# 2023 North Texas Mean Green football team

The 2023 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas as a member of American Athletic Conference (The American) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Eric Morris. The Mean Green played their home games at DATCU Stadium in Denton, Texas. The North Texas Mean Green football team drew an average home attendance of 17,761 in 2023.

## Previous season

The 2022 team, the Mean Green's last season as a member of Conference USA (C-USA), finished the regular season with a record of 7–5, going 6–2 in C-USA play to finish second in the conference, tied with Western Kentucky. North Texas was selected for the C-USA Championship Game based on tiebreakers, having defeated Western Kentucky 40–13 in the regular season and played at UTSA (who would also be departing C-USA for the American), losing 27–48. Two days after the championship game head coach Seth Littrell was fired. The Mean Green were invited to the Frisco Bowl with defensive coordinator Phil Bennett serving as the team's interim head coach for the bowl game. North Texas played Boise State in the bowl game, losing 32–35 to finish the season with an overall record of 7–7.

## Offseason
### Coaching changes

After 7 seasons, on December 4, 2022, the Mean Green fired head coach Seth Littrell.
On December 13, 2022, the Mean Green hired Eric Morris to be their next head coach, he will be the team's 20th head coach. He was previously the offensive coordinator for Washington State.
On December 28, 2022, the Mean Green hired Chris Gilbert as their assistant head coach he will also coach the tight ends. Also on December 28 they added Drew Svoboda as their special teams coach and associate head coach, Patrick Cobbs as the running backs coach, and Sean Brophy as the quarterback's coach. Additionally, they hired Rolando Surita as their chief of staff.
The next day on December 29, 2022, the Mean Green made five hires. They hired Matt Caponi as their defensive coordinator and cornerback's coach, Jordan Davis as their offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, and Colby Kratch as their linebacker's coach. They also named Bryan Kegans the Director of Strength & Conditioning, and Justin Owens as their Director of Recruiting.
And on December 30, 2022, the Mean Green made the last of their hirings naming Clay Jennings as their safeties coach and Demerick Gary as their defensive line coach.

## Schedule

North Texas and the American Athletic Conference (AAC) announced the 2023 football schedule on February 21, 2023.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 3:00 p.m. | California* | DATCU StadiumDenton, TX | ESPNU | L 21–58 | 21,350 |
| September 9 | 5:30 p.m. | at FIU* | Riccardo Silva StadiumMiami, FL | ESPN+ | L 39–46 | 15,754 |
| September 16 | 6:00 p.m. | at Louisiana Tech* | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA | ESPN+ | W 40–37 | 17,434 |
| September 30 | 6:00 p.m. | Abilene Christian* | DATCU StadiumDenton, TX | ESPN+ | W 45–31 | 21,494 |
| October 7 | 2:30 p.m. | at Navy | Navy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumAnnapolis, MD | CBSSN | L 24–27 | 28,648 |
| October 14 | 11:00 a.m. | Temple | DATCU StadiumDenton, TX | ESPNU | W 45–14 | 13,678 |
| October 21 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 23 Tulane | Yulman StadiumNew Orleans, LA | ESPN2 | L 28–35 | 30,000 |
| October 28 | 2:00 p.m. | Memphis | DATCU StadiumDenton, TX | ESPN+ | L 42–45 | 18,062 |
| November 4 | 2:00 p.m. | UTSA | DATCU StadiumDenton, TX | ESPN+ | L 29–37 | 17,354 |
| November 10 | 8:00 p.m. | at SMU | Gerald J. Ford StadiumDallas, TX (Safeway Bowl) | ESPN2 | L 21–45 | 22,043 |
| November 18 | 2:00 p.m. | at Tulsa | H.A. Chapman StadiumTulsa, OK | ESPN+ | W 35–28 | 16,520 |
| November 25 | 1:00 p.m. | UAB | DATCU StadiumDenton, TX | ESPN+ | W 45–42 | 14,628 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings released prior to gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||

## Game summaries
### vs California

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Bears | 14 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 58 |
| Mean Green | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
at DATCU Stadium • Denton, TX
* Date: September 2, 2023
* Game time: 3:00 p.m.
* Game attendance: 21,350
* TV: ESPNU
| Statistics | CAL | UNT |
| First downs | 29 | 9 |
| Plays–yards | 95-679 | 53-225 |
| Rushes–yards | 56-357 | 27-41 |
| Passing yards | 322 | 184 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 27-39-1 | 15-26-3 |
| Time of possession | 39:07 | 20:53 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| California | Passing | Ben Finley | 24/34, 289 yards, TD, INT |
| California | Rushing | Jaydn Ott | 20 carries, 188 yards, 2 TD |
| California | Receiving | Jeremiah Hunter | 6 receptions, 64 yards, TD |
| North Texas | Passing | Stone Earle | 12/19, 174 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT |
| North Texas | Rushing | Isaiah Johnson | 6 carries, 34 yards |
| North Texas | Receiving | Ja'Mori Maclin | 4 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TD |

### at FIU

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mean Green | 10 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 39 |
| Panthers | 7 | 10 | 21 | 8 | 46 |
at Riccardo Silva Stadium • Westchester, Florida
* Date: September 9th
* Game time: 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST
* Game attendance: 15,754
* TV announcers (ESPN+): TBD
* Statistics
* First downs
* Plays–yards
* Rushes–yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: comp–att–int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| North Texas | Passing |
| North Texas | Rushing |
| North Texas | Receiving |
| Florida International | Passing |
| Florida International | Rushing |
| Florida International | Receiving |

### at Louisiana Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mean Green | 10 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 40 |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 14 | 0 | 23 | 37 |
| Statistics | UNT | LT |
| First downs | 32 | 21 |
| Total yards | 562 | 432 |
| Rushing yards | 249 | 215 |
| Passing yards | 313 | 217 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 33:24 | 26:36 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Texas | Passing | Chandler Rogers | 24/40, 313 yards, 2 TD |
| North Texas | Rushing | Ayo Adeyi | 19 rushes, 148 yards, 2 TD |
| North Texas | Receiving | Roderic Burns | 11 receptions, 134 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Jack Turner | 9/13, 145 yards, TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Tyre Shelton | 16 rushes, 152 yards, TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Cyrus Allen | 5 receptions, 82 yards, TD |

### at Navy

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mean Green | 3 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
| Midshipmen | 0 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, Maryland
* Date: October 7th
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Temperature: 64 °F (18 °C) • Wind: W at 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h) • Weather: Cloudy
* Game attendance: 28,648
* Referee: Tim Rich
* TV announcers (CBSSN): John Sadack (play-by-play), Randy Cross (analyst) & Sheehan Stanwick Burch (sideline)
| Statistics | North Texas | Navy |
| First downs | 23 | 21 |
| Plays–yards | 69–473 | 68–406 |
| Rushes–yards | 36–206 | 58–331 |
| Passing yards | 267 | 75 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 22–33–0 | 4–10–0 |
| Time of possession | 26:05 | 33:55 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Texas | Passing | Chandler Rogers | 22–32–0, 267 yards, TD |
| North Texas | Rushing | Ayo Adeyi | 14 carries, 125 yards, TD |
| North Texas | Receiving | Ja'Mori Maclin | 6 receptions, 76 yards, TD |
| Navy | Passing | Tai Lavatai | 4–8–0, 75 yards, TD |
| Navy | Rushing | Alex Tecza | 17 carries, 137 yards, 2 TD |
| Navy | Receiving | Brandon Chatman | 1 reception, 38 yards |

### at No. 23 Tulane

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mean Green | 0 | 0 | 21 | 7 | 28 |
| No. 23 Green Wave | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
at Yulman Stadium, New Orleans, LA
* Date: October 21, 2023
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 85 °F (29 °C) • Wind: SE 6 mph
* Game attendance: 30,000
* Referee: Nate Black
* TV announcers (ESPN2): Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (color), Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
| Statistics | UNT | TUL |
| First downs | 23 | 24 |
| Total yards | 426 | 439 |
| Rushing yards | 83 | 245 |
| Passing yards | 343 | 194 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 27:24 | 32:36 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Texas | Passing | Chandler Rogers | 35/51, 343 yards, 2 TD |
| North Texas | Rushing | Chandler Rogers | 8 carries, 34 yards |
| North Texas | Receiving | Ja'Mori Maclin | 8 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD |
| Tulane | Passing | Michael Pratt | 15/21, 194 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| Tulane | Rushing | Makhi Hughes | 20 carries, 121 yards, 1 TD |
| Tulane | Receiving | Lawrence Keys III | 5 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD |

### vs UTSA

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Roadrunners | 10 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 37 |
| Mean Green | 0 | 13 | 0 | 16 | 29 |

### at SMU

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mean Green | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Mustangs | 14 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 45 |
at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, University Park, Texas
* Date: November 10
* Game time: 8:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Cloudy, 57 °F (14 °C)
* Game attendance: 22,043
* Referee: Nate Black
* TV announcers (ESPN2): Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, and Paul Carcaterra
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | UNT | SMU |
| First downs | 18 | 28 |
| Total yards | 372 | 552 |
| Rushing yards | 132 | 318 |
| Passing yards | 240 | 234 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 26:34 | 33:26 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Texas | Passing | Chandler Rogers | 18/31, 240 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| North Texas | Rushing | Oscar Adaway III | 11 rushes, 90 yards, TD |
| North Texas | Receiving | Trey Cleveland | 3 receptions, 72 yards, TD |
| SMU | Passing | Preston Stone | 11/20, 234 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| SMU | Rushing | Jaylan Knighton | 17 rushes, 129 yards, TD |
| SMU | Receiving | Moochie Dixon | 3 receptions, 99 yards, TD |

### at Tulsa

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| North Texas | 7 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
| Tulsa | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
at Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium • Tulsa, OK
* Date: November 18, 2023
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: • Temperature:
* Game attendance: 16,250
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | UNT | TLSA |
| First downs | 22 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 78–593 | 77–434 |
| Rushes–yards | 47–299 | 43–183 |
| Passing yards | 294 | 251 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 19–31–0 | 17–34–1 |
| Time of possession | 32:04 | 27:56 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Texas | Passing | Chandler Rogers | 19/31, 294 yards, 3 TD |
| North Texas | Rushing | Oscar Adaway III | 16 carries, 126 yards, TD |
| North Texas | Receiving | Ja'Mori Maclin | 2 receptions, 61 yards |
| Tulsa | Passing | Kirk Francis | 17/34, 251 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Tulsa | Rushing | Anthony Watkins | 21 carries, 115 yards, TD |
| Tulsa | Receiving | Kamdyn Benjamin | 8 receptions, 93 yards, TD |