DENTON -- North Texas football saw its season flash before its eyes down 24-20 in the third quarter against FAU on Thursday night. Mean Green quarterback Mason Fine, the program’s all-time leading passer, suffered what seemed to be a serious injury.

Little-used senior quarterback Quinn Shanbour knew his moment was here. Shanbour had never played significant snaps for North Texas, despite this being his fifth year on campus. On Senior Day no less, Shanbour went out and made the biggest plays of his life.

North Texas took over at the FAU 7-yard line following a roughing the passer call that led to Fine’s gashed hand. Shanbour ran it in for a five-yard touchdown two plays later to retake the lead.

“After that series, i knew I was in trouble,” UNT coach Seth Littrell joked after the game. “I’ll have to bench the all-time leading passer of this program.”

On the next drive, North Texas took over at the FAU 39-yard line after a big interception from defensive back Nate Brooks. Shanbour and running back DeAndre Torrey traded rushes down the field. The senior ran it in for a 16-yard score on just the sixth play of the drive to take a commanding 34-24 lead in Denton.

Fine managed to come back from his injury and finish off a 41-38 win over FAU, a program the Mean Green lost two games to a season ago. But after the game, Shanbour – who revealed he lost a family member during the week – couldn’t help but be emotional after the biggest game of his life.

“Family means a lot to me,” Shanbour said while holding back tears. “I consider these guys my family. It was a once in a lifetime kind of moment. I broke down out there.

“It’s like, what, my 10th year here? My last time in Apogee, it’s pretty emotional.”

Shanbour is joking about being here for 10 years, but he’s not that far off. The Oklahoma City native walked on at North Texas in 2013. But since then, no one has put more of themselves into the North Texas program and community.

“I’m so excited for him,” Littrell said. “He’s such a great teammate and great leader on this team. He does not get enough credit for the things that he’s done for this team and for this university. For him to have the opportunity to do this on Senior Day, to come in here and step up and execute, that touchdown was huge.”

Shanbour has spent the bulk of the last six seasons participating on the practice squad and not appearing in games. But even though he’s only thrown 15 passes in 12 career appearances, Shanbour has been a leader at UNT.

He was named part of the football player’s leadership council in 2017 and is also part of the graduate student council. Shanbour visits elementary schools as part of the UNT reading program, volunteers with the Special Olympics and is involved in several other initiatives in the Denton and Dallas communities. For all of his efforts, he was named to the Wuerffel Award watch list, which is college football's award for community service and athletic excellent. 

As if that wasn’t enough, Shanbour is on the cusp of completing his second master’s degree in Denton in his final year of eligibility. There’s not many people on earth with more Mean Green in their blood than Quinn Shanbour. That's what made Shanbour's touchdowns – his first two scores ever at Apogee Stadium – so special. 

“I love my coaches and my teammates, and I love this community,” Shanbour said. “I put so much into this community and they gave it right back. The rebound of love is enormous. I can’t thank everyone enough.”

Shanbour has seen North Texas at its highest and lowest. When he walked on, the Mean Green went 9-4 in their first season in Conference-USA. Two years later, he was on the sideline when UNT lost 66-7 to an FCS team to cap off a 1-11 season. Now, North Texas has consecutive eight-win seasons for the first time since 2003, with a chance to make it 10 for the first time since Hayden Fry.

The senior quarterback won’t ever see his name atop the North Texas record books. But on Thursday night in Denton, Shanbour experienced a senior moment that he will never forget.