North Texas announced Thursday that head coach Dan McCarney has dismissed wide receiver Darius Carey from the team just months after he completed a season in which he led the Mean Green in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Dan McCarney
Carey was entering his junior season and was projected to start for the third straight year.
"Darius did not live up to the standards and expectations that we have set for this football program," McCarney said in a prepared statement. "We wish him well in all of his future endeavors."
McCarney declined to comment further through a university official.
Carey caught 38 passes for 524 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore last season. ALSO ONLINE
UNT Wide Receiver Primer
The former New Orleans Helen Cox standout led UNT in receiving yards in eight of the Mean Green's 12 games last season. He caught at least two passes in each game of the 2010 campaign and caught five passes for 85 yards and a touchdown in a Week 11 loss to Louisiana-Monroe.
Carey moved into the starting lineup in the second game of his freshman season in 2009 and finished with 57 catches for 509 yards. Both totals were UNT records for a freshman.
Just a few weeks ago, Carey seemed destined to build on those totals this fall. He caught McCarney's attention during spring practice and caught a touchdown pass in the Mean Green's spring game.
"He's a special talent and has special ability," McCarney said earlier this spring. "He has speed, quickness, good hands and mental and physical toughness."
Carey was unavailable for comment.
Losing Carey further depletes UNT's wide receiver corps that will now be without three key players from last season.
UNT's second-leading wide receiver Jamaal Jackson, who caught 33 passes for 446 yards and four touchdowns last season, completed his eligibility in 2010. Alex Lott, who caught 15 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown last season, was also a senior.
Tyler Stradford posted 24 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns as a junior and will be the only wide receiver UNT has back who caught more than a dozen passes last year. He was UNT third-most productive wide receiver.
Running back Lance Dunbar caught 28 passes for 332 yards out of the backfield last season and proved to be an effective complement to UNT's wide receiver corps.
The return of Michael Outlaw could help soften the blow UNT takes with the loss to Carey. Outlaw sat out last season, his second at UNT after transferring from East Miss-issippi Community College, due to injury.
He is projected to start this fall.
UNT could also look to sophomore wide receiver Brelan Chancellor, who set a UNT single-season record with 923 kickoff return yards in just nine games, to play a larger role.
Chancellor caught one pass for 12 yards last season.
UNT signed just one wide receiver in its incoming recruiting class in Chaz Sampson of Mansfield Timberview.
BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com
