Reaction: UNT 36 South Alabama 22

5-0 Entering the Bye Week

Sometimes after a week of preparation, planning, practice, going over scenarios, and hype, a guy simply runs past and through some other guys and makes it all seem so simple. Caleb Hawkins announced himself with 140 yards rushing on 16 attempts, two rushing touchdowns, and a 68-yard screen pass that also went to the house. He ran through approximately 150% of the South Alabama defense, hurt and short-handed as they were, on the way to leading NT to the fifth win of the season.

A theme of MGN has been shouldn’t plays. We call them that, and that means simply the kind of plays only superior talent can make. Every winning program needs some of those. You hear coaches say “go make a play” and other things like that. Air Raiders talk about getting the ball to playmakers in space. This is a fundamental truth to this game. It has always been about finding special players and letting them be special. Can you maximize their ability? For defenses, can you limit their special moments? This is the entirety of the chessmatch.

In this game, North Texas as a collective offense and defense did not play well. Caleb Hawkins did, and that was essentially the game.

• 3rd and 14? Screen pass for 68-yards and a score.

• 1st and 20? Inside zone run for 27-yards and a score.

He also had a 12 yard run on 2nd and 10. An 18-yarder on 1st and 12.

Over the next two weeks the program will work on not being in long-yardage-to-go situations. But right now they 5-0 instead of 4-1 because the talent stepped up and made plays. Before you say the talent bailed out the staff or something like that, consider that the staff recruits the players and so it is all part of the deal. Sometimes you have to fall back to Plan C and thank providence that you have a Plan C on which to fall.

Seasons are long and wins are precious. We will not apologize for them, nor will we take them for granted. The reason you practice scenarios for moments is that you never know when you will need them, and want to be prepared. Thus far, NT has won by blow out, OT (offensive TD), blow out, OT (defensive stop), and now big plays from the run game. We are simplifying everything there but if you are a close follower you know what I a mean.

Last week vs Army this team needed the defense to get a stop on 4th and 5 after getting worked over for two drives. They did, and NT won. Hawkins ran for four scores, sure, but the moment came down to the defense making a stop.

In this one, NT’s defense was about average. They stole a turnover to keep up the streak, but overall relied on South Alabama making mistakes. Even when NT had the Jags pinned back (3rd and 33) they allowed an 18-yarder, followed by a 15-yarder to give up a first down. Jags QB Davenport only completed 50% of his attempts, but some of them were just him missing wide open guys. I like to say that I would rather be lucky than good, sometimes, and in this case that was the situation.

You prepare for the moments where good QBs will take full advantage of the situation and complete those passes. But you accept that sometime you just need guys to make mistakes to get you off the field. For a mid-tier Sun Belt team, mediocre QB play is on the menu. NT benefited. A win was in order.

Some observations:

1. Drew Mestemaker Had A Poor Game

No turnovers for the phenom, but he was caught looking at the defense for a while, and pulled the ball down late. He was sacked, and his completion percentage was at 54. We like that he used his legs to get a big first down on the final drive, and generally managed the game without making back-breaking mistakes. That’s part of learning the position. He’s been very good, and in this case, was not bad. The run game — and Hawkins in particular — did the heavy lifting. Sixty-eight of the 234 came on the one play where Hawkins took a short little screen for the distance.

To be clear, getting the ball to playmakers in space is the whole point of this offense and so making the right toss to get Hawkins the ball where he can run is good quarterbacking. There were no QB turnovers, and so we can’t complain very much even if he missed Miles Coleman on a streak for the second week in a row.

Teams have been adapting to NT’s QB and have gone from heavy pressure to sitting back with deep safeties.

2. Teams Are Daring NT To Run

Last year both in reaction to NT’s pass offense and because of the running back situation, teams were sitting back and daring North Texas to execute their way down the field.

Hawkins is bullying dudes, yes, but it is notable that he had some of his longest runs in “passing” situations. The long-yardages-to-go mean NT is being asked to run the ball. That they are doing so successfully is a testament to the execution and multi-faceted approach. So far, so good is my opinion.

There will be situations where NT will need to throw, and we are curious about the squad’s ability to do so. Remarkably, NT has not trailed late since that WMU game. When the team has looked to pass in obvious pass situations, it has been a mixed bag. Sacks, drops, and some wonky looks. NT has had the most success in these situations by sneaking in some screens, and draws. Sibley (vs WMU) and Hawkins (last two weeks) were very effective in these moments.

That said, let’s acknowledge that obvious passing situations are not easy for anyone. NT has done a great job of being in fortunate down-and-distance scenarios except for this game. Outside of the big Hawkins plays, NT also threw a 27-yarder on 2nd and 19.

It’s great that they converted, but also concerning that they were in 2nd and 19 in the first place. Maybe it won’t matter in the future, but it is a dangerous game to play.

3. The Attendance Was Bad

I cannot control everyone’s circumstances, and I understand that the money from the television contract is greater than the game-day revenue foregone in this situation. Still, it is a tough ask to get anyone out to DATCU at 11am when construction is happening.

Even Yours Truly had to split attention. I had to coach a soccer game at 10am and then get my other kid to one at noon. Normally, these wouldn’t be in conflict with our alma mater, but when the game is at 11am, it is. I know I am not the only one.

4. The Bye Is At A Great Time

North Texas is 5-0 and gained five more votes in the AP top 25 poll, up to 7 total. The program can reset, get healthy, prepare for the most talented opponent to date, and also build the kind of hype necessary for a home date on a Friday night (another tough sell).

There are things to clean up, recruits to sweet-talk, and bodies to rest.

After USF, the Runners come to town for another big matchup. NT is 1-0 in the league while UTSA and USF have yet to play a conference game. Meanwhile, Navy is 3-0 in the American, and Memphis is undefeated (5-0) also. What does all that mean? Well it means that aside from bowl eligibility and some national hype, North Texas hasn’t done much of anything yet. There is opportunity in front of this group to be the first conference champion in 20+ years.

Three of the next four are at home. The road games are against beat-able teams. That doesn’t mean that the Mean Green can sit back (I am not saying they will, just they cannot) and hope for another interception or a fumble to fall their way. They cannot make mistakes and hope Caleb Hawkins will break 5-tackles on the way to another score.

There is room for improvement in this thus-far perfect season and this break is a great time to make sure that happens.

It is an exciting time to be a North Texas football fan, folks. GMG