North Texas enters Year 3 of the Eric Morris era poised for a breakout season. The Mean Green are a dark horse candidate to win the AAC because of a favorable schedule, potent offense, and a new defensive philosophy.

The offense finished sixth in 2023 and third in 2024 in total offense and the conference schedule doesn’t include Tulane or Memphis. The UTSA game is at home and the toughest non-conference opponent is a contest with Washington State at home. Skyler Cassity arrives from Sam Houston to improve the defense after helping a defense-led Bearkats program win 10 games in their second year at the FBS level. 

We stop at all 13 FBS programs in Texas each spring as we compile the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football summer magazine and here are our notes from our time in Denton, America. 

Previous stops: Baylor

OFFENSE 

• Morris says that redshirt freshman Drew Mestemaker, who started and starred in the bowl game last year, “had a little bit of a head start” over Miami transfer Reese Poffenbarger because of Mestemaker’s familiarity with the offense after taking the second team snaps last season. Mestemaker moved the ball better in the first live scrimmage of the spring, but some of that was out of Poffenbarger’s control because of a couple of fumbles. 
• Expect North Texas to use the quarterback run game more in 2025. That was not Chandler Morris’ strength, but both Mestemaker and Poffenbarger are solid athletes who can hurt defenses with their legs. True freshman Chris Jimerson Jr. is the best athlete of the bunch but he’s unlikely to play much this season unless the injury bug catches on at quarterback. Morris does think Jimerson can be special. 
• The Mean Green feel like they hit on both transfer portal wide receiver additions in Simeon Evans (Sam Houston) and Cam Dorner (Shepherd). Morris described Evans as a “savvy former quarterback who the ball finds during live action.” Dorner was an all-conference player at the Division II level and his 6-foot-1 frame makes him one of the taller receivers on the team. 
• Landon Sides is moving to outside receiver as a junior and he’s the odds-on favorite to lead the Mean Green in receiving. Another contender for that crown could be sophomore slot receiver Miles Coleman, who plays bigger than his 5-foot-6 frame suggests. 
• Running back was decimated with injury last year but North Texas feels like it is five- or six-deep at the position heading into 2025. Jayden Becks is a speedster from Missouri State who allows North Texas “to be multiple.” Kiefer Sibley and Makenzie McGill are sophomores who received high praise. Shaadie Clayton-Johnson is a senior transfer from Colorado. The X-factor of the group could be redshirt freshman Ashton Gray. 
• The starting offensive line is taking shape in the spring with Braydon Nelson (LT), Ugonna Nnanna (LG), Gabe Blair (C), Johnny Dickson (RG), and Jimto Obidegwu (RT) taking most of the first-team snaps together so far. Finding depth behind those guys is the next step. Staying healthy is a big key for the Mean Green this year as they started 10 different lineups last year in 13 games. 

DEFENSE

• New defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity described his defensive philosophy as fast and aggressive. His scheme is multiple, meaning he’ll personnel match whatever he believes best attacks the opposing offense. North Texas will base out of a four-man front, but Cassity pointed to the Hawaii game last year where his Sam Houston defense played in an odd-man front the entire game. 
• Sam Houston transfer Briceon Hayes and returner Breylon Charles figure to be the frontline defensive ends. North Texas is transitioning away from a 3-3-5 defense that required a different type of defensive end. The Mean Green added guys like Keviyan Huddleston (TCU) and Will Smith (Tulsa) to speed up the transition. Joshua Pearce, Demetrie Morgan, and Zhaiylen Scott also received high praise. Expect a heavy rotation at defensive end. 
• The depth isn’t as bountiful on the interior of the defensive line. Fatafehi Vailea II, known by “June”, is a stalwart in the middle and one of the leaders of the defense. He’ll play more as a three-technique defensive tackle as Sam Houston transfers Richard Outland Jr., and Quincy Wright rotate at nose tackle. Jayden Williams is a young guy to watch this year. 
• Linebacker is thin and North Texas wouldn’t mind adding to the numbers if a portal player was a fit. Sam Houston transfer Trey Fields will start in the middle of of the defense. This is his first spring in three years after dealing with multiple injuries. He became one of the Bearkats’ best players by the end of the year. Shane Whitter is the other linebacker Cassity praised heavily. Chavez Brown is a returner that is starting to pick up the new scheme. 
• Cornerback is the strength of the defense. Returning starter Brian Nelson II is joined by Sam Houston transfers David Fisher and Da’Veawn Armstead. Both Fisher and Armstead started for the Bearkats. Depth at the position should come from guys like Chase Canada and Taylor Starling. 
• Safety is another position with experience and some depth. Cassity really likes sophomore Quinton Hammonds. Evan Jackson, BJ Allen Jr., and transfer Will Jones are also expected to play a ton of football at safety this year.