North Texas was rolling toward history not too long ago.
The Mean Green blew out UTSA, rallied to beat Rice and had a program-record 11 wins in the bag heading into the American Conference championship game.
UNT still has a chance to add to a memorable run this week when it takes on San Diego State in the New Mexico Bowl.
Here’s the question: Does UNT have enough willpower to capitalize?
The meat grinder the Mean Green have been through the last few weeks would take a lot out of any team.
UNT lost Eric Morris, its coach and the mastermind behind a terrific season. Then it lost the American title game to Tulane. The opportunity to make the College Football Playoff — what would have been the biggest achievement in the history of UNT athletics — went out the window with that loss to the Green Wave.
We’re about to find out if UNT's drive that made this one of the best seasons in program history went with it.
From what we’ve heard so far, that isn’t the case.
“These guys are locked in,” interim coach Drew Svoboda said. “Initially, obviously, coming off a loss in the American Conference championship game, there was a lot of disappointment in that locker room.
“When we brought everybody back and had a chance to get all these guys together and talk about the goal and what’s still in front of this football team, we realized they’re excited to play.”
Morris’ third Mean Green team has handled a host of distractions and setbacks already this season.
UNT bounced back from a blowout loss to South Florida and beat Temple just days after Morris made his departure for Oklahoma State official.
That history gives UNT confidence heading into the New Mexico Bowl, where the Mean Green will have a chance to make history.
UNT hasn’t won a bowl game since the end of the 2013 season and is in a three-way tie with UTEP and Indiana for the longest bowl/playoff losing streak in major college football at seven games.
Bowl/CFP losing streaks
North Texas was rolling toward history not too long ago.
The Mean Green blew out UTSA, rallied to beat Rice and had a program-record 11 wins in the bag heading into the American Conference championship game.
UNT still has a chance to add to a memorable run this week when it takes on San Diego State in the New Mexico Bowl.
Here’s the question: Does UNT have enough willpower to capitalize?
The meat grinder the Mean Green have been through the last few weeks would take a lot out of any team.
UNT lost Eric Morris, its coach and the mastermind behind a terrific season. Then it lost the American title game to Tulane. The opportunity to make the College Football Playoff — what would have been the biggest achievement in the history of UNT athletics — went out the window with that loss to the Green Wave.
We’re about to find out if UNT’s drive that made this one of the best seasons in program history went with it.
From what we’ve heard so far, that isn’t the case.
“These guys are locked in,” interim coach Drew Svoboda said. “Initially, obviously, coming off a loss in the American Conference championship game, there was a lot of disappointment in that locker room.
“When we brought everybody back and had a chance to get all these guys together and talk about the goal and what’s still in front of this football team, we realized they’re excited to play.”
Morris’ third Mean Green team has handled a host of distractions and setbacks already this season.
UNT bounced back from a blowout loss to South Florida and beat Temple just days after Morris made his departure for Oklahoma State official.
That history gives UNT confidence heading into the New Mexico Bowl, where the Mean Green will have a chance to make history.
UNT hasn’t won a bowl game since the end of the 2013 season and is in a three-way tie with UTEP and Indiana for the longest bowl/playoff losing streak in major college football at seven games.
The Mean Green will throw all they have at not standing alone with the longest run of bowl ineptitude.
UTEP didn’t qualify for a bowl this year, and there is a legitimate chance Indiana breaks through with a win over Alabama in the CFP.
The hope is that opportunity will be enough to help UNT lock back in and handle one of the more turbulent times in program history, one rife with distractions that would be enough to derail plenty of teams.
Morris originally indicated that he’d stick around through the end of the season before changing course and skipping town. Sticking around for a bowl game was a lot less intriguing than coaching in the CFP
And that was just for starters.
A host of UNT assistant coaches who will guide the Mean Green in their bowl game have since landed other jobs.
Star quarterback Drew Mestemaker said he would evaluate his future after the season, not that it’s slowed down the rampant speculation that he will leave the school immediately after the bowl game.
It seems like the only reasonable choice considering his potential value on the open market in college football.
The Mean Green have already seen one player say he intends to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2 in defensive tackle Jayden Williams, a key member of UNT’s defensive line rotation.
Defensive tackle Saadiq Clements is also reportedly headed to the transfer portal.
Svoboda said in the New Mexico Bowl coaches’ teleconference that he expected the Mean Green to have their full slate of players available for the New Mexico Bowl. Williams is the only confirmed departure since.
There’s no telling if others will be gone by the time UNT kicks off its game against the Aztecs.
Add it up and there is a whole lot of uncertainty and a challenge unlike anything UNT has faced before this season. Rallying from a loss like the one the Mean Green suffered against USF is one thing.
Pulling together in a time when so much is in flux for UNT is another. Coaches are in the process of moving on and getting started at new programs. At least of couple players are doing the same.
The hope is UNT can rally around the common goal of winning a bowl game and snapping its baffling bowl losing streak.
We’re about to find out if that will be enough to pull the Mean Green together.
The Mean Green will throw all they have at not standing alone with the longest run of bowl ineptitude.
UTEP didn’t qualify for a bowl this year, and there is a legitimate chance Indiana breaks through with a win over Alabama in the CFP.
The hope is that opportunity will be enough to help UNT lock back in and handle one of the more turbulent times in program history, one rife with distractions that would be enough to derail plenty of teams.
Morris originally indicated that he’d stick around through the end of the season before changing course and skipping town. Sticking around for a bowl game was a lot less intriguing than coaching in the CFP.BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and bvito@dentonrc.com.
For more than 120 years, the Denton Record-Chronicle has been Denton County's source for locally produced, fact-based journalism. Your support through a tax-deductible donation or low-cost subscription is vital to our ability to deliver credible, relevant, unique coverage of our community.
And that was just for starters.
A host of UNT assistant coaches who will guide the Mean Green in their bowl game have since landed other jobs.
Star quarterback Drew Mestemaker said he would evaluate his future after the season, not that it’s slowed down the rampant speculation that he will leave the school immediately after the bowl game.
It seems like the only reasonable choice considering his potential value on the open market in college football.
The Mean Green have already seen one player say he intends to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2 in defensive tackle Jayden Williams, a key member of UNT’s defensive line rotation.
Defensive tackle Saadiq Clements is also reportedly headed to the transfer portal.
Svoboda said in the New Mexico Bowl coaches’ teleconference that he expected the Mean Green to have their full slate of players available for the New Mexico Bowl. Williams is the only confirmed departure since.
There’s no telling if others will be gone by the time UNT kicks off its game against the Aztecs.
Add it up and there is a whole lot of uncertainty and a challenge unlike anything UNT has faced before this season. Rallying from a loss like the one the Mean Green suffered against USF is one thing.
Pulling together in a time when so much is in flux for UNT is another. Coaches are in the process of moving on and getting started at new programs. At least of couple players are doing the same.
The hope is UNT can rally around the common goal of winning a bowl game and snapping its baffling bowl losing streak.
We’re about to find out if that will be enough to pull the Mean Green together.
BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and bvito@dentonrc.com.
For more than 120 years, the Denton Record-Chronicle has been Denton County's source for locally produced, fact-based journalism. Your support through a tax-deductible donation or low-cost subscription is vital to our ability to deliver credible, relevant, unique coverage of our community.
