DRC- Football on the rise

MeanGreen61 · August 20, 2006

Football: On the rise

QB Wilson puts on strong showing at UNT's scrimmage

09:35 PM CDT on Saturday, August 19, 2006

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

Woody Wilson wasn’t flashy during North Texas’ second scrimmage of fall practice on Saturday. The junior was just effective. And that was perfectly fine as far as the Mean Green were concerned.

Wilson led UNT to a field goal in his first series under center, guided two other touchdown drives and gave a little life to a Mean Green offense that looked stagnant in its first scrimmage of the fall.

Wilson missed UNT’s scrimmage on Wednesday with a knee injury, but quickly made up ground Saturday in what has shaped up to be a four-way battle for the starting job with returning starter Daniel Meager, Matt Phillips and Nathan Tune.

“Woody helped himself today,” UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. “It was just one day, but it’s a day we are going to grade them pretty hard. They have all had good days and days that they have struggled. Woody had a good day.”

Wilson had plenty of opportunities after UNT’s crowded stable of quarterbacks dwindled by one for the day. Meager, UNT’s returning starter, did not participate in the scrimmage after taking a hard hit in practice on Friday.

“Daniel has taken some pretty good licks and has been a little woozy, so we kept him out as a precautionary measure to get him back to full speed,” Dickey said. “To be honest, he has had a very good camp. Sitting out didn’t set him back.”

While missing the scrimmage didn’t put Meager behind, it certainly helped Wilson.

UNT struggled to find a rhythm on offense in its first scrimmage, but settled into a groove during several long drives behind Wilson. He guided a 20-play, 84-yard drive for a field goal on his first possession and an 18-play, 87-yard drive that ended with a turnover at the 12-yard line.

Wilson was on the field for two touchdowns and a field goal, but also made some mistakes. He threw an interception in the end zone that killed a five-play, 45-yard drive.

“I did all right,” Wilson said. “I didn’t really get what I wanted to done. I had a bunch of missed reads that I need to work on.”

Even with those mistakes, Wilson had UNT’s offense running more efficiently than on Wednesday. The Mean Green went 16 possessions without scoring during its first scrimmage.

“Woody wanted to come out here and show what he can do,” UNT wide receiver Johnny Quinn said. “He did a great job running the offense. He is a competitor and it showed.”

Dickey was particularly happy with the way Wilson managed the game.

“Woody’s huddle presence was as good as anyone’s,” Dickey said. “He was pretty calm when he was in there and took charge when he needed to. Things ran pretty smoothly in there and he executed very well.”

Phillips had his moments, including leading the Mean Green on a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown drive capped by a 23-yard pass to Quinn, but he also struggled at times. The sophomore threw three interceptions.

Tune, a freshman who made a splash in UNT’s first scrimmage, played with the Mean Green’s third-team offense.

UNT has one more scrimmage on Aug. 26 before opening the season on Sept. 2 at Texas, but still has a long way to go to determine who will start at quarterback.

“We will make a decision on who starts against Texas when it’s appropriate,” Dickey said. “If someone needs to know or it’s justified, then we will do it. Right now I don’t even want to think about it. I want our quarterbacks to try to learn our offense, execute it, gain the respect of their teammates, make smart decisions on the field and move the sticks.

“That’s what I want them to concentrate on instead of whether they are first or third in the pecking order because that could change in a flash.”

Taveras makes move, splash

Tony Taveras was told just before UNT’s scrimmage that he would be moving from linebacker to fullback.

By the end of the afternoon Taveras was carrying a large load for the Mean Green as a running back. UNT turned to the freshman walk-on after several of its running backs were injured. Starter Jamario Thomas played sparingly because of an ankle injury. When Deavin Cox, James Mitchell and Joshua Maldonado also went out with injuries, Taveras went in.

“Tony told me when we moved him that he had played some running back in high school,” UNT running backs coach Ramone Archie said. “I told him, ‘Son, all you’re going to do is block and catch a pass in the flat every once in a while.’ … All of a sudden we were putting him out there, and I was telling him where to go after the play was called. He picked it up really well.”

Briefly …

Dickey said he was pleased with most of his players’ effort and intensity, but is concerned about the toughness of a few of his players who continue to sit out with injuries. … RB Evan Robertson and TE Victor Gill of Argyle both had solid showings and are moving up the depth chart. … Dickey said he was pleased with the play of DBs Kartay Agobottah and Aaron Weathers and LB Maurice Holman. … OL Chad Rose, WR Brock Stickler, TE David Collins, OL Robert Peachey, LB Phillip Graves and LB Willie Ransom all sat out. … DE Jeremiah Chapman returned to practice. … WR Joel Nwigwe played without the non-contact red jersey he wore earlier in the week.

untbowler · August 20, 2006

Football: On the rise
QB Wilson puts on strong showing at UNT's scrimmage

09:35 PM CDT on Saturday, August 19, 2006
By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

Woody Wilson wasn’t flashy during North Texas’ second scrimmage of fall practice on Saturday. The junior was just effective. And that was perfectly fine as far as the Mean Green were concerned.
Wilson led UNT to a field goal in his first series under center, guided two other touchdown drives and gave a little life to a Mean Green offense that looked stagnant in its first scrimmage of the fall.
Wilson missed UNT’s scrimmage on Wednesday with a knee injury, but quickly made up ground Saturday in what has shaped up to be a four-way battle for the starting job with returning starter Daniel Meager, Matt Phillips and Nathan Tune.
“Woody helped himself today,” UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. “It was just one day, but it’s a day we are going to grade them pretty hard. They have all had good days and days that they have struggled. Woody had a good day.”
Wilson had plenty of opportunities after UNT’s crowded stable of quarterbacks dwindled by one for the day. Meager, UNT’s returning starter, did not participate in the scrimmage after taking a hard hit in practice on Friday.
“Daniel has taken some pretty good licks and has been a little woozy, so we kept him out as a precautionary measure to get him back to full speed,” Dickey said. “To be honest, he has had a very good camp. Sitting out didn’t set him back.”
While missing the scrimmage didn’t put Meager behind, it certainly helped Wilson.
UNT struggled to find a rhythm on offense in its first scrimmage, but settled into a groove during several long drives behind Wilson. He guided a 20-play, 84-yard drive for a field goal on his first possession and an 18-play, 87-yard drive that ended with a turnover at the 12-yard line.
Wilson was on the field for two touchdowns and a field goal, but also made some mistakes. He threw an interception in the end zone that killed a five-play, 45-yard drive.
“I did all right,” Wilson said. “I didn’t really get what I wanted to done. I had a bunch of missed reads that I need to work on.”
Even with those mistakes, Wilson had UNT’s offense running more efficiently than on Wednesday. The Mean Green went 16 possessions without scoring during its first scrimmage.
“Woody wanted to come out here and show what he can do,” UNT wide receiver Johnny Quinn said. “He did a great job running the offense. He is a competitor and it showed.”
Dickey was particularly happy with the way Wilson managed the game.
“Woody’s huddle presence was as good as anyone’s,” Dickey said. “He was pretty calm when he was in there and took charge when he needed to. Things ran pretty smoothly in there and he executed very well.”
Phillips had his moments, including leading the Mean Green on a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown drive capped by a 23-yard pass to Quinn, but he also struggled at times. The sophomore threw three interceptions.
Tune, a freshman who made a splash in UNT’s first scrimmage, played with the Mean Green’s third-team offense.
UNT has one more scrimmage on Aug. 26 before opening the season on Sept. 2 at Texas, but still has a long way to go to determine who will start at quarterback.
“We will make a decision on who starts against Texas when it’s appropriate,” Dickey said. “If someone needs to know or it’s justified, then we will do it. Right now I don’t even want to think about it. I want our quarterbacks to try to learn our offense, execute it, gain the respect of their teammates, make smart decisions on the field and move the sticks.
“That’s what I want them to concentrate on instead of whether they are first or third in the pecking order because that could change in a flash.”
Taveras makes move, splash
Tony Taveras was told just before UNT’s scrimmage that he would be moving from linebacker to fullback.
By the end of the afternoon Taveras was carrying a large load for the Mean Green as a running back. UNT turned to the freshman walk-on after several of its running backs were injured. Starter Jamario Thomas played sparingly because of an ankle injury. When Deavin Cox, James Mitchell and Joshua Maldonado also went out with injuries, Taveras went in.
“Tony told me when we moved him that he had played some running back in high school,” UNT running backs coach Ramone Archie said. “I told him, ‘Son, all you’re going to do is block and catch a pass in the flat every once in a while.’ … All of a sudden we were putting him out there, and I was telling him where to go after the play was called. He picked it up really well.”
Briefly …
Dickey said he was pleased with most of his players’ effort and intensity, but is concerned about the toughness of a few of his players who continue to sit out with injuries. … RB Evan Robertson and TE Victor Gill of Argyle both had solid showings and are moving up the depth chart. … Dickey said he was pleased with the play of DBs Kartay Agobottah and Aaron Weathers and LB Maurice Holman. … OL Chad Rose, WR Brock Stickler, TE David Collins, OL Robert Peachey, LB Phillip Graves and LB Willie Ransom all sat out. … DE Jeremiah Chapman returned to practice. … WR Joel Nwigwe played without the non-contact red jersey he wore earlier in the week.
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