Get Ready For A Completely Different Offense

MeanGreen61 · July 26, 2007

Get ready for something completely different on offense

By Monte Hale, Thursday July 19, 2007

The Mean Green will have a new look in 2007. First-year head coach Todd Dodge, a Texas high school coaching legend, was hired to replace Darrell Dickey, whose offensive approach was centered on the run and play-action passing.

Dodge ... not so much.

The Mean Green will employ as many as five receivers per down in a passing offense that might be especially tricky for the rest of the league to defend.

The key will be at quarterback where junior Daniel Meager, junior Matt Phillips and senior Woody Wilson all saw time last season, none of it terribly productive.

Meager came out of spring as the leading candidate to start — he completed eight of 16 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns in the spring game — though freshman Giovanni Vizza could win the job. His high school stats were impressive and he fits Dodge's style.

In any case, North Texas' streak of 31 consecutive regular-season games without a 200-yard passer isn't going to survive far into this season.

Senior receiver Brandon Jackson should flourish, and incoming freshmen Breece Johnson and Sam Dibrell will contend for playing time.

Senior tailback Jamario Thomas is back as well. He led the nation in rushing as a true freshman, but was plagued with injuries as a sophomore and then ran behind a line that underachieved last year.

The focus will be on throwing, but Thomas again breaking 1,000 yards wouldn't be a surprise.

DEFENSE

When North Texas won four straight Sun Belt titles from 2001-2004, it did so with an excellent defense. The group has taken huge steps backward the past two years, but it could be a surprise in 2007. Nine starters are back and the hope is that experience will pay off.

Senior safety Aaron Weathers led the team with 78 tackles, while all-conference linebacker Maurice Holman was second with 74 stops. The line also should be much improved and will be anchored by senior end Jeremiah Chapman, an all-conference pick who had a team-high 10 tackles for loss.

The key will be if the secondary has matured and can avoid giving up the big plays of a year ago. Seniors Roy Loren, Gary Oubre, Roderick Cotton and Cliff Higgs are back, along with sophomores Korey Washington, Zach Babb, Antoine Bush and Kartey Agbottah.

The team's strength on defense should be linebacking, where Holman, junior Colt Mahan, senior Derek Mendoza and junior Germaine Dawson return. The group should be much improved because of its experience. The defensive line is solid and the unit has depth at linebacker and safety.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Mean Green returns junior punter Truman Spencer, who was a second-team all-conference pick last season. He averaged almost 41 yards per attempt and landed 15 inside the 20-yard line. Redshirt freshman Steven Woodward was the only placekicker at spring practice.