DRC today: NT to face huge crowd, challenge

OldTimer · October 27, 2005

Football: UNT to face huge crowd, challenge

TE Davidson could be done for season

09:59 AM CDT on Thursday, October 27, 2005

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas will face a challenge unlike any other it has encountered this season on Saturday when the Mean Green face LSU at Tiger Stadium.

As far as UNT’s players are concerned, that task is welcome in some respects. The Mean Green will be decided underdogs — 44-point underdogs to be exact — but UNT will have a chance to play in an environment unlike any other it has experienced so far this season.

The Tigers are ranked No. 7 nationally and have drawn the two largest crowds in Tiger Stadium history in the last two weeks.

A crowd of 92,664 watched the Tigers beat Auburn 20-17 in overtime last week. That throng was just slightly larger than the 92,402 fans that packed Tiger Stadium for LSU’s 21-17 win over Florida on Oct. 15.

“It will be tough to play at their stadium,” Mean Green offensive lineman Jason May said. “It will get loud, but it will be a nice experience for all of us. If you are playing Division I football, you like to play in places like that because of the crazy atmosphere.”

UNT has not experienced anything resembling what a night game at Tiger Stadium will be like.

The Mean Green played in front of a season-high 46,514 in a loss to Kansas State earlier this year.

UNT’s game against LSU was originally scheduled for the first week of the season, but was moved back due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

The change could impact the atmosphere surrounding the game. Instead of facing a team that is just getting started, UNT will take on an LSU squad that has won four straight, including a thrilling win at home last week.

LSU trailed Auburn late in the fourth quarter when Chris Jackson kicked a 44-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. Jackson kicked a second field goal in overtime that proved to be the game-winner after Auburn’s John Vaughn bounced a 39-yard field goal attempt off of the upright.

The win pushed the Tigers to 5-1 on the season and kept LSU in the hunt for SEC West Division title. LSU coach Les Miles credited the Tigers win in part to the crowd.

“It was my first Saturday night here, and it was the first time I have seen anything like that,” Miles said. “I can tell you that it means a lot to our players.”

UNT has struggled to a 2-4 start, but has actually found some success on the road. UNT opened the season with a win at Middle Tennessee and beat Florida International on a cold and rainy day in Miami.

UNT’s players will have a chance to show what they can do on a larger stage when they take on the Tigers in yet another road game.

“This is going to be the toughest team we have faced so far this year,” UNT linebacker Phillip Graves said. “We are going to have to execute and try to stay with them. To do that we are going to have to play to the best of our ability and cut out all of our mistakes.”

Davidson could be out for season

UNT found out early this week that it will be shorthanded for its game against LSU – and likely the rest of the season.

Junior tight end Beau Davidson injured his shoulder in the Mean Green’s loss to Louisiana Tech last week and is likely out for the rest of the season, UNT coach Darrell Dickey said Wednesday.

Safety Steve Warren and linebacker Brandon Monroe are also expected to miss the Mean Green’s game against LSU. Warren is out with a concussion while Monroe will miss the game due to a knee injury.

Dickey said additional players could miss the game, depending on how they recover from injuries in practice this week.

“We are losing guys at the wrong time,” Dickey said.

Davidson started three games for the Mean Green and caught one pass for six yards.

Monroe has battled injuries throughout the season. The sophomore missed the majority of two-a-days with a pulled hamstring and has been in and out of the lineup. He has started three games, including last week’s loss to Louisiana Tech, and ranks third on the team with 45 tackles.

Warren has risen through the ranks of UNT’s defensive backs as a freshman and started his first game last week against Tech when he finished with two tackles. The former Burleson standout has 11 tackles on the year.

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

Stan R · October 27, 2005

Dare I even mention the word mutiny?

GoMeanGreen1999 · October 28, 2005

That loud crowd will be the absolute least of our problems on saturday.

ipEAGLE · October 28, 2005

How many Delay of Game penalties will we get called on us?

Edited October 28, 2005 by ipEAGLE

UNTSportsGuy · October 28, 2005

We struggle to get plays off at FIU, should be interesting, to say the least Saturday.

H-towngreen · October 28, 2005

Freshman Gilmore will be taking over the long snap duties.

untbowler · October 28, 2005

He is long snapping why not let him also play some TE he is definently big enough, plus we have already wasted his red-shirt so play him a ton and let him be our TE of the future.