2011 North Texas Mean Green Gambling Odds | Predictions

2011-2012 Football Previews – Sun Belt Conference – North Texas Mean Green

Todd Dodge was a wildly successful high school coach in Texas, but the experiment with him as the top man at North Texas was a huge disappointment. North Texas went just 6-37 in Dodge’s 43 games as head coach.

Sun Belt Conference 2011-2012 Football Previews: North Texas Mean Green
Head Coach: Dan McCarney
2010 Record: 3-9
North Texas Gambling Odds from JustBet to win BCS: +1,500 (Part of Field)
North Texas Odds from 5Dimes to win Sun Belt Conference: +1,100
NT Team Page – Players Stats – Roster – 2011 Schedule –>

**BETONLINE – THE BEST SPORTSBOOK FOR NCAA FOOTBALL BETTING! – CLICK HERE NOW + BET TODAY!**

Interim coach Mike Canales helped the team finish strong last year, and many thought he might get the top job. Instead, the Mean Green went out and brought in former Iowa State head coach Dan McCarney.

This was a huge hire for a Sun Belt school, and North Texas hopes it will help them make their way toward the top of the conference standings. This is a team that has some real stars on the roster, but there also lots of question marks heading into the 2011 season.

Can North Texas create some positive momentum for the football program this season?

Team Strengths:

Lance Dunbar gives the Mean Green an excellent play maker in the backfield. Dunbar is one of the best running backs in the country that most people have never heard anything about. Dunbar ran for 1,553 yards and 15 touchdowns a year ago. The 1,553 yard mark was good for sixth best in the nation. He also caught 28 passes for 332 yards.

Dunbar is one of the Sun Belt’s best players, and he’ll get plenty of chances to shine with McCarney in as the head coach.

The Mean Green wide receivers are absolutely capable of making plays. Darius Carey is extremely dangerous once he gets his hands on the football. Carey had 38 receptions in 2010, but that number should jump if North Texas gets any kind of improved quarterback play this season. Tyler Stradford gives the Mean Green a second quality wide receiver.

Stradford is a possession receiver who runs solid routes.

Team Weaknesses:

North Texas has question marks all across the offensive line. J.J. Johnson should be solid at the center position, but the Mean Green appear ready to start a couple of freshmen along the offensive line. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

This unit struggled a bit in 2010, and they look much weaker on paper this year.

The Mean Green were weak against the run last year, and that was with two solid defensive tackles and a senior middle linebacker. North Texas will start two inexperienced defensive tackles and a young middle linebacker. Craig Robertson led the team in tackles with 133 stops last year, but he is gone from his outside linebacker position as well.

The rushing defense that was bad last year could easily be even worse this season.

Can someone stay healthy at the quarterback position? North Texas went through three quarterbacks last year, and the lack of a consistent starter at the position really held the offense back.

Derek Thompson is expected to be the starter this year, and North Texas needs him to be under center on a consistent basis.

2011-2012 North Texas Football Prediction: 5-7

Dan McCarney should be a great hire for North Texas. McCarney’s teams have always liked to run the football, which should be great since Lance Dunbar is the team’s true star. The team opens with a trip to Florida International, who is the favorite in the Sun Belt.

North Texas also plays Alabama, Tulsa, and Indiana in the non-conference schedule.

North Texas has more talent than they have shown the last couple years, and I think they’ll win four conference games en route to a 5-7 record.

2011 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Schedule

9/1/11 7:00 PM ET @FLINT
9/10/11 7:00 PM ET HOU
9/17/11 12:00 PM ET @ALAB
9/24/11 12:00 PM ET IND
10/1/11 12:00 PM ET @TULSA
10/8/11 12:00 PM ET FLATL
10/15/11 5:00 PM ET @ULLAF
10/22/11 12:00 PM ET ULMON
10/29/11 12:00 PM ET @ARKST
11/12/11 12:00 PM ET @TROY
11/19/11 8:00 PM ET WKEN
12/3/11 12:00 PM ET MTENN