UNT FB Recruiting by the numbers

Harry · October 5, 2011

Current verbal list (and signees as I include Trice and Cam Feldt in my count) by position is:

QB:0, RB:2, WR:2, TE:0, OL:2, DT:2, DE:2, LB:2, DB:2

Remarkable how evenly distributed this is no? That puts us at 14 with likely about 25 to give and that doesn't account for mid term juco transfers.

Currently North Texas lists 24 seniors on the roster. Of that group I show approximately 14 either starters or major contributors. The positional breakdown of that senior group is as follows:

QB:0, RB:3, WR:5, TE:0, OL:5, DT:0, DE:1, LB:3, DB:7

So where's are biggest need? I will continue to beat my drum for size and talent in the lines. It has been sorely lacking through the Dodge years and even thru the Dickey era to a lesser extent. And it fits the type of mentality that Mac has. But if you use our upcoming graduation losses as a barometer we are in major need of defensive backs, offensive linemen and wide receivers.

The other interesting thing to watch is how they handle jucos. Of the 24 graduating seniors this year a whopping 10 or 41% of the entire class are juco players. This of course was attributable to Dodge who was trying to save his job and used jucos to offset his lackluster high school recruiting results. Dickey used jucos as a compliment to his primarily high school recruiting focus but he was also able to cherry pick the best available to the Sun Belt conference every year until his slide. Mac has said he will focus on high school and only use jucos when its an immediate impact type of scenario and he did similar things at Iowa State.

Going back to where we are today, we have 11 more spots left to give prior to signing day which is in about 4 months.

H-towngreen · October 5, 2011

Biggest positions of need are DT and QB.

glick1980 · October 5, 2011

I think at least one of the RB's will end up playing DB.

kalebschumann · October 5, 2011

Biggest positions of need are DT and QB.

I think D-Line is the biggest need, followed by CB.

Coach Mac may have us set at QB for another year with DT.

Harry · October 5, 2011

I don't know how you can lose 7 DB's and not consider it an area of need. I agree that DT is the biggest need area for this program right now period. I would also say we could use a DE or two and Matt Tomlinson will be a pretty big hole to fill on the oline. I also agree with 90 that we need to recruit a QB cause I think you need to do that every year, maybe even two.

UNT Mean Green · October 6, 2011

Harry, are you couting Tucker and Rollins as RB's or DB's? I would not be surprised to see at least one of them land in the secondary, especially with red-shirting Jimmerson and Whitfield this year. Also, we definitely need more numbers and depth back there but Warner is contributing now, and Lee is on special teams Add in Marcus Trice and Kerry Swarn and you have a nice young foundation in the back end of your defense.

Harry · October 6, 2011

Harry, are you couting Tucker and Rollins as RB's or DB's? I would not be surprised to see at least one of them land in the secondary, especially with red-shirting Jimmerson and Whitfield this year. Also, we definitely need more numbers and depth back there but Warner is contributing now, and Lee is on special teams Add in Marcus Trice and Kerry Swarn and you have a nice young foundation in the back end of your defense.

I am counting them as RB's for right now. You are right they could end up at other positions. Vito pointed out to me earlier that I am also not counting DaWaylon Cook who was a junior we lost this year. Point being we are seeing significant graduation and attrition losses at the DB position. We have some young guys we know can play and some redshirts that we expect to but this group will be very very young without some juco help.

Censored by Laurie · October 6, 2011

One would hope that most if not all of your following year (2012) starters would be on your current (2011) roster...so let's look:

QB - McNulty...I kid, I kid...Thompson

TB - Byrd

UB - Prior/Miller

TE - Power

OWR - Bynes

OWR - Delgado/Sampson

SWR - Chancellor/Taylor

OT - Johnson

OT - Fortenberry

OG - Y'Barbo

OG - Lemon

C - C. Feldt

DE - McCoy

DE - Obi/Lincoln

DT - Cantly

DT - Boutwell

OLB - Phillips

MLB - Orr

OLB - Stojkovic/Wright

CB - Trice

CB - Warner

FS - H. Jackson

SS - Swarn

I put in bold the spots I'm pretty confident said player(s) will be either starting or in a platoon role next year.

I still think we recruit and sign a QB..good policy to find one a year...hopefully someone both separates himself and stays healthy enough the rest of the year to be 2012's clear-cut starter. Let McNulty, Osborn and Coop battle it out for the 2 and figure out something to do with Teegarden.

We've a load of potential at TB between Byrd, Brown, Jimmerson, Whitfield and Wilhite

Need some playmakers at WR.

We've experienced depth at TE/UB...and some intriguing guys like Marcus Smith and De'Andrew Lewis on the roster...interesting considering these positions didn't exist here until last season.

Obviously we want to sign OL beef...but I'm not terribly concerned here...4/5ths of the starting line appears to be back next year...3/5ths will just be sophomores. Having a guy like Fortenberry who has played all 5 spots is such a luxury...I figure he'll start...where will be determined by whether one of the Feldt's, Anyiam, Feeley or whoever steps up to be the fifth on the line. Interesting roster note: Micah Thompson is now listed as an OL.

McCoy is a good...Lincoln may become one...Obi/Mason/Bellazin are all contributing. If a good JUCO is out there go get him, but its not as pressing as...

DT. If we've two new starters next season I'm fine with it.

We actually look really nice at LB moving forward.

Warner is already starting. The rest of the secondary is up in the air. Trice seems a likely choice somewhere in the secondary...I thought Hilbert Jackson was initially a wasted ship, but he's making some plays...Laramie Lee is starting to see some action and Swarn was highly recruited. I'm pretty sure those 5 are the only scholarship defensive backs.

Edited October 6, 2011 by Censored by Laurie

Mean Green 93-98 · October 6, 2011

Ford, Steven - starter at CB . . .

Warner, Freddie - currentlyy getting playingtime at backup CB

Nitpicking here, but Freddie Warner is now listed as the starter opposite Royce Hill.

GrandGreen · October 6, 2011

With two dts already committed, I doubt they get another unless he is a real standout. Also NT will have the whole rotation back at DT, maybe not great players but they will have a lot of experience coming back. DB is without question the biggest need next year. Warner, Trice and Lee may be good but there are no numbers. Look for at least 3 more db's committed and they will probably go juco for some. In addition I think they add one QB, 2 more ol and the rest may be just the best players they can get no matter position.

glick1980 · October 6, 2011

I think DB and WR are our biggest needs. Would be nice to get some guys with speed that can catch.

good_ken · October 7, 2011

One would hope that most if not all of your following year (2012) starters would be on your current (2011) roster...so let's look:

QB - McNulty...I kid, I kid...Thompson
TB - Byrd
UB - Prior/Miller
TE - Power
OWR - Bynes
OWR - Delgado/Sampson
SWR - Chancellor/Taylor
OT - Johnson
OT - Fortenberry
OG - Y'Barbo
OG - Lemon
C - C. Feldt

DE - McCoy
DE - Obi/Lincoln
DT - Cantly
DT - Boutwell
OLB - Phillips
MLB - Orr
OLB - Stojkovic/Wright
CB - Trice
CB - Warner
FS - H. Jackson
SS - Swarn

I put in bold the spots I'm pretty confident said player(s) will be either starting or in a platoon role next year.

I still think we recruit and sign a QB..good policy to find one a year...hopefully someone both separates himself and stays healthy enough the rest of the year to be 2012's clear-cut starter. Let McNulty, Osborn and Coop battle it out for the 2 and figure out something to do with Teegarden.

We've a load of potential at TB between Byrd, Brown, Jimmerson, Whitfield and Wilhite

Need some playmakers at WR.

We've experienced depth at TE/UB...and some intriguing guys like Marcus Smith and De'Andrew Lewis on the roster...interesting considering these positions didn't exist here until last season.

Obviously we want to sign OL beef...but I'm not terribly concerned here...4/5ths of the starting line appears to be back next year...3/5ths will just be sophomores. Having a guy like Fortenberry who has played all 5 spots is such a luxury...I figure he'll start...where will be determined by whether one of the Feldt's, Anyiam, Feeley or whoever steps up to be the fifth on the line. Interesting roster note: Micah Thompson is now listed as an OL.

McCoy is a good...Lincoln may become one...Obi/Mason/Bellazin are all contributing. If a good JUCO is out there go get him, but its not as pressing as...

DT. If we've two new starters next season I'm fine with it.

We actually look really nice at LB moving forward.

Warner is already starting. The rest of the secondary is up in the air. Trice seems a likely choice somewhere in the secondary...I thought Hilbert Jackson was initially a wasted ship, but he's making some plays...Laramie Lee is starting to see some action and Swarn was highly recruited. I'm pretty sure those 5 are the only scholarship defensive backs.

That makes me feel pretty good about the 2012 O-line; and even better considering that projection doesn't consider the other Feldt. I have to think that he will crack the two deep at some postion.

LongJim · October 7, 2011

Not sure that you can over recruit DT. Let's get 3 or 4 total please.

You can't. They can always line up at end.

Censored by Laurie · October 7, 2011

That makes me feel pretty good about the 2012 O-line; and even better considering that projection doesn't consider the other Feldt. I have to think that he will crack the two deep at some postion.

Fortenberry gives you so much flexibility. Seriously, behind Dunbar, Aaron Fortenberry might have been Todd Dodge's best signing...and I believe he was a walk-on.

Next year on the O-Line:

Seniors - Aaron Fortenberry

Ayodele Adedipe (listed as a junior...think he's a senior this year, though)

Coleman Feeley

Juniors - LaChris Anyiam

Nicolas Summerfield

Soph - Mason Y'Barbo

Antonio Johnson

Cyril Lemon

RS Fresh- Travis Ellard

Cam Feldt

Micah Thompson

Grant Shaw

True Fr - Boone Feldt

That really is not bad moving forward...I think Shaw and Ellard are projected as tackles...not sure what they're planning on doing with Thompson or Anyiam. Ideally, I'd like to see someone emerge to replace Tomlinson outside to keep Fortenberry at center next season. Maybe a two-deep something like this:

Anyiam - Lemon - Fortenberry - Y'Barbo - Johnson

Ellard - Feeley - Summerfield - C. Feldt - Shaw/Thompson

Redshirt B. Feldt and whoever else is brought in.

The line could be set up for a while.

ntmeangreen11 · October 8, 2011

Not trying to jack your post CBL, but the team we will field in 2013 will be an experienced and deep one, I fully expect a bowl game in 2013, although, to be fair, we all said the same thing in 2005 about the future when we had so many FR/SO playing.

Mock 2013 starters for Offense.

QB- 1.Derek Thompson(SR)[3 yrs as starter] 2. Andrew Mcnulty(JR)

HB- 1.Brandin Byrd(SR)[2nd year as starter] 2. One of Jimmerson, White or Witfield

TE- 1. Drew Miller(SR) Tanner Smith(JR) or Marcus Smith(SO)[Grayshirting this year]

*I'm sure they'll sign another TE in this class, or a JUCO

WR- 1. Brelan Chancellor(SR) [4th year as a starter]

WR- 1. Chaz Sampson(JR) or

SWR- 1. Andre Holloway(JR)

*Not really sure how the other two WR positions will play out, but Holloway has contributed this year and looked decent as a FR

LT- Antonio Johnson(SR)[3RD year as starter]

LG- Mason Y'Barbo(JR) [3RD year as starter]

C- Boone Feldt(SO)

RG- Cyril Lemon(JR) [3RD year as starter]

RT- Cam Feldt(JR) [2ND year as starter]

Defense

SDE- Brandon Mccoy(SR) [4TH year as starter]

WDE- Aaron Bellazin (SR)[2ND year as starter]

DT- Ryan Boutwell (SR) [3RD year as starter]

DT- Richard Abbe (SR) [2ND year as starter]

SLB- Will Wright (SR) [3RD year as starter]

MLB- Zach Orr (SR) [3RD year as starter]

WLB- Michael Stok (JR) [3RD year as starter]

CB- Freddie Warner (JR) [3RD year as starter]

CB- Marcus Trice (SR) [2ND year as starter]

*Not sure if he's redshirting while sitting out, or if he'll only have one year to play in 2012

S- Kerry Swarn(SO) [2ND year as starter]

S- Laramie Lee(JR) [2ND year as starter]

----------------------------------------------------------------

Looking over this, it looks like our defense in 2013 will be nasty, they will all have a good amount of experience under their belt, and I can't wait to see what McCoy will do with 2 more years of development. I think I speak for everyone when I say I am most excited about the linebackers and their future. Marcus Trice could only have one year of eligibility left, and as previously said, the coaches will be signing quite a few DB's in this class and next, so there could be a young guy who could step up, but the defense will be on the sun belt's best in 2013(boy how long has it been since you've been able to say that, 8 years?)

Offense should be fine provided Byrd is as good as he's supposed to be. He had a good year last year, and should take the starting role next season, so 2013 hopefully he'll be another in the long line of dominant UNT running backs. I'm sure Mac and co. will sign a JUCO TE in this class or the next, because we only have Drew Miller who will likely playing U-back and the Smith twins who are both FR. At WR, you have Brelan Chancellor, and that's about it right now looking forward, I would hope that Sampson develops in to a player. He certainly has the height to do so. With Bynes and Outlaw leaving this year, I expect a couple more WR signees, and in the class heading in to 2013, a JUCO or two, because we will be awfully young their next season. The O-line is going to be a monster of a unit in 2013 and will challenge the LB's for best unit on the team. Most likely we will have four starters coming back, with the only major loss being Fortenberry. I expect Boone to step and bring back the tradition of good offensive lineman here after he redshirts(or doesn't) in 2012. Looking at the starters, just based on their height and weight right now, we will no longer have that stigma of teams being bigger than we are. A. Johnson is 6'5 285, will probably be at 300 a couple years from now, M. Y'Barbo is 6'2 312, B. Feldt is 6'3 275, will probably be 290 by this time. Cyril Lemon is 6'3 313 and finally Cam Feldt is 6'5 308.

It's safe to say I am very, very excited about 2013, the only position that looks shaky is WR, so we'll need Sampson to step up, and for the coaches to sign a player or two in this class and next who can contribute immediately. TE also looks like it could be less than par, I hope they sign a good one this year(hopefully the kid from Whitewright). Size will not be an issue, nor will talent, this team should be pretty damn good looking forward. Looks like we'll have 18 starters back from 2012, as long as we can get a couple playmakers outside of Brelan at wide receiver, we should be challenging for the sun belt title.

Edited October 8, 2011 by ntmeangreen11