Who will start next year on defense?

North Texas Shep · February 4, 2014

What 11 players do you think will be the defensive starters next season?

mdmeangreen · February 4, 2014

DB: Kenny Buyers, James Jones, Lairamie Lee

DT: Alexander Lincoln, Austin Orr

DE: Jarrian Roberts, Quenton Brown

NT: Sir Calvin Wallace

LB: Derek Akunne, Anthony Wallace, Jamal Marshall

scrappyman1 · February 4, 2014

I also agree with this on these defensive players.

MeanGreenTexan · February 4, 2014

DB: Kenny Buyers, James Jones, Lairamie Lee

DT: Alexander Lincoln, Austin Orr

DE: Jarrian Roberts, Quenton Brown

NT: Sir Calvin Wallace

LB: Derek Akunne, Anthony Wallace, Jamal Marshall

Ah! a 5-3-3 scheme. Very interesting...

North Texas Shep · February 4, 2014

DB: Kenny Buyers, James Jones, Lairamie Lee

DT: Alexander Lincoln, Austin Orr

DE: Jarrian Roberts, Quenton Brown

NT: Sir Calvin Wallace

LB: Derek Akunne, Anthony Wallace, Jamal Marshall

Missing a safety?

southsideguy · February 4, 2014

watch out for ellis-he can hit

GrandGreen · February 4, 2014

Almost sure starters:

de Mason

dt Lincoln

lb Akunne

cb Buyers

cb Jones

s Lee

Guesses:

de Brown

dt Orr

lb Scott

lb Wallace

s Warner

meaniegreenie · February 4, 2014

Ah! a 5-3-3 scheme. Very interesting...

That's what we played back in the day in my HS, but a 5-4-3 is even better! :lol:

Ben Gooding · February 4, 2014

If Warner is healthy he is a lock at safety. He was a starter until he suffered a broken arm I believe. Sed Ellis might sneak up on someone and swipe a LB position. The Dline has to eat and lift like wild animals for the next 7 months or Texas will gash us on the ground.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Ben Gooding

Green P1 · February 4, 2014

Fred Scott and 10 others yet to be determined.

GOMG2013 · February 4, 2014

DB: Kenny Buyers, James Jones, Lairamie Lee
DT: Alexander Lincoln, Austin Orr
DE: Jarrian Roberts, Quenton Brown
NT: Sir Calvin Wallace
LB: Derek Akunne, Anthony Wallace, Jamal Marshall

I have been following the guys from fort bend, and j.Marshall has a lot of work to do to get into the starting lineup. Warner at safety.

Mean Green 93-98 · February 4, 2014

Doesn't Zed Evans have another year of eligibility?

DB: Kenny Buyers, James Jones, Lairamie Lee

DT: Alexander Lincoln, Austin Orr

DE: Jarrian Roberts, Quenton Brown

NT: Sir Calvin Wallace

LB: Derek Akunne, Anthony Wallace, Jamal Marshall

I mostly agree with this. Obviously I don't think we'll be running a 5-man front, so take Sir Calvin out of the starting lineup.

Put Freddie Warner in at FS.

Quenton Brown and Darryl Mason at DE. I'll guess Akunne, Fred Scott, and Anthony Wallace at LB.

Harry · February 4, 2014

People don't realize this but Daryl Mason may be the most talented defensive player on the team...he could be a 1st team C-USA type of player IF he stays healthy. I also expect Fred Scott to play an important role in the defense and don't discount the speed that Zed Evans will bring. This defense won't be big but it will be extremely fast -- one of the fastest we have ever seen here in this program.

GOMG2013 · February 4, 2014

Zed Evans and Jamal Marshall were possibly two of the top 3 fastest guys on the team last year, but played mainly special teams and got some reps in blowouts.

I was told these guys are kinda lax and dont have that urgency and seriousness about them. At the start of the offseason, if you look at thier comments and evaluations, it says exactly the same thing. Im not saying they cant turn it around, but they need to step up. Because the ones they are competing for playing time with are on it.

Edited February 4, 2014 by GOMG2013

GOMG2013 · February 4, 2014

I'll guess Akunne, Fred Scott, and Anthony Wallace at LB.

who would be the outside/weakside lb in this senario? It could happen, but seems like all three of these guys are strongside/middle lbs. I dont think any of these guys are fast enough to cover.

It could still work though and they would be solid against the run, but they safeties would definetly have to cover and watch for the pass instead of helping out on the run.

Edited February 4, 2014 by GOMG2013

Mean Green 93-98 · February 4, 2014

who would be the outside/weakside lb in this senario? It could happen, but seems like all three of these guys are strongside/middle lbs. I dont think any of these guys are fast enough to cover.
It could still work though and they would be solid against the run, but they safeties would definetly have to cover and watch for the pass instead of helping out on the run.

Yeah, I thought the same thing, but decided to go for it anyway. Really, I wouldn't only say that they are just strongside/middle LBs, I would say that they are all three MLBs. Akunne has been forced to the outside his entire career because of Zach Orr when he seems like a more natural MLB.

But I believe Coach Mac will want to put the best players on the field. I mean, that's why Akunne has been playing outside.

Which one of the three at WLB? I haven't seen enough (any, actually) of Wallace to know, but I thought he had pretty good speed. Regardless, we have seen that quick, undersized players have been brought in in passing situations, and I imagine we'll see a lot of Sed Ellis, and a good amount of Jamal Marshall. But I think Akunne, Wallace, and Scott are our best 3 LBs, and I think those are the 3 most likely to be announced as starters. If the staff is not comfortable putting all 3 out at the same time, I'm guessing Scott comes out and Marshall comes in. All I'm throwing out are pretty much guesses, though.

Edited February 4, 2014 by Mean Green 93-98

MGRamsey · February 4, 2014

who would be the outside/weakside lb in this senario? It could happen, but seems like all three of these guys are strongside/middle lbs. I dont think any of these guys are fast enough to cover.
It could still work though and they would be solid against the run, but they safeties would definetly have to cover and watch for the pass instead of helping out on the run.

Akunne has been clocked running 4.4 speed. I don't think I would say he is slow.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/111070/derek-akunne

Ben Gooding · February 4, 2014

Put the biggest guy at MLB. That might let Akunne stay on the outside where he has become accustomed to. I think the secondary will be just fine. Warner has the physical capabilities to easily fill Trice's void. Not sure about filling Trice's leadership void though. D line is my and everyone else's concern. They need to beef up and learn. Spring ball is very important for that reason. Every practice snap will benefit these guys.

Harry · February 4, 2014

Derek Akunne is VERY fast. You are sorely mistaken on that one.

GOMG2013 · February 4, 2014

Derek Akunne is VERY fast. You are sorely mistaken on that one.

He's already playing outside, so he's already shown he can play there. I assumed he was the Sam lb. It still does not answer if Wallace or Scott can play outside lb and cover.

Looks like UNT does not assign Will and Sam LBs.(based on the depth chart) Makes sense since the safeties are coming up and helping stuff the run. So that other outside LB still has to be fast.

I think we will see lots of looks and guys rotating in. I can also see Ellis and/or marshall coming in on 3rd downs if Scott, akunne, and Wallace are the starters.

I like what we have at linebacker. No one is even mentioning akii Smith...

MeanGreen13 · February 4, 2014

scott is a middle lb. he will be the back up middle line backer if Wallace beats him out. he is too short to be the weak side lb and would get eaten up by bigger TEs. i think the best bet is jamal marshall or sed ellis as both are 6'3 and long/quick enough to cover.

i think the coaches will be looking for a will wright type to fulfill the same duties and give some continuity in the defensive scheme!

Edited February 4, 2014 by MeanGreen13

Harry · February 4, 2014

scott is a middle lb. he will be the back up middle line backer if Wallace beats him out. he is too short to be the weak side lb and would get eaten up by bigger TEs. i think the best bet is jamal marshall or sed ellis as both are 6'3 and long/quick enough to cover.

i think the coaches will be looking for a will wright type to fulfill the same duties and give some continuity in the defensive scheme!

I think you are dead on -- Will Wright had a great year and will be a key replacement. You need one speed guy and Wright will be hard to replace.

I disagree with an earlier poster on Marshall though -- he made some amazing special teams plays this last season. He has outstanding speed and that will help him recover from mistakes and get up the learning curve quickly. I will miss the guys we lost but with the pool of talent we have coming back, linebacker is the least of my worries.

Cooley · February 4, 2014

So this will be the first year without a Dodge recruit?

Harry · February 5, 2014

So this will be the first year without a Dodge recruit?

It's getting close ---- here's who I show still from the Dodge final class...

Blake Dunham

Marcus Smith

Antonio Johnson

Derrick Teegarden

Dodge signed 9 jucos in his last class so almost half (21 total) have been gone awhile. I will give him this, of the 12 high school signees in 2010 10 of them were KEY pieces to this last season and Dunham/Teegarden have been special teams contributors so that was a damn nice percentage of high school playmakers he landed to close out his coaching career at UNT!