CB Dequarius Johnson to North Texas

Harry · December 23, 2011

Five other Reivers have inked with D-I programs. Tight end Ryan Hubbell and defensive end Cory Morrissey landed in BCS conferences, signing with Louisville and Iowa State, respectively. Offensive lineman Alfred Sharp is headed to New Mexico State while defensive back Dequarius Johnson is going to North Texas.

Read more: http://www.southwestiowanews.com/articles/2011/12/22/council_bluffs/sports/doc4ef35561ee320140852924.txt

Rival Profile

Rivals has him committed to Akron but it is dated Dec. 11th, article I linked is dated the 22nd. Akron just had a coaching change, I believe Terry Bowden was hired so that may be what opened it up. Three star on Rivals.

Harry · December 23, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NfW3PzeUT8

This post has been promoted to an article

Harry · December 23, 2011

He appears to have signed with North Texas

http://www.southwestiowanews.com/articles/2011/12/18/council_bluffs/sports/doc4eed6fe0e7a78991293315.txt

Harry · December 23, 2011

Track results impressive:

http://ms.milesplit.com/athletes/1266735-daquarius-johnson

jtm0097 · December 23, 2011

Great find Harry!

BIG DAWG · December 23, 2011

I wonder where Kerry Swarn is in his development? I kind of thought he would redshirt, which he did, to put on some weight, but would come in and start in 2012. With us bringing in a JUCO safety, and Trice more than able to lock up the other safety spot, I wonder where Swarn fits in???

Maybe he is still a player for us down the line, but I was really hoping he would turn into one of those 4-year starters for us.

We'll see...

pastorgrant · December 23, 2011

I wonder where Kerry Swarn is in his development? I kind of thought he would redshirt, which he did, to put on some weight, but would come in and start in 2012. With us bringing in a JUCO safety, and Trice more than able to lock up the other safety spot, I wonder where Swarn fits in???

Maybe he is still a player for us down the line, but I was really hoping he would turn into one of those 4-year starters for us.

We'll see...

I guess I was thinking Trice would play corner. Not sure why I thought that. Anyone know?

Stan R · December 23, 2011

Excellent signing at a critical need area!

Mean Green 93-98 · December 23, 2011

I guess I was thinking Trice would play corner. Not sure why I thought that. Anyone know?

I had heard talk about that as well, maybe just here on this board. It sounds like he has the ability to be a lockdown corner. But he played safety at OU, and indications are he will be a safety

GrayEagle · December 23, 2011

I guess I was thinking Trice would play corner. Not sure why I thought that. Anyone know?

Because of his height. You don't see 5'8" safeties in FBS football. You'd have to have spectacular leaping ability which I'm told that he has. I also thought that he would be a corner but it's been posted more than once that he will play safety.

I believe that we got a very good corner. He's a 3-star athlete who should be very good until we can fare better with future recruits. Davis and Kelly are potential starters but they won't be ready as freshmen. I'm glad that the coaching staff recognized that Warner needed experienced help and went the JUCO route.

Mean Green 93-98 · December 23, 2011

Davis and Kelly are potential starters but they won't be ready as freshmen. I'm glad that the coaching staff recognized that Warner needed experienced help and went the JUCO route.

See, that's why I don't understand why a hardship waiver ("medical redshirt") hasn't been pursued for Steven Ford. He played a short enough portion of the season in 2010 that there should be no problem getting one for him. Whether or not you think he's a starter next year, he's experience and pretty solid play on the depth chart.

Agree with the comments about Dequarius. He sounds like a monster athlete. "It's the age of Dequarius" at UNT.

Harry · December 23, 2011

If Warner is healthy he could be a monster at corner. I personally would prefer Trice at corner because of his size but he's a good enough athlete that he may could pull it off.

UNTLifer · December 23, 2011

It is nice to have options.

ntmeangreen11 · December 23, 2011

I think the signing will add depth, and give us another look at corner, but from what I saw on the tape it looks like he tackles too high at the point of attack and doesn't have high end speed, and I'm not trying to be a debbie downer, but when you get a player who was committed at Akron, it doesn't impress me much since that it the bottom of FBS football. Maybe he'll end up being a player, and I don't doubt our coaches eye for talent. I just really hope we didn't sign the guy because we saw the writing on the wall when it came to Leo Thomas and went ahead and made the sure signing as opposed to waiting for Thomas to commit.

I can't say where the DB's will be playing next year since I'm not Coach Mac, but we do have Freddie Warner coming back at CB, Laramie Lee will prob get the other corner spot with Trice and Johnson as the safeties. The back up corners should be Hilbert Jackson and Xavier Kelly and the back up safeties will be Davis/ who knows. One thing's for sure, I don't feel confident about the DB's next year, we'll be very, very young at CB and be breaking in two new starters at safety, Trice will be a ALL SBC player regardless, but one or two injuries, and we'll be giving up 350+ through the air every game again. Maybe move Will Wright back to SS and have a legit hard hitting safety out there while Trice plays free and makes sure plays don't get busted for 30+ yards?

UNTLifer · December 23, 2011

Johnson has run a 10.31 100 meters, so I think his "high end" speed is fine. This is a good signing that adds depth to a position of need. I'm actually excited about the talent we will have in the defensive backfield.

Also, will he be a midterm signee and participate in spring practice?

Edited December 23, 2011 by UNTLifer

Mean Green 93-98 · December 23, 2011

I think the signing will add depth, and give us another look at corner, but from what I saw on the tape it looks like he tackles too high at the point of attack and doesn't have high end speed, and I'm not trying to be a debbie downer, but when you get a player who was committed at Akron, it doesn't impress me much since that it the bottom of FBS football. Maybe he'll end up being a player, and I don't doubt our coaches eye for talent. I just really hope we didn't sign the guy because we saw the writing on the wall when it came to Leo Thomas and went ahead and made the sure signing as opposed to waiting for Thomas to commit.

I doubt this signing relates in any way to our optimism/pessimism regarding Leo Thomas. One's a corner and the other's a safety, and I haven't heard any indication of either swapping. Also, NT had offered him before he ever committed to Akron--that's not a new offer.

I wasn't tremendously impressed with the tape either. But his measurables as far as athleticism are pretty substantial. If you look at JUCO DB's, there are only 8 Rivals 3-star or above recruits available, safeties included. And if you're going to go by who's offered them, D.Q. is in the top half of them.

We'll see what happens--I assume he'll be able to enroll in the spring and play spring ball. Hopefully Coach Gaines and the other defensive coaches can improve some of his bad habits, as they obviously have with our defensive roster from 2010. I look forward to watching him play.

GrandGreen · December 24, 2011

I think the signing will add depth, and give us another look at corner, but from what I saw on the tape it looks like he tackles too high at the point of attack and doesn't have high end speed, and I'm not trying to be a debbie downer, but when you get a player who was committed at Akron, it doesn't impress me much since that it the bottom of FBS football. Maybe he'll end up being a player, and I don't doubt our coaches eye for talent. I just really hope we didn't sign the guy because we saw the writing on the wall when it came to Leo Thomas and went ahead and made the sure signing as opposed to waiting for Thomas to commit.

I can't say where the DB's will be playing next year since I'm not Coach Mac, but we do have Freddie Warner coming back at CB, Laramie Lee will prob get the other corner spot with Trice and Johnson as the safeties. The back up corners should be Hilbert Jackson and Xavier Kelly and the back up safeties will be Davis/ who knows. One thing's for sure, I don't feel confident about the DB's next year, we'll be very, very young at CB and be breaking in two new starters at safety, Trice will be a ALL SBC player regardless, but one or two injuries, and we'll be giving up 350+ through the air every game again. Maybe move Will Wright back to SS and have a legit hard hitting safety out there while Trice plays free and makes sure plays don't get busted for 30+ yards?

Lee is definitely a safety, he played lb in hs. Trice and Davenport are thought to be safeties as is Swarm. Corners returning are Warner and Jackson and commits include Kelly. My guess with Johnson's speed he is more likely to play the corner. Right now NT doesn't have the numbers they need in the db, so I expect several of the commits listed at rb or wr to end up on the defensive side. As you stated Wright or Sashington could also be moved back to the safety position although with the emphasis on speed now, I doubt it. My guess is that Jackson and Warner will start at the corners with Lee and Trice at safeties.

Edited December 24, 2011 by GrandGreen