North Texas Notebook: Why Mason Fine stands alone on the sideline

While almost the entire North Texas football team was shoulder pad to shoulder pad as far as the players could go on the sideline toward the south end zone at Apogee Stadium, quarterback Mason Fine was on the opposite corner by myself Saturday night.

As the defense continued to dominate SMU early in the game, the group close to the action jumped and danced to the music playing throughout the packed venue. Fine, too, danced, but still by himself.

Isolating himself on the sideline between offensive possessions is something Fine has done since he played at Locust Grove High School in Oklahoma. While the rest of his team would move up and down the sideline as the action on the field moved, Fine…