there offense will be hard pressed with qb smith making his 2nd career start how effective will north texas be in slowing down the tide......
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Crimson Tide will test UNT run defense
09/13/2002
By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer
Texas tried to line up and ram it down their throat. Nicholls State attacked the perimeter with the option attack.
Neither ran the ball with much success against North Texas.
Tackles Brandon Kennedy (92) and Chris McIver (98) and linebacker Chris Hurd (17) have played key roles this season for the UNTdefense, which has allowed only 88.5 rushing yards per game.
Now the Mean Green?s run defense, which is ranked 29th in the nation with an average of 88.5 yards allowed per game, faces a different type of challenge. Alabama can overpower foes with its big offensive line or beat opponents with its speed on the option.
To make defenses? tasks more difficult, the Crimson Tide operates out of a multitude of formations.
"That?s a pretty difficult combination," UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. "It amazes me that they can run as many different plays as they do and not make mistakes."
While Alabama coach Dennis Franchione?s scheme may worry Dickey, the Crimson Tide?s talent on offense is at least as big a cause of concern.
Every starter returned from last season on Alabama?s offensive line, which has an average size of 6-4, 302 pounds. Senior center Alonzo Ephraim, who will battle UNT standout nose tackle Brandon Kennedy, is All-SEC. The left side of the line ? guard Justin Smiley and tackle Wesley Britt ? were freshman All-Americans last season.
The consensus opinion at UNT is Alabama?s offensive line is vastly superior than Texas?, which the Mean Green?s front four dominated in holding the Longhorns to 28 rushing yards in the season opener.
"They?re more physical, from what I?ve seen on film," said Kennedy, who has 14 tackles this season (three for loss). "They?re more attacking. They?ve got big guys, and they?re aggressive."
Linebacker Taylor Casey compared the Crimson Tide?s line to that of Colorado State, a tall, athletic unit that paved the way for 246 rushing yards against the Mean Green in the New Orleans Bowl last season. Dickey said it might be the best run-blocking group UNT has seen since playing at Kansas State two seasons ago.
And Alabama has a couple of pretty impressive tailbacks in bruisers Ahmaad Galloway and Santonio Beard.
The 6-1, 222-pound Galloway is a Doak Walker Award nominee who rushed for 881 yards as a junior last season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. The 6-1, 225-pound Beard rushed for 633 yards as a sophomore last season, averaging an eye-popping 8.2 yards per carry.
"They?re just big, old powerful runners," UNT defensive coordinator Gary DeLoach said. "My goodness, they look like they can really get going and get downhill on you. They?re not trying to dance around."
Kennedy said he thought Alabama?s backs were better than Texas? Cedric Benson, who is considered a Heisman Trophy candidate. Casey couldn?t come up with a comparison.
"We haven?t really faced anyone with that type size and speed," the junior linebacker said. "They?re very strong and just as fast as those slashing backs."
Oklahoma, however, held Alabama to 96 yards on 45 carries in the Crimson Tide?s 37-27 loss last week.
UNT?s defense certainly isn?t considered in the same breath as the Sooners, who annually have one of the nation?s best units under Bob Stoops. But the Mean Green?s front seven proved it could play smashmouth against a BCS school against Texas.
Now it needs to prove that wasn?t a fluke.
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Crimson Tide will test UNT run defense
09/13/2002
By Tim MacMahon / Staff Writer
Texas tried to line up and ram it down their throat. Nicholls State attacked the perimeter with the option attack.
Neither ran the ball with much success against North Texas.
Tackles Brandon Kennedy (92) and Chris McIver (98) and linebacker Chris Hurd (17) have played key roles this season for the UNTdefense, which has allowed only 88.5 rushing yards per game.
Now the Mean Green?s run defense, which is ranked 29th in the nation with an average of 88.5 yards allowed per game, faces a different type of challenge. Alabama can overpower foes with its big offensive line or beat opponents with its speed on the option.
To make defenses? tasks more difficult, the Crimson Tide operates out of a multitude of formations.
"That?s a pretty difficult combination," UNT coach Darrell Dickey said. "It amazes me that they can run as many different plays as they do and not make mistakes."
While Alabama coach Dennis Franchione?s scheme may worry Dickey, the Crimson Tide?s talent on offense is at least as big a cause of concern.
Every starter returned from last season on Alabama?s offensive line, which has an average size of 6-4, 302 pounds. Senior center Alonzo Ephraim, who will battle UNT standout nose tackle Brandon Kennedy, is All-SEC. The left side of the line ? guard Justin Smiley and tackle Wesley Britt ? were freshman All-Americans last season.
The consensus opinion at UNT is Alabama?s offensive line is vastly superior than Texas?, which the Mean Green?s front four dominated in holding the Longhorns to 28 rushing yards in the season opener.
"They?re more physical, from what I?ve seen on film," said Kennedy, who has 14 tackles this season (three for loss). "They?re more attacking. They?ve got big guys, and they?re aggressive."
Linebacker Taylor Casey compared the Crimson Tide?s line to that of Colorado State, a tall, athletic unit that paved the way for 246 rushing yards against the Mean Green in the New Orleans Bowl last season. Dickey said it might be the best run-blocking group UNT has seen since playing at Kansas State two seasons ago.
And Alabama has a couple of pretty impressive tailbacks in bruisers Ahmaad Galloway and Santonio Beard.
The 6-1, 222-pound Galloway is a Doak Walker Award nominee who rushed for 881 yards as a junior last season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. The 6-1, 225-pound Beard rushed for 633 yards as a sophomore last season, averaging an eye-popping 8.2 yards per carry.
"They?re just big, old powerful runners," UNT defensive coordinator Gary DeLoach said. "My goodness, they look like they can really get going and get downhill on you. They?re not trying to dance around."
Kennedy said he thought Alabama?s backs were better than Texas? Cedric Benson, who is considered a Heisman Trophy candidate. Casey couldn?t come up with a comparison.
"We haven?t really faced anyone with that type size and speed," the junior linebacker said. "They?re very strong and just as fast as those slashing backs."
Oklahoma, however, held Alabama to 96 yards on 45 carries in the Crimson Tide?s 37-27 loss last week.
UNT?s defense certainly isn?t considered in the same breath as the Sooners, who annually have one of the nation?s best units under Bob Stoops. But the Mean Green?s front seven proved it could play smashmouth against a BCS school against Texas.
Now it needs to prove that wasn?t a fluke.
