DRC MG ready for open week

OldTimer · October 10, 2006

Football: Mean Green ready for open week

QB Meager to receive more playing time

11:07 PM CDT on Monday, October 9, 2006

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

A week off couldn’t have come at a much better time for North Texas.

UNT struggled through a tough start that saw the Mean Green play three of their first four games on the road and were drubbed at home by Middle Tennessee before bouncing back on Saturday to knock off Florida International.

The only problem was it took UNT seven overtimes to pick up its second win of the season, further wearing down an already beat up team.

“We are lucky to have an open week right now,” UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. “We have to get well. We have guys who are fighting just to get through games. We have been lucky not to have any season-ending injuries since the start of the season, but we have a lot of guys who are not 100 percent.”

Dickey gave those players a rest on Monday, when the Mean Green skipped their normally short workout in favor of some much-needed time off.

UNT will begin preparing today for a game at Arkansas State on Oct. 21.

The Mean Green head into that game still alive in the race for the Sun Belt Conference title thanks to pulling out a win over FIU in a bafflingly long game that saw both teams squander multiple opportunities for the win.

UNT kicker Denis Hopovac finally gave the Mean Green the victory when he hit a 34-yard field goal on his ninth attempt of the game. Hopovac went 5-for-9 on field goals while FIU kicker Dustin Rivest went 3-for-7.

The struggles both kickers endured contributed to a game that saw UNT and FIU combine to run 165 plays.

While it wasn’t the prettiest of games, it is one the Mean Green hope they can build on.

“I think this is the type of win that could get us going,” Dickey said. “The young guys needed to see some success so that they can believe in what they are doing. What was important was there were times we could have quit and times where it looked like we were going to put it away and didn’t. The things that I have been preaching about hanging in there worked out.”

UNT couldn’t make that formula work after its first win of the season, a victory over SMU in Week 2. The Mean Green went on to drop three straight games before bouncing back against FIU.

UNT is aiming to avoid a similar slide after what Dickey described as a thrilling game.

“For a team that hadn’t won a game and a team that had won one, it was a wonderful football game,” Dickey said. “I know there are a lot of people here calling it ugly, but it was what I got into coaching for – two teams playing their hearts out.”

Meager back in mix

UNT coach Darrell Dickey said Monday that sophomore quarterback Daniel Meager could be in line for additional playing time after leading the Mean Green to their win over FIU.

Meager came off the bench in relief of starter Woody Wilson and threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Johnny Quinn in the final two minutes. The former Richardson Pearce standout added a two-point conversion on a run to give UNT a 16-13 lead and stayed in the game for all seven overtime sessions after FIU came back and tied the score.

Meager threw for 86 yards and a touchdown, while Wilson finished with 75 yards and three interceptions.

Meager was UNT’s starter last season, but has come off the bench this year in relief of Matt Phillips, who started the first two games of the season, and Wilson, who has started the last four.

“We are probably going to play both guys and we haven’t forgotten totally about Matt Phillips,” Dickey said. “Our quarterback play has been inconsistent. Woody has played well at times, but has had some trouble with turnovers and running our whole offense. Daniel came on and led us to our only touchdown, but he also had some plays we wish we could do over.”

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

jimmyjames_99 · October 10, 2006

Let's hope with two weeks to prepare for Arkansas State we can figure out a way to get a win!

Mad Hatter · October 10, 2006

Let's hope with 2 weeks they can pick a QB and let him run the offense EVERY DAY in practice. Good grief I'm tired of the rotation!

KBJ · October 10, 2006

Wilson has taken the snaps in pratice for the last three weeks.

chrisfisher · October 10, 2006

Wilson has taken the snaps in pratice for the last three weeks.
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Unfortunately, Wilson has seemed to get worse, not better with additional practice. I am not sure how to interpret this. I can't help but speculate that Wilson is over-thinking plays now due to coaches demands that he not make mistakes (emphasizing mistakes, rather than scoring). However, I have to say that Wilson's throwing has been ugly - under pressure or not. He throws needless interceptions and sometimes misses wide open receivers. He seems to be very out of sync with receivers. Then again, he is essentially a freshman QB. This is what freshman QB's do in their first games. So I don't think it can fall entirely on the coaches on this one.

untgirl04 · October 10, 2006

Unfortunately, Wilson has seemed to get worse, not better with additional practice. I am not sure how to interpret this. I can't help but speculate that Wilson is over-thinking plays now due to coaches demands that he not make mistakes (emphasizing mistakes, rather than scoring). However, I have to say that Wilson's throwing has been ugly - under pressure or not. He throws needless interceptions and sometimes misses wide open receivers. He seems to be very out of sync with receivers. Then again, he is essentially a freshman QB. This is what freshman QB's do in their first games. So I don't think it can fall entirely on the coaches on this one.
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The problem is that these are no longer his first games. He didn't play much at Texas, but he played quite a bit in the SMU game and the Tulsa game, and started in the Akron and MTSU games (I might have one of those backwards). Regardless, he's had quite a bit of playing time this year, but didn't start taking all the snaps until more recently. I think you can fault the coaches for that one. I agree with your assessment of WW and think you're also probably spot-on about why he suddenly isn't performing.

gangrene · October 10, 2006

QB Meager to receive more playing time

Meager back in mix
UNT coach Darrell Dickey said Monday that sophomore quarterback Daniel Meager could be in line for additional playing time after leading the Mean Green to their win over FIU.
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Woohoo!!! Go Meager!!! More PT for Meager is just what I wanted to see.

Dickey said. “Our quarterback play has been inconsistent.”
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Now there's an understatement. It really does baffle me why our QB situation is so dire and our offense is so bland, considering our head coach is a former college QB himself.

I searched, but couldn't find anything...did DD just hand off the ball for four years at KSU or did he actually pass more than 10 times a game? I thought I had read somewhere that he was a pretty good passing QB, which would lead me to further confusion about his coaching style.

ntmeangreen11 · October 10, 2006

I'm glad Meager is getting more playing time, he impressed me on Saturday, and played the best that night. Woody played terrible. I think Meager should get the start.