Defensive Newcomers

[UNT Mean Green]

With the addition of all of the new players (coupled with the new staff) on the defensive side, is anyone else not growing increasingly encouraged at the possibilities of having a much improved defense?

Just the measurables of several of these JUCO kids has me excited. It's difficult to keep track of the continuous additions that this staff keeps getting, but let's take a look at some of them:

Josh Wheeler - OLB / 6'3" 255 

Will Johnson - OLB / 6'3" 230

Eji Ejiya - LB / 6'2" 220

Mylam Peters - DE / 6'5" 245

Raveon Hoston - DE / 6'4" 246

D'vonta Derricott - LB / 6'1" 233

 

With these guys and the numerous additions in the back end of this defense, we shouldn't be surprised at the potential for a substantial (yes, much needed) improvement on defense. 

[baberuthbomber8]

Agreed, Johnson should be an ILB, with Ejiya playing that Rover/Hybrid LB S slot. (I believe)

 

Will be interesting how Derricott and Johnson(hopefully he makes it to campus, haven't heard anything about if he will or will not) pair together because they could be huge for us. Also, Will be interesting to see how teams match up Wheeler and Hoston on the same side.

Edited July 4, 2016 by baberuthbomber8

[Wag Tag]

40 minutes ago, UNT Mean Green said:

With the addition of all of the new players (coupled with the new staff) on the defensive side, is anyone else not growing increasingly encouraged at the possibilities of having a much improved defense?

Just the measurables of several of these JUCO kids has me excited. It's difficult to keep track of the continuous additions that this staff keeps getting, but let's take a look at some of them:

Josh Wheeler - OLB / 6'3" 255 

Will Johnson - OLB / 6'3" 230

Eji Ejiya - LB / 6'2" 220

Mylam Peters - DE / 6'5" 245

Raveon Hoston - DE / 6'4" 246

D'vonta Derricott - LB / 6'1" 233

 

With these guys and the numerous additions in the back end of this defense, we shouldn't be surprised at the potential for a substantial (yes, much needed) improvement on defense. 

You are reading my mind! Our secondary was solid last year with a few freshman! If English can come in I think we could have a strong D maybe potentially dominating! 2 seasons ago our best DE was 5'10"!

[baberuthbomber8]

English I believe is most likely required to sit out this year.. I've heard that the NCAA doesn't do hardship transfers anymore but allows the player to request an addition year at the end of their 4 years of playing.. hopefully this makes sense

[Charlie NT 73]

Thank you Coach Ekeler for your recruiting of good defensive players!

Now, if you can find a couple or three good DT's for your defense, the DT's will be icing on the cake!

Outstanding work for the Mean Green!

[GMG24]

21 minutes ago, Charlie NT 73 said:

Thank you Coach Ekeler for your recruiting of good defensive players!

Now, if you can find a couple or three good DT's for your defense, the DT's will be icing on the cake!

Outstanding work for the Mean Green!

Don't sleep on our undersized DTs Sid Moore, Roderick Young, TJ Tauaalo, and the normal sized nose Julius Combes.  My sleeper for this class of defensive players is Jareid Combs think he really comes on strong in year 2. 

[EagleMBA]

We have the coaching and I am optimistic that we have enough quality players with these additions to play some nasty D. I have been concerned with one thing since this strategy and results became apparent...practice time.  Will we have enough time to bring these guys together in a high-functioning unit before the season starts?

[akriesman]

Because of the spread offense, it could be a little difficult to judge the defense next season.   To really judge the team defense, we are going to have to look more at yds/play and not total yards and points given up.     I always feel a little bad for defensive coordinators playing on a team with a spread offense, because the defense typically spends so much time on the field.

I hope people factor that in when the team gives up a buttload of points.     Hiopefully, our offense scores a double buttload of points :)

[TreeFiddy]

We will definitely need to improve defensive depth, which it seems is a priority. 

[baberuthbomber8]

I feel like we have done okay so far in turns of getting depth.. Just the new guys alone and the the remaining guys from last year year should provide quality depth for this season and some for next.. Till the freshman start making an impact. 

Also, the defense I would think will be one that Ekler likes rotating guys as much as possible.. Also, I believe SL and Harrell will be around 50/50 run pass since Jeff is a solid RB and depth at WR is a question 

[UNTLifer]

I like what we have added but it seems like it almost always takes a year for transfers to acclimate.  Trice is a good example of this in recent years, and our old DT Michael Pruitt would be a good example during the DD era.  IF these additions can contribute year one, then I see us returning to the Trice/Orr/Lee led defense that had teams like Ball State, UNLV, etc... quitting in the second half.  I always love seeing the opposing team shy away from contact after getting knocked around by our boys.  I hope we see a return to this type of defense this year.

[MGNation92]

2 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

I like what we have added but it seems like it almost always takes a year for transfers to acclimate.  Trice is a good example of this in recent years, and our old DT Michael Pruitt would be a good example during the DD era.  IF these additions can contribute year one, then I see us returning to the Trice/Orr/Lee led defense that had teams like Ball State, UNLV, etc... quitting in the second half.  I always love seeing the opposing team shy away from contact after getting knocked around by our boys.  I hope we see a return to this type of defense this year.

Anything is better than the Cosh dumpster fire of last year. Ekeler and Reffett are gonna have these guys flying, creating havoc, and hitting guys in the mouth. It'll be fun to watch on both offense and defense

[Withers940]

Vegas Odds have UNT to Win 2 games this year so I would suggest you guys get a wager in on those odds because we will win more than two games. Easy MONEY!!! Our defense alone is going to help us win ball games

[MeanGreen_MBA]

32 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

I like what we have added but it seems like it almost always takes a year for transfers to acclimate.  Trice is a good example of this in recent years, and our old DT Michael Pruitt would be a good example during the DD era.  IF these additions can contribute year one, then I see us returning to the Trice/Orr/Lee led defense that had teams like Ball State, UNLV, etc... quitting in the second half.  I always love seeing the opposing team shy away from contact after getting knocked around by our boys.  I hope we see a return to this type of defense this year.

that's the kind of post I like to see......UNTLifer for AD!!!

[GrayEagle]

Another transfer that was omitted from this list is Eric Jenkins, a 5-10, 182 cornerback.  It was easy to do because the defensive backs may be our strongest group.  However, his compositie average is .8407, the highest of any of our defensive backs.  If he plays to that rating he'll be a starter but you can never tell.  Our best corner last year was Nate Brooks, who was rated .03 lower than Chad Davis, who was still a very capable cornerback.

[MeanGreen13]

Chad Davis was our best corner last year and it really wasn't close actually. Based on what I saw on the field, he held his own far better than any of the other guys, even when they shook up the line-up. 

[GOMG2013]

12 minutes ago, MeanGreen13 said:

Chad Davis was our best corner last year and it really wasn't close actually. Based on what I saw on the field, he held his own far better than any of the other guys, even when they shook up the line-up. 

This.  Not even close.  WOW!!!!!!

[GOMG2013]

4 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

I like what we have added but it seems like it almost always takes a year for transfers to acclimate.  Trice is a good example of this in recent years, and our old DT Michael Pruitt would be a good example during the DD era.  IF these additions can contribute year one, then I see us returning to the Trice/Orr/Lee led defense that had teams like Ball State, UNLV, etc... quitting in the second half.  I always love seeing the opposing team shy away from contact after getting knocked around by our boys.  I hope we see a return to this type of defense this year.

It's a popular belief that it takes a transfer player two years to get used to playing D1 football...So many are not counting on our new transfers and expect them to be ready in 2017.  But if this transfer/JUCO thing holds true, then should we expect James Gray, Jareid Combs, Courtney Finney, and Thaddeus Thompson to make a significant improvement on what they did last season and become solid D1 starters?  Or does this not count for those guys since it would get people's hopes up too high for this year...

[GrayEagle]

1 hour ago, MeanGreen13 said:

Chad Davis was our best corner last year and it really wasn't close actually. Based on what I saw on the field, he held his own far better than any of the other guys, even when they shook up the line-up. 

I might concede that Davis was the better corner but it was very close.  Davis did break up more passes than Brooks (5-3) and force a fumble but Brooks had more tackles (38-29).  

[Wag Tag]

1 hour ago, MeanGreen13 said:

Chad Davis was our best corner last year and it really wasn't close actually. Based on what I saw on the field, he held his own far better than any of the other guys, even when they shook up the line-up. 

Brooks All Conference! 

[UNTLifer]

34 minutes ago, GOMG2013 said:

It's a popular belief that it takes a transfer player two years to get used to playing D1 football...So many are not counting on our new transfers and expect them to be ready in 2017.  But if this transfer/JUCO thing holds true, then should we expect James Gray, Jareid Combs, Courtney Finney, and Thaddeus Thompson to make a significant improvement on what they did last season and become solid D1 starters?  Or does this not count for those guys since it would get people's hopes up too high for this year...

Well, Gray was solid last year, but Combs, Finney and Thompson didn't show much.  I hope that are solid contributors this year, but my point is that we are all really excited about the newcomers and history has shown there is an acclimation period.  I hope this year is an exception.

[GOMG2013]

10 minutes ago, GrayEagle said:

I might concede that Davis was the better corner but it was very close.  Davis did break up more passes than Brooks (5-3) and force a fumble but Brooks had more tackles (38-29).  

Brooks got picked on last year. That's why he had so much activity.  He was a freshman corner.  I'm not trying to be biased either and say that Davis is all that and should be avoided.  It's really football 101.  You pick on the most inexperienced cover guy.  Why throw at a vet, when you have guys out there like Brooks and Preston who have never been on a college football field.  And they got beat often.  Its not even close.  

The hype about Brooks is that he looked a lot better when tighter coverage was allowed instead of the "mandatory" 10 yard cushion.  He looked a lot better in man to man too.  He looked good for a freshman and showed lots of potential.  Lets not get carried away.   

He did not look scared out there either.  Even when he got beat, he came right back out there with the same enthusiasm.  If he continues to improve, Brooks will be a 4 year starter and as a 6 foot corner, he will be looked at as a serious NFL prospect.  

[MeanGreen13]

4 hours ago, GrayEagle said:

I might concede that Davis was the better corner but it was very close.  Davis did break up more passes than Brooks (5-3) and force a fumble but Brooks had more tackles (38-29).  

Davis was thrown at less than the others... no numbers to back that up but it certainly seemed that way to me. Not saying he is all world, but he was better than the others last season.

[UNT Mean Green]

8 hours ago, GrayEagle said:

Another transfer that was omitted from this list is Eric Jenkins, a 5-10, 182 cornerback.  It was easy to do because the defensive backs may be our strongest group.  However, his compositie average is .8407, the highest of any of our defensive backs.  If he plays to that rating he'll be a starter but you can never tell.  Our best corner last year was Nate Brooks, who was rated .03 lower than Chad Davis, who was still a very capable cornerback.

Yes, this list did not include the plethora of defensive backs expected to arrive in fall camp.

[TheReal_jayD]

I know we get reminded alot that we went 1-11 last year. But this is a completely new team i feel like.

New Schemes 

New coaching staff (that the full staff recruits/and promotes team thru social media) 

New QB

Several New faces across OL

A ton of new faces on D. A completely revamped D. And several key contributors are returning with an extra years of experience (Brooks, TJ, Roderick Young, Roberts, Mcclain, Combs, Gray) 

It really is a new era. And im def drinking the Kool aid. But im taking the over on the 2 wins.