North Texas Bit Of Mystery For MTSU

MeanGreen61 · September 7, 2005

North Texas bit of mystery for MTSU

MURFREESBORO — In sitting down to devise a game plan for North Texas on Saturday, Middle Tennessee State Coach Andy McCollum skipped the part about watching recent game film of his next opponent.

McCollum had no choice. There was no film to watch. Blame that on Hurricane Katrina, which postponed the North Texas-LSU game scheduled last week for Baton Rouge, La.

That leaves McCollum and MTSU's defense somewhat in the dark over what to expect from North Texas' offense, specifically its potentially awesome rushing attack.

"It's unknown,'' McCollum said. "All you know is you've got two great running backs — two rushing champions — coming in. How are they going to use them scheme-wise? Are they going to use them at the same time, alternate them? I mean that's the unknown.''

What is known is that the Mean Green boast back-to-back NCAA Division I-A rushing champs. Senior Patrick Cobbs led the nation in 2003 with 1,680 rushing yards (152.7 yards per game) and 19 TDs.

When Cobbs was lost for the season in 2004 with a knee injury in the second game, freshman Jamario Thomas stepped in. Just like that, Thomas went from preparing for a redshirt season to finishing as the nation's leader with 1,801 rushing yards (180.1 ypg) and 17 TDs.

Never before have two backs from the same team led Division I-A rushers in consecutive seasons since the NCAA in 1970 started tracking rushing yards per game.

Cobbs and Thomas became such a phenomenon that they were featured on the front page of USA Today last month with the headline "Duo keeps North Texas grounded.''

Expectations are naturally soaring for the North Texas rushing attack, which has been among the nation's most productive since Coach Darrell Dickey arrived in 1998. Cobbs and Thomas have been voted Sun Belt Co-Offensive Players of the Year. Both are on the Doak Walker Award Watch List, given annually to the nation's best running back.

"You have a feeling for what they're going to do because they've been successful with what they've done for so long,'' McCollum said. "But, they also haven't had the situation where they've got two great running backs back there at the same time. You have a tough time preparing for that.''

MTSU's defense did well last week against one outstanding running back. Alabama's Kenneth Darby, who rushed for 1,062 yards last year, never found a rhythm against the Blue Raiders on his way to 90 yards on 17 carries.

"Alabama made a few good plays on cutbacks,'' MTSU defensive end Devarick Scandrett said. "This team has good bonafide running backs, I know that. But it's all about the defensive positioning.''

—MIKE ORGAN

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../509070421/1037

untbowler · September 7, 2005

wow you rush for 1,000 yards and your considered outstanding

That means PC and JT are phenomenal. We are going to roughshod on the raiders and then KO the Golden Showers

PlummMeanGreen · September 7, 2005

wow you rush for 1,000 yards and your considered outstanding
That means PC and JT are phenomenal. We are going to roughshod on the raiders and then KO the Golden Showers
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The MUTS Blue Radas' will be entering the Mean Green Twilight Zone, a most mysterious zone that they will not soon forget.

BRING OUT THE MEAN GREEN!

H-towngreen · September 7, 2005

"MTSU's defense did well last week....90 yards on 17 carries."

90 divided by 17 = 5.3

Since when is giving up 5.3 yards a carry doing "well".

untgirl04 · September 7, 2005

"MTSU's defense did well last week....90 yards on 17 carries."
90 divided by 17 = 5.3
Since when is giving up 5.3 yards a carry doing "well".
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Low expectations.

DeepGreen · September 7, 2005

"MTSU's defense did well last week....90 yards on 17 carries."
90 divided by 17 = 5.3
Since when is giving up 5.3 yards a carry doing "well".
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It's a 'Boro newspaper article. What do you expect.

Eagle1855 · September 7, 2005

It's a 'Boro newspaper article. What do you expect.
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Just be impressed they are now reading and writing up there

Edited September 7, 2005 by Eagle1855

GreenN'walinsVet · September 7, 2005

You can bet were going to run the ball at least 40 times this Saturday.

If they allow the same 5.3 average they considered good then we will have close to 215 rushing yards.

I wonder if they will think that is good?

MootPoint · September 7, 2005

You can bet were going to run the ball at least 40 times this Saturday.
If they allow the same 5.3 average they considered good then we will have close to 215 rushing yards.
I wonder if they will think that is good?
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No, no. They will think it is ok. And they will be very impressed with the effort of their defense and surely they will be successful in the rest of their games because they will no longer have to play anymore good teams.

Green Jackal · September 7, 2005

I was talking to an Alabama fan about their game against MT last Saturday and he couldn't understand why MT was stacking the line against the run when the Alabama passing game was so good. I honestly feel that MT was using their game against Alabama to get ready for the North Texas running game. He went on to say that MT had success when Alabama ran up straight up the middle, but MT struggled with Alabama's speed when their RB made cut backs.