Coach can lead QBs through early pains

[MeanGreen61]

Russ Goodall: Coach can lead QBs through early pains

08:40 AM CDT on Wednesday, September 7, 2005

North Texas head coach Darrel Dickey has been through this before — as a coach and as a player.

But this time around might be the toughest situation yet, as the Mean Green get ready to take on Middle Tennessee with an inexperienced quarterback.

Daniel Meager, Matt Phillips or even Kellen Haynes, it really doesn’t matter which one starts or gets most of the playing time, any of the three will have the pressure squarely on their shoulders.

“Daniel is going to start, but we are looking at playing one or two other guys early and throughout the season until maybe somebody emerges,” Dickey said. “It has been a very close race, but also we have to see how they react in gameday situations. It did help them to get a few extra days of practice. … But, being honest, it probably would have been better for them to go out there, warm up and get some plays called.”

As a freshman at Kansas State, Dickey found himself in a similar situation.

After sitting the first three or four games and watching from sideline, and then being able to get a few snaps in the next two games of the season, Dickey made his initial start at quarterback on the road at Missouri, with KSU close to a 21-point underdog.

“It was nerve racking,” Dickey said.

Nerve racking enough that he led the Wildcats to a victory over the Tigers, 19-3. Which earned him Big 8 player of the week honors and the rest was history.

So he has been through this as a player.

As a coach, he is just three years removed from being in nearly the exact situation.

Back in 2002, Scott Hall started against Texas but got hurt. In came freshman Andrew Smith. Smith took his lumps, but eventually led the Mean Green to the conference title and bowl victory.

And Dickey says he sees a lot of Smith in Meager.

“Scott Hall had a gunslinger attitude, while Andrew was really laid back,” Dickey said. “Scott was always fired up and ready to go, and that is not to say that Andrew wasn’t gung ho about going out there and playing. But, the two approached it in different ways. I see a lot of that same laid back attitude in Daniel. He doesn’t say a whole lot, but he is raring to go.”

If that’s the case, then UNT should feel confident about what it can do offensively this season.

Smith finished that campaign with 91 completions on 196 attempts for 1,206 yards, with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Not great numbers, but he stayed healthy behind a seasoned offensive line that boasted three solid seniors, a junior and Andy Brewster starting his sophomore season at center.

This year, on paper, the offensive line doesn’t look to be that experienced, with the loss of Brewster, Lonnie Chambers and Weston Thaggard.

But don’t be so quick to judge.

Back is Joel Foster, who started every game in 2004 at left tackle; Jeremy Brown, who started the first four games last season before contracting mononucleosis; Jason May, who returns after being ineligible in ’04; and Dylan Lineberry, a stalwart at right guard. The only newcomer is center Chad Rose, who Dickey believes is going to be a fixture there for years to come.

Now they just need to meld.

“Our biggest concern, based on our style of play, how quickly they come together and know each other,” Dickey said of his offensive line. “It is very critical in our system, that that group learns each other and learns how to play with each other. It is going to be important how quickly they come together.”

And like the three-headed QB monster will have this year with Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas in the backfield, Smith had Cobbs and Kevin Galbreath — a pretty good one, two punch themselves.

You can bet the line, along with the tight ends, receivers and both Cobbs and Thomas, will try to keep Meager, or whoever is taking snaps, on his feet as much as possible.

“Protection will be a major part of our game plan — to make sure those guys can go back, get their feet set, look down the field and throw the ball,” Dickey said. “Actually, they are not really far enough along to read a defense based on five receivers going out. So, we might as well keep some of them in to block so they have a chance to do that. … Right now we go in with a game plan they are capable of handling, that allows them to go back there and do their jobs.”

Can all his experience translate into a successful start for Meager, or whoever is under center?

Win or lose this week, only time will tell how good any of the three can be. But the head coach has been through this before. And, if anybody can lead the Mean Green through the growing pains at QB, it is Dickey.

Just ask the 1979 Missouri defense.

RUSS GOODALL can be reached at 940-566-6871. His e-mail address is rgoodall@dentonrc.com.