DaMarcus Smith Question

[BIG DAWG]

Is Smith a midterm guy? I didn't hear him mentioned as one of the recruits who are already enrolled on campus.

I thought he was going to participate in spring practice

[BillySee58]

I think we all thought so, but I guess not. On the signing list on meangreensports it said he and Thad Thompson were both going to enroll in the fall/summer. Not 100% sure what the situation really is.

[greenit]

Mac seemed to refer to another QB that 'he has coming'. I assumed he meant Smith since Chumley was in the room.

[Cr1028]

I'm curious about if he has 2 to play 2 or 1 to play 1 since he was a 2011 UCF signee. Did he not start classes at UCF? Did his clock not begin until 2012 when he went to WKU? I don't want to end up in another Justin Manu situation here.

[BillySee58]

I'm curious about if he has 2 to play 2 or 1 to play 1 since he was a 2011 UCF signee. Did he not start classes at UCF? Did his clock not begin until 2012 when he went to WKU? I don't want to end up in another Justin Manu situation here.

He didn't qualify originally, so that's why he didn't end up at UCF. He didn't qualify, so he wasn't able to enroll. Good catch though. You're one of the first people to ask this question and realize that a 2011 grad would be in their 5th year next year. I am a little concerned here, since grades have been an issue in the past and he wasn't able to get out of the JUCO at midterm.

[UNT90]

Whoa, I thought people were saying he was already enrolled? If he isn't here for Spring, this is a HUGE concern.

[Ben Gooding]

He is or has been in Denton getting to know players but I don't think he will be with the team until fall camp. To me that is an issue, but after rethinking it our offense is not complicated. I don't know the rules to this extent but if he is given a playbook at this point I think we will be fine. But Mac plays guys he trusts and I don't know if he'll trust him after 5 weeks of reps. We can only hope at this point.

[GMG24]

He'll trust him if he's a better option than the other ones....Read Vito's blog and Mac's quote

[gradumacated]

I still think it's McNulty's job to lose regardless of what Smith, Chumley, Greer, or Williams shows over the spring/fall.

If McNulty keeps us "competitive" in games then I can't see Mac turning to any of the other QBs even if they show they have more than McNulty.

[greenit]

Mac only turned to McNulty when he had literally tried all other options. I don't get where people think he as received special treatment. Quite the opposite from what I have seen.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Mac only turned to McNulty when he had literally tried all other options. I don't get where people think he as received special treatment. Quite the opposite from what I have seen.

Right.

He spent about 1/4 of his time at the presser commenting on the poor QB play. Didn't say one nice thing about McNulty coming in and doing good things in that entire time.

The door is wide open for Mr. Smith. He's gotta work for it though, and him not enrolling for Spring, yet being here (in Denton) and not at Butler finishing his school is throwing some doubt in my mind. He cant work out with our guys or be coached by our coaches... what exactly is he doing here?

[GrayEagle]

Right.

He spent about 1/4 of his time at the presser commenting on the poor QB play. Didn't say one nice thing about McNulty coming in and doing good things in that entire time.

The door is wide open for Mr. Smith. He's gotta work for it though, and him not enrolling for Spring, yet being here (in Denton) and not at Butler finishing his school is throwing some doubt in my mind. He cant work out with our guys or be coached by our coaches... what exactly is he doing here?

Right.

He spent about 1/4 of his time at the presser commenting on the poor QB play. Didn't say one nice thing about McNulty coming in and doing good things in that entire time.

The door is wide open for Mr. Smith. He's gotta work for it though, and him not enrolling for Spring, yet being here (in Denton) and not at Butler finishing his school is throwing some doubt in my mind. He cant work out with our guys or be coached by our coaches... what exactly is he doing here?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that he can work out with our guys informally. It can't be during a practice or with our coaches but if any players want to volunteer to work with him on the side then that's permissable.

What I'm hoping is that he's here on his nickel to get his academics in line by getting in the tutoring program. Since he's been at a four-year institution before, I don't believe that he has to have completed his associate's degree.

Edited February 5, 2015 by GrayEagle

[MeanGreenTexan]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that he can work out with our guys informally. It can't be during a practice or with our coaches but if any players want to volunteer to work with him on the side then that's permissable.

Not in our Athletic Center gym though, right? And why would anyone work out outside of our state-of-the-art facilities? I just hope he was given a copy of the playbook and is talking about it with someone other than just his boy Dajon... like McNulty or even Thompson.

[Withers940]

I still think it's McNulty's job to lose regardless of what Smith, Chumley, Greer, or Williams shows over the spring/fall.

If McNulty keeps us "competitive" in games then I can't see Mac turning to any of the other QBs even if they show they have more than McNulty.

I dont see Mcnulty keeping us "competitive" unless he has been working on his arm in the offseason.

[GrayEagle]

Not in our Athletic Center gym though, right? And why would anyone work out outside of our state-of-the-art facilities? I just hope he was given a copy of the playbook and is talking about it with someone other than just his boy Dajon... like McNulty or even Thompson.

I don't know the specifics of the rule but at the least he can work out on the intramural fields which adjoin the Darrell Dickey practice fields.

[Harry]

He looks like an insurance policy. They gave all three the chance to perform last year and you saw what happened. This guy will keep all 4 this year on a short leash. Mac can't afford to wait for DaJon and Connor to grow up... he doesn't have that kind of time. If Smith had been available in the spring we probably would not have landed him.

[Ben Gooding]

We have a sub 4-8 season if Andrew McNulty is our guy. Mac must see that, he must. D. Smith can't, in the literal sense, just be an insurance policy. He has to be our guy. He has the mental capacity given his JUCO and HS stats and he has the physical capabilities to succeed at a high level. Those 2 attributes combined make for a good QB. Not one QB that started for us last season had both. Smith does. Not getting him on this campus will destroy this signing class and all but secure another losing season. Bottom line, he's our guy.

[UNT90]

Don't discount the very real possibility of Conner Means emerging as the starter come September.

[greenit]

My enthusiasm for the Spring has taken a serious hit.

[Just A Guy]

D. Smith did not pass one of his classes at JuCo. That is why he isn't officially enrolled at UNT. Will be here when summer workouts start.

[BillySee58]

D. Smith did not pass one of his classes at JuCo. That is why he isn't officially enrolled at UNT. Will be here when summer workouts start.

Wow. Thanks for the info. That's a little unsettling. Didn't qualify out of high school at UCF and that, now. Looking more and more like a huge gamble.

[MeanGreenTexan]

freaking fantastic. He failed his class, but he's here in Denton and not re-taking that class @ Butler? Maybe I'm not understanding what is needed to enroll out of JuCo.

Get it together DaMarcus. This is your last shot man. UNT academics isn't Harvard, but it's certainly harder than any JuCo.

[UNTLifer]

Failing a JUCO class = not trying or not caring.

Please give Dillman a shot at QB.

[glick1980]

Has everyone else given up on DW? I have not. Our coaches need to do a better job of putting him in a position to succeed by not running the option and not attempting a 7 step drop play action pass from your own goal line.

[edcollopy]

I think everyone is just assuming DW won't put in the work that will allow him to be in the good graces of our coaching staff. He has a great skill set, but needs to get experience and more discipline. That is why it was so frustrating watching us roll out a FCS level QB and still easily lose.