DD feels good about team

MeanGreen61 · August 22, 2006

Dickey feels good about UNT at midpoint of two-a-days

Offensive execution remains biggest concern

11:39 PM CDT on Monday, August 21, 2006

By Brett Vito/Staff Writer

With the burning sun beating down during yet another session of two-a-days, it might not have felt quite like halftime for North Texas on Monday.

But in a way that was just what the 15th day of fall practice represented for the Mean Green. UNT has two weeks of practice down and two to go before its season opener against Texas on Sept. 2 in Austin.

“I feel really good about the progress we made,” UNT head coach Darrell Dickey said of the first two weeks of workouts. “There are still areas we are going to need to improve quickly and continue to improve as the season progresses, but I feel like we have made the progress that we needed to make in most areas to this point.”

UNT has several positions still up for grabs, a few young players making a run up the depth chart and few veterans whose status for the Mean Green’s showdown with the Longhorns in question.

The following is a rundown of where UNT stands at the midway point of fall workouts.

[biggest surprises]

One of the intriguing storylines of fall practice is UNT’s move to a new base 3-4 defense under new coordinator Fred Bleil.

So far, the transition has gone smoothly.

UNT’s defense has dominated both of the Mean Green’s scrimmages thus far.

“It’s coming together,” UNT defensive back Aaron Weathers said. “I can see that everyone is more comfortable with their position. It’s pretty much a new spot for everyone. We are getting comfortable with where we are at and everyone has a better feel for where they are playing and what they need to do.”

UNT’s young cornerbacks have made a particularly strong impression on Dickey. The Mean Green must replace both of their starters from last season.

Sophomore Dominique Green and freshmen Antoine Bush and Desmon Chatman are all listed on the Mean Green’s two-deep depth chart. Chatman picked off a pair of passes in the Mean Green’s scrimmage on Saturday.

“I really feel good about how our young cornerbacks have come in, adapted and learned what coach Bleil is teaching them,” Dickey said.

UNT’s trio of cornerbacks was just a few of the young players Dickey has listed as early surprises in fall camp.

Freshman Kelvin Drake is playing center for the first time in his career after playing guard in high school and has taken hold of the backup job behind starter Chad Rose.

Dickey also named redshirt freshman running back Evan Robertson, freshman tight ends Victor Gill and Bryant Seidle, sophomore wide receiver Casey Fitzgerald and redshirt freshman safety Kartay Agobottah among the young players moving up the Mean Green’s depth chart.

“We have some freshmen who have the ability to help us this year,” Dickey said.

[biggest disappointments]

While some of UNT’s young players have made an impression early, they have also contributed to chemistry problems for the Mean Green’s offense that has been perhaps the biggest disappointment early on.

Junior quarterback Woody Wilson was solid in his first scrimmage outing on Saturday, but UNT has continued to flounder overall.

“Our biggest disappointment has been our carelessness with the ball,” Dickey said. “You don’t win football games fumbling and throwing interceptions. Those things will happen, but the years that we have been strong, we have had a good turnover ratio.”

Some of UNT’s struggles can be attributed to a host of new players in key positions. The Mean Green are rotating three and sometimes four quarterbacks and are also working with a new center while Rose is out.

UNT has had a particularly tough time with the center-quarterback exchange, although the Mean Green’s players believe they are making progress.

“It’s good to see people come along and see the mistakes that we made earlier corrected on film,” UNT tackle Joel Foster said. “We are a lot better than we were two weeks ago.”

UNT is correcting those mistakes without Rose and linebacker Willie Ransom, two players who are expected to play key roles. Rose underwent a procedure on Monday that is expected to help him recover from his groin injury in time to practice this weekend, while Ransom is still working his way back from injuries to his feet and ankles.

Wide receiver Brock Stickler is also battling injuries and has missed significant practice time. UNT was hoping Stickler could help the Mean Green as an H-back.

“We are getting to the point where we are going to have to see Willie and Chad practice soon,” Dickey said. “Willie didn’t practice much during the spring and doesn’t know much about the system. We are worried about how long he can go in a game.”

With half of fall practice gone, UNT’s time is running out.

Briefly …

Backup linebacker Colt Mahan missed the Mean Green’s practices on Monday with a sprained ankle.