Football: UNT comes up with answers on offense

Mean Green scoring at will in SBC games


08:40 AM CDT on Friday, October 22, 2004


By Brett Vito / Staff Writer




The North Texas football team’s offense is on the verge of setting a new high mark under head coach Darrell Dickey heading into a game against New Mexico State on Saturday.

The Mean Green stumbled in their first few games before finally catching fire and scoring 30 points in wins over Middle Tennessee and Utah State in their last two games. UNT has not scored 30 points in three consecutive games in the same season since the 1993 season when the school was a member of the Southland Conference.

Dickey attributed the team’s sudden surge to a host of players settling into new roles.

"It took us a while to for the group to jell and for us to evaluate what we are good at doing and what we need to emphasize from a strengths and weaknesses standpoint," Dickey said. "The guys see themselves improving and have gotten some confidence."

UNT is hoping to build on that confidence in what shapes up to be a key conference game against NMSU at Fouts Field.

The Mean Green (2-4, 2-0) enter the game as the last unbeaten team in conference play, but are just one game in front of NMSU (2-4, 2-1).

UNT will need to build on its improved offensive performance to continue a surge in Sun Belt play against an NMSU. The Aggies have lost a series of close games to UNT over the last few years.

The Mean Green used a late drive to set up Nick Bazaldua’s 24-yard field goal on the last play of the game that gave UNT a 13-10 win in its regular season finale against NMSU last season. The Mean Green also picked up a 22-20 win over the Aggies in 2001 when quarterback Scott Hall found George Marshall for a 32-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left in a game that was later dubbed the "Miracle in the Desert."

The Mean Green have won five straight games against NMSU and will depend on what has been the Sun Belt’s best offense to extend the streak. UNT leads the league with an average of 30.5 points a game in conference games.

The position is a familiar one for UNT, which led the league last year with an average of 33.9 points a game in conference play.

While the Mean Green ranking first in the league in scoring is not a surprise, the path UNT has taken to reach that milestone has been unexpected. The Mean Green lost two of their top receivers to off-the-field issues over the summer. Defending national rushing champion Patrick Cobbs played in just two games before a sprained left knee ended his season.

UNT struggled with those losses and an inexperienced offensive line early in the year and averaged just 12 points a game while starting 0-4.

The Mean Green turned the corner in Sun Belt play, where Jamario Thomas has helped UNT dominate against lower-rated teams. The former Longview Spring Hill standout has played in just five games, but has already set a UNT freshman record with 739 yards rushing.

"It opens up everything for our offense when Jamario plays well," UNT quarterback Scott Hall said. "Our running game opens up our passing game."

Hall has taken advantage of the yards Thomas has racked on the ground by throwing for 928 yard with four touchdowns with just one interception.

Wide receiver Johnny Quinn ranks seventh in the Sun Belt with an average of 62.3 yards a game. The sophomore’s average of 20.8 yards a catch is among the highest in the conference.

Dickey also credited UNT’s offensive line that has jelled in Sun Belt play for the Mean Green’s improvement offensively. UNT has three new starters on its offensive front that has needed time to adjust to playing together.

The Mean Green have made those adjustments in the last few weeks and appear to have found their rhythm during their last two games. UNT will look to build on a solid run over the last few weeks and make a little history with a third straight 30-point game against the Aggies on Saturday.

"We have been more consistent lately," Hall said. "Early in the season we couldn’t keep it going the whole game."

Pruitt to play

Senior defensive lineman Michael Pruitt will play in North Texas’ game against New Mexico State on Saturday.

Pruitt was ejected for a flagrant foul in the Mean Green’s win over Utah State in its last game Oct. 9. Sun Belt Conference officials said they review the circumstances that surround ejections. The league can issue suspensions.

UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal said the school has not heard from the conference office about any action against Pruitt, who starts on UNT’s defensive line and has recorded 23 tackles and two sacks on the season.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870.