Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the North Texas season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– North Texas Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 9-4 overall, 5-3 in C-USA
Head Coach: Seth Littrell, 4th year: 23-17
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NORTH TEXAS OFFENSE
– Once again, the North Texas offense will be a big, big problem for the rest of Conference USA. The attack led the league in scoring and was second in total O, starting with QB Mason Fine and a high-octane passing attack that averaged over 300 yards per game. It’ll be more of the same with Fine back throwing to a receiving corps that gets everyone back.
– There’s enough of a running game to balance things out a wee bit. The O is about Fine making it all go, but the top four running backs return to a ground attack that almost hit the 2,000-yard mark and averaged more than four yards per carry. 15-touchdown, 977-yard back DeAndre Torrey is the star of a terrific group.
– The offensive line was just okay in pass protection, but was decent overall. Virginia Tech transfer D’Andre Plantin was a big get to take over at left tackle, and the interior returns intact thanks to the brother tandem of Sosaia Mose at center and Manse Mose at right guard. As long as the starting five stay healthy, it’ll be among the best lines in Conference USA.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NORTH TEXAS DEFENSE
– The defense didn’t get enough credit over the last few years thanks to all the fun had on the offensive side. This year’s group in the 3-3-5 alignment needs a little help, but it should be promising up front with top pass rusher LaDarius Hamilton and tough nose tackle Dion Novil are the ones to build around. There’s decent size to work into the rotation.
– The one empty spot is corner after losing both starters, but there’s a four-man fight for the two spots with just enough retuning experience to not be starting from scratch. The safeties are solid – Khairi Muhammad is going to be an all-star.
– Top linebackers EJ Ejiya and Brandon Garner have to be replaced, but there’s going to be a good rotation at all three spots with speed playing a bigger role than bulk. There’s talent, there are plenty of options, and there’s a great mix of established veterans with promising young guys to build up the depth.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP NORTH TEXAS PLAYERS
Best North Texas Offensive Player
QB Mason Fine, Sr.
The 5-11, 185-pound bomber has been one of the nation’s most productive quarterbacks over the last two seasons after coming on as a freshman with a nice year. He’s a decent runner when needed, but he’s been at his best when he’s bombing away down the field, throwing for over 9,400 career yards with 3,793 last season with 27 touchdowns. The two-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year has a good chance of finishing among the top 20 passing quarterbacks in college football history with another year of more than 3,500 yards.
2. WR Rico Bussey, Sr.
3. RB DeAndre Torrey, Jr.
4. C Sosaia Mose, Sr.
5. OG Manase Mosa, Soph.
Best North Texas Defensive Player
DE LaDarius Hamilton, Sr.
Just 6-3 and 255 pounds, Hamilton is build like a linebacker but has the pass rushing speed and quickness to make up for his lack of bulk on the end. One of the team’s leaders and stars of the defense. he earned All-Conference USA honors after coming up with 33 tackles with 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
2. S Khairi Muhammad, Sr.
3. S Taylor Robinson, Sr.
4. LB/S Tyreke Davis, Jr.
5. LB Joe Ozougwu, Jr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The North Texas Offense
Don’t forget about the running game. It’s crazy not to throw for over 300 yards per game when you have a quarterback like Mason Fine and a loaded receiving corps like North Texas owns, but when the ground attack is working, forget about it. In the Seth Littrell era, UNT is 15-0 when the offense runs for 160 yards or more, and went 5-0 last year.
Biggest Key To The North Texas Defense
The pass defense just has to hold up. Every game with North Texas is a firefight, and every tries to crank up the passing game to keep up, but the Mean Green have to get better against the better throwing teams with a new pair of starting corners.
UNT came up with a whopping 18 picks last season and gave up 18 touchdown passes, but got hit for 200 yards or more 11 times, getting worse as the season went on. As long as the interceptions keep coming and the secondary can come up with a key third down stop here and there, it’ll be doing its job.
Key Player To A Successful Season
CB Cam Johnson, Jr.
… and/or sophomores Jordan Roberts, Keelan Crosby and Quinn Whitlock. Everything else is in place for a massive season, but the corner situation is a wee bit of a question mark after losing top men Nate Brooks and Kemon Hall. The Mean Green don’t have to be a rock in the secondary, but they simply have to not get destroyed. The safeties are in place, but the corners have to show up early on.
Key Game To The North Texas Season
at Louisiana Tech, Nov. 9
The road game at Southern Miss to start out the Conference USA season is a big deal, and hosting UAB at the end will matter, but to win the West, the Mean Green should have to get by Louisiana Tech on the road. The Bulldogs won 29-27 last year in Denton.
– North Texas Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 North Texas Fun Stats
– 1st Quarter Scoring: North Texas 148 – Opponents 46
– Interceptions Thrown: Opponents 18 – North Texas 9
– Time of Possession: North Texas 31:26 – Opponents 28:30
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. NORTH TEXAS WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
This might be the strongest team yet under head man Seth Littrell, but the results aren’t gong to be quite there thanks to a tougher schedule.
Even so, this will be one of the nastiest offenses in Conference USA, with an overloaded group of skill parts to go along with a good-enough line that should be fantastic if the starting five can stay healthy.
The defense is going to be good enough to hold serve. The pass rush is strong, and there’s a nice rotation in the front six, but the corners have to emerge in a hurry around a good group of safeties.
Rock-solid PK Cole Hedlund is done, but Alvin Kenworthy is a good veteran punter with all-star potential.
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 8
Last year, North Texas benefitted from playing a down Arkansas team, a mediocre SMU, and getting Florida Atlantic when it wasn’t quite as nasty. This year, road games at SMU, Cal, Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech are all going to be an issue, and hosting Houston, Middle Tennessee and UAB won’t be a breeze.
Even so, UNT will win a slew of those and be in a fight for the ones it misses on. It’ll be deep in the mix for the West title, but will come up just short in another thrilling season that finishes up with a bowl appearance.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
