UNT Ready To Resume Conference Play

[MeanGreen61]

Football: UNT ready to resume conference play

Two weeks away from Sun Belt have helped Mean Green improve

07:25 AM CST on Tuesday, November 1, 2005

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas coach Darrell Dickey looked at the Mean Green’s schedule a few weeks ago and saw a golden opportunity in the least likely of places.

Games at Louisiana Tech and LSU represented one of the toughest sections of the Mean Green’s schedule, but they also offered a two-week break from Sun Belt Conference play.

UNT entered that stretch hoping to make dramatic improvements to prepare for a season-ending run at the conference title.

The Mean Green will find out in the next few weeks if that break pays off.

“In certain areas we did make some progress,” Dickey said of the Mean Green’s game against LSU. “Defensively, we played hard. We busted some assignments, but not as many as we have been. We also made some plays offensively. With a good week of practice, we will be ready.”

UNT has little choice if it wants to win a fifth straight Sun Belt Con-ference title.

The Mean Green (2-1) are locked in a three-team race for the league title with Louisiana-Monroe (3-0) and Arkansas State (3-1). UNT has games left with both teams and has a chance to win at least a share of the conference title and become bowl eligible by winning its last four games.

The long road UNT faces and its performance in its first three conference games has turned the once-favored Mean Green into an underdog as the chase for the title heats up. Several Sun Belt coaches spoke of a team other than UNT winning the conference title more as a probability than a possibility during the league’s weekly conference call Monday.

“Someone else is going to have a chance to win the title this year,” Florida International coach Don Strock said.

Those comments were no surprise to Dickey.

“We are not flying under the radar, but I don’t know if people respect us as much as they did in the past,” Dickey said.

That evaluation is based on what the Mean Green have shown so far this season. UNT ranks last in the Sun Belt in scoring offense with an average of 12.3 points per conference game.

If it was not for a defense that has played well against Sun Belt opponents, UNT might already be out of the conference title race.

Improving an inept offense was UNT’s largest concern heading into its break from the Sun Belt. Dickey said the Mean Green did make some progress, despite a pair of ugly losses to Tech, 40-14, and LSU, 56-3.

UNT put together an 11-play drive and had another last 10 plays against LSU. The Mean Green also saw quarterback Daniel Meager complete 13 passes and running back Jamario Thomas rush for 83 yards. Both totals were season highs.

“We have not really clicked yet,” Dickey said. “We have had some drives here and there, but have shot ourselves in the foot. If we can become more consistent, things will come together.”

The Mean Green are hoping that time is coming after perhaps their best offensive showing of the year against LSU.

“The fact that we moved the ball against the No. 7 team in the nation is a plus, but the score got out of control,” wide receiver Johnny Quinn said. “We can’t do that when we go back into conference play. We play Lafayette next and will have to be on our A-game to be competitive.”

Cobbs’ practice time to be limited

Offensive coordinator Ramon Flanigan said UNT will cut down on the number of repetitions senior running back Patrick Cobbs takes in practice this week in preparation for Saturday’s game against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Cobbs aggravated a sore right ankle during the Mean Green’s loss to LSU on Saturday and finished with three carries for 21 yards. Both totals were season lows.

UNT turned to Jamario Thomas to help fill the void and saw the sophomore respond with 83 yards.

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