Historic moments in UNT athletics

Tyler Maryak · February 11, 2016

A friend and I were talking about UNT traditions recently and it lead into a discussion about times that UNT athletics set records or made history, such as Abner Haynes being the first African American player in Texas college football (is that right?) and having RBs top the national rushing yards charts. It got me wondering:

What are your favorite history-making events of UNT athletics? Especially with national or all-time significance.

Edited February 11, 2016 by Tyler Maryak

NorthTexan95 · February 11, 2016

The Heart of Dallas Bowl game win. Playing in Dallas ... in front of that crowd ... on New Year's Day ... it was fun. The New Orleans Bowls and the NCAA men's tourney team are close behind.

Hunter Green · February 11, 2016

Beating NMSU at Fouts and seeing the goal posts come down...totally thrashing Baylor, again at a packed Fouts, 52-14.

GO MEAN GREEN!

UNTexas · February 11, 2016

I'd have to say the turn out and support we got at the HOD Bowl. It was a glimpse of how things could be if we ever get our sh$t together.

On my micro scale, beating Tech in Lubbock when we were 33 points dogs. I had several friends from Tech running their mouths and had a lot of family at that game.

Most important to me, the field goal to tie SFA which ensured the conference championship and that team got us back to Division 1.

Edited February 11, 2016 by UNTexas

Ben Gooding · February 11, 2016

I wasn't around for this, but I would have to say that Dickey's 4 year undefeated conference title run has to take the cake. Sunbelt or not, that is a once a program kind of milestone. It's also something that needs to be celebrated and also marketed.

Eagle-96 · February 11, 2016

2002 New Mexico State victory to win the SunBelt at Fouts

1995 comeback win over Oregon State at Fouts

1997 51-48 shootout win over Utah State then walking over to the Pit to see us play UT.

1994 See Ya Later McNeese State

2003 52-14 over Baylor and it wasn't even that close.

1 hour ago, Tyler Maryak said:

A friend and I were talking about UNT traditions recently and it lead into a discussion about times that UNT athletics set records or made history, such as Abner Haynes being the first African American player in Texas college football (is that right?) and having RBs top the national rushing yards charts. It got me wondering:

What are your favorite history-making events of UNT athletics?

It is indeed true but SMU would have everyone believe otherwise. BTW: Levias joined the SMU squad in 1965 and broke the color barrier in the SWC a full 9 years after Haynes at NTSU.

From UNT.EDU:

In the fall of 1956, two young African American men walked onto the football field at North Texas and into its history books. Abner Haynes and Leon King were the first African American student athletes to break the university's color barrier when they joined the freshman football squad as "walk-ons."

Haynes was looking for a school close to Dallas. He and King were friends, stars of their high school team and had vowed to stay together in college. Haynes' father, who had been minister to a church in Denton during Abner's youth, had spoken to North Texas President J.C. Matthews about allowing his son to play. Odus Mitchell had agreed to let them "walk on" and directed that the two players should be treated like the other players.

There were racial incidents, but their teammates soon found out that Haynes and King were superlative athletes. The team bonded and the two were there to stay.

Ken Bahnsen was the freshman coach at the time.

The next year, they moved up to the varsity team to be coached by Odus Mitchell and Fred McCain.

On the varsity team, Haynes and King were joined by teammate James Bowdre.

MeanGreenTexan · February 11, 2016

Trying to think of some moments that others may not mention:
I enjoyed sitting in cold rain watching Lance annihilate MT to overtake Pat for the NT rushing record.
I also enjoyed the Navy record-setting game at Fouts watching two gimmicky offenses just rip each other's defenses to shreds.

CornWallace · February 11, 2016

My favorite was the Idaho game at Fouts my freshman year when we clinched the Sun Belt for the last time (little did we know...) We all stormed the field but had to wait in the end zone cause we accidentally rushed it with like 2 seconds left. whoops.

also the 6 (?) ot game where we won but the score was still only 25-22 haha.

oh and definitely the Halloween, all black unis, 8 play goal line stand against Rice.

UNT 90 Grad · February 11, 2016

A couple record setters:

The 99 yard pass play from Vizza to Fitzgerald at Fouts against ULM. Quite the YAC.

http://youtu.be/mKtqFv63clo

and the ~108 yard fumble return for a touchdown at Utah State.

UNTLifer · February 11, 2016

2 hours ago, Eagle-96 said:

2002 New Mexico State victory to win the SunBelt at Fouts

1995 comeback win over Oregon State at Fouts

1997 51-48 shootout win over Utah State then walking over to the Pit to see us play UT.

1994 See Ya Later McNeese State

2003 52-14 over Baylor and it wasn't even that close.

It is indeed true but SMU would have everyone believe otherwise. BTW: Levias joined the SMU squad in 1965 and broke the color barrier in the SWC a full 9 years after Haynes at NTSU.

From UNT.EDU:

In the fall of 1956, two young African American men walked onto the football field at North Texas and into its history books. Abner Haynes and Leon King were the first African American student athletes to break the university's color barrier when they joined the freshman football squad as "walk-ons."

Haynes was looking for a school close to Dallas. He and King were friends, stars of their high school team and had vowed to stay together in college. Haynes' father, who had been minister to a church in Denton during Abner's youth, had spoken to North Texas President J.C. Matthews about allowing his son to play. Odus Mitchell had agreed to let them "walk on" and directed that the two players should be treated like the other players.

There were racial incidents, but their teammates soon found out that Haynes and King were superlative athletes. The team bonded and the two were there to stay.

Ken Bahnsen was the freshman coach at the time.

The next year, they moved up to the varsity team to be coached by Odus Mitchell and Fred McCain.

On the varsity team, Haynes and King were joined by teammate James Bowdre.

And this is why I would use our season opening game against SMU to celebrate the true breaking of the color barrier/ This would be the 60th Anniversary season and a great way to get the word out while indirectly shutting down SMU's version with Levias. That always drove me crazy.

bloodstunt · February 11, 2016

HOD Bowl Game was fun. Staying at the hotel with the team and the feel that things might be changing for the better was great but short lived. The New Orleans Bowl trips were fun but seemed to be more about hangin out New Orleans.

So the biggest even in history that still sticks with me today and the one that comes up in conversation the most was the win against UT in 1988. And yes I know the records don't show it as a win but it was.

Army of Dad · February 11, 2016

25 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

And this is why I would use our season opening game against SMU to celebrate the true breaking of the color barrier/ This would be the 60th Anniversary season and a great way to get the word out while indirectly shutting down SMU's version with Levias. That always drove me crazy.

That's a great idea, have you called the AD about it?

greenminer · February 11, 2016

The emotional swing that I felt from the LaMo loss (their first win that season) to beating MTSU (their first loss) was indescribable. I thought out program was about to commit suicide. It seemed like no one cared.

Despair.

Then we kept winning for 4 more years.

What I like reminding people about that run is, we were not totally dominant. There were tons of close games that only true champions that find the will to win emerge. All the more remarkable that the streak was as long as it was.

Edited February 11, 2016 by greenminer

letsgiveacheer · February 11, 2016

3 hours ago, Eagle-96 said:

It is indeed true but SMU would have everyone believe otherwise. BTW: Levias joined the SMU squad in 1965 and broke the color barrier in the SWC a full 9 years after Haynes at NTSU.

From UNT.EDU:

In the fall of 1956, two young African American men walked onto the football field at North Texas and into its history books. Abner Haynes and Leon King were the first African American student athletes to break the university's color barrier when they joined the freshman football squad as "walk-ons."

Haynes was looking for a school close to Dallas. He and King were friends, stars of their high school team and had vowed to stay together in college. Haynes' father, who had been minister to a church in Denton during Abner's youth, had spoken to North Texas President J.C. Matthews about allowing his son to play. Odus Mitchell had agreed to let them "walk on" and directed that the two players should be treated like the other players.

There were racial incidents, but their teammates soon found out that Haynes and King were superlative athletes. The team bonded and the two were there to stay.

Ken Bahnsen was the freshman coach at the time.

The next year, they moved up to the varsity team to be coached by Odus Mitchell and Fred McCain.

On the varsity team, Haynes and King were joined by teammate James Bowdre.

We would need to carefully research this before making such a claim. Angelo State had an African American on their team in 1953. They were a junior college then, but still..

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/collegesheadlines/2014/02/25/long-unknown-to-those-outside-west-texas-first-black-player-in-intercollegiate-texas-football-finally-gets-recognition

GrandGreen · February 11, 2016

1 hour ago, UNTLifer said:

And this is why I would use our season opening game against SMU to celebrate the true breaking of the color barrier/ This would be the 60th Anniversary season and a great way to get the word out while indirectly shutting down SMU's version with Levias. That always drove me crazy.

I would expand this to an Haynes and King week and dedicate the game to them. Invite all the members of those teams and publicize the heck out of it.

Aldo · February 11, 2016

2 hours ago, UNT 90 Grad said:

The 99 yard pass play from Vizza to Fitzgerald at Fouts against ULM. Quite the YAC.

http://youtu.be/mKtqFv63clo

Dat ref doe

greenjoe · February 11, 2016

Man, what might have been.

OK. In no order,

Pat Hicks jumper at the buzzer to beat Texas

I wasn't there but the NT win over Tennessee ('75?)

The win over Texas Tech (I was there) in Lubbock and all the NT fans "returning" the tortillas to the Tech fans

All the New Orleans Bowls but the win over Cincy was the best

The almost win over Texas in '88

The almost win over Kansas State at Fouts

The "Stand". NT over Rice

The Heart of Dallas Bowl win. And the tradition I thought we were about to start

The great citizens of the Mean Green Nation I have been privileged to meet/know

GO MEAN GREEN

Eagle-96 · February 11, 2016

http://blogs.library.unt.edu/unt125/2015/10/12/corsicana-incident-1956/

"When they arrived at the game the crowd was hostile, yelling racial epithets and death threats, not just against the black players, but also against their white teammates for allowing them to play. This hostility spurred the team into playing harder, and North Texas tackle Joe Mack Pryor went out of his way to knock down any other player who treated the two black players badly. They defeated the favored Navarro 39-21, with Haynes running four touchdowns and King catching a pass for a score. At the end of the game Coach Ken Bahnsen told the bus driver to park close and ordered the players to run for the bus as soon as the game ended. The white team players surrounded King and Haynes and ran to the waiting bus. Haynes said in a later oral history interview that the angry crowd did them a favor because it brought the team together and if it hadn’t happened the team players might have fought among themselves. In his own oral history King said, “We became blood brothers…What affected one of us, affected all of us.”

MeanGreenTexan · February 11, 2016

55 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

I would expand this to an Haynes and King week and dedicate the game to them. Invite all the members of those teams and publicize the heck out of it.

If we're feeling particularly peaceful that day, maybe we could extend the olive branch and recognize Levias as well?

Cr1028 · February 11, 2016

For me, it was the game pictured below. It was the first time I watched us beat a team in person that I'd actually heard of before attending NT. It was the first time we played them since moving back up from I-AA and we won.

Woody+Wilson.JPG AHFMHYHHQIVNZNW.20060910032702.jpg

Edited February 11, 2016 by Cr1028

Withers940 · February 11, 2016

When they were playing Texas and after a horrible first half, they rally in the second half to cut the deficit to one. Rather than kick the field goal the team decides to try to win it all with a two-point conversion. They fake a point after attempt and pass for two. Blake scrambles and finally finds Banks in the end zone to win the game.

Wait..........Thats a different Team

Edited February 11, 2016 by Withers940

untjim1995 · February 11, 2016

Its a very interesting question. The litmus test would be to pick Joe College Football Fan or Joe College Basketball Fan and ask them if they knew anything about North Texas. I would imagine some older fans would remember Fry's teams from the 70s, but that would be a select few. When the USA Today had both Cobbs and Jamario on the cover, since both were national rushing champions from the previous two years, in 2005, that probably weighed in on the national public, to some degree, but then we fell off that mountain and landed in the ocean, then sank to the bottom of the ocean.

Even on a regional level, the only three things that come to mind are the HoD Bowl and our two NCAA Tournament teams. But in each case, we followed those high points with some of the worst team performances in school history.

Green P1 · February 11, 2016

Remember that one game at Fouts with all them overtimes?

letsgiveacheer · February 11, 2016

3 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

Its a very interesting question. The litmus test would be to pick Joe College Football Fan or Joe College Basketball Fan and ask them if they knew anything about North Texas. I would imagine some older fans would remember Fry's teams from the 70s, but that would be a select few. When the USA Today had both Cobbs and Jamario on the cover, since both were national rushing champions from the previous two years, in 2005, that probably weighed in on the national public, to some degree, but then we fell off that mountain and landed in the ocean, then sank to the bottom of the ocean.

Even on a regional level, the only three things that come to mind are the HoD Bowl and our two NCAA Tournament teams. But in each case, we followed those high points with some of the worst team performances in school history.

Sad but true. We were very respectable in the Odus Mitchel years and the later part of Fry's tenure but there is really not a thing on a national level to give any prominence to our program. During our Sun Belt run, we were beaten like step-children in our non-conference games.

untjim1995 · February 11, 2016

59 minutes ago, Green P1 said:

Remember that one game at Fouts with all them overtimes?

That was that real high scoring game...like 7 OTs produced 27 points for a Dickey-coached team in his last two seasons!!

On a different note, but one that was not good news on the national scene, was when our football team got caught stealing hundreds of towels, sheets, and blankets from a hotel in Logan, Utah...that one made USA Today and CNN back in the mid 90's...