University of North Texas Athletics
Mean Green Defense Leading The Way Early
9/13/2018 9:00:00 AM | Football
DENTON – Though the Mean Green offense is clicking early, defense is the story in Denton to open 2018.
North Texas has put up back-to-back stout defensive performances to help the Mean Green to a 2-0 start for the first time in 24 years.
Smothering Metroplex rival SMU got the party started, as the Mean Green held the visiting Mustangs scoreless through three quarters in the opener. UNT's defense wasn't just keeping SMU off the scoreboard, they were also keeping them from moving the sticks – at all. The first down count was 27-1 in favor of the Mean Green deep into the second half, and they finished with a 34-9 advantage in that category.
SMU rolled up a combined 86 points the previous two seasons, including a 52-spot last year on the hilltop. North Texas made a statement in Week 1, and carried the momentum forward in last week's win over Incarnate Word.
What changed on a much-maligned unit that allowed 35.0 points per game in 2017?
Schematically, not much. Everything however, has seemed to click early on for defensive coordinator Troy Reffett's high-energy group.
"Everyone is more confident in their assignments now," junior safety Khairi Muhammad said. "It's been getting much easier to trust everyone and I have that trust with everyone on the defense. I trust that this guy will be on my right, and that one will be on my left, which is a great feeling. The foundation has been set and if you're a one, two or three, you have to know your alignment and your assignment and there's no other option. It's not just about knowing what you're supposed to do, we have to know everyone else's role is too and that's been paying off."
Cornerback Kemon Hall, who leads the team with a pair of interceptions, shared a similar view about what's helped their unit improve, crediting the confidence in the system for enabling the defense to play faster and react much quicker.
This particular group, heavy on juniors and seniors, has been learning and growing within Reffett's system for three seasons, two with Reffett as their sole leader. That level of understanding and familiarity is starting to pay dividends.
The environment of comfort fosters a situation for players like linebacker Jamie King, who transitioned this spring from tight end, to be able to pick things up quickly. With everyone else understanding their roles, it allows for the group to come together to help teach others.
Another key difference is that in years past, safeties have led the way statistically with a plethora of tackles. Whether it was Kishawn McClain, James Gray or Muhammad who saw their names at or near the top of the tackles list, the secondary was having to make a lot of tackles. The negative there is that there were so many situations where the last line of defense was forced into making the play. Now, albeit with a smaller sample size, it is the linebackers who are pacing the team.
Three linebackers, Brandon Garner (14 stops), E.J. Ejiya (13 stops) and Jamie King (10 stops) are the top three tacklers, and there is much more balance across the stat sheet. There haven't been nearly as many missed tackles at the point of attack, and that is paying off in holding opponents down. Limiting big plays has been key thus far, whereas a missed tackle in previous iterations of this defense have turned short gains into plays that can gash a defense.
"As linebackers, we're basically the quarterbacks of the defense and we to a degree run the show," Ejiya said. "It's our job to lead the communication with everyone to make sure everything [pre-snap] is picture perfect. It's all starting up front now with our defensive line, and they are filling gaps inside which is forcing backs to bounce outside. That gives us as linebackers more opportunities to run to the ball. We've spent a lot of time working on our angled tackles to make sure we're wrapping up and making the play."
Because they've been so successful at making tackles at that first level, particularly in the run game, it's allowed more flexibility for the secondary. Success for the linebackers in controlling the run game (North Texas is surrendering just 74.0 rushing yards per game thus far) allows them to better pick and choose when to bring safeties in for run support, and provide more focus for them to stop their opponents' passing attack.
Again, it comes back to trust. Trust that has been developing between this core group since 2016. Some of that trust has been built on the field, while the rest of it has been built through collective accountability. This unit is now full of leaders who put an emphasis on policing themselves, rather than relying on their coaches to do so.
Whether it be in the weight room, the classroom, the practice field or on Saturdays, the culture that is being built in Denton is instilled in any newcomer right when they arrive and unpack their bags.
"We realized after last year that we as teammates and as leaders need to take that accountability into our own hands," Ejiya said. "This is a whole new culture where we don't tolerate anyone doing anything that could bring this team or this defense down."
The Mean Green travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, Saturday to face their stiffest challenge yet. The defense has another opportunity to prove that things are different in 2018. While both sides will be tested against a hungry SEC foe looking to rebound from a disappointing loss last week, the defense feels it has a lot to prove.
"I feel like this is our platform to show that our success these last few games is for real," Muhammad said of the match up with Arkansas. "We did well in those first two games, but we still made mistakes that we are going to correct. It's going to be a dog fight and I'm really looking forward to this one to have the opportunity to make a lot of plays for my team."
Saturday's game kicks off at 3 p.m. CT and can be seen live on SEC Network Alternate and will be broadcast on the radio on the Mean Green Sports Network.
North Texas has put up back-to-back stout defensive performances to help the Mean Green to a 2-0 start for the first time in 24 years.
Smothering Metroplex rival SMU got the party started, as the Mean Green held the visiting Mustangs scoreless through three quarters in the opener. UNT's defense wasn't just keeping SMU off the scoreboard, they were also keeping them from moving the sticks – at all. The first down count was 27-1 in favor of the Mean Green deep into the second half, and they finished with a 34-9 advantage in that category.
SMU rolled up a combined 86 points the previous two seasons, including a 52-spot last year on the hilltop. North Texas made a statement in Week 1, and carried the momentum forward in last week's win over Incarnate Word.
What changed on a much-maligned unit that allowed 35.0 points per game in 2017?
Schematically, not much. Everything however, has seemed to click early on for defensive coordinator Troy Reffett's high-energy group.
"Everyone is more confident in their assignments now," junior safety Khairi Muhammad said. "It's been getting much easier to trust everyone and I have that trust with everyone on the defense. I trust that this guy will be on my right, and that one will be on my left, which is a great feeling. The foundation has been set and if you're a one, two or three, you have to know your alignment and your assignment and there's no other option. It's not just about knowing what you're supposed to do, we have to know everyone else's role is too and that's been paying off."
Cornerback Kemon Hall, who leads the team with a pair of interceptions, shared a similar view about what's helped their unit improve, crediting the confidence in the system for enabling the defense to play faster and react much quicker.
This particular group, heavy on juniors and seniors, has been learning and growing within Reffett's system for three seasons, two with Reffett as their sole leader. That level of understanding and familiarity is starting to pay dividends.
The environment of comfort fosters a situation for players like linebacker Jamie King, who transitioned this spring from tight end, to be able to pick things up quickly. With everyone else understanding their roles, it allows for the group to come together to help teach others.
Another key difference is that in years past, safeties have led the way statistically with a plethora of tackles. Whether it was Kishawn McClain, James Gray or Muhammad who saw their names at or near the top of the tackles list, the secondary was having to make a lot of tackles. The negative there is that there were so many situations where the last line of defense was forced into making the play. Now, albeit with a smaller sample size, it is the linebackers who are pacing the team.
Three linebackers, Brandon Garner (14 stops), E.J. Ejiya (13 stops) and Jamie King (10 stops) are the top three tacklers, and there is much more balance across the stat sheet. There haven't been nearly as many missed tackles at the point of attack, and that is paying off in holding opponents down. Limiting big plays has been key thus far, whereas a missed tackle in previous iterations of this defense have turned short gains into plays that can gash a defense.
"As linebackers, we're basically the quarterbacks of the defense and we to a degree run the show," Ejiya said. "It's our job to lead the communication with everyone to make sure everything [pre-snap] is picture perfect. It's all starting up front now with our defensive line, and they are filling gaps inside which is forcing backs to bounce outside. That gives us as linebackers more opportunities to run to the ball. We've spent a lot of time working on our angled tackles to make sure we're wrapping up and making the play."
Because they've been so successful at making tackles at that first level, particularly in the run game, it's allowed more flexibility for the secondary. Success for the linebackers in controlling the run game (North Texas is surrendering just 74.0 rushing yards per game thus far) allows them to better pick and choose when to bring safeties in for run support, and provide more focus for them to stop their opponents' passing attack.
Again, it comes back to trust. Trust that has been developing between this core group since 2016. Some of that trust has been built on the field, while the rest of it has been built through collective accountability. This unit is now full of leaders who put an emphasis on policing themselves, rather than relying on their coaches to do so.
Whether it be in the weight room, the classroom, the practice field or on Saturdays, the culture that is being built in Denton is instilled in any newcomer right when they arrive and unpack their bags.
"We realized after last year that we as teammates and as leaders need to take that accountability into our own hands," Ejiya said. "This is a whole new culture where we don't tolerate anyone doing anything that could bring this team or this defense down."
The Mean Green travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, Saturday to face their stiffest challenge yet. The defense has another opportunity to prove that things are different in 2018. While both sides will be tested against a hungry SEC foe looking to rebound from a disappointing loss last week, the defense feels it has a lot to prove.
"I feel like this is our platform to show that our success these last few games is for real," Muhammad said of the match up with Arkansas. "We did well in those first two games, but we still made mistakes that we are going to correct. It's going to be a dog fight and I'm really looking forward to this one to have the opportunity to make a lot of plays for my team."
Saturday's game kicks off at 3 p.m. CT and can be seen live on SEC Network Alternate and will be broadcast on the radio on the Mean Green Sports Network.
Players Mentioned
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