New Orleans Bowl 2017

Denton Record-Chronicle

New Orleans Bowl Special Section

December 13, 2017

Trip to New Orleans Bowl shows UNT entering a new…

Noon Saturday, Superdome, New Orleans North Texas (9-4) vs. Troy (10-2) TV: ESPN; Radio: KHYI-FM 95.3, KNTU-FM 88.1

AlphaGraphics Denton is proud to support Head Coach Seth Littrell and the Mean Green of North Texas

Let’s bring home a win against Troy in the New Orleans Bowl

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COVER STORY

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Denton Record-Chronicle

UNT on course for another historic run NORTH TEXAS’ FORMULA FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF SUCCESS

By Brett Vito

Staff Writer bvito@dentonrc.com

North Texas was just moments away from playing in the Conference USA championship game for the first time earlier this month when Wren Baker took a minute to reflect on a whirlwind stretch for the program he oversees.

UNT’s athletic director had just cleared the one-year mark of his tenure at UNT that had seen not only the school’s football program, but the whole athletic department, make dramatic strides.

UNT was well on its way to playing in a bowl game for the second straight season after winning the C-USA West Division title.

The school’s women’s soccer team had just played in the NCAA tournament, while its volleyball team captured the C-USA regular season tile.

That run of success raises the question: Is UNT on the verge of a golden era in athletics, and particularly football?

It certainly felt that way to Baker that day as he peered down on the field at FAU Stadium.

“We have a lot of assets and attributes that other programs don’t have,” Baker said. “With the support that we have gotten from donors, fans, the university, the president and the board of regents, I feel like we are on the verge of building something that is special and sustainable.”

The Mean Green’s showdown with Troy on Saturday in the New Orleans Bowl is another step in the process — and an indication of just how well it’s going so far.

UNT’s appearance in the New Orleans Bowl will mark the second straight year the Mean Green have played in a bowl game under second-year coach Seth Littrell.

That might not sound all that impressive with the number of bowls that are played in the modern era of college football, but it is a milestone for UNT. The Mean Green haven’t been in this spot since their magical run under Hall of Fame coach Darrell Dickey, who guided UNT to four straight Sun Belt Conference titles from 2001-04.

UNT played in the New Orleans Bowl in each of those four seasons.

The Mean Green played in just one bowl game in the ensuing 11 years before breaking through to play in the Heart of Dallas Bowl last fall.

The Mean Green’s first bowl appearance under Littrell is looking more and more like the beginning of a new era of success for the

North Texas officials believe they have a plan in place that will allow the school’s football program to build on its appearance in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday against Troy and enter a run of success unlike anything the Mean Green have experienced since their four-year stretch as Sun Belt champs from 2001-04. UNT played in the New Orleans Bowl in each of those seasons. The following is a look:

A TOP COACH

Jeff Woo/DRC North Texas head coach Seth Littrell has thrived since he took over the school’s football program before the 2016 season. He has the Mean Green headed to their second bowl game in two seasons.

A DYNAMIC ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

DRC file photo North Texas coach Seth Littrell attributes his program’s success in part to athletic director Wren Baker, who has given UNT’s athletics department a jolt.

See COVER STORY on 3H

ON THE COVER

North Texas coach Seth Littrell, left, quarterback Mason Fine, center, and linebacker E.J. Ejiya helped lead the Mean Green to the Conference USA West Division title and a berth in Saturday’s New Orleans Bowl. The Mean Green are 9-4 and will take on Troy. The cover was designed by Denton Record-Chronicle senior artist Jason Lee. The photo was taken by staff photographer Jeff Woo.

BACKING OF PRESIDENT

YOUNG TALENT

DRC file photo North Texas president Neal Smatresk has been highly supportive of the school’s athletics department since he arrived in Denton in 2014 and can often be seen at games.

Jeff Woo/DRC North Texas has several good young players in the program, including wide receiver Jalen Guyton. The sophomore was the Co-Newcomer of the Year in Conference USA this season.

DE-1654010-01

UPGRADED FACILITIES

Jeff Woo/DRC North Texas has dramatically upgraded its facilities in the last decade.

The school opened Apogee Stadium in 2011and has plans to break ground on a new indoor practice venue in the next few months.

IMPROVING SUPPORT

Jeff Woo/DRC North Texas set a record for home attendance this season, when an average of 22,362 fans attended the Mean Green’s six home games. UNT drew more than 26,000 for its last two games at Apogee Stadium.

COVER STORY

Denton Record-Chronicle

From Page 2

Cover story program. School officials believe UNT has what is necessary to get on a roll similar to the one it went on more than a decade ago.

“It feels like we are on the verge of something special,” UNT quarterback Mason Fine said. “I wouldn’t expect anything less than accomplishing big things. The ceiling is high at North Texas. We should win and win a lot.”

UNT supporters have felt like the program has possessed potential for decades for a host of reasons. The school is located in the middle of the Dallas-Fort Worth region that is one of the nation’s largest urban centers.

DFW is one of the most fruitful in the country when it comes to producing college football talent. UNT is also one of the state’s largest institutions with a diverse enrollment of 38,000 students.

Those assets are ones UNT believes it’s starting to capitalize on consistently for the first time in more than a decade due to a host of factors. Ask those close to the program and they will say that UNT has the right leadership in place from president Neal Smatresk to Baker to Littrell and his staff.

And that’s just for starters.

The school opened Apogee Stadium in 2011 and increased its visibility in Texas by moving from the Sun Belt to Conference USA before the 2013 season.

UNT is expected to break ground on a new indoor practice facility in the next few months and could receive a huge funding boost early next year.

UNT’s students voted in early December on an increase in the school’s student athletics fee.

The results of that vote won’t be known until early next year, but if it passes the UNT athletic department will have an additional $3.5 million to work with annually.

UNT’s attendance for home games is also rising. The Mean Green averaged a record 22,362 fans per home this season.

Those incremental steps are what made Baker feel good about the path the program is following that day as UNT prepared for the title game.

“You look at today’s results and love those, but you measure yourself in what you are getting done that allows you to be better every day,” Baker said.

“If you look at what the football team is doing and what our donors and administrators are doing, we are working together to make sure that our support system is there.”

Building with leaders

Ask anyone associated with UNT athletics about the reason the Mean Green are entering a new era of success and they cite the people in charge following a time of change.

UNT has an entirely new leadership team, not only in athletics, but as a university.

President Neal Smatresk arrived in 2014. Littrell followed in 2015 and Baker in 2016.

Baker said he has a terrific working relationship with Littrell, despite the fact he didn’t hire him. Littrell feels the same way and credited Baker with helping him quickly build a win-

NEW ORLEANS BOWL | UNT event schedule

The North Texas athletic department has several events planned for the days leading up to the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday, just as it did in 2001 when the Mean Green’s cheerleaders performed before a game against Colorado State, above. The Mean Green will take on Troy in the Superdome this season. The following is the schedule:

Friday

Coaches’ radio show 5-6 p.m. — North Texas coach Seth Littrell will discuss the Mean Green’s game against Troy during his weekly show that will take place at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, located at 2 Poydras Street. The Green Brigade marching band, UNT cheerleaders and pep-squad will appear at the event that will include a cash bar. Appetizers will be served.

UNT Commencement in New Orleans 6:15 p.m. — North Texas officials will hold a graduation ceremony for six players, one member of the spirit team and any other students attending the New Orleans Bowl in the Grand Salon A inside the Hilton New Orleans Riverside at 2 Poydras Street. A reception will follow.

Reception 7 p.m. — Following Littrrell’s radio show, fans can march with the Green Brigade to Fulton Alley bar and game parlor at 600 Fulton Street for drinks and a game of bowling, bocce, foosball or giant chess on the patio. The party will continue as fans make their way to Bourbon Street with drink specials and giveaways at stops along the way.

I love the ’90s concert 7:30 p.m. – There will be a concert on Friday evening at the Smoothie King Center featuring music from the 1990s. Tickets start at $26.

Saturday

Pregame pep rally 9–11:30 a.m. — UNT fans will gather at Borgne Restaurant inside the Hyatt Regency at 601 Loyola Ave. across from the Superdome before the game.

Scrappy, the UNT Cheer and the Green Brigade marching band will appear at the event, where food will be served. There will also be a cash bar.

ning program.

“I have a great relationship with Wren,” Littrell said. “He has been unbelievable with the things he has done with his leadership. It’s some of the best that I have been around. He understands the importance of giving your student-athletes the resources they need to be successful.

“We are blessed to have him.”

Smatresk has also played a key role. Baker credited UNT’s president and the school’s administration for providing their backing for athletics, both personally and financially.

Smatresk has been highly supportive of UNT’s programs since his arrival and left little doubt as to his thoughts on the importance of athletics when he introduced Baker as his new athletic director.

He also named Baker a vice president, a role that hadn’t been bestowed on UNT’s former athletic directors.

“We are serious about getting to the top in athletics,” Smatresk said. “You are going to see big things to come at North Texas.”

Littrell is well on his way to helping UNT reach that goal.

He took over a program that finished 1-11 in the year before his arrival and has had the Mean Green on an upward track since.

UNT finished 5-8 last year after falling to Army in the Heart of Dallas Bowl and is 9-4 this season.

“Seth is awesome to work with and is tremendous at building a culture and teaching players how to be men, deal with adversity and grow from it,” Baker said. “He gets North Texas. We both believe that there is something special go-

ing on here and that we can be dominant in our conference and beyond it.”

Littrell and Baker often talk about the benefits of having what they feel is an ideal setup in terms of leadership from the president’s office on down.

UNT’s players say they have also seen the impact the school’s leadership has made.

“Our success has started at the top with the president and athletic director,” Fine said. “It trickles down to the coaches, staff and everyone. We have the right pieces in place to become something special.”

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

UNT | Bowl history outside of New Orleans

North Texas will appear in its 10th bowl game in program history on Saturday when it faces Troy in the New Orleans Bowl. This will be the Mean Green’s fifth appearance in the New Orleans Bowl. For a full rundown of those games, see Page H8. The following is a look back at the other five bowl games in UNT history.

2016 Heart of Dallas Bowl: Army 38, UNT 31 (OT)

Alec Morris threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns to lead UNT, which rallied from a 24-7 deficit to force overtime. The Black Knights scored on their possession in overtime when Jordan Asberry knifed into the end zone from three yards out on fourth down. UNT couldn’t respond on its possession.

Army rushed for 480 yards.

2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl: UNT 36, UNLV 14

Derek Thompson, pictured above, threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns and was named the MVP of UNT’s win over the Rebels. Brelan Chancellor also shined for the Mean Green while rolling up 181 all-purpose yards. UNT outscored UNLV 22-7 in the fourth quarter when the Mean Green pulled away.

1959 Sun Bowl: New Mexico State 28, UNT 8

Bill Christle scored on a 51-yard punt return, but UNT couldn’t get much else going in a loss to the Aggies. The Mean Green lost four fumbles inside New Mexico State’s 25-yard line and six of seven fumbles overall.

1948 Salad Bowl: Nevada 13, UNT 6

Bill Cromer intercepted a Stan Heath pass and went on to score on a 4-yard run to give UNT an early 6-0 lead, but Nevada charged back to beat the Mean Green. UNT won its second consecutive Lone Star Conference title on its way to the game.

1946 Optimist Bowl: UNT 14 Pacific 13

Louis Reinzi caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Billy Dinkle with nine seconds left and Dinkle’s extra point gave UNT its first bowl win. The game was the last for legendary coach Amos Alonzo Stagg. The win also marked the end of the first season for UNT Hall of Fame coach Odus Mitchell.

master plan UNT has in place to help the program improve.

UNT plans to continue upgrading and expanding the Mean Green Athletic Center and turn it into a sports performance center to enhance what its teams — and particularly its football program — have to work with.

The school has plans to add space for strength and conditioning facilities for its players and athletic training areas for its support personnel to utilize while caring for athletes.

“A lot of the things we need to be successful are either getting

done or we have a plan to take care of,” Baker said. “The indoor practice facility will be huge for all of our outdoor sports, particularly football. It will be a gamechanger for us.”

Building with players

When it comes to college athletics, administrators, coaches and facilities are vital, but it’s players who win and lose games.

What UNT has in place in that regard is perhaps the biggest reason the Mean Green appear to be on the verge of a golden era in program history.

Fine has set the UNT record

for passing yards (3,739) and passing touchdowns (28) in a season this fall and was named C-USA’s Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore. Fellow sophomore Jalen Guyton was named the Co-Newcomer of the Year in C-USA after catching 48 passes for 764 yards and nine touchdowns heading into UNT’s bowl game.

“We are young and hungry,” redshirt freshman linebacker Joe Ozougwu said. “We have only one way to go, and that is up.”

Littrell believes he has several players he redshirted this season who could make an impact down the line. Those players will join a young core that also includes redshirt freshman running back Nic Smith and sophomore safety Khairi Muhammad.

Smith ranks second on the team with 665 rushing yards.

Muhammad has 88 tackles, a total that put him in a tie for second on the team with senior safety Kishawn McClain.

“We are still young as a football team,” Littrell said. “We are set up pretty good. One of our main goals was to set a foundation for continued success and not be a one-hit wonder.”

Littrell and his players believe they are well on their way to avoiding that fate due to the way they have adopted a vision of where the program is headed.

“Coach Littrell came in and set the standard of selflessness, toughness and disciplined and got everyone to buy into it,” Garner said of Littrell’s four-word mantra.

The way UNT’s players have bought into Littrell’s message is one of several reasons everyone involved in the program believes the Mean Green are on the right track as they prepare to face Troy in the New Orleans Bowl.

“I absolutely believe we are on the verge of a golden era,” linebacker E.J. Ejiya said. “This last recruiting class was more bricks for the building process and everything about the culture here has been great. I can’t see us going down as a program.”

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.

Building with bricks

Baker said shortly after he arrived at UNT that the school needed to do more than just put the right people in place.

The school also needed to improve its infrastructure to be competitive. UNT has a topnotch football venue in Apogee Stadium, but needed to upgrade the rest of its facilities.

Baker and his staff have addressed that issue by renovating UNT’s football locker room and the Mean Green Athletic Center.

The next step will be an indoor practice facility. UNT’s regents approved the 94,000square foot, $18.9 million project in November.

UNT senior linebacker Brandon Garner is among several players who expressed excitement about the project, one Litrrell said will be beneficial to the program.

“There is no doubt it could help our program,” Littrell said.

“It would help our student-athletes as far as safety and welfare in the fall when it is hot outside.”

Construction of the venue is just part of an overall facilities

Congratulations Mean Green Football!

940-891-3229 | Laura Brewer, Manager

2430 S. Interstate 35-E, Ste. 130, Denton, TX 76205 DE-1654009-01

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

NEW ORLEANS BOWL

Denton Record-Chronicle

UNT TEAM STATS

UNT ROSTER No. 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 18 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 29 29 30 30 31 32 32 34 34 35 36 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 46 47 49 49 50 51 52 53 54 56 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 71 72 73 74 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 91 93 93 96 97 99

Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Name Turner Smiley WR 6-0 193 Sr. O’Keeron Rutherford WR 6-5 185 Jr. Eric Jenkins DB 5-10 170 Sr. Jeffery Wilson RB 6-0 194 Sr. Anthony Wyche RB 5-11 183 Jr. Khairi Muhammad S 5-11 182 So. Tre Siggers RB 5-8 193 Fr. Tyreke Davis S 5-10 190 Fr. Kishawn McClain S 5-11 187 Sr. Mason Fine QB 5-11 180 So. Dee Baulkman DB 5-11 191 Sr. Rico Bussey, Jr. WR 6-2 191 So. Nate Brooks DB 6-0 176 Jr. Jalen Guyton WR 6-1 194 So Cade Pearson QB 6-3 196 Fr. Cam Johnson DB 5-11 177 Fr. Quinetin Jackson WR 6-3 208 Jr. Cedric Fernandes DB 5-10 178 Jr. Greg White WR 6-3 184 Fr. Caleb Chumley TE 6-5 244 So. Ulaiasi Tauaalo DT 6-2 290 Jr. Kemon Hall DB 5-11 185 Jr. Montana Meador WR 5-11 170 Fr. Joe Ozougwu LB 6-3 217 Fr. Devin O’Hara QB 6-5 205 Sr. Keegan Brewer WR 5-11 177 So. Joshua Wheeler LB 6-3 229 Sr. Nnamdi Umeakuana DB 6-1 195 Jr. Quinn Shanbour QB 6-0 192 Jr. William LeMasters LB 6-2 217 So. Josh Adebayo RB 6-0 204 Fr. Nic Smith RB 5-10 182 Fr. E.J. Ejiya LB 6-3 223 Jr. Connor Means LB 6-4 224 Jr. Loren Easly RB 5-11 205 Jr. Kerry Hall WR 5-6 164 Fr. Taylor Robinson DB 5-11 181 So. Andrew Tucker RB 6-0 202 Sr. Jordan Roberts DB 6-1 170 Fr. Evan Johnson RB 5-6 180 Fr. Chris Thornton LB 6-1 215 Fr. Greg Craddock WR 6-6 185 Fr. Ashton Preston DB 5-10 187 Jr. Cason Clay DB 6-1 185 Fr. Nate Durham DS 6-2 223 Fr. Trevor Moore K 5-11 187 Sr. Dennis Smith WR 5-9 166 So. Makyle Sanders S 6-0 194 Fr. Michael Lawrence WR 5-10 180 So. Chaz Davis CB 5-10 168 Fr. Andre Alger RB 5-9 215 So. Bryce English DT 5-11 295 So. Kody Fulp LB 6-2 227 Fr. Hayden Doggett LB 6-2 212 So. Alvin Kenworthy P 6-3 188 So. Brandon Garner LB 5-11 221 Jr. Andrew Jones DB 6-1 173 Jr. Jameel Moore DB 5-10 173 So. Trever Merrell RB 5-10 207 So. Colton McDonald LB 6-4 210 Sr. Corey Mann LB 6-0 198 Fr. Kway Hill DB 5-11 178 So. Cannon Maki FB 5-11 230 Jr. Hurshie Williams CB 5-11 180 Fr. Patrick Udofia DB 5-9 186 So. Christian Hosley RB 5-9 185 So. Mylam Peters LB 6-5 241 Sr. Zach Williams K 5-8 183 Fr. Roderick Young DL 6-1 284 Jr. LaDarius Hamilton DE 6-3 253 So. Jake Davis DS 6-0 210 Jr. Jevin Pahinui OL 6-4 300 Jr. T.J. Henson OL 6-4 298 Sr. Creighton Barr OL 6-3 301 Jr. Jacob Brammer OL 6-4 258 Fr. Ryan Bishop LB 5-11 191 Fr. Hayden Harrison LB 6-2 210 Fr. Sosaia Mose OL 6-2 276 So. Dakoda Newman OL 6-3 327 Fr. Stephon Primous LB 6-1 201 So. Ted Fausak OL 6-4 263 Jr. Brian Parish OL 6-4 280 Fr. Chad Hickson OL 6-4 268 So. Brendon Weatherspoon OL 6-4 288 Fr. Chris Miles, Jr. OL 6-4 311 Jr. Chett Munden OL 6-5 268 So. Doro Omerhi OL 6-4 306 Fr. Jordan Murray OL 6-9 333 Jr. Manase Mose OL 6-1 289 Fr. Garrett Gunter OL 6-4 283 Sr. Chandler Anthony OL 6-7 270 Fr. Elex Woodworth OL 6-4 270 So. Jalen Thomas OL 6-5 278 Sr. Riley Mayfield OL 6-7 290 Sr. Jamie King TE 6-3 221 Jr. Daniel Khan WR 5-11 179 Jr. Deion Hair-Griffin WR 5-10 166 Fr. Connor Howard WR 5-11 193 Fr. Jaelon Darden WR 5-9 157 Fr. Justin Cain WR 6-0 175 Fr. Kevin Dillman DE 6-4 254 So. Kelvin Smith TE 6-2 243 So. Jason Pirtle WR 6-2 193 Fr. Kam Duhon WR 5-11 170 Fr. Tillman Johnson DE 6-1 251 Sr. Kel Straubmueller DS 5-11 181 Jr. R.J. Reynolds DL 6-4 240 Fr. Julius Combes DL 6-1 269 So. Blake Patterson P 6-2 185 Fr. Tony Krasniqi DL 6-1 249 Fr. Dion Novil DL 6-4 253 Fr. Andy Flusche DE 6-3 255 Sr. Coaches Seth Littrell — Head Coach Graham Harrell — Offensive Coordinator Troy Reffett — Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Tommy Mainord — Associate HC Chuck Langston — Offensive Line Joel Filani — Wide Receivers Nate Brown — Cornerbacks Jeff Koonz— Linebackers Marc Yellock — Defensive Line Marty Biagi — Special Teams Coordinator Shane Elder — Assistant AD for Football Ops David Stenklyft — Director of Recruiting Zack Womack — Head Strength and Conditioning Scott Conley — Director of High School Relations John David Baker — Quality Control Tashard Choice — Quality Control Tim Burmeister — Graduate Assistant Kenny Buyers — Graduate Assistant J.D. Perkins — Graduate Assistant Herschel Sims — Graduate Assistant

Jeff Woo/DRC

North Texas running back Nic Smith carries the ball during the Mean Green’s win over Army at at Apogee Stadium on Nov. 18. Smith has been a key member of a deep and talented group of skill position players.

Playmakers leading way in record-setting season

By Brett Vito

Staff Writer bvito@dentonrc.com

North Texas was without its star offensive player for its regular season finale against Rice just a few weeks ago, not to mention its leading wide receiver.

A year ago, those losses might have spelled disaster for the Mean Green, who were just getting used to playing under coach Seth Littrell and his batch of assistants.

Those losses didn’t seem to bother UNT in a 30-14 win over the Owls that was one of several signs of how far the Mean Green have come offensively heading into the Saturday’s New Orleans Bowl.

UNT has gone from averaging just 15.2 points per game in the season before Littrell arrived to setting program records for points (467) and total yards (6,071) in a season. The Mean Green are averaging 35.9 points per game this fall, up from 24.8 a year ago.

“We have taken a step from last year,” UNT quarterback Mason Fine said. “We were inconsistent last year. I was inconsistent. Everyone is more comfortable and confident this year.

“We have that swagger you need going into every game. We have done a lot of great things, but we still haven’t reached our potential.”

That might be the case, but UNT has taken significant steps forward due to a few key factors, including the development of Fine and improved depth at the skill positions.

UNT relied heavily on the pairing of Fine and running back Jeffery Wilson last season. Both have played key roles again this year, but have a lot of additional support.

The Mean Green beat Old Dominion 45-38 on a day where Wilson finished with just 36 rushing yards.

UNT toppled Army 52-49 three weeks later when Wilson went down for the season with a foot injury. Nic Smith has stepped in when UNT needed him and rushed for 178 in the Mean Green’s win over Rice that came just a week after Wilson went

UNT | Offensive surge North Texas has seen its offense improve in each of Seth Litrrell’s first two seasons as the Mean Green’s coach. The following is a look:

35.9

The number of points UNT is averaging per game this season, a total that ranks second in Conference USA. The Mean Green averaged 24.8 points per game last year.

6,071

The number of yards UNT has gained this season, breaking the previous record of 5,336 set in 2013.

down for the year.

UNT went 0-4 when Wilson finished with less than 50 rushing yards last season.

The Mean Green are also deeper at wide receiver. Five different players have finished with at least 80 receiving yards in a game.

Jalen Guyton leads UNT with 764 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

UNT didn’t miss a beat when the sophomore was knocked out of the Mean Green’s game against Army after catching just two passes thanks to Turner Smiley.

The senior stepped in and caught three passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

“We have more playmakers this year,” Littrell said. “Different guys have stepped up in different games.”

The Mean Green have been able to keep their skill position players fresh as a result. Smith has at least seven carries in10 games this season and has 665 rushing yards heading into UNT’s bowl game.

Smith took pressure off Wilson to carry the load early in the season.

“We have a lot of people rolling in and out and have fresh legs,” Smith said. “We can take shots down the field and also have fresh running backs.”

UNT has forced teams to defend more than one player as a result. Fine and offensive coordinator Graham

Harrell have plenty of players they have confidence in.

“It always helps to have a bunch of guys who can go out there and make plays,” Smiley said.

That depth of talent has helped Fine become more comfortable in what has been a record-setting campaign. He has set program records for passing yards (3,749) and passing touchdowns (28) in a season.

Fine has settled into his role as UNT’s offensive lynchpin after playing in just10 games as a freshman due to injury.

The comfort level Fine has found — and the amount of talent around him — has helped Littrell and Harrell put a few more wrinkles into UNT’s offense. The Mean Green ran a limited package last season while they adjusted to playing in Littrell’s system.

“We are doing more,” Littrell said.

“There is a reason we have had more success. We have more playmakers, but we are not where we need to be.

We need to be more consistent overall as a football team. We will get there.”

Littrell has emphasized getting a little better each week throughout the season.

That is just what UNT has done during Littrell’s short tenure.

The Mean Green showed flashes of potential in 2016 while winning five games. UNT took the next step this fall and became one of the best offensive teams in Conference USA. UNT’s average of 35.9 points per game ranks second in the league.

“A big part of our consistency this year is being comfortable in the system,” UNT offensive lineman T.J. Henson said. “A lot of guys spent all of last season getting comfortable in coach Harrell’s offense and getting to know the ins and outs. On top of that we were able to bring a new class of players along a whole lot faster. That has made the process easier.”

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.

Scoring Points per game First downs Rushing Passing Penalty Rushing yardage Yards gained rushing Yards lost rushing Rushing attempts Average per rush Average per game TDs Rushing Passing Yardage Comp-Att-Int Average per pass Average per catch Average per game TDs passing Total offense Total plays Average per play Average per game Kick returns: No.-yards Punt returns: No.-yards Int. returns: No.-yards Kick return average Punt return average Int. return average Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards Average per game Punts-average per punt Net punt average Time of poss./game 3rd-down conversions 3rd-down pct 4th-down conversions 4th-down pct Sacks by-yards Touchdowns scored Field goals-attempts Red-zone scores Red-zone touchdowns

Player Jeffery Wilson Nic Smith Evan Johnson Andrew Tucker Mason Fine Quinn Shanbour

Opp UNT 467 440 35.9 33.8 319 268 129 133 168 115 22 20 2,288 2,705 2,651 2,955 363 250 492 552 4.7 4.9 176.0 208.1 28 32 3,783 2,900 298-466-13 209-392-7 8.1 7.4 12.7 13.9 291.0 223.1 29 20 6,071 5,605 958 944 6.3 5.9 467.0 431.2 40-749 48-1,133 18-193 7-28 7-16 13-133 18.7 23.6 10.7 4.0 2.3 10.2 19-9 12-7 62-547 73-639 42.1 49.2 48-39.6 59-38.7 38.2 33.7 30:15 29:43 79/177 88/201 45% 44% 15/26 19/34 58% 56% 22-153 33-230 59 56 19-21 15-18 (44-49) 90% (43-48) 90% (35-49) 71% (33-48) 69%

Rushing Att Yards 188 1,215 132 665 37 213 13 78 99 74 6 53

Avg. 6.5 5.0 5.8 6.0 0.7 8.8

TDs 16 6 3 2 1 0

Passing Player CA-I Pct. Yards TDs Mason 294-457-13 64.3 3,749 28

Avg/G 288.4

Fine

Player Michael Lawrence Jalen Guyton Rico Bussey Jaelon Darden Turner Smiley Kelvin Smith Jeffery Wilson Nic Smith Caleb Chumley Quinetin Jackson

Receiving Rec. YardsAvg. 56 749 13.4 48 764 15.9 43 613 14.3 32 281 8.8 31 575 18.5 24 242 10.1 24 168 7.0 17 135 7.9 7 89 12.7 5 73 14.6

TDsAvg/G 3 57.6 9 63.7 6 51.1 28 21.6 77 44.2 25 18.6 20 15.3 29 10.4 43 6.8 1 31

Punt returns Player No. Yards Avg. Jaelon Darden 9 114 12.7 Eric Jenkins 6 23 3.8 Player Eric Jenkins William LeMasters Kishawn McClain Kemon Hall Andy Flusche LaDarius Hamilton

Interceptions Yards No. 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 15

Player Evan

Kick returns Yards Avg. 364 20.2

No. 18

Johnson Jaelon 16

295

TDs 1 0

Avg. 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 15.0

TDs 0 0 0 0 0 0

TDs 0

18.4

0

Darden

Player Trevor Moore Jeffery Wilson Jalen Guyton Nic Smith Rico Bussey Jaelon Darden Turner Smiley Evan Johnson Michael Lawrence Andrew Tucker

Scoring TDs FGs 0 19 16 0 9 0 8 0 6 0 4 0 4 0 4 0 3 0 2 0

Player Blake Patterson Alvin Kenworthy

Punting No. Yards 30 1,238 18 663

Avg. 41.

36.8

Tackles Assisted Solo 13 47 50 38 60 28 49 22 35 30 18 28 18 25 30 12 23 15 23 15 12 24 21 15 24 7 16 14 11 10 9 9 9 5

Total 53 88 88 71 65 46 43 42 38 38 36 36 31 30 21 18 14

Player E.J. Ejiya Khairi Muhammad Kishawn McClain Kemon Hall Brandon Garner Roderick Young Andy Flusche Jenkins, Eric Ashton Preston Colton McDonald T.J. Tauaalo LaDarius Hamilton Nate Brooks Joshua Wheeler Sid Moore Joe Ozougwu Taylor Robinson

PAT 52 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0

Points 109 96 54 48 38 26 24 24 18 12

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

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UNT’s defense to lean on Ejiya in bowl game

By Brett Vito

Staff Writer bvito@dentonrc.com

Jeff Woo/DRC

North Texas kicker Trevor Moore kicks a game-winning 39-yard field goal with five seconds left in the Mean Green’s 59-42 win over Army on Nov. 18 at Apogee Stadium.

Kicker Moore aims for a perfect finish

By Brett Vito

Staff Writer bvito@dentonrc.com

Trevor Moore couldn’t have dreamed up a better ending to his final appearance at Apogee Stadium earlier this year.

The North Texas senior is about as consistent and clutch as a kicker could possibly be and was given a chance to win the Mean Green’s final home game of the season.

The senior handled that 39yard kick like he has so many others in his UNT career.

He nailed it to give the Mean Green a 52-49 win over Army on Oct. 18 and revenge for an overtime loss to the Black Knights in last season’s Heart of Dallas Bowl.

“My favorite kick was the one against Army,” Moore said. “To kick the game-winner on senior night, there was no better way to go out.”

Moore will have a chance to add to his legacy on Saturday when UNT takes on Troy in the New Orleans Bowl.

Moore has already set the UNT record with 52 career field goals, but that might not be the most impressive of his accomplishments. He’s also made every single extra point he has attempted in his UNT career, a program record 151 in a row and counting.

Moore has kicked extra points in the rain and the cold.

He’s converted when snaps were a little off or the placement of the ball not quite perfect.

Moore just comes through, which is a big reason UNT is in the midst of one of the best seasons in program history and playing in a bowl game for the second straight year. Moore made all 52 of his extra points and 19 of his 21 field goals this season.

Moore kicked a 22-yard game-winner in the closing seconds of the Mean Green’s 46-43 win over UAB in its Conference USA opener.

“We are fortunate to have him because once we get to a certain part of the field, I know we should be able to get points,” UNT coach Seth Littrell said.

“That can do a lot, especially for [offensive coordinator Graham Harrell] because you can

MOORE | UNT stats

North Texas senior Trevor Moore (above) celebrates kicking a game-winning field goal in a 52-49 victory over Army with students at Apogee Stadium on Nov. 18. The following is a look at his career by the numbers:

151

The number of consecutive extra points Moore has made.

The senior has never missed an extra point during his time with the Mean Green.

52

The number of field goals Moore has made in his career, a school record.

change the things you do offensively and take more chances.

He has been great.”

Moore attributes his accuracy to a simple approach.

“I go out there and trust myself,” Moore said. “I look at it as going out there to do my job.

“Life goes on, make or miss.”

With Moore it’s almost always a make.

Littrell and UNT’s players attribute Moore’s success to a work ethic that has helped make him just as much a part of the team as an offensive lineman or wide receiver.

Kickers and punters often work out on their own during practice and aren’t as close with their teammates.

That isn’t the case with Moore. He’s diligent about spending time in the weight room and going through offseason workouts. He often runs sprints with UNT’s skill position players.

Moore said he’s never gotten comfortable and is always working to get better.

“He’s not your typical guy who just goes out there and kicks the ball,” Littrell said. “He loves the weight room and works at it. He’s been impressive.”

Moore is quick to give credit for what he has accomplished in his career to everyone from his deep-snapper to his holder and the offensive linemen who protect him.

The work he puts in during offseason conditioning and in practice has helped him develop a rapport with his teammates who work to refine completely different skills on a daily basis.

“I appreciate the fact that the team incorporates me,” Moore said. “I have never been a fan of the whole stereotypical, ‘Oh, he’s just a kicker.’ I am always in the weight room and cutting it up with the guys.

“I don’t want to be that weird kicker that sits off to the side and does his own thing. I want the team to respect me and I believe they do respect me, which is awesome. That helps with my confidence knowing the team has my back.”

Wide receiver Turner Smiley said neither he nor his teammates get nervous when they need a clutch kick from Moore.

“When he goes out there for a game-winning kick, we know we have already won at that point,” Smiley said.

Moore might not have a chance to kick another gamewinner, but he’ll likely had a chance to add to add to his string of consecutive extra points in UNT’s bowl game and finish out his career without a miss.

“It would be a huge accomplishment to finish perfect,” Moore said. “I expect to, but you never know what could happen.”

UNT’s coaches and teammates are confident in what will happen if they call on Moore in their bowl game.

Moore has come through time and again. They believe the next time won’t be any different.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.

North Texas has come through in spectacular fashion defensively at times during its run to the New Orleans Bowl.

UNT made a huge stand to force a punt late in a come-frombehind win over Texas-San Antonio and stopped Louisiana Tech on a potential game-winning drive on a day the Mean Green hung on to win.

Other times have not been nearly as memorable, including the day Florida Atlantic hung 804 yards on the Mean Green in a 69-31 blowout.

UNT is counting on the more productive version of its defense to show up on Saturday when the Mean Green face Troy in the New Orleans Bowl.

“We have made a lot of progress defensively, but have been inconsistent,” UNT coach Seth Littrell said. “There are a lot of things that play into it when you look into the long course of the season. We have made improvements.”

Littrell believes the Mean Green have gradually become more comfortable in coordinator Troy Reffett’s system and have a few impact players. That group includes linebacker E.J. Ejiya, who will play a key role in Mean Green’s efforts to contain a potent Trojans offense that is averaging 30 points per game.

The junior pulled off the rare feat of leading UNT in tackles (100), tackles for loss (10.0) and sacks (7.0) in the regular season.

“I am ready to lead this defense in the bowl,” Ejiya said. “I have found my spot and my role.”

Ejiya filled in for Joshua Wheeler in the first three games of the season while UNT’s starting outside linebacker was injured. He has since shifted back to middle linebacker, where he has made a series of key plays for the Mean Green.

Jeff Woo/DRC

North Texas linebacker E.J. Ejiya (22) tackles Lamar junior quarterback Darrell Colbert Jr. at Apogee Stadium on Sept. 2.

UNT | Ups, downs North Texas has been up and down defensively all season.

The following is a look at some of the highs and lows:

Highs

Stands in wins over UTSA, Louisiana Tech — UNT made game-changing stands in wins over both UTSA and Louisiana Tech. UNT forced a punt late in its 29-26 win over the Roadrunners to set up a game-winning drive and also turned the Bulldogs back when they were driving late in a game UNT hung on to win 24-23.

Lows

Giving up 804 yards to Florida Atlantic — UNT was torched in a 69-31 loss to the Owls that was never competitive.

Allowing more points per game — UNT’s coaches believe they have made progress this year, but the Mean Green are allowing 33.8 points per game, up slightly from the 32.6 points per game they allowed last year.

Two of the biggest came late in UNT’s win over UTSA on Oct. 14. The Roadrunners had the ball with 1:28 left at the Mean Green’s 45 while leading 26-22.

UTSA could have won the

game by picking up a first down, but came up short after picking up seven yards on three running plays. Ejiya was in on two of the three tackles and combined with defensive tackle Roderick Young to stop Jalen Rhodes on thirdand-3.

The stop helped set up UNT’s game-winning drive in the final seconds.

Ejiya and the Mean Green believe they can get back to playing at that level after a tough outing in a 41-17 loss to FAU in the C-USA title game.

The Owls gave UNT’s defense fits in both of the teams’ games this season.

“We have been up and down, but for the most part we have been pretty consistent,” Ejiya said. “When all11of us are on the same page, you see how good we can be. I know we will go out there and compete.”

UNT is confident it can not only compete, but also thrive when they take on Troy, thanks in part to Ejiya.

“EJ is a great player,” UNT linebacker Brandon Garner said. “We are lucky to have him.”

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.

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TROY TEAM STATS

TROY ROSTER No. 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 12 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 17 18 19 19 20 20 21 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 37 37 38 38 39 40 41 42 42 43 44 45 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 62 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 72 73 74 75 77 78 79 80 82 83 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Name John Johnson Sawyer Smith Kris Weatherspoon Kamryn Melton Jabir Daughtry-Frye Sam Lebbie Sidney Davis Kaleb Barker Marcus Jones Emanuel Thompson Jalen Harris Jamarius Henderson Richard Hallman Tyquae Russell Tevaris McCormick Brandon Silvers Melvin Tyus Tray Eafford Terence Dunlap Will Lovett Andre Flakes Damion Willis Ismail Saleem Sam Letton Blace Brown Adarius Wesley Kade Young DK Billingsley Justin Wyatt Kevin Nixon Kyle Nixon Bret Clark Cedarius Rookard Jamal Hourel Justin Whisenhunt B.J. Smith Jawon McDowell Alvin Bryant, Jr. Braijon Carr Tron Folsom Jamal Stadom A.J. Smiley Shon Spralling Josh Anderson Robert Johnson Tyler Murray Jeremiah Jones Montae Barto Orlando Lacey Nick Manuel Jordan Chunn Carlton Martial Kyler Knudsen Antione Barker Terrance Corbett Gabe Hill Diego Martinez Bratcher Underwood Jeb Davis Myles Thomas Zacc Weldon Walter Pritchett Hunter Reese Marcus Webb Kelan Chairs Zo Bridges Preston Langham Rasool Clemons Bubba Hudson Tristan Crowder Abdul Mukiibi Doug Salter Deontae Crumitie Travon Mathis Jay Dye Johnathan Boring Ethan Calhoun Dylan Bradshaw Matthew Boring Steven Rowzee Bobby Klemm J.L. Gaston Zach Branner Kade McLaney Jake Baker Cameron Kaye James Peach Travius Harris Kirk Kelley Austin Stidham Deondre Douglas Ke’Marvin Pitts Luke Whittemore Lukas Plum Olsen Brandon Hinton Clark Quisenberry Dominic Walker Tristin Skinner Trevon Sanders Kelvin Lucky Coby Smith Bryan Slater Seth Calloway Michael Robinson Jarvis Bryant Baron Poole II Tyler Sumpter Evan Legassey

Pos. WR QB S CB RB LB WR QB CB WR CB RB WR SPR WR QB S WR CB QB SPR WR WR WR CB S QB RB S LB S WR S RB LB RB CB WR S LB DT LB CB RB S S LB FB CB SPR RB LB S DE S TE K/P K TE LB FB LB S DT LB LB LS DE OL OL LB DT OL DT OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL LS OL OL OL OL WR WR WR TE WR WR WR K/P DT DE DT DT DE DT DT DT K/P K/P

Ht. 6-1 6-3 6-2 5-10 5-7 6-3 5-11 6-1 5-9 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-2 6-1 5-10 6-3 5-10 6-1 5-11 6-3 5-9 6-4 5-8 6-2 6-0 6-0 6-3 5-9 6-2 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-1 5-11 6-1 5-9 6-0 5-10 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-3 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-1 5-11 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-1 5-11 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-2 5-10 5-9 6-3 6-0 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-3 6-0 6-2 5-9 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-0 5-11 6-2 6-2 6-2 6-5 6-1 6-2 6-4 6-3 6-6 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-2 6-2 6-5 6-2 6-4 6-5 6-1 5-6 6-2 6-4 5-8 6-3 6-2 5-10 6-0 6-4 6-0 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-0 6-2 5-10 6-3

Wt. 193 212 205 184 170 244 219 210 170 200 187 200 197 200 183 219 212 196 174 230 200 194 176 226 186 197 184 195 198 212 182 179 210 201 219 198 178 177 191 218 280 216 172 250 202 186 189 241 175 184 235 215 198 253 221 245 150 179 240 205 239 222 221 252 218 225 171 241 260 314 226 240 296 290 296 305 286 300 255 310 348 295 305 295 290 220 293 350 310 270 197 155 185 236 175 221 216 205 310 225 290 288 252 322 293 283 230 195

Yr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Jr. So. Fr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Jr. So. So. Jr. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr. So. So. Fr. Fr. So. Sr. So. Fr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Fr. So. So. Fr. Jr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. So. Sr. So. So. So. Fr. So. Fr. So. Jr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Jr. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. Fr. Fr.

Coaches Neal Brown — Head Coach Kenny Edenfield — Offensive Coordinator Bam Hardmon — Defensive Line Vic Koenning — Defensive Coordinator / Safeties Jordan Lesley — Defensive Tackles Matt Moore— Co-Offensive Coordinator / L Al Pogue — Cornerbacks / Recruiting Coordinator Sean Reagan — Quarterbacks / Running Backs Jon Sumrall — Assistant Head Coach Cornelius Williams — Wide Receivers

Matthew Hinton/AP

Troy head coach Neal Brown celebrates his team’s 24-21 victory over LSU earlier this season. The Trojans feature one of the nation’s best defenses and enter the New Orleans Bowl allowing 17.5 points per game.

Troy brings standout defense into bowl tilt

By Brett Vito

Staff Writer bvito@dentonrc.com

TROY | Stout defense Troy has leaned on a standout

The list of the teams in college defense that has given opponents football that have given up the fewest problems all season. LSU managed just 21 points in a loss to the Trojans points this season reads like a runearlier this season. The following is a down of the nation’s elite. look: There’s Alabama at the top, followed by Clemson, Wisconsin and 17.5 Georgia.

The average number of points Troy Take a look just little farther down is allowing per game. The Trojans and there sits Troy. rank 11th nationally in scoring deNorth Texas will face the Trojans fense and have allowed more than 21 on Saturday in the New Orleans points just once during a six-game Bowl. The game will feature one of the winning streak nation’s elite defensive teams in Troy and one of its best offensive units in 8.4 UNT. The average number of tackles for Troy ranks 11th nationally in scorloss Troy is posting per game. That total ranks fifth nationally. ing defense with an average of 17.5 points allowed per game.

The Trojans’ hopes to knock off the Mean Green and win their second their impressive totals in league play. straight bowl game will hinge largely Troy intercepted two passes and on their defense that has given most finished with five tackles for loss in a teams they have played fits.

24-21 upset win over LSU in its fifth Troy attributes that success largely game of the season. The Tigers were to coordinator Vic Koenning and an ranked No. 22 nationally at the time. experienced roster that has settled in“When you beat a team like LSU to his system over the last three sea- that has been a top dog in college footsons. ball it gives you all the confidence in “We have good leadership on our the world,” Reese said. “We always bedefense and have quite a few guys lieved in ourselves, but that proved to who have played quite a bit of foot- us that we can be as good as we want ball,” senior defensive end Seth Callo- to be.” way said. “We also have coaches who Troy has allowed one opponent to are good at simplifying a game plan score more than 21 points in a game for us and getting it to the point where since. we can play fast. We have a good work UNT has been held to fewer than ethic that we have built since we have 21 points just once this season in a 31gotten here with our strength staff 14 loss to Iowa in the second week of and coach Vic. We get after it.” the season on the road in Iowa City.

Few teams in the country make as The Mean Green will be without many big plays as the Trojans. running back Jeffery Wilson, one of Troy ranks fifth nationally with an their top offensive weapons, for the average of 8.4 tackles for loss per New Orleans Bowl after he suffered a game and is tied for 12th in sacks with foot injury in a win over Army on Nov. an average of 3.0 per game. The Tro- 18. jans have also intercepted15 passes on Nic Smith excelled in his first the season. game as UNT’s starting back, rushing “We have made a lot of big plays,” for 178 yards and a touchdown in the safety Hunter Reese said. “When you Mean Green’s win over Rice. Florida can create momentum, it trickles Atlantic limited Smith to 50 yards on down to the rest of the defense.”

14 carries in the C-USA title game.

The Trojans play in the Sun Belt Troy’s stout defense will present Conference, but didn’t just rack up another stiff challenge for Smith and

the Mean Green. The Trojans are allowing just 114.8 rushing yards per game.

“We have a lot of confidence,” Calloway said. “We feel like we can line up and play with anyone, especially when it comes to stopping the run.

We feel really good about our run defense. We are not cocky, but we are confident.”

That confidence is based in part on the ability of Koenning to put them in the right spots.

“I can’t say enough about [Koenning],” Troy coach Neal Brown told the Dothan Eagle after the Trojans win over Arkansas State in their regular season finale. “I think he’s the best in the business.”

Koenning was the defensive coordinator at North Carolina when UNT coach Seth Littrell was the Tar Heels’ offensive coordinator.

The time they spent coaching together gave Littrell a healthy respect for Koenning.

“He does a lot of great things,” Littrell said. “Their defense is very multiple and they are good up front. They mix things up very well, are very competitiveinthebackendandposeagreat challenge for us. There is a reason they are ranked 11th in the country. Vic does a great job of putting those guys in position to be successful.”

Reese said Koenning has compared UNT quarterback Mason Fine to Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks quarterback. Both are undersized, but are dynamic athletes and skilled passers.

Troy’s players are confident Koenning will put them in the right positions to contain Conference USA’s Offensive Player of the Year just like he has the other players they have faced.

“Coach Vic draws it up, is really creative and gets us in the right spots,” Reese said. “We also play with a certain attitude and mentality. We try to play tough, really get after people and be physical.”

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.

Scoring Points per game First downs Rushing Passing Penalty Rushing yardage Yards gained rushing Yards lost rushing Rushing attempts Average per rush Average per game TDs Rushing Passing yardage Comp-Att-Int Average per pass Average per catch Average per game TDs passing Total offense Total plays Average per play Average per game Kick returns: No.-Yards Punt returns: No.-Yards Int. returns: No.-Yards Kick return average Punt return average Int. return average Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards Average per game Punts-average per punt Net punt average Time of possession/game 3rd-down conversions 3rd-down Pct 4th-down conversions 4th-Down Pct Sacks by-yards Touchdowns scored Field goals-attempts Red-zone scores Red-zone touchdowns

Troy 360 30.0 243 84 138 21 1,807 2,007 200 374 4.8 150.6 27 3,200 269-429-6 7.5 11.9 266.7 15 5,007 803 6.2 417.2 30-880 21-180 15-220 29.3 8.6 14.7 14-11 83-666 55.5 53-40.2 36.1 27:26 70/164 43% 12/19 63% 36-208 47 11-19 (78-98) 80% (58-98) 59%

Player Jordan Chunn Josh Anderson Jamarius Henderson Kaleb Barker B.J. Smith Brandon Silvers Deondre Douglas Sidney Davis

Rushing Att Yards 154 774 71 331 40 330 20 175 26 97 42 49 3 43 3 38

Player Brandon Silvers Kaleb Barker John Johnson

Avg. 5.0 4.7 8.2 8.8 3.7 1.2 14.3 12.7

TDs 10 4 4 2 2 4 1 0

Passing C-A-I Pct. Yards 259-412-6 62.9 2,985 8-13-0 61.5 143 2-2-0 100.0 72

TDs 13 1 1

Avg/G 248.8 11.9 6.0

Receiving No. Yards Avg. 48 628 13.1 38 420 11.1 32 314 9.8 31 485 15.6 28 204 7.3 19 248 13.1 17 312 18.4 12 89 7.4 11 95 8.6 9 96 10.7 8 97 12.1 8 77 9.6 5 96 19.2

TDs 4 0 2 1 0 1 3 0 0 2 1 0 1

Player Deondre Douglas Emanuel Thompson Tevaris McCormick Damion Willis Jordan Chunn John Johnson Tray Eafford Josh Anderson Jamarius Henderson Clark Quisenberry Sam Letton Sidney Davis Richard Hallman

Avg./G 52.3 35.0 26.2 40.4 20.4 20.7 34.7 7.4 8.6 8.7 8.8 6.4 12.0

Punt returns Player No. Yards Marcus Jones 14 115 Cedarius Rookard 7 65 Interceptions Yards No. 5 93 2 0 2 10 2 110 1 5 1 2 1 0 1 0

Player Blace Brown Kris Weatherspoon Cedarius Rookard Marcus Jones Tron Folsom Jamal Stadom Tyler Murray Jawon McDowell

Player No. Marcus Jones 24 Terence Dunlap 4 Player Jordan Chunn Tyler Sumpter Deondre Douglas Brandon Silvers Marcus Jones Josh Anderson Jamarius Henderson Bratcher Underwood Tray Eafford Tevaris McCormick Clark Quisenberry Kaleb Barker B.J. Smith Player Tyler Sumpter Player Tron Folsom Cedarius Rookard Sam Lebbie Tyquae Russell Marcus Jones Kris Weatherspoon Melvin Tyus Seth Calloway Andre Flakes Blace Brown

THE COCA-COLA COMPANY SALUTES

©2017The Coca-Cola Company.

Opp 210 17.5 226 91 120 15 1,377 1,821 444 454 3.0 114.8 7 2,704 232-383-15 7.1 11.7 225.3 17 4,081 837 4.9 340.1 43-926 16-155 6-124 21.5 9.7 20.7 14-6 76-669 55.8 67-38.9 36.2 32:34 76/191 40% 11/24 46% 14-77 26 10-17 (46-78) 59% (32-78) 41%

No. 53 Solo 47 37 14 33 29 20 24 16 22 23

Punting

Tackles

TDs 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Avg. 18.6 0.0 5.0 55.0 5.0 2.0 0.0 0.0

Kick returns Yards Avg. 789 32.9 68 17.0 Scoring FGs TDs 10 0 0 7 5 0 4 0 4 0 4 0 4 0 0 3-5 3 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0

Avg. 8.2 9.3

PAT 0 28 0 2 0 0 0 10-12 0 0 0 0 0 Yards 2,130

Assisted 30 28 37 14 15 23 15 21 12 10

TDs 3 0 Points 60 49 30 26 24 24 24 19 18 12 12 12 12 Avg. 40.2 Total 77 65 51 47 44 43 39 37 34 33

NEW ORLEANS BOWL

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

7H

McDonald making most of lone season at UNT

By Brett Vito

Staff Writer bvito@dentonrc.com

Jeff Woo/DRC

North Texas quarterback Mason Fine drops back to pass during a win over Army on Nov. 18 at Apogee Stadium. Fine set UNT records for passing yards and touchdowns in a season this fall.

Fine closing on goal of being an elite QB

By Brett Vito

Staff Writer bvito@dentonrc.com

Mason Fine kept his longterm goals under wraps when he arrived at North Texas as an unheralded recruit from Locust Grove, a tiny Oklahoma town few Mean Green fans had ever heard of.

Back in the fall of 2016, Fine was widely considered to be a long-term project as an undersized gunslinger.

Two years later, UNT’s quarterback isn’t afraid to talk about his lofty goals.

“One is to be one of the greatest of all time at North Texas,” Fine said. “To do that you have to win games and prove yourself every Saturday.”

Fine is well on his way to doing just that as UNT prepares to face Troy in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday at the Superdome.

The 5-11 sophomore has broken record after record on his way to leading the Mean Green (9-4) to one of the best seasons in program history. A win over the Trojans would elevate Fine into the exclusive club of quarterbacks who have led UNT to a bowl win that also includes Hall of Famer Andrew Smith and Derek Thompson.

And that’s just for starters when it comes to what Fine has accomplished in his short time with the Mean Green.

He also set the program record for single season passing yards (3,749) and passing touchdowns (28) this fall on his way to being named the Offensive Player of the Year in Conference USA. Those accomplishments would normally lead a coach to gush over a player. UNT coach Seth Littrell describes Fine’s campaign another way.

“He’s had a solid season,” Littrell said. “I don’t know about what records he is creeping up on. I don’t think he does either, which is good. He has not

UNT | A Fine season North Texas sophomore quarterback Mason Fine is enjoying one of the best seasons in program history and was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year. The following is a look:

3,749

Passing yards for Fine this season, a UNT record. He ranks sixth in career passing yards with 5,321.

28

Passing touchdowns for Fine this season, which is also a program record. Fine ranks sixth in career touchdowns with 34.

reached his peak by any means and will continually get better season after season. Once he hits that peak he will be really special.”

UNT knew Fine would endure some growing pains when he arrived at UNT, despite the fact he threw for 13,081 yards and 166 touchdowns at Locust Grove.

Littrell installed Fine as his starter in the second week of his freshman season last fall, essentially throwing him to the wolves. Fine endured some ups and downs while guiding UNT to four wins in nine starts before being knocked out for the season with a shoulder injury.

UNT has reaped the benefits of the experience Fine gained this fall.

“Going into each game I feel a lot more comfortable and confident,” Fine said. “Last year my confidence got shaken in some games. You could see that on tape. I go out with a sense of confidence and urgency this year. I am more in command and understand the game. I feel great out there.”

Fine certainly has looked comfortable while guiding UNT to a series of dramatic wins. He guided the Mean Green on a 98yard touchdown drive in the fi-

nal 67 seconds of a 29-26 win over Texas-San Antonio.

Fine capped that drive with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Rico Bussey with 10 seconds left. He also led UNT on game-winning drive in the closing minutes of a win over Army.

“There are a lot of great memories, but that UTSA game was special,” Fine said. “It was a rivalry game. To be able to drive down and win gave us a lot of confidence and set the tone for the way we finished out.”

Seeing Fine thrive hasn’t been a surprised his teammates.

“He worked in the offseason and got stronger and bigger,” running back Jeffery Wilson said. “He can take more hits and has a stronger arm. That has helped his game. He saw what he needed to work on and did it.”

Fine has seen his production jump as a result. He threw for 1,572 yards and six touchdowns last season and has more than doubled both totals this year.

Fine will look to add to what has been a special year in a particularly rewarding bowl appearance when the Mean Green face Troy. He stood on the sideline last year when Army scored on fourth-and-goal in overtime and held on to beat UNT in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

The shoulder injury Fine suffered in a loss to Western Kentucky prevented him from playing in the final three games of the season.

“It’s special because it is my first one, but also it is one of our goals,” Fine said of winning a bowl game.

UNT feels a whole lot better about its opportunity to do just that after a breakout season from Fine that has made his goal of going down as an all-time great in program history seem like a real possibility and not a distant goal to keep to himself.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.

There might not have been a player on the North Texas football team’s roster as excited when the Mean Green accepted an invitation to the New Orleans Bowl than Colton McDonald.

The senior linebacker wasn’t around last season when UNT played in the Heart of Dallas Bowl and will be long gone when bowl games are played next year.

McDonald came to UNT as a graduate transfer from Division II West Texas A&M and had one shot to fulfill his dreams of playing in a bowl game.

McDonald will reach that goal when UNT faces Troy on Saturday at the Superdome.

The fact UNT is playing in the postseason for the second straight year isn’t all that surprising considering the Mean Green went to a bowl game last season and appeared to be on the rise heading into the 2017 season.

The surprise is just how big a role McDonald has played in UNT’s run that includes winning the Conference USA West Division title.

McDonald was something of an afterthought heading into the season, but has quickly carved out a role as a member of UNT’s defense. He has started seven games while playing three positions in the Mean Green’s 33-5 defense and is tied for ninth among UNT players with 38 tackles.

McDonald can’t help but marvel when he looks back on how his career has taken a dramatic turn since he elected to chase his dream of playing at the major college level a year ago.

“It’s special to have the opportunity,” McDonald said. “Every year I would see teams playing in bowl games. The fact that I moved up and showed that I can play at this level and live this dream — even though it is only

Jake King/DRC

North Texas linebacker Colton McDonald has developed into an impact player in his lone season with the Mean Green. one year — is really gratifying.”

UNT’s coaches and players are just as pleased as McDonald about the way his one season has worked out. They welcomed in the small school safety and watched him grow into a contributor while setting an example with his work ethic and dedication.

“Colton is a tough kid from a good family and works hard for this team,” UNT coach Seth Littrell said. “As he has gotten more comfortable, he has made more plays. He gives you 100 percent — everything he has.”

McDonald was confident he could make an impact at the Division I level following his junior season at West Texas A&M. It’s why he decided to transfer after posting 44 tackles while starting seven games for the Buffs in 2016.

“My parents were in it with me and I prayed about it a lot,” McDonald said. “It was nerve racking to think, ‘Where am I going to go and what is going to be the best fit?’”

There were about a half dozen schools that were interested, including UNT. McDonald credited UNT linebackers coach Jeff Koonz for helping him with the adjustment to playing linebacker at the Division I level.

McDonald’s development has been critical in a season that has seen several of UNT’s linebackers deal with injuries.

“He was making noise right away,” senior safety Kishawn McClain said. “He was very physical and had experience.”

The game-day environment is what McDonald has enjoyed most about UNT. West Texas A&M’s Happy State Bank at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium seats 20,000 and is the largest on-campus Division II venue in the country.

McDonald played in front of some large crowds there, but nothing like the 26,000 that packed Apogee Stadium for UNT’s last two home games of the season. UNT clinched the CUSA West Division title with a win over UTEP and came back to beat Army the following week.

McDonald said playing in front of those big crowds has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of his time at UNT, where he found a home.

“Now that I look back I don’t know why I was so nervous,” McDonald said. “It all fell right into place for me.”

BRETT VITO can be reached 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.

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NEW ORLEANS BOWL

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Denton Record-Chronicle

New Orleans Bowl a key part of UNT lore

Dallas Morning New file photo

North Texas players, from left, Don McGee, Craig Jones and Cody Spencer join coach Darrell Dickey in lifting the championship trophy following the 2002 New Orleans Bowl at the Superdome.

The Mean Green knocked off Cincinnati 24-19. The win was UNT’s only victory in four straight trips to the game from 2001-04. UNT is headed back to play Troy in the 2017 edition of the game on Saturday. The Mean Green’s return has brought back memories for several of the program’s longtime fans.

NEW ORLEANS BOWL REVIEW The New Orelans Bowl is significant in the history of North Texas football because of how many times the Mean Green have played in the game. UNT played in a bowl game for the first time in 42 years when it earned a spot in the New Orleans Bowl in 2001.

The Mean Green went on to play in the game in four straight seasons. UNT’s game against Troy in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday will mark the Mean Green’s fifth appearance in New Orleans, accounting for half the bowl games in program history. The following is a look back:

2004: Southern Miss 31, North Texas 10

Southern Miss dominated throughout in the last of UNT’s four straight trips to the New Orleans Bowl. The Golden Eagles limited the Mean Green to 234 total yards. UNT scored just a field goal until Scott Hall, right, connected with Johnny Quinn for an 11-yard touchdown on the final play of the game.

AP file photo

2003: Memphis 27, North Texas 17

Patrick Cobbs rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns for UNT, but couldn’t lead the Mean Green to a second straight bowl victory. UNT took an early 3-0 lead on a Nick Bazaldua field goal before Memphis scored 17 straight points. UNT never recovered.

Dallas Morning News file photo

2002: North Texas 24, Cincinnati 19

Kevin Galbreath, above, rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown to earn MVP honors for UNT in one of just three bowl wins in program history. The Mean Green’s defense contained Cincinnati throughout. Five different UNT players intercepted a pass.

2001: Colorado State 45, North Texas 20

UNT fell behind 17-0 in the first quarter and never recovered in its first bowl appearance in 42 years. Scott Hall threw for two touchdown passes and Kevin Galbreath rushed for 108 yards.

UNT returns to site of memorable bowl run

By Brett Vito

Staff Writer bvito@dentonrc.com

North Texas is headed back to New Orleans, a city where it has made a habit of making history.

The Mean Green broke a 42-year bowl drought in the New Orleans Bowl back in 2001, when they kicked off an unprecedented four-year run of success.

UNT won the Sun Belt Conference title and played in the New Orleans Bowl in each of those seasons.

The Mean Green are headed back for the first time since that run on Saturday, when they will face Troy in their fifth New Orleans Bowl.

“We have history in New Orleans and are excited to be a part of that,” UNT coach Seth Littrell said. “We are excited for our players. A lot of these guys haven’t had any experiences outside of Texas.

It will be great for them to go to a great city and experience something new against a great opponent. It will be fun for everybody.”

The game will offer UNT an opportunity to add to its legacy in the city.

UNT has just three bowl wins ever. The Mean Green beat Cincinnati 24-19 in the 2002 New Orleans Bowl.

UNT will look for its second New Orleans Bowl win this week when it will break from what has been its postseason norm.

UNT has hopped on a bus to drive down the road to the the Heart of Dallas Bowl in each of its last two bowl appearances.

“I am excited about the game and going to New Orleans,” UNT quarterback Mason Fine said. “It should be a great atmosphere and a lot of fun, but like coach Littrell says, it’s a business trip.

We are there to win a football game.”

A win would add to the Mean Green’s storied history in New Orleans.

Some of the greatest players of the last 25 years of UNT football played in the New Orleans Bowl, including defensive tackle Brandon Kennedy, and linebacker Cody Spencer.

A new generation will join the pantheon of UNT players to take the field for the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday at the Superdome, a venue that has become the Mean Green’s second home in the bowl season.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.

NEW ORLEANS BOWL GREATS Several North Texas players took steps towards establishing their legacies as all-time program greats during the Mean Green’s first four appearances in the New Orleans Bowl. The following is a look at a few.

Kevin Galbreath, running back

Galbreath was named the MVP of North Texas’ 24-19 win over Cincinnati in the 2002 New Orleans Bowl after rushing for 130 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 106 yards in the Mean Green’s loss to Colorado State in the 2001 New Orleans Bowl.

Cody Spencer, linebacker

Courtesy of UNT

Cody Spencer was among five North Texas players who intercepted a pass in the Mean Green’s win over Cincinnati in the 2002 New Orleans Bowl. He posted nine tackles in UNT’s appearance in the 2001 game and 11 tackles in the 2003 edition of the game.

Brandon Kennedy, defensive lineman

Kennedy was one of the best players of his era at North Texas and was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 2002 and 2003. He finished third nationally in 2002 with 24 tackles for loss.

DRC file photo

Patrick Cobbs, running back

Cobbs played in three of North Texas’ four New Orleans Bowl games. He missed the 2004 game with an injury, but mentored Jamario Thomas that season. He scored a touchdown in UNT’s win over Cincinnati in 2002 and rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Memphis in 2003. He amassed 189 yards in three New Orleans Bowls overall.

NEW ORLEANS BOWL

Denton Record-Chronicle

UNT 2017 highlight reel

North Texas (9-4, 7-1 C-USA) UNT 59, Lamar 14

Troy (10-2, 7-1 SBC) Boise State 24, Troy 13

Troy opened its season with a loss to Boise State on the road. The Trojans turned the ball over three times and finished with 215 total yards, spoiling a solid effort from their defense and Blace Brown. The junior cornerback returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown and posted 2 tackles.

North Texas opened its second season under Seth Littrell with a win over Lamar. The Mean Green’s defense dominated on a day Khairi Muhammad made his debut as a starter at safety. The sophomore finished with 7 tackles, forced a fumble and recovered it.

Muhammad

SMU 54, UNT 32

The Trojans picked up their first win of the season when they hammered Alabama State behind Brandon Silvers. The senior quarterback threw for 345 yards after completing 32 of his 40 pass attempts. The Trojans finished with 611 total yards and had 11 different receivers catch passes.

Iowa 31, UNT 14

The Trojans ran out to an early 20-3 lead and held on to beat New Mexico State for their second straight win on a day they finished with 4 tackles for loss and 2 quarterback hurries. Linebacker Tron Folsom posted 2 tackles for loss and 8 total tackles to help lead Troy to a win in its Sun Belt Conference opener.

UNT 46, UAB 43 Trevor Moore has come through in clutch situations for North Texas throughout his career and kicked the first of two-game-winning field goals on the season in the Mean Green’s win over UAB. Moore connected from 22 yards out with seven seconds remaining.

Moore

UNT 43, Southern Miss 28 Jalen Guyton posted one of the best seasons of his first season at North Texas in the Mean Green’s win over Southern Miss, catching 14 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown. The Mean Green trailed 14-0 before rallying for the victory.

Guyton

Safety Kris Weatherspoon intercepted two passes and finished with 5 tackles for Troy in a win over Akron. Troy led 16-3, but had to come up with a key play late to pull out the win. Deondre Douglas caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Silvers with 1:06 left and the Trojans escaped with the win.

Mason Fine’s record-setting campaign

Mason Fine put together one of the best years for a quarterback in North Texas history in his sophomore campaign while setting records for passing yards and passing touchdowns in a season. Fine enters the New Orleans Bowl having thrown for 3,749 yards and 28 touchdowns. He guided the Mean Green on several key drives late in close games this season.

Troy pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history, and in college football this season, when it knocked off LSU in Baton Rouge. Jordan Chunn rushed for 191 yards and a touchdown for the Trojans, who held off a late rally from the Tigers, who entered the game ranked No. 22 nationally.

The Trojans failed to maintain the momentum they built with their win over LSU and fell to in-state rival South Alabama. The Jaguars shut out the Trojans through three quarters. Troy’s defense was the bright spot.

Defensive tackle Jamal Stadom posted a sack, 2.5 tackles for loss and an interception.

Florida Atlantic blasted North Texas while rolling up 804 yards. The Mean Green couldn’t keep up despite a solid game from Michael Lawrence. The sophomore caught 11 passes for 112 yards in what turned out to be a preview of the C-USA title game.

UNT 24, Louisiana Tech 23 Running back Jeffery Wilson scored on a 14-yard run in the fourth quarter and Louisiana Tech kicker Jonathan Barnes missed a 53-yard field goal attempt with 2:39 left. North Texas stymied the Bulldogs offense behind Kishawn McClain, who posted 8 tackles.

McClain

Troy’s defense posted its second straight solid outing in a win over Georgia State. The Trojans finished with 10 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. Defensive end Seth Calloway recorded two of those sacks and finished with 5 total tackles. Troy trailed 3-0 before scoring 34 straight points.

Jeffery Wilson’s senior season

Troy completed a sweep of the Sun Belt’s Georgia schools when it knocked off Georgia Southern. The Trojans scored 28 points in the first half and coasted to the win. Running back Josh Anderson rushed for 96 yards and scored on a 32-yard run, one of Troy’s three rushing touchdowns in the game.

Jeffery Wilson steadily climbed the list of North Texas’ all-time leaders in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns before suffering a foot injury in the Mean Green’s win over Army. The senior enters the New Orleans Bowl ranked fourth in career rushing yards with 3,205 and third in career rushing touchdowns with 32. He has 1,215 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the year.

The Trojans picked up their third straight win in Sun Belt Conference play when they knocked off Idaho.

Linebacker Hunter Reese finished with 5 tackles and 2.5 sacks to lead a solid effort by Troy’s defense, which gave up an early touchdown before bouncing back to allow just 378 yards.

Marcus Jones returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns and Troy cruised to a win over Costal Carolina to extend its winning streak to four games. Jones returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and later scored on an 87-yard return. The freshman cornerback finished with 195 return yards.

Trevor Moore kicked a 39-yard field goal with five seconds left to give North Texas a win over Army in a rematch of last season’s Heart of Dallas Bowl. UNT struggled defensively, but linebacker Brandon Garner finished with 10 tackles.

Troy rolled up 641 yards of total offense in a blowout win over Texas State. The Trojans scored 41 points in the first half alone. Quarterback Brandon Silvers threw for 380 yards and four touchdowns. Emanuel Thompson caught four passes for 97 yards and was one of 12 Troy players who caught passes.

North Texas closed out its regular season schedule with a win over Rice to extend its winning streak to five games. Senior wide receiver Turner Smiley posted one of his best performances of the season while catching six passes for 59 yards.

North Texas fell to Florida Atlantic in the Conference USA title game in a rematch of the teams’ regular season meeting. The Mean Green struggled to contain the Owls offense for a second straight game. Cornerback Kemon Hall finished with six tackles.

Hall

DON’T LET

Jones

Troy 62, Texas State 9

UNT 30, Rice 14

Florida Atlantic 41, UNT 17

Reese

Troy 42, Costal Carolina 17

UNT 52, Army 49

Smiley

Anderson

Troy 24, Idaho 21

North Texas clinched the Conference USA West Division title with a blowout win over UTEP. Mason Fine threw four touchdown passes, including a 60-yard strike to Rico Bussey, who caught three pass for 65 yards in one of his best games of the season.

Garner

Calloway

Troy 38, Georgia Southern 16

Jeff Woo/DRC

UNT 45, UTEP 10

Bussey

Stadom

Troy 34, Georgia State 10

UNT 45, Old Dominion 38

Smith

Chunn

South Alabama 19, Troy 8

Florida Atlantic 69, UNT 31

North Texas bounced back from its loss to Florida Atlantic by edging Old Dominion on a late touchdown run from Nic Smith. The redshirt freshman stepped in on a day starter Jeffery Wilson struggled and rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

Weatherspoon

Troy 24, LSU 21

North Texas edged Texas-San Antonio, which had the ball at the UNT 45-yard line with 1:28 remaining while leading 26-22. UNT forced the Roadrunners to punt after linebacker E.J. Ejiya came up with two stops. UNT then drove 98 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

Lawrence

Folsom

Troy 22, Akron 17

Jeff Woo/DRC

UNT 29, UT-San Antonio 26

Ejiya

Silvers

Troy 27, New Mexico St. 24

North Texas led 14-10 at halftime before Iowa pulled away by outscoring the Mean Green 21-0 in the second half. Running back Jeffery Wilson showed that he can compete with players from Power Five conference programs while rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown.

Wilson

Brown

Troy 34, Alabama State 7

Mason Fine threw for 424 yards for North Texas, becoming just the eighth player in program history to throw for 400 yards in a game. Unfortunately for UNT, it couldn’t contain wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who caught four touchdown passes for the Mustangs.

Fine

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Jeff Woo/DRC

Thompson

Troy 32, Arkansas State 25

Kishawn McClain reaches 300 tackles

Troy captured its sixth Sun Belt Conference title with a win over Arkansas State. The Trojans drove 72 yards in 66 seconds with no timeouts. Deondre Douglas capped the drive with a 14-yard touchdown catch from Brandon Silvers with 17 seconds left. Douglas caught seven passes for 74 yards.

Kishawn McClain surpassed the 300-tackle mark during his senior season at North Texas and established himself as one of the more productive players in program history in the process. The safety is a three-year starter for UNT and enters the New Orleans Bowl with 328 career tackles, a total that ranks seventh in program history.

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NEW ORLEANS BOWL

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Denton Record-Chronicle

Record-setting year lands UNT in bowl 2017 highlights

■ An appearance in the C-USA title game: North Texas made its first appearance in the Conference USA title game in its fifth year as a member of the league when it faced Florida Atlantic on Dec. 2 in Boca Raton. The Mean Green struggled in a 41-17 loss to the Owls, but reached a milestone by playing in the game in Seth Littrell’s second season as UNT’s coach.

■ Winning the C-USA West Division title: The Mean Green exceeded expectations when they won the C-USA West Division title with a 7-1 record.

UNT was picked to finish fourth in division in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll. The Mean Green lost just one conference game during the regular season when they fell to Florida Atlantic.

■ Sweeping C-USA’s Texas schools: UNT knocked off each of the conference’s other three Texas teams. The Mean Green pulled out a dramatic 29-26 win over Texas-San Antonio when Rico Bussey caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Mason Fine with 10 seconds remaining. UNT went on to beat UTEP 45-10, a win that clinched the C-USA West Division title and then beat Rice 30-14 in its regular season finale.

■ A series of dramatic wins: UNT’s last second-win over UTSA was just one of several thrillers the Mean Green won in coach Seth Littrell’s second season. Trevor Moore kicked game-winning field goals in victories over UAB and Army. Nic Smith scored a game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter of the Mean Green’s win over Old Dominion.

■ Setting an attendance record: UNT set a record for attendance at Apogee Stadium, where the Mean Green averaged 22,362 fans per game.

Jake King/DRC

Jake King/DRC

North Texas coach Seth Littrell extends his hand to students after the Mean Green’s win over Lamar on Sept. 2 at Apogee Stadium.

North Texas quarterback Mason Fine runs during a win over Old Dominion on Oct. 28 at Apogee Stadium.

Jeff Woo/DRC

North Texas defensive tackle Ulaiasi Tauaalo sacks Lamar quarterback Darrell Colbert Jr. (7) in the Mean Green’s season-opening 59-14 win at Apogee Stadium on Sept. 2.

Jeff Woo/DRC

Jake King/DRC

Jeff Woo/DRC

North Texas wide receiver Michael Lawrence (32) catches a pass before being tackled by UTEP defenders Kahani Smith and Michael Lewis (2) at Apogee Stadium on Nov.11.

North Texas wide receiver Rico Bussey Jr. (8) catches a deep pass from Mason Fine as Nik Needham defends in UNT’s 45-10 win on Nov. 11 at Apogee Stadium.

North Texas running back Jeffery Wilson lunges into the end zone as SMU defenders Rodney Clemons (8) and Kyran Mitchell close in on Sept. 9 at Ford Stadium in Dallas.

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