North Texas Head Football Coach Dan McCarney thought his team played a complete game against Florida Atlantic Saturday evening at Apogee Stadium. It was the first conference win at home in the new stadium, the first win over FAU in Denton, the first conference win for the coach as the coach stated “it’s been seven damn years” since North Texas had back to back home wins.

It was an important victory for North Texas since they were facing a team that wanted to give FAU Head Football Howard Schnellenberger wins for his final season so he could go out in a positive way at the helm of the Owls.

In analyzing parts of the game, McCarney felt the defense and special teams “did a lot of good things. Offensively, we were struggling, part of that was because we were really bad on first downs.”  While they were successful moving the chains on third downs a lot of time the series started out “second and nine, second and ten, second and eleven that makes it a lot harder for [Offensive Coordinator] Mike Canales and that offensive staff trying to call the game.”

To do that the team is going to have to execute the plays better. It is something they practice on Tues and Weds when the team goes best against best during drills. They don’t use the walk-on kids just to see the team knock them around to feel confident and ready to go. They want the best to face the best so the offense can protect the ball and for the team to play really good defense.  This gives the team the opportunity to execute the plays and to build confidence. If they would execute what they learn during practice and translate it to game day they will start to learn how to win games.

Right now, the team leads the conference in turnover margins and were 4-1 against FAU. “If we keep doing that, there will be more victory celebrations.”  

The fourth quarter North Texas was up to the challenge and the coach felt it was because of the practice drills. He chided the offense when he said it was up to the offensive line, tight ends and Lance Dunbar to take over the game.  “We got the lead, the defense was playing great, we’ve giving you lots of opportunities. Go earn your scholarship. Start playing the way you are capable of. Run the football, run the clock, earn this victory.”  During the final drive of the fourth quarter he felt they did exactly that.   

With FAU going scoreless during the first half, McCarney said it is “really hard to shut someone out” for a half in Division 1 college football and it is something the team needs to be proud of. McCarney stated FAU is not a bad team and to prove his point he noted they put up 34 points against the University of Louisiana-Lafayette the week before.

The coach feels Defensive Coordinator Clint Bowen and his staff are getting the defense playing better and better each week and McCarney is confident Bowen will get the defense playing at a higher level in the next few weeks.

While the defense needs some improvement, some players were highlighted for their efforts. Zach Orr leads the Sun Belt in tackles for a loss, Brandon Akpunku is leading the league in sacks, Ryan Downing leads league in recovered fumbles and Royce Hill leads the league in pass breakups. While the overall stats look bad again this year, the fact is North Texas has played three games where the opponents are the defending bowl champions.  That will keep any teams stats low.

On the first touchdown, after recovering the fumbled punt at the FAU four, North Texas could not get the ball into the endzone on the first three tries. Finally, on the fourth and goal, Quarterback Derek Thompson finally took the ball in. “In all honesty, we should haven’t to wait till forth down to score.” It puts the decision on the coach whether the team should go for a field goal or a touchdown try.  The offense “didn’t execute” on the first three tries while the FAU defense did. On the fourth try North Texas executed the play just enough to get the ball in.

“Stop being a small time football program” the coach stated, start getting tired of getting knocked around by everyone in the conference and on the schedule.  Start having confidence in themselves and “start knocking people off the ball.” When they do that they will start becoming a big time program and start winning games.  That is one thing he tried to show the kids when he went for it on fourth down.

 While he doesn’t mind going for it on fourth downs it is something that the team can’t get crazy about. They have to use some football sense on fourth down tries. The score was not only big for the team overall, but McCarney went on to say you should have seen the faces of the offensive linemen coming back to the sidelines. They had big smiles so you know it was important to them, they felt they accomplished a big goal, they knew they could knock the defense off the ball and those are something that has not happened in a long time around the program.

While it was still anyone’s game at halftime, there was an offensive explosion in the third quarter. “One of the best third quarters I’ve been around as a head coach.”  He felt the kids were not going to be denied. North Texas put up 24 points on the board. It started off when Zach Olen hit a 53 yard field goal to put North Texas up 10-0. To make a field goal of that distance everything has to be perfect, a good snap, a good hold, good blocking and the right trajectory. All of that happened on that scoring opportunity.

Then, Brad Graham got his interception which ended up in touchdown to give North Texas a 17-0 lead.

FAU then moved the ball down to the North Texas ten yard line when Royce Hill made an interception to take the ball 85 yards down the sideline for a score. “He has the ability and talent” to do more of the same thing but the coach stated “Hill doesn’t play with confidence all the time.” He’s a senior and captain he should be going out there making plays all the time.

Steven Ford then snagged another interception for a touchdown and it was the first time in McCarney’s coaching career he had back to back interceptions for touchdowns.

“We need to grow up as a football team” and being able to run the ball. Dunbar is one of the best running backs in North Texas history and has a chance to set all kind of records. While stats are nice , let’s go win games.”

“It’s no big secret” when they know we are going to run the ball and we know we are going to run the ball to control the clock. North Texas simply has to go out in those situations and get it done.  It is something they are not doing at this time.  

McCarney compared Dunbar to one of his former running backs at Iowa State who ended up fifth in Heisman balloting. Troy Davis was the first running back in NCAA history to have back to back 2000 yards seasons. The coach stated Dunbar is a lot like Davis because he has good hands, not really big in stature, breaks a lot of tackles, durable and a tough physical back.

Dunbar has been a workhorse for North Texas and the coach has been concerned about him carrying the ball to much. However, in talking with the coaches they agreed to use him wisely. He does get better the more he carries the ball. He will be a low NFL draft pick and the one area he needs to improve on is blocking.

Thompson played with a foot injury and McCarney stated you have to give him a ten plus for him playing in the game.  He respects the ball and understands how to take care of it. He had no interceptions again and “led us to victory.”

The University of Louisiana-Lafayette is under new Head Coach Mark Hudspeth. He has the Cajuns’ at 5-1, 3-0 and on top the Sun Belt Conference Leader Board.  McCarney stated “he’s a heck of a football coach,” and was a very successful head football coach at Division 2 North Alabama.   UL-L “are the hottest team in the conference right now” and a win against North Texas would make them bowl eligible. This is the best start for ULL since 1988 and the best start for a Sun Belt team in the history of the league.

McCarney stated one of the reasons they are successful is the offense shows a lot of formations. They have a thick playbook and they are looking for the defense to make some mistakes. If North Texas wants to win the defense will “have to line up correctly...and have to be sound.”  He does not want the Cajuns’ to get any freebies by not being ready or having any miscommunications on defense. Those are the things the Cajuns will be looking for.

Cajun fans are supporting the team with three home game crowds at over 27,000, 28,000 and 29,000. While crowds help in home game victories, North Texas has played against teams this season that has bigger and louder fan base. Those games will help the team overcome the crowd noise at Cajun Field.

North Texas had three penalties for 15 yards and he’ll take that. Generally penalties are a way a team beats itself. Right now they are third in the league in having the fewest penalties and he wants to be first in the league.  

Michael Outlaw will be back this week to face UL-L.  He had a sprain ankle and was not part last week’s game plan against FAU.

Tyler Stratford has given up football.  Things did not go the way he thought they would. He wants to become a high school football coach and he intends to keep working on his degree to achieve that goal.

There are no plans to use Chaz Sampson this season. There are six games left and it would not make any sense to burn his redshirt this late in the season. McCarney believes he is going to be a player for North Texas.

At this point in the season McCarney likes his team. He feels they have great leadership and have great heart. He is concerned about the players who are not ready to play and want to get into the game. He worries about the players that have not got a lot of playing time. Even though right now things are not going the way they want they have to keep working hard in practice and they will get their chance in the future.  What they do in practice determines their playing time during the games.

McCarney wanted the North Texas fans to know the program is in good hands with him and his staff. He wants the fans to know there is hope for the program. With hope he expects more support.

Special teams had a big impact on the outcome of the game. Will Atterberry dropped punts inside the twenty yard line and is one of the best in the nation at doing so. The punt returning position still has problems and that is why right now it is by committee. They are looking for someone to step up and take the position.