Patrick Cobbs knew this weekend was coming nearly three years ago, when he left North Texas to chase his dream of an NFL career.

Cobbs ran roughshod over the Sun Belt Conference, racking up 21 career 100-yard rushing games while helping lead the Mean Green to four straight conference titles. By the time Cobbs graduated, he had set several school and conference records, one of which will likely fall this weekend at Fouts Field, where some of the more memorable moments in his career took place.

Fenroy

UNT will host Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, when senior Tyrell Fenroy will need just 30 yards to break Cobbs' Sun Belt career rushing record of 4,050.

"I had heard he was pretty close," Cobbs said this week. "I only started for two seasons, so I knew my record was going to be broken. He should be the new standard for running backs in the league."

While Cobbs was at UNT, the Mean Green and its running game dominated the Sun Belt during one of the glory eras in the history of the program. UNT won four straight Sun Belt titles from 2001-04, had two national rushing champions and sent a host of players to the NFL, including Cobbs, who is now a backup running back and special teams standout for the Miami Dolphins.

Cobbs

Cobbs has carried the ball three times for 5 yards and caught two passes for 14 yards on the season, while also playing on all of Miami's special teams units other than its field goal and field goal block groups. Cobbs has one kickoff return for 20 yards.

"It has gone well trying to establish myself in the NFL," Cobbs said. "It's a revolving door, so it keeps you on your toes. It has been fun and a challenge. I am a special teams guy and love it. If my time comes to run the ball, I will be grateful to do that as well."

Cobbs is stuck behind Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams on Miami's depth chart at running back, but is trying to take advantage of the situation.

Williams won the Heisman Trophy at Texas in 1998, was a Pro Bowl selection in 2002 and is in his eighth NFL season. Brown starred at Auburn and was a first-round draft pick in 2005.

"Both of those guys in front of me are good backs," Cobbs said. "Ronnie doesn't have that much experience as a starter, but he has played a lot and Ricky won the Heisman and has played a lot in the NFL. Learning from those guys is priceless."

Setting the standard

Cobbs was among a handful of players a whole generation of UNT athletes looked up to as an example.

The former Tecumseh, Okla., standout was a relatively unknown and lightly recruited player when he arrived at UNT, which was the only NCAA Bowl Subdivision school to offer him a scholarship.

By the time Cobbs capped his career at UNT, which spanned from 2001-05, he had staked a claim to being one of the best players in Mean Green football history. Cobbs won the national rushing title as a junior in 2003, when he rushed for 1,680 yards, and spent the next season helping coach his protégé Jamario Thomas while recovering from a knee injury.

Thomas went on to win his own national rushing title in 2004. The two shared the backfield in 2005, when Cobbs finished off his career by rushing for 1,154 yards.

"I got an opportunity and made the most of it," Cobbs said. "It was a blessing to play at North Texas. When I came in, no one expected anything out of me. I have been an underdog my whole life. It has been the same way in the NFL."

Cobbs went to New England as a free agent, was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers and then landed in Miami.

UNT offensive line coach Spencer Leftwich recruited Cobbs, while defensive coordinator Gary DeLoach was also a member of the Mean Green's staff for part of Cobbs' time at UNT.

Current UNT head coach Todd Dodge has met Cobbs just once, but has heard plenty of stories about him from Leftwich and his seniors. Defensive lineman Isaac Thomas said that Cobbs showed great leadership qualities at UNT.

Cobbs worked as a volunteer at a home for troubled children during his time with the Mean Green.

"Patrick came by in the offseason, so I had a chance to meet him," Dodge said. "I am proud that he made it as an undrafted free agent from North Texas."

Fenroy a steady force

Fenroy had just one chance to see Cobbs play in person when he was a freshman at ULL and has been keeping track of the current Sun Belt career-rushing leader ever since while trying to follow his lead into the NFL.

Cobbs (5-8, 205) and Fenroy (5-10, 205) are similar backs, both in terms of their physical attributes and tough running styles.

"Cobbs is a powerful runner and blocker," Fenroy said. "He gets the ball and looks to get yards. We are similar in that way. Knowing that he is in the NFL makes me want to work even harder, because I know that if I stay on track I will get a chance like he did."

One factor that has helped Fenroy in his pursuit of Cobbs' record has been his remarkable consistency. Fenroy rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons at ULL and appears to be on course for his best campaign after picking up 750 rushing yards in the Ragin' Cajuns' first five games this season to push his career total to 4,021.

Fenroy torched Louisiana-Monroe for 297 rushing yards on just 20 carries on Saturday and was named the Walter Camp Football Foundation Bowl Subdivision Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.

"I have had a great offensive line since my freshman year and a great coach who is always on them to make them better," Fenroy said. "They have been able to lift me up, and I have been able to lift them up."

That partnership has made Fenroy a significant player on the national level. He is on the verge of becoming just the seventh player in major college football history to have four 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

"He is one of the best backs in the country," ULL head coach Rickey Bustle said. "Whatever he gets on the national level, he deserves."

Even though Fenroy is about to knock him off the pedestal as the Sun Belt's all-time leading rusher, Cobbs says he is happy for the Ragin' Cajuns standout.

"If I have time on Saturday and see the game on TV, I will watch," Cobbs said. "The kid has been playing hard and stayed healthy for four years. I hope it works out for him."

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

On the verge

Louisiana-Lafayette running back Tyrell Fenroy is on the verge of breaking the Sun Belt Conference rushing record held by former North Texas standout Patrick Cobbs. The following is a comparison of their careers:

Cobbs            category          Fenroy

4,050   yards            4,021

818      carries            672

36        TDs            39

21        100-yard games            20