DRC Wildcat wallop

[OldTimer]

Football: Wildcat wallop

Kansas State racks up tons of offense in win over UNT

09:31 AM CDT on Sunday, September 25, 2005

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

MANHATTAN, Kan. — North Texas is finished with non-conference play for now.

The AP

Kansas State quarterback Allen Webb (8) passes over North Texas defensive end Eli Hutchinson during the first half Saturday in Manhattan, Kan. Webb had his career-best passing day by halftime.

After what UNT experienced the past two weeks, there couldn’t be much better news for the Mean Green.

UNT came into its game against Kansas State on Saturday hoping to bounce back from a drubbing at home against Tulsa, but only saw matters get worse in a 54-7 loss to the Wildcats at KSU Stadium.

KSU (3-0) set a school record with 658 yards of total offense while limiting UNT to five first downs. UNT’s loss to the Wildcats followed a 54-2 setback against Tulsa and sent the Mean Green (1-2) scampering back to the Sun Belt Conference in hopes of turning their season around.

“We still have a lot of growing up to do,” UNT head coach Darrell Dickey said. “Our hats are off to Kansas State. They have an excellent football team. If you make mistakes against them, they are going to make you pay.”

Allen Webb threw for 256 yards for KSU, while redshirt freshman Parrish Fisher added 169 yards rushing in place of Thomas Clayton.

Clayton came into the weekend leading the nation with an average of 164.5 rushing yards a game, but didn’t play against UNT. Clayton was charged with aggravated battery after driving away from and allegedly grazing a campus parking services employee last week.

“Parrish played well,” KSU head coach Bill Snyder said. “Unfortunately he didn’t play in the Marshall game, which is probably on us. In the first ball game he ran well and continues to do so.”

KSU’s blowout win spoiled a milestone day for UNT running back Patrick Cobbs and Dickey’s return to his alma mater, where he was the starting quarterback from 1979-82.

Cobbs rushed for just 34 yards, but still managed to break UNT’s career rushing record of 3,120 yards set by Ja’Quay Wilburn from 1997-2000.

The AP

UNT coach Darrell Dickey walks the sidelines during the first half. Dickey led Kansas State to their first bowl game as quarterback of the Wildcats.

Despite a glut of talent at running back, UNT has only scored two offensive touchdowns in three games, including junior wide receiver Johnny Quinn’s 25-yard scoring catch from backup quarterback Matt Phillips in the fourth quarter against KSU.

Jamario Thomas led UNT with 62 yards rushing — a total he compiled in the fourth quarter after losing three yards on four carries before the final period.

UNT’s struggles offensively proved costly when KSU exploded for 28 points in the second quarter to break open a game the Wildcats only led 3-0 after the first period.

“They ran a couple of plays that caught us sleeping,” UNT safety Aaron Weathers said. “They made the plays and we didn’t.”

Webb hit wide receiver Jordy Nelson for a 40-yard touchdown pass with 8:45 left in the first half. Ayo Saba scored on a 3-yard run less than three minutes later to give the Wildcats a comfortable 24-0 lead after UNT’s offense went three-and-out.

UNT left its defense stranded on the field for much of the game, running just 47 offensive plays compared to 75 for KSU.

“We know our offense is struggling a little bit right now,” Weathers said. “We know that they will start making plays as the season goes along. We are conditioned to go as many plays as we have to.”

UNT is hoping its offense will get back on track in time for its game against Troy on Oct. 4. Even after two lopsided non-conference losses, the Mean Green are still unbeaten in Sun Belt play at 1-0 and control their destiny in the league.

“The only encouraging thing I saw today that we still had guys playing hard in the fourth quarter,” Dickey said. “We got a lot of young guys in the game who we think can help us. We are still trying to find out who are best players are and have a long way to go to compete with anybody.”

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.