University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Defense Is The Difference
9/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
Before the season, I'm sure most of the fans out there would have been ecstatic to be sitting here at 1-1 going into Alabama. Sitting here now, as we prepare for the Alabama game, 1-1 is far less glamorous.
Saturday night just flat out hurt. Everyone who was there, or watching at home, or chatting with us through the live chat knows what I'm talking about. It's a feeling that will not go away for a while, and frankly it shouldn't. As Steven stated yesterday, learning to win is not easy. That loss is something that the team can draw off of for the rest of the season.
I know what you're thinking, here we go again. Something goes horribly wrong and this team will give up and there goes the season. Guess what everyone, you're wrong. This is not the Mean Green team of the past. This is 2009, where every player and coach goes into every game and expects to win.
I believe we can all agree that the defense has been vastly superior to its 2008 counterpart, but I don't know that everyone out there knows just how much better. Last season, through two games, North Texas had allowed 1,026 total yards of offense, nine pass touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, its opponents were 10-for-11 from inside the redzone and had allowed 111 points. Thus far in 2009, the Mean Green defense has allowed just 541 yards of offense, two pass touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, opponents are 3-for-5 from the redzone and have allowed 34 points.
When I started looking this up, I had to do several double takes to realize exactly how much better this defense has been. From 115 ranked defense through two weeks in 2008, to currently being ranked 38 in the nation.
It's been said many times that defense wins championships. Well, I honestly think that this may end up being one of the best defenses in the Sun Belt come the end of November, and if the offense can keep up what they are doing there is hope for a 13th game to be added to the schedule in December.
