Welcome to C-USA: North Texas

Harry · July 5, 2013

While spending last summer in Denton, TX, one thing was made clear to me quickly – I was in a college town. Surely enough, the University of North Texas resides in the heart of the relatively small, but well-populated Denton, which is located just north of its new conference’s headquarters in Irving, TX.

During their thirteen-year history in the Sunbelt Conference, the Mean Green made large contributions to the league, and appear to have all of the tools to continue doing so in Conference USA. But despite playing in four separate bowl games and two NCAA basketball tournaments since 2001, UNT is generally swept under the rug at the expense of nearby Texan college football powerhouses.

What they’re known for

Yes, UNT is obviously in Texas, where people love their guns and football similar to the way North Carolinians value basketball and barbeque. Though, unlike most of the schools in the state, football hasn’t been the breadwinner at UNT recently.

Rather, the school has built quite the basketball program that could fit in nicely in C-USA’s new footprint. The Mean Green enjoyed winning seasons in six of their last seven campaigns. In five of them, they amassed at least 20 wins – including in 2010, which was the last time UNT won the conference tournament and subsequently received a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

To put this in perspective, East Carolina’s magical 2012-2013 season was the first time the program reached the 20-win plateau since joining Division I.

Read more: http://eastcarolina.scout.com/2/1304971.html

SilverEagle · July 5, 2013

"If you’re curious why UNT’s nickname is the Mean Green, look no further than arguably the school’s most famous alum. You guessed it, Pittsburgh Steelers hall of fame defensive lineman “Mean Joe” Greene. During Greene’s sophomore season (1966), the fans and media associated the nickname with the team’s stifling defense that ranked second in rush defense.

Greene was a consensus All-American in 1968 and in the following spring, the Steelers took him with the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft. Greene became the anchor of the legendary “Steel Curtain” defense that helped bring four Super Bowls to Pittsburgh and was named the NFL’s defensive player of the year twice in 1972 and 1974."

Welp, they got the situation correct, but it still implies that the fans started calling the defense the Mean Green because Joe Greene was a member. Looks like we're in for another round of educating the public.

Also, I never knew that Steve (Austin) Williams was born Steve Anderson. When he played football at NT, he was listed as Steve Williams........#96 on your program.