DMN NT drops another close SBC game

OldTimer · November 20, 2005

UNT drops another close Sun Belt game

02:15 AM CST on Sunday, November 20, 2005

By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle

DENTON – North Texas entered its game against Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday in the unfamiliar position of playing spoiler in a game against a Sun Belt Conference rival.

The Mean Green didn't fare much better in that role than it did in defending its conference title.

UNT fell behind early again against a conference opponent and failed to complete the comeback in a 24-19 loss to ULM at Fouts Field in front of a homecoming crowd of 19,632.

Colleges

Louisiana-Monroe 24, North Texas 19

UNT drops another close Sun Belt gam

More North Texas

The Indians (5-5, 5-1) clinched at least a share of the Sun Belt Conference title and moved within one game of becoming bowl eligible by knocking off the four-time defending conference champion, which was already out of the title race.

UNT (2-8, 2-4) lost its fifth straight game and its fourth Sun Belt game by less than a touchdown.

"It was the same old song," UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. "Our kids really played hard, but a lot of little things kept us from winning the game. It hasn't been our year, and it wasn't our night."

UNT fell behind 14-0 but rallied behind backup quarterback Matt Phillips to stay in the game. Phillips threw for 217 yards, the top total for a freshman in the Dickey era that dates to 1998.

Running back Patrick Cobbs added 105 yards rushing for UNT.

Phillips' passing yardage total broke his season high of 138 yards reached last week in a loss to Florida Atlantic when he also came on in relief of Daniel Meager.

"I feel real confident," Phillips said. "Just being around the guys, it's a different atmosphere. The guys respect me more and don't look at me as a true freshman."

Dickey said there is a strong possibility Phillips will start UNT's season finale at home against Arkansas State next week after he rallied the Mean Green from an early deficit.

UNT struggled early against Indians quarterback Steven Jyles, who threw two touchdown passes in the first half, including a 39-yard strike to wide receiver Drouzon Quillen that gave the Indians an early 14-0 lead.

"We had a good scheme coming in," UNT linebacker Maurice Holman said. "We just didn't execute early in the game."

Jyles finished with 218 passing yards, all but 18 of which came in the first half.

UNT started the game with the redshirt freshman Meager at quarterback but switched to Phillips after the Indians scored their second touchdown.

Phillips immediately led the Mean Green on a six-play, 72-yard drive that Cobbs capped with a 4-yard run. UNT pulled to within 14-13 on a pair of Nick Bazaldua field goals but never was able to pull ahead.

ULM extended its lead to 17-13 on a Ragan Walters field goal and then tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run by Jyles.

Brandon Jackson scored on a 29-yard pass from Phillips to close the gap to 24-19, but by then it was too late.

"It has been wearing at me," Cobbs said of UNT's losing streak. "We have lost a lot of close ones and won close ones. Our year could have been really bad or really good. This year we didn't get any bounces and didn't capitalize on the ones we did get."

Briefly: Sophomore Brandon Jackson finished with eight catches for 113 yards. Both totals were career highs. ... Johnny Quinn finished with 94 receiving yards and moved into sixth place on UNT's career list with 2,005.

E-mail bvito@dentonrc.com

for game summary box score use attached link.

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform...px?GAMEID=10381

Edited November 20, 2005 by OldTimer

FirefightnRick · November 20, 2005

Jackson could have had 200 yards recieving if he catchs that one slant that hit him between the numbers. Nwigwe might have had another 60 if he too catches the slant that hits him between the 3 and the 1. We had more drops than a rabbits cage. I felt sorry or Meager on a couple of his drives due to several drops that would have helped continue drives.

My question is, where in hell has all the passing been in the beginning of the season? No wonder we drop so many balls. It appears catching a pass that is drilled right at you wasn't worked on until middle season.

Even though we lost, I can stomach this loss because as a fan watching from the stands, it was an exciting game to watch due to the passing. I'm glad to see someone in the coaches booth finally got a clue and start utilizing more of his talent he had with the pass. Too bad it came so late in the season as he more than likely won't get the opportunity to expand on it next season.

Rick

VideoEagle · November 20, 2005

My question is, where in hell has all the passing been in the beginning of the season? No wonder we drop so many balls. It appears catching a pass that is drilled right at you wasn't worked on until middle season.
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I think there were not many passes called earlier in the season because they would have very little chance of success. Either our QBs would not get the ball into the right place, or the receivers would be in the wrong spot, or the receivers would just drop the ball.

Still, the passes tonight were encouraging. And there were enough passes that when a draw play was called on 3rd and long, it worked since the Indians were respecting the pass play.