DRC NT's QB search takes turns..still looking for

OldTimer · October 15, 2006

UNT's quarterback search has taken several turns

Mean Green still looking for right fit at midpoint of season

11:39 PM CDT on Saturday, October 14, 2006

By Brett Vito/Staff Writer

The order of succession seemed set as North Texas prepared to open the 2004 season as the three-time defending Sun Belt Conference champion.

Scott Hall was back as UNT’s quarterback for his senior year, when he would be pushed by backup Andrew Smith, the junior heir apparent who had already filled in as the starter for a season two years before. Daniel Meager and Joey Byerly, a pair of highly regarded recruits, were both waiting in the wings, set to take over when Smith completed his career.

The story of how the Mean Green went from that point with a stable quarterback situation to where they will begin the second half of the 2006 season next week at Arkansas State is a story filled with more twists, turns and intrigue than an average mystery novel.

There has been tragedy, characters that appeared destined for a main role only to fizzle out and familiar faces that have grown as the story has progressed.

And yet, the fact remains: UNT has yet to adequately replaced Hall, a former All-Sun Belt Conference selection who threw for 5,975 yards in his career.

This season, UNT is looking to three sophomores: Woody Wilson, Matt Phillips and Daniel Meager to fill the void.

“A lot has happened and the microscope is larger now than when Scott came on with fans and the media because when he got here, North Texas hadn’t had a lot of success,” UNT offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ramon Flanigan said. “There was not anyone to compare Scott to except [uNT Hall of Fame member] Mitch Maher from 10 years before. These guys are following someone who led us to three bowl games and finished as the school’s all-time leader in passing efficiency.”

There might not be a better illustration of how much the Mean Green have struggled at quarterback since Hall graduated than the cold, hard statistics. UNT has used a run-based offense throughout head coach Darrell Dickey’s nine-year tenure, but has been at its best when it had an efficient quarterback to keep a defense honest.

Hall might not have been spectacular, but he turned his rare opportunities to throw into big-time production. He threw for more than 1,700 yards in the last two of his four seasons as UNT’s starter and made defenses pay when they stacked eight players near the line of scrimmage to stop the Mean Green’s running game.

The formula is one UNTs next generation of quarterbacks have struggled to duplicate, although some of their problems could be attributed to the teams general decline that saw the Mean Green finish 2-9 last year and start with a 2-4 record this fall. UNT ranked last in the Sun Belt in passing yards (1,422) and passing efficiency (92.9 rating) last season when Meager started every game as a redshirt freshman and Phillips came off of the bench as a true freshman.

Phillips, Meager and Wilson, a transfer from Colleyville (Kan.) Community College, have all had their shot at earning the job this year, but none have taken charge.

Phillips began the year as the starter and struggled in two games. Wilson showed flashes of greatness against SMU in Week 2, but has faltered as a starter since. Meager, who once appeared destined to be a backup, came up with a few key plays in a win over Florida International last week after coming on in relief of Wilson and is now back in the race for the starting job. Those three players have UNT ranked seventh out of the eight teams in the Sun Belt with an average of 105 passing yards a game.

Dickey declined earlier in the week to discuss the subject of who would start against ASU.

“We are unsettled there and haven’t had anyone step up and perform consistently, but all three young men we have played have been a reflection of our offensive struggles,” Dickey said. “Sometimes a quarterback makes a bad play and it falls on him, but sometimes they do everything correctly and it falls on someone else.”

Cast changes and plot twists

Perhaps the toughest aspect of UNTs search for its next quarterback has been that it all started with the tragic death of Andrew Smith.

The former Bay City standout started for the Mean Green in 2002 after Hall was injured in the season opener and led UNT to the Sun Belt Conference title and a win over Cincinnati in the New Orleans Bowl.

Hall regained his job the following season, but there was little doubt the Mean Green felt comfortable with the prospect of Smith taking over again in 2005 while Byerly and Meager were groomed for one last season.

That plan went awry when Smith was killed in a car accident on his way back to Denton for the beginning of fall practice on Aug. 7, 2004

“If you look at last season and what having Andrew Smith would have meant as a senior and what it would have meant to have the other two to watch for another season – it would have been invaluable,” Flanigan said.

The cast of characters competing for the starting job – and the number of players who have held it – has been in constant flux since.

Meager took over last season and started all 11 of UNT’s games. Phillips came off the bench in 2005 and started the first two games of this season before giving way to Wilson.

Wilson has struggled since and has failed to nail down the starting job.

Each had to deal with being rushed into a playing role early in their time at UNT, when none of the three had much in the way of college playing experience.

Meager hadn’t taken a snap in a college game when he debuted in 2005 in UNT’s season opener at Middle Tennessee and has missed most of both of the Mean Green’s spring practice sessions the last two years with injuries. Phillips had barely set foot on campus when he played for the first time in the second week of the 2005 season against Tulsa.

Wilson started just six games his freshman season last year at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College before breaking his collarbone and sitting out the rest of the campaign.

“The coaches did a great job of getting me ready last year, but I had shoulder surgery that set me back,” Meager said. “Any time you miss practice it hurts.”

What might have hurt UNT even more was the loss of a few prospects along the way. Byerly was the Mean Green’s most experienced quarterback heading into the 2005 season. UNT also missed out on a few of its top targets in recruiting.

Zac Taylor, a family friend of UNT recruiting coordinator Kenny Evans, considered playing for the Mean Green before a breakout sophomore year at Butler (Kan.) County Community College attracted the attention of a host of mid-major colleges and finally Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers signed Taylor, who is now their starting quarterback. Carson Coffman, one of the Mean Green’s top targets in recruiting last season, walked on at Kansas State instead of accepting a scholarship from UNT.

A host of walk-ons and other scholarship players have tried to fill the void at UNT, but none have ended up making an impact.

“There have been a lot of quarterbacks here just since I came,” Meager said. “It seems like we have had 12 walk-ons since my freshman year. The talent is definitely here, though.”

The bottom line

No matter how rough the ride has been for UNT while searching for its next quarterback, the Mean Green’s players and coaches believe they have the talent they need.

It’s just a matter of developing a new starter.

“There is no question all three of those guys have the talent they need, but learning to manage the game and learning how to take a hit and comeback can be tough,” said Dickey, who went through the same process at Kansas State, where he started for four seasons.

UNT has turned to three players without much success, but holds out hope that one will take control of the job and develop the way Hall and Smith did a few years ago. Hall went just 3-6 as a starter as a freshman, when he completed 49 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and six interceptions. Smith struggled early in 2002 before leading the Mean Green to their only New Orleans Bowl win in four tries.

“If you go back and look at Scott his first year and a half, these guys are about the same place,” Flanigan said.

Meager and Wilson have both had their moments.

Meager came off the bench to rally UNT to its win over FIU last week when he threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Johnny Quinn, scored on a two-point conversion and guided the Mean Green through seven overtimes to a 25-22 win. Wilson threw for 103 yards and rushed for another 74 against SMU.

UNT’s season could depend on the ability of the Mean Green’s quarterbacks to make those types of performances commonplace like they were during the team’s run of four straight Sun Belt titles from 2001-04.

Dickey has often pointed to the fact that the teams that are successful in the Sun Belt and college football in general are the ones with experienced quarterbacks. UNT hasn’t had that luxury since Hall’s departure, but is trying to develop another seasoned veteran out of its trio of sophomores this year.

“We are coming together,” Phillips said. “It’s a matter of clicking. We hope we get it together pretty soon.”

A look back

The following is a look back at all that has happened in North Texas search for a quarterback since Scott Hall completed his career after the 2004 season

August 2004

Andrew Smith’s death

Andrew Smith, a junior who was expected to push Scott Hall for the starting job in 2004 and take over in 2005, died in a car accident outside of College Station just days before the beginning of fall practice, leaving UNT shorthanded.

December 2004

Scott Hall finishes up

Scott Hall, one of the greatest quarterbacks in UNT history, completed his career as the Mean Green’s all-time leader in passing efficiency after leading UNT to a fourth straight Sun Belt Conference title.

February 2005

UNT loses Zac Taylor

UNT tried to recruit Zac Taylor, a standout at Butler County Community College and longtime family friend of recruiting coordinator Kenny Evans, but lost out when he posted a breakout season and signed with Nebraska.

Meager injured

The quarterback competition between Daniel Meager and Joey Byerly was set to heat up in spring practice, but Meager injured his shoulder and missed nearly all of the spring. Byerly took nearly all the snaps with UNT’s first-team offense.

UNT signs Phillips

Matt Phillips, a quarterback from San Angelo Lake View, signed with UNT late after not receiving another Division I-A offer. Phillips was the only quarterback in the Mean Green’s class. Steve Warren and Korey Washington, a pair of high school quarterbacks, moved to defensive back.

March 2005

Spring game

Joey Byerly threw for 150 yards and a touchdown in the Mean Green’s spring game. UNT head coach Darrell Dickey said he would not pursue a junior college quarterback.

July 2005

Byerly gone

Joey Byerly, UNT’s apparent starter and the only Mean Green player to have taken a snap in a college game, failed to meet NCAA eligibility requirements and left the school. UNT was left with one less QB option.

2005 season

Meager era

Daniel Meager started; Matt Phillips played in relief as UNT finished last in the Sun Belt in passing yards per game (129.3), passing efficiency (92.9 rating) and total offense (271.9 yards a game).

December 2005

Wilson signs

Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College standout and former Arkansas signee Woody Wilson transferred to UNT at the semester break.

February 2006

Coffman to KSU

Carson Coffman, UNT’s top target among high school quarterbacks, turned down an offer from the Mean Green to walk on at Kansas State. UNT ended up asking Nathan Tune of Celina to walk on, but later put him on scholarship.

Sept.-Oct., 2006

A skid with Wilson

UNT followed up its win over SMU with three straight losses with Woody Wilson as the starter. The Mean Green scored just 16 points in that span and suffered the worst conference home loss in school history, a 35-0 setback against Sun Belt rival Middle Tennessee.

October 2006

Meager’s return

Daniel Meager came off the bench to replace Woody Wilson, threw a key touchdown pass to Johnny Quinn and scored on a two-point conversion run at the end of regulation of a game against Florida International. The Mean Green went on to win in seven overtimes.

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

MeanGreenBuzz · October 15, 2006

UNT loses Zac Taylor
UNT tried to recruit Zac Taylor, a standout at Butler County Community College and longtime family friend of recruiting coordinator Kenny Evans, but lost out when he posted a breakout season and signed with Nebraska.

How nice would it have been to land this guy?

BIG DAWG · October 15, 2006

QUOTE
UNT loses Zac Taylor
UNT tried to recruit Zac Taylor, a standout at Butler County Community College and longtime family friend of recruiting coordinator Kenny Evans, but lost out when he posted a breakout season and signed with Nebraska.
How nice would it have been to land this guy?

I honestly think about every weekend we play

Cr1028 · October 16, 2006

I honestly think about every weekend we play
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I don't even think Peyton Manning could have much success throwing while on his back.

FirefightnRick · October 16, 2006

And yet, the fact remains: UNT has yet to adequately replaced Hall, a former All-Sun Belt Conference selection who threw for 5,975 yards in his career......
The formula is one UNTs next generation of quarterbacks have struggled to duplicate, although some of their problems could be attributed to the teams general decline that saw the Mean Green finish 2-9 last year and start with a 2-4 record this fall. UNT ranked last in the Sun Belt in passing yards (1,422) and passing efficiency (92.9 rating) last season when Meager started every game as a redshirt freshman and Phillips came off of the bench as a true freshman.
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I think the above article misses the actuall point, and that is, NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED on the O side of the LOS for North Texas regardless of personell and player changes over the years.

It mentions the stats for Hall above and then how poor we have been on offense since he left below that: Hall=5975 yards during his carreer, Since Hall=1422 yards per season. But if you count up the 45 games Scott played in,(I did figure in the half or less games he played in during '00 and '01) that comes out to only averaging 132 yards per game or, as PER SEASON as the article uses above=1493.

So your really comparing 1422 yards a season since and without Hall vs 1493 yards a season with Hall. Through the Hall era ('00,'01,'03,'04) we averaged as the 108th worse passing team nationally and the 99th worse total offensive team nationally.

The difference?........................DEFENSE!

Without a top 10 to 25 defense THIS SYSTEM FAILS, which is something we need to remember the next time we go to bag on our QB's.

Rick

Edited October 16, 2006 by FirefightnRick

UNTFan23 · October 16, 2006

Kinda tells you how bad our offense really is when half way through the season and we don't have a firm 1st, 2nd, and 3rd QB.

It really makes me question what goes into developing the talent we recruit every year.

SilverEagle · October 16, 2006

I don't even think Peyton Manning could have much success throwing while on his back.
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Excellent point. As I observed in the spring, Woody Wilson is probably the fastest QB we've ever had at NT. But even the most talented running QB needs at least a crease in order to "make something happen".