Know Your Foe: 5 North Texas Players Indiana Fans Need to Know

Indiana faces North Texas in its 2026 opener. Here are five Mean Green players who could have a major impact on the game.

Dec 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Detailed view of the North Texas Mean Green helmet during warmups in the 2025 American Championship before the game between the Tulane Green Wave and the North Texas Mean Green at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Both Indiana and North Texas fans should have their programs handy on Saturday as there will be 70 new faces taking the field for the Hoosiers' first opponent of the 2026 season. The Mean Green revamped their roster in the offseason, and here are five players Indiana fans need to know by kickoff.

Tayven Jackson, Quarterback

Nov 7, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights quarterback Tayven Jackson (2) warms up before the game against the Houston Cougars at Acrisure Bounce House. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Indiana fans should be familiar with North Texas' starting quarterback Tayven Jackson, as he played for the Hoosiers during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Jackson won the starting job in fall camp and is coming off a season where he threw for 10 touchdowns and over 2,100 yards for UCF last season..

The Greenwood, Indiana native has all the talent you want in a quarterback, but has yet to put it all together. Jackson is more of a pocket passer with a big arm. While he has the ability to run the ball, he just does not do it often.

"He's very talented. He's got a live arm. He can run. He's a good athlete. Started a number of games last season. He's a good player." Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said.

Jahiem White, Running Back

Aug 30, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers running back Jahiem White (1) runs the ball and is tackled by Robert Morris Colonials quarterback Jake Wolfe (12) during the first quarter at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Running back Jahiem White is dangerous with the ball in his hand and his best season came with Neal Brown as his head coach when they both were at West Virginia.

"Jahiem White in particular, he was injured, missed some of last season, but he's really fast and elusive. He's great in space." Cignetti said.

White has battled injuries and was limited to just two games last season with the Mountaineers. He is looking to get back to the potential and production he showed as a freshman and sophomore.

In 2023, White ran for 842 yards with a 7.7-yard-per-carry average on his way to freshman All-American honors. He followed that up with an 844-yard and seven-touchdown year as a sophomore.

White is determined to get his career back on track this season as he is reunited with Brown.

Kyle Koch, Wide Receiver

North Texas is still figuring out their receiver rotation, but one name to watch when the Mean Green offense takes the field is 6'2" junior Kyle Koch. He has played in 13 career games over his first two seasons. He snaps have come mostly on special teams, but he has talent to make plays on offense. He does have three catches for 22 yards and has track speed.

Keshaun Davila, Cornerback

North Texas has had some bad injury news out of fall camp concerning their cornerbacks. Caden Jenkins, who was the Mean Green's projected top corner, was lost for the year.

This opens the door for Arkansas transfer Keshaun Davila to step into a starting role. Davila was rated the number one cornerback coming out of junior college in 2024, and the move to North Texas should be more productive for him.

Chase Canada, Cornerback

Another player who will have an opportunity to take advantage of an unfortunate injury to Jenkins is Chase Canada. He is one of the few holdovers from last year's Mean Green squad that went 12-2 last season.

Canada played in seven games for North Texas in 2025 and in nine games for Illinois in 2024, so he has the experience to make an impact.

“Credit to him, he came back and went to work,” Brown told NTDaily.com. “Sometimes transitions are good for people. […] He’s probably been our best corner all spring. He’s had a really solid camp. He’s tough, and I think that he’s positioning himself to go play a lot of football here and be productive.”