College Football Confidential

UNT's Dodge gives spring update

With his second spring practice set for March 6, UNT coach Todd Dodge has much on his mind.

It's a laundry list, starting at center and defensive tackle. On Wednesday, DT Isaac Thomas was released from a Denton hospital after nine days of treatment for a blood clot in his leg that, thankfully, was detected early. In 2002, Texas A&M defensive tackle Brandon Fails died when a similar leg clot traveled to his lungs.

Thomas, UNT's 300-pound bear in the middle of the DL, has not been cleared for physical activity. Dodge said Thursday he'll know more about Thomas' spring status next week. Right now, he's a no-go. Joseph Miller and Jonathan Stewart are the spring first-teamers, with redshirt freshmen Jesse DeSoto and Jordan Scoggins right behind. Moving defensive end Charlie Brown inside is a possibility, Dodge said.

On Thursday, starting center Kelvin Drake will have surgery to "clean out" an injured ankle he played on late last season. UNT first thought Drake could heal with rest by March 6, but that's no longer an option. He can run and cut in early July. "The decision was whether to have him for spring or two-a-days," Dodge said.

Drake's main backup, Chad Rose, will miss spring practice after shoulder surgery. Rose started 12 games at center in 2006. So, redshirt freshman J.J. Johnson will "get a ton of reps," Dodge said. With junior-college transfers Nate Jenkins and Gabe Hollivay not arriving until August, the OL will be more of a look-see deal this spring.

More housecleaning:

--OG/OT Tyler Bailey is up to 295 pounds and could play 2-3 line positions this spring.

--WR Evan Fentriss (knee) will miss the spring. Fentriss, a transfer from Rice who sat out 2007 as per transfer rules, was one of last spring's more exciting players.

--DE Tye Rexrode will forgo his final year of eligibility and not return by his choice, Dodge said.

--Back this spring from 2007 injuries/surgery are LB Colt Mahan and DB Zach Babb.

--Troy Phillips

When pressed, Dodge addressed D

Time wasn't a factor on Saturday (3 p.m. kickoff) when reporters wanted to interview UNT defensive coordinator Ron Mendoza after Navy's 74-62 victory. UNT's defense failed to stop Navy on 11 of 13 drives.

I can't tell what's really going on with Mendoza this season, other than his defense is statistically the worst on several fronts in the Bowl Subdivision despite having nine returning starters and several experienced backups. He's been targeted by the typical message-board venom and has either steered clear of, or been told to avoid, doing interviews this season.

UNT defensive players have sat through more than a few uncomfortable postgame news conferences this season, but not Mendoza. Saturday's postgame with head coach Todd Dodge included these excerpts:

Question: Defensively, you knew Navy was going to run that option over and over. You guys could never really get that stop you needed.
Dodge: No, we didn't, and really, I don't have a whole lot of answers for it until I see the tape. There's a lot of different things that could go wrong.

Question: Does Navy's triple option, which you rarely see, in any way mitigate the defense's performance?
Dodge: We don't want to make excuses, because we expect good things from ourselves. But...credit to Navy and [coach] Paul Johnson  for running the offense he runs when everybody else in America is doing good things with spread offenses. He's one of the very few doing it, and it's very difficult to defend. They are very unique.

Question: Was this a case of missed execution or poor tackling again?
Dodge: You can obviously say we missed some tackles tonight. They had 572 yards rushing. I can't really comment on the performance of our defense from a scheme or tackling standpoint until I see the video. Bottom line is we didn't get it done as a team. That's all I can say about that.

Question: Since you can't comment on it, would it be possible for coach Mendoza to come in here and talk? We're not on deadline.
Dodge: I don't think that would be a good idea. Ya'll can ask me anything about it.

Without anyone asking, Dodge went on to explain how Navy's triple option was able to connect early on last-second pitches from the quarterback to the halfbacks, and how Navy's fullbacks became more of a factor as the game wore on. Also UNT's defense committed to the pitch several times when either of Navy's two quarterbacks cut and ran. Simply put, UNT anticipated wrong too often.

Keep in mind, Dodge does not coach UNT's defense, but it sounds like he makes it his business to know what's going on or what's wrong.

What this means for Mendoza, who really knows.

--Troy Phillips

UNT-Navy rundown

Here's a more complete list of records set last night in Navy's ridiculous 74-62 victory over North Texas:

NCAA records

• Total points, game: 136 (tied 2007 Boise State-Nevada OT game)
• Total points, regulation: 136 (old mark, San Jose State-Rice, 133 in 2004)
• Total points, half: 94 (old mark, Houston-Tulsa, 76 in 1968)
• Total points, quarter: 63 (old mark, San Jose State-Hawaii, 61 in 1999)
• Most TD passes, freshman: Giovanni Vizza, UNT, eight (old mark: Six by Bob Hoernschemeyer, Indiana, 1943 and Luke McKown, La. Tech, 2000)
• Most TD passes, half: Vizza, seven (ties three others)

UNT records

• Total points, game: 136 (old mark, 99, UNT vs. Utah, 1997)
• Total offense, game: 635 yards (old mark, 613 vs. SMU, 2007)
• TD passes, game: Vizza, eight (old mark, Steve Ramsey, five on three occasions, 1968-69)
• TD receptions, game: Casey Fitzgerald, five (eight tied with three)

Navy records

• Most rushing yards: 572 (563 vs. Kent State in 1997)
• TD passes allowed: eight (old mark, Phillip Rivers, N.C. State, five in 2002)

By the way, the eight rushing touchdowns given up by UNT would likely be a record, but that category isn't in the media guide.

--Troy Phillips

Remarkably awful finish...

Or so it would appear. Navy now leads 74-56 after UNT coughed up nine points in a space of 10 seconds. Navy scored the weirdest safety you'll ever see, on a UNT holding call in the end zone with the line of scrimmage being UNT's 6.

Navy then ran the free kick by UNT back 73 yards for a touchdown. Another grueling loss in Todd Dodge's first season appears likely.

--Troy Phillips

Down goes the D again

Navy now leads UNT 65-56 late in the third quarter. UNT's defense is 1-for-11 on stopping Navy's offense. The Middies last scored this many points in 1919 (121) against something called Colby.

-- Troy Phillips

Stop the madness

UNT and Navy just set an unofficial NCAA record for aggregate points in a quarter, with 63. San Jose State and Hawaii (61 in 1999) held the old mark. We are finally to halftime, with UNT leading 49-45. This is exhausting, but enjoyable.

-- Troy Phillips

Vizza rings up Navy...again

UNT 49, Navy 31. This time it's Vizza (7 TDs) to high school buddy Sam Dibrell for 75 yards. Still 4:07 to halftime.

-- Troy Phillips

Vizza breaks record

Giovanna Vizza just threw his sixth touchdown pass against Navy, breaking UNT's single-game touchdown mark held by Steve Ramsey in 1969. UNT leads 42-24. The teams are trading scores like a video game. Casey Fitzgerald has caught four of those six touchdowns.

-- Troy Phillips

Notre Dame hangover?

Casey Fitzgerald just went WAY upstairs for his third touchdown catch of the day from Giovanni Vizza, this one from 25 yards after UNT recovered a Navy fumble. UNT leads 28-10. Wow.

--Troy Phillips

Up here in Denton...

North Texas is leading Navy, 21-10. This is no misprint. Giovanni Vizza is tearing up the Navy defense like a wet paper towel. UNT's defense held Navy to a field goal from the Mean Green 5. UNT also tried and recovered an onside kick in the first quarter.

Navy just scored on a 41-yard touchdown pass. More later.

-- Troy Phillips