North Texas putting dismal year in the past

MeanGreen61 · August 18, 2006

Posted on Thu, Aug. 17, 2006

PAUL J. WEBER

Associated Press

DENTON, Texas - North Texas coach Darrell Dickey, who learned he was diabetic after his team finished 2-9 last season, jokes that angry fans sent him cookies and cakes when his condition was made public.

Were that true, at least such a twisted prank might prove how North Texas fans are through being passive about losing.

And raising expectations around North Texas, which had seven straight losing seasons after returning to Division I in 1995, has been Dickey's focus since arriving in 1998.

The Mean Green won the first of four consecutive Sun Belt titles and ended a 42-year bowl drought despite an 0-5 start in 2001. The next three conference titles and New Orleans Bowl appearances were accompanied by winning seasons, giving North Texas some much-craved credibility.

One dismal two-win season isn't a sign his program is spiraling back to its darker days, Dickey said recently between checks of his blood sugar, which he has to do four times a day.

"We're not at the point where we can have a whole lot of bad things happen to us and us still roll through our conference," said Dickey, 44, who lost about 40 pounds after his diabetes was discovered.

"We took a step backward last year in terms of our record, but I think we're just as competitive or capable as we've been anytime in the last five years."

North Texas was picked to finish fourth in the conference this season by other Sun Belt coaches, the first time in four years the Mean Green hasn't topped the preseason rankings.

Last year's record notwithstanding, there's other evidence that perhaps justifies a middle-of-the-pack prediction.

The Mean Green have six opponents who finished at least tied for first in their respective conferences last season, including the season opener in Austin against defending national champion Texas.

Former rushing champion Patrick Cobbs has graduated, and quarterback is up for grabs after Daniel Meager didn't play well enough as a redshirt freshman last year to secure the job.

But Dickey and his players said there's equal evidence that missing the New Orleans Bowl was the anomaly, rather than the team's four straight appearances before that absence.

Junior Jamario Thomas, who led the nation with 1,801 rushing yards as a freshman in 2004, is healthy after being hobbled with a sore hamstring most of last year. Thomas is one of 17 returning starters, including four on the offensive line, giving Dickey his most experienced team yet.

Also back is wide receiver Johnny Quinn, whose 36 consecutive games with a catch is the second-longest streak in Division I. Dickey said a switch to the 3-4 defense this spring should also help North Texas better contain its Sun Belt opponents.

Besides, Dickey and his players insist, last year wasn't as bad as the record suggests. Of the Mean Green's nine losses, five were by six points or fewer.

"We were definitely going the right way," senior linebacker Phillip Graves said. "But it's only one year. ... Last year is just, I hope, a flawed deal, and this year we'll turn it around."

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/state/15298006.htm

Edited August 18, 2006 by MeanGreen61