UNT hopes defense has return to dominance ?

[MeanGreen61]

UNT hopes SMU outing signals defense's return to dominance

Mean Green thrived against Ponies

11:44 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 13, 2006

By Brett Vito/Staff Writer

Sky Pruitt found himself wondering Saturday night if North Texas’ defense had gone back in time.

UNT had limited SMU to 270 yards in a 24-6 win, an outing that reminded the senior defensive lineman of the 2002 and 2003 seasons, when the Mean Green featured one of the elite defenses in the Sun Belt Conference and beyond.

“It was awesome,” Pruitt said. “It felt like when you were down in your stance you could count on everyone on your left and your right to do their job as long as you did yours. It looked a lot like our defense back when Booger [brandon Kennedy], Cody [spencer], [Taylor] Casey and [Chris] Hurd were out there.”

Pruitt was a young backup on those teams and is now among a handful of veterans trying to ensure the Mean Green’s outing against SMU is the next step in UNT’s rise and not a blip on the radar heading into a game Saturday at Tulsa.

UNT started off well defensively in a season-opening 14-7 win over Middle Tennessee last year before giving up 54 points in back-to-back weeks against Tulsa and Kansas State.

The Mean Green went on to finish 2-9 and rank last in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring defense with an average of 31.5 points allowed per game. That total represented the continued demise of a unit that finished third nationally in scoring defense with an average of 14.8 points allowed a game in 2002.

UNT’s slide prompted a few changes in the Mean Green’s staff after last season, including the return of Fred Bleil as defensive coordinator after a stint at San Diego State. Bleil’s first move was to put the Mean Green in a 3-4 base defense in place of a more traditional 4-3.

A Texas team with superior size and athleticism handled UNT in a 56-7 win in both teams’ season opener, but SMU never deciphered the Mean Green’s scheme.

“They jump from an odd-man front back to even and disguise their defense very well,” SMU coach Phil Bennett said. “Their kids play with the temperament defense is supposed to be played with.”

Bleil said UNT’s performance was another step toward adjusting to the new system, but credited the Mean Green’s performance more to hustle than the scheme.

“What was really good was the effort,” Bleil said. “We ran to the ball pretty well.”

UNT’s players said Bleil deserves more of the credit for the SMU win than he has accepted since the Mean Green won for just the fourth time in their 32-game series against the Mustangs.

“[bleil] not only put us in a new defense, he works with us on fundamentals and brings a lot of energy,” UNT junior safety Aaron Weathers said. “The players are really buying into what he is teaching and it’s showing on the field.”

Head coach Darrell Dickey said that while the SMU win was critical, UNT would face a true test of how far it has come under Bleil in its rematch with Tulsa.

UNT trailed the Golden Hurricane 5-2 with three minutes left in the first half last season before Tulsa blitzed the Mean Green for 49 unanswered points. UNT’s players hope to show on Saturday that this season’s defense will look more like the Mean Green of old than the team that collapsed against Tulsa last year.

“Some of the defenses we have had in the past have been pretty good,” Dickey said. “We have the ability to be strong defensively again, but I’m not ready to anoint us as a great defensive team yet.”

Briefly …

Head coach Darrell Dickey said Wednesday that UNT is researching the eligibility situation of running back David Jackson, a former Haltom standout who began practicing with the team this week. The transfer from Oklahoma State will have one or two years of eligibility remaining and could also have a redshirt year. UNT’s plans for the 5-11, 190-pound back will be set when the Mean Green’s staff determines how many years he has left to play. … The status of linebackers Brandon Monroe (turf toe) and Derek Mendoza (sprained knee) for UNT’s game against Tulsa on Saturday will be a game-time decision. … Senior wide receiver Johnny Quinn practiced with a pad over his left hand on Wednesday and will play without a cast for the first time this season against Tulsa. Quinn has 12 catches for 148 yards in two games, despite breaking his hand during preseason practice.

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

UNT’s defensive slide

North Texas showed signs that its defense could be turning the corner in its win over SMU after an extended slide the last few years. The following is where UNT has ranked in scoring defense the last four seasons.

Year Points National rank

2002 14.8 3

2003 21.9 5

2004 29.8 81

2005 31.5 97