Recapping UNT Football's First Day of Fall Camp

Photo from @TheUNT6/X

The UNT football team concluded its first day of fall camp Wednesday, with plenty of question marks surrounding the Mean Green’s 2024 season.

Two of the biggest questions surrounding the team were an overhauled roster and an underperforming defense in 2023. More than twenty players either graduated or entered the transfer portal, including former starting quarterback Chandler Rogers and star receiver Ja’Mori Maclin.

“I like the camaraderie of the team and how we’ve grown together,” said head coach Eric Morris. “Finding ways for these guys to connect at a deeper level and get to know one another a little better so they can sacrifice on the field for one another.”

The Mean Green brought in several linebacker transfers, a position group that needed a boost from last season.

“The big thing is, we have all three of our starting linebackers back,” said Morris. “I think you see them a lot more comfortable in what we’re doing schematically and making calls.”

“We want guys to come in and compete with them but we thought between that young wave of linebackers we have right now we need to bring some experience in.”

With all the new faces on both sides of the ball and a defense that finished dead last in America last season in terms of yards allowed per game, defensive tackle Rod Brown has placed high expectations on his performance.

“I’m in the middle of the defense, I mean, it all starts with me,” said Brown. “If we stop the run, ain't nobody passing on us because we’ve got three [safeties] deep.”

With this being the first day of fall practices, there was a lot of good Brown took away from the day.

“I feel like it was a good first day of practice,” said Brown. “There were a few mental mistakes, a few miscommunications here and there, but overall I feel like it was a great day.”

“A couple of young guys got some really good reps.”

TCU transfer Chandler Morris is expected to win the starting quarterback role after dealing with multiple injuries over the past few seasons.

“The guys around me have made [the move to UNT] easy,” said Morris. “They’ve taken me in with open arms [and] let me be vocal, be a leader.”

Morris has already earned his teammates’ trust as a leader, an impressive feat considering he didn’t enroll at UNT until this summer.

“[Morris] fit right in,” said Brown. “It wasn’t a challenge for him to speak up, wasn’t a challenge to get to know people and for people to listen to him.”

“I feel like he stepped up and played that role well.”

The Mean Green open their season one month from today at South Alabama. Kickoff is set for 4 pm.