Quick Reaction: OT W 45-38 vs Army

North Texas escapes in West Point

Game results are binary. Win/Lose. There is no in-between. Sure, we know a close loss, and a big win are different. 59-10 is different than 45-38 in OT, but the sands of time wipe all that away. North Texas is 4-0, with two blowout wins and two overtime wins and they all count the same.

This one was almost a blowout and became and overtime game. Being the superfans we all are (you are reading a substack about this program after all, and I am writing it) we will obsess about the details and the mistakes our favorite team made. We should, however, fully acknowledge the quality of Army. I respect their program because of hte nature of the circumstances. They won 12 games last season and a league title on the strength of executing their brand of football. They pay attention to the details, win short yardage, and even bend the rules at every conceivable point to give themselves a chance. Time of possession, field position, analytics. They squeeze all the value of every moment because they must.

North Texas is getting to that level. The defensive side of the ball is vastly improved and this game — with 488 yards allowed, including 387 yards on the ground allowed, with a 75-yard score, and a 68-yard pass for a score — was a good example of it. You don’t have to stop teams every time down the field, but you need turnovers and you need stops when you have to win the game.

This group did just that. Early? Turnovers to help build a 21-7 lead. Late? A stop to force a field goal, and a 4th down-and-5 stop to win the game. That’s the football defense that wins league titles.

Oh and the offense that wins titles was here also. Let’s list some observations.

1. North Texas’ Defense Is A Turnover Machine

Three turnovers — that’s the live ball variety — in this one. Two fumbles and one interception (!). NT is helping the offense tremendously with this. Combine this with some turnovers on downs, and you have a potent squad. Last week it led to a route, this week it led to a big lead that NT kept until late.

The depth along the defensive line has been tremendous. The depth in the defensive backfield has helped. Experience means that no one is surprised by moments and situations and the team can react positively. David Fisher had a huge deflection, and Da'Veawn Armstead had an interception. The Sam Houston dudes showed out.

2. The NT Offense Is Humming

The short fields help (see above) but also consider that the run game was eating up yardage to the tune of 5.5 yards per carry. Freshman Hawkins had 4 touchdowns as he continues his late-game-garbage-time appearance run. He bullied dudes, and also found himself walking into the endzone thanks to a line that is tearing open holes. NT showed a new counter play that was slicing things up, as well.

This has helped take a lot of pressure off the freshman QB, as good as he is. It is a team game, so we have no complaints. Walking into the endzone for the 44th points of the game in OT was a testament to the prowess. That is the second OT winner of the season, and fifth rushing touchdown of the game.

Drew Mestemaker has been unblemished even if he played his worst game. I say that to simply acknowledge that he missed some throws in this one — that 4th down call especially — but he was money when he had to be. He went 2/3 in OT, for 15 yards and a big first down. Landon Sides had the two catches including a nice grab to convert 3rd and 5 in OT that set up Hawkins’ last two runs.

3. We Saw Eric Morris Nearly Get Burned By His Aggression — But It Wasn’t Unreasonable

Twice the head coach went for broke, and eschewed the FG team for the offense. On the first, he drew up a play for Coleman to get open and Drew Mestemaker nearly dropped it in. It was incomplete, and the fanbase complained that we left points on the table. I think that no field goal is 100% certainty, and that if Morris thinks Mestemaker is a better player than Kali Nguma, I will not disagree.

The second one came later when NT was leading by 10, with little over 4 minutes in the game. NT came up a yard short, this after McGill had already scooted in for a score only to have it called back on a phantom hold. If NT converts that, the game is over barring a terrible fumble ….

… which came one offensive play later. Army threw a miracle socre where Hammonds (14) terribly mistimed the prayer of a ball. Instead of an easy interception, it was a touchdown for 68 yards. NT’s next play while up 3 was a fumble and a turnover.

Sometimes when you play the percentages you get burned. The unlikely can happen and sometimes you — as a play-caller and decision maker — can’t do anything about it.

Next Up: South Alabama in Denton

USA is playing Coastal Carolina tonight and are currently (as of this publishing) in the 2nd quarter. NT has a chance to enter the bye as a 5-0 team.

Food for thought that really doesn’t matter:

NT has won 51-0, 59-10 at home in the two games.

NT has won 33-30 OT, and 45-38 OT in the two road games. Weird.