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Friday, October 24, 1997

North Texas visits Nevada in search of early form

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Nevada coach Jeff Tisdel has used a simple message this week to make sure his team takes North Texas seriously Saturday.

"All I have to do is remind them that (North Texas) beat Texas Tech," said Tisdel, whose Wolf Pack hosts the Eagles at 12:05 p.m. CST in a Big West Conference matchup. "That's immediate respect right there."

North Texas, in its third year as an NCAA Division I-A member, stunned 32-point favorite Texas Tech of the Big 12 Conference 30-27 on Sept. 20. The Eagles then played No. 20 Texas A&M, also of the Big 12, to a 10-10 halftime standoff the following week before losing 36-10.

Since then, however, North Texas' season has unraveled. The Eagles are 0-2 in the Big West (2-5 overall) after losses to Idaho, 30-17, and Boise State last week, 17-14.

Against Boise, North Texas suffered four turnovers and had the ball for only 20 minutes. Afterward, defensive end Corbin Epps, who is tied for the team lead in sacks with eight, confronted several teammates and had to be restrained by coaches.

Epps has been suspended at least for the Nevada game, according to North Texas coach Matt Simon. That will make an already difficult task even more daunting Saturday.

Although Nevada also is 2-5 overall, the Wolf Pack is coming off a 42-23 romp over Idaho last Saturday in its Big West opener. Moreover, Nevada has lost only one conference game in the past two-plus seasons.

"Playing Nevada is the type of challenge that this team needs right now," Simon said. "We need to play a real good football team and go after them and beat them. It would be cleansing to the soul to accomplish that."

North Texas must contain the sixth-ranked passing game in the nation, triggered by quarterback John Dutton.

"We'll have to get the baby powder out," Simon said. "We need to keep the long ball in front of us."

North Texas also needs more production from featured running back Hut Allred, who was third in the Big West last season with 900 rushing yards. Allred has only 395 yards this season, but went for 159 in a 40-13 loss to Nevada last season.

Nevada, meanwhile, feels back on the upswing after going 1-5 against the toughest non-conference schedule in its history. The Wolf Pack lost to Colorado State, Wyoming, Oregon, Toledo and Southern Mississippi, while beating only UNLV.

"We lost a couple of games that we should have won," Tisdel said. "But we've been very competitive, and now we have to continue to grow off what we did Saturday."

The Wolf Pack led Idaho 28-0 at the half and 42-3 after three quarters as Dutton threw for four touchdowns and a career-high 470 yards and Chris Lemon rushed for 121 yards and two scores.

"We talked before last week's game about being on a five-week mission (to win a third straight Big West title)," Tisdel said. "Now we're on a four-week mission. We're not going to be looking past North Texas, believe me."

Further buoying Tisdel's confidence is the fact the Wolf Pack is healthier than it has been at any time this season.

Running back Alex Gresham, who hasn't played this season because of a broken ankle suffered in August, will be available Saturday to spell Lemon. Offensive guard Cameron Norcross also is expected back after missing two games with a knee injury.