DRC:NT program direction up for discussion

[OldTimer]

How would you like to be a fly on the wall at this meeting?

UNT program direction up for discussion

Dickey, Villarreal to meet in coming days to talk about disappointing season, future of team

07:16 AM CST on Tuesday, November 29, 2005

By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle

North Texas athletic Rick Villarreal and head coach Darrell Dickey will meet in the coming days to discuss what both described as a disappointing season and the direction of the program, Villarreal said Monday.

UNT came into the season off a fourth straight Sun Belt Conference title and was picked to win the league again in the preseason coaches' poll. The Mean Green failed to live up to expectations and finished 2-9 after dropping their last six games.

UNT lost five games in conference play by a total of 21 points, including a season-ending 31-24 loss to Arkansas State on Saturday.

"There are concerns I have about areas with the program that I want to discuss with Coach Dickey in the next week so that we can keep this football program at a level that allows us to be respected across the country," Villarreal said. "This season was a big disappointment to him, the players and the fans. I want to make sure we are on the same page as to the reasons why that happened and how we can avoid that happening again."

Geoff Anderson / For the DRC

Darrell Dickey has been head coach at North Texas since 1998. Dickey also expressed disappointment in the outcome of the season and indicated that that he would address concerns he had about the program in the coming weeks.

The majority of the Mean Green's coaching staff left Denton on Monday morning to recruit.

"Right now I am in the process of evaluating everything," Dickey said. "I think that we need to remember that this coaching staff was the same one that won four conference championships. They didn't become bad coaches overnight because we lost some close games. With that said, we have to evaluate all of our strengths and weaknesses. I have to evaluate myself and recruit players that we can count on."

UNT examines QB situation

UNT is considering pursuing a junior college quarterback to join a crowded race for the starting job in the 2006 season that could include Joey Byerly.

Redshirt freshman Daniel Meager started every game this season for the Mean Green and split time with freshman Matt Phillips, who came off the bench to rally UNT in several games.

"We will consider recruiting a junior college quarterback if we can find an older guy that fits our offense and we think can come in here and compete for the starting job," Dickey said. "We are still going to have our top two quarterbacks who will be sophomores next year. Recruiting a junior college quarterback is a possibility, but it isn't something we are obsessed with because we feel good about the progress our two guys made."

At this point last season, Byerly appeared as if he was on his way to being the Mean Green's starter in 2005.

The former West Orange Stark standout backed up Scott Hall as a redshirt freshman and was expected to compete with Meager for the starting job.

Byerly lost that opportunity when he was ruled academically ineligible during the summer.

The loss of Byerly forced UNT to enter the season without a quarterback who had taken a snap in a college game.

UNT finished last in the Sun Belt in passing offense with an average of129 yards a game. Meager led UNT with 941 yards passing on the season.

"We are looking at his situation," Dickey said of Byerly. "He was supposed to be getting his grades in order at another school so that he could get back into school at North Texas in the spring. At that point we would find out what his plan is to get his academics in order so that he can compete next year."

UNT to have extra time in recruiting

UNT's coaching staff will face a different set of circumstances during the next few weeks than it has in the previous four years when the Mean Green were preparing to play in the New Orleans Bowl.

The change will have an effect both on UNT's recruiting efforts and its preparation for next season. Playing in the New Orleans Bowl gave UNT's coaches several extra days of work with its younger players and an added draw in recruiting.

"From the practice standpoint it hurts," Dickey said of not playing in a bowl. "We got 12-15 extra practices in. We have taken time to work out some extra guys."

The lone benefit will be the extra time UNT's coaches have to focus on the Mean Green's recruiting efforts.

"In recruiting it evens out," Dickey said. "All of our coaches are out on the road now, but it's easier to go out and sell that you are going to a bowl game."

• • •

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