The UNT football team will look to get back above .500 on Saturday in its final non-conference game of the season as it hits the road to take on Memphis with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m.

The game can be seen on ESPN+ with the radio broadcast on KHYI 95.3/KXXN 97.5 (Wichita Falls)/The Varsity Network.

Head coach Seth Littrell and selected players spoke to the media on Tuesday and discussed, among other things, some positives to take from last week's game at UNLV, particularly in the passing game, the issues for both sides of the ball on third down in that loss and playing a future conference foe as the Mean Green are set to jump to The American next season.

Aune, passing game put up numbers
Despite a loss on Saturday in Las Vegas, the Mean Green had some bright spots to take from the game, particularly in the way junior quarterback Austin Aune was able to throw the ball and put up some big passing numbers.

Aune passed for 305 yards against UNLV on 17 of 29 passing and spread the ball around to seven different receivers. His two touchdown passes gave him nine on the season, and he's had scoring connections with eight different receivers on the season.
"The way we finished the half was great," Aune said, referring to the 10 points the team put up in the final two minutes, including a field goal as time expired. "That got us confidence throwing the ball and that two-minute situation was really good with good execution. I thought we threw the ball well all game. Obviously, the last two throws from me were not good, but we threw the ball well for the most part, and we'll get better."

Littrell pointed to a handful of plays that took his team out of the game, but said his overall feelings about the passing game were good on Saturday.

"There were a lot of positives," Littrell said. "You look at the tape and other than 7-8 plays, we looked like a really good football team. But that doesn't matter. It's those 7-8 plays we have to get cleaned up. A lot of games are like that that come down to 3-4 plays that will make or break you. They did a much better job of executing on those plays than we did, and it cost us."

Third-down woes doomed offense, defense
For any team, a goal of the offense is to keep chains moving and drives going. Conversely, any defensive coach will preach getting off the field on third down.

On Saturday against UNLV, the Mean Green struggled with both, but the coaching staff and players have been preaching all week the importance of moving on from that game and learning from mistakes.

Offensively, UNT converted on just three of 11 third-down tries and was 1-for-4 on fourth downs. Defensively, the unit allowed UNLV to convert nine of 15 third downs and go a perfect 4-for-4 on fourth downs.

UNT also failed to convert on a few third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 situations where its power-running offense usually excels.

"We ran the ball really good the whole game except for those short yardage situations, and we have the mindset of a physical team and know we can get a yard when that play is called, so we have to do better in those situations," Aune said.
Littrell said he didn't second-guess any of the calls and would do the same again if his team is put in a similar situation.

"The culture of the team is what it is, they're going to bounce back and it means a lot to them," he said. "If you watch the tape there's a reason you go on the road and don't win that game. We didn't make plays and execute in critical situations and they did.

"The way we run the ball, we were 92% on third- and fourth-and-short last year. Do I feel like we can get a yard with our experienced backs and offensive line? Absolutely, that's the way I feel."

Defensively, senior defensive back Quinn Whitlock said the problem of getting off the field comes down, quite simply, to players making plays.

"We couldn't get off the field on third downs," he said. "That was a big thing. We really weren't finishing tackles or making plays that came to us that (defensive coordinator Phil Bennett) put us in position to make. We're working on that this week – making the plays that come to us and getting off the field on third down.

"We just have to make the plays. It falls on us. It's a players' game. We've been in great position to make those plays. At the end of the day, we just have to finish. We haven't been as productive and we have to pick up the slack – we all have to do better and do more."

Making a statement
As UNT is set to begin the 2023 season as a member of The American, the Mean Green will get a taste of what's to come on Saturday at Memphis, when they will face a future conference opponent and one that has won the league title in recent years.

"It's an opportunity to play a great opponent," Littrell said. "That's with any opponent. You have to see how you match up each and every week. I know they're a good team and have a lot of confidence. Year in and year out, they've done very well and won the conference a few years ago. Once you get that culture and start building on it, the more culture you build for the future."
Whitlock said even though he won't be with the program next season, he hopes this year's team can send a message of what is to come to the rest of the league.

"We've been talking about that," Whitlock said. "I won't be here but a lot of guys will be here so it'll be good if we can get a win over them and spark something in us and show the conference what they have coming next year."