Spring football’s winners and losers

[Harry]

With the conclusion of another spring football season after last Saturday’s Green-White scrimmage, the next significant date for football is the season home opener against the University of Idaho on August 31 – the first home opener for UNT since 2001.

Although the coaching staff will have many decisions to make about the starting lineups and depth chart, the spring season helped give an idea of what the team might look like on that opening Saturday in the fall.

Some Mean Green athletes helped their stock, while others will have some more work to do if they want to start at the beginning of the season.

Winner – Senior quarterback Derek Thompson

Thompson looks to go out with a blaze of glory as he heads into his senior season. As last year’s starting quarterback, he played with the first team most of the spring and was successful, showing the chemistry with his receivers that is expected out of a veteran redshirt senior. However, Thompson must continue to show he’s calm and reliable in the backfield, no matter how many 300 pound behemoths rush at him.

Loser – Sophomore quarterback Brock Berglund

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

[Joshdude182]

What is this guy smoking? Derek Thompson was a winner? If anything, he was shown up by McNulty. Also, Berglund seemed to have much more potential than Thompson ever had. Thompson wasn't completely awful, but he looked about like he does every year. That being said, I do respect Thompson's leadership ability.

[JesseMartin]

What I think is great is that each QB has so many people that thinks they could be able to be the starter. Again, it's hard to tell if that's a "we're that bad" or "we're that good" scenario, but I hope that it is the latter. The fact that there is even a debate shows that we have choices, which is awesome. It's all about the bright side, baby!

[GrandGreen]

What is this guy smoking? Derek Thompson was a winner? If anything, he was shown up by McNulty. Also, Berglund seemed to have much more potential than Thompson ever had. Thompson wasn't completely awful, but he looked about like he does every year. That being said, I do respect Thompson's leadership ability.

You do know there is a difference between spring practice and the spring game.

[Midwest13]

I look at the QB situation like this:

Thompson - It is very difficult to beat out a returning two year starter. The experience he has gained from the last two years is extremely valuable and it is his spot to lose. I attended several practices during the three week spring practice and the spring game. Derek had a great 3 weeks in practice and a marginal spring game. As the returning starter, and with the great 3 weeks of practice, the starting job was his to have but the performance in spring game left the door open for the fall.

Win or Lose? No Change

Bergland - Everybody had really high hopes on Brock coming into UNT and turning the program around single handedly. Many felt he would win the starting job right away. All of this was based on his evaluations as a high school QB from 2010. Not all highly recruited QB's have the skills needed at the next level. High School and D1 college football are two different games. An injury set Brock back this spring so we will not know if he has the skills to play D1 or not until the fall camp.

Win or Lose? Lose. Partly because of injury.

McNulty - Andrew was the clear winner of Spring Ball. He had a great 3 weeks of practice, AND he had a great spring game. Most people counted him out based on what he did as a true freshman in 2011. As a true freshman he competed for the starting job. His second year he red-shirted, and has now matured and is ready to fight for the strating job again. He showed a lot in the practices and clearly out performed Derek and Brock in the spring game. In the first half he moved the white team pretty well and he did a great job in the 4th quarter with the green team.

Win or Lose? Win. Don't count McNulty out of the race.

[Harry]

I look at the QB situation like this:

Thompson - It is very difficult to beat out a returning two year starter. The experience he has gained from the last two years is extremely valuable and it is his spot to lose. I attended several practices during the three week spring practice and the spring game. Derek had a great 3 weeks in practice and a marginal spring game. As the returning starter, and with the great 3 weeks of practice, the starting job was his to have but the performance in spring game left the door open for the fall.

Win or Lose? No Change

Bergland - Everybody had really high hopes on Brock coming into UNT and turning the program around single handedly. Many felt he would win the starting job right away. All of this was based on his evaluations as a high school QB from 2010. Not all highly recruited QB's have the skills needed at the next level. High School and D1 college football are two different games. An injury set Brock back this spring so we will not know if he has the skills to play D1 or not until the fall camp.

Win or Lose? Lose. Partly because of injury.

McNulty - Andrew was the clear winner of Spring Ball. He had a great 3 weeks of practice, AND he had a great spring game. Most people counted him out based on what he did as a true freshman in 2011. As a true freshman he competed for the starting job. His second year he red-shirted, and has now matured and is ready to fight for the strating job again. He showed a lot in the practices and clearly out performed Derek and Brock in the spring game. In the first half he moved the white team pretty well and he did a great job in the 4th quarter with the green team.

Win or Lose? Win. Don't count McNulty out of the race.

Good take thanks for sharing. I especially agree with you on McNulty's stock rising -- I saw him doing things that Chico really liked, like throwing the ball away when everyone was covered up. He seems like a smart kid. This, with the inclusion of the talented freshman Williams is as deep a QB stable as we've had in some time.

[MadladUNT]

QB= its tough to judge DT because and it was mentioned in this thread before but he had good practice and ....game and isn't this the case every year spring and fall, great practice and ....... games. i understand he has experience and for most instances thats a good thing but i feel like all DT's experience show us is that he is a good practice player and a very inconsitant saturday show case... now that being said still inconsistant game time and still bad throwing mechanics so stayed the same.. not a a good thing.

moving on BB showed glimpses of his potential throughout the spring injuries did hold him back for sure. overall has better techniuqe and better mobility which opens up another aspect of the game if he can stay healthy. forcing a qb spy and DE's to focus on contain more the rush really opens up the offense. that being said showed to be a little inconsistant in practices i felt he was trying to do TOO much looked ok in the spring game, would have liked to see him go with the 1 offense where he does not have to run for his life as he is gettin the ball but overall did OK that being said with the expectation and him really not giving off that WOW i minor loss just because expectations are getting lowered.

Mac yep going three deep, he looked really well overall this spring definatly a winner considering all of the pos change rumors about him moving to the slot. looked like an above avg qb in practice and did well in the spring game considering backups vs 1's. still he has a GIANT hill to climb to try and remove chico's head from DT's rear. but this this steady improvement if desperation comes by mid season i could see mac getting another shot. = Most improved and best spring performance

RB's= improved as a group, Jimmy is Jimmy and if he can just work on making that tank last a little longer he will be golden his only fault is that low battery once he its the open field. Byrd looks so much more agile and like a complete back now, really excited to see his improvement this year, that should be quite the tandem. and just to throw in another wrinkle Mark Lewis showed out early on this spring looking like he is wanting to get into the mix with some speed. =group win

WR's= Looks to be a bunch of play makers, i feel real good about depth here this year, as far as standouts, the usual Bre, even though a few more drops than normal still a play maker, Darnyl seems to be one of DT's prefered targets doing a nice job. Carlos continues to impress and Darius Terrell showed out well to having a couple impressive grabs in the spring game. with big DT and Darnyll working the outsides and Bre and Carlos workin insides its going to be fun to watch= DEPTH!!

TE= great to have prior back and Drew seems to be improving, goin have some ground to cover as far as making up for powers run blocking skills. but nice depth and marcus looking bigger so if he can keep improving at blocking could be a nice complete pacage TE

OL= overall a GREAT unit through spring let up a little in the spring game but still. first of all i LOVE the depth we are developing here. winner of the O-line has to be Kirby going from preferred walk on to starter which begs the question how does a starter not get put on scholarship?????? but from watching this spring looks as though they have continued their pass blocking excellence and look to have improved in the run blocking as well. hopefully once the qb battle has been settled the victor can be a passing threat to avoid box overload we have seen over the last few years which will greatly help this groups ability to get the run game going.

will get back to defense another time running out of time for now

[UNT 90 Grad]

McFumbly? Get that boy some stickum. He won't prove himself a starter if he's sharing the ball with the opponent.

The turnovers stuck out the most to me with McNulty.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I like Derek Thompson as the starter.

[UNTLifer]

Speaking of TE Marcus Smith, any update on his recovery? He is a physical specimen, but I'm a little concerned considering he had knee surgery in HS and then again last year.

[Harry]

Speaking of TE Marcus Smith, any update on his recovery? He is a physical specimen, but I'm a little concerned considering he had knee surgery in HS and then again last year.

He sat out spring with the knee but the doctors told him he would be 100% for two a days.