September 28, 2004 ・6pm・ESPN+・MGNRN・DATCU・Denton, Tx
My first North Texas game as a student was a loss to Tulsa. I have never seen North Texas beat Tulsa in Denton, but I have been to Oklahoma (last year) to see it happen.
This week Kevin Wilson’s bunch comes to DATCU to take on Eric Morris’ squad. The Tulsa staff is also in Year 2 of their process and when asked to comment on the nature of building a program he offered “every place is different. Here we have great people, great place, great school. Other places have more resources. I have to think about my recruiting budget I don’t have as much as other places but we have a lot of nice things here.”
It was a good point, and one I have been thinking about as North Texas navigates the ever-changing landscape of college football. UNLV has been in the headlines this week as they are involved in the PAC/MWC realignment fiasco and also because their starting QB said he wasn’t paid an agreed-upon amount of NIL money.
So it goes. Wilson’s take on NIL money was that he doesn’t have as much to pass around at other places but the focus should be that the collectives make sure to take care of the best players and that the players should realize that they sometimes are just being asked to be a “backup” elsewhere instead of getting major minutes at his program.
The thread on GMG.com about this for the exiting North Texas transfers highlights this a little as well. The triplets for NT last year — QB, RB, WR — are not getting nearly the reps as they were in Denton. I do not know the entirety of their situations, but I do know that people sign up for football to play football.
At North Texas, you can play football. Wink, wink.
NT is looking to win the third straight meeting. They won in 2013 (post UTSA, Brandin Byrd game) and last year. Tulsa had won 10-straight before that. Last time they won in Denton, it was a 56-28 game in 2008. Tulsa hasn’t really played a comparable team, losing to Arkansas State on the road and beating La Tech in Ruston in overtime. They were stomped by Oklahoma State in Tulsa in between.
Kevin Wilson is in his eighth year coaching (32-57) and 2nd year at TU (6-10). Eric Morris is in his 6th year (32-26) and 2nd year at NT (8-8).
Attacking Tulsa
For North Texas, everything starts up front. Chandler Morris is very good when he has time to make decisions post-snap. The line has been better since Jett Duncan has returned to the lineup. Gone are the snap penalties. The LT situation is in flux, with Larry Moore sliding over and Lee being benched. On the right side, Peterson is playing RT after trying out as guard for a game or two. Braydon Nelson has slid into the RG spot, with success and we will see a little Tyler Mercer there if the situation requires (injury). Against Wyoming, NT put up another 500+ yard game. The offense clicked better, but Morris still needed to use his legs to make things happen. The run game was powerful, which is a big deal.
Shane Porter has made the most of his opportunity and will get the rock to start this game. The only mark against him was that he didn’t get into the endzone. Makenzie McGill did all the scoring from the F position for us, and that’s fine. I will happily take them splitting up the duties so long as it means North Texas is in the end zone. Remember, all that matters is Touchdown North Texas.
Damon ward is still listed as starting Z, but we will get more Rempert, a Tulsa transfer. DT Sheffield continues to impress and will get some focus of the game plan early. Conwright, Sides, Carnes et al will get opportunities to make plays. I am unsure if we will see more of the freshman wideouts — Koch, Coleman, et al — especially if the experienced guys are making progress. There is a redshirt thing to think about, but also it seems Morris wants to get veteran guys out there since last week.
NT hasn’t changed their formula, so expect a lot of aggression in play-calling. The RPOs are still there, but teams are sitting on the bubble stuff, and I think NT is going to have to break out some wrinkles. This is of course a league game and it matters a little more. NT beat Tulsa in Oklahoma last year, so they have film and experience.
Up front, they go ‘ten deep’ says Kevin Wilson. They have big edge rushers including Myles Jackson at the Jack. They do the 4-2-5 stuff, with a couple of big Noses in Newhouse (cousin of Robert Newhouse of Cowboy fame) and Brody Reese.
Last week La Tech had success with their normal offense and had some self-inflicted wounds that caused turnovers (a fumble in space, and a tipped pass interception that went off the wide-open receiver’s hands).
La Tech runs a similar system to NT, so preparing for North Texas wasn’t too different. The key in this game is in getting the run game moving, and finding rhythm in the pass game. Tulsa’s corners are all experienced upperclassmen, and the safeties are also. Only Nickel Robinson is an underclassmen, but he has a senior behind him.
Defending Tulsa
QB Kirk Francis is the grandson of a Heisman runner up (1937). So far, he is a solid player for a redshirt freshman who won the job in camp. Tech runs Wilson’s modified Air Raid well, and they do a lot of similar things to NT — lot of RPO, motions, and tempo. Wilson and former NT coach Seth Littrell coached at Indiana and the evolution there was about getting more runs into the system.
The line is experienced, with a couple of freshman on the left side and at center. I expect the game plan will be do run some stunts and things at their inexperienced side to test their mettle. Beyond that, they have a big back and smallish wideouts. North Texas ran a 3-4 look last week to deal with Wyoming’s tight ends, but I think we will see more of the 3-high, as Tulsa wants to go up-tempo. I think the familiarity with the 3-high makes it easier to keep their base stuff.
Tulsa likes to run but they won’t bully NT like TTU did — at least not on paper. This is more of a regular matchup and I think NT is fine if they stay in their base — that 3-high. They can always break out the 3-4 if needed.
La Tech — no one’s idea of a good defense — had success pass rushing against the left side and the freshman 77. They reacted by helping him out — especially on called shots — and had success throwing over the top.
They have a few sets where they bring in more TEs — I expect this is where NT will answer with the 3-4 — and try to run. Overall, this is an offense that has regressed from last year’s version. They ended 2024 on a streak of 400 yard games — including vs NT. They started this year with 600+ vs Northwestern St, but have since produced three-straight 300 yard games with just 5+ yards per play. Holding them to their season-averages would be fine.
Overall
North Texas is feeling good after last week’s feel-good win. Tulsa is not a great team, but one on the rise as Wilson rebuilds his program. They have youth and some talent. North Texas’ strength is the offense and Tulsa’s is their defense. I think UNT’s strength is stronger.
Beyond that, the Mean Green defense has improved and is facing a young QB, and an offense that needs things to go perfectly. They have talent but no one that makes you change your game plan drastically. North Texas has been much better against the run this season — especially against non-TTU teams. Matt Caponi’s defense improved as 2024 went along, including against this Tulsa squad. The keys are always 1) stopping the run and 2) being sound in pass defense.
The two games where NT has allowed 500+ were against very good offenses and huge, physical players. Gio Lopez and all of Tech’s blocking squad were too much for the defense. Last year NT allows Wyoming 200 yards rushing. This season they held them to around average. Tulsa is better than Wyoming offensively, so we should expect them to move the ball and to score — but we don’t want gashing runs and we should expect some turnovers.
The plan is to put pressure on their offense to score and become one-dimensional, where NT can attack their young offensive line on their left side and get sacks.
Prediction: I had NT winning this game in the pre-season and will stick to it. I said 45-35 then and will go with 38-25 now.
GMG