North Texas
North Texas

North Texas Team Report

Updated: April 26, 2012 03:10 EST

Derek Thompson didn't throw much in North Texas' spring game, but he didn't have to in order to show how far he has come since becoming a full-time starter.

Thompson hit 4-of-6 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns in the game, which ended spring practice as the Mean Green get ready for head coach Dan McCarney's second season. Thompson is actually taking on more responsibilities, as the offense will be under center more often than it has been in the past.

"We are trying to implement going under center more," Thompson told the Denton Record-Chronicle. "We have been watching a lot of film of NFL systems and are trying to get more out of our running game to set up the play-action pass. I think that will be big for us."

Thompson leads a group that lost its top two running backs, but returns some key receivers such as Ivan Delgado and several top linemen.

Defensively, the Mean Green got used to new coordinator John Skladany. Linebackers Zach Orr and Jeremy Phillips are two of the top players returning.

"Defensively, we are doing a lot of the same things, but we have all new calls and new communication," McCarney told the paper.

Next up is fall practice. McCarney noted to reporters that the team needs to find more playmakers, and some recruits coming in this fall could play early.

"We still have to get bigger," McCarney told the Denton Record-Chronicle. "We still have to get stronger. We still have to get faster. That is the facts of life."

--Head coach Dan McCarney told reporters at the end of spring practice that he felt 100 percent for the first time since suffering a stroke on Feb. 12.

--North Texas lost one of its best young players early in spring practice when rising sophomore cornerback Freddie Warner tore his ACL. Warner, who missed the last part of the 2011 season with a broken foot, is aiming to make it back by October.

--Apogee Stadium will be in the national spotlight in its second season. ESPN2 will broadcast the Tuesday, Oct. 16 home game against UL-Lafayette.

SPRING MOVERS

WR Chaz Sampson -- The redshirt freshman showed that he is ready to play and Sampson, who is 6-foot-5, could emerge as a big and deep threat for North Texas.

RB Jeremy Brown -- The 5-foot-8 senior is in line for his first big game action of his career after the top two rushers from last season graduated. Brown is trying to hold off a pair of freshmen for one of the Mean Green's top two running back spots.

WR Derrick Teegarden -- Teegarden, a former quarterback, moved to wide receiver under McCarney's watch. He had a solid spring and looks to contribute in a bigger way this fall.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We still have to get bigger. We still have to get stronger. We still have to get faster. That is the facts of life." -- North Texas coach Dan McCarney.

2012 OUTLOOK: There is plenty of optimism in the second year of Dan McCarney's tenure, but most of that is because the Mean Green went 5-7 in his first year after a four-year stretch of winning just eight games. McCarney certainly has the Mean Green moving forward, but they will be young this fall and a drop off could happen. If so, look for a dip to just be for the 2012 season as recruiting has picked up and UNT will be competitive from here on out.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Junior Derek Thompson is the man here at quarterback and he'll be a strong leader for the team. UNT has always been a team where the running backs get attention, but Thompson was brilliant during the spring game. The four-headed group of Jeremy Brown, Brandin Byrd, Antoinne Jimmerson and Zac Whitfield will have to replace the production of all-time leading rusher Lance Dunbar and his backup, James Hamilton. The receiving unit won't jump off the table at you, but UNT has options. The offensive line should be strong.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: North Texas has its third defensive coordinator in three seasons with John Skladany, and the Mean Green have an uphill battle to climb. There are few playmakers on a defense except for lineman Brandon McCoy and linebackers Zach Orr and Jeremy Phillips. The secondary will be as green as the color on the jerseys.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: This is one of the best units not only in the Sun Belt Conference, but also in the country. Placekicker Zach Olen returns for his junior season after starting for two years, and senior punter Will Atterberry could walk on to almost any campus in the country and immediately be the starting punter.

TOP NEWCOMERS

DB Devante Davis -- The true freshman from Baton Rouge, La., will have a chance to play right away as no one stepped forward in the North Texas secondary to assert themselves.

DB Marcus Trice -- The Oklahoma transfer should be a starter somewhere in the secondary this fall after sitting out last season.

DB D.Q. Johnson -- The highly-rated transfer from Iowa Western Community College has all the playing time in the world waiting for him.

ROSTER REPORT

--Redshirt freshman Cooper Jones moved from quarterback to tight end this spring.

--Junior defensive tackle Ryan Boutwell suffered a knee injury during spring practice, but it is not serious enough to keep him out of action this season.

--Sophomore Cyril Lemon, who started as a true freshman last year, is expected to be ready for fall camp after missing spring with a foot injury.