Search the Community

It wasn’t too long ago when Erick Evans was the talk of practice at UNT. The former Seagoville standout arrived from the Air Force Academy’s prep school and made a name for himself in spring practice a year ago. Now Evans is gone. The sophomore has elected to transfer. I will have a notebook in tomorrow’s paper that goes over some of what took place in the last couple of days around the UNT athletic department. That story will include quite a bit on Evans, who I talked to today. Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/05/evans-talks-about-decision-to-transfer-boise-state-schedules-two-c-usa-teams.html/

Position: Running back Key returnees: Antoinne Jimmerson (Sr.), Jeffrey Wilson (So.), Jarrod Lynn (Sr.) Erick Evans (So.) Key additions: None Key losses: Reggie Pegram 2014 recap: UNT has depended on a powerful running game to spark its offense for years under multiple coaches dating back to the Mean Green’s run of four straight Sun Belt Conference titles beginning in 2001. The Mean Green struggled to get their running game going on a consistent basis last season and saw their offense flounder as a result. UNT ranked eighth in Conference USA with an average of 153.2 rushing yards a game and ninth in yards per carry at 3.9 in a season it failed to score more than 21 points in six games. UNT finished with 1,838 yards after clearing the 2,100-yard mark in four of the previous five seasons. Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/04/unt-position-series-jimmerson-leads-talented-running-back-group.html/

The teams in Conference USA West Division have all wrapped up spring drills and their spring games in the last few weeks. I am a big advocate of not over reacting to the outcome of spring games, but one can at least get a sense of where teams might be headed in the fall from what takes place. One can also get an idea of who the key players will be for each team in the conference. We have talked a ton about UNT over the last few weeks. Andrew McNulty is in position to hold on to the starting quarterback job heading into the Mean Green’s opener at SMU. There is a chance that JUCO transfer DaMarcus Smith could become academically eligible, beat McNulty out in the span of just a few practices in the fall and convince coach Dan McCarney/offensive coordinator Mike Canales to start him even though he really hasn’t had a lot of time to prove himself. Read more; http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/05/spring-games-around-c-usas-west-division.html/

UNT wrapped up spring practice on Tuesday, but still has a lot of issues to work through before heading to SMU for its season-opener in the fall. Among the Mean Green’s biggest dilemmas is settling on a new quarterback, but it’s far from the only decision UNT must make. There are multiple position battles that will extend into fall practice. Here is a look at the most important of those battles and how they will impact the Mean Green’s efforts to bounce back from a 4-8 season. Quarterback: There is no more important issue UNT faces than making a final decision at quarterback. The Mean Green entered the 2014 season looking for a way to replace Heart of Dallas Bowl MVP Derek Thompson and ended up starting three quarterbacks. None could fill the void Thompson left, but all three return in Andrew McNulty, Josh Greer and Dajon Williams. What makes the situation all the more intriguing is that JUCO transfer DaMarcus Smith was supposed to join the fray in spring, but was academically ineligible. He will arrive in the fall. McNutly came out of the spring game solidly atop UNT’s depth chart, but still has work to do to hang on to the job. The plan is for UNT to work with three quarterbacks in the fall, McNulty and Smith will be two of those players. The third will be either Greer or Williams. Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/04/unt-post-spring-position-battles-qb-race-remains-intriguing.html/

North Texas reached the finish line when it comes to spring practice in light-hearted fashion Tuesday afternoon. The Mean Green sent out their lumbering offensive and defensive linemen and a few coaches to catch punts lofted high in the air. The exercise provided a final few laughs and a nice sendoff for the Mean Greens players after a spring full of challenges, perhaps none bigger than adjusting to new offensive and defensive schemes. The quarterback race that was won, at least for now, by senior Andrew McNulty stole the headlines, but there is little doubt that how UNT adapts to new schemes also will be vital to UNTs prospects. Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/sports-headlines/20150421-unt-notebook-big-guys-shag-punts-to-cap-spring-practice.ece

UNT worked out this afternoon for the final time before Saturday’s scrimmage. Dan McCarney and UNT’s players aren’t officially available on Thursdays, but there are always a few tidbits one can pick up by watching the proceedings. Andrew McNulty continued to work with the first team and seemed to have the best day among UNT’s quarterbacks. He seems to be more consistent overall. Both Dajon Williams and Josh Greer made some good throws, but also missed on a few as well. We should see more on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. when UNT’s scrimmage gets going after some early drills. A few other tidbits of note … Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/04/thursday-practice-notes.html/

Nearly a dozen pro football scouts, including representatives from the Cowboys, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets came to UNT’s pro day this morning to get a look at the Mean Green’s top draft prospects. It depends on the year in terms of what I am able to run down as far as unofficial results. Unfortunately, the scouts who came by this year went inside to a room set aside for them this year to exchange information on 40-yard dash times since it was cold out. Here is what I came up with … OL Cyril Lemon — 14 bench reps, 30 inch vertical leap, 8-4 broad jump LB Derek Akunne — 19 bench reps, 35 1/2 vertical leap, 4.6 40-yard dash Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/03/unt-pro-day-tidbits.html/