Streak Secondary For Mean Green In Opener

MeanGreen61 · September 9, 2005

Posted on Fri, Sep. 09, 2005

UNT INSIDER

Streak is secondary for Mean Green in opener

By Jeff Wilson

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Only three North Texas players remain from the Sun Belt Conference's inaugural football season in 2001.

Patrick Cobbs, Ja'Mel Branch and Jason May have been witnesses to almost four full seasons of Sun Belt perfection, including four league titles, four New Orleans Bowl berths and a 25-1 conference record.

The lone blemish on the Mean Green's conference ledger -- the program's only Sun Belt loss, 19-17 to Louisiana-Monroe in 2001 -- preceded what has become the nation's second-longest conference winning streak.

That run of 25 consecutive victories started with a 24-21 win over Middle Tennessee on Oct. 13, 2001. Almost four years later, the streak faces its toughest test Saturday against the same school.

But, for Cobbs and Branch, who played as true freshman in 2001, the streak has been only an afterthought, if a thought at all, going into Saturday's season opener in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

"If you worry about it, then it just adds pressure," said Cobbs, the Sun Belt's Offensive Player of the Year in 2003. "And, right now, that's the last thing we need, some more pressure."

Much is expected of UNT, mostly because of the running back tandem of Cobbs and Jamario Thomas.

The nation's past two rushing champions -- Cobbs did it in 2003 before using a medical redshirt last season -- have been featured in USA Today and ESPN The Magazine.

There's also a mental edge, even though Middle Tennessee has been installed as a four-point favorite Saturday.

The Blue Raiders have never defeated UNT, going winless in four meetings.

But UNT will start redshirt freshman Daniel Meager at quarterback, and likely sub in true freshman Matt Phillips.

Defenses will key on Cobbs and Thomas until UNT can establish a quarterback as a passing threat.

"When we've only been able to run the ball, we've run the ball well, but we haven't won many games," said coach Darrell Dickey, who watched redshirt freshman Andrew Smith lead UNT to an undefeated conference season in 2002. "It's only when we're able to effectively throw the ball that we were able to score enough points and make enough plays to win."

Questions exist on defense, too, where eight new starters take the field. Among them is Branch, a former receiver who will start at cornerback against the pass-happy Blue Raiders.

Middle Tennessee, led by quarterback Clint Marks, threw for 2,945 yards in '04.

"We've had a good week of practice and been watching a lot of film, trying to key in on a lot of things they do," said Branch, an academic casualty last season. "We just have to continue to work hard and put it together on Saturday."

The streak -- topped only by Boise State's 26 in the Western Athletic Conference -- is on the line. But so is helping UNT evolve from green to Mean Green.

"I would be not telling the truth if I didn't think it [the streak] didn't cross our players' minds, if it didn't cross my mind," Dickey said. "It would be nice to keep alive. It's something our players have pride in. But that's not the only thing at stake."

UNT KEYS TO THE GAME

Establish the pass: The Mean Green quarterback, whether Daniel Meager or Matt Phillips, needs to keeps Middle Tennessee's defense from keying on the running game.

Run like mad: If Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas combine for 300 yards, the high-powered Blue Raiders offense will be kept off the field.

Remain calm: The defense will give up points, the QBs will make mistakes, but neither can panic if UNT falls into an early hole.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/colleges/12600695.htm

NT80 · September 9, 2005

Defenses will key on Cobbs and Thomas until UNT can establish a quarterback as a passing threat.
"When we've only been able to run the ball, we've run the ball well, but we haven't won many games," said coach Darrell Dickey, who watched redshirt freshman Andrew Smith lead UNT to an undefeated conference season in 2002. "It's only when we're able to effectively throw the ball that we were able to score enough points and make enough plays to win."
UNT KEYS TO THE GAME
Establish the pass: The Mean Green quarterback, whether Daniel Meager or Matt Phillips, needs to keeps Middle Tennessee's defense from keying on the running game.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/colleges/12600695.htm
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I think DD may be on to something!