Andrew McNulty didn’t quite manage to lead North Texas out of a late-season slide last week.
What the junior did accomplish was making a big enough impression on Dan McCarney to get a second shot at finishing the task.
UNT’s coach said Monday that what McNulty showed while throwing for 287 yards in a 30-20 loss to Southern Miss convinced him that he deserves another chance, this time on Saturday in a game at Rice.
McCarney declined to say after the Mean Green’s third straight loss who he would start against the Owls, but confirmed during his weekly press conference that he is sticking with McNulty, the third quarterback who has started for UNT (2-5, 0-3 C-USA) this season.
“I am really proud of Andy McNulty,” McCarney said. “He will start again if he practices well this week. [He had] zero turnovers after we had seven turnovers the previous two weeks. We had 70 more yards on the field with drops and the touchdown that was called back.”
McNulty completed 20 of his 35 pass attempts and found a way to continually connect with Carlos Harris. The junior wide receiver finished with 15 catches for 216 yards.
McNulty’s start was his first since a loss to Tulsa in 2011 when he replaced injured starter Derek Thompson.
McNulty’s totals would have been even higher had a 52-yard touchdown pass to running back Antoinne Jimmerson not been called back on a holding penalty against tackle Antonio Johnson. McCarney said Monday that Johnson did exactly what he was taught to and that he and UNT’s staff thought officials erred in making the call.
McNulty’s performance seemed to settle UNT offensively after the Mean Green had two interceptions and a fumble returned for touchdowns in a loss to UAB in their last game.
UNT opened the season with JUCO transfer Josh Greer at quarterback and stuck with him for three games before turning to Dajon Williams for the next three. Williams excelled against Nicholls, throwing for 176 yards and three touchdowns, sending expectations soaring.
UNT pulled Williams three games later after he turned over the ball six times in less than seven quarters in losses to Indiana and UAB.
McNulty came on to throw for 167 yards and a touchdown late against UAB and built on that outing against Southern Miss.
“It was a great experience for me,” McNulty said. “I have had a lot of learning experiences since I’ve been here being behind [former UNT quarterback] Derek Thompson and going through the start of this season. I used those to help me improve my game.”
McNulty completed key throws in several spots throughout the night, including three to Harris that helped keep UNT in the game.
The two connected for a 27-yard strike in a third-and-5 situation from the UNT 19-yard line and later hooked up for a 12-yard completion on third-and-10 from the Southern Miss 39 during a seven-play, 86-yard drive. Reggie Pegram capped the drive with a 27-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 20-20.
McNulty also completed a 45-yard strike to Harris in the first quarter that set up Jimmerson’s 2-yard touchdown run for UNT’s first points of the night.
McNulty will have a chance to build on that performance against Rice in his second start of the season.
UNT asks league to
review holding call
UNT has asked Conference USA officials to review the holding call on Johnson that resulted in Jimmerson’s touchdown being called back.
The Mean Green set up Jimmerson perfectly on a pass out of the backfield and saw him race down the field and past Johnson, who was engaged with a Southern Miss defender.
“We teach it; we coach it,” McCarney said.
“We are waiting for an interpretation right now because Antonio Johnson did exactly what we hoped he would do out there in the open field.
That was one of the best executed offensive plays we have had all year, but it was called back.”
UNT was down 30-20 at the time and recovered from the penalty to drive to the Southern Miss 16-yard line, but failed to cash in when Trevor Moore missed a 33-yard field goal.
“I don’t feel like there was holding and the tape really doesn’t display any type of holding,” Harris said.
“That is something we will have to live with. We still have to capitalize on opportunities to get to the red zone.”
Harris named C-USA Offensive Player
of the Week
Harris was named C-USA’s Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Mean Green’s loss to Southern Miss.
Harris finished with 15 catches for 216 yards, the eighth highest total in program history.
The rest of UNT’s receivers combined for five catches for 71 yards.
“It was just the repetition in practice, getting my timing down with McNulty, getting open and catching the ball,” Harris said.
Harris now has 42 catches for 558 yards on the season and continues to carry UNT’s passing offense.
Darvin Kidsy ranks second among Mean Green players with 12 caches, while Turner Smiley ranks second on the team in receiving yards with 140.
“Wow, was that fun just to watch him play the game,” McCarney said.
“He had over 200 yards. He’s too small, too short and too little and he had over 200 yards. We need more guys to play with that heart, that tenacity and that intensity and that confidence.”
UNT loses Watson, could have others back
Defensive tackle Dutton Watson will undergo ankle surgery and will be out until at least late this season and could miss the rest of the year.
Watson started the first two games of the season and made one of the more memorable plays of the year for the Mean Green, intercepting a pass that deflected into the air and rumbling 24 yards to set up UNT’s first touchdown in a 43-6 win over rival SMU.
“He has some bone spurs in there that have been bothering him for a long time,” McCarney said. “They are going to clean it up.”
While UNT has lost Watson, it could have several other key players back this week.
Starting safety Sheldon Wade, backup cornerback Zac Whitfield and backup defensive end Tillman Johnson could all return from various injuries when the Mean Green take on Rice.
All three have made a series of key plays for the Mean Green. Wade started UNT’s first six games and is tied for fifth on the team with 30 tackles. Whitfield has 13 tackles and an interception in five games, while Johnson ranks second on the team with 3.0 sacks.
eBRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.
