The difference between the North Texas offense and defense is almost laughable. While the defense is at the bottom of the conference in most metrics, the offense looks like this:
The Mean Green have more passing and rushing yards per game than any other team in the conference. And it isn't even close.
So because North Texas has excelled at both the run and the pass, let's look at what those two things have in common. And first there's QB Jason Bean:
Although Bean has far fewer snaps than most of the quarterbacks on this list, the redshirt sophomore leads conference QBs in both yards per pass and rush attempt.
But Bean was only really involved in North Texas's most recent game against Middle Tennesse. Austin Aune held the reins for the first four games. And while not as initially impressive as Bean, Aune was solid before his first-quarter two-interception collapse in Murfreesboro.
And outside of the QB position, we also can't forget the Mean Green RB Deandre Torrey:
In fact, including Oscar Adaway III (who only has 25 attempts), the Mean Green have three running backs that are averaging more yards per carry than any Bulldog RB. But while Justin Henderson and Israel Tucker have run behind an offensive line that has often struggled in 2020, the Mean Green cannot be more grateful for theirs.
First, let's talk about run blocking. To rank offensive lines, we'll use a stat called Line Yards.
The goal of Line Yards is to establish how many yards of each rush the offensive line is responsible for. For college, the Line Yards stat gives the offensive line credit for the first three yards of a rush, plus 50% of the yards 4-8.
So for a 2-yard rush, the offensive line gets all of the credit. But if a run goes for 12 yards, the line gets credit for 5.5 yards and the rusher gets credit for the other 6.5.
This stat takes a lot of assumptions, but it is the best way to judge a complicated position. And if we take the stat as gospel, UNT's run blocking has been superb:
On an average rush in 2020, the offensive line is creating just over 3 yards of space for the running back. That's 17th best in the country.
Another good run blocking stat to look at is Stuff Rate, or what percentage of rushes are stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage:
So while North Texas may not have the best run-blocking unit Tech will face this year (FIU does), the Mean Green can do something FIU can't: pass block.
Like we've seen watching Tech football this year, Aaron Allen and Luke Anthony have been pulled down in the backfield a lot. But just be thankful we aren't the Golden Panthers.
The Mean Green's offensive line success is a bit unexpected though. North Texas lost four linemen with starting experience in 2019 to graduation, including Elex Woodward, who started 45 of the possible 48 games. Only last year's everyday RG and RT returned for 2020.
But the Mean Green have found a way to make it work. Granted, North Texas has yet to really face a solid defensive front seven (although Tech doesn't really count as one either):
But with Milton Williams's emergence late in the UAB game, the team captain might be the spark plug the Bulldogs need to be the first to puncture the potent offensive line.
And if Tech can figure out the UNT offensive line, the whole Mean Green offense looks a lot less scary.
--
Nathan is also a contributor to gtpdd.dog, a lighthearted Louisiana Tech blog. Be sure to check out @gotechplsdntdie on Twitter.
