What new UNT Player will you keep an eye on in 2015?

[Harry]

Who is the new face you are going follow closely this season?

Edited August 11, 2015 by Harry

[emmitt01]

I have to go with Combs.  If he can be a legitimate pass rush specialist that will take pressure off of a retooled secondary.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Three questions:

1.  How do you pick just one?

2.  How did you leave Darrien McNair off this list?!? 

3.  Why do you have Trey Keenan as a LB? (Plus, I will not be able to "keep an eye" on Keenan in 2015, as he won't be eligible to play).

I suppose I would go with 1a. Smith, 1b. McNair, 1c. Finney, 2. Everybody else on the list except Keenan.

[GMG24]

Finney, dude was all over the place during the spring game. 

[Harry]

Three questions:

1.  How do you pick just one?

2.  How did you leave Darrien McNair off this list?!? 

3.  Why do you have Trey Keenan as a LB? (Plus, I will not be able to "keep an eye" on Keenan in 2015, as he won't be eligible to play).

I suppose I would go with 1a. Smith, 1b. McNair, 1c. Finney, 2. Everybody else on the list except Keenan.

Sorry that was a typo.  I have added McNair and removed Keenan since he will be ineligible.  You are right it is hard to pick just one!

[97and03]

After watching him catch a ball while doing a backflip (see the MG Blog) I have to go with James Gray.

[SilverEagle]

I voted for Smith, but as we all know, unless they are starting you won't see another QB out there unless the starter totally screws up or gets hurt. One of my big concerns in the 2013 season was that our non-starting QB's didn't get any game time unless we were way ahead, and even then not until about the middle or last part of the fourth quarter. So unless I can sneak into a practice or two, I won't be able to make a good assessment of Smith.

Daniel Kahn should have been on the list. I'll be watching his progress this year. 

[jdennis82]

I have to go with Combs.  If he can be a legitimate pass rush specialist that will take pressure off of a retooled secondary.

Agreed.  

The obvious answer is D. Smith simply because QB is so critical but if the defensive line can become a force and lead a rebuilt defensive unit, there would be much less pressure on whoever ends up under center.  Should a midseason QB change take place or a rotation exist throughout the year, consistency on the other side of the ball will be crucial.  

Combs gets my vote because I am growing more and more excited about the Mac/Cosh/Patrick coaching trio developing an exciting front 7.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Let's be real folks...  we're all going to be watching Smith.

[Mean_Green09]

Let's be real folks...  we're all going to be watching Smith.

We will be watching Smith if he beats out McNulty and if the Coaches let us watch him. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

We will be watching Smith if he beats out McNulty and if the Coaches let us watch him. 

HA!   ...You said "if".

 

[Quoner]

Lydia Gooding.

 

I like her style, even if she's been pretty quiet since bursting on the scene. I'm sure she's working hard to stay sharp, though.

[Aldo]

It's a given everyone's going to be watching DSmith.

I am excited about James Gray. I'd like to see how hard he hits and how he meshes back there with McClain.

[Withers940]

I cant choose just one man! Give me D Smith, Thaddeous, Combs, and Grey if you're talking JUCO players. I am super interested in twins from Carthage, Tee Goree and O Rutherford

[MEANGREENCOACH2]

I voted for Combs just because i am a defensive person and we played the same position in college so complete Bias there.  But, Thad Thompson is an interesting acquire, he seems like he could be a game changer. (if the ball can be delivered to him)

[BillySee58]

Three questions:

1.  How do you pick just one?

2.  How did you leave Darrien McNair off this list?!? 

3.  Why do you have Trey Keenan as a LB? (Plus, I will not be able to "keep an eye" on Keenan in 2015, as he won't be eligible to play).

I suppose I would go with 1a. Smith, 1b. McNair, 1c. Finney, 2. Everybody else on the list except Keenan.

With McNair you have to wonder how/if he would've been able to stay in football shape where he needs to be after a summer by himself. I could see him being a redshirt guy for that reason. If he is playing early in the season then he's a stud and did a great job taking care of himself.

[foutsrouts]

I voted for Finney because fathers are supposed to keep an eye on their sons.

[Ben Gooding]

Lydia Gooding.

 

I like her style, even if she's been pretty quiet since bursting on the scene. I'm sure she's working hard to stay sharp, though.

dumb. 

[Quoner]

dumb. 

extremely 

[TIgreen01]

As previously mentioned, Finney was all over the field in the spring game.  He's going to be a great player for us and plays a position where even if he doesn't start on snap 1 we're going to see him on the field plenty.  By the end of the year, if he stays healthy, I'd expect him to be among our top tacklers and playmakers.

[MEANGREENCOACH2]

all this talk about Finney gets me excited.  I was unable to make the spring game so i am acquiring information from ya'll

[Ben Gooding]

all this talk about Finney gets me excited.  I was unable to make the spring game so i am acquiring information from ya'll

Guy looked like the real deal in our spring game. First of all, he looks like a LB, unlike Minor and Ellis. He has fluid hips like Minor and Ellis, but doesn't get pushed around by OL like Minor/Ellis. He has a knack for getting himself around the ball on every single play and isn't aftaid of contact by any means. I will credit our staff in putting together a really good LB corps. Bean, Wallace, Finney, Ellis/Minor, Gardener, Scott, etc is as good as it gets in CFB. We need 1 or 2 DL to step up in a big way so opposing OL aren't breathing down these guys throats. 

[MEANGREENCOACH2]

is he a will linebacker type?

[Ben Gooding]

is he a will linebacker type?

Doesn't have the physique of a typical will, but he could play it if he needed to. I expect Courtney to take over the will spot vs run oriented teams such as UTEP, Iowa/Tennessee, La Tech (to limit Dixon), etc. I don't expect to see a lot of him if we're leading in the 2nd half or playing a pass first offense. If we start seeing a lot of him it will be because he's taking reps away from Fred Scott or he can prove he can cover very well. 

If my memory serves me well he played the strong side in the Spring game opposite team of Scott so he wasn't asked to cover a lot. IF he proves he can cover from now to Sep 12 he'll wrap up the will position, big if though. 

[GOMG2013]

Doesn't have the physique of a typical will, but he could play it if he needed to. I expect Courtney to take over the will spot vs run oriented teams such as UTEP, Iowa/Tennessee, La Tech (to limit Dixon), etc. I don't expect to see a lot of him if we're leading in the 2nd half or playing a pass first offense. If we start seeing a lot of him it will be because he's taking reps away from Fred Scott or he can prove he can cover very well. 

finney should be able to cover better than what we saw last season.  He played SS and RB in high school.  He has put on weight since his high school days, but the film I saw, he was agile and covered good.  But that was in high school...