just posting an article from this morning i came across, good luck tonight BBC and the rest of the bowl season.
=========
Posted on Tue, Dec. 17, 2002
Bourbon Street blues not for UNT
By Chad Conine
Special to the Star-Telegram
NEW ORLEANS - The right words roll off the tongue like holiday greetings.
North Texas isn't the only football team that seemingly has a script of all the right things to say, things players and coaches pull out at the right time. But the Mean Green might have been the most genuine in preparation for tonight's New Orleans Bowl.
They remember being wide-eyed participants in the 2001 New Orleans Bowl, when there was laughter at their 5-6 record. The UNT contingent apparently found comfort in all that Bourbon Street has to offer, and then the Mean Green was soundly defeated by Colorado State 45-20.
"Last year we were happy to be here," UNT running back Kevin Galbreath said. "This year we're happy to be here, and we've come down here for one reason -- to win."
Galbreath has it down. Tip the hat to the host city and chase the compliment with the team's creed to go after victory.
But how much good will all the "we're more focused" talk do when UNT (7-5) faces Cincinnati (7-6) in the Louisiana Superdome? Kickoff is set for 6:05.
There's evidence to suggest that the Mean Green has a better chance to win this time, regardless of how the players say they're approaching the game.
For one thing, no matter what happens against the Bearcats, UNT has clinched its first winning season since a 7-4-1 record in 1994. Also, the clich? that defense wins championships has proved itself -- the Mean Green notched its second consecutive Sun Belt title by dominating the conference's defensive statistics.
Now UNT has to figure out how to translate all its positive energy into more positives on the field.
"The main thing is to move camp from North Texas to New Orleans," linebacker Taylor Casey said. "We have to remember that this is game week. It's nothing different. When we go on the practice field, it's just like we're back in Denton."
Casey has been among many UNT players and coaches who have said that the atmosphere in the team's New Orleans practices improved. He said the defense was flying around in workouts, whereas last year was "like a walk-through."
But what matters more? How the Mean Green functions for two hours during practice or what the players do when Bourbon Street calls in the later hours? The consensus among them is that they've done little more than make brief appearances in the French Quarter's hot spots.
"I haven't been to Bourbon Street once," cornerback Don McGee said. "Most of the people have been staying in the hotel. If they do go, they're back way before it's time to be."
Wide receiver George Marshall said he hasn't been to Bourbon Street either, and doesn't plan to until after the game. That's not a team rule, but the Mean Green has an agreement that whatever happens the night before, it can't have an effect when the pads go on.
"We had to promise [coach Darrell Dickey] that once we got to practice, we've got to come out and work no matter how we're feeling," Marshall said. "Some people are trashed, but you can't let your body language show it."
The sick feeling UNT experienced in the wake of the Colorado State loss a year ago serves as a sobering reminder. Changing the result of the trip to the Crescent City is really what all the talk has been about.
"We felt real bad coming back on the bus on the way home last year," Galbreath said. "We don't want to have that feeling again. We want to come back with a winning feeling."
----
North Texas update: Defense has been UNT's trademark since it held Texas scoreless in the second half of the season opener. The Mean Green defense has a total of 26 scoreless quarters, including three shutouts.
Because it scores only 18.8 points per game, the UNT offense at first glance would appear to be the team's weakness. However, the Mean Green has run the ball effective, with Kevin Galbreath and Patrick Cobbs combining for more than 1,900 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. UNT often ran successfully on third-and-long late in the season.
The Mean Green's offense uses the run to set up long passing plays off play action. But inconsistency probably has been UNT's biggest weakness. When starting quarterback Scott Hall was injured in the season opener at Texas, the Mean Green had to begin developing redshirt freshman Andrew Smith. His progress has been slowed by few passing opportunities in a conservative offense.
What UNT must do to win: The defense has to uphold its reputation by limiting the Bearcats, especially early. In the 2001 New Orleans Bowl, Colorado State put the Mean Green in a 17-0 hole eight minutes into the game. The UNT offense has to establish the running game and make a few key plays through the air.
Cincinnati update: The Bearcats battled through a tumultuous first two months,losing five of seven. But they showed resilience in winning five of their final six regular-season games to gain bowl eligibility and grab a share of the Conference USA championship.
Cincinnati's statistical profile suggests that it does a lot of things well. Quarterback Gino Guidugli has passed for more than 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. He has two key targets in wide receivers LaDaris Vann (70 receptions, 844 yards) and Jon Olinger (20.1 yards per catch on 50 receptions). Running back DeMarco McCleskey has 1,276 rushing yards and defensive end Antwan Peek leads the team in total tackles (97), sacks (6) and tackles for losses (21).
Like UNT, the Bearcats struggled in nonconference play, going 1-4 outside Conference USA. Also, Cincinnati has lost at the Louisiana Superdome this season, 35-17 to Tulane on Oct. 12.
What Cincinnati must do to win: Cincinnati needs some quick-strike scores, possibly from Guidugli to Olinger, to put the UNT defense on its heels. The Bearcats' defense has to bottle up Galbreath and Cobbs and dare Smith to make plays.
