Reasons for Mean Green FB hope in 2015

[Harry]

1).  McNulty.  Ok, so I know mini doesn't get a lot of love around these parts but hear me out.  Did anyone think DT was going to have a HOF year leading up to his senior season?  I sure as hell didn't.  McNulty has quietly worked his ass off and has good football smarts.  He may not be the most athletic QB in C-USA but he is one of the smarter ones.  He took his lumps last season and should be improved.  Also, I think he was playing hurt for some of the last games so having him healthy won't hurt us either.

2).  Juco's:  I know DMac doesn't like hearing this but this is as big an infusion of battle tested players we have seen since Dodge was spiraling down.  In Dodge's case it didn't work, in Mac's case it could.  LB Courtney Finney is REALLY good.  DE Jareid Combs should be a big upgrade at defensive end.  DaMarcus Smith same at QB.  WR Thaddeus Thompson could be a surprise impact player.  DB Xavier Grindle can fly.  DB James Gray could be an all conference type of player.  OL Brian Ochs is a day one starter in my book.  At least on paper this is a different team talent wise and I think it's ok to be cautiously optimistic about this.

3).  Development players:  The first one that comes to mind for me here is Mustafa Haboul.  I have watched him slowly work his way up  the ranks and like McNulty been a hard worker and good soldier.  I don't label him a star but I think he will surprise some people with his play this year at DT.  I think  Jamal Marshall could be really interesting moving back to the secondary at 6-3 with his speed.  I am intrigued by the Jackson twins and their speed coming eligible as juniors.  Michael Banogu really could surprise a lot of people this season at tackle.

Tillman Johnson and KiShawn McClain are poised for huge years.  Does anyone think Sid Moore will take a step down this season as a sophomore?  What about Sam Rice on the oline...could he be an immediate all conference type of player?  How about RB Jeff WIlson?  WR Tee Goree?

My point is, this will not be the same team that won 4-game last season, not by a longshot.  Yes - there are holes to fill but there are also a lot of new faces who could improve the situation. QB was a huge disaster last year but I do not think that position could be worse this season.   GMG

Edited June 8, 2015 by Harry

[VideoEagle]

I am hopeful about the coming year. Besides the QB problems of last year, we need a line that will provide whomever is QB some time and we need receivers who can consistently get open and CATCH to ball. Everything I've point to improvement in those areas. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

DaMarcus Smith

[Ben Gooding]

I hear ya, Harry. The make or break position is QB. I think D. Smith is the real deal,  but until Mac comes to his senses and gives him the reigns to the offense (which is inevitable, book that) I am at best cautiously optimistic. 

Other pieces seem to be in place to at least be very competitive.  

[Harry]

Time will tell.  But I do see reason for hope.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I don't see the Thompson/McNulty comparison.  At all.  Thompson had shown flashes of being a legit FBS QB throughout his career.  McNulty never has.  Thompson was maddeningly inconsistent his junior year, but he still threw for 14 TDs and had a 121.8 QB rating.  McNulty his junior year threw 6 TDs, had a 111.4 QB rating, and only had one game where he threw for 200 yards.  Not to bash on the guy, and if he ends up the starter, I'd love to see him throw 30 TDs.  But nothing I've seen so far has suggested that is possible.

[Green P1]

Your topic grabbed my interest.... Sadly I passed out after the first three syllables.   Hopefully the other bullet points were great! 

[97and03]

If Smith takes the QB job then that neutralizes your first bullet point.  So does that means less optimism because less bullet points? Or more because Mini isn't the QB?

[cogido]

Definately going to be a  QB issue this year. I think the staff have improved the defense.  If little Mac does well against smu then having a hot ticket like Damarcus Smith gets complicated. I'll be there .

[SilverEagle]

Before Mr. Smith gets hailed as the second coming of (insert name of your favorite QB here) , keep in mind the vast difference between the highlight clips of Mr. Greer in junior college, and his "highlights" in Austin last year. As I've mentioned before in recent threads, I'm hoping Mr. Means takes advantage of the latest change in the QB depth chart. 

And then there is the issue of how our QB's are assessed/developed in the first place. Why do only two (maybe three) candidates get reps with the first team and the rest do all their reps with the second and third string. To me every candidate should get their chance running the first team, and every candidate (including the front runners) should do some of their reps with the second and third string offenses.

 

 

[GrandGreen]

There are always reasons for hope, unfortunately there are more reasons that point to another bad season.  Per list on conference fan site, NT has the second lowest number of lettermen returning in CUSA.  NT continues to get low ranking in pre-season polls and recruiting sites.  The QB position is not settled going into the season.  Mac has not proven he can win with his own recruits.  About as tough of conference schedule imaginable plus two not one away guarantee games.   The offensive line is in deep rebuild mode.

I hope Harry's scenario proves true, but there are a lot of pieces that have to fall in place.  On the flip side, this looks like a very down year coming up.  I didn't think last year would be as bad as it was, hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised this year. 

[97and03]

Nothing like rebuilding after a rebuilding year!

[untjim1995]

1).  McNulty.

​I stopped reading after this...no offense, but that is reason #2 that I think this season is going to be painful. Reason #1 is the brutal schedule.

Edited June 9, 2015 by untjim1995

[greenminer]

We need an opportunistic defense, and an offense that  is a threat to stretch the opposing D.

 

Looking forward to the Carthage (sp) WRs, Willie Ivery and some others.

[Aldo]

I don't think DT ever had as statistically bad a season as McNulty just did, so McNulty has a long way to climb.

I just hope DSmith turns out to be the real deal this summer, and many of my defensive concerns could be masked.

[MeanGreenHoops]

Ok I'll play.

1. Basically all of the offensive skill players return so they should all be better, and yes that includes QB.
2. A lot of young players got playing time on the D-Line and LB corps and so they should be better.
3. Trevor Moore is back.
4. There's always next year

[Got5onIt]

The unknown that is Demarcus Smith gives me hope. Hope he'll come in here, take charge of the offense, and lead them to good production. Otherwise, it's the same ol' same ol' where we have to hope the defense develops into the top unit in CUSA in order to win games.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Got5onIt