IU not overlooking winless UNT

Since they ended the first quarter of their season down 28-0 to Florida International, the Mean Green of North Texas — IU’s next opponent — have had a tough season.

They are the only Division 1 football team to have played three undefeated opponents — FIU, Houston and Alabama — and have given up more than 40 points to all three.

Despite the rough start, a number of changes have given North Texas fans a reason to watch, a new coach, Dan McCarney and a $78 million new stadium.

When Hoosiers like redshirt freshman running back Matt Perez step onto the new field in Denton, Texas, on Saturday, they will look to get on top early and send a message to fans.

“Personally, I like going in somewhere and shutting up the loud home crowd and making it quiet,” Perez said. “Beating a team in front of their home fans personally brings me a lot of joy and I think if we did that, it would be a lot of fun.”

IU scored on South Carolina State early last week, owning the ball for 11 of the first 15 minutes and grabbing a 21-7 lead.

Sophomore quarterback Edward Wright-Baker passed for 273 yards and two long touchdowns, adding 41 yards on the ground.

Even though North Texas has given up an average of 559 yards per game on defense, Wright-Baker said they shouldn’t be underestimated.

“We’re definitely not overlooking North Texas,” Wright-Baker said. “They’ve played three quality opponents ... I think they’re a good team, (they) have a fast defense, have players who play hard and fly around.”

North Texas, like IU, had very little experience from the quarterback position before the season began, with only one career start from five quarterbacks on the roster.
The one start was from sophomore Derek Thompson, who has been the main quarterback for the Mean Green this season.

Thompson has thrown for 419 yards and a touchdown in his first full season under center, but the focus of the North Texas offense is the run game, led by senior running back Lance Dunbar.

Currently third among active players in Division 1 in career rushing yardage, Dunbar has struggled to get momentum this season, managing just 16 yards on the ground against Alabama.

“I know Alabama played great defense against him last week, but they do that against most folks, so I’m sure he’ll be ... ready to answer the bell,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said.

Dunbar trails Oregon’s LaMichael James and Boston College’s Montel Harris in career rushing yardage for active players. If he runs for the same amount of yardage this year as he did last season (1,437), he will be the all-time rushing leader in the Sun Belt Conference.

Although Wilson said most keys to the game are on defense, many eyes will be drawn to the performance of the offensive line, which underwent several changes between weeks two and three. Last week, true freshmen Bernard Taylor and Peyton Eckert started their first games as Hoosiers.

They are two examples of a trend of younger players seeing a significant amount of action in games for IU this season.

Wilson said he likes what he has seen from many of the younger players in terms of taking techniques in practice and using them in games.

“I think that’s where the old guys are still kind of not where I think they ought to be,” Wilson said. “Maybe it’s just going to take a little time and maybe it won’t. Maybe it will never come. The young guys have got it.”