At this time last year, only the most informed of North Texas fans knew of Casey Fitzgerald.

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North Texas' Casey Fitzgerald attempts to shake SMU defenders during the second half at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas on Sept. 8, 2007. SMU defeated North Texas 45-31.

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The former Red Oak multi-sport standout spent the first two years of his college career buried on the Mean Green’s depth chart and seldom used in a run-first offense.

The latest indication of how much Fitzgerald’s life — not to mention his role with the Mean Green — has changed came Monday during the opening session of Sun Belt Conference Media Days.

Fitzgerald was not only named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team, he was also on an unofficial vacation as the Mean Green’s player representative. And if that wasn’t enough, the UNT media guide, complete with his picture on the cover, made its debut at the event.

“I am pretty excited to know that I made the [all-conference] team,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a good accomplishment.”

Junior center Kelvin Drake was UNT’s only other representative on the team that featured eight players from defending conference champion Florida Atlantic.

Fitzgerald was an obvious pick for the team after a breakout junior season when he caught 111 passes for 1,322 yards and 12 touchdowns. The senior ranked third among receivers nationally in receptions, sixth in yards and tied for 10th in receiving touchdowns.

“I love telling the story of Casey Fitzgerald and it won’t stop after this season,” UNT head coach Todd Dodge said. “He will be a guy who is an inspiration for walkons who think that they were overlooked not only at our school, but around the country. He is fun to brag on because he handles it so well.”

Fitzgerald caught 18 passes for 327 yards, the fifth-highest total for a single game in NCAA history, in a loss to SMU in the second week of last season when the Mean Green was still adapting to Dodge’s spread offense.

The experience Fitzgerald gained in UNT’s system over the last year could help him build on his breakout campaign.

“I have just been working out and going to summer school,” Fitzgerald said. “I am better prepared this year. We have a year under our belt in the offense, which will help us this year.”

Drake will be a key part of UNT’s plans to improve after finishing 2-10. The junior started all of UNT’s games last season and was a second-team all-conference selection.

“Kelvin is a guy who first and foremost is a good athlete, and you need one at center,” Dodge said. “He is a tough young man who played on a bad ankle a lot at the end of last year. He will be a leader of our offense for the next two years.”

FAU quarterback Rusty Smith was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while FAU linebacker Frantz Joseph was selected the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

“It’s been kind of surreal,” Smith said. “I didn’t expect what I accomplished. We make goals as a team and offense. I was focused on those goals. The individual stuff kind of snuck up on me. When I looked back at the end of the season, I said, ‘Wow, that really did happen.’”

UNT is hoping to make a run that mirrors Smith’s rise this season.

UNT gets three TV games

UNT will have three games televised next season, including two on ESPN+Plus.

 The Mean Green’s home game against Florida International on Oct. 4 and its game at Western Kentucky on Nov. 1 will both be shown ESPN’s regional network.

UNT’s game at LSU on Sept. 14 will be shown on Cox Sports Television on tape delay. UNT will find out if its game against LSU will be available in Denton area in the weeks leading up to the game.

“Any time you get a chance to give recruits a chance to see what you are about and let your fan base see what you are about, the more chance you get to get good players to join your program and people to follow it,” Dodge said.

The Mean Green was shut out when it came to the league’s national television package that includes three Florida Atlantic games. The Owls’ game against Michigan State on Sept. 13 will be shown on ESPN or ESPN2, while its games at Middle Tennessee on Sept. 30 and at home against Troy on Oct. 7 will be shown on ESPN2.

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

The following is the All-Sun Belt Conference team selected by the league’s head coaches and select media members who cover the conference on a regular basis.

Offense

QB – Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic, Jr.

RB – Reggie Arnold, Arkansas State, Jr.

WR – Cortez Gent, Florida Atlantic, Jr.; Casey Fitzgerald, North Texas, Sr.

TE – David Johnson, Arkansas State, Sr.; Zeek Zacharie, Louisiana-Monroe, Sr.

OL – Matt Mandich, Arkansas State, Sr.; Nick Paris, Florida Atlantic, Sr.; Chris Fisher, Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr.; Kelvin Drake, North Texas, Jr.; Dion Small, Troy, Sr.

Defense

DL – Alex Carrington, Arkansas State, Jr.; Robert St. Clair, Florida Atlantic, Sr.; Jervonte Jackson, Florida Atlantic, Sr.; Kenny Mainor, Troy, Sr.

LB – Ben Owens, Arkansas State, Sr.; Frantz Joseph, Florida Atlantic, Sr.; Boris Lee, Troy, Jr

DB – Tavious Polo, Florida Atlantic, So.; Corey Small, Florida Atlantic, Sr.; Greg James, Louisiana-Monroe, Jr.; Alex Suber, Middle Tennessee, Sr.; Sherrod Martin, Troy, Sr.; Tavares Williams, Troy, Sr.

Special teams

P – Scott Love, Louisiana-Monroe, Jr.

PK – Drew Edmiston, Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr.

RS – Desmond Gee, Middle Tennesse, Jr.

Offensive Player of the Year – Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic

Defensive Player of the Year – Frantz Joseph, Florida Atlantic