|
DT
Brandon Kennedy |
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2002
Statistics
|
Coach:
Darrell Dickey
21-37,
5 years |
2002
Record: 8-5
|
|
at
Texas |
LOST
0-27 |
NICHOLLS
STATE |
WON
23-0 |
at
Alabama |
LOST
7-33 |
at
TCU |
LOST
10-16 |
at
Arizona |
LOST
9-14 |
SOUTH
FLORIDA |
LOST
17-24 |
at
Arkansas State |
WON
13-10 |
at
Louis-Lafayette |
WON
27-0 |
LOUIS-MONROE |
WON
41-2 |
IDAHO |
WON
10-0 |
NEW
MEXICO STATE |
WON
38-27 |
at
Middle Tennessee |
WON
30-20 |
NEW
ORLEANS BOWL
|
Cincinnati |
WON
24-19 |
|
2002 Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR
|
2003
Outlook
|
This
looks to be a good North Texas team. Most
importantly, the offense should be better.
The return of Scott Hall at QB will bring
a passing threat back, and the promise of
the running game looks to be better than
imagined. The key will be keeping Hall healthy.
The offensive line will have their work
cut out for them, going against some stout
defensive fronts in Oklahoma, Arkansas,
and even Arkansas State. As long as they
do their part and open holes for Ruff and
keep defenders off Hall, the offense should
be okay. Expect Hall to put up numbers and
Ruff to stake claim as conference offensive
freshman MVP.
Defensively
they will be fine. The main ingredient,
again, is health. Keep these 11 guys healthy
and they've got themselves a damn good football
team. If the new starters on the defensive
line rise as well- look out!
The
schedule starts tough with a premier of
the nation's top two defenses in Norman
on August 30th. If UNT wins this, then they
could cause rumblings for a BCS spot the
rest of the season...dreams do come true,
sometimes. After that, non-conference games
include Baylor and Arkansas (at home), and
Air Force (road), before hitting the Sun
Belt season. Then there's the season finale
on November 25th on ESPN2 at New Mexico
State, in a game that will most likely decide
the conference champ.
The
bottom line is that defenses rarely win
championships if the offense doesn't score.
This should be an up-year in the Sun Belt
and competition is getting better. The offense
will be improved, but NMSU will have an
entire season to prepare for one game. North
Texas will relinquish the conference crown
for this season, but still win enough to
create quite an argument to be an at-large
team in a lower-tiered bowl.
Projected
2003 record: 9-3
|
|
|
SS
Craig Jones |
|
OFFENSIVE
MVP
QB Scott Hall
|
DEFENSIVE
MVP
DT Brandon Kennedy
|
TOP
NEWCOMER
RB Michael Ruff
|
|
|
|
NORTH
TEXAS
*POWER RATINGS
|
Offense
|
Defense
|
QB
- 2 |
DL
- 3.5 |
RB
- 2.5 |
LB
- 4 |
WR
- 3 |
DB
- 4 |
OL
- 3 |
.. |
|
RETURNING
LEADERS
|
Passing:
Andrew Smith, 174-82-8, 1080 yds., 7 TD
Rushing: Patrick Cobbs, 155 att.,
732 yds., 7 TD
Receiving: Ja'Mel Branch, 24 rec.,
357 yds., 2 TD
Scoring: Nick Bazaldua, 9-14 FG,
22-28 PAT, 49 pts.
Punting: Brad Kadlubar, 78 punts,
42.3 avg.
Kicking: Nick Bazaldua, 9-14 FG,
22-28 PAT, 49 pts.
Tackles: Taylor Casey, 111 tot.,
58 solo
Sacks: Brandon Kennedy, 9 sacks
Interceptions: Cody Spencer, 2 for
49 yds.
Kickoff returns: Ja'Mel Branch, 15
ret., 18.7 avg.
Punt returns: Ja'Mel Branch, 28 ret.,
7.8 avg.
|
|
|
|
|
OFFENSE
- 5
|
----RETURNING
STARTERS----
|
DEFENSE
- 8
|
|
KEY
LOSSES
|
OFFENSE:
J.R. Randle-OT, Matt Turney-OT, Jonah Bense-OG,
Jeff Muenchow-TE, Michael Hickmon-FB, Kevin
Galbreath-RB, George Marshall-WR |
DEFENSE:
Darrell
Daniels-DE, Chris McIver-DT, Don McGee-CB |
|
|
2003
OFFENSE
|
written
by Tim Chapman
The
upside to the Mean Green offense seems to be the
receivers. Though they like to run the ball more
than they throw, the Mean Green will have three
good receivers. Junior Ja'Mel Branch is the catalyst
of this offense. He is most dangerous in the open-field,
where his speed and agility exploit any gaps and
give the Mean Green chunks of yardage. Along side
him will be seniors Michael Thrash and Kevin Howard,
with both rotating playing time. Thrash is a well-sized
target who is both dependable and a great downfield
blocker. Howard is the pony on the outside that
brings a deep threat. Expect the receiver position
to be much improved and more involved.
Even with insuring potential at receiver, if you
can't effectively deliver the ball, potential
means nothing. Andrew Smith started the remainder
of 2002 after Scott Hall went down in the fourth
game. His inconsistency (46% comp, 7/9 TD/INT
ratio) and poor decision-making must improve if
the Eagles are to pose any real offensive threat.
It is likely that senior Scott Hall will regain
the reigns of starter by August. Hall is the better
passer of the two and has a few years of experience
in the system. He makes better decisions and is
not afraid to shoulder a hit or two to assure
a perfect throw. His health will be a key factor.
The running game loses their leading rusher and
most all of last year's offensive firepower, as
well as their #1 fullback. There is, however,
extreme optimism in the TB replacement. Redshirt
freshman Michael Ruff has wowed the coaching staff
with his progress this spring and looks to be
the number one guy heading into fall. Junior Patrick
Cobbs is a back up worth fearing.
The offensive line was strong last season, giving
up only 17 sacks all year. But they return only
two starters. Senior OG Nick Zuniga is the bell-cow
of this group and will need to be extra sure that
his line-mates protect their injury-prone QB.
The Green has recruited two noteworthy junior-college
linemen in Lonnie Chambers and Damien Nobles to
help bring some beef to this inexperienced assembly.
If the offense clicks this season, it will start
with the men up front.
|
|
OG
Nick Zuniga
|
NORTH
TEXAS 2003 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters in bold
|
OFFENSE
|
QB |
Scott
Hall-Jr |
Andrew
Smith-So |
FB |
Chad
Boyd-Jr |
Jimie
Williams-So |
RB |
Patrick
Cobbs-So |
Michael
Ruff-Fr |
WR |
Ja'Mel
Branch-Jr |
Kevin
Howard-Sr |
WR |
Michael
Thrash-Sr |
Joel
Nwigwe-So |
TE |
Randy
Gardner-Sr |
Andy
Blount-Jr |
OT |
Weston
Thaggard-Fr |
Joel
Foster-Fr |
OG |
Dylan
Lineberry-Fr |
Jonathan
Jusiewicz-Jr |
C |
Andy
Brewster-Jr |
Lonnie
Chambers-Jr |
OG |
Nick
Zuniga-Sr |
Cory
Hall-Jr |
OT |
Jason
May-So |
Ian
Hobbs-Sr |
K |
Nick
Bazaldua-So |
.. |
|
|
2003
DEFENSE
|
written
by Tim Chapman
This
defense is being mentioned as one of the best
in the country and may be the best all-time at
UNT. No kidding. Eight starters come back from
a unit that was ninth in the country in total
defense and third in scoring defense. They are
quick, strong, and most of all - aggressive. Most
teams found out the hard way just how good these
guys are. 105 teams will have the luxury of not
playing these guys, but you can be sure that they
will bring hell to the 12 that do.
They are lead by All-American caliber senior DT
Brandon Kennedy. Kennedy (72 tackles, 24 TFL,
9 sacks) is an all-out wall up front, stopping
(or diverting) anything up the middle. Drawing
double- and (sometimes) triple-teams, he still
manages to make tackles and bull his way into
opposing backfields. He has such a low center
of gravity and brings so much explosion and power
in those legs, that many O-lines are little affect
against him.
As
if Kennedy wasn't enough, junior DE Adrian Awasom
gives the 'Green a menacing pass-rusher on the
exterior. He compliments Kennedy's prowess on
the inside by buzzing his way into backfields
and stepping into passing lanes to force a back
into the eye of the defensive storm. Offenses
gain no advantage against this line by choosing
run or pass.
UNT's
three starting linebackers are the best group
in the nation. This trio of seniors, Taylor Casey
(OLB), Chris Hurd (OLB), and Cody Spencer (MLB),
finished 1, 2, and 5, respectively, on the team
in tackles a year ago. Casey is the most potent
of the three. He runs like a fox and hits like
a tank. He is able to read a play before it develops
and makes the appropriate adjustments to blow
it up as (or before) it unfolds. If he's not there,
Hurd and Spencer are. Hurd is fast and nimble,
while Spencer is another set of keen eyes on defense.
He sees what happens and makes sure it doesn't
get past him. He may be the most valuable player
in the back seven and one of the more underappreciated
defenders in the country.
The
secondary returns in tact, losing only one starter
to graduation. Seniors Craig Jones (SS) and Jeremy
Pearl (CB) will be the ones anchoring the rear
support. Two sophomores complete this crew. Jones
gives the UNT a Mike Doss-type safety who can
roam the secondary and bring the pain just as
easily. Jeremy Pearl had an impressive bowl game
and is expected to carry that performance over
to '03.
The only real concern this defense has is staying
healthy. This group is relentless and stingy -
one of the best units in the entire country. But
if even one or two players go down, this group
may be in trouble. Depth is thin at all spots,
especially the D-line, which must break in two
new guys opposite Kennedy and Awasom.
|
|
LB
Taylor Casey
|
NORTH
TEXAS 2003 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters in bold
|
DEFENSE
|
DE |
Luke
Conder-Sr |
Tommy
Harrison-Jr |
DT |
Brandon
Kennedy-Sr |
Chris
Miller-So |
DT |
Evan
Cardwell-Jr |
Trey
Davis-Sr |
DE |
Adrian
Awasom-Jr |
Grady
Davis-So |
LB |
Taylor
Casey-Sr |
Montrell
Parks-Jr |
LB |
Cody
Spencer-Sr |
Justin
Claborn-Sr |
LB |
Chris
Hurd-Sr |
Koryee
Wyatt-Sr |
CB |
Jeremy
Pearl-Sr |
LeMario
Hollis-Fr |
CB |
Walter
Priestley-Jr |
Dominque
Mackey-So |
SS |
Craig
Jones-Sr |
Shawn
Early-So |
FS |
Jonas
Buckles-Jr |
Markeith
Knowlton-Jr |
P |
Brad
Kadlubar-So |
.. |
|
|
|
2003
SPECIAL TEAMS
|
Sophomore
kicker Nick Bazaldua hit on 10-of-15 FGs in '02, but
missed six extra points. That simply cannot happen if
they anticipate some big-time upsets this year. He gives
them a good leg, but must be a little more consistent.
Junior punter Brad Kadlubar averaged 42 yards per kick,
which will play nice in pinning opponents deep in their
own territory. The return game will be exciting with
Ja'Mel Branch back deep. Defensive wanna-be(s) will
adorn the coverage teams, so look for hungry, frenzied
play to give opponents poor field position consistently.
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