North Texas team report

[MeanGreen61]

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/teamReport?ca...=NotesAndQuotes

Notes and Quotes

GAME BALL GOES TO: LB Maurice Holman -- The junior led the Mean Green with nine tackles against Texas.

KEEP AN EYE ON: QB Woody Wilson -- The junior college transfer relieved starter Matt Phillips and completed 5-of-6 passes for 65 yards and the team's only touchdown.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "All the little things we have been working on finally came together on that drive. It showed what we can do when everyone does their assignments." -- UNT junior QB Woody Wilson told the Denton Record-Chronicle, referring to the Mean Green's only scoring drive against Texas last week.

Inside Slant

When you're trying to find a dependable starting quarterback, playing Texas is hardly the ideal situation.

Such was the case, though, for the Mean Green last week when they lost 56-7 at defending national champion Texas.

North Texas' only true question mark is at quarterback, where junior Matt Phillips started and junior college transfer Woody Wilson backed up.

Phillips completed only 4-of-13 passes for 22 yards, while Wilson showed some good things by completing 5-of-6 for 65 yards and a touchdown.

UNT coach Darrell Dickey was noncommittal as far as who will start this week at home against SMU.

"Without looking at the film, it seemed like Woody made a few more plays," Dickey told the Denton Record-Chronicle. "What we are going to look at is if Matt was getting as much of a chance and if the problems were his fault or if they came in other areas."

It didn't help that North Texas couldn't get its running game going. The Mean Green had just eight yards rushing, and Phillips and Wilson were both sacked twice.

Strategy and Personnel

LOOKING GOOD:

The Mean Green defense struggled much of the game, but did force two turnovers.

JUCO transfer quarterback Woody Wilson's play was encouraging.

STILL NEEDS SOME WORK: The special teams play wasn't up to normal UNT standards.

UNT prides itself in the running game, yet had just eight yards at Texas. In all fairness, though, it will be the best defense UNT faces this season.

ROSTER REPORT:

Sophomore QB Daniel Meager, last year's starter who is competing for the job this year, missed the game at Texas with a concussion.

OL Kelvin Drake and TEs Bryant Seidle and Victor Gill are the only true freshmen expected to play for UNT this season.

Despite a broken bone in his left hand, senior WR Johnny Quinn played at Texas last week.

North Texas is starting or playing two freshmen -- Desmond Chapman and Antoine Bush -- and two sophomores -- Dominique Green and Steve Warren -- at cornerback.

[MeanGreen61]

Here's the Ponies team report.

Inside Slant

SMU put its improvement on the line against Texas Tech in its season opener and found it wasn't as improved as it needed to be to beat a Big 12 team.

After finishing 5-6 last season and closing with three consecutive victories, SMU entered the season with goals of a winning record and a bowl bid. Those goals remain intact, but a 35-3 loss at Texas Tech suggests the Mustangs still have a lot to work on.

"I wasn't disappointed in our effort at all," SMU coach Phil Bennett said. "Believe it or not, I saw some bright spots. I'm disappointed offensively."

That's where the improvement has to start. The Mustangs entered the season with high expectations for a running game led by sophomore tailback DeMyron Martin but found that running might be awfully difficult this season until the offense can get redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Willis established.

Willis completed 9 of 16 passes for 69 yards and junior college transfer Cory Slater completed only 1 of 3 passes for 2 yards, giving no relief to a running game that produced only 118 yards on 34 carries (3.4 yards per carry).

"Overall, I think I did all right," Willis said. "Tech has a good defense, but we didn't move the ball consistently. The effort was there, but we just missed some opportunities."

If the Mustangs are to meet their goals, they must start by taking advantage of those opportunities next Saturday when they play at North Texas. The Mean Green opened its season with a 56-7 loss to Texas.

Notes and Quotes

GAME BALL GOES TO: FS Randall Goode -- Goode moved into the starting lineup with 11 tackles, including eight solo stops.

KEEP AN EYE ON: QB Justin Willis -- SMU's redshirt freshman made his first start and provided some mixed results, completing 9 of 16 passes for 69 yards and leading the Mustangs with 39 rushing yards on 12 carries.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I thought Justin handled himself well for a guy in his first college game. He was not intimidated at all. He didn't have the great numbers, but I see a future in him." -- SMU coach Phil Bennett on QB Justin Willis

Strategy and Personnel

LOOKING GOOD: The Mustangs didn't allow any sacks.

SMU averaged 19.3 yards per punt return.

SMU came out even in the turnover departments, losing a fumble and intercepting a pass.

STILL NEEDS WORK: The running game produced only 118 yards on 34 carries (3.4 yards per carry). DeMyron Martin, SMU's top returning rusher, finished with only 30 yards on 12 carries, averaging 2.5 yards per rush.

SMU committed three consecutive false start penalties on one possession.

SMU finished with only 71 total passing yards.

SMU has lost six consecutive season openers.

ROSTER REPORT: SMU coach Phil Bennett said last week he would play two quarterbacks, redshirt freshman Justin Willis and junior college transfer Cory Slater, and did just that. Willis received the bulk of the playing time, throwing 16 passes and carrying 12 times, while Slater threw three passes and did not carry the ball.

Sophomore Thomas Morstead punted eight times for 43.2 yards per punt, with three inside the 20. He also made a 38-yard field goal and missed one from 44 yards into the wind. The only other kicker SMU used in the game was freshman Kellis Cunningham, who handled kickoffs.

Several Mustangs got their first starts: Willis, FS Randall Goode, TE Vincent Chase, WR Emmanuel Sanders, LB Tony Hawkins and OLs Tommy Poynter and Kenard Burley. Sanders, Willis and Morstead saw their first collegiate action.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Dickey makes me laugh. Almost as much as Houston Nutt makes me laugh. Maybe DD should take a page from Nutt yesturday and start Woody. How can one look at what Phillips did in that game, then look at what Woody did and make the conclusion that we are going to have to "review tape to see if Phillips had the same opportunities that Woody did"? Give me a break. Woody was not in half the time that PHillips was. What do you mean you have to review tape? Good night.