Phillips shines at QB

[MeanGreen61]

" It felt great to get out there with the guys and control the game the way I wanted to.”

Football: Phillips shines at QB in UNT’s spring game

08:56 AM CST on Friday, March 10, 2006

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

Matt Phillips has waited a long time to start a game for North Texas.

If UNT’s Green-White spring game on Thursday is any indication, that wait could come to an end in the fall. Phillips was on the field from the opening play at quarterback for the Green in UNT’s annual scrimmage and led his squad to a 38-14 win over the White at Fouts Field.

UNT head coach Darrell Dickey divided his coaching staff and roster into two teams that faced off in the finale to spring workouts.

Phillips completed 11 of 18 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns on a night when he made his case to start in a regular-season game for the first time in 2006.

“It was fun coming into the game knowing that I was going to get to start,” Phillips said. “I was able to get mentally prepared and I didn’t have to wait around on the sideline for my time. It felt great to get out there with the guys and control the game the way I wanted to.”

Phillips spent his freshman year rotating with Daniel Meager, who started every game during a disappointing 2-9 season.

Spring practice gave Phillips another opportunity to show what he could accomplish in what has become a crowded quarterback battle. Former Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College standout Woody Wilson and junior Jonathan Ieans joined Meager and Phillips in the race for the starting job during spring practice.

Wilson showed flashes of the athleticism that made him an honorable mention All-Jayhawk Conference selection last season while throwing for 165 yards and a touchdown for the White team.

Meager didn’t play due to a shoulder injury.

Dickey declined to name a starter after the game, but said he was pleased with all of his quarterbacks who helped make the spring game a high-scoring affair.

“Matt was really composed and ran his team well,” Dickey said. “In the past we have had guys open and overthrown them. When he throws the ball, he is on the money. … Woody is getting more and more comfortable in our offense.

“I feel much better about our quarterback position than I did standing out here last year.”

Senior wide receiver Johnny Quinn took advantage of a solid game from Phillips by catching seven passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Joel Nwigwe added 123 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the Green, while Brandon Jackson had 120 receiving yards for the White.

The Green scored on each of its first six possessions.

Edited March 10, 2006 by MeanGreen61

[Travis]

On my judgement of last night... I would rank the QB's as 1. Phillips 2. Ieans 3. Wilson.

Wilson started making something happen in the second... but, it just seemed Ieans did better. What do you guys think?

[emmitt01]

On my judgement of last night... I would rank the QB's as 1. Phillips 2. Ieans 3. Wilson.

Wilson started making something happen in the second... but, it just seemed Ieans did better.  What do you guys think?

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Blasphemy! Woody! Woody! Woody!

[untbowler]

anyone want to lay money on Meager starting off next year, for some reason DD does not like Phillips.

Guess August will be a barometer.

[MeanGreen61]

for some reason DD does not like Phillips.

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Why ?

[GMoney]

As is always the case, when the green white scrimmage is dominated by one side of the ball it makes you worried about the other side! With all these passing yards, have we addressed are secondary problems of last year?

Hopefully, we played a lot of base defense. However, if that was the case then it would be wise to temper down the excitement of the offense.

Bottom line - you can judge individual player's performance (like JQ), but it's almost impossible to judge the team as a whole (too many starters split up).

[untbowler]

Why ?

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All my opinion and noone else's just judging by this past season when Phillips performed much better than Meager.

[THOR]

As is always the case, when the green white scrimmage is dominated by one side of the ball it makes you worried about the other side!  With all these passing yards, have we addressed are secondary problems of last year? 

Hopefully, we played a lot of base defense.  However, if that was the case then it would be wise to temper down the excitement of the offense.

Bottom line - you can judge individual player's performance (like JQ), but it's almost impossible to judge the team as a whole (too many starters split up).

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If I remember correctly, last year's score was in the single digits or close too and we all know how our defense didn't step up last year. So I don't think we can measure our defense based on our offensive performance last night.

I would have liked to see how JMo handled playing the option. I don't know if that's a hard thing to learn, but hopefully he can do it just fine when Woody is in there.

[GreenFlag]

If I remember correctly, last year's score was in the single digits or close too and we all know how our defense didn't step up last year. So I don't think we can measure our defense based on our offensive performance last night.

This is the first year I haven't heard too much of "the defense is always way ahead of the offense at this point" stuff.

I'm glad to see they scored some points for a change.

What is going on around here?

[MeanGreenBuzz]

The way Phillips is passing I hope Woody doesn't have to come in there. It would be nice for them to not key on the run and with Woody's best weapon the run they will be able to stay keyed up for it. When was the last time you saw a UNT QB hit 2 recievers for over 100 yards and atleast 1 TD each?

As for the DBs remember they are split between 2 teams... so not all the starters were on 1 side.

Edited March 10, 2006 by MeanGreenBuzz

[Baby Arm!]

Woody Wilson.... Can we just start calling him Wooderson for short?

"Awright! Awright! Awright!!!"

[NT80]

Phillips could have had over 400 yards passing if 2-3 long balls weren't tipped away at the last second. He reminds me a little of Scott Hall. I'd start Phillips with Wilson in for a change of pace as it sounds like Dickey plans to do to start the season although I hate rotating QBs. WW still runs too much up the middle; he gains yards but is too open for big hits from a LB.

[H-towngreen]

How many rushing yards did WW end up with?

[gksmith]

So is the coaching staff (and fans) so disenchanted with Meagers performance last year that he has fallen off the radar?

[Eagle-96]

Woody Wilson.... Can we just start calling him Wooderson for short? 

"Awright! Awright! Awright!!!"

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All you gotta do is keep livin' man. LIVIN.

[Green Lantern]

I'm glad to hear that Phillips and Wilson both did good thing in the Green-White game...however I'm really hoping that one of these two will seperate themselves from the rest by the end of summer.

I hate the rotating QB's that Dickey has been know to run in the past. One guy needs to diffinitavely win the starting job this season...we need stability at the QB position if we want to get the ship righted this year.

[GreenBat]

I want the man who can do the job the best to be the QB for the 2006 season.

Don’t know, if it’s Phillips, WW, Ieans (LOL) or Danny Meager. But lets not count out Meager. The kid is hurt. Some may say he is injury prone, but he hasn’t missed a snap, that he was expected to play in the regular season because of injury. He is a great athlete, who did it all is HS. He was a serious prospect until he broke his leg and that set him back.

He is a good QB and can be a winner at this level if the offensive line gives him time. I agree that Phillips is a better passer and from what I’ve heard WW might be a better runner. But Meager has the makings of a true winner. Not saying he’s the 2006 QB, but don’t count him out.

[Cowtown]

You'd be a lot cooler if you did

Woody Wilson.... Can we just start calling him Wooderson for short? 

"Awright! Awright! Awright!!!"

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[meangreendork]

Phillips, Wilson, Ieans, Meager.

About Ieans- don't forget that he couldn't catch a snap, ran back 10yards to get the ball and ended up passing it to JQ. Yeah, it was a good play that got positive yards (I think), but most would've said he should've fallen on that ball. However, he did perform better than he has every year he's been here. Fast guy, good arm, I'd start him if Wilson weren't here. And minus that dropped snap, he's neck and neck.

About Wilson- for someone who's learning a new system, he seems to have it down-packed in short order. He's well poised, but I think he scrambles a little too much. I do like how he follows through in his passing.

And Phillips- I can't say enough how much I was impressed with him. He was able connect on some very narrow passes and he didn't seem at all rattled, even after taking some really hard hits. I'd have no qualms with Phillips leading the team if our season started tomorrow evening at 6PM.

[greenjoe]

Matt Phillips and then "Woodrow" Wilson.

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[DeepGreen]

What about the offensive line? How did they do?

[buff64]

What about the offensive line?  How did they do?

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Really hard to judge since they were divided , as was the rest ot the squad . Saw some good things and some things not so good, but unless you are able to sit down and study individuals and know what they were trying to do it would be hard to make a case either way. Some kids didn't play due to injuries and others were on the field that possibly will never be agan.

[Monkeypox]

I want the man who can do the job the best to be the QB for the 2006 season.

Don’t know, if it’s Phillips, WW, Ieans (LOL) or Danny Meager. But lets not count out Meager. The kid is hurt. Some may say he is injury prone, but he hasn’t missed a snap, that he was expected to play in the regular season because of injury. He is a great athlete, who did it all is HS. He was a serious prospect until he broke his leg and that set him back.

He is a good QB and can be a winner at this level if the offensive line gives him time. I agree that Phillips is a better passer and from what I’ve heard WW might be a better runner. But Meager has the makings of a true winner. Not saying he’s the 2006 QB, but don’t count him out.

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I would say he's injury prone, for sure. If I remember correctly, the only time he didn't miss snaps was last spring. He's been injured more than he's been healthy, and he's always dinged up. He missed snaps in the regular season when he got concussed for what, the 2nd time last year, in the FAU game.

[the green rokemi]

Really hard to judge since they were divided , as was the rest ot the squad .

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Really? It seemed to me that the majority of the starters were on Green and I think the score reflected that...

[mad dog]

I would say he's injury prone, for sure.  If I remember correctly, the only time he didn't miss snaps was last spring.  He's been injured more than he's been healthy, and he's always dinged up.  He missed snaps in the regular season when he got concussed for what, the 2nd time last year, in the FAU game.

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Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but he was out for most of last spring with the rotator cuff injury. He was in for most of the season last year, except a few times when he got dinged.