University of North Texas Athletics
Saturday, September 2
Denton, Texas
3 PM CT
University of North Texas
vs
California
Mean Green Set For Morris Debut Against Cal
8/29/2023 1:03:00 PM | Football
DENTON – The UNT football team will open the 2023 season and the Eric Morris era on Saturday, as it hosts California at DATCU Stadium with a 3 p.m. kickoff. The game can be seen on ESPNU with the radio broadcast set for 97.1 The Freak/The Varsity Network.
Morris and selected players spoke to the media on Tuesday and discussed, among other things, going through an offseason full of changes, first-game jitters and new starting quarterback Stone Earle's progression since the spring.
Winds of change
It's been an offseason of change in Denton.
From newly named DATCU Stadium, to UNT officially becoming a member of The American on July 1, to a first offseason under new head coach Eric Morris and his staff and a new strength and conditioning staff, change has been the theme for the Mean Green since Morris was named head coach back in December.
"Football's football, no matter what conference you're in," Morris said. "If we were playing Alabama this week, it's still the same. We have to line up and put our players in the best position to be successful. We tried to go through a mock game week last week so they understand how we prepare for a game. We had a mock game day on Saturday and did our pregame and meeting times and all that stuff. We worked through it and now there will be some familiarity when Saturday comes."
Senior wide receiver Roderic Burns, who is one of the more experienced players on the roster and moved into the top 20 in program history in both receptions and receiving yards last season said the changes have been positive ones.
"With the new coaches coming in, we've all jelled together and have an understanding of what's going and can now go execute to the best of our ability. The strength and conditioning coach came in and did a good job and pushing us the right way. They've prepared us to do our best. Everyone is excited and locked in, and we can't wait to get there Saturday and go handle business."
Shake the jitters
Any time a team is set to play its first game of the season, there is bound to be nervous energy running rampant along the sideline and in the locker room. That could be ramped up with a new coaching staff, several new faces on the team and even moreso with a Power-5 opponent coming to town to start the season.
Morris said he preaches the fact his team, and ones around the nation, only get 12 chances to do what they'll do on Saturday, and in that regard, they're all the same, no matter the opponent.
"I'm not a guy that tries to build up that we're playing a Power-5 school," he said. "I want our guys to be focused on the details and for them to go execute. We don't get many opportunities to do this. We get 12 a year. I told the guys last week we're practicing around the clock for 12 opportunities. It has the potential to be the most chaotic (game) with so many new pieces and there's a bunch of unknowns. We just have to worry about what we do good and not focus on what they're gonna do to us because we don't know, really. We have to trust our training and trust our eyes and our schemes and go execute at a high level.
"There's good jitters. Everything starts tightening up a little bit and you want to put in the work and be at ease on what you did throughout the week to prepare those guys. Stressful days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and Friday you want a free feeling about you, and the kids need to vibe off me and my personality and knowing we can do this."
For some, there will be chaos, but for a seasoned veteran like Burns, he said it's just another game and he'll be trying to keep everyone else as calm as he is heading into Saturday.
"I've been doing this for a minute now," he said. "I'm just ready to go out with the guys and make sure the guys are calm and it comes down to us making routine plays and doing what we do on the practice field."
Others, like senior defensive lineman Mazin Richards, are just ready to face off against someone other than their teammates.
"We're really excited," Richards said. "It was a long fall camp. We've been seeing each other every day for 12 hours a day, running and hitting each other. We're excited to line up against someone with a different color jersey."
Earned his shot
As a transfer last season, junior quarterback Stone Earle earned spot duty under center, mostly in goal-line running situations, when he racked up 110 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown, while throwing for 45 yards and a score on 5-of-8 passing.
After a strong spring and a much stronger fall camp, Earle has been named the starting quarterback, while fellow junior Chandler Rogers will also see playing time.
"I've been patient and I'm excited for this opportunity," Earle said. "There's some tough times being on scout team, and I just kept grinding and knew one day I'd get this shot. I have a chance now to give my first impression here at UNT. I'm obviously super excited. Nothing really other than that. I know I have to operate and show I can move the ball. And you have to produce. We have a great QB room and they're great guys to be around, and I'm glad we were able to push each other."
In Morris' Air Raid offense, Earle expects to be putting the ball in the air much more often than he did when he saw the field last year, and Morris said his junior quarterback put in a lot of work in the offseason to improve as a passer and get to this point.
"He's worked on his mechanics and knew he had to get the ball out quicker at times," Morris said. "He has an extremely strong arm and didn't understand when to use touch sometimes. Credit to him, he was willing to put in the work. He would come in here and meet with (quarterbacks coach Sean) Brophy and ask questions and go out and put in the work, and the strength staff did a phenomenal job with him. His body changed and he thinned out some. I don't want him to be a primary runner for us. I want him to use his legs to extend some plays but use his brain and his arm more than his legs.
"He's a smart kid who loves the game and studies and has great leadership. He has all you want in a quarterback. He was voted a team captain this week, which is 100% voted on by players, so it shows what the guys think of him."
Earle praised the depth of the team's wide receiver room, and one of the best of that bunch, Burns, said he was never surprised to see Earle succeed and eventually be given the nod as the team's starter under center.
"His biggest improvement with ball placement and going through his reads and controlling the offense," Burns said. "He'll put it in there in a tight space if he needs to, but now if he needs touch, he's doing that too. He really separated and excelled there.
"He's a very hard worker even when he wasn't QB1, and he's worked very hard. It paid off. He's translating it to the field now and can also run. I think that's why he won the job and why he'll get it done."
Morris and selected players spoke to the media on Tuesday and discussed, among other things, going through an offseason full of changes, first-game jitters and new starting quarterback Stone Earle's progression since the spring.
Winds of change
It's been an offseason of change in Denton.
From newly named DATCU Stadium, to UNT officially becoming a member of The American on July 1, to a first offseason under new head coach Eric Morris and his staff and a new strength and conditioning staff, change has been the theme for the Mean Green since Morris was named head coach back in December.
"Football's football, no matter what conference you're in," Morris said. "If we were playing Alabama this week, it's still the same. We have to line up and put our players in the best position to be successful. We tried to go through a mock game week last week so they understand how we prepare for a game. We had a mock game day on Saturday and did our pregame and meeting times and all that stuff. We worked through it and now there will be some familiarity when Saturday comes."
Senior wide receiver Roderic Burns, who is one of the more experienced players on the roster and moved into the top 20 in program history in both receptions and receiving yards last season said the changes have been positive ones.
"With the new coaches coming in, we've all jelled together and have an understanding of what's going and can now go execute to the best of our ability. The strength and conditioning coach came in and did a good job and pushing us the right way. They've prepared us to do our best. Everyone is excited and locked in, and we can't wait to get there Saturday and go handle business."
Shake the jitters
Any time a team is set to play its first game of the season, there is bound to be nervous energy running rampant along the sideline and in the locker room. That could be ramped up with a new coaching staff, several new faces on the team and even moreso with a Power-5 opponent coming to town to start the season.
Morris said he preaches the fact his team, and ones around the nation, only get 12 chances to do what they'll do on Saturday, and in that regard, they're all the same, no matter the opponent.
"I'm not a guy that tries to build up that we're playing a Power-5 school," he said. "I want our guys to be focused on the details and for them to go execute. We don't get many opportunities to do this. We get 12 a year. I told the guys last week we're practicing around the clock for 12 opportunities. It has the potential to be the most chaotic (game) with so many new pieces and there's a bunch of unknowns. We just have to worry about what we do good and not focus on what they're gonna do to us because we don't know, really. We have to trust our training and trust our eyes and our schemes and go execute at a high level.
"There's good jitters. Everything starts tightening up a little bit and you want to put in the work and be at ease on what you did throughout the week to prepare those guys. Stressful days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and Friday you want a free feeling about you, and the kids need to vibe off me and my personality and knowing we can do this."
For some, there will be chaos, but for a seasoned veteran like Burns, he said it's just another game and he'll be trying to keep everyone else as calm as he is heading into Saturday.
"I've been doing this for a minute now," he said. "I'm just ready to go out with the guys and make sure the guys are calm and it comes down to us making routine plays and doing what we do on the practice field."
Others, like senior defensive lineman Mazin Richards, are just ready to face off against someone other than their teammates.
"We're really excited," Richards said. "It was a long fall camp. We've been seeing each other every day for 12 hours a day, running and hitting each other. We're excited to line up against someone with a different color jersey."
Earned his shot
As a transfer last season, junior quarterback Stone Earle earned spot duty under center, mostly in goal-line running situations, when he racked up 110 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown, while throwing for 45 yards and a score on 5-of-8 passing.
After a strong spring and a much stronger fall camp, Earle has been named the starting quarterback, while fellow junior Chandler Rogers will also see playing time.
"I've been patient and I'm excited for this opportunity," Earle said. "There's some tough times being on scout team, and I just kept grinding and knew one day I'd get this shot. I have a chance now to give my first impression here at UNT. I'm obviously super excited. Nothing really other than that. I know I have to operate and show I can move the ball. And you have to produce. We have a great QB room and they're great guys to be around, and I'm glad we were able to push each other."
In Morris' Air Raid offense, Earle expects to be putting the ball in the air much more often than he did when he saw the field last year, and Morris said his junior quarterback put in a lot of work in the offseason to improve as a passer and get to this point.
"He's worked on his mechanics and knew he had to get the ball out quicker at times," Morris said. "He has an extremely strong arm and didn't understand when to use touch sometimes. Credit to him, he was willing to put in the work. He would come in here and meet with (quarterbacks coach Sean) Brophy and ask questions and go out and put in the work, and the strength staff did a phenomenal job with him. His body changed and he thinned out some. I don't want him to be a primary runner for us. I want him to use his legs to extend some plays but use his brain and his arm more than his legs.
"He's a smart kid who loves the game and studies and has great leadership. He has all you want in a quarterback. He was voted a team captain this week, which is 100% voted on by players, so it shows what the guys think of him."
Earle praised the depth of the team's wide receiver room, and one of the best of that bunch, Burns, said he was never surprised to see Earle succeed and eventually be given the nod as the team's starter under center.
"His biggest improvement with ball placement and going through his reads and controlling the offense," Burns said. "He'll put it in there in a tight space if he needs to, but now if he needs touch, he's doing that too. He really separated and excelled there.
"He's a very hard worker even when he wasn't QB1, and he's worked very hard. It paid off. He's translating it to the field now and can also run. I think that's why he won the job and why he'll get it done."
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