Football: Wilson sparks Mean Green offense

[Harry]

Phillips starts game for UNT but gives way to transfer

12:06 AM CDT on Sunday, September 10, 2006

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas head coach Darrell Dickey wasn’t ready to name a new starting quarterback after the Mean Green’s 24-6 win over SMU at Fouts Field on Saturday night.

What he was willing to do was give junior Woody Wilson credit for providing the Mean Green the spark they needed to run over the Mustangs in the team’s first meeting since 1992.

DRC/Gary Payne

North Texas quarterback Woody Wilson winds up to pass during the second quarter against SMU on Saturday at Fouts Field.

Wilson came into the game in relief of starter Matt Phillips in the second quarter and led the Mean Green on three scoring drives that allowed UNT to pick up just its fourth win in its series with the Mustangs. SMU leads the overall series 27-4-1.

“We have to be able to attack the perimeter of a defense to loosen things up for our between-the-tackles running game,” Dickey said. “That is what Woody can do for us. He is also a very good passer. In two games he has executed very well.”

Wilson’s biggest contribution might have come in the third quarter after SMU cut an early 7-0 deficit to 7-6 on a 12-yard pass from Justin Willis to Columbus Givens.

UNT responded on its next possession when Wilson led an eight-play, 80-yard drive and scored on a 33-yard run to give the Mean Green a 14-6 lead.

Wilson stayed in the game and led the Mean Green on two more scoring drives, including one that ended with running back Jamario Thomas plunging into the end zone on a 5-yard run to ice the game late in the fourth quarter.

Wilson finished with 103 yards passing and 74 yards rushing.

Dickey declined to address who would start next week at Tulsa, despite Wilson’s breakout performance.

“I feel like I did pretty well, but I still have a long way to go,” Wilson said. “I had to go in and make plays without forcing things.”

Several UNT players said they were impressed with what Wilson accomplished in his first win for the Mean Green. Phillips started UNT’s first two games before giving way Wilson.

Phillips finished with 42 passing yards against SMU.

“Woody is a special player,” UNT wide receiver Johnny Quinn said. “Woody’s touchdown run was a pass play and he was able to cut it back. He does a good job running our offense and is fast. When you add that to a good running back like Jamario Thomas or Evan Robertson, it gives defenses problems.”

Thomas caps off big night with TD

Running back Jamario Thomas produced one of his most important performances on Saturday night, even if it wasn’t one of his biggest in terms of yards.

Thomas finished with 90 yards rushing and a touchdown in a 24-6 win over SMU at Fouts Field after pounding away at the middle of the Mustangs’ defense until it softened late in the game.

“Tonight is one of the nights I was most proud of Jamario,” UNT head coach Darrell Dickey said. “Two years ago it was easy when he was running for 200 yards through huge holes. Tonight he was getting stuffed and never once got down on himself or the line. He kept running hard and started making runs that showed his old self.”

Thomas had just seven carries for nine yards at halftime before breaking out in the second half when he scored on a 5-yard run for his first touchdown since a game against Idaho in the 2004 season against Idaho.

Thomas had gone 14 games without scoring, a drought UNT offensive coordinator Ramon Flanigan had been teasing him about in practice.

“As we ran the ball, we got stronger and stronger throughout the game,” Thomas said. “It felt good to get back in the end zone.”

UNT’s Quinn extends streak

UNT wide receiver Johnny Quinn extended his streak with at least one catch to 38 in the Mean Green’s game against SMU.

Quinn came into the week with the second longest streak in the nation behind Steve Odom of Toledo, who had a 38-game streak heading into the week.

Quinn didn’t have to wait long to keep his run alive. The former McKinney standout caught a 33-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Matt Phillips on the Mean Green’s first offensive play of the game.

Quinn has kept his streak alive despite breaking his left hand in preseason practice. The senior has worn a cast in each of the Mean Green’s first two games.

Briefly …

The touchdown that running back Evan Robertson scored on a blocked punt was UNT’s first in the first quarter in 13 games. … Linebacker Germaine Dawson posted the first sack of his career in the second quarter. … UNT held SMU scoreless in the first half. It was UNT’s first opening-half shutout since a game against Arkansas State in 2004.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.