When reading this, please note the generosity of booster Jim McIngvale. He paid for the entire team to travel and attend the funeral of QB Drew Smith.

Football: UNT LB Thompson injures leg

01:09 PM CDT on Monday, August 16, 2004


By Brett Vito / Staff Writer




The North Texas football team lost a player who was expected to be a key cog in its defense Sunday morning.

Travis Thompson, a sophomore linebacker from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M junior college, was participating in team drills when another player fell on the back of his leg. He was helped off the field and went to the hospital before returning after practice on crutches. The exact extent of the injury has yet to be determined.

"We have not seen it, but from what we have heard the injury will keep Travis out for a while," UNT coach Darrell Dickey said.

One of the challenges the Mean Green are facing during fall practice is finding replacements for three linebackers who completed their careers last season after combining to start 98 careers games. Thompson was expected to help fill the void.

The Mustang, Okla., native led the Southwest Junior College Football Conference in tackles with 164, including 17 for losses, in 2003.

UNT junior linebacker Arther McNac played with Thompson at NEO and believes he could have contributed immediately for the Mean Green.

"I was impressed with what he had done so far," McNac said. "He is a quick learner."

Thompson also made an impression on Dickey.

"He was doing well and we were expecting him to play," Dickey said. "Someone will have to step up until he is ready to come back and be with us."

The challenge will fall on a young group of linebackers. Thompson was expected to challenge redshirt freshman Derek Mendoza for playing time at one outside linebacker spot. Redshirt freshmen Maurice Holman and Isaac Colbert and sophomore Phillip Graves were all slated to compete for playing time.

Without Thompson, UNT will lean even more heavily on McNac and fellow junior Shawn Early, the team’s most experienced linebackers.

"Our young linebackers have been good so far," Dickey said. "We are going to play with what we have and hope to avoid any further injuries."

Bishop leaves team

Junior running back Roy Bishop, a key cog in UNT’s running game last season, will not be eligible to play this fall, Dickey said Sunday.

Bishop finished the 2003 season as the Mean Green’s second-leading rusher with 273 yards. The former San Angelo Central standout and Kevin Moore served as backups in 2003, when starter Patrick Cobbs led the nation in both rushing (152.7 yards per game) and scoring (11.5 points a game).

"Losing Roy hurts our depth, but we have got quite a few other players," Dickey said. "Some of these young guys may figure in."

Moore ranked third on the team with 267 yards rushing.

Moore and Bishop helped carry the load for UNT when Cobbs missed two and a half games with a bruised thigh last season. Bishop rushed for a career high 107 yards against Baylor in 2003.

The Mean Green have lost eight players to off the field problems who were slated to be with the team this season, including several who were expected to fill major roles.

Team happy with attitude

UNT’s players and coaches were happy with the team’s attitude during a spirited practice Sunday, the Mean Green’s first since Andrew Smith’s funeral.

Memorial services for the former UNT quarterback took place Saturday in his hometown of Bay City. Smith was on his way back to Denton for the start of practice when he died in a car accident.

"Everyone came back with the right mindset," UNT defensive back Jonas Buckles said. "Everyone was out there hustling."

Dickey offers thanks to McIngvale

UNT was able to take the entire team and coaching staff to Smith’s services, thanks to booster Jim McIngvale, who owns Gallery Furniture in Houston.

"On behalf of the football team, coaching staff and myself, I would like to thank Jim McIngvale," Dickey said. "He not only financed our entire trip down there and back, he contacted the Smiths and paid for a nice dinner that their family and friends had after we left. We would also like to thank our university preside Dr. Norval Pohl and the chairman of the board of regents, Bobby Ray, for going on the trip with us. It shows that we have a lot of classy leadership at the top."

Burrough attends UNT workout

Former Houston Oilers wide receiver Kenny Burrough watched UNT practice Sunday morning.

Burrough works for UNT booster Jim McIngvale at Gallery Furniture in Houston.

"I heard about the tragedy with Andrew Smith," Burrough said. "I wanted to come up and help the team’s morale."

Burrough, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, compiled 7,102 yards receiving and caught 49 touchdown passes in his career that spanned from 1970-84.

UNT receives vote in poll

UNT received a vote in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll, which puts the Mean Green in impressive company

The Mean Green finished in a tie for 52nd in the poll. Penn State and Notre Dame, two of the most storied program in college football, also received one vote in the poll.

That was very nice of the booster to step up like that. Too many times we hear about the negative side of some of their ways.

What a great guy; you guys are so lucky to have a fan of his caliber!

Sorry to hear about the other players in the article; we need the Mean Green to be healthy when they come to Jonesboro for their beating

Some interesting stuff about McIngvale. He was a linebacker for North Texas in 72-73 and recently donated $1million toward the cost of our new athletic complex. He was also the first sponsor of the Houston Bowl.