University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Defensive Line Deep Thoughts With Mike Nelson
7/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, July 26, 2009, 9:39 a.m.
It started out as just a few quick questions about some d-lineman and I was going to get out of his hair. In and out in a few minutes, but I should have known better. New defensive line coach Mike Nelson is a charismatic, no holes barred, motorcycle driving old fashioned guy.
When you get him talking football, strap it on or else you will get run over. I left our quick chat after about 45 minutes and never felt better about a conversation in which I was given the old No. 1 salute in hand gestures halfway through.
As two-a-days grow near, the football bug is starting to get to me. There a lot of areas on the Mean Green that I’m anxious to see in action and like others I’ve got my questions and concerns about the 2009 edition of North Texas as well.
But one area I’m really concerned about is the defensive line. It’s no secret that the Mean Green’s d-line last year wasn’t good and was an area that Todd Dodge and his staff targeted big-time this off-season in recruiting.
Mike Nelson was brought in to take over a unit that registered only 12 sacks last season. Along the way he’s ruffled some feathers, made some position switches, and established himself with the players.
“I can’t remember their whole name” he exclaims as he shows me his depth chart and positions when I ask why everyone is listed by first name only.
Nelson’s approach to the defensive line has been quite a lesson. This is a guy with over 40 years of experience at every level, so he knows what he’s talking about. Point to a name on his chart, he’s got an opinion.
“If he doesn’t want to play defensive tackle and the three position this year, then he might not ever play another down at the University of North Texas” Nelson bluntly says about senior Eddrick Gilmore. He’s not kidding either. The two have butted heads over where Gilmore is going to play this season, but that was in the spring and now they are on the same page.
Nelson’s got a plan for every player and wants to make them the best they can be and get them to that next level. What level is that? The NFL, and he’s serious about that too. He wants competition at every spot. And not just the friendly type, we are talking hand to hand combat that gets the most out of his players.
Nelson doesn’t mince words about his lineman and what they have to do to get better. He raves about the athleticism that Brandon Akpunku has but knows he’s got a lot to learn in a short amount of time.
“He’s big, strong and explosive” referring to freshman Tevinn Cantly. As we looked at the depth chart that he’s put together, after realizing it’s not an eye-exam, I asked him about each and every position. The answers weren’t very revealing because quite frankly he doesn’t know how good this unit can be.
The Mean Green added nearly 1,260 pounds of weight on the defensive line this season in new recruits and from the summer workouts, they might be bigger.
Nelson knows that a good defensive line is the key to everything. He talks about the New York Giants of 2007, the Mean Green teams that were dominate in the early decade. The key, they all had great defensive lines.
He’s excited about the incoming players, but gives an honest assessment about them “they look great on tape, but until you get them here you never know.”
When I ask Nelson how good this unit can be this year “I’m not sure yet, but I know we have to be a lot better.”
After my visit with Coach Nelson, I came away not wondering if the defensive line will be improved, but how good it could potentially be.
