University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Injuries As Painful As The Loss
9/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, September 12, 2010, 4:26 p.m.
When the smoke and steam had finally cleared from Fouts last night, North Texas was left again to ponder what coulda been. The loss was painful enough, but the losses from injury will be more consequential as the year moves forward.
Too many dropped passes, ill-timed penalties, and turnovers doomed the Mean Green. Talent wise, North Texas and Rice have no differences. But this is still a team that has staggered before with stinging losses in the past and still just needs that one break to pull out one of these close games.
Oh yes, teams do create their own breaks a lot of the time, but just once this is a group that could use a fortunate bounce to find a way to win a close game.
The injuries are the other part of the equation that North Texas is going to have to face. After the first two weeks, here's the unofficial list of guys who have left the battlefield. Nathan Tune, J.J. Johnson, Kelvin Drake, Matt Tomlinson, Jamaal Jackson, Steven Ford, Benny Jones, and Greg Brown. I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting, but that's seven starters.
The loss of Tune is going to be difficult but the Mean Green is going to fast forward to the future and the Derek Thompson era is going to begin at Army.
Before everyone anoints Thompson as the savior, remember he is essentially a redshirt freshman making his first career start. He's played about five minutes worth of college football. His problem is he has already tantalized everyone with his potential that Joe Montana would have a hard time living up to the expectations.
The good thing about Thompson is this won't be on the job training. He essentially traded snaps with Tune since the spring and knows the offense in and out.
He has possibly the best arm as a QB at North Texas, since dare I say Mitch Maher. There will be no time to bring him along slowly however, the Mean Green needs to start winning.
Thompson isn't going to be the answer alone. North Texas has to cut down on all the mistakes as a team no one individual can do it alone
Doing that can make all the losses disappear.
