FB: Improved 3rd Down Play, Reduced Errors Allow Mean Green to Overcome Late UAB Push

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North Texas (2-2 1-0) squeaked out a nail-biter against the UAB Blazers (2-2 0-1) with Trevor Moore kicking a 22 yard field goal with just seven seconds left on the game clock to put the Mean Green up 46-43. North Texas also won its 500th game in program history.

Offense Churns Out Yards But Needs More Touchdowns

Jeffery Wilson continues to put up amazing yardage for his senior season with the Mean Green. Against the Blazers, thrashed the opposing defense for a season high 211 yards and a touchdown. His most important run came late in the game when he broke free and scrambled for 34 yards to set up the 22 yard winning field goal by Trevor Moore.

Mason Fine managed the game with 15 of 29 passing for three touchdowns and 261 yards with no interceptions and one sack for seven yards giving him a passer rating of 161.5. So far this season, Mason has looked a lot more composed in the pocket and has more touch when throwing the ball. He’s also making smarter decisions on throwing the ball away. Right now his touchdown to INT ratio sits at 9:3.

The offense did a much better job converting third downs (6 of 13 – 46.2%) allowing drives to be extended and be converted into much needed points. The Mean Green attempted to convert a fourth down on its own side of the 50 but couldn’t get the push needed to convert the short yardage situation. Looking back, that should have been a punting situation.

Run Defense Good, Pass Defense Bad

The North Texas run defense has yet to allow a rusher to gain more than 100 yards this season. The defense did an excellent job containing Conference USA’s top running offense (254.7 YPG) by only allowing 74 net yards. The defensive line has shown to be a strength by applying a pass rush, clogging up rushing lanes, and forcing offensive lines to double team match-ups.

Opponent Player Net Yards
Iowa Toren Young 78
SMU Xavier Jones 74
Iowa I. Kelly-Martin 74
Iowa James Butler 74
UAB S. Brown 50
Lamar Kendrick King 37
SMU Ke’Mon Freeman 31
Iowa Akrum Wadley 24
UAB L. Stanley 23

The pass defense got torched last night against the “run-first” UAB that aired it out for 321 yards and four touchdowns. Unfortunately Nate Brooks bit hard on a double move not once but twice with each pass resulting in a touchdown.

Receiving Nbr Yards TD Long
Wilson, A. 5 150 2 58
Lisa, C. 4 105 0 59
Stanley, L. 2 25 1 20
Copeland, S. 4 23 1 12
Turner Jr., R. 2 18 0 12
Totals 17 321 4 59

Overall, there is some reason to be concerned with the overall defensive unit that has given up on average 35.5 points per game.

Special Team Makes Huge Improvements

Special teams did its job against the Blazers and didn’t put neither the offense or the defense in a tough situation. Trevor Moore was 4 of 4 with field goal kicks of 29, 40, 45, and 22 yards. Taylor Robinson recorded the unit’s first blocked punt. Perhaps the biggest play by Special Teams came late in the game when Evan Johnson fielded the final kick off of the game and returned the kick for 48 yards setting up the offense with a short field.

Media Coverage

Mean Green Sports Recap

Denton Record Chronicle

North Texas Daily

Post Game Press Conference

Highlight Reel

2017 CUSA Standings

EAST CONF OVR
Florida Intl 1-0 2-1
Marshall 0-0 2-1
Middle Tennessee 0-0 2-2
Old Dominion 0-0 2-2
Florida Atlantic 0-0 1-3
Charlotte 0-0 0-4
Western Kentucky 0-1 2-2
WEST CONF OVR
Louisiana Tech 1-0 2-2
North Texas 1-0 2-2
Rice 1-1 1-3
UT San Antonio 0-0 3-0
Southern Mississippi 0-0 2-1
UAB 0-1 2-2
UTEP 0-1 0-4

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