Who will be the 2014 North Texas starting QB ?

[JesseMartin]

Some of you already hit on some of these points, but:

1) I absolutely expect Means to redshirt. He's obviously already a great athlete, but he's not a Wintrich athlete. Put him on the field without the type of conditioning program he would benefit from having for a year, and he could get very hurt going against the big boys of FBS. With the depth we have, I don't see any reason for him to even sniff the field this coming season.

2) Do we know that Greer will be a QB? With this many, he is the one I most expected to change positions if one of them were to do so.

3) I seriously doubt it, but is there any possibility that Mac and Canales might use one of those weird 2-QB systems where they're both on the field and you never know who will get the ball? Doesn't really fit with the old-school ball play, but geez, this is a lot of guys that are only about a year apart in eligibility. Which leads me to the last one...

4) I also was wondering if Mac might be looking to use a different guy every year or two. If the race is about even, start the guy about to finish eligibility and keep the ones with more eligibility in reserve in case of injury. A year of McNulty or two years of Greer or Berglund, or a year of McNulty and a year of one of them, followed by 1-2 years of Dajon and 1-2 years of Means, all the while finding new guys to develop after the fact. Hey, if they all end up being awesome, and are so close in ability to play and manage games that any will work out fine, then it's not unreasonable to start a new guy every year or two and reduce the wear and tear on their bodies. Does this sound too utopic?

[JRock]

Brock

[MeanGreenDan]

I picked McNutty because he was the clear back up this year, but I will like whatever choice the coaches make. At this point we know we can trust them to do what is best for the team. I would love to have Dajon as the starter. Just hope he can pass McNutty in the spring. Seems like he could bring more to the table, when he is ready.

Good God no McNulty. Surely the nine votes for him are in jest.

[Got5onIt]

Good God no McNulty. Surely the nine votes for him are in jest.

I voted for him, not because I want that, just because he was the clear cut #2. I'm still pulling for Brock or DW.

[golfingomez]

Whoever wins the jobs will be blessed with a great OL & very talented receiving core

OL for sure...

WR... you have Harris, then you take a step down to Kidsy... who hasn't been on the field enough for me to say he is solid... then ... ? Terrell? freshmen?

[risinggreen]

Either I am one of only a few people on this board that haven't been privy to what DW looks like in practice or so many of you are jumping the gun on your DW analysis. Last minute gameplay against a very tired Idaho Defense shows me about as much as a Spring Game would. I am sure he will be a great QB but just remember the euphoria felt when people got a very small glimpse of DT in the Arkansas State game (redshirt burn game) and how everyone thought he would be the second coming of (insert name here) only to lose out to Tune.

My thoughts exactly. I really hope he's the next RG3, but I'd like to see more before the anointment.

[emmitt01]

Don't forget about Mr. Swopes (sp) He will be a front runner for that J O B

I really hope (honestly for their sake, not because I hate UT) that both Swopes and Heard get on a conference call with Sharod Harris.

[BillySee58]

Don't forget about Mr. Swopes (sp) He will be a front runner for that J O B

I pray that Swoopes wins the job. Boy could not hit the broadside of Mangino's fanny.

[Green P1]

Hoping for DW but expecting Mini-Mac.

[SilverEagle]

Lots of speculation/fantasizing about QB's that will throw one long ball after another because they have cannon arms etc.etc. I seem to remember an interview with Mac toward the end of the season where he was expressing (in his best maniacal Robert Loggia/Jim Wacker voice) his philosophy/preference about offense ....."run the rock, run the rock".

My guess is that the named starter (if there is one) after the spring game will be the guy who can run the offense with as few mistakes as possible (no ints or fumbles...Mac hates that more than anything) and can complete most of his mid-to-short distance passes. Another poster on this board (I think it was BS58) has quoted Coach Mac as saying that Berglund spent too much time doing that "Johnny Manziel crap" during spring. An assessment BTW that I share whilst watching unscripted spring practices.

So the winner of the QB contest will be the QB that is the best bus driver. Right now that would be McNulty. If Berglund has finally gotten the message, then I would put him at second.

[UNT90]

True that. Hey I want Dajon number one, but right now it is hard to say. Andrew came in and made a few plays when needed.

McNulty doesn't have the arm strength to play QB at the FBS level. Unless his arm strength has magically and dramatically improved, he will be a poor man's Riley Dodhe for next year's team. Cone in to be a more mobile QB who can complete certain short routes.anf that is great, especially when we were his only offer our of HS to play QB. He will help the team in that roll. If he is the starting QB out of fall camp, something has gone very wrong with our QB situation.

He was beat out by a true freshman. That tells me all I need to know.

[foutsrouts]

The winner of the QB contest will be the QB that is the best bus driver. Right now that would be McNulty. If Berglund has finally gotten the message, then I would put him at second.

Hard to disagree with that assessment. "Flashy" is not exactly how I would term Macs offensive philosophy. Btw, since most chose DW in this poll, what are his weaknesses? I've heard a lot about his strengths, but nothing negative to account for his having offers only from Montana and NT. Considering that he played HS ball only a few miles from some of the biggest programs in the country, I just have to wonder why the lack of interest? Just one of those guys who slipped through the cracks? TIA.

[Ben Gooding]

His weakness will be inexperience, I.e. reading secondaries, alarm clock in head, hot reads, taking what D gives him, etc. If they use him how they should his other weakness will be injury prone. The inexperience can be hidden with a solid what game (which we will have) and high percentage throws.

[BillySee58]

Hard to disagree with that assessment. "Flashy" is not exactly how I would term Macs offensive philosophy. Btw, since most chose DW in this poll, what are his weaknesses? I've heard a lot about his strengths, but nothing negative to account for his having offers only from Montana and NT. Considering that he played HS ball only a few miles from some of the biggest programs in the country, I just have to wonder why the lack of interest? Just one of those guys who slipped through the cracks? TIA.

I would say he's one of those guys who slipped through the cracks, but the knocks on him are that he's skinny which is a dangerous proposition with a running qb, and if you look at his high school stats he didn't reach the 60% completion percentage mark in high school.

As just a general rule most evaluators and coaches want to see the qb hit 60% completion percentage or higher before they advance to the next level (i.e. high school to college, college to NFL). However, even though it was in mop up duty, Dajon looked pretty darn accurate against Idaho going 5-6 with the lone incompletion being a drop.

[SilverEagle]

I would say he's one of those guys who slipped through the cracks, but the knocks on him are that he's skinny which is a dangerous proposition with a running qb, and if you look at his high school stats he didn't reach the 60% completion percentage mark in high school.

As just a general rule most evaluators and coaches want to see the qb hit 60% completion percentage or higher before they advance to the next level (i.e. high school to college, college to NFL). However, even though it was in mop up duty, Dajon looked pretty darn accurate against Idaho going 5-6 with the lone incompletion being a drop.

...against an already beaten and demoralized team.

[BillySee58]

...against an already beaten and demoralized team.

Yes, mop up duty against the second string of a beaten and demoralized team that would only go on to win 1 game on the season. But he certainly did show flashes and got plenty of praise in practice.

[outoftown]

Gosh, this is sooo reading tea leaves. the only one I really don't see getting into the mix next season is Connor Means who is headed for a redshirt season. For the remainder it is REALLY hard to say. I went with McNulty, because Coach mac is very loyal, and because last season everyone was touting Brock, and then Dajon, but in the end it was DT, and I don't think the experience made Canales and Mac change their mind about how they go in choosing their QB. But I would not bet a single cent on it.

If I'd have to handicap the chances of being the starter:

McNulty 30%

Williams 25 %

Greer 24%

Berglund 20%

Means 1%

The only thing I am really confident about: The Job will definitely be there for the taking and everyone will get some sort of shot at it. Spring is just an elimination round, it will not really get decided before the fall.

oh... and if you fall too far behind in spring you get a choice: transfer or change position.

Edited January 5, 2014 by outoftown

[BillySee58]

Lots of speculation/fantasizing about QB's that will throw one long ball after another because they have cannon arms etc.etc. I seem to remember an interview with Mac toward the end of the season where he was expressing (in his best maniacal Robert Loggia/Jim Wacker voice) his philosophy/preference about offense ....."run the rock, run the rock".

My guess is that the named starter (if there is one) after the spring game will be the guy who can run the offense with as few mistakes as possible (no ints or fumbles...Mac hates that more than anything) and can complete most of his mid-to-short distance passes. Another poster on this board (I think it was BS58) has quoted Coach Mac as saying that Berglund spent too much time doing that "Johnny Manziel crap" during spring. An assessment BTW that I share whilst watching unscripted spring practices.

So the winner of the QB contest will be the QB that is the best bus driver. Right now that would be McNulty. If Berglund has finally gotten the message, then I would put him at second.

No, it wasn't me who posted that but a couple guys on here both said they both talked to different players and heard nearly the same thing. That's why I think it could be Brock.

The problem is not that the game is too fast for him, or he's inaccurate, or off the field stuff. It seems like he just is trying to be on sportscenter too hard and if he can just make the reads, sit in the pocket, and command the offense he should win the job.

[TheColonyEagle]

and it's the 2013 offense

I hope we average 31.5 points per game next year.

[SilverEagle]

No, it wasn't me who posted that but a couple guys on here both said they both talked to different players and heard nearly the same thing. That's why I think it could be Brock.

The problem is not that the game is too fast for him, or he's inaccurate, or off the field stuff. It seems like he just is trying to be on sportscenter too hard and if he can just make the reads, sit in the pocket, and command the offense he should win the job.

Yep. On more than one occasion last spring whilst watching the unscripted spring practices, I said to myself "just run the offense kid, quit trying to show off".

[TheColonyEagle]

Arm, speed, I don't think any of that matters. Whichever QB learns this offense and can manage the game. That's who is going to be the starter. I think that's what has kept Berglund out.

I have been frustrated by DT at times but after going back and watching some of our games....I get it. I understand why the coaches rode him.

I always rolled my eyes when I saw the Canales quote on how smart DT is because of the occasional ball thrown into double coverage. But that's not what he was talking about. DT knew this offense forward and backward. This offense has a lot of pre snap movement. A lot of motion. DT spent all that time during all that motion reading the D and makin the necessary adjustments.

Whichever QB can manage the offense like that...will be the starter. Arm strength and speed have nothing to do with it.

Who's going to be the on field manager.

That's why I would not be shocked one bit if it was McNulty.

But I'll say this about Dajon. Despite his physical tools.....the thing that jumped out at me was how cool and collected he looked. I know it was the end of a blow out but that was still his first game at this level. He looked very poised to me. Obviously that could be different in front of 90K in Austin. But maybe not.

Edited January 5, 2014 by TheColonyEagle

[SilverEagle]

Arm, speed, I don't think any of that matters. Whichever QB learns this offense and can manage the game. That's who is going to be the starter. I think that's what has kept Berglund out.

I have been frustrated by DT at times but after going back and watching some of our games....I get it. I understand why the coaches rode him.

I always rolled my eyes when I saw the Canales quote on how smart DT is because of the occasional ball thrown into double coverage. But that's not what he was talking about. DT knew this offense forward and backward. This offense has a lot of pre snap movement. A lot of motion. DT spent all that time during all that motion reading the D and makin the necessary adjustments.

Whichever QB can manage the offense like that...will be the starter. Arm strength and speed have LESS to do with it.

Who's going to be the on field manager.

Being able to get out of harms way (speed and/or quickness) in the face of an impending sack has to be a plus with any coach.

[adman]

We will have 5 QB's on scholarship.

3 of those could not beat out DT for the starting job.

It will be an interesting spring/summer.

[Danish43]

​Add Peter Ashton the Oregon State transfer to the mix. You never know, this could be the answer. Kitna of the Cowboys has had many positive points about this young man and what he can do on the field.

[BillySee58]

Here are Ashton's high school highlights. Looks like his school ran the veer (triple-option) offense. Not a bad passer. Compact release, decent arm strength. I wouldn't expect him to be thrown in the mix but maybe.

http://www.picturethisnow.net/peterashton/website/Highlights.html