,177 yards, 12 TD, 9 INT; 215 rushing yards, 4 TD) DEFENSIVE STAR: MLB William Parker, Sr. (61 TT, 10.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 3 PBU, 3 PD, 2 FR) OTHER KEY PLAYERS: QB Dantavious Parker, Sr. (10-of-23, 154 yards, 1 TD; missed season due to injury) RB Kendall Denson, So. WR Donnie Davison, Sr. (20 receptions, 256 yards) WR James Davis, Sr. OL Ray Rodriquez, Sr. OL Moses Alvidrez, Sr. OL Marvin Hollie Jr., Jr. OL Kenneth Hall, Jr. OL Kendrick Williams, So. DL Armir Bloom, So. DL Ernest Gilley, Sr. (13 TT, 4.5 TFL, 1 sack, 3 PBU, 3 PD) DE Jamal Baker, So. (24 TT, 5 TFL, 2 sacks) LB Samuel Gordy, Sr. (28 TT, 4.5 TFL, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 3 PD) LB Tyrell Jones, Jr. (29 TT, 5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF) DB Tray Walker, So. (22 TT, 3 INT, 8 PBU, 11 PD, 1 FR) DB Darveon Trahan, So. (33 TT, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD) DB Eric Brown, Sr. PK/P Robert Hersh, Sr. (missed 2011 due to injury) BIGGEST LOSS: DL Marquis Jackson (50 TT, 18.5 TFL, 6 sacks, 5 PBU, 5 PD, 3 FF) OUTLOOK: Texas Southern hopes to quickly forget a seven-loss season a year ago with a new head coach, offense and $95 million stadium. The Tigers hired Asberry from Shaw University to re-energize the program. Asberry is familiar with the SWAC, after his years playing quarterback at Jackson State. Last season, Texas Southern, which is no stranger to strong defense, won its second consecutive FCS total defense title. The defensive line will be without Jackson (transferred to Portland State), but the loss shouldn't hurt too badly because Bloom, Gilley and Baker all resume duties as starters. The Tigers secondary was very young last season. Leading the way was Walker, a freshman who had 11 passes defended with three interceptions, and Derricus Purdy returns after sitting out last season. Similarly, the Tigers missed PK/P Hursh, who also sat out last season due to injury. Parker and Smalls should compete for playing time as the lead signal-caller. Smalls filled in for the injured Parker and didn't miss a beat, passing for 2,177 yards and 12 touchdowns, while rushing for four touchdowns. The offensive line brings back every starter from 2011, but the backfield is a major question mark after it lost Martin Gilbert and Marcus Wright, who accounted for over 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns collectively. SCHEDULE Sept. 1 - vs. Prairie View A&M (Houston) Sept. 8 - at North Texas Sept. 15 - vs. Jackson State Sept. 22 - vs. Alabama A&M Sept. 29 - vs. Sam Houston State Oct. 6 - at Alabama State Oct. 13 - at Southern Oct. 27 - vs. Grambling State Nov. 3 - vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff Nov. 10 - at Alcorn State Nov. 17 - vs. Mississippi Valley State Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/08/15/in-fcs-huddle-2012-swac-preview/#ixzz23rsoxip9