MGB: Pre-spring questions No. 3 -- Can UNT rebuild its OL?

[Brett Vito]

MGB:

http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/03/pre-spring-questions-no-3-can-unt-rebuild-its-offensive-line.html/

[UNTexas]

Rebuild? After last year it's a fresh start!

[BillySee58]

I know most would agree that we had a disappointing season from our offensive line last year, but the concern from me here is that Mccarney has still only signed 1 high school offensive lineman who has gone on to become a full-time starter. And that's Cyril Lemon.

Mccarney has been able to lean on Lemon and two Dodge signees (Johnson and Y'Barbo) to occupy three-fifths of his offensive line all 4 years. Can we finally get these Mccarney high school signees to be more than just depth guys? Or do the transfers and former walkons (Rice, Epps, Ochs, Banogu) beat out the former high school signees?

[Harry]

I think we will be ok here. Honestly last year was a huge letdown. Can't fall much farther than we did.

[GOMG2013]

I think we will be ok here. Honestly last year was a huge letdown. Can't fall much farther than we did.

OL was below average like most areas. Some say having a weak QB hurt the OL. I also think our RB performance did not help. I noticed in the UTSA game, when Wilson got in there, it looked like we all of a sudden had a good OL...

[untjim1995]

I think we will be ok here. The coaching staff develops linemen better than any other position on the team. Even though last year was a disappointment, I still think we will see a decent OL, even if its new. NOw, teh DLine, that's another story...even with the experience they got last year, they are still really undersized and not that great at putting consistent pressure on the QB.

[Ben Gooding]

Yes, the OL will be just fine. Probably improved to be honest. OL and RB should be an area we can literally reload rather than rebuild. I have a lot faith in he guys on the roster.

[BillySee58]

I think we will be ok here. The coaching staff develops linemen better than any other position on the team. Even though last year was a disappointment, I still think we will see a decent OL, even if its new. NOw, teh DLine, that's another story...even with the experience they got last year, they are still really undersized and not that great at putting consistent pressure on the QB.

Have they? 3/5ths of the offensive line has been the same since they've been here. Now those 3 are gone. What offensive linemen has this staff developed?

[UNT90]

OL was below average like most areas. Some say having a weak QB hurt the OL. I also think our RB performance did not help. I noticed in the UTSA game, when Wilson got in there, it looked like we all of a sudden had a good OL...

Hard to run against 9 in the box ever damn play.

This is a huge unknown. Saying we will be"just fine" is homer fantastic.

Edited March 4, 2015 by UNT90

[MeanGreenTexan]

Have they? 3/5ths of the offensive line has been the same since they've been here. Now those 3 are gone. What offensive linemen has this staff developed?

Uh, Kirby? and uh...

[Travis]

I am worried about our O-line, D-line, Linebackers, Secondary, QB. less worried about WR. Even less worried about RB and TE. I am not too optimistic about this year. But, i want them to prove me wrong!

[UNT90]

Uh, Kirby? and uh...

But he was a walk on, not a scholarship player.

[MeanGreenTexan]

But he was a walk on, not a scholarship player.

Which would only strengthen the development argument. Probably best to leave that one alone.

[UNTLifer]

The question wasn't in regards to scholarship players, it was in regards to what OL has this staff developed. Kirby, McKinney and Rentfro come to mind.

[UNT90]

Which would only strengthen the development argument. Probably best to leave that one alone.

But would greatly weaken the evaluation argument...

[BillySee58]

The question wasn't in regards to scholarship players, it was in regards to what OL has this staff developed. Kirby, McKinney and Rentfro come to mind.

No, but it does speak to their evaluations of the high school o-linemen they have signed. Mckinney was a JUCO who was ready to play from day 1.

Here's the thing, we need guys who can win one on one matchups, make plays, and be football players we can lean on to beat good teams and make a bowl. The names you mentioned are guys who have played. It's year 5 of the Mccarney era. Of course some of his guys have played by now.

Just like I talk about with the defense, the offensive line has to be good enough for us to lean on. Not just okay. Last year the 4 teams we beat won a combined 8 games. We need a lot more to beat the teams it takes to get us to a bowl. Is what we've seen from guys like Kirby and Rentfro enough? Will they give us more, and will other guys step up? We'll see. But those are the looming questions. It might, and hopefully will happen. But I don't see how we can so easily brush off these linemen we've lost and just say "it can't get much worse".

Edited March 4, 2015 by BillySee58

[GOMG2013]

I wonder if we have better options, but they just havent been developed or havent been given a legitimate chance. Seems like Erick Evans earned a shot at more reps. He may have had some fumbling issues at practice, but when he played, he produced. He looked good in Spring too.

It sends a bad message when you continue to roll out guys who are not producing, just because they are older and are seniors. I guess I can agree with giving them the first crack at it, but losing is losing...and if im going to lose, better to do it with young guys with upside instead of seniors playing below average.

[MeanGreenTexan]

But would greatly weaken the evaluation argument...

You inserted yourself into an existing conversation that had nothing to do with evaluation.

Have they? 3/5ths of the offensive line has been the same since they've been here. Now those 3 are gone. What offensive linemen has this staff developed?

Uh, Kirby? and uh...

But he was a walk on, not a scholarship player.

Which would only strengthen the development argument. Probably best to leave that one alone.

[Marty]

Banogu got a little PT last year, I think he'll be a starter this year. Once again he's a walk on. Mac called out Micah Thompson at the signing day press conference, hope that lights a fire under him.

[Green P1]

You inserted yourself into an existing conversation that had nothing to do with evaluation.

MeanGreenTexan... I'd like to introduce you to UNT90.

[UNTexas]

I am worried about our O-line, D-line, Linebackers, Secondary, QB. less worried about WR. Even less worried about RB and TE. I am not too optimistic about this year. But, i want them to prove me wrong!

Travis, at least we'll have home field advantage on our side.

[UNT90]

You inserted yourself into an existing conversation that had nothing to do with evaluation.

The point being that evaluation and development go hand in hand.

Perhaps if we had evaluated better, a walk on wouldn't be anchoring our offensive line this year.

[MeanGreenTexan]

The point being that evaluation and development go hand in hand.

Perhaps if we had evaluated better, a walk on wouldn't be anchoring our offensive line this year.

That's completely understood, and to an extent I agree, but it's also tertiary to the conversation.

[UNT90]

That's completely understood, and to an extent I agree, but it's also tertiary to the conversation.

We disagree.

You can't talk about one without talking about the other.

Edited March 6, 2015 by UNT90

[greenit]

Can't have it both ways. Walkons are definitely recruited, they just are not as high profile because they tend to not be highly rated for one reason or another. I would guess the staff recruits 5-10 walkons each year. The walkons have the added motivation of getting put on scholarship that the scholarship players don't. The staff is always having to juggle who they think they can get to come play as a preferred walkon versus having to offer them a scholarship up front.

Trying to say that walkons are unrecruited players and that the coaches have no role in their being on the team is pretty short sighted.