Scout pre-spring ranking - #99 North Texas

[jdennis82]

Take it for what it is...a pre-spring attempt to rank all CFB teams by a site that hasn't always been the most accurate with North Texas info, but Scout.com has our Mean Green sneaking into their top 100

99. North Texas
Biggest Positive: The defense has the potential to be an absolute terror up front with everyone back except LB Derek Akunne and DE Daryl Mason. Antoinne Jimmerson is a good running back to carry the offense at times, and enough good receivers are back to expect an improvement with a little bit of time.
Biggest Negative: The quarterback situation has to be better, and the O line needs some reworking, but the biggest overall issue a secondary that’s going to be a work in progress with three starters gone. The team’s top four tacklers are gone.

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1522638.html

[Eagle1855]

The "a couple guys graduated, a couple guys return" method is a fairly lazy way to assess a team's strengths. But he's right, to a degree: QB position is the name of the game for UN.

If our QB play improves dramatically, who knows where the ceiling of this team will be. If it doesn't, 99th isn't out of the realm of possibility -- or probability.

[Ben Gooding]

QB play significantly improved we're west contenders. All the pieces, for the most part, seems to be in place. And yes, I'm aware we are rebuilding an OL. We have plenty of OL waiting in the wings and some coming in this class to plug in there as well. IF QB play improves...9-3/8-4 is a strong possibility. If not, well, prep yourselves.

[MeanGreenTexan]

QB play significantly improved we're west contenders. All the pieces, for the most part, seems to be in place. And yes, I'm aware we are rebuilding an OL. We have plenty of OL waiting in the wings and some coming in this class to plug in there as well. IF QB play improves...9-3/8-4 is a strong possibility. If not, well, prep yourselves.

I'm basically hoping that Smith is this year's Mean Green version of last year's LaTech Sokol pickup.

2013: Crappy QB play = 4-8 record.

2014: Sokol killing C-USA = 8-4 record, with a loss to Marshall in the C-USA championship game and a HoD bowl win VS Illinois.

[BillySee58]

5 CUSA teams went to a bowl game last year. North Texas draws all 5 on its schedule. Good luck @NTCoachMac ! Marshall faces 1 of those tms

— Phil Steele (@philsteele042)

February 28, 2015

This schedule can't be overlooked. I also feel like people are overlooking our road woes. 7 road games, coming off a year in which we were 0-6 on the road. We've also never beaten a team on the road with a .500 or better record under Mccarney. We face 5 road opponents who finished .500 or better last year. Plus we have some potentially tough home games in WKU, Rice, and UTEP.

With this year's schedule, I think the 2013 team would've gone 6-6 or 7-5, and last year's team would've been more in the 1-11 to 3-9 range. So I think we need a bigger improvement than some are realizing.

The good thing is, this offense potentially has more playmaking ability than either of the past two years. That's pretty contingent on Damarcus Smith getting eligible, which is a big question mark. But if that happens, we should be able to put up points. Especially if the offensive line comes together.

This defense needs some playmakers to emerge. We lost two all-CUSA players and some other guys who were key starters or starters when they were healthy (Mason, Lincoln, Watson, Lee, and Wade). We don't have an apparent all-CUSA candidate, so someone has to step up and be that guy. Maybe it's Buyers, or maybe it's a first-year starter like Combs or McClain. But people have to step up and someone has to be more than serviceable.

Edited March 2, 2015 by BillySee58

[GOMG2013]

I'm kinda surprised its this high considering all the unknowns and jucos.

UTEP 105

So Miss 113

SMU 116

UTSA 122

Throw in Portland state, thats a prediction of 5 wins. And Rice shouldnt be too much higher than 99.

[wardly]

Doesn't say much for CUSA with more than half the teams in the bottom 30.[while I haven't fact checked, I assume FAU,FIU,UNC@C,ODU,W.K.and MTSU are also in the bottom of the barrel ]. That gives us La.Tech,Marshall and Rice as standard bearers.

[Tyler Maryak]

This schedule can't be overlooked. I also feel like people are overlooking our road woes. 7 road games, coming off a year in which we were 0-6 on the road. We've also never beaten a team on the road with a .500 or better record under Mccarney. We face 5 road opponents who finished .500 or better last year. Plus we have some potentially tough home games in WKU, Rice, and UTEP.

With this year's schedule, I think the 2013 team would've gone 6-6 or 7-5, and last year's team would've been more in the 1-11 to 3-9 range. So I think we need a bigger improvement than some are realizing.

The good thing is, this offense potentially has more playmaking ability than either of the past two years. That's pretty contingent on Damarcus Smith getting eligible, which is a big question mark. But if that happens, we should be able to put up points. Especially if the offensive line comes together.

This defense needs some playmakers to emerge. We lost two all-CUSA players and some other guys who were key starters or starters when they were healthy (Mason, Lincoln, Watson, Lee, and Wade). We don't have an apparent all-CUSA candidate, so someone has to step up and be that guy. Maybe it's Buyers, or maybe it's a first-year starter like Combs or McClain. But people have to step up and someone has to be more than serviceable.

I think the report by Scout.com is fair and accurate, but BillySee58's is a lot more telling. Munthe (and I, cautiously) thinks that Buyers can and will be that guy who comes up as a playmaker. I think 6-6 is optimistically achievable. I just pray we get a QB this season...

[UNT90]

It looks like about 3 minutes worth of effort was put into the research for this VERY brief analysis of our situation.

What scares that hell out of me for the upcoming year is the 2012 recruiting class, or the lack of just about anyone from it on the roster. That, combined with a terrible schedule that was given to us by a terrible football scheduler and no proven QB has me very concerned for a bottom-falling-out type of year.

If Smith doesn't make it to campus, This thing could get very ugly very early.

[GOMG2013]

I think the report by Scout.com is fair and accurate, but BillySee58's is a lot more telling. Munthe (and I, cautiously) thinks that Buyers can and will be that guy who comes up as a playmaker. I think 6-6 is optimistically achievable. I just pray we get a QB this season...

Buyers was honorable mention in 2013, so he has a shot to move up. Polk was honorable mention last year, but his size may prevent him from being an every down player.

I guess our success will depend on our chances of a juco coming in and becoming an all cusa player.

[GOMG2013]

It looks like about 3 minutes worth of effort was put into the research for this VERY brief analysis of our situation.

What scares that hell out of me for the upcoming year is the 2012 recruiting class, or the lack of just about anyone from it on the roster. That, combined with a terrible schedule that was given to us by a terrible football scheduler and no proven QB has me very concerned for a bottom-falling-out type of year.

If Smith doesn't make it to campus, This thing could get very ugly very early.

Smith is already on campus taking classes. I have still seen some comments posted about him not being eligible at all, even in the fall. I assume that there is something else out there then?

If he is taking classes in the spring, what could possibly prevent him from being eligible in the fall? Sure he's taking classes this summer too.

[UNT90]

Smith is already on campus taking classes. I have still seen some comments posted about him not being eligible at all, even in the fall. I assume that there is something else out there then?

If he is taking classes in the spring, what could possibly prevent him from being eligible in the fall? Sure he's taking classes this summer too.

Not passing the classes he is taking? There is obviously a reason he isn't eligible in the Spring.

Look, whenever a JUCO is supposed to be eligible at mid-term and then magically isn't, it's an ominous sign. I clearly don't understand all the JUCO eligibility rules, but I doubt anyone on this forum does. When I say on campus, I mean eligible. It does this team absolutely no good to have a JUCO with 2 years of eligibilty that has to sit one of those years.

[BillySee58]

Smith is already on campus taking classes. I have still seen some comments posted about him not being eligible at all, even in the fall. I assume that there is something else out there then?

If he is taking classes in the spring, what could possibly prevent him from being eligible in the fall? Sure he's taking classes this summer too.

Because he was a qualifier out of high school (didn't qualify at UCF but he did qualify at WKU), he didn't have to earn his associate's degree from Butler in order to be eligible to transfer to an FBS school. His grades were bad enough to where he's not eligible, but he was a qualifier so he was still able to transfer and not have to stay at Butler another semester.

As for Buyers, I'm really hoping he can be a guy we can lean on. The year he did really well (2013) he had an all-conference guy behind him in Trice, and a solid pass rush led by another all-conference guy in DE Aaron Bellazin. Buyers has done great tackling in the open field. But can he be a guy to make more plays and cover guys up on routes down the field where the QB does have some time to throw? Like I've said before, our all-CUSA defensive players were guys who were highly recruited out of high school. Buyers was not. He's obviously proven he's not your average walkon. Can he buck that trend and be all-CUSA? Would really be helpful for this defense.

Edited March 2, 2015 by BillySee58

[UNT90]

Because he was a qualifier out of high school (didn't qualify at UCF but he did qualify at WKU), he didn't have to earn his associate's degree from Butler in order to be eligible to transfer to an FBS school. His grades were bad enough to where he's not eligible, but he was a qualifier so he was still able to transfer and not have to stay at Butler another semester.

As for Buyers, I'm really hoping he can be a guy we can lean on. The year he did really well (2013) he had an all-conference guy behind him in Trice, and a solid pass rush led by another all-conference guy in DE Aaron Bellazin. Buyers has done great tackling in the open field. But can he be a guy to make more plays and cover guys up on routes down the field where the QB does have some time to throw? Like I've said before, our all-CUSA defensive players were guys who were highly recruited out of high school. Buyers was not. He's obviously proven he's not your average walkon. Can he buck that trend and be all-CUSA? Would really be helpful for this defense.

So we are forced into trying to help him get his grades up by fall?

Lovely.

[Ben Gooding]

Talking about anything else other than QB play for this team is just for the sake of conversing. We are at minimum average at every position across the board on D and O. QB play will be the deciding factor of how the team performs in 2015, no pressure.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I'm basically hoping that Smith is this year's Mean Green version of last year's LaTech Sokol pickup.

2013: Crappy QB play = 4-8 record.

2014: Sokol killing C-USA = 8-4 record, with a loss to Marshall in the C-USA championship game and a HoD bowl win VS Illinois.

There was more to it than that.

2013: The fewest returning starters in college football, a new coach, crappy QB play = 4-8 record

2014: A solid core of returning starters, a full year under Holtz, a major upgrade at DC and QB = All the things you mention

[BillySee58]

Talking about anything else other than QB play for this team is just for the sake of conversing. We are at minimum average at every position across the board on D and O. QB play will be the deciding factor of how the team performs in 2015, no pressure.

We were below average at plenty of positions last year. To truly believe that we have made the necessary additions and developments to where we will now be at least average at every position, without having even seen us in spring, is absolute homerism. IMO at least.

[greenit]

I am just glad that RV had the foresight and confidence in this team to go out and sign up five bowl teams from a year ago. He must be taking the stance that if/when we get through that schedule, we will be in the best position for the access slot.

That is the sign of a ballsy leader with vision.

[MeanGreenTexan]

There was more to it than that.

2013: The fewest returning starters in college football, a new coach, crappy QB play = 4-8 record

2014: A solid core of returning starters, a full year under Holtz, a major upgrade at DC and QB = All the things you mention

Overly-simplistic, for sure.

On the flipside is the regression for UTSA after they lost their superQB.

2013: SuperQB Soza & a Junior-heavy team = 7-5.

2014: Crappy QB play & a Senior-heavy team (same coaches & such) = 4-8.

Either way, even with all of the other variables, QB play is going to play a huge part in whether or not we're going to see an improvement.

[UNTLifer]

Do some of you not realize that the majority of each season's schedule is in place years in advance?

QB play and how our new OL gels will be telling. If a QB is found and Rice and Epps are as advertised on the OL, we should be alright on the offensive side of the ball. The secondary will be the key to our defense.

Edited March 2, 2015 by UNTLifer

[VideoEagle]

Do some of you not realize that the majority of each season's schedule is in place years in advance.

There you go again, listing facts in the middle of a rant.

Edited March 2, 2015 by VideoEagle

[FirefightnRick]

For me, it's simple.

The season depends on defense.

If you got no pass rush, you got no defense.

If you got no defense you got no season.

Rick

Edited March 2, 2015 by FirefightnRick

[Mean_Green09]

Not a fan of pre-spring rankings. I think its important to hold off on where you think this team is until we see them on the field in spring ball. Until then its all about potential and well potential is a scary word. Do we have potential on both sides of the ball? I would say yes. Still I'm not sold on really any aspect of this team other than a few players. I'm not sure you can clearly point to one position and say its a strength. They all have potential, but they all have question marks.

As far as the schedule goes it is what it is. I think its okay to not worry about it at this point. We don't really know if those 5 bowl teams are going to be good again. Every team has got to replace key components. WKU is in the best shape of all them, because of their QB.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Overly-simplistic, for sure.

On the flipside is the regression for UTSA after they lost their superQB.

2013: SuperQB Soza & a Junior-heavy team = 7-5.

2014: Crappy QB play & a Senior-heavy team (same coaches & such) = 4-8.

There you go--a much more QB-centric example, IMO.

Either way, even with all of the other variables, QB play is going to play a huge part in whether or not we're going to see an improvement.

I assume you mean an improvement in actual W-L record. Yes, considering we only won 4 games with the breeze of a schedule we had last year, we will absolutely have to get better QB play to do better with a tougher schedule this year. But I can't think of any area that we can afford not to have improvement and hope to have a winning record.

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

It looks like about 3 minutes worth of effort was put into the research for this VERY brief analysis of our situation.

What scares that hell out of me for the upcoming year is the 2012 recruiting class, or the lack of just about anyone from it on the roster. That, combined with a terrible schedule that was given to us by a terrible football scheduler and no proven QB has me very concerned for a bottom-falling-out type of year.

If Smith doesn't make it to campus, This thing could get very ugly very early.

In bold is my biggest concern as well. Those holes have been filled with JuCos, which as discussed on here previously, are hit or miss.