Ex-Plainsmen Abbe helping lead Mean Green resurgence

Harry · November 2, 2013

Richard Abbe has learned Kermit the Frogs favorite saying extremely well.

Its not easy being Green.

His first three years at the University of North Texas, the Mean Green were a little lean in the win column. Entering the 2013 season, the 2009 Monterey graduate had seen only 12 marks in the win column in his three years of college football.

No college team Abbe had been a member of had reached six wins in a season until Thursday, when the Mean Green achieved bowl eligibility with a 28-16 home victory in Denton against Rice.

Were just focused on Rice this week, Abbe, a starting defensive tackle, said going into the game. Its a chance to get win number six. We want to get bowl eligible like Rice.

The Halloween night outcome left North Texas and Rice both 6-3 and with 4-1 Conference USA records. Both are one-half game behind Tulane (6-2, 4-0) in the C-USA West Division.

Things are turning around for UNT this season behind an aggressive defense, which ranks first in Conference USA and 23rd in the FBS in scoring defense, allowing just 20.4 points per game. It also leads C-USA and ranks third in the nation in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score just 59 percent of the time inside Mean Green 20-yard line (16-of-27).

North Texas went into the week leading the nation in fumbles recovered with 14. The team is second in turnovers gained with 25 and has allowed only one touchdown in the fourth quarter all season, in a 45-21 loss to Georgia.

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