North Texas 2010 Season Preview: Offense

Mean Green Outlook

Author: Chase Rader

Overview

Heading into his fourth year, head coach Todd Dodge, is facing a make-or-break year. The highly touted former high school coach has yet to have success in Denton. The  North Texas A.D. has put win expectations at 7 to 8 games for the 2010 campaign, or else. Coach Dodge begins the season with possibly the best squad in his tenure. Dodge has 10 senior starters, 5 more in his two deep, and playmakers all over the field.

Dodge will switch to receiver

The biggest off-season move involved his son, Riley Dodge, moving from starting Quarterback to Wide Receiver. That move leaves the biggest void to fill in fall camp. Coach Dodge will have two QB’s to choose from come two-a-days.

Taking care of the football should be a point of emphasis for the Mean Green this season. North Texas was -14 in turnovers last year. A turnaround in ball control should equal more wins. North Texas lost 6 games by 7 points or less in 2009.

Offense

QB

UNT will be lead by either Nathan Tune (6’4”, 206 lbs.) or Derek Thompson (6’4”, 223 lbs.) in 2010. Tune, a redshirt senior, has the edge on experience, starting two games in his career including on the road at Alabama in 2009. Last season, Tune went 69 of 107 for 646 yards, five TD’s and a pair of Int’s. Derek Thompson, a big armed sophomore who burned his redshirt last year against Arkansas State, showed promise and success in the spring game going 14 of 24 for 234 yards and a touchdown.

RB

Whoever wins the QB battle will have a workhorse to hand the ball to. Lance Dunbar (5’9”, 202 lbs. Jr.), 2009 1st team All-Sunbelt Conference pick, returns to build from a solid 2009 campaign that saw him gain 1,378 yards on 200 carries producing 17 TD’s with a 6.9 average. As a sophomore in 2009 Dunbar was 14th in the nation with 114.8 yards per game. Dunbar’s presence should take a lot of pressure off the new quarterback. Adding depth behind Dunbar will be junior James Hamilton (11 att., 47 yds., 1 td., 4.3 avg. in 2009), and freshman Brandin Byrd (5’11”, 185 lbs, 50 yds. spring game).

Receivers

The receiving corps returns most of its’ 2009 unit and adds two more threats. Riley Dodge will add speed and game experience. OU transfer Tyler Stradford (6’2”, 190 lbs., Jr.) has lightning speed and had a great spring game with 3 catches for 111 yards and a big 69 yard TD grab. Senior Jamaal Jackson was picked as a 2010 All-SBC preseason 1st teamer. Jackson hauled in 71 catches for 701 yards with 6 TD’s, just shy of a first down average every time he touched the ball. He leads a solid returning core of receivers that also includes; sophomore Darius Carey (57 rec., 509 yds., 4 tds., 8.9 avg.), senior Michael Outlaw (41 rec., 473 yds., 2 tds., 11.5 avg.), junior B.J. Lewis (21 rec., 265 yds., 12.6 avg.), and senior Alex Lott (21 rec., 163 yds., 1 td., 7.4 avg.).

Line

Paving the way for Lance Dunbar and the new signal caller in 2010 will be a very experienced O-Line. Anchoring the line at the tackle positions are two seniors with 70 starts between them. Esteban Santiago (6’3”, 296 lbs.) was nabbed preseason 1st team All-SBC, as well as, 2nd team All-SBC last year. His counterpart is 6’4” 261 lbs. Victor Gill, who is a 3 year starter. Fellow senior Kelvin Drake (6’2”, 280 lbs.) adds 26 starts and will be at guard again this year where he earned SBC Honorable Mention honors last year. The other guard will be 6’4” 305 lbs. pound sophomore Coleman Feeley who had 8 appearances as a true freshman. The center will once again be J.J. Johnson. The 6’3” 283 lbs. junior adds 24 starts at his position.

New

New offensive coordinator Mike Canalas brings successful experience to a North Texas team that needs to win. He has tutored names such as; current San Diego Charger QB Phillip Rivers, and former South Florida QB Matt Grothe, who is the career leader in total offense in the Big East. With a veteran line, an All-SBC running back, and a talented group of receivers, breaking in a new QB for the Mean Green should be smooth transition for the former South Florida offensive coordinator.