Thinking about UNT’s DT situation heading forward

Harry · May 5, 2013

UNT head coach Dan McCarney has suspended defensive tackle Richard Abbe indefinitely after he was charged with DWI last week.

Now, indefinitely could mean just about anything.

For the sake of argument, lets say that indefinitely means that if Abbe walks the line and takes care of everything he is supposed to that means he will miss, oh, I dont know, maybe exactly the first two games of next season.

If that were the case, Abbe would miss the Idaho game (one UNT needs to win) and the Ohio game (which looks like a long shot).

Heres the issue with Abbe out of the lineup: He came out of the spring as a starter.

Heres the two-deep coming out of the spring:

DT (1 technique):

Richard Abbe, 6-4 31

Sir Calvin Wallace, 6-2 308

Dutton Watson, 6-3, 261

DT (3 technique):

Alexander Lincoln, 6-2 249

Austin Orr, 6-4 268

Ryan Boutwell, 6-3 261

The issue is that UNT plays a 4-3 and is really short on 1 technique guys (the player who lineup on the inside shoulder of the guard).

UNT essentially had two last year Tevinn Cantly and Abbe. Cantly was lost to graduation. The 3 technique guys line up on the outside shoulder of the opposite guard and are generally smaller, quicker guys. UNT has a few, including Alexander Lincoln and Ryan Boutwell.

Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2013/05/thinking-about-unts-dt-situation-heading-forward.html/

NT03 · May 5, 2013

I'd be all for moving Wylie Reinhardt to DT

BillySee58 · May 5, 2013

I'd be all for moving Wylie Reinhardt to DT

I conpletely agree, obviously. Also, what about LaChris Anyiam? I know he's starting at right tackle but he has a d-line background.

LakeTravis · May 5, 2013

We need some big uglies to show up to walk-on tryouts in the fall as well.

I like the idea of Wylie to DLine

As of now we have to plan Abbe won't be back.

eulessismore · May 5, 2013

I conpletely agree, obviously. Also, what about LaChris Anyiam? I know he's starting at right tackle but he has a d-line background.

What about moving Micah Thompson back to DT? Sure, he asked for the move to offense, but is that where we need him most?

Green Lantern · May 5, 2013

Sorry. If we consider Ohio (not that they're a bad team) a "longshot", we've got bigger issues than Abbe. That's a winnable game. End of story.

UNT 90 Grad · May 5, 2013

Ooops. I thought this thread was about UNT's Derek Thompson situation. Carry on.

By the way, I just finished rewatching the DVR'd UNT/KSU game. I'd be happy if we have that Derek Thompson this year.

GrandGreen · May 5, 2013

I'd be all for moving Wylie Reinhardt to DT

I conpletely agree, obviously. Also, what about LaChris Anyiam? I know he's starting at right tackle but he has a d-line background.

I have never understood the concept that almost any 300 lb player can play dt but so called undersized 270 lb players can't. Odds are that Abbe will be back on the team, but even if he isn't: NT has two experienced dt's returning in Boutwell and Lincoln. NT also has Harboul, Wallace, Watson and Orr; all untested but surely better than moving your random offensive player to the defensive side. Also NT players are all likely to be significantly bigger than their listed weights, except maybe Boutwell who seems to be unable to gain more weight.

Good recognition ability, quickness and just plain toughness are all more important traits than just mass in the interior defensive line. Good strenght is required, but you don't have to be Joe Greene to be a very effective college defensive tackle, who by a lot of posters' standards would be too small today to play defensive tackle.

BillySee58 · May 5, 2013

I'd be all for moving Wylie Reinhardt to DT

I have never understood the concept that almost any 300 lb player can play dt but so called undersized 270 lb players can't. Odds are that Abbe will be back on the team, but even if he isn't: NT has two experienced dt's returning in Boutwell and Lincoln. NT also has Harboul, Wallace, Watson and Orr; all untested but surely better than moving your random offensive player to the defensive side. Also NT players are all likely to be significantly bigger than their listed weights, except maybe Boutwell who seems to be unable to gain more weight.

Good recognition ability, quickness and just plain toughness are all more important traits than just mass in the interior defensive line. Good strenght is required, but you don't have to be Joe Greene to be a very effective college defensive tackle, who by a lot of posters' standards would be too small today to play defensive tackle.

Who's throwing out random names? Anyiam came here as a defensive lineman and started at defensive end for the 2008 5A division 1 state champion Allen Eagles. I didn't just throw a random name out.

http://dallasnews.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Pr_Key=81785

As for Boutwell and Lincoln, they are much better served on the outside. It will be such a darn shame if Lincoln doesn't get a chance to play on the outside during his career here, because he is a stud. What makes you think our other four defensive tackles are going to be good? I hope they are, but it's not like we, or the coaches, have never seen them play at all. Just not in games.

BillySee58 · May 5, 2013

What about moving Micah Thompson back to DT? Sure, he asked for the move to offense, but is that where we need him most?

I think someone on here stated that Coach Mac doesn't see Thompson as a Division 1 defensive lineman. Then again, we aren't sure how many Division 1 tackles we really have right now. I'm sure it'll be discussed.

UNT90 · May 5, 2013

Sorry. If we consider Ohio (not that they're a bad team) a "longshot", we've got bigger issues than Abbe. That's a winnable game. End of story.

Ohio could very easily beat us by 30. Think Houston last year.

Cougar King · May 5, 2013

Sorry. If we consider Ohio (not that they're a bad team) a "longshot", we've got bigger issues than Abbe. That's a winnable game. End of story.

Keep in mind they went up to Pedo valley and knocked off Penn State and made a decent run in the MAC before crushing ULM in a bowl game. The same ULM team that UNT couldn't keep up with. They bring back almost the entire eam iirc and you gotta understand that UNT does not have the depth at Defensive line to stop their power run or more specifically Beau Blankenship and Tyler Tettleton.

Ohio could very easily beat us by 30. Think Houston last year.

Wise words from a wise man.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Cougar King

GrandGreen · May 6, 2013

Who's throwing out random names? Anyiam came here as a defensive lineman and started at defensive end for the 2008 5A division 1 state champion Allen Eagles. I didn't just throw a random name out.
http://dallasnews.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Pr_Key=81785
As for Boutwell and Lincoln, they are much better served on the outside. It will be such a darn shame if Lincoln doesn't get a chance to play on the outside during his career here, because he is a stud. What makes you think our other four defensive tackles are going to be good? I hope they are, but it's not like we, or the coaches, have never seen them play at all. Just not in games.

Lots of defensive linemen are converted to offensive lineman, very few the other way. As far as Thompson and Anyiam, they were tried at defensive lineman than moved, why do you think they would be better now than when the decision was made? As far as Boutwell and Lincoln being "much" better outside, I doubt it.

Again there is a lot more than looking at a player size and making a decision were they play. I never said any of the newcomers would be good, I said the chances are good that they would be better than others that may be moved to dt. However Abbe, Boutwell and Lincoln have all played a lot of dt for NT. All are far from great, but it is obvious the coaches think they are better than players they converted to offense.

BillySee58 · May 6, 2013

Lots of defensive linemen are converted to offensive lineman, very few the other way. As far as Thompson and Anyiam, they were tried at defensive lineman than moved, why do you think they would be better now than when the decision was made? As far as Boutwell and Lincoln being "much" better outside, I doubt it.

Again there is a lot more than looking at a player size and making a decision were they play. I never said any of the newcomers would be good, I said the chances are good that they would be better than others that may be moved to dt. However Abbe, Boutwell and Lincoln have all played a lot of dt for NT. All are far from great, but it is obvious the coaches think they are better than players they converted to offense.

Anyiam was a co-starter last year. He can play a little, so it's not like he was just moved just to provide depth. He was moved because he can and did contribute. Absolutely Mac likes him better at Right Tackle, but we have some depth on O-Line and not so much d-line.

Maybe "much" is a stretch, but I do think they'd be better on the outside, or at least Lincoln would be. It's not even just that he'd be better on the outside, but he'd be have a better chance to make plays, and he could be a playmaker on D, as could Boutwell. At tackle they're stuck trying to occupy guards and centers and preventing them from combo-ing up to the linebackers. A vital and thankless job, but not as much a chance to make a play on the ball carrier.

Also, Boutwell has not held up well at tackle. It's not his fault. He has to eat something ridiculous like 7 meals a day to hit 260 on the scale. This was when he played primarily a 3-technique. He will probably be needed to play the nose tackle, or 1-technique, which is more suited for the big guys. This problem would likely occur with guys like Watson, Austin Orr, and Haboul as well. Wallace has the natural size, so it'd be just great if he could step up and contribute.

I personally don't think they will move Anyiam to nose tackle, but I think it should and maybe will be discussed so I figured it'd be worth discussing here.

Green Lantern · May 6, 2013

Keep in mind they went up to Pedo valley and knocked off Penn State and made a decent run in the MAC before crushing ULM in a bowl game. The same ULM team that UNT couldn't keep up with. They bring back almost the entire eam iirc and you gotta understand that UNT does not have the depth at Defensive line to stop their power run or more specifically Beau Blankenship and Tyler Tettleton.

Wise words from a wise man.

Right and UNT beat ULL (9-4) who beat East Carolina (8-5) in a bowl, who beat Houston. Who cares? Anyone can do this kind of crap all day, every day.

My point still remains. Ohio (9-4) is a good team (at our level). I expect us to be competitive with them in our 3rd year under our head coach. Not saying UNT will be favored to win on the road, in fact actually the opposite. I recognize that Ohio is tough at home. They are not Georgia. That game IS a legitimate long shot. There is a HUGE difference.