University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Spring Ball Report #1
3/31/2010 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, March 31, 2010, 3:18 p.m.
Well we are one week into spring ball for North Texas and I've got some observations after one scrimmage and six practices are in the bag. One scheduling reminder, this Friday's scrimmage has been moved back to next Tuesday at Fouts Field. The scrimmage next Tuesday is at 4:30 and of course is always open to the public
Let's get down to business. There have been a few names not on the radar screen going into the spring that I think need to be added to everyone's list. They are as follows. Draylen Ross, K.C. Obi, Ryan Boutwell, Willie Taylor, Austin Fitzpatrick, and James Hamilton
Ross has moved to TE but missing the rest of the spring with an injury is a setback. However before the injury he has looked awfully good as if he's played the position before, oh wait he has, which helps the learning curve. Ross is a good blocker and has surprisingly soft hands for a big-guy. I wondered if he would just be a blocking TE, but he can catch. He does however need to drop about 15-20 more pounds before the fall.
His partner at the TE spot is Fitzpatrick, a young, sleak, good looking athlete who is a polar opposite from Ross. Fitzpatrick to me looks like a WR playing TE, a quick, mobile, pass catching guy while Ross is more of a lumbering, physical, imposing TE, who can still catch.
Fitzpatrick will get all of the reps now that Ross is on the shelf, but have I mentioned yet that North Texas is lining up with a TE in a lot of sets now. This isn't just for show either, new OC Mike Canales wants to be versatile and use a lot of different people, and the TE will be a featured position, this isn't just a gimmick.
Taylor has been on the scrap heap of forgotten WR's until this spring. He's a guy with blazing speed and soft hands, but his first two years, one a redshirt, were spent in anonymity on the bench. With some of the WR's out right now, this is Taylor's chance to shine and thus far he has. Where will he fit into the rotation? Definitely a slot guy who can be an understudy to Alex Lott and or even push Lott for playing time.
Hamilton is a guy I've been craving to see more of on the field and I think with Canales pushing the buttons you will see it. Lance Dunbar also needs a back-up and Hamilton along with Jeremi Mathis will get the first opportunities. Hamilton has been very active in the spring out of the backfield while Canales has also used him at the WR spot.
Obi looks so much more mature right now than he was at the start of two-a-days. A year under your belt certainly gives you that look, but he could be badly needed compliment to AK on the other defensive end spot. He has bulked up a bit too, not sure where he's at right, but I would say another 10-15 pounds on what he was last season.
Boutwell is the mystery man. After missing last year, which gave him a chance to recover from surgery and get bigger, he's done both. He has added 20 pounds since last season and has been working some with the second-team already at the DE spot behind Obi. This was a player who was a first-team all-state performer his senior year with 10 sacks, so he knows the position.
Besides the injury bug that has hit, I would say the offense is ahead of the D right now. To be expected, but Canales is running a tight, rapid, up-tempo offense. He's also not afraid to get the ball into a lot of hands and that is one of the biggest differences I think you will see this season is versatility and variety.
The defense has a lot of returners but Gary DeLoach is working in some of the mid-term transfers to the lineup. That will take time, but the best part is he's able to do it now and not in August.
Still two weeks left in the spring and a lot of opportunities for others to step up.
My second-tier list of guys I want to see more of and more out of are: Hilbert Jackson, D'Leon McCord, Forlando Johnson, Brad Graham, LaChris Anyiam, Kyle White, Julian Herron, Derek Thompson, and Jeremi Mathis.
Next week we will report back on those names and other developments as we inch our way through another painful edition (no offense, but spring ball is a lot like NBA summer league games) of spring football.
