T.Y. Hilton took the opening kickoff back 62 yards to help set up a quick score for Kedrick Rhodes on a seven yard sweep. The 5-foot-10-inch, senior looked like a man on a mission, setting out to prove just why he received so much preseason hype. With 283 all-purpose yards, it was almost as if every time the ball got into the speedster’s grasp that something big was about to happen.
Not to be easily out done, the man who got the ball in T.Y.’s hands, Wesley Carroll, had arguably his best start of a season as a Golden Panther. Commanding the offense and doing everything that was asked of him, Carroll went 16 for 22 for 193 yards and a touchdown, which is even a misleading stat because he sat for most of the fourth quarter. He started out the game seven for seven and played about as efficient as you could ask from the senior.
His biggest play of the night was when he found Hilton in man coverage down the middle of the field and connected for a 60-yard touchdown pass. It’s clear, the offense has picked up right where it left off last year.
For this attack to be able to put on the performance they did – 41 points, 28 of which coming in the first quarter – is an astonishing feat with everything considered: first game jitters, rain in their faces and the fact that it was a conference game.
The team can only go up from here.
A running assault to compliment the passing attack
One thing that stood out in the first game was Kedrick Rhodes getting the nod to start at running back. He ended the night with 16 carries for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns. It will be an interesting to follow throughout the year what Head Coach Mario Cristobal decides to do with all of the running backs that he has at his disposal because even though Darriet Perry didn’t start, he still led the way in rushing yards with 94 on 15 carries and two touchdowns.
Like many times last season, Perry was able to break out on multiple attempts for big gains.
It’s time to consider him in the upper echelon of running backs in the Sun Belt Conference, especially considering the fact that in the previous two meetings against North Texas Perry has rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns while Dunbar has only been able to manage 91 yards and a touchdown.
It is only going to make all of these running backs better with the amount of competition there is. It will push all of these guys to perform their best in practice to get a chance to sniff the field.
As a team, the Golden Panthers doubled up a team with supposedly the best back in the conference with FIU rushing for 208 yards and North Texas only 97.
Defense
New coordinator. No problem.
Todd Orlando installed a gameplan that nearly worked to perfection. They contained one of the best players in the conference, Lance Dunbar, to 53 yards, averaging 2.4 yards per carry. In credit to Gregory Hickman, Derek Thompson was running for his life most of the game and could never get comfortable in the pocket. When Thompson got the ball off, Jonathan Cyprien and Jose Cheeseborough were there to bat it away. The stifling defense also gave a young North Texas offensive line fits throughout the game. They’ll have nightmares about Hickman for the next couple of weeks. Also credit Tourek Williams for taking on most of the pressure off of Hickman for him to make those plays.
The biggest thing for the defense was that the mindset of “bend but don’t break” was in full effect. The Mean Green drove the ball down the field multiple times, but could not stick it in. Firing on all pistons, Winston Fraser led the team in tackles and seemed to be in on every big third down stop.
A look toward the future
For the first time that I can recall, the second stringers were put in a game. Not due to injury, not due to a large deficit, but because of a huge lead.
Near the end, fans got a sneak peak into the future of the program. Jake Medlock waited patiently on the sideline for a shot. But when Cristobal gave him the green light towards the end of the game, Medlock shot a blank.
Although he only got to throw once, that one pass looked pretty bad. He is certainly going get more work in before I am comfortable with having him as the back up to Wesley.
Overall, it was a great performance on both sides of the ball that saw many senior leaders turn in stellar performances. When they clean up the mistakes, it is scary to think of how good this team will be.
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