Brett Vito: UNT again can’t capitalize on opportunity

Harry · September 9, 2013

Dan McCarney talked a lot about change in the days leading up to North Texas’ season opener two weeks ago now.

And UNT’s head coach wasn’t the only one.

Players and school officials hinted at this year being the beginning of something new for UNT, which switched everything from conferences to uniforms, well at least for one game, in its 100th anniversary season.

In the end, that was the toughest aspect of the way UNT’s game against Ohio unfolded late Saturday night.

UNT had a chance to show that it is indeed a new era, and let it slip away in a 27-21 loss that had an all-too-familiar feel for the Mean Green.

UNT had an opportunity to knock off a nationally respected opponent late in the second half, had a shot to win back-to-back games for the first time since 2004 and couldn’t capitalize — again.

The Mean Green is now 0-23 in games following a win in the last nine seasons.

“We are really close and are closing the gap on some really fine programs, but we won’t accept it,” McCarney said following the loss. “It’s not OK to lose. It’s a horrible feeling.”

The situation made that feeling even worse for the Mean Green.

UNT is desperate to show the program isn’t what it has been for the past several years. The 10 wins UNT has posted over its past 26 games, including a 40-6 shellacking of Idaho to open the season, show that the Mean Green is improving.

UNT is just working its way out of a really dark era in its history.

Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/colleges/north-texas-headlines/20130908-brett-vito-unt-again-cant-capitalize-on-opportunity.ece

KingDL1 · September 9, 2013

That was our game to lose and we laid an egg in the 4th with the momentum in hand, to me it looked like the offense could see the light at the end of the tunnel and got nervous and panicked a little. A situation that should not happen any more.

houstonmeangreen · September 9, 2013

That was our game to lose and we laid an egg in the 4th with the momentum in hand, to me it looked like the offense could see the light at the end of the tunnel and got nervous and panicked a little. A situation that should not happen any more.

Every year...same thing...we played them close, almost beat them, we were not blown out like previously, etc...but we never seem to win...!!!

UNT Mean Green · September 9, 2013

That was our game to lose and we laid an egg in the 4th with the momentum in hand, to me it looked like the offense could see the light at the end of the tunnel and got nervous and panicked a little. A situation that should not happen any more.

Exactly. The three and outs following defensive stops were the difference in the game. Not even getting a first down and putting a tired defense back on the field was what did us in.

The good news is the team displayed great resiliency to get back into the ballgame and have a chance to win; now it's time to get over that hump!

DallasGreen · September 9, 2013

Exactly. The three and outs following defensive stops were the difference in the game. Not even getting a first down and putting a tired defense back on the field was what did us in.

The good news is the team displayed great resiliency to get back into the ballgame and have a chance to win; now it's time to get over that hump!

If the defense was tired they need to get in better shape! No heat and no tired excuses!

KingDL1 · September 9, 2013

If the defense was tired they need to get in better shape! No heat and no tired excuses!

I agree.

I am sick to death of these attempts to make these kind of loses a moral victory.

We should have won that game period we had the momentum in the forth and were rolling with plenty of time left when we tied the score. I don't care if it was Toodaloo College DIII or Alabama we owned that game when we tied it back up and we gave it the hell away.

Edited September 9, 2013 by KingDL1

letsgiveacheer · September 9, 2013

Yes, at the game, I was pretty sure we were going to pull it off. The Ohio fans quited down (they had been pretty rowdy throughout the game), and we did indeed have the momemtum but we let this one slip by.

Talking to some of the Ohio fans afterwards, they felt is was going to go our way also and were glad to get away with a win.

Edited September 9, 2013 by letsgiveacheer

greenminer · September 9, 2013

A win we could have hung our hats on, for sure.

But it wasn't a blow out loss. I'm not sure either fan base of these teams can take away a ton from this game.

Ready to move on to Ball State.