2017 North Texas Mean Green football team

2017 North Texas Mean Green football
C-USA West Division champion
New Orleans Bowl, L 30–50 vs. Troy
ConferenceConference USA
DivisionWest Division
Record9–5 (7–1 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGraham Harrell (2nd season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorTroy Reffett (2nd season)
Base defense3–3–5
Home stadiumApogee Stadium
Seasons
← 2016
2018 →
2017 Conference USA football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Florida Atlantic x$   8 0     11 3  
FIU   5 3     8 5  
Marshall   4 4     8 5  
Western Kentucky   4 4     6 7  
Middle Tennessee   4 4     7 6  
Old Dominion   3 5     5 7  
Charlotte   1 7     1 11  
West Division
North Texas x   7 1     9 5  
UAB   6 2     8 5  
Southern Miss   6 2     8 5  
Louisiana Tech   4 4     7 6  
UTSA   3 5     6 5  
Rice   1 7     1 11  
UTEP   0 8     0 12  
Championship: Florida Atlantic 41, North Texas 17
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2017 North Texas Mean Green football team represented University of North Texas in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mean Green played their home games at the Apogee Stadium in Denton, Texas, as members of the West Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They were led by second-year head coach Seth Littrell. The Mean Green finished the season 9–5, 7–1 in C-USA play to win the West Division. They lost the C-USA Championship Game to Florida Atlantic. They received an invite to the New Orleans Bowl where they lost to Troy.

Recruiting

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Position key

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Back B Center C Cornerback CB Defensive back DB
Defensive end DE Defensive lineman DL Defensive tackle DT End E
Fullback FB Guard G Halfback HB Kicker K
Kickoff returner KR Offensive tackle OT Offensive lineman OL Linebacker LB
Long snapper LS Punter P Punt returner PR Quarterback QB
Running back RB Safety S Tight end TE Wide receiver WR

2017 Commitments

[edit]

The Mean Green signed a total of 19 recruits.

Schedule

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North Texas announced its 2017 football schedule on January 26, 2017. The 2017 schedule consists of 6 home and away games in the regular season. The Mean Green will host CUSA foes Old Dominion, UAB, UTEP, and UTSA, and will travel to Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech, Rice, and Southern Miss.[1]

The Mean Green will host two of the four non-conference opponents, Army, which is independent from any conference, and Lamar from the Southland Conference and travel to Iowa from the Big Ten Conference and SMU from the American Athletic Conference.

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 26:00 p.m.Lamar*ESPN3W 59–1419,592
September 96:00 p.m.at SMU*ESPN3L 32–5424,638
September 162:30 p.m.at Iowa*ESPN2L 14–3165,668
September 235:30 p.m.UAB
  • Apogee Stadium
  • Denton, TX
beINW 46–4320,142
September 306:00 p.m.at Southern MissCUSA.TVW 43–2821,907
October 145:30 p.m.UTSA
  • Apogee Stadium
  • Denton, TX
ESPN3W 29–2623,068
October 214:00 p.m.at Florida AtlanticESPN3L 31–6913,277
October 285:30 p.m.Old Dominion
  • Apogee Stadium
  • Denton, TX
ESPN3W 45–3818,872
November 42:30 p.m.at Louisiana TechStadiumW 24–2318,504
November 114:00 p.m.UTEPdagger
  • Apogee Stadium
  • Denton, TX
ESPN3W 45–1026,108
November 185:30 p.m.Army*
  • Apogee Stadium
  • Denton, TX
beINW 52–4926,392
November 2512:00 p.m.at RiceESPN3W 30–1417,956
December 211:00 a.m.at Florida Atlantic
ESPN2L 17–4114,258
December 1612:00 p.m.vs. Troy*ESPNL 30–5024,904
Schedule Source:[2]

Game summaries

[edit]

Lamar

[edit]
Lamar Cardinals at North Texas Mean Green
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cardinals 7 7 0014
Mean Green 17 21 14759

at Apogee StadiumDenton, TX

  • Date: September 2
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game attendance: 19,592
  • Referee: Justin Elliot
  • TV: ESPN3
  • Source: [1]
Game information

At SMU

[edit]
North Texas Mean Green at SMU Mustangs (37th Safeway Bowl)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Mean Green 10 0 71532
Mustangs 10 14 161454

at Gerald J. Ford StadiumDallas, TX

  • Date: September 9
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 85 °F (29 °C) • Wind: NE 9 MPH • Weather: sunny
  • Game attendance: 24,638
  • Referee: Steve LaMantia
  • TV: ESPN3
  • Source: [2]
Game information
The 2017 North Texas football team taking the field before the game against SMU

At Iowa

[edit]
North Texas Mean Green at Iowa Hawkeyes
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Mean Green 7 7 0014
Hawkeyes 7 3 71431

at Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA

  • Date: September 16
  • Game time: 2:35 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 88 °F (31 °C) • Wind: S 10 MPH • Weather: partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 65,668
  • Referee: Jeff Servinski
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Anish Shroff, Ahmad Brooks and Roddy Jones
  • Source: [3]
Game information

UAB

[edit]
UAB Blazers at North Texas Mean Green
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Blazers 7 7 151443
Mean Green 10 20 7946

at Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX

  • Date: September 23
  • Game time: 5:30 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 91 °F (33 °C) • Wind: SE 12 MPH • Weather: partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 20,142
  • Referee: Javarro Edwards
  • TV: beIN
  • Sources: [4]
Game information

The win over UAB is the 500th overall victory in program history for the Mean Green.[3]

At Southern Miss

[edit]
North Texas Mean Green at Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Mean Green 7 10 161043
Golden Eagles 14 7 7028

at M. M. Roberts StadiumHattiesburg, MS

  • Date: September 30
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 85 °F (29 °C) • Wind: NNE 4 MPH • Weather: sunny, 59% humidity
  • Game attendance: 21,907
  • Referee: Steve LaMantia
  • TV: CUSA.TV
  • Source: [5]
Game information

UTSA

[edit]
UTSA Roadrunners at North Texas Mean Green
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Roadrunners 7 10 3626
Mean Green 16 0 01329

at Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX

  • Date: October 14
  • Game time: 5:30 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 89 °F (32 °C) • Wind: S 16 MPH • Weather: sunny
  • Game attendance: 23,068
  • Referee: Justin Elliot
  • TV: ESPN3
  • Sources: [6]
Game information

At Florida Atlantic

[edit]
North Texas Mean Green at Florida Atlantic Owls
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Mean Green 0 7 101431
Owls 24 17 21769

at FAU StadiumBoca Raton, Florida

  • Date: October 21
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 86 °F (30 °C) • Wind: ESE 10 MPH • Weather: partly cloudy, 76% humidity
  • Game attendance: 13,277
  • Referee: Jon Noli
  • TV: ESPN3
  • Source: [7]
Game information

Old Dominion

[edit]
Old Dominion Monarchs at North Texas Mean Green
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Monarchs 10 13 15038
Mean Green 14 21 01045

at Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX

  • Date: October 28
  • Game time: 5:30 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 59 °F (15 °C) • Wind: SSW 10 MPH • Weather: sunny
  • Game attendance: 18,872
  • Referee: Steve LaMantia
  • TV: ESPN3
  • Source: [8]
Game information

At Louisiana Tech

[edit]
North Texas Mean Green at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Mean Green 7 3 7724
Bulldogs 3 14 3323

at Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA

  • Date: November 4
  • Game time: 2:30 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Temperature: 81 °F (27 °C) • Wind: S 10 MPH • Weather: partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 18,504
  • Referee: Rodney Burnette
  • TV: STADIUM
  • Source: [9]
Game information

UTEP

[edit]
UTEP Miners at North Texas Mean Green (Homecoming 2017)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Miners 7 0 3010
Mean Green 7 7 141745

at Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX

  • Date: November 11
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 26,108
  • Referee: Justin Elliot
  • TV: ESPN3
  • Source: [10]
Game information

With the victory, the Mean Green won the C-USA West division and will play in the conference championship game.[4]

Army

[edit]
Army Black Knights at North Texas Mean Green
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Black Knights 7 13 82149
Mean Green 14 14 71752

at Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX

  • Date: November 18
  • Game time: 5:30 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Temperature: 57 °F (14 °C) • Wind: N 18 MPH • Weather: partly cloudy
  • Game attendance: 26,392
  • Referee: Rodney Burnette
  • TV: beIN
  • Source: [11]
Game information

The Mean Green outlasted the Black Knights with a 52–49 victory, with Trevor Moore kicking a game winning 39-yard field goal for North Texas. With the win, the Mean Green finished the 2017 season with a home record of 6–0, their first undefeated record at home since the 2003 season.[5] Army only completed one pass during the entire game, with Ahmad Bradshaw throwing a 27-yard pass to John Trainor in the 3rd quarter.

At Rice

[edit]
North Texas Mean Green at Rice Owls
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Mean Green 7 17 3330
Owls 7 7 0014

at Rice StadiumHouston, TX

  • Date: November 25
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Temperature: 77 °F (25 °C) • Wind: S 6 MPH • Weather: humidity 56%
  • Game attendance: 17,956
  • Referee: Jonathan Noli
  • TV: ESPN3
  • Source: [12]
Game information

At Florida Atlantic – C-USA Championship Game

[edit]
North Texas Mean Green at Florida Atlantic Owls (2017 C-USA Championship Game)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Mean Green 0 0 9817
Owls 10 17 7741

at FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, Florida

  • Date: December 2
  • Game time: 11:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 14,258
  • TV: ESPN2
Game information

Troy – New Orleans Bowl

[edit]
Troy Trojans vs North Texas Mean Green (2017 New Orleans Bowl)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Trojans 15 7 21750
Mean Green 7 13 3730

at Mercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA

  • Date: December 16
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (domed stadium)
  • Game attendance: 24,904
  • Referee: David Alvarez
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Jason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer and Kris Budden
Game information

Awards

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  • 2017 C-USA Football Coaches Preseason Award: Defense Nate Brooks Jr. and Kishawn McClain, Sr.[6]

Coaching changes

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Players moving to NFL

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  • The following players signed as free agents following the 2017 NFL Draft
Name NFL Team Position
Jeff Wilson San Francisco 49ers Running back
Kishawn McClain Oakland Raiders Safety
Trevor Moore Tampa Bay Buccaneers Kicker

References

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  1. ^ "North Texas Releases 2017 Football Schedule" (Press release). University of North Texas Department of Athletics. January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  2. ^ "2017 North Texas Mean Green Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  3. ^ Vito, Brett (September 23, 2017). "Football: Moore, UNT come up big on special teams, beat UAB". Denton Record-Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 25, 2017. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  4. ^ "Fine tosses 4 TDs, North Texas cruises past UTEP 45-10". The Washington Post. November 11, 2017. Archived from the original on November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  5. ^ "North Texas Edges Army In Thriller, 52-49". University of North Texas Athletics. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  6. ^ "Conference USA FB: 2017 Preseason Awards coach". Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  7. ^ Ekeler, Mike (February 24, 2017). "UNC hires North Texas' Mike Ekeler as linebackers coach". Eleven Warriors. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  8. ^ Davis, Brad (January 21, 2017). "OL coach Brad Davis has left for Florida". Retrieved January 21, 2017.