Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 110, No. 79, Ed. 1 Sunday, October 20, 2013 Page: 24 of 46
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4B
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Denton Record-Chronicle
MEAN GREEN GAMEDAY
Next: at Southern Mississippi
6 p.m. Saturday
Whitfield battles, takes it ‘to the house’
By Brett Vito
Staff Writer
RUSTON, La. - North Tex-
as safeties coach Noah Joseph
grabbed Zac Whitfield tight
around the neck Saturday night
at Joe Aillet Stadium and
wouldn’t let him go.
Joseph wanted to make sure
that Whitfield knew just how
proud he was of the sophomore
cornerback’s performance in the
Mean Green’s 28-13 win over
Louisiana Tech.
In that way, Joseph wasn’t
any different from a number of
people in UNT’s locker room a
short time later celebrating a
win that Whitfield played a key
role in just a few weeks after be-
ing pulled from the Mean
Green’s starting lineup.
Whitfield intercepted two
passes against Tech and made
perhaps the play of the game
when he snared a ball lofted
North Texas football
down the sideline by quarter-
back Ryan Higgins and re-
turned it 56 yards for a touch-
down that put the Mean Green
up for good.
Whitfield started the first two
games of the year before being
replaced by Kenny Buyers.
“I am really proud of Zac,”
UNT head coach Dan McCar-
ney said. “He took being moved
down on the depth chart and the
competition like a man and
didn’t go into the tank. He com-
peted like crazy every day and
came up with two of the biggest
plays we have had this season
with those interceptions.”
UNT trailed 10-0 after strug-
gling early before quarterback
Derek Thompson hit Brelan
Chancellor behind Tech’s sec-
ondary for a 61-yard touchdown.
Tech still led and was driving
when it faced a
third-and-15
situation from
its 42-yard line
late in the first
half and Whit-
field read Hig-
gins’ eyes, in- Whitfield
tercepted his
pass and weaved his way down
the field for the go-ahead score.
“The momentum really shift-
ed on that play” Whitfield said.
Whitfield added a second in-
terception late in the fourth
quarter to ice the game and cap
a performance he credited to the
way he responded to seeing his
role reduced.
Whitfield gave up a few long
touchdowns early in the season,
including a 75-yard strike to
Chase Cochran in a loss to Ohio
in the second game of the sea-
son.
Buyers started the next week
and has been in the starting line-
up ever since. Both Buyers and
Whitfield played against the
Bulldogs. Buyers finished with
nine tackles.
“The competition made me
better,” Whitfield said. “Kenny
pushes me and I push him.”
The benefits were obvious af-
ter UNT’s win over the Bulldogs.
‘Whit showed up great,”
UNT lineabacker Zach Orr said.
“He showed resiliency and took
one back to the house. It was
great to see him come back and
battle every day in practice.”
Joseph was just one of several
people who made sure to tell
Whitfield just how big his con-
tributions were.
“Coach told me that he was
proud of me,” Whitfield said.
BRETT VITO can be
reached at 940-566-6870 or
via Twitter at @brettvito.
Orr helps UNT tackle goals
Dacia Idom/AP, The (Monroe) News-Star
North Texas’ James Jones (13) returns a kickoff against Louisiana Tech on Saturday in Ruston,
La.
Senior surpasses
career milestone
with 300th stop
By Brett Vito
Staff Writer
RUSTON, La. - Zach Orr
reached a milestone in his North
Texas career with one of his finer
games with the Mean Green on
Saturday at Joe Aillet Stadium.
North Texas football
Notebook
Orr finished with a whop-
ping 17 tackles in UNT’s 28-13
win over Louisiana Tech and
surpassed the 300 tackles mark
for his career. Reaching that
milestone further cemented
Orr’s considerable legacy with
the Mean Green, one he hopes
will include helping lead UNT to
its first bowl game since 2004.
That goal, one that seems
within reach after UNT im-
proved to 4-3 on the season, was
a lot more important to Orr than
his 300th stop.
“I haven’t thought about 300
tackles,” Orr said. “It will be
more important after the sea-
son, but it’s
great. I want to
do whatever I
can to help the
team. It’s all
about the team
goals.”
Orr, who
entered the
game with 298
tackles, posted his 300th stop
on Tech’s second possession
when he combined with Will
Wright to halt Tech running
back Hunter Lee just short of
the goal line.
Orr was all over the field the
rest of the night and helped limit
the Bulldogs to three points in
the second half. He finished with
21/2 tackles for loss on the day.
Orr went into the game with
a team-high 56 tackles.
“It’s an honor to have him as a
part of this team and to coach
him,” UNT head coach Dan
McCarney said. “We are all bet-
ter people because of Zach Orr.
You appreciate him because he
is so humble.”
Former Ryan standout
does not play for Bulldogs
Former Ryan standout Scot-
ty Young did not see the field in
the Mean Green’s win over Tech.
Young started the first three
games of the season for Louisi-
ana Tech before it turned to
Ryan Higgins, a redshirt fresh-
man. Higgins threw for 343
yards against the Mean Green.
Macek pins Tech deep
UNT punter Blake Macek
pinned Tech deep in its own end
of the field after the Mean
Green’s first possession of the
second half.
UNT drove all the way to the
Tech 36-yard line before stalling
out. Macek sent a high punt to-
ward the goal line that safety
Marcus Trice caught at the Bull-
dog 2.
Tech misses field goal
late in first half
Tech missed out on a scoring
opportunity late in the first half
after driving 67 yards to the
UNT 8-yard line in two min-
utes.
Kyle Fischer, who had hit
from 40 yards earlier in the half
and connected from 35 yards in
the fourth quarter, bounced a
25-yard kick off the left upright
on the final play before halftime.
Gutty call early fails
to pan out for UNT
UNT had the ball at the Tech
28-yard line early in the second
quarter and elected to go for a
first down on fourth-and-3.
The gamble failed to pay off
for UNT when linebacker Mitch
Villemez broke up a Derek
Thompson pass.
Penalty gets Tech
out of early hole
UNT had Tech pinned deep
in its end of the field in the first
quarter when an ill-timed pen-
alty helped get the Bulldogs out
of a bad situation.
Tech had the ball at its 18-
yard line when defensive end
Brandon McCoy sacked Higgins
at the Bulldogs’ 8. Orr was called
for a personal foul on the play,
giving Tech a first down.
BRETT VITO can be
reached at 940-566-6870 or
via Twitter at @bmttvito.
NORTH TEXAS 28, LOUISIANA TECH 13
NORTH TEXAS 0 14 14 0-28
LOUISIANA TECH 7 3 0 3 - 13
SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST QUARTER
Tech - Ryan Higgins 2 run (Kyle
Fischer kick), 7:50
Drive - Five plays, 25 yards
Drive time - 2:19
Key play - On second-and-10 from
the UNT 32-yard line, Tech defen-
sive end IK Enemkpali intercepted a
Derek Thompson pass, setting the
Bulldogs up at the UNT 25-yard line.
Tech 7, UNT O
SECOND QUARTER
Tech - Fischer 40 field goal, 6:13
Drive - Nine plays, 47 yards
Drive time - 2:22
Key play - On third-and-5 from the
Tech 45-yard line, Andrew Guillot
caught a pass from Ryan Higgins
and broke free for a 31-yard gain.
Tech 10, UNT O
UNT - Brelan Chancellor 61 pass
from Thompson (Zach Paul kick),
3:53
Drive - Five plays, 86 yards
Drive time - 2:20
Key play - On second-and-8 from
the UNT 39-yard line, Thompson
scrambled toward the line of
scrimmage and found Chancellor
behind Tech's defense for the
touchdown.
Tech 10, UNT 7
UNT - Zac Whitfield 56 interception
return (Paul kick), 2:05
Drive - One play, 56 yards
Drive time - :05
Key play - On third-and-15 from the
Tech 42-yard line, Whitfield in-
tercepted a pass along the sideline
and returned it for a touchdown.
UNT 14, Tech 10
THIRD QUARTER
UNT - Thompson 2 run (Paul kick),
7:05
Drive - Four plays, 43 yards
Drive time -1:58
Key play - On third-and-5 from the
Tech 38-yard line, Darnell Smith
caught a 36-yard pass down the
sideline to pick up the first down.
UNT 21, Tech 10
UNT - Brandin Byrd 1 run (Paul
kick), :40
Drive - U plays, 66 yards
Drive time - 4:16
Key play - On third-and-goal from
the 1-yard line, Byrd pushed his way
into the end zone.
UNT 28, Tech 10
FOURTH QUARTER
Tech - Fischer 35 field goal, 12:27
Drive -10 plays, 57 yards
Drive time - 3:13
Key play - On second-and-6 from
the UNT 37-yard line, Jaydrick
DeClouette caught a 24-yard pass
from wide receiver D.J. Banks, who
took a lateral from quarterback
Ryan Higgins before throwing the
ball downfield.
UNT 28, Tech 13
TEAM STATISTICS
UNT
Tech
First downs
20
20
Rushes-yards
44-165
23-37
Passing
221
367
Comp-Att-Int
16-24-1
37-55-2
Return Yards
62
20
Punts-Avg.
6-38.0
5-35.8
Fumbles-Lost
0-0
1-1
Penalties-Yards
4-44
5-50
Time of Possession
32:51
27:09
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—North Texas, Byrd 14-71, Jimmerson 14-50, Pegram 12-36, Chancellor 1-3, D.Thompson 2-3, Rollins 1-2.
Louisiana Tech, Dixon 12-25, Martin 2-9, Higgins 8-2, Lee 1-1,
PASSING — North Texas, D.Thompson 16-24-1-221. Louisiana Tech, Higgins 36-54-2-343, D.Banks 1-1-0-24.
RECEIVING — North Texas, Chancellor 5-95, D.Smith 4-65, Harris 4-36, Miller 1-10, Kidsy 1-9, Byrd 1-6. Louisiana
Tech, Guillot 10-99, Lee 5-45, J.Greenwalt 4-25, Tre.Taylor 4-25, Dixon 4-9, Casey 3-58, Griffin 3-28, DeClouette 2-29,
Jackson 1-7, D.Banks 1-5, Cano 037.
MEAN GREEN SCHEDULE
Date
Opponent
Television
Time/Result
Aug. 31
Idaho
W, 40-6
Sept. 7
at Ohio
L, 27-21
Sept. 14
Ball State
W, 34-27
Sept. 21
at Georgia
L, 45-21
Oct. 5
at Tulane*
L, 24-21
Oct. 12
Middle Tennessee State*
W, 34-7
Oct. 19
at Louisiana Tech*
W, 28-13
Oct. 26
at Southern Mississippi*
Fox College Sports
6 p.m.
Oct. 31
Rice*
Fox Sports 1
6:30 p.m.
Nov. 9
UTEP*
CSS/TWC Sports
2:30 p.m.
Nov. 23
Texas-San Antonio*
TWC Sports
2:30 p.m.
Nov. 30
at Tulsa*
Fox Sports
TBA
‘Conference game
CONFERENCE USA STANDINGS
W
EAST DIVISION
Conference
L PF
PA
W
All Games
L PF
PA
Marshall
2
0
58
33
4
2
217
110
East Carolina
3
1
143
80
5
2
260
164
UAB
1
1
50
61
2
4
174
231
FIU
1
1
48
50
1
5
71
237
Middle Tennessee
1
2
66
93
3
4
158
209
FAU
1
4
122
138
2
5
156
182
Southern Mississippi
0
2
37
79
0
6
75
241
w
WEST DIVISION
Conference
L PF
PA
W
All Games
L PF
PA
Tulane
3
0
84
69
5
2
205
183
Rice
3
0
75
62
5
2
200
178
North Texas
2
1
83
44
4
3
199
149
Tulsa
1
1
61
50
2
4
139
200
Louisiana Tech
1
2
66
87
2
5
133
189
UTSA
1
2
63
74
2
5
160
240
UTEP
0
3
68
104
1
5
187
226
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
East Carolina 55, Southern Mississippi 14
North Texas 28, Louisiana Tech 13
Rice 45, New Mexico St. 19
THURSDAY’S GAME
Marshall at Middle Tennessee, 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
UTEP at Rice, 2:30 p.m.
Tulsa at Tulane, 2:30 p.m.
UAB at UTSA, 4 p.m.
Louisiana Tech at FIU, 5 p.m.
North Texas at Southern Mississippi, 6 p.m.
FAU at Auburn, 6:30 p.m.
From Page IB
UNT
touchdown apiece in the Mean
Green’s last two games.
That confidence became vi-
tally important after Louisiana
Tech jumped out to its early lead.
Star defensive end IK
Enemkpali intercepted a pass
from Thompson on UNT’s first
possession. The Bulldogs cashed
in a short time later when Ryan
Higgins scored on a 2-yard run,
and Kyle Fisher added a 40-
yard field goal.
UNT dominated from that
point on and made two key plays
before halftime that turned the
tide.
Thompson scrambled to-
ward the fine of scrimmage just
five plays after Tech had gone up
“[We] finally got
one on the road and
stopped the stupid
talk about how we
can’t win two in a
row.”
— UNT coach Dan McCarney
10-0 and found Brelan Chancel-
lor alone behind the Bulldog
secondary for a 61-yard touch-
down strike.
Thompson led UNT with 221
passing yards, while Brandin
Byrd added 71 rushing yards.
Higgins threw for 343 yards
for Tech but was picked off twice
by Whitfield.
The sophomore gave UNT
the lead for good when he cut in
front of a pass Higgins lofted
down the sideline for his first in-
terception and returned it 56
yards for a touchdown. His sec-
ond interception helped ice the
game late in the fourth quarter.
“I read the quarterback and
made a play,” Whitfield said of
his first interception. “That real-
ly gave us momentum.”
Tech never recovered.
Thompson scored on a 3-
yard run in the third quarter and
Byrd essentially put the game
away when he scored on a 1-yard
run with 40 seconds left in the
period.
‘We started to get a little mo-
mentum after the touchdown,”
Thompson said of his strike to
Chancellor. “Then Zac got that
interception. It was huge. They
never recovered.”
UNT was on a roll at that
point and quickly ended a host
of dubious streaks, including its
run of games without consecu-
tive wins that haunted the team
for years.
“This is the first time anyone
on this team has won two games
in a row at North Texas,” Orr said.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling.”
BRETT VTTcan be reached
at 940-566-6870 or via Twitter
at @brettvito.
Dacia Idom/AP, The (Monroe) News-Star
Louisiana Tech’s Ryan Higgins, center, goes in for a touch-
down as North Texas defensive back Marcus Trice (8) tries to
stop him Saturday in Ruston, La.
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Cobb, Dawn. Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 110, No. 79, Ed. 1 Sunday, October 20, 2013, newspaper, October 20, 2013; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1102021/m1/24/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .