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In this episode we dust off the equipment and start the ball rolling for the 2015 season. Evan and Harry are joined by Ashton and discusses the current state of Beyond the Green. Ashton also brings along a few interviews with Coaches Kevin Patrick (DL) and Tommy Perry (RB/ST)
The next live Podcast will be August 12th at 9:05PM and weekly thereafter. Join in the discussion during the Podcasts in the Chat Room.
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So in hoping that Andy and DaMarcus or Josh are able to right the ship, you have to think about next year... and the year after... and the year after that...
McNulty is graduating after this season. Smith has one more year as does Greer. And then barring another transfer situation we are back to the drawing board.
Which gets me back to Connor Means who will be a redshirt freshman this year. Yes he will have 4 more years to play in the program. But why not find out what he can do now?
I really like what I have seen in Means and what he brings to the table. He has a good arm and good size at 6-4. He is not a sprinter but he can move pretty darn well for a QB. He has been in Chico Canales' system for awhile, having transferred into UNT his senior year at Deer Park and participated in spring practices. i like his fire and and spirit. He's steered clear of trouble and made good grades. With Dajon Williams leaving the program I think this is a young man that UNT really needs to give a long, hard look to and not just in warmups.
Think back to 2013 - which was by all accounts a great year - I felt UNT made a big mistake by not getting quarterbacks other than Derek Thompson reps. There were times in games that UNT had well in hand where they could have easily put another guy in. Sometimes UNT seems so concerned with ball control and turnovers that it leads them away from developing the younger guys. 2014 proved that out as there was literally not one QB with any significant game action in 2013 and it showed.
I am not saying that they have to start Means against SMU. However, with Means sitting behind McNulty, Greer and most likely Smith on the depth chart, I worry that he won't see the time of day in terms of real game action in 2015 and I think that would be a big mistake. A player like Means - if handled correctly - could impact UNT's offense in a positive way for a long time.
In this era of college teams seemingly using transfer QB's from one year to the next I hope that consideration will still be given to the talented younger guy who could develop if given the right opportunities are provided to build up his confidence and succeed.
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Andrew McNulty has taken his lumps as a quarterback in the UNT program over the years but very few would question that his play this season may well determine if the staff can turn around a regrettable 4-8 campaign in 2014.
Rewind back to 2011. Dan McCarney had been hired to replace Todd Dodge who in many eyes had run the program into the very bottom of the NCAA. McCarney had his first signing class, and as most new coaching staffs he hustled to put together the best class he could in limited time.
I remember seeing McNulty's name on signing day and scratching my head and wondering who is this guy? Here was a guy who was from Iowa City Mac's hometown. Unheralded as a prospect, he did have an outstanding senior season and as a junior at Iowa City he played behind a 4-star prospect named AJ Derby who now plays for the Patriots in the NFL. Not a highly rated prospect whose best shot was the fact that Iowa was sniffing around but never provided a formal offer.
Later we learned that McNulty was the son of Jim McNulty who was a teammate of Dan McCarney at Iowa in the early 70's. Bloodlines certainly didn't hurt his interesting move to be a scholarship quarterback in Denton, Texas. Timing played a role as well. Mac knew he had to change the mindset of a program that had fallen into the depths of despair. McNulty could be a key piece to the puzzle.
2011 was an odd year in which Derek Thompson was slated as the starter but McNulty's mobility allowed him to get into some games and actually start a game against a salty Tulsa team where he was running for his life. It was hard to give him a decent grade with only 352 yards and one touchdown. The kid was a true freshman and physically not prepared for physical nature of the game at this level.
2012 was a medical redshirt year for McNulty who I believe suffered a wrist injury.
2013 as a sophomore he saw limited action in eight games behind Derek Thompson.
2014 was really the first time we got to see what McNulty could do. He did not beat out transfer Josh Greer but he stuck it out when Greer faltered and Dajon Williams after that. So we really got about half a season to evaluate what McNulty was capable of.
His first real start was in a home game against Southern Miss in Denton where he went 20 of 35 for 287 yards. UNT would end up losing this game by a score of 30-21 but the key point was McNulty did not turn the ball over and he was only sacked once. The game prior, Dajon Williams had two interceptions (one for a pick 6) and five sacks in a 56-21 loss that may have been the low point of an already disappointing season.
If you measure results as wins and losses, McNulty started 6 games in 2014 and went 2-4 and quite frankly the UNT defense had become a shadow of it's former self. It was not turnovers that hurt McNulty, it was that the UNT run oriented offense could not outscore most of the opponents they faced in the second half of the season.
A lot of UNT fans blame McNulty for all the ails the program and it's fall from a bowl win and respect in 2013 to a 4-8 record in 2014. But to do that is frankly unfair. No, Andrew McNulty does not have the biggest arm, or the greatest speed. He won't dazzle you as players like former Eagle Dajon Williams could with his raw god given abilities. He's not a vocal leader, he is somewhat shy and quiet preferring to lead by example.
He does offer you a blue collar, intelligent and hard working kid who has given his all in his 5-years here. Look at the off season workout reports and you will see McNulty leading the pack. Look at the grade reports and he makes high marks. He has never been in trouble. By all accounts he is the player every coach wants to have in their program. If you look at him physically speaking, he has transformed from a 6-1, lean 175 pounder into a very strong 210 and is much more able to withstand the perils of C-USA defensive linemen. There has not been another UNT player who has bought into the off season strength and conditioning program more than McNulty.
Most that follow UNT will concede that McNulty will most likely be taking the first snap as UNT faces cross town rival SMU to open the 2015 season. I submit to you that he is deserving of this. Whether or not he will take future snaps and lead the team throughout the season remains to be seen. He will have a lot of players looking to relegate him to the bench. Juco transfer DaMarcus Smith come into the mix this Fall with a lot of credentials and talent. Josh Greer has seen a revival of his career and hopes to make his way back into the lead position. Redshirt Freshman Conner Means will look to make his move as well and he clearly has some talent.
My hope is that UNT fans will give McNulty the benefit of the doubt. He has been a good soldier in this program and deserves his chance to show what he can do. Results will certainly be the final determination but in my opinion there is not another quarterback on this roster that has worked harder and is more deserving of leading the team against SMU.
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One is defensive end Daryl Mason. Mason had a pretty good career at UNT, not Hall of Fame worthy but certainly in the upper tier of athletes UNT has had at the defensive end position in recent memory. Mason was undersized at the start of his career but grew into the position as he got older (6-3, 260) and had the look of a D-I caliber player in his junior and senior seasons. Injuries plagued him throughout his career and in his senior season, and despite leading the team in tackles (19) he played in only 9 of the 12 games.
Another player we will miss is tackle Alex Lincoln. "Linc" was a solid contributor. Like Mason, he was undersized but made up for that with his speed and technique. Again, injuries hurt Linc in 2014 as he suffered a season ending injury against UTEP and after that the UNT run defense was never the same.
So while you miss these two players in 2015 you also have to say that there is a lot of experience and potential coming back.
To man Mason's spot could be either returning sophomore Tillman Johnson or perhaps juco transfer Jareid Combs. Johnson had a remarkable true freshman year, where he posted 4 sacks in 8 games. Let me repeat, he was a true freshman. Unfortunately he was injured and only played in 8 games or he would have led the team in sacks. If he can stay healthy he could be poised for an all conference type of year, especially if UNT gets production from the rest of the line.
Combs is a 6-4, 260 pound prototypical defensive end who UNT signed out of Iowa Central Community College. Combs has 4.6 40-speed and had 17 sacks as a sophomore which was the second highest total in a pretty salty league. It will take Combs a little while to adjust but I would expect him to be an immediate contributor that could make a big impact.
Although UNT loses Daryl Mason who was the leading tackler in the defensive line, it also returns the next 8 tacklers statistically behind him. In that group there are a couple of guys who may be poised for breakthrough years.
I really like the potential of tackle Sid Moore. Moore is undersized at 6-1, 257 but has a fast motor and nose for the ball. He plays nasty and brings a level of intensity that UNT has missed quite honestly. As a redshirt freshman playing in 9 games he logged 8.5 tackles which is not too shabby for a youngster.
Sir Calvin Wallace is another name to remember. At 6-2, 296 Wallace fills up space and seems to be on the rise. After a very slow start, and showing up to camp out of shape he has slowly worked his way back into the mix. He quietly made 16 tackles last season and as a junior could be even better in 2015.
Jarrian Roberts (pictured above), Chad Polk and Austin Orr all return to the front four after playing in a lot of games last season. Roberts may be one of the most athletic linemen UNT (18 tackles in 2014) has and this junior campaign could be his breakout year. Polk led the team in sacks last season (7.5). Orr is not the biggest tackle at 6-4, 277 but he makes up for it with his intensity.
A couple other returning players could also provide depth. End Andy Flusche was a former walk-on who as a freshman showed that he belonged on the field with 8 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a lot of QB rushes. Tackle TJ Tauaalo redshirted last season but at 6-2, 290 has the size to help shore up the middle. End Malik Dilonga (6-4, 260) played in 11 games and logged 11 stops. Redshirt junior Mustafa Haboul played in only 4 games but had a good spring showing where he was often starting at one of the tackle spots.
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This comes at a bad time for UNT who is basically a couple of weeks from starting their Fall camp. UNT lost four O-Line starters from last years team, but Ochs and transfer Sam Rice were expected to help shoulder the load. The reason for his leaving appears to be family issues.
McCarney hinted that there may be a window for Ochs to return but one would wonder why this announcement unless his departure had some validity to it. Ochs departure will push some of UNT's younger players on the offensive line to play more of a role in 2015.
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In familiarizing myself with Morris and the direction he intends to take in the SMU rebuilding project, I took in some videos and articles around his introduction to the SMU community and the media in general.
I swear to you, you could have taken clips and sound bytes from 9 years ago when Dodge was announced as HC at UNT and matched them up exactly with the Morris talking points.
"I'm a Texas high school coach first and proud of it" or "We've had 100's of area high school coaches sending me texts" or "We open our arms to all of the high school staffs to be a part of this" or "I have an obligation to represent the Texas High School Coaches" etc etc...
Make no mistake, there is a lot in common in what SMU AD Rick Hart is trying to do now compared to what UNT AD Rick Villarreal was trying to do almost a decade ago.
And honestly, there are some differences. Morris was a heralded college assistant at Clemson and one of the highest paid in the country. Dodge had a quick cup of coffee as an assistant at North Texas before going back into the high school arena. Morris is making reportedly $2+ million a year at SMU and Dodge was making $331,448 a year at UNT. Morris has assembled a very impressive staff with college experience, including recruiting guru Van Malone as well as some young assistants he worked with at Clemson. Dodge brought in mostly high school assistants from Southlake Carroll.
I have to say, it's hard not to be impressed with Morris. He is an extremely passionate speaker, and by all accounts very personable and intelligent with a math degree from A&M. He has stated very clearly that it will take all of SMU, including faculty, students and alumni to get the program where they want it to be.
But I also find it interesting that he says the reason he took the SMU job was to "get back to my roots" and it was "just a great fit"... come on Chad, SMU gave you a $1+ Million dollar raise and set up your family for life... not that he didn't already have a nice paycheck at Clemson but - let's be honest - the money played a pretty significant role in getting him back here. Let's just say I don't think he would be taking $331,448 a year to rebuild the Ponies.
That said, I do think Morris will do good things at SMU. It's a good academic school that has a lot of tradition and it's sitting in huge city and plethora of good recruiting prospects.
As a UNT fan you are constantly plagued with the "what ifs". What if we had forced Dodge to hire college assistants? Did he stipulate that he had to remain loyal to his high school staff? Or was our budget such that we we're ok with him bringing in guys who would not command a lot of money? Or was it a mixture of both? What if he had been given more direction and support from coaches with college experience who knew the ropes?
Since UNT has a 20-year or whatever contract with SMU, we will get to watch what Morris is able to accomplish on the field of play. We will get to see how the recruiting picks up and how his uptempo offense and blitzing defense fairs as the years go by.
Other than our game with SMU, I wish their program well. They have the same challenges all of us non p5's face. I do think Morris can do some really good things there. But, every time I look at or hear Morris speak it will remind me of the opportunity we lost with the Todd Dodge hire. A hire and direction which BTW many of us (including myself) were 100% behind at the time.
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