The year in review

oldguystudent · December 5, 2011

September 1, at FIU – The team comes out for the first time under new coach Dan McCarney with much fanfare, and falls flat on its face. I’m in class during this game, check the score during a break, see 28-0, and think to myself it’s going to be more of the same ole’ UNT football. Loss 41-16.

Sept 10, Houston – After decades of waiting, the new stadium is here and ready to go! We’re uncertain where to park, or how to tailgate. A bunch of people come to check out the new digs, but the place doesn’t quite sell out. Andrew McNulty scores the first touchdown at Apogee Stadium, and UNT hangs tough with Houston for the first half, only to fall apart in the second half. We see Case Keenum light up the field between rounds of filling out his AARP membership applications on the sidelines. Loss 48-23

Sept 17, at Alabama – Our annual foray into body bag games. UNT doesn’t even show up to this game. Fans start to question the new coaching staff. The UNT Athletic Department cashes its check and licks it wounds. Loss 41-0

Sept 24, Indiana – UNT’s first win at Apogee Stadium, and first win under Coach MCarney. UNT controls the game completely until the fourth quarter, in which Indiana mounts a furious comeback, but ultimately comes up short. Students rush the field after the victory, much to the dismay of some, the delight of others. The Mean Green Brigade is shamed into wearing pants for the remainder of the season. Win 24-21

Oct 1, at Tulsa – Fresh off its first win of the season, against AQ Indiana, UNT heads on up to Tulsa with great optimism, only to run straight into a golden hurricane. Starting quarterback Derek Thompson it out for this game, replaced by backup Anrew McNulty, who proves ineffective against a swarming Tulsa defense. Mean Green Nation gnashes its collective teeth. Loss 41-24

Oct 8, Florida Atlantic – Legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger returns to Denton for the last time. With Thompson back under center, UNT controls this game from start to finish including two pick sixes on defense. The fourth quarter is questionable once again as FAU scores twice, but UNT holds on. Talk of bowl eligibility begins among the fan base. Win 31-17

Oct 15, at Lousiana Lafayette – UNT goes into the half down only 3, and looking like they have a legitimate shot for the victory, only to suffer yet another fourth quarter meltdown. Somebody needs to send a memo to the locker room that the game continues after the 45 minute mark. Some wonder if the relationship between the McCarney and McNulty families is kosher. Loss 30-10.

Oct 22, Louisiana Monroe – Homecoming. The tailgating is going fast and furious, although some missed it because of a 2-hour change in game time. ULM returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Meen Green Nation groans, but UNT gets up, dusts itself off, and controls the game for the duration, the outcome never in question. Greek letters are seen on the hill by the fans. The university, and possibly the TABC are notified.

Oct 29, at Arkansas St – A straight up beating handed to UNT by a very good Arkansas St. team. McNulty spends most of the game under center, and isn’t very effective. Lance Dunbar runs for only 90 yards. Mean Green Nation questions McCarney’s dedication to road games vis a vis the window dressing of home victories against bad teams. Loss 37-14

Nov 12, at Troy – Oh no! Another road game! This time to five-time conference champion Troy. But with Thompson back in the game, UNT goes the passing route for 331 yards, and a much diminished Troy squad falls. On its last chance to do so, UNT gets its elusive road victory, but Dunbar isn’t looking so good right about now. Win 38-33

Nov 19, Western Kentucky – The hill is mysteriously empty prior to this game before president Lane Rawlins comes marching triumphantly into town with several thousand students in his wake. We still question what the heck a Hilltopper actually is, but Western Kentucky shows us what’s what in coaching improvement and sticks it to us after a questionable call on UNT’s part to go for it on 4th and 1 while in easy field goal range. Lance Dunbar is out for all but one play, in which the SBC refs are unable to discern what exactly constitutes the plane of the endzone. The entire team seems to have slathered their hands in butter prior to the game as nobody can hold on to the ball under any circumstances. Mean Green Nation discusses the ability to make quick decisions and close out games, our bowl game hopes and dreams dashed for the season. Loss 31-21

Dec 3, Middle Tennessee – Had this game been at Fouts Field, we could have made endless jokes about hearing crickets in the stands. A cold, rainy afternoon brought out Patrick Cobbs, the Mean Green Brigade, and well, pretty much nobody else. Even the cannon was afraid of the rain. A home field winning record, a rushing record, an attendance record all on the line, UNT runs this game like its own personal body bag. Dunbar gets 313 yards and crushes just about every record ever written, UNT scores eight touchdowns before finally turning off the jets in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. Brett Vito just can’t help himself in the in-game blog, refusing to acknowledge that UNT had ramped up for this game, instead choosing to state that MTSU is “Bad, very very bad.” Poncho sales were at an all time high in the UNT shop.

Final record – 5-7 for a .417 winning pct, a 198% increase over the previous four years, as many home wins as 2007-2010 combined, five wins over bad teams, seven losses to good teams. Several key seniors depart, leaving us with ample opportunity to discuss what ifs and how’s its for the next nine months and where Coach McCarney and staff is going to take this much improved program.

Edited December 5, 2011 by oldguystudent

UNTcrazy727 · December 5, 2011

Awesome job. This pretty much sums up the season for me

Harry · December 5, 2011

Really enjoyed reading this! GMG!

SHOSS · December 5, 2011

Nice review... I would like to point out that I did predict this record...however, I said we would win 1 or 2 we shouldn't win, and lose 1 or 2 we should win...

We won all the games we should have and lost all that we should have... other than that I got the win/loss record correct. Vito has documented it.

So what will Nostro-hoss-mos predict for next year???

Nice step in the right direction... Go Mean Green!

Wag Tag · December 6, 2011

September 1, at FIU – The team comes out for the first time under new coach Dan McCarney with much fanfare, and falls flat on its face. I’m in class during this game, check the score during a break, see 28-0, and think to myself it’s going to be more of the same ole’ UNT football. Loss 41-16.

Sept 10, Houston – After decades of waiting, the new stadium is here and ready to go! We’re uncertain where to park, or how to tailgate. A bunch of people come to check out the new digs, but the place doesn’t quite sell out. Andrew McNulty scores the first touchdown at Apogee Stadium, and UNT hangs tough with Houston for the first half, only to fall apart in the second half. We see Case Keenum light up the field between rounds of filling out his AARP membership applications on the sidelines. Loss 48-23

Sept 17, at Alabama – Our annual foray into body bag games. UNT doesn’t even show up to this game. Fans start to question the new coaching staff. The UNT Athletic Department cashes its check and licks it wounds. Loss 41-0

Sept 24, Indiana – UNT’s first win at Apogee Stadium, and first win under Coach MCarney. UNT controls the game completely until the fourth quarter, in which Indiana mounts a furious comeback, but ultimately comes up short. Students rush the field after the victory, much to the dismay of some, the delight of others. The Mean Green Brigade is shamed into wearing pants for the remainder of the season. Win 24-21

Oct 1, at Tulsa – Fresh off its first win of the season, against AQ Indiana, UNT heads on up to Tulsa with great optimism, only to run straight into a golden hurricane. Starting quarterback Derek Thompson it out for this game, replaced by backup Anrew McNulty, who proves ineffective against a swarming Tulsa defense. Mean Green Nation gnashes its collective teeth. Loss 41-24

Oct 8, Florida Atlantic – Legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger returns to Denton for the last time. With Thompson back under center, UNT controls this game from start to finish including two pick sixes on defense. The fourth quarter is questionable once again as FAU scores twice, but UNT holds on. Talk of bowl eligibility begins among the fan base. Win 31-17

Oct 15, at Lousiana Lafayette – UNT goes into the half down only 3, and looking like they have a legitimate shot for the victory, only to suffer yet another fourth quarter meltdown. Somebody needs to send a memo to the locker room that the game continues after the 45 minute mark. Some wonder if the relationship between the McCarney and McNulty families is kosher. Loss 30-10.

Oct 22, Louisiana Monroe – Homecoming. The tailgating is going fast and furious, although some missed it because of a 2-hour change in game time. ULM returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Meen Green Nation groans, but UNT gets up, dusts itself off, and controls the game for the duration, the outcome never in question. Greek letters are seen on the hill by the fans. The university, and possibly the TABC are notified.

Oct 29, at Arkansas St – A straight up beating handed to UNT by a very good Arkansas St. team. McNulty spends most of the game under center, and isn’t very effective. Lance Dunbar runs for only 90 yards. Mean Green Nation questions McCarney’s dedication to road games vis a vis the window dressing of home victories against bad teams. Loss 37-14

Nov 12, at Troy – Oh no! Another road game! This time to five-time conference champion Troy. But with Thompson back in the game, UNT goes the passing route for 331 yards, and a much diminished Troy squad falls. On its last chance to do so, UNT gets its elusive road victory, but Dunbar isn’t looking so good right about now. Win 38-33

Nov 19, Western Kentucky – The hill is mysteriously empty prior to this game before president Lane Rawlins comes marching triumphantly into town with several thousand students in his wake. We still question what the heck a Hilltopper actually is, but Western Kentucky shows us what’s what in coaching improvement and sticks it to us after a questionable call on UNT’s part to go for it on 4th and 1 while in easy field goal range. Lance Dunbar is out for all but one play, in which the SBC refs are unable to discern what exactly constitutes the plane of the endzone. The entire team seems to have slathered their hands in butter prior to the game as nobody can hold on to the ball under any circumstances. Mean Green Nation discusses the ability to make quick decisions and close out games, our bowl game hopes and dreams dashed for the season. Loss 31-21

Dec 3, Middle Tennessee – Had this game been at Fouts Field, we could have made endless jokes about hearing crickets in the stands. A cold, rainy afternoon brought out Patrick Cobbs, the Mean Green Brigade, and well, pretty much nobody else. Even the cannon was afraid of the rain. A home field winning record, a rushing record, an attendance record all on the line, UNT runs this game like its own personal body bag. Dunbar gets 313 yards and crushes just about every record ever written, UNT scores eight touchdowns before finally turning off the jets in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. Brett Vito just can’t help himself in the in-game blog, refusing to acknowledge that UNT had ramped up for this game, instead choosing to state that MTSU is “Bad, very very bad.” Poncho sales were at an all time high in the UNT shop.

Final record – 5-7 for a .417 winning pct, a 198% increase over the previous four years, as many home wins as 2007-2010 combined, five wins over bad teams, seven losses to good teams. Several key seniors depart, leaving us with ample opportunity to discuss what ifs and how’s its for the next nine months and where Coach McCarney and staff is going to take this much improved program.