Wed. night FB notes (Jimmerson, Warner, big fall plans)

[Harry]

I had a chance to catch up with Dan McCarney today when I picked up a couple of quotes on the new divisions in Conference USA and the Mean Green’s schedule for next year.

The divisions look good for UNT. The schedule looks great when it comes to fan interest. The competition, on the other hand, looks brutal.

I will write some more on both subjects later.

As for now, I did pick up a couple of news tidbits.

Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/01/wednesday-night-football-notes-jimmerson-warner-back-big-plans-for-the-fall.html/

[BillySee58]

Good! I think Jimmerson will be our star this year, at least on offense.

[Mean Green Matt]

If that schedule looks "brutal" we really need to raise our expectations.

[untwillrise]

If that schedule looks "brutal" we really need to raise our expectations.

I ask the second best looking girl out at the worst bar in town 8 times and only got to first base. I find myself at a local dive bar that is known through the region and there are some lookers here. I ask them all out but it looks brutal. Wait what am I thinking? I'm gona blow this joint get into the best club and take home the hottest girl in there.

[LakeTravis]

Glad Warner and Jimmerson took care of their business

[NorthTexan95]

McCarney also mentioned that UNT has some pretty big plans for next season, the 100th anniversary of the program, including specially designed throw-back uniforms. UNT will unveil them before the team’s first season-opening game at home since a 2001 loss to TCU. It should be interesting to see what UNT comes up with.

I wonder if "throw-back uniforms" would also include helmets - knowing Rick he many not want us to use to always have "North Texas" on the helmets.

[H-towngreen]

I wonder if "throw-back uniforms" would also include helmets - knowing Rick he many not want us to use to always have "North Texas" on the helmets.

Can we just get all new unis. We have some of the lamest unis in all of football. And don't tell me "simple is better! Look at Alabama, Penn State and UT!" We're not those schools

[Green P1]

Good! I think Jimmerson will be our star this year, at least on offense.

I think it will be the same rotation as last year with Pegram replacing Brown. Get ready for a whole lot more of the fake power back Byrd.

[H-towngreen]

I think it will be the same rotation as last year with Pegram replacing Brown. Get ready for a whole lot more of the fake power back Byrd.

Has anyone heard how Peagram has looked in practices?

[GreenFlag]

Has anyone heard how Peagram has looked in practices?

Yes. Hard runner dishing out punishment to would be tacklers.

[SilverEagle]

Good! I think Jimmerson will be our star this year, at least on offense.

He will potentially be one of our stars. If Pegram is as advertised, he will definitely be an upgrade to Brown. And if that comes to pass, everyone will be stepping up their game to get their share of playing time.

[MeanGreenTexan]

I think it will be the same rotation as last year with Pegram replacing Brown. Get ready for a whole lot more of the fake power back Byrd.

Why don't you like Byrd? I think he was very effective for us last year. He doesnt have breakaway speed, but he gets yards.

[H-towngreen]

Why don't you like Byrd? I think he was very effective for us last year. He doesnt have breakaway speed, but he gets yards.

I don't think anyone dislikes Byrd but the I think that people dislike how many carries he got compared to Jimmerson when it was clear that Jim Jim was more effective

[MeanGreenGlory]

I don't think anyone dislikes Byrd but the I think that people dislike how many carries he got compared to Jimmerson when it was clear that Jim Jim was more effective

True...but would Jimmerson be Jim Jim without Byrd having first worn down the defense with power runs up the gut?

[Green P1]

Why don't you like Byrd? I think he was very effective for us last year. He doesnt have breakaway speed, but he gets yards.

I don't dislike Byrd. I just don't think he's anything more than a serviceable third string back. Our line was really really good last year... the fact that Byrd got yards running behind it is no feat to be proud of. A running back with any explosiveness at all getting the lion share of the carries would revolutionize this offense.

True...but would Jimmerson be Jim Jim without Byrd having first worn down the defense with power runs up the gut?

I think too many people confuse his inability to make defenders miss with some sort of powerful physicality. Jimmerson runs with the same power(he's actually the bigger of the two) he just manages to make defenders miss every once in a while.

[cdizzle86]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. I really like Jimmerson, but I hope he is working on breakaway speed. He got caught from behind too many times last season.

[UNT Mean Green]

Jimmerson, Pegram, Byrd should be a pretty formidable trio of backs. I hope Jimmerson gets more opportunities inside the red zone with his ability to make guys miss.

The one guy we will have carrying the football this year that should make a great enhancement to our running game is the QB. Just having him to tuck it and run it a few times a game on designed runs, having a true zone read, and having to account for him on pass plays should help loosen things up for the RB's.

[CurveItAround]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. I really like Jimmerson, but I hope he is working on breakaway speed. He got caught from behind too many times last season.

As long as they are catching him from behind and not from in front, I can live with it.

[BillySee58]

I don't dislike Byrd. I just don't think he's anything more than a serviceable third string back. Our line was really really good last year... the fact that Byrd got yards running behind it is no feat to be proud of. A running back with any explosiveness at all getting the lion share of the carries would revolutionize this offense.

I think too many people confuse his inability to make defenders miss with some sort of powerful physicality. Jimmerson runs with the same power(he's actually the bigger of the two) he just manages to make defenders miss every once in a while.

Spot on. Byrd should be our third string back if Pegram is as good as he was reported to be in practice.

I'm glad some one else observed that Byrd isn't actually a power back, he just goes for short gains and gets tackled way too easily.

There is a reason Jimmerson scored almost all of our touchdowns and Byrd only had a couple or so against FBS opponents

[MeanGreenTexan]

Spot on. Byrd should be our third string back if Pegram is as good as he was reported to be in practice.

I'm glad some one else observed that Byrd isn't actually a power back, he just goes for short gains and gets tackled way too easily.

There is a reason Jimmerson scored almost all of our touchdowns and Byrd only had a couple or so against FBS opponents

But Byrd IS a power back. His style is to run north-south and bang into his tackler to the tune of over 4yds/carry. This takes a toll on the LB's & Safeties. He may not be built like Jerome Bettis, but that's still his role, and he plays it very well.

Jimmerson jukes and stuff making guys miss. He's not a power back, although I've seen him lower his shoulders as well. He has a different style. I love Jimmerson, but Byrd is not garbage.

He's not really a 3rd down back either as he's not really the best guy to pass the ball to in the flats after checkdowns like you'd want in a 3rd down back.

EDIT: oops, you said, '3rd string back', not '3rd down back'... nevermind on that last comment.

Edited January 24, 2013 by MeanGreenTexan

[BillySee58]

But Byrd IS a power back. His style is to run north-south and bang into his tackler to the tune of over 4yds/carry. This takes a toll on the LB's & Safeties. He may not be built like Jerome Bettis, but that's still his role, and he plays it very well.

Jimmerson jukes and stuff making guys miss. He's not a power back, although I've seen him lower his shoulders as well. He has a different style. I love Jimmerson, but Byrd is not garbage.

I agree that Byrd is not garbage, I just think that Jimmerson actually gets us points. Jimmerson scored 5 rushing touchdowns in the redzone against FBS opponents and Byrd had 0, even though Byrd had almost 100 more carries.

He broke off a few long runs at the end of the year but they were blocked up perfectly, although I will say Byrd showed good speed. I also think Byrd ran better out of the shotgun than he did under center.

I thought Byrd got tackled too easily. It usually only took one player to bring him down and he rarely made it up to the safeties.

You can't just tell me that he is a power back, I have to see it first. I saw Jimmerson drag LSU defenders for a first down and I can't remember Byrd ever putting up much of a struggle to go down.

[Cooley]

I don't think anyone dislikes Byrd but the I think that people dislike how many carries he got compared to Jimmerson when it was clear that Jim Jim was more effective

I do