North Texas Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up

Strengths & Question Marks

There are two areas where UNT should be strong next season – its offensive line and its secondary.

The Mean Green’s core linemen have been together for what seems like forever. Guards Mason Y’Barbo ha and Cyril Lemon have started 37 and 35 games, respectively, while tackle Antonio Johnson has started 34.

Center Kaydon Kirby is also back after starting last year. UNT has just one lineman to replace and has a guy who has started two games in Shawn McKinney ready to move in at guard or another back up with experience ready in tackle Ryan Renfo.

UNT is pondering moving Lemon to tackle for the first time in his career, which would change the lineup a bit, but the bottom line is this – if Lemon has an itchy toe, Y’Barbo knows it without having to ask.

UNT should also be solid in the secondary where starting cornerbacks Kenny Buyers and James Jones return along with a solid backup in Zac Whitfield who plays a lot. UNT also has strong safety Lairamie Lee back. The Mean Green has to replace Marcus Trice at free safety, but has some good prospects there in Freddie Warner and Sheldon Wade.

I don’t think there is any question that UNT’s biggest question is at quarterback. UNT fans wrung their hands all through last off-season at the prospect of Derek Thompson starting for a third straight year — something that was far from a given. All Thompson did was throw for 2,896 yards in a run-first offense and lead UNT to its third bowl win in program history. Oh, and he was the MVP of the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Career backup Andrew McNulty and JUCO transfer Josh Greer came out of spring in a dead heat for the starting job while talented sophomore Dajon Williams slipped to fourth team. UNT isn’t shutting the door on Williams, who has high-end talent, but it seems like a foregone conclusion that either McNulty or Greer will start. Can they fill the rather large void Thompson left? That is the question.

Some point to Thompson’s TD to interception ratio of 16-13, but he played in an offense that was far from the chuck-it-all-around spread that is all the rage today. Thompson took advantage of his chances and really played well all things considered.

Breakout Players

I’m going to let your readers in on a little secret. UNT is going to run the ball – a lot. Ok, it’s not a secret. Outside of a few ill-fated seasons of duck-and-chuck under Todd Dodge a few years ago, UNT has been a run-first team. And Dan McCarney likes to rotate running backs.

Add it all together and it seems like Erick Evans is destined to shine this year. The walk-on has big-time speed and is sitting second on the depth chart heading into the off-season. UNT’s second leading rusher last year is this year’s likely starter – Antoinne Jimmerson, who rushed for 446 yards.

Reggie Pegram will be back from a knee injury and should get a lot of carries, but it’s not hard to see a scenario where Evans getting plenty of chances, especially with UNT breaking in a new quarterback.

I would also keep an eye on sophomore defensive end Malik Dilonga and freshman wide receiver Tee Goree. Dilonga could end up starting at defensive end and will definitely see a lot of playing time. UNT also needs help at wide receiver and Goree might be the best overall prospect UNT has signed in years.

Position Grades

QBs – C

Like a box full of chocolates, UNT has no idea what it’s going to get with Andrew McNulty and Josh Greer, who are in position to take over the starting job.

RBs – B

UNT has a ton of good prospects and two proven players in Antoinne Jimmerson and Reggie Pegram. Does UNT have C-USA elite back? That remains to be seen.

WR/TEs – B

Losing Brelan Chancellor, arguably UNT’s top all-around player, will hurt. UNT also lost largely underappreciated starter Darnell Smith. UNT does have some solid players returning, though. Carlos Harris caught 47 passes a year ago, Texas transfer Darius Terrell appears ready for a big season and UNT has a few top-end prospects coming in, including Tee Goree.

OL – A

UNT’s offensive line has long been a strength and will be again next year with three cornerstones returning in first-team All-C-USA selection Cyril Lemon, not to mention Mason Y’Barbo and Antonio Johnson, a trio of multi-year starters. Starting center Kaydon Kirby also returns.

DL – C

UNT lost four key players who started nearly the entire year and will look to rebuild around defensive end Daryl Mason. UNT might not have a bigger concern that its defensive front.

LB – B

Middle linebacker Zach Orr was one of the best players UNT has had in years and completed his career last year, along with outside linebacker Will Wright. Derek Akunne is solid and returns. There are a lot of questions UNT has to answer and will look to young players like Fred Scott to come through.

DB – B

Starting corners Kenny Buyers and James Jones return, along with safety Lariamie Lee. All three are solid Conference USA level players. Buyers and Lee could emerge as elite players this season. Replacing first-team All-C-USA safety Marcus Trice won’t be easy though.

ST – B

UNT lost one of the best return men in program history in wide receiver Brelan Chancellor. Punter Blake Macek is back and UNT has a top high school kicker arriving in Trevor Moore. It is still hard to imagine that UNT won’t miss Chancellor.

2014 Expectations

UNT seemed to be facing a do-or-die season a year ago when the Mean Green had a ton of key players back to try to break a streak of eight straight losing seasons. UNT came through in spectacular fashion, winning nine games, including beating UNLV in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

It’s hard to imagine UNT surpassing what it accomplished a year ago. Just coming close would be huge after the core of the team walked out the door, degrees in hand. UNT has to replace its quarterback, its leading rusher, its top two receivers, its leader in interceptions and three of its top four tacklers.

There is good news, though. Coach Dan McCarney has taken UNT to a bowl win after winning consistently over a number of years at Iowa State. To review – McCarney has won at North Texas and Iowa State, where it isn’t exactly easy breezy to win – at least not historically.

I suspect McCarney has a magical magician pointy hat hidden away in his office. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that McCarney pulls another rabbit out of his hat and leads UNT to a .500 or better year.

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Brett Vito the Mean Green beat writer for the Denton Record-Chronicle provided the information for our North Texas Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up.  For more Mean Green football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow Brett on Twitter @brettvito.

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