DMN JQuinn likens Green team to cleaning house

[OldTimer]

By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle

DENTON – North Texas wide receiver Johnny Quinn likened the move head coach Darrell Dickey made in the first quarter of the Mean Green's game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday to cleaning house.

UNT was well on its way to going without an offensive touchdown in the first quarter for the 21st straight game when Dickey pulled his entire starting offense in favor of a group of backups he had worked with after practice all week.

The group sparked UNT's best offensive effort of the season, but it went to waste when the Mean Green coughed up a 10-point second-half lead and lost, 34-31, at Fouts Field in front of 11,103.

UNT (2-7, 1-3) scored 31 straight points after Tech (3-6, 1-3) built a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. The Mean Green's "Green Team" that featured a three-running-back set was on the field for the first 17 points in the rally.

"We have not been doing our job all year, which is to put points on the board and take care of the ball," Quinn said. "In the real world, if you are not doing your job, you get fired, and we got fired. The Green Team got a chance and did a tremendous job."

Dickey said he made the move to get the attention of his offense, which came into the game ranked last in Division I-A with an average of 206.1 yards a game.

UNT had not scored more than 13 points in a regulation game since a win over SMU in the second week of the season.

"I don't know if our offense had gotten comfortable, but they looked [terrible] in the first quarter," Dickey said. "[The first team] didn't get fired. ... I hope the second team got their attention. My message to them is to move the ball. I liked their response."

The "Green Team" cut UNT's deficit to 21-17 on a 28-yard touchdown pass from third-string quarterback Matt Phillips to wide receiver Casey Fitzgerald. Phillips had not played since losing his starting job after the second game of the season, while Fitzgerald had not caught a pass on the season.

UNT's starters were re-inserted in the final two minutes of the first half and gave the Mean Green a 24-21 lead on a 54-yard pass from Daniel Meager to Quinn.

The starters stayed on throughout the second half, when Evan Robertson scored on a 4-yard run to give UNT a 31-21 lead.

UNT couldn't hang on. Tech's Danny Horwedel kicked the winning field goal with 9:32 left.

UNT had one last chance, but Meager threw an interception with just more than a minute left. E-mail bvito@dentonrc.com

[jimmyjames_99]

...Dickey pulled his entire starting offense in favor of a group of backups he had worked with after practice all week.

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So did Dickey worked with these guys last week directly and by-passed RF? And therefore was Dickey calling the offense while the Green Team was in? If so, does their emotion and production on the field Saturday show just how bad our OC is and give us hope that if RF and Ethridge go that Dickey might turn this program around next year?

On a positive note, my boy really enjoyed the game and the fireworks. So I'll always have a reason to go, even if we lose...

Nothing better than Saturday night at Fouts, especially if we're beating SMU!!!

Edited November 6, 2006 by jimmyjames_99

[SilverEagle]

So did Dickey work with these guys last week directly and by-pass RF? And therefore Dickey was calling the offense while the Green Team was in? If so, does their emotion and production on the field Saturday show just how bad our OC is and give us hope that if RF and Ethridge go that Dickey might turn this program around next year?

On a positive note, my boy really enjoyed the game and the fireworks. So I'll always have a reason to go, even if we lose...

Nothing better than Saturday night at Fouts, especially if we're beating SMU!!!

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It's my understanding that Andy Brewster and Dickey worked with this group. The "green team" ran the usual "DD" stuff (run left, run right, run up the middle.....throw a play-action pass) but the intensity and fire of the group was the big difference.

I don't feel that I will be contradicted when I attribute ALL of the aforementioned "fire" and "intensity" to Coach Brewster.

Not only did the green OL block with more intensity, but all of the RB's ran with reckless abandon. I don't think that I saw the green teams RB's lose yardage once. And when James Mitchell got into the game in the second half at RB, it was just thrilling.

That guy literally launched himself through the line.

My proposal is for Jamario to sit on the bench this next game and rotate James Mitchell, Evan Robertson and Devin Cox at RB. Keep Kerona Henderson at FB, but rotate Ronnie Hull into that position. I also recommend that selected O-lineman sit on the bench as well. Coach Brewster should select which ones sit and which ones start.

Oh yeah, leave RF and Coach Ethridge at Denton and let them listen to the game on the Radio.

Edited November 6, 2006 by SilverEagle

[edcollopy]

I agree 100% w/ you Silver. I loved the passion those kids were showing out there...high fiving, jumping around...it was so refreshing. Some pretty big boys on that line...gives me hope for next year.

[jbchis]

So did Dickey worked with these guys last week directly and by-passed RF? And therefore was Dickey calling the offense while the Green Team was in? If so, does their emotion and production on the field Saturday show just how bad our OC is and give us hope that if RF and Ethridge go that Dickey might turn this program around next year?

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Am I the only one that finds this whole Green team thing ridiculous? And it has nothing to do with the Green team. They came in and did their job.

Let me get this straight...Dickey used extra practice time to prepare the 2nd unit just in case his 1st unit is flat and struggles? What the h---!!?!!

If you have that little confidence in the 1st unit, then promote guys from the 2nd to replace the poor performers on the 1st unit and use all the practice time to get ready.

Go with the guys that are playing well. Simple as that!!

[Green Lantern]

Some pretty big boys on that line...gives me hope for next year.

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A couple of those guys are hogs. Kinda makes you wonder why the've been sitting on the bench the entire season.

[jimmyjames_99]

My proposal is for Jamario to sit on the bench this next game and rotate James Mitchell, Evan Robertson and Devin Cox at RB. Keep Kerona Henderson at FB, but rotate Ronnie Hull into that position. I also recommend that selected O-lineman sit on the bench as well. Coach Brewster should select which ones sit and which ones start.

Oh yeah, leave RF and Coach Ethridge at Denton and let them listen to the game on the Radio.

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I'll second that! Cox, Mitchell and Robertson looked like they had the quickness that J-Mo has been missing since his freshman year.

If you have that little confidence in the 1st unit, then promote guys from the 2nd to replace the poor performers on the 1st unit and use all the practice time to get ready.

Go with the guys that are playing well.  Simple as that!!

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I quite agree. Goes back to what I said during the game, having the Green Team play so well shows that the coaches really don't know how to use the talent we've got. I think the Green Team earned their right to stay in the game, to bad DD didn't.

[UNTLifer]

Am I the only one that finds this whole Green team thing ridiculous?  And it has nothing to do with the Green team.  They came in and did their job.

Let me get this straight...Dickey used extra practice time to prepare the 2nd unit just in case his 1st unit is flat and struggles?  What the h---!!?!! 

If you have that little confidence in the 1st unit, then promote guys from the 2nd to replace the poor performers on the 1st unit and use all the practice time to get ready.

Go with the guys that are playing well.  Simple as that!!

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Nope, I found it ridiculous also. Why not stay after with your starters and work on their performance?

[cdizzle86]

Nope, I found it ridiculous also.  Why not stay after with your starters and work on their performance?

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Because at some point you have to give some other players a chance to prove themselves. I think a season and a half of unsatisfactory play is ridiculous.

[jbchis]

Because at some point you have to give some other players a chance to prove themselves. I think a season and a half of unsatisfactory play is ridiculous.

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I think the point is making some of the 2nd string guys starters and mixing in with those effective 1st stringers and focusing all of the practice time with that group.

Instead, we now have two groups seemingly competing against each other.

[cdizzle86]

I think the point is making some of the 2nd string guys starters and mixing in with those effective 1st stringers and focusing all of the practice time with that group. 

Instead, we now have two groups seemingly competing against each other.

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Maybe DD's intentions were to make the 1st stringers work harder and show more intensity. That could be why he gave them a second chance in the second half of the game. But I see what you're saying though.

[jperg2]

Instead, we now have two groups seemingly competing against each other.

Sounds like PRE-SEASON with the GREEN/WHITE squads.

[jbchis]

Maybe DD's intentions were to make the 1st stringers work harder and show more intensity. That could be why he gave them a second chance in the second half of the game. But I see what you're saying though.

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That is what he was doing, but I think he just needs to reevaluate the players at every offensive position other than Johnny Quinn. All starting jobs are up for grabs, again, other than the greatness of JQ.

[yyz28]

My real concern is the emotional low the "Green Team" must have felt after THEY PUT US BACK IN THE GAME. Here are a bunch of guys who came in and kicked ass... Their reward? They were put back on the bench to watch the first string destroy what they just built.

This was the worst bit of coaching of the night - what is the motivation for these guys to get up next time they are needed? What is the motivation for them to work hard for this group of coaches again?

This was perhaps the most disasterous move I've seen our coaching staff make yet. I really felt bad for those boys...

[jbchis]

Sounds like PRE-SEASON with the GREEN/WHITE squads.

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You nailed my point in far less words. Thank you. We had spring practice, summer two a days, 8 regular season games...only to find ourselves right back at spring practice again.

[cdizzle86]

That is what he was doing, but I think he just needs to reevaluate the players at every offensive position other than Johnny Quinn.  All starting jobs are up for grabs, again, other than the greatness of JQ.

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Yea. He was just looking for a quick fix, but reevaluating sounds like the more reasonable decision. I think he's feeling the pressure to get a few more wins before the season ends and is in desperation mode.

[jbchis]

Yea. He was just looking for a quick fix, but reevaluating sounds like the more reasonable decision. I think he's feeling the pressure to get a few more wins before the season ends and is in desperation mode.

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I think I would be a little more forgiving if DD was reevaluating rather than throwing something out there to see if it sticks. What's worse, is that it did stick and then he went away from it.