TE Chaney set to put on pads

[MeanGreen61]

Football: TE Chaney set to put on pads

08:44 AM CDT on Sunday, August 14, 2005

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

The time that has elapsed between the last time North Texas tight end Jimmy Chaney put on full pads and today is only a couple of months.

It just seems like longer for a player projected to be a key part of the Mean Green’s offense this fall.

Chaney practiced just a little more than a week with UNT during spring workouts before he sprained the medial collateral ligament in his knee, an injury that forced him to miss the rest of the Mean Green’s drills.

“It was real disappointing to sit out,” Chaney said. “I am trying to catch back up and get my steps back. It will take some time. Putting on the pads will help. Half pads is not my game.”

The 6-5, 260-pound former offensive lineman can get out in the open field and catch passes, but is even more effective as a blocker. UNT returns the last two NCAA rushing champions in Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas, which will make the search for a stable of blocking tight ends critical.

UNT’s starting tight end, Andy Blount, graduated last year after developing into one of the Mean Green’s main threats in the passing game.

Robert Harmon and Beau Davidson began fall practice atop the Mean Green’s depth chart at tight end, but UNT frequently uses two tight ends to batter opposing defenses. All three of UNT’s veterans will have a chance to clear the way for the Mean Green’s running game this season.

UNT coach Darrell Dickey and the rest of the Mean Green’s coaches will start to get a better idea of where Chaney might fit into that rotation when the team practices in full pads for the first time at 8 a.m. today.

“You can come out here and see certain things with the players in shorts,” Dickey said. “Some guys look good doing drill work, but the bottom line always has been and continues to be how they perform when it is 11-on-11 at full speed. Some people’s performance escalates, some stay the same and others is not as good.”

Chaney feels more prepared than ever for the opportunity after easing his way back into practice during the first week of fall workouts. The former Northeastern Oklahoma A&M standout stopped wearing the cumbersome brace on his knee for the first time during Friday’s practices.

Chaney expects his pace and the team’s to continue to pick up today when the Mean Green go through what Dickey expects to be one of the more interesting practices thus far this fall.

“I am ready to see us come together as a team,” Chaney said. “That will start to happen when we put the pads on.”

UNT shorthanded at workout

UNT was missing several key players during its last workout in partial pads on Saturday morning.

Sophomore defensive end Jeremiah Chapman and defensive lineman Issac Thomas were both held out of the workout for precautionary reasons, but are expected to return in the next few days.

Multiple members of the Mean Green’s freshman class also missed the workout to take an exam.

Chapman and Thomas are both expected to play key roles on the Mean Green’s defensive line this season. Chapman started one game in place of Adrian Awasom at defensive end last season.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com

[mdmeangreen]

I'm sure this has been asked but how many TEs do we need? At quick glance we have at least Davidson, Harmon, Chaney, & the 2 freshman- Gilmore & Brown. I'm assuming, since most teams are usually thin on the DL, a player such as Gilmore, since he's played there before, Dickey will give Gilmore a look there.

[NT80]

When will we know if T.J. "Big Cat" Raymond made his grades?

[MootPoint]

When will we know if T.J. "Big Cat" Raymond made his grades?

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They probably already know, but I believe grades are officially due in by Monday.

[PlummMeanGreen]

When will we know if T.J. "Big Cat" Raymond made his grades?

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Heard that there might even be word on that in a Mean Green Report sometimes today. And might know more on Willie Ransom as well. Seems that their being out on the practice field may be a positive indicator, but guess we all have to just wait and see.

Edited August 14, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

[greensteve]

Odds are you can forget gilmore at D-Line...UTEP recruited him hard at D-Line not TE. NT stole him late because they committed to him that he would play TE.

Things change I know...but this kids wants to be a TE.

[Danish42]

Odds are you can forget gilmore at D-Line...UTEP recruited him hard at D-Line not TE.  NT stole him late because they committed to him that he would play TE. 

Things change I know...but this kids wants to be a TE.

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Has anybody heard how Cullens is doing at Qb? Didn't Davison almost quite the team last year?

[GreenBat]

Has anybody heard how Cullens is doing at Qb? Didn't Davison almost quite the team last year?

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There is so Cullens or Davison on the team this year.

[Danish42]

There is so Cullens or Davison on the team this year.

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I mean't Cullin Mills and TE Beau Davidson. I had heard that at the beginning of last year he was thinking about leaving the team.

[GreenBat]

Mills & Davidson are both on the team and suited up today.