The University of North Texas hopes to make history this evening with a chance to qualify for the college football playoffs.

With a win against Tulane, UNT would advance, along with 12 other teams, into the postseason.

It’s considered a miracle run for the Mean Green, and who better to talk about that than the school’s football legend, Mean Joe Greene.

Greene recalls senior season in 1969 

In a suite high above the field at UNT’s football stadium, he reflected on a past that stretched back 56 years. As a senior, he had taken the field in a stadium across the street, representing what was then North Texas State University.

“Our hopes and dreams were getting into a bowl. Can we get a bowl game? And a bowl game never came our way,” Greene said.

Hall of Famer reflects on career 

A bowl game as a college player was about the only thing Greene failed to experience in the years since. He went on to win six Super Bowl rings as a player and executive with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s an NFL Hall of Famer.

But on Friday night, the Argyle resident will be cheering on his alma mater, which has a chance for the first time to qualify for the college football playoffs.

“What are your thoughts about all this? It’s fundamentally exciting,” Greene said.

Mean Green chase national championship berth 

Like other graduates and fans, the 79‑year‑old has seen the Mean Green have successful seasons on the football field and bowl appearances, but nothing like this. The team only needs to beat Tulane tonight to qualify as one of 12 schools competing for the national championship.

“What does this mean for North Texas? The opportunity… that’s what it means for an institution like ours, great place, but it’s an opportunity to have the athletic world know more about North Texas than this guy they call ‘mean’ who went to North Texas,” Greene said.

Nickname born from size and ferocity 

A Texas high school star who attended North Texas State in 1966, Greene got his legendary nickname from fans impressed by his imposing size and ferocious approach to the game.

“The folks in the south corner, they start a chant, ‘Go Mean Green, you look so good to me. Go Mean Green, you look so good to me,'” Greene said.

“You have to wear it now with pride? A little bit, but it’s like I’m impersonating. Cause you’re not a mean guy? At times, yes,” he said.

Tributes to Greene across campus 

A statue is only one of the many tributes to Greene around the stadium and across the campus. He still attends home games at UNT and couldn’t be happier to see this year’s team accomplish more than any of the others before them.

“That’s what it’s about, playing to win. You need to bring everything to win. That is the most important thing about being an athlete,” Greene said.

Legend remembered for iconic commercial 

Greene is also remembered for one of the most famous TV commercials ever, Coca-Cola’s iconic 1979 ad titled Hey Kid, Catch!

“That was a script, and I was like, ‘I can’t do that,'” he said.

But Greene has proven throughout his life that he can do almost anything he sets his mind to. He hopes to pass that advice on to those wearing the Mean Green uniforms tonight and beyond.

“I hope so, I hope so. The one thing I do see in this team is I think I see some of that desire, the want to,” Greene said.

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