Drc All Sports Article, Dibrell And Breece Johnson Will

[OldTimer]

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

UNT head coach Todd Dodge said Tuesday that freshman wide receiver Sam Dibrell would receive additional playing time the rest of the season after a breakout performance against Middle Tennessee.

Dibrell caught eight passes for 121 yards. He had caught just two passes on the season before Dodge shuffled his lineup.

Dibrell got the start at outside receiver, where he replaced Casey Fitzgerald, who moved into the slot.

“We made a decision and moved Casey inside,” Dodge said. “Sam has been his backup pretty much all year long. He will continue to play. We wouldn’t have made that change if we hadn’t had faith in Sam because of what he has done in practice.”

Dibrell is just one of two freshman receivers who could see additional time at the end of the season. Breece Johnson has also made an impression in practice.

“We will see some more of Breece,” Dodge said. “His redshirt came off. He has played.”

Dodge also said Sam Roberson has been impressive, but that it is too late in the season to justify removing his redshirt for the season.

Bye came at right time for UNT

UNT comes into its game on Saturday against Navy off a bye that couldn’t have come at a much better time.

The Mean Green was not only coming off its second straight loss, it was facing the prospect of taking on a Navy team that runs an offense that is unlike any it has seen thus far this season. The Midshipmen run the option, an attack that is a rarity in today’s college game.

“The first thing you have to do from a defensive standpoint is prepare a scout team to get yourself ready,” Dodge said. “The thing about Navy is back 15-20 years ago, you would face this offense six or seven times a year. Now it’s rare to see it one time a year. A lot of the kids who come out of high school don’t see it a lot any more.”

UNT has turned to walk-on Alex Lott to help it prepare for Navy’s offense. Lott was an option quarterback at Plano. He played at Texas Lutheran before transferring to UNT.

Soccer

Woods receives freshman award

Janaye Woods added to what is becoming a longstanding tradition with the North Texas soccer team on Tuesday when the forward was named the Freshman of the Year in the Sun Belt Conference.

Four UNT players have been named the Freshman of the Year in the Sun Belt since Marilyn Marin took home the honor in the 2000 season. UNT senior forward Heather Hutyra and junior midfielder Kelli Lunsford also won the award.

Woods enters the Sun Belt tournament today in Mobile, Ala., with 33 points, 12 goals and nine assists.

Woods was also named first-team All-Sun Belt Conference, an honor she shared with sophomore midfielder Kendall Juett and senior defender Dani Slavonic.

The Mean Green will open the Sun Belt tournament with a game against Louisiana-Lafayette at 1 p.m. today.

UNT enters the event having lost five straight games, the longest losing streak in school history. The Mean Green has a good opportunity to break that slide against ULL, which it beat 4-0 earlier this season.

Women's basketball

Slinker: Hall most improved player

Jo Hall has made a big impression on head coach Tina Slinker in the early stages of preseason practice.

The junior guard led UNT with 21 points in a win over the Houston Jaguars in an exhibition game on Thursday night. Hall is scheduled to start in the Mean Green's season opener on Friday against Winthrop in the Winthrop Classic.

"Jo is our most improved player," Slinker said. "She will surprise people. We have seen flashes from her, but she has been consistent. That is what we have been missing is a true three player."

Hall averaged 5.7 points a game last season and has scored 17 points twice in her career.

Volleyball

UNT solid in final weekend of regular season

The final weekend of the regular season wasn't exactly what UNT hoped for, but it was good enough for the Mean Green to clinch a spot in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

UNT pulled out a five-game win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday and swept Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday before falling to New Orleans 3-1 on Sunday in its last home match of the year.

UNT will face Denver in its regular season finale Saturday.

"We are coming off a good weekend, but not a perfect one," UNT head coach Cassie Headrick said. "We just ran out of gas against New Orleans after playing three matches in three days."

UNT is 3-3 in its last six matches.

UNT to get preview of SBC tourney site

UNT will spend a little extra time in Denver before the beginning of the Sun Belt Conference tournament on Nov. 15-17, which could be a big advantage for the Mean Green.

UNT will face Denver in its regular season finale on Saturday before heading back to the Mile High City for the conference tournament. The Mean Green is in position to be the No. 7 seed in the tournament, but could move up or down one spot in the eight-team event.

"It's a huge advantage for Denver," Headrick said. "Everyone knows that and speaks about it in every sport. It's good that we get to go up there and play just to get used to the ball control. My biggest concern is our serving and passing on that court. … To go in there and get comfortable, go back and have a practice two days later will help us."

Swimming and diving

UNT to wrap up fall season

Joe Dykstra decided to take the tough route when it came to the fall season.

He believes the approach is paying off heading into UNT's final meet before a month-long break. The Mean Green will swim in a meet with 12 th-ranked SMU and Wyoming on Friday, its last action before beginning the second half of its year at the UNLV Winter Invite on Dec. 15.

"This is the end of our fall dual season, which I think has gone very well for us," Dykstra said. "We faced a very tough schedule compared to last season. Last year we were racking up wins against Austin College and Incarnate Word. This year we are racking up losses, but they are against teams in the top 10 in the NCAA. … I feel real good about the experience we are gaining this fall and how that will help us in the spring."

UNT has not competed since falling to sixth-ranked Texas A&M and Northern Arizona on Oct. 27.

The Mean Green saw signs of progress in that meet when senior Bonnie Garcia-Meitin finished first in the 100 backstroke in a time of 58.01 and second in the 200 backstroke in 2:04.04. Garcia-Meitin was named the Sun Belt Co-Swimmer of the Week for her performance.

Garcia-Meitin is the first UNT swimmer to receive the honor from the conference this season.

Player of the week

Senior outside hitter Katy Prokof finished off her home career in style last week in the UNT volleyball team’s final three games at the Mean Green Volleyball Center.

The former Waxahachie standout finished with double figure kills in all three matches while helping lead UNT to a pair of wins that helped secure its place in the upcoming Sun Belt Conference tournament.

Prokof posted 12 kills in wins over Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe. She added 13 kills in a loss to New Orleans in the Mean Green’s final home match of the year.

Prokof has reached double figures in kills in 12 of UNT’s last 13 matches and is in position to move into second place in Mean Green history in kills.

Prokof has 1,414 kills and is just behind former teammate Brittney Gregory, who is currently in second place with 1,425 kills.

For her performance at the end of her senior season and for helping UNT land a spot in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, Prokof in the Denton Record-Chronicle UNT Player of the Week.

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

[Eagle1855]

Im confused with the move to put Dibrell on the outside. I thought he was recruited to be a slot guy. Im also not sure what Fitzgerald has done to lose his spot or get moved inside.

[GreenN'walinsVet]

Im confused with the move to put Dibrell on the outside. I thought he was recruited to be a slot guy. Im also not sure what Fitzgerald has done to lose his spot or get moved inside.

I dont think moving Fitz inside is a demotion, you can do much more as a reciever in the slot than you can on the outside. Hell on most third downs youll notice that a teams big time recievers in the NFL (Rice, Owens, etc...) move down into the slot where they can be much more dangerous. I think this is just a chance to get better athletes on the field at the same time.

[Eagle1855]

I dont think moving Fitz inside is a demotion, you can do much more as a reciever in the slot than you can on the outside. Hell on most third downs youll notice that a teams big time recievers in the NFL (Rice, Owens, etc...) move down into the slot where they can be much more dangerous. I think this is just a chance to get better athletes on the field at the same time.

Thats a good point, just never thought of Dibrell as a "burner", but Im all for putting the most talent on the field- regardless of age.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Dodge also said Sam Roberson has been impressive, but that it is too late in the season to justify removing his redshirt for the season.

That's one player I've been looking forward to hearing some news from. He just might become a monster for us in the next few years.

[FirefightnRick]

It's time for the circus acrobatic show that is Breece Johnson to begin. Can't wait!

Rick

[H-towngreen]

I can't wait till next year for many many reasons. One of them is to see all the WR talent with another year under their belt, along with the new recruits. Two in particular are Sam Roberson and Desmond Bingham.

[GreenBat]

UNT has turned to walk-on Alex Lott to help it prepare for Navy’s offense. Lott was an option quarterback at Plano. He played at Texas Lutheran before transferring to UNT.

Alexander Lott played receiver at PSH, not Option QB. He is the son of former OU great Thomas Lott, who replaced Troy Aikman after he was injured. His older brother Thomas III is a Senior RB at Rice. His younger brother Kris (6-1, 190) is a junior receiver at Plano, who leads them in receiving (47 catches for 761 yards with 5 TDs).

I don't know if NT has offered him or not, but if Dodge could get Lott and Rex Burkhead (6-0, 195), the running back/ safety, it would be a huge coup.

Kris Lott photos by DMN

Edited November 7, 2007 by GreenBat

[greenminer]

Sam Roberson, Dibrell, Marcus King, Fitz, etc...

Next year is going to be fun to watch. Hope it translates into wins

[H-towngreen]

You have to think that with as many talented youngsters we have coming up the next several years are going to be fun.

[Smitty]

Sam Roberson, Dibrell, Marcus King, Fitz, etc...

Next year is going to be fun to watch. Hope it translates into wins

Plus, Evan Fentriss becomes eligible next year after sitting this year for his transfer. That's a lot of weapons for defenses to deal with.

[UNT Mean Green]

Great pics of Mr. Lott, Greenbat!!!

[H-towngreen]

Plus, Evan Fentriss becomes eligible next year after sitting this year for his transfer. That's a lot of weapons for defenses to deal with.

Forgot about Fentriss, everyone stated that he was the best WR throughout all the practices in which he could compete. And he will only be a sophmore too.

[GreenBat]

Great pics of Mr. Lott, Greenbat!!!

Photos are from DMN hsgametime.

Forgot to credit them, that has been corrected

Edited November 7, 2007 by GreenBat

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Thats a good point, just never thought of Dibrell as a "burner", but Im all for putting the most talent on the field- regardless of age.

Just imagine how much fun this offense will be to watch when all of our WR's have speed to them.

[NT80]

Alexander Lott played receiver at PSH, not Option QB.

Alex did play receiver as a senior but I believe he also played some QB when he first came into the Plano system.

[NT03]

Dodge also said Sam Roberson has been impressive, but that it is too late in the season to justify removing his redshirt for the season.

I wish DD would of thought the same thing about Phillip Graves last year with his injury status... we could of really used him this year

Edited November 8, 2007 by NT03

[SilverEagle]

I can't wait to see our OL talent develop. Because until that happens, every one of our opponents are going to be giving us the "Troy treatment",........ and it won't matter how great our receivers are.

[KBJ]

Lets see the last time we played a team that is this bad in covering the pass we had 600 passing yards. We have changed QB because he can give us a spark. We have moved the wide receiver to the slot because we have a better outside reciever. So this week if we don't have 650 passing yards I will not understand "Gods" moves because if you upgrade things get better.

[GreenN'walinsVet]

Lets see the last time we played a team that is this bad in covering the pass we had 600 passing yards. We have changed QB because he can give us a spark. We have moved the wide receiver to the slot because we have a better outside reciever. So this week if we don't have 650 passing yards I will not understand "Gods" moves because if you upgrade things get better.

Well I can gurantee you that we will not put up 650 yards thru the air Saturday night. Even if we play better on the offensive side of the ball then we did against SMU we cant put up that kind of offensive output becuase of Navy's offense. When they run the ball 85 to 90% of the time, we wont get enough chances to put up those kind of numbers