University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Manny Flores
Littrell Talks La Tech, Youth
9/21/2021 12:32:00 PM | Football
DENTON – UNT head coach Seth Littrell and players met with the media on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming game against Louisiana Tech, which will kick off at 6 p.m., on Saturday, in Ruston, Louisiana. The game will be broadcast on Stadium and the Mean Green Radio Network's broadcast can be heard on The Varsity Network app.
The Mean Green (1-2, 0-1 C-USA) are looking to bounce back from a home loss to UAB on Saturday and will face a Bulldogs team coming off consecutive heartbreaking losses, including Saturday's loss to SMU on a Hail Mary with no time remaining.
"That's a dang good football team," Littrell said. "Skip (Holtz) does an excellent job. That's why they're always in it. They're consistent in all three phases and they're really explosive offensively with great skill weapons and a good mobile quarterback who throws the ball great. Defensively, they're always gonna have big athletic guys up front who can rush the passer and they've always been good on the back end with guys in the NFL at corner and safety. They can be athletic up front and play you in man. They're very competitive all the way around."
"They've had some really, really tough losses that could've gone either way. They could just as easily be 3-0. They're a great football team and we have to make sure we have a great week of preparation."
With several playmakers at the skill positions capable of hitting explosive plays at any time, sophomore linebacker Kevin Wood said it is crucial that each player on defense focuses on doing his job within the scheme of first-year defensive coordinator Phil Bennett.
"They are explosive," Wood said. "It all comes down to us doing our job. Our scheme can stop anything anyone throws at us. As long as we do what we're taught to do, we should be fine."
Torrey looking to continue ascent on all-time lists
Senior running back DeAndre Torrey is quickly climbing up the lists for several all-time program records.
The do-it-all back is seventh in the nation in all-purpose yards per game with 162.3 and had a career-best 320 all-purpose yards in the season-opening win over Northwestern State.
Torrey currently needs just eight rushing yards to move into sixth place all-time on the program's career rushing list ahead of Kevin Galbreath (2001-02), one rushing touchdown to move into a tie for fifth on the career list with Jamario Thomas (2004-07) and 173 all-purpose yards to move past Jeffery Wilson (2014-17) into fourth on the all-time list.
Young players gaining valuable experience
In the wake of some injuries, specifically to the wide receiver and running back groups, several young players are being asked to step up before when might have been the original plan.
Wide receivers Detraveon Brown and Khatib Lyles each made their first collegiate catches on Saturday against UAB, and other young, inexperienced receivers like Damon Ward and Zhighlil McMillan are seeing game action, as well. Freshman running backs Ikaika Ragsdale and Isaiah Johnson are the team's second and third leading rushers, respectively, behind Torrey.
"It's always tough when good players are out but it's a next-man-up mentality so if one guy goes down or isn't playing well, get the other guy in and let them take advantage of that opportunity," sophomore quarterback Jace Ruder said. "They haven't played a lot of college football yet but getting thrown in fire is an opportunity for them so you have to be able to step up and they've done a great job of that and of taking advantage of this good opportunity for them to grow."
Freshman guard Gabe Blair also made his first collegiate start on Saturday – a bit of rarity for a freshman on the offensive line. The Denton Guyer product had several offers last year before signing with the Mean Green, including ones from USC, Virginia Tech and Colorado. He's already made a name for himself in the strength program with some strong weight room numbers not typical of freshmen.
"He's done a good job," Littrell said. "He's a physical kid and he's tough and smart. He loves ball. He'll continue to grow and improve each day. It (starting) wasn't too big for him. He wasn't nervous. That's his personality, so you love that about him."
Littrell said every recruit is built differently, but it isn't common for a freshman, especially in the trenches, to step into the program ready to contribute at the college level.
"It obviously doesn't happen often," Littrell said. "Sometimes you don't want it to. You want guys to develop and get bigger and stronger but he's a big strong kid and a weight room guy and extremely strong and explosive. He's powerful. When guys are ready, guys are ready. Everyone is a little different. Sometimes guys come in and they're more developed and sometimes the speed of the game is slower for some than others. Some guys are just ready."
Pirtle, tight ends picking up slack in passing game
With several injuries to key wide receivers through the first three games of the season, the Mean Green have had to find production elsewhere in the passing game, and a lot of that slack has been picked up by the tight ends, led by senior Jason Pirtle.
Pirtle, who was high school teammates with former UNT quarterback Mason Fine at Locust Grove (Okla.) has been in the program for several years now and has made the most of his transition from wide receiver to tight end/H-back.
"He's been here since I've been here," Littrell said. "He's been here forever. He's a stud. He's a great teammate and he works hard. He's very well respected and he's made plays and is consistent with what he does. He's put on weight to be more of an H-back type guy and he does a good job in that role. He's really smart, and he understands football."
He's also taken freshman tight end Jake Roberts under his wing and helped the Mean Green form a strong duo at the position.
Roberts set career highs for catches and yards in the Mean Green's Week 2 loss to SMU and has six catches for 45 yards through three games.
"They do a great job," Ruder said. "Pirtle's played a lot of games here and he is a guy with a lot of history and wisdom and knowing what's going on defensively. Jake is a younger guy and always has room for growth, but he's a bug guy with good hands. I'm excited for his future here."
The Mean Green (1-2, 0-1 C-USA) are looking to bounce back from a home loss to UAB on Saturday and will face a Bulldogs team coming off consecutive heartbreaking losses, including Saturday's loss to SMU on a Hail Mary with no time remaining.
"That's a dang good football team," Littrell said. "Skip (Holtz) does an excellent job. That's why they're always in it. They're consistent in all three phases and they're really explosive offensively with great skill weapons and a good mobile quarterback who throws the ball great. Defensively, they're always gonna have big athletic guys up front who can rush the passer and they've always been good on the back end with guys in the NFL at corner and safety. They can be athletic up front and play you in man. They're very competitive all the way around."
"They've had some really, really tough losses that could've gone either way. They could just as easily be 3-0. They're a great football team and we have to make sure we have a great week of preparation."
With several playmakers at the skill positions capable of hitting explosive plays at any time, sophomore linebacker Kevin Wood said it is crucial that each player on defense focuses on doing his job within the scheme of first-year defensive coordinator Phil Bennett.
"They are explosive," Wood said. "It all comes down to us doing our job. Our scheme can stop anything anyone throws at us. As long as we do what we're taught to do, we should be fine."
Torrey looking to continue ascent on all-time lists
Senior running back DeAndre Torrey is quickly climbing up the lists for several all-time program records.
The do-it-all back is seventh in the nation in all-purpose yards per game with 162.3 and had a career-best 320 all-purpose yards in the season-opening win over Northwestern State.
Torrey currently needs just eight rushing yards to move into sixth place all-time on the program's career rushing list ahead of Kevin Galbreath (2001-02), one rushing touchdown to move into a tie for fifth on the career list with Jamario Thomas (2004-07) and 173 all-purpose yards to move past Jeffery Wilson (2014-17) into fourth on the all-time list.
Young players gaining valuable experience
In the wake of some injuries, specifically to the wide receiver and running back groups, several young players are being asked to step up before when might have been the original plan.
Wide receivers Detraveon Brown and Khatib Lyles each made their first collegiate catches on Saturday against UAB, and other young, inexperienced receivers like Damon Ward and Zhighlil McMillan are seeing game action, as well. Freshman running backs Ikaika Ragsdale and Isaiah Johnson are the team's second and third leading rushers, respectively, behind Torrey.
"It's always tough when good players are out but it's a next-man-up mentality so if one guy goes down or isn't playing well, get the other guy in and let them take advantage of that opportunity," sophomore quarterback Jace Ruder said. "They haven't played a lot of college football yet but getting thrown in fire is an opportunity for them so you have to be able to step up and they've done a great job of that and of taking advantage of this good opportunity for them to grow."
Freshman guard Gabe Blair also made his first collegiate start on Saturday – a bit of rarity for a freshman on the offensive line. The Denton Guyer product had several offers last year before signing with the Mean Green, including ones from USC, Virginia Tech and Colorado. He's already made a name for himself in the strength program with some strong weight room numbers not typical of freshmen.
"He's done a good job," Littrell said. "He's a physical kid and he's tough and smart. He loves ball. He'll continue to grow and improve each day. It (starting) wasn't too big for him. He wasn't nervous. That's his personality, so you love that about him."
Littrell said every recruit is built differently, but it isn't common for a freshman, especially in the trenches, to step into the program ready to contribute at the college level.
"It obviously doesn't happen often," Littrell said. "Sometimes you don't want it to. You want guys to develop and get bigger and stronger but he's a big strong kid and a weight room guy and extremely strong and explosive. He's powerful. When guys are ready, guys are ready. Everyone is a little different. Sometimes guys come in and they're more developed and sometimes the speed of the game is slower for some than others. Some guys are just ready."
Pirtle, tight ends picking up slack in passing game
With several injuries to key wide receivers through the first three games of the season, the Mean Green have had to find production elsewhere in the passing game, and a lot of that slack has been picked up by the tight ends, led by senior Jason Pirtle.
Pirtle, who was high school teammates with former UNT quarterback Mason Fine at Locust Grove (Okla.) has been in the program for several years now and has made the most of his transition from wide receiver to tight end/H-back.
"He's been here since I've been here," Littrell said. "He's been here forever. He's a stud. He's a great teammate and he works hard. He's very well respected and he's made plays and is consistent with what he does. He's put on weight to be more of an H-back type guy and he does a good job in that role. He's really smart, and he understands football."
He's also taken freshman tight end Jake Roberts under his wing and helped the Mean Green form a strong duo at the position.
Roberts set career highs for catches and yards in the Mean Green's Week 2 loss to SMU and has six catches for 45 yards through three games.
"They do a great job," Ruder said. "Pirtle's played a lot of games here and he is a guy with a lot of history and wisdom and knowing what's going on defensively. Jake is a younger guy and always has room for growth, but he's a bug guy with good hands. I'm excited for his future here."
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
TE
/ Football
RB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
QB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballSaturday, April 18
Wednesday, April 15
Wednesday, April 08
Wednesday, April 01