First UNT Practice of 2014 Observations

smoothfresh · March 5, 2014

Just a comment I want to make about practice yesterday.. and its directed to anyone who may read this that is associated with James Jones. He took a moment to walk (not asked to.. he did it himself)over to my little boy and talk to him yesterday for a few minutes. That is first class all the way.

That brief interaction not only put a smile on his face but it put in prespective that these guys care about the fans.

Thank you James!

MeanGreenTexan · March 5, 2014

Just a comment I want to make about practice yesterday.. and its directed to anyone who may read this that is associated with James Jones. He took a moment to walk (not asked to.. he did it himself)over to my little boy and talk to him yesterday for a few minutes. That is first class all the way.

That brief interaction not only put a smile on his face but it put in prespective that these guys care about the fans.

Thank you James!

Not sure how old your boy is, but if he's around 2-3, I bet their bowel movement talk could have been pretty entertaining.

DT 90 · March 5, 2014

Just a comment I want to make about practice yesterday.. and its directed to anyone who may read this that is associated with James Jones. He took a moment to walk (not asked to.. he did it himself)over to my little boy and talk to him yesterday for a few minutes. That is first class all the way.

That brief interaction not only put a smile on his face but it put in prespective that these guys care about the fans.

Thank you James!

Just wait.......your little boy will need "ear muffs".

SilverEagle · March 5, 2014

Thanks and good stuff Silver. I appreciate your thoughts.
Here Is a good story on Shanbour who had been a walk on at OSU: http://debartolosportsu.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/quinn-shanbour-prepares-for-his-chance-at-his-dream-school-oklahoma-state/
Also as noted Josh Cousins played under Kenny Evans at Northeastern. He is supposed to be pretty good.

Interesting comments in the article especially QS saying that he had been compared to Johnny Manziel (that reference is getting a bit old BTW). It 's entirely too soon to be making any sort of bold statements. But let me just say that if Shanbour is even close to Manziel in mobility, in the words of Guy Fieri from the food channel "winner, winner, chicken dinner".

Global observation.

Christopher Walker commented that it was great seeing such team speed...totally agree. My main impression from watching the practice....speed, speed, speed.

Other observations

One drill has the defensive line belly flopping and then chasing a RB to and down the sideline. Both units got there in a big hurry. Those guys are fast. I was pleasantly surprised at Andy Flusche's speed.

Shawn McKinney looks every bit of his 365lbs.

running back punts in the punt drill. #4, #9, and #16...oh and #32. #4 had slightly better moves. All were very fast.

#20 got into the 2 min drill and showed his great speed.

New guys...

#82 Crayton Adams at 6'5" X 210 has impressive size. He's also surprisingly fast.

#32. Smith(?) a pretty small (he looks about 5'6") rb got a lot of reps. Pretty shifty and had good bursts of speed.

#25 Tucker, not new to the team but to the RB position. I saw why he was moved......he's fast. Maybe a half step faster that AJ.

#87 Cameron Brown at 6'2" X 205 he has pretty good size. Made a few good catches

Edited March 5, 2014 by SilverEagle

Christopher Walker · March 5, 2014

Just a comment I want to make about practice yesterday.. and its directed to anyone who may read this that is associated with James Jones. He took a moment to walk (not asked to.. he did it himself)over to my little boy and talk to him yesterday for a few minutes. That is first class all the way.

That brief interaction not only put a smile on his face but it put in prespective that these guys care about the fans.

Thank you James!

He talked with us too! Dude's really nice...

Just wait.......your little boy will need "ear muffs".

...haha, and like I said, vocal. Dude was totally rallying the Defense from the sidelines in the 2-minute drills.

Green92 · March 5, 2014

It's football. Profanity is allowed.

DT 90 · March 5, 2014

Interesting comments in the article especially QS saying that he had been compared to Johnny Manziel (that reference is getting a bit old BTW). It 's entirely too soon to be making any sort of bold statements. But let me just say that if Shanbour is even close to Manziel in mobility, in the words of Guy Fieri from the food channel "winner, winner, chicken dinner".

Global observation.

Christopher Walker commented that it was great seeing such team speed...totally agree. My main impression from watching the practice....speed, speed, speed.

Other observations

One drill has the defensive line belly flopping and then chasing a RB to and down the sideline. Both units got there in a big hurry. Those guys are fast. I was pleasantly surprised at Andy Flusche's speed.

If you are not used to seeing games and practices up close, the size and speed is pretty awesome. That is what gets to most freshman in their first practices. Night and day difference from high school to College no matter what level of high school you come from.

Edited March 5, 2014 by DT 90

H-towngreen · March 5, 2014

Thanks for the udpates gents, keep them coming as camp carries on!

SilverEagle · March 5, 2014

If you are not used to seeing games and practices up close, the size and speed is pretty awesome. That is what gets to most freshman in their first practices. Night and day diference from high school to College no matter what level of high school you come from.

Well, I have watched a LOT of practices up close going back to the DD days. And overall this group is probably the fastest I've been around.

Mean Green 93-98 · March 5, 2014

Thanks for your insight as well, Silver. The comments everyone is making about Shanbour are very surprising, but it sounds universal at this point. If he keeps performing like that and applies himself, I don't think you can keep him off scholarship or off the field.

MeanGreenTexan · March 5, 2014

The Shanbour comments remind me of what people were saying about Berglund last year.

Mean Green 93-98 · March 5, 2014

The Shanbour comments remind me of what people were saying about Berglund last year.

No one was saying those comments about Berglund in the spring.

http://wordpress1.cws.unt.edu/?p=4066

MeanGreenTexan · March 5, 2014

No one was saying those comments about Berglund in the spring.

http://wordpress1.cws.unt.edu/?p=4066

True. But recall how everyone was drooling over his throwing motion and wheels when he was QB'ing the scout team the prior fall (2012)?

pastorgrant · March 5, 2014

True. But recall how everyone was drooling over his throwing motion and wheels when he was QB'ing the scout team the prior fall (2012)?

That's true, but ability was never Burglund's problem.

Mean Green 93-98 · March 5, 2014

True. But recall how everyone was drooling over his throwing motion and wheels when he was QB'ing the scout team the prior fall (2012)?

Yes, and actually I was thinking of Berglund when I said "applies himself." As pg indicates above, Berglund was, by all accounts, the most talented QB on the roster last year. If Shanbour is the most talented QB on the roster this year and he actually applies himself, what I said above certainly holds true.

adman · March 5, 2014

Shall we just go ahead and nickname Shanbour - ShanWow!?

question no info.

MeanGreenTexan · March 5, 2014

Yes, and actually I was thinking of Berglund when I said "applies himself." As pg indicates above, Berglund was, by all accounts, the most talented QB on the roster last year. If Shanbour is the most talented QB on the roster this year and he actually applies himself, what I said above certainly holds true.

Sure. But that's yet to be determined. I'm just saying it reminds me of the Berglund talk. Not that Shanbour will be transferring to some D-II school somewhere.

Count me as one who was sucked into the Berglund vortex last year. Fool me once, shame on you... Fool me. Can't get fooled again.

SilverEagle · March 5, 2014

Let me be clear. I knew nothing of Shanbours QB skills prior to going to practice yesterday. I only knew that he had taken a round about journey to get here, and that he was getting high marks in winter work-outs. It was only one day. I would like to see how he moves around before I say anything else.

I anticipated that DW would show the ability that he showed and I was hoping that Greer would be more impressive.

However, based on just the QB skills that were being worked on yesterday. I rate em this way.

Shanbour and Williams...almost a tie...Shanbour threw a little better.

McNulty and Cousins pretty even....Cousins threw a little better

Means a little better than Greer.

Green P1 · March 5, 2014

Again... DJ will win this job on the practice fields, not Facebook reports.

KRAM1 · March 6, 2014

Again... DJ will win this job on the practice fields, not Facebook reports.

Wasn't this the same guy predicting Captain Phillips as the Academy Award winning movie?

Just couldn't resist...I'll go back to reading again now.

Edited March 6, 2014 by KRAM1

SilverEagle · March 6, 2014

Again... DJ will win this job on the practice fields, not Facebook reports.

Well they win it on the field, but it's the coaches assessment of what went on out there on the field, not the fans. And I guess (just like in life and politics) it takes a lot to unseat the incumbent.

Caw Caw · March 6, 2014

To the former Daily writer, what bird makes the "Caw, Caw" sound? Hint: It is not an eagle.

I think this is a reference to me. I don't know how it got placed in this discussion. The crow is known for that distinctive sound... but so is the North Texas fan base. I think it's probably pretty tough to do the shriek sort of sound an eagle does in any sort of unison. But we can try.

SilverEagle · March 6, 2014

I think this is a reference to me. I don't know how it got placed in this discussion. The crow is known for that distinctive sound... but so is the North Texas fan base. I think it's probably pretty tough to do the shriek sort of sound an eagle does in any sort of unison. But we can try.

Why would you (or the students) even try? I never hear the UT fan base try doing a unified Mooo, or the SMU fans trying to make the sound that a horse/mustang makes....nor have I ever heard the Baylor fan base trying to do a unified growl....the list goes on. So why has someone at North Texas decided that some sort of bird sound needs to happen when we are flashing the Talon?

foutsrouts · March 6, 2014

I think this is a reference to me. I don't know how it got placed in this discussion. The crow is known for that distinctive sound... but so is the North Texas fan base. I think it's probably pretty tough to do the shriek sort of sound an eagle does in any sort of unison. But we can try.

Maybe we should limit that attempt to after victories only, since I can picture us looking like absolute imbeciles making a bunch of freaky noises after a big loss.

Caw Caw · March 6, 2014

Ags Say Gig'm, Horns Hook 'um, Guns up, Sic 'em. Everyone has their dumb little things. I like the bird noises still don't know how that was relevant to the discussion but it sure is taking off. I agree with 97and03 it's a blast.