University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Five Things To Watch
8/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, August 6, 2010, 9:08 a.m.
Yesterday it was the newcomers. Today the veterans. And tomorrow it's the first full practice of the fall camp as the 2010 football season inches closer. So on the eve of the start of the season, here are five storylines and questions we are going to follow during the fall camp heading into the season.
We will count down from five and go backwards to one.
5. How will Riley Dodge fit into the offense?
After moving from QB to WR this year, what and how will he be used. He's not going to be a conventional WR that's for sure. I envision Riley being used as a Kordell Stewart type of player. Someone who lines up at the slot, RB, QB, and any other place on the field Coach Mike Canales can find to put him.
While Riley has been brittle, he's still a great athlete and someone's hands you want the ball in. The biggest question is will he come in on just situation and or gadget plays, or is he an every down player. That's to be determined but I think its somewhere in between right now.
4. Can A.J. Penson replace Tobe Nwigwe at the MLB spot?
He got an audition last season when Tobe went out midway through the year, but now Penson has the job all to himself heading into his senior season. His numbers have been okay throughout his time, but North Texas needs a playmaker on defense and Penson has to be one of them.
If he slips in the least bit in the fall, Daniel Prior is waiting in the wings possibly to battle him for the starting spot, but the Mean Green need Penson to win the job outright and to be the defensive playmaker they have sorely lacked for many moons.
3. What impact will Mike Canales have?
This is an interesting one. Coach Dodge has said he will cut Canales loose so to speak and give him complete free reign of the offense. With this in mind, Canales will be free to go all out on formations and players he wants to use. I think you will see the same basic sets from North Texas as in years past, but Canales will add wrinkles that haven't been there before.
He's a spread guy, but with more versatility he can keep the offense from becoming predictable and stale like it has in years past. QB's under center, more use of the tight end, and a little motion should be in the cards this year.
2. Who wins the QB job?
This is the big position battle heading into the fall camp to watch. Nathan Tune is the slight favorite but I think Thompson is so intriguing that this will be a decision that's not made until week two or three into the camp. We all know Tune's plusses, good arm, veteran guy with a ton of experience, knows the offense. But Thompson was so tantalizingly good for the final 90 seconds of the 2009 season, it left everyone wanting to see more this year.
This is one that won't be easy, but here's what I think North Texas has to do. Pick a quarterback to start at Clemson and that's your guy. No switching out, no controversy, no if he plays bad he's looking over his shoulder this year. Everyone knows what's on the line and the last thing needed is an unstable situation at the QB spot. Bottom line barring injury, ride the winner of the QB battle in camp for the entire season.
1. Is the defense going to be improved?
Last season the defense made strides, cutting the points allowed a game by 12, but that's not nearly enough when that figure is still at 35.6 points a game. The defense is where success or failure will be found. The defense in year three of Gary DeLoach needs to get to the quarterback, cause turnovers, and keep opponents from making the big play. North Texas has combined for only 25 sacks the last two seasons.
They need 25 sacks this season. The defense created only 15 turnovers and was 117th in the nation in turnover margin. That figure has to almost double this year. The Mean Green has the key guys in key spots, Robertson at LB, Hill and Cook in the secondary, AK, Atkinson, and Kelvin Jackson on the D-line, but they can't be just players this year, they have to be playmakers. The season will hinge on whether this defense can get the points a game under 30, and get the sack total and turnover total closer to 30.
