New Faces Emerging in UNT 2012 Fall Camp

[Harry]

Here is what I am reading through the tea leaves in terms of guys UNT is saying should make an impact:

Antoinne Jimmerson (RS Frosh at RB) - Heads into the season as the #1 running back to replace all time leading rusher Lance Dunbar. Possesses all around skills and is willing to hit the inside holes with power which has endeared him to the coaching staff.

Carlos Harris True Frosh WR/Special Teams - Probably has received the most accolades of all of the true freshman class. Looks like he will be an immediate impact player not only at WR but on special teams. Lack of depth at WR helps his cause.

Nick Schrapps - 6-2, 205 true freshman possession receiver that is getting heavy looks due to the lack of depth at the WR position. Chaz Sampson's stock fell and it opened up an opportunity for Schrapps to be the WR in waiting behind Chris Bynes.

Derek Akunne soph at linebacker - Solid player who slimmed down and has added speed. Big Hitter.

David Busby (true freshman at defensive back) - Guy that could be on the field against LSU. Comes from a high level program at Coppell where he was fairly dominant.

LaChris Anyiam junior OL - Has size (6-4, 296) and was one of the higher level lineman recruits Dodge landed out of Allen. It looks like after a couple of years finding himself, the lightbulb has gone on and he is putting himself in the mix.

Connor Trussell true frosh OL - A GoMeanGreen.com favorite, Trussell is battling to show he is ready to play now. Impressive start in the mix with the deepest section of the squad.

Coleman Feeley (senior OL) - Feeley has been a starter before and will battle rising junior Chris Anyiam for PT. As of today Feeley is the starter.

DeVante Davis (True Frosh DB) - One of the few freshman to receive accolades from the coaching staff. Very athletic and should make an immediate impact.

Chad Polk (RS Frosh LB) - Beefed up to 230 in the offseason and has a nose for the ball.

Marcus Trice (safety transfer from OU - Junior) - Very talented and as an immediate starter should make an immediate impact. Undersized (5-9, 185) but athletic. Will be interesting to see how he performs against the top teams on the schedule like LSU and K-State since he has played that caliber while at OU.

Laramie Lee (soph safety) - Should start at safety alongside Marcus Trice. Up to 5-10, 189 and not afraid to lay the lumber. McCarney says we are more physical and talented at the safety position and this player is one of the reasons.

Darrell Mason (soph DE) - Still undersized at 6-3, 233 (played at 205 last season) but makes plays and has good speed, quickness. His speed makes him problematic for the corner of the offensive line but his size makes him a liability on power blocking schemes. I expect him to have a breakout year.

Lincoln Alexander (soph DT) - proved that he could play at DE last year and has now added size (6-2, 266). Could really emerge as a playmaker that is counted on with the Ryan Boutwell injury.

Austin Orr (Medical Redshirt DE/DT) - Freak accident redshirted him last year. Now 6-4, 268 and could provide depth at several d-line positions. Boutwell's injury raises his stock.

Feel free to add/delete comment as you see fit.

This post has been promoted to an article

[NorthTexan95]

Great stuff but I have a comment and a question ...

Comment: Mac has really talked up Busby this fall so I would be shocked if he doesn't play against LSU.

Question: I've heard them playing Derek Akunne some at outside linebacker since he's basically buried as the backup middle linebacker. This is something I was hopeing to see. So I'm wondering how that is going and how much we might see Akunne on the field this year. He has the physical attributes to be a game changer at outside linebacker.

Edited August 23, 2012 by NorthTexan95

[Harry]

Great stuff but I have a comment and a question ...

Comment: Mac has really talked up Busby this fall so I would be shocked if he doesn't play against LSU.

Question: I've heard them playing Derek Akunne some at outside linebacker since he's basically buried as the backup middle linebacker. This is something I was hopeing to see. So I'm wondering how that is going and how much we might see Akunne on the field this year. He has the physical attributes to be a game changer at outside linebacker.

Good stuff. To my knowledge - and I have not seen any scrimmages or practices - your linebackers are Orr in the middle and Wright/Phillips on the outside. Akunne is a very good player and my guess is they will have him available to spell/replace Orr and he will push the other two for PT. A guy I didn't mention at LB is Jarrian Roberts who could figure in as well as the season progresses.

Orr will be a huge LSU target in this game. They know he's the heart of this defense, just by looking at the games he played in last year. I'm not saying they will try to injure him, but believe me he will have a target and it wouldn't be out of the question that he has to step off the field for a couple plays with all of the big traffic he will face. It's good to have a guy the caliber of Akunne available.

The only solid thing we know about the DB's heading into LSU is that the safeties are pretty well set with Trice and Lee. With Warner out, the cornerback could be a deal where you stick with whoever makes you the fewest mistakes. If I was to guess, Hilbert Jackson and DQ Johnson start because of their experience but they will be on a damn short leash and you will have Busby, Whitfield, Davis, Kelly and others waiting in the wings.

I'll say this right now, it would not surprise me ONE bit to see LSU run a play action and go deep on the very first play from scrimmage. They can beat our run defense with their depth, speed and talent but it will take time. A big hitter right out of the gate will open up their running game even more. LSU does not want this game to be even remotely close at halftime. They are looking at the second half as an evaluation period for guys like the Penn State transfer QB etc...

[MeanGreenTexan]

Good stuff. To my knowledge - and I have not seen any scrimmages or practices - your linebackers are Orr in the middle and Wright/Phillips on the outside. Akunne is a very good player and my guess is they will have him available to spell/replace Orr and he will push the other two for PT. A guy I didn't mention at LB is Jarrian Roberts who could figure in as well as the season progresses.

Orr will be a huge LSU target in this game. They know he's the heart of this defense, just by looking at the games he played in last year. I'm not saying they will try to injure him, but believe me he will have a target and it wouldn't be out of the question that he has to step off the field for a couple plays with all of the big traffic he will face. It's good to have a guy the caliber of Akunne available.

The only solid thing we know about the DB's heading into LSU is that the safeties are pretty well set with Trice and Lee. With Warner out, the cornerback could be a deal where you stick with whoever makes you the fewest mistakes. If I was to guess, Hilbert Jackson and DQ Johnson start because of their experience but they will be on a damn short leash and you will have Busby, Whitfield, Davis, Kelly and others waiting in the wings.

I'll say this right now, it would not surprise me ONE bit to see LSU run a play action and go deep on the very first play from scrimmage. They can beat our run defense with their depth, speed and talent but it will take time. A big hitter right out of the gate will open up their running game even more. LSU does not want this game to be even remotely close at halftime. They are looking at the second half as an evaluation period for guys like the Penn State transfer QB etc...

Totally agree with your overall assessment of the game Harry. As for the LB's dont forget about Will Wright either! LB is not a position I'm worried about... at all. The players are there.

The DB's (sans Trice) scare the heck out of me though. I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised this year by 1 or two guys at Corner (hopefully DQ), and hope that Lee is the real deal at the other Safety spot.

[Harry]

I will say this in defense of the DB's, most of them have never faced the type of size and speed that they will face at LSU. So it's impossible to prepare for it and you just hope that your technique, knowledge of the schemes, heart and most of all luck will get you there. This reminds me of the Texas game where we faced Phil Simms and had a much more talented and mature defense than we do now. It just seemed like our secondary was a step behind their receivers all day long and it wasn't due to effort or desire. Of course Brandon Kennedy had one of his best performances of his career on that particular day even forcing Mack Brown to recognize how good he was in the post game interview. It was a loss but still a very proud day as a fan.

[H-towngreen]

I'm looking forward to the days when most of our freshman linemen especially on the defensive side are able to redshirt to get their weight up.

[cl_1_2008]

If you're worried about anything on defense, it should be the line. The secondary has nowhere to go but up.

[UNTLifer]

Surprised to not see Zach Whitfield's name up there.

[Greenhorn]

Trice is up around 200, at least before camp started.

[Harry]

Surprised to not see Zach Whitfield's name up there.

Good point but I heard a lot about Whitfield before practices started and not much after...again this is not scientific - the media can't cover the team in Fall practice - just going off the official site updates and a few tweets...

[island eagle]

Good point but I heard a lot about Whitfield before practices started and not much after...again this is not scientific - the media can't cover the team in Fall practice - just going off the official site updates and a few tweets...

Also hearing good things about Dylan McDorman, but didn't see his name listed

[H-towngreen]

Good point but I heard a lot about Whitfield before practices started and not much after...again this is not scientific - the media can't cover the team in Fall practice - just going off the official site updates and a few tweets...

Heard his name a lot, at this point he is running 1st team D at CB

[Mean Green 93-98]

Surprised to not see Zach Whitfield's name up there.

Yep . . . everything I've heard indicates that he will start, not D.Q.

[UNT90]

Does anyone remember when we release an official 2 deep?

[Mean Green 93-98]

Yep . . . everything I've heard indicates that he will start, not D.Q.

As Vito says,

. . . while McCarney said that nothing is finalized yet, it is looking more and more like Zac Whitfield and Hilbert Jackson will be UNT’s starting cornerbacks. Devante Davis and a few other guys will play.

http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2012/08/quick-scrimmage-notes-3.html/

[SilverEagle]

"Derek Akunne soph at linebacker - Solid player who slimmed down and has added speed. Big Hitter".

Added speed? Wasn't his stats coming into the program 6'X 250 and 4.4 in the forty? Damn! just how fast is he now?