Usa Today North Texas Report

MeanGreen61 · May 4, 2007

USA Today - Reports on ALL Sun Belt teams

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/foo...unbelt/home.htm

NORTH TEXAS

INSIDE SLANT

North Texas owned the Sun Belt the first four years of the conference's existence, winning the title each season to earn an annual trip to the New Orleans Bowl.

UNT stumbled for two consecutive seasons and, after going 3-9, head coach Darrell Dickey was replaced by Texas high school coaching legend Todd Dodge.

It will be a new look at North Texas, particularly offensively. Dodge installed a new spread offense in the spring, a system he hopes will cause Sun Belt opponents problems in 2007.

While the offense will be exciting, the defense is what might turn the tables for the Mean Green. UNT returns 10 defensive starters and the experience will be a huge advantage in a league that seems to be offensively balanced.

The experience is limited offensively, though, particularly on a line that had its share of issues in 2006.

However, if the line can improve, Jamario Thomas can get back to his old form and if junior quarterback Daniel Meager can master the offense, the Mean Green has a chance to move back up in the league standings.

NOTES, QUOTES

North Texas used three quarterbacks last season junior Daniel Meager, senior Woody Wilson and junior Matt Phillips. Meager came out of the spring as the projected starter in 2007.

Incoming freshmen WRs Evan Walker and Breece Johnson caught a combined 187 passes last season in high school and could be a factor this season. Incoming freshman QB Giovanni Vizza also could get a strong look. He threw for more than 3,200 yards and 37 TDs as a senior.

SPRING MOVERS:

DB Latif Nurudeen A Baylor transfer, he made a strong push in the spring and could start at cornerback.

OL Kelvin Drake Earned the starting center job in the spring.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "The offense was more consistent today and that was what we were trying to accomplish. The defense is still the strength of this team and they showed what they are capable of. We set the goal at the beginning of the spring to get better during the 15 practices that we had and I can definitely say that we did that." UNT first-year coach Todd Dodge.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

2007 OUTLOOK: The Mean Green will be an unknown in a lot of ways in 2007. Head coach Darrell Dickey was fired in the offseason and replaced by Todd Dodge, who went 79-1 as a Texas high school coach. He brings a new spread offense to North Texas, which has always been a running team. The defense returns 10 starters, but whether Dodge has the quarterback he needs remains to be seen.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: UNT will employ four- and five-WR formations, but the Mean Green also returns senior Jamario Thomas. Thomas, who led the nation in rushing as a true freshman, won't be entirely forgotten in this offense. While Dodge is bringing more of an air show to North Texas, expect Thomas to still flirt with the 1,000-yard mark. The key will be the play of QB Daniel Meager and an offensive line that struggled last season.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: North Texas returns 10 defensive starters and has very good players up front and at linebacker. The safeties are outstanding, but the key will be the play of a young secondary that struggled last season.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Junior Truman Spencer was an all-conference punter last year, averaging more than 41 yards a kick. Sophomore Evan Robertson is the top returner.

ROSTER REPORT: Sophomore DB Roy Loren (knee) missed four games in 2006 but returned for spring drills.

Edited May 4, 2007 by MeanGreen61

MeanGreenBuzz · May 5, 2007

Pretty decent report... I am waiting for CFNs report to come out. As lazy as it is it is still one of the best (maybe just longest) off season reports on us. Anyone know what day DCTF comes out?

Charlie NT 73 · May 7, 2007

Well, this is a good report, good review of current talent, at this stage of the 2007 season.

All the upcomming summer college football publications will feature the same stuff:

1. New head coach

2. New spread offense

3. New defense, from 3-4 to 4-3

4. New QB Vizza or Meagar

5. New recruits

These same reviews will talk about Jamario, Holman, Chapman, etc.

All the reports will say NT is weak here and weak there, and questions on the OL/DL.

Seems like all the publications read each others reviews, then report the same type of

information, then copy each other. All the information is based upon the DD era and

the terrible 2006 season performance. I will be interested to read the DCTB story

on NT--which will probably report the same information.

My point is, I think all of these publications will paint a bleak picture of NT for 2007.

All of us know, this NT team is going to be much better than these publications will

report. This may be a big advantage to NT, with the other SBC teams beleiving NT is

weak, and taking NT lightly. I really beleive the 2007 NT team will be in the race for

the SBC crown, and will be "suprise" to many football fans!

scratch1976 · May 7, 2007

Well, this is a good report, good review of current talent, at this stage of the 2007 season.
All the upcomming summer college football publications will feature the same stuff:
1. New head coach
2. New spread offense
3. New defense, from 3-4 to 4-3
4. New QB Vizza or Meagar
5. New recruits
These same reviews will talk about Jamario, Holman, Chapman, etc.
All the reports will say NT is weak here and weak there, and questions on the OL/DL.
Seems like all the publications read each others reviews, then report the same type of
information, then copy each other. All the information is based upon the DD era and
the terrible 2006 season performance. I will be interested to read the DCTB story
on NT--which will probably report the same information.
My point is, I think all of these publications will paint a bleak picture of NT for 2007.
All of us know, this NT team is going to be much better than these publications will
report. This may be a big advantage to NT, with the other SBC teams beleiving NT is
weak, and taking NT lightly. I really beleive the 2007 NT team will be in the race for
the SBC crown, and will be "suprise" to many football fans!