(WR Landon Sides – Denton Record-Chronicle)
Key Players Returning:
WR Landon Sides, WR Damone Ward Jr., OC Jett Duncan, OG Gabe Blair, NT Roderick Brown, LB Jordan Brown, LB Ethan Wesloski, CB Ridge Texada, and PT Sawyer Evans.
Key Players Departing:
QB Chandler Rogers, RB Oscar Adaway III, RB Ayo Adeyi, WR/PR Roderic Burns, WR Ja’Mori Maclin, OC Ethan Miner, OG Febechi Nwaiwu, OT Kaci Moreka, DE Kadren Johnson, DE Mazin Richards, LB Carson Kropp, LB Kevin Wood, NB Patrick Smith, BS Phil Hill, FS Logan Wilson, KR Kaylon Horton, and PK Noah Rauschenberg.
(QB Chandler Morris – TCU Athletics)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: QB Chandler Morris (TCU transfer), ATH Jaydon Smith (Ingleside, Texas), DS Isheem Young (Ole Miss transfer), RB Tre Bradford (LSU transfer), CB Jayden Hill (Ohio Dominican transfer), RB Zach Evans (Minnesota transfer), DS Jaden Pettway (Angleton, Texas), CB Gabe Stroud (Whitehouse, Texas), and RB Juwaun Price (Syracuse transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 CALIFORNIA L 21-58
G02 @ FIU L 39-46
G03 @ Louisiana Tech W 40-37
G04 ABILENE CHRISTIAN W 45-31
G05 @ Navy L 24-27
G06 TEMPLE W 45-14
G07 @ #23 Tulane L 28-35
G08 MEMPHIS L 42-45
G09 UTSA L 29-37
G10 @ SMU 21-45
G11 @ Tulsa W 35-28
G12 UAB W 45-42
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 5-7 (8th in AAC)
Home: 3-3
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
AAC: 3-5
Non-CUSA: 2-2
Head Coach: Eric Morris
North Texas: 5-7
Career: 5-7
Bowls: 0-0
(LB Jordan Brown – Denton Record-Chronicle)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: None
Rushing: Ikaika Ragsdale (9 car., 34 yards, 3.8 avg., 0 TD)
Receiving: Damon Ward (39 rec., 487 yards, 12.5 avg., 5 TD)
TD’s Scored: Damon Ward (5)
Sacks: Jordan Brown (3.5)
Tackles: Jordan Brown (83)
Interceptions: Evan Jackson/Jaylen Smith/Ridge Texada (1)
Pass Deflections: Ridge Texada (7)
Tackles For Loss: Ethan Wesloski (7.5)
Forced Fumbles: Jaylen Smith/Ethan Wesloski (1)
Kick Returns: Damon Ward (1 ret., 21 yards, 21.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Landon Sides (2 ret., 3 yards, 1.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Sawyer Evans (30 punts, 1300 yards, 43.3 avg., 0 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 4 Chandler Morris (RS JR/TR)
RB: 6 Ikaika Ragsdale (RS JR)
WR: 11 Jeremiah Aaron (JR/TR)
WR: 8 Damon Ward (RS SR)
WR: 0 Blair Conwright (RS SR/TR)
WR: 22 Landon Smith (SO)
LT: 58 Ma’Kyi Lee (RS JR/TR)
LG: 65 Gabe Blair (SR)
OC: 64 Jett Duncan (SR)
RG: 72 Landon Peterson (RS SR/TR)
RT: 74 Larry Moore (RS SR/TR)
KR: 8 Damon Ward Jr. (RS SR)
PK: 29 Blake Ford (RS SO/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 90 Jake Shipley (SR/TR)
NT: 10 Roderick Brown (SR)
DE: 15 Fatafehi Vallea II (RS JR)
LB: 32 Ethan Weslowski (RS SO)
LB: 19 Jordan Brown (SR)
LB: 36 Jaylen Smith (SR)
NB: 1 Isheem Young (RS SR/TR)
CB: 5 Ridge Texada (SR/TR)
CB: 23 X’Avion Brice (RS SO/TR)
FS: 21 Jayden Hill (SR/TR)
SS: 30 BJ Allen Jr. (SO/TR)
PR: 10 DT Sheffield (RS JR/TR)
PT: 41 Sawyer Evans (SR/TR)
(WR Damon Ward – Lorenzo Robles Photo)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 @ South Alabama Jaguars | North Texas won (24-14) the only prior meeting between schools in 2012.
09/07 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN LUMBERJACKS | First meeting between schools.
09/14 @ Texas Tech Red Raiders | North Texas lost (14-42) the only prior meeting between schools in 2001.
09/21 WYOMING COWBOYS | First meeting between schools.
09/28 TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE | North Texas trails the series 2-4. Last season’s 35-28 win was the first meeting between schools since 2013.
10/12 @ FAU Owls | North Texas trails the series 6-8. The Mean Green won (45-28) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/19 @ Memphis Tigers | North Texas trails the series 0-2. The Mean Green lost (42-45) last season’s meeting between schools, and they lost (34-44) the inaugural meeting in 2022.
10/26 TULANE GREEN WAVE | North Texas trails the series 0-2. The Mean Green lost (28-35) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series loss (21-24) was in 2013.
11/09 ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS | North Texas trails the series 2-3. The Mean Green won (52-49) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
11/15 @ UTSA Roadrunners | North Texas trails the series 5-7. The Mean Green are 5-6 since 2014, and their last series win (45-23) was in 2021.
11/23 EAST CAROLINA PIRATES | First meeting between schools.
11/30 @ Temple Owls | Last season’s 45-14 win was the first meeting between schools.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
AAC: 2-6
Non-AAC: 2-2
Overall: 4-8 (13th in AAC)
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