Encouraging spring helps UNT look ahead to football

Harry · April 10, 2013

North Texas’ football team will wrap up spring practice with its annual spring game at 2 p.m. Saturday at Apogee Stadium.

The game ends an evaluation period of players in a football program trying to shed the stink of a culture shaped by a dismal recent past.

With 142 days until the season opener at home against Idaho, coach Dan McCarney on Tuesday gave his approval of the progress his team is building from the ground up, though, of course, “we’re not where we want to be.”

That’s hardly a mark of disappointment for McCarney, who took over a program in 2011 that went 3-33 in the previous three seasons.

“I see a personality on this team: more confidence, more competition,” McCarney said. “More guys tired of getting their tails kicked between their shoulder blades.

“I got a good, strong feeling about this fall. It’s going to be a lot of fun. ... This is going to be a team that’s fun to watch.”

So caps a spring in which nearly every position was up for grabs, including receiver, where last season’s corps lacked the capacity to make plays, especially on third down.

McCarney spent a few minutes extolling an unselfish unit that has repositioned itself to help the Mean Green continue its development and perhaps be a competitor in its new league, Conference USA, beginning this fall.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/04/09/4762174/encouraging-spring-helps-unt-look.html

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/04/09/4762174/encouraging-spring-helps-unt-look.html#storylink=cpy

NT03 · April 10, 2013

North Texas’ football team will wrap up spring practice with its annual spring game at 2 p.m. ]
That’s hardly a mark of disappointment for McCarney, who took over a program in 2011 that went 3-33 in the previous three seasons.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/04/09/4762174/encouraging-spring-helps-unt-look.html
Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/04/09/4762174/encouraging-spring-helps-unt-look.html#storylink=cpy

Actually 6 -30

greenminer · April 10, 2013

I'm actually starting to tire of UNT coaches saying things like "I got a good, strong feeling about this..."

Seems like any jinx that can come our way, does.

outoftown · April 10, 2013

most encouraging: so far only one long time injury. the rest of spring practice is hard to judge

UNTcrazy727 · April 10, 2013

Derek is still our QB and Brock is being hobbled with an injury. That's all I need to know to be discouraged

greenit · April 10, 2013

North Texas’ football team will wrap up spring practice with its annual spring game at 2 p.m. Saturday at Apogee Stadium.

The game ends an evaluation period of players in a football program trying to shed the stink of a culture shaped by a dismal recent past.

With 142 days until the season opener at home against Idaho, coach Dan McCarney on Tuesday gave his approval of the progress his team is building from the ground up, though, of course, “we’re not where we want to be.”

That’s hardly a mark of disappointment for McCarney, who took over a program in 2011 that went 3-33 in the previous three seasons.

“I see a personality on this team: more confidence, more competition,” McCarney said. “More guys tired of getting their tails kicked between their shoulder blades.

“I got a good, strong feeling about this fall. It’s going to be a lot of fun. ... This is going to be a team that’s fun to watch.”

So caps a spring in which nearly every position was up for grabs, including receiver, where last season’s corps lacked the capacity to make plays, especially on third down.

McCarney spent a few minutes extolling an unselfish unit that has repositioned itself to help the Mean Green continue its development and perhaps be a competitor in its new league, Conference USA, beginning this fall.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/04/09/4762174/encouraging-spring-helps-unt-look.html

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/04/09/4762174/encouraging-spring-helps-unt-look.html#storylink=cpy

Hey look, some of our 'fans' got a direct reference in the article.

DallasGreen · April 10, 2013

DT is the man. I am excited that we will see the QB that got a congratulatory letter from KSU head coach Bill Snyder after last year's game. DT has faced big time teams ( LSU,KSU,AL) and never backed down. BB has never taken a snap as a D-1 QB, comes from a private HS in CO, where he faced questionable competition, and has been quick to pack up and leave when he doesn't get his way, and finally he only has one season under Chico and that was on the scout team. DT has been here all coach Canales tenure and has a good grasp of what's expected of him. All who thought he would give up his position in competition don't know DT. He is a great person and leader, that's why he been a captain then last two years.

meangreener · April 10, 2013

DT is the man. I am excited that we will see the QB that got a congratulatory letter from KSU head coach Bill Snyder after last year's game. DT has faced big time teams ( LSU,KSU,AL) and never backed down. BB has never taken a snap as a D-1 QB, comes from a private HS in CO, where he faced questionable competition, and has been quick to pack up and leave when he doesn't get his way, and finally he only has one season under Chico and that was on the scout team. DT has been here all coach Canales tenure and has a good grasp of what's expected of him. All who thought he would give up his position in competition don't know DT. He is a great person and leader, that's why he been a captain then last two years.

Is he a D1 level QB, though? The answer is no. What'll happen is that we'll try to pull a 2 QB system and fail; or DT starts and we fail completely.

Either way, by the way Mac is so high on BB, Berglund will start by the end of the season.

Edited April 10, 2013 by meangreener

untjim1995 · April 10, 2013

DT is the man. I am excited that we will see the QB that got a congratulatory letter from KSU head coach Bill Snyder after last year's game. DT has faced big time teams ( LSU,KSU,AL) and never backed down. BB has never taken a snap as a D-1 QB, comes from a private HS in CO, where he faced questionable competition, and has been quick to pack up and leave when he doesn't get his way, and finally he only has one season under Chico and that was on the scout team. DT has been here all coach Canales tenure and has a good grasp of what's expected of him. All who thought he would give up his position in competition don't know DT. He is a great person and leader, that's why he been a captain then last two years.

He probably got a nice thank you letter from the coaches at Troy, too. See, you can play this any way you want.

DallasGreen · April 10, 2013

As stated before DT DId NOT play defense nor could he stop receivers from quitting on their routes---see Ivan Delgado and others besides Brelan Chancellor. When we lost Jimmerson & Chancellor no one else could have done any better. DT will win games for us---my prediction is seven.

CaliMeanGreen · April 10, 2013

What matters is we have the best QB out there leading the offense. From the sounds of the articles I have read it seems as though the spring was a time for people to step up and earn a spot and beat out the starters if you weren't one. Hard to hand the reigns over to a QB that hasn't played football in a couple years vs. a 2 year Starter senior if he can't play or practice due to injury.

I am thankful to have DT, and hope his senior year is his best of his career.

GMG

DentonAmerica · April 11, 2013

As stated before DT DId NOT play defense nor could he stop receivers from quitting on their routes---see Ivan Delgado and others besides Brelan Chancellor. When we lost Jimmerson & Chancellor no one else could have done any better. DT will win games for us---my prediction is seven.

First off nobody “quits” on their route. To use that as an excuse is crazy. DTs receivers last year were significantly better than the year before, but his stats were drastically worse. I guess the receiver quit on the route at WKU when he threw a pick six that lost us the game. If this guy was the leader that you make him out to be he would get the receivers on the same page by any means necessary. All I saw him do was come off the field yelling at his receivers but not trying to correct the problem. Blaming his poor performances on others is nothing more than childish. He and everyone else on here needs to own up to the fact that he was very bad last year.For us to go to a bowl game he is going to have to make major changes to his game other than losing ten pounds. He needs to be focusing on getting better at throwing which at this point in his career will be a tall task considering some of the horrible habits that he has accumulated over the last couple years.

Green Dozer · April 11, 2013

Is he a D1 level QB, though? The answer is no. What'll happen is that we'll try to pull a 2 QB system and fail; or DT starts and we fail completely.
Either way, by the way Mac is so high on BB, Berglund will start by the end of the season.

I heard Mac rave about Brock at nearly every coach's show, but I am beginning to think he did it to deflect the criticism of DT. Not saying Brock couldn't be the guy, but I definitely think the conservative tendencies in Mac make it more likely DT will start next year. Edited April 11, 2013 by Green Dozer

SilverEagle · April 11, 2013

The game ends an evaluation period of players in a football program trying to shed the stink of a culture shaped by a dismal recent past.

Hey look, some of our 'fans' got a direct reference in the article.

Believe me, our culture was set long before even Hayden Fry arrived. And even though it took a brief hiatus while he was here, it returned shortly after he left.

MeanGreenTexan · April 11, 2013

As stated before DT DId NOT play defense nor could he stop receivers from quitting on their routes---see Ivan Delgado and others besides Brelan Chancellor. When we lost Jimmerson & Chancellor no one else could have done any better. DT will win games for us---my prediction is seven.

I'm so glad our end-zone retaining wall is returning this year. DT was able to hit it consistently because it did not give up on its routes. :bangin:

From the sounds of the spring game, DT is continuing his performance. He always looked good in practice. It's nice to read that he scrambled for a 3-yd TD. Maybe these new offensive wrinkles (make no mistake, they were implemented to play to BB's strengths) are actually going to be good for him!

Sounds like BB's hamstring (or whatever it is that is ailing him at the moment) is really holding him back this spring. If you read Vito's updates on his play this spring, it sounds really terrible. Hopefully, he can get healthy and push DT a little more in the fall.

CurveItAround · April 11, 2013

I hope the WR's throwback jerseys for next year have an orange stripe down the middle of the jerseys that look like end zone pilons.

UNT90 · April 11, 2013

As stated before DT DId NOT play defense nor could he stop receivers from quitting on their routes---see Ivan Delgado and others besides Brelan Chancellor. When we lost Jimmerson & Chancellor no one else could have done any better. DT will win games for us---my prediction is seven.

We UNT fans just never learn...

DallasGreen · April 11, 2013

First off nobody “quits” on their route. To use that as an excuse is crazy. DTs receivers last year were significantly better than the year before, but his stats were drastically worse. I guess the receiver quit on the route at WKU when he threw a pick six that lost us the game. If this guy was the leader that you make him out to be he would get the receivers on the same page by any means necessary. All I saw him do was come off the field yelling at his receivers but not trying to correct the problem. Blaming his poor performances on others is nothing more than childish. He and everyone else on here needs to own up to the fact that he was very bad last year.For us to go to a bowl game he is going to have to make major changes to his game other than losing ten pounds. He needs to be focusing on getting better at throwing which at this point in his career will be a tall task considering some of the horrible habits that he has accumulated over the last couple years.

First of all where did you last coach because I got my comment on receivers quitting on their routes in talking with Chico at the FB Banquet. He also encouraged Derek to lose the weight which he did. DT has the confidence of his teammates or he would not be a team captain. When they see BB dogging it on the sidelines as a third teamer would you trust him to be your leader? As far as WKU no one felt worse about the INT than DT. He didn't come out of the dressing room till almost time to board the bus. A loss hurts him more than most on last year's team. BTW WKU took over in their territory and proceeded to run it down the throat of the defense. They should take their share of the blame for that loss. They sure did zero to stop the WKU!!!!

glick1980 · April 11, 2013

We can win with DT. Will we? I don't know. He does need to improve, but there is no point debating who the starter will be if BB is clearly not as good as DT is now. Maybe in the fall he can close the gap. DT is an FBS level QB, he may not be the best but he also isn't the worst. It could be worse, I mean, Garrett Gilbert could be our QB.

Green P1 · April 11, 2013

As stated before DT DId NOT play defense nor could he stop receivers from quitting on their routes---see Ivan Delgado and others besides Brelan Chancellor. When we lost Jimmerson & Chancellor no one else could have done any better. DT will win games for us---my prediction is seven.

I agree. It wasn't DT's fault he stunk. If people watched the games closer they would have noticed some of his own teammates regularly shoving him in the chest causing him to throw inaccurately off his back foot. Add that to receivers never almost never being in the places he threw the ball to or an offensive line that gave him too much time thus not keeping him on his toes in the pocket... no one could have succeeded.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Green P1

Censored by Laurie · April 11, 2013

I agree. It wasn't DT's fault he stunk. If people watched the games closer they would have noticed some of his own teammates regularly shoving him in the chest causing him to throw inaccurately off his back foot. Add that to receivers never almost never being in the places he threw the ball to or an offensive line that gave him too much time thus not keeping him on his toes in the pocket... no one could have succeeded.

Don't forget the designers of Apogee who cut the field off at 120 yards and then put up a wall behind the end zone.

UNT90 · April 11, 2013

First off nobody quits on their route. To use that as an excuse is crazy. DTs receivers last year were significantly better than the year before, but his stats were drastically worse. I guess the receiver quit on the route at WKU when he threw a pick six that lost us the game. If this guy was the leader that you make him out to be he would get the receivers on the same page by any means necessary. All I saw him do was come off the field yelling at his receivers but not trying to correct the problem. Blaming his poor performances on others is nothing more than childish. He and everyone else on here needs to own up to the fact that he was very bad last year.For us to go to a bowl game he is going to have to make major changes to his game other than losing ten pounds. He needs to be focusing on getting better at throwing which at this point in his career will be a tall task considering some of the horrible habits that he has accumulated over the last couple years.

Revisionist history.

DT's pick six did NOT cost us that game. We were still up by 3 after that pick six.

The coaching staff cost us that game by refusing to throw another pass THE REST OF THE SEASON after that pick six.

They told DT in no uncertain terms that they did not trust him to win a football game. Terrible coaching.

Do people on this site really think we will go away from running the ball more than 70% of the time on 1st down with DT as the starter? Do people really think that the coaching staff will magically trust DT more because he has lost 15 pounds?

The coaching action in that WKU game speaks volumes about how this staff views DT. Yes, they will say all the right things about opening up the offense and how things will be different this year. Talk is cheap, and coach speak is the cheapest form of talk. If DT is the starter, we will see the same offense as last year.

And this is not a swipe at DT at all. He can only do what he is allowed to do. When you only pass when EVERYONE in the stadium knows you are going to pass, it's a recipe for failure, no latter who is QB.

BB has not stepped up and doesn't appear to be ready to start. That is a very bad thing for this program and an ominous sign for the upcoming season.

greenminer · April 11, 2013

I still don't get how having a hamstring injuries equals "dogging it" or "not stepping up."

Agree.

I'm just as disappointed with everyone else about BB not performing well, but I'm not going to jump to conclusions while the kid is working through an injury.

Could this season ride around DT? Maybe, but let's wait and see what a healthy BB can or can't do.

glick1980 · April 11, 2013

Revisionist history.
DT's pick six did NOT cost us that game. We were still up by 3 after that pick six.
The coaching staff cost us that game by refusing to throw another pass THE REST OF THE SEASON after that pick six.
They told DT in no uncertain terms that they did not trust him to win a football game. Terrible coaching.
Do people on this site really think we will go away from running the ball more than 70% of the time on 1st down with DT as the starter? Do people really think that the coaching staff will magically trust DT more because he has lost 15 pounds?
The coaching action in that WKU game speaks volumes about how this staff views DT. Yes, they will say all the right things about opening up the offense and how things will be different this year. Talk is cheap, and coach speak is the cheapest form of talk. If DT is the starter, we will see the same offense as last year.
And this is not a swipe at DT at all. He can only do what he is allowed to do. When you only pass when EVERYONE in the stadium knows you are going to pass, it's a recipe for failure, no latter who is QB.
BB has not stepped up and doesn't appear to be ready to start. That is a very bad thing for this program and an ominous sign for the upcoming season.

Our offense was very predictable last year. Mac likes to play it close to the vest. What I don't understand is what makes people think that we are going to open up the offense with a guy that has never taken a snap in a college game. For the last two years we have had walk-on receivers emerge as primary targets. Think about that for a minute. This year we may have some legitimate threats at WR besides Chancellor. If it is DT, then he can do well with a little improvement. If he can raise his completion % 3% and cut down on the INT's then this team will be fine.

Edited April 11, 2013 by glick1980

DentonAmerica · April 11, 2013

First of all where did you last coach because I got my comment on receivers quitting on their routes in talking with Chico at the FB Banquet. He also encouraged Derek to lose the weight which he did. DT has the confidence of his teammates or he would not be a team captain. When they see BB dogging it on the sidelines as a third teamer would you trust him to be your leader? As far as WKU no one felt worse about the INT than DT. He didn't come out of the dressing room till almost time to board the bus. A loss hurts him more than most on last year's team. BTW WKU took over in their territory and proceeded to run it down the throat of the defense. They should take their share of the blame for that loss. They sure did zero to stop the WKU!!!!

You sure do seem to know an awful lot about DT. Much more than the average fan, including how much time it takes him to get to the bus and how bad he felt after the WKU game. You are far from an unbiased truthful poster which leads me to believe that you in some way shape or form you either personally know him or are related to him. For you to blame receivers for quitting on their routes shows that you know little to nothing about football. Nobody quits on their route and if they do thats a major coaching issue because the player should not be playing. If there is a problem it would be the player ran the wrong route, got jammed or collisioned off their route, or ran their route to deep or short. WKU scored 18 pts on our defense and that is not good enough? They turned WKU over 3 times thats not good enough? The bottom line is we were up by 14 with 12 to go and he threw a telegraphed pass in the flat and the safety from WKU jumped the route and scored. After that play we lost any trust we had in DT (which was very little to start with) and tried to unsuccessfully run out the clock. Nobody cares how bad he felt or if they asked him to lose weight or how much everyone likes him, that isnt going to win us any games. All we want is wins.