The tale of the tape – Game 1

The complete preseason breakdown of North Texas by Coleman Feeley can be found HERE.

(Key: 3 Helmets = Strong Advantage, 2 = Average, 1 = Slight)

Texas QB/WR/TE’s vs North Texas DB’s

The Texas offense is starting over with a clean slate this year as they implement an offense that will more than likely place an emphasis on the running game rather than the passing game. David Ash returns to the lineup as the starting quarterback and while there are injury concerns, the focus of the offense shifting from throwing the ball to running it will alleviate some pressure. When Ash is called on to throw, the talent at the receiver position is anything but a bare cupboard. Marcus Johnson and Jaxon Shipley return as starters for the 2014 season, but beyond those two there will be a youth movement with Daje Johnson being suspended. The new offense will feature the TE position more than recent years, so Geoff Swaim and MJ McFarland will have to step up their game.

North Texas’ best defensive position unit is at defensive back as they return 3 starters. CB Kenny Buyers and SS Laramie Lee, both CUSA honorable mention, led the team with 3 interceptions while SR CB James Jones had two. The Mean Green hope to improve on a secondary that ranked 61st in the NCAA which allowed 228 passing yards per game.

Regardless of the returning starters for UNT, Texas gets the advantage in this matchup as a healthy Ash returns along with Shipley and Marcus Johnson.

Advantage: Texas RB’s vs North Texas LB’s

The strength of the Texas offense lies in RBs Malcolm Brown and Jonathan Gray. The duo combined for nearly 2000 yards rushing last season in an offense that had very little identity. Now that Texas will rely on the rushing game to move the football, Brown and Gray are primed to showcase their talents against a UNT linebacker unit that returns one starter at OLB in Derek Akunne. To complete the middle of their defense North Texas will start a transfer from Oregon with 3 career tackles and a RS Sophomore with 11 career tackles. The only weakness for Texas is the lack of depth with only one scholarship running back available after Brown and Gray, true freshman D’Onta Foreman.

The Texas running backs have an obvious advantage against a young LB group that will be overmatched.

Advantage: Texas OL vs North Texas DL

The Mean Green come into this game with an undersized and inexperienced defensive line. The entire group enters the season with a total of 33 tackles, four sacks and zero starts between the four players. North Texas defensive tackles Alexander Lincoln and Sid Moore average only 266 pounds and UNT will start a 231 pound DE in Chad Polk. Texas returns two starters, C Dominic Espinosa and G Sedrick Flowers, but they replace both tackles and RG from last year’s offensive line.

The matchup favors the Longhorns quite nicely as they transition to a power rushing attack. While Texas lost three starters to the NFL and will be without Desmond Harrison (SR-LT) the size advantage along the line should be enough for the Longhorns to overcome any of those concerns.

Advantage: Texas DB’s vs North Texas QB/WR/TE’s

North Texas starts the season by replacing their QB, TE and two starting WR’s. QB Josh Greer and TE Chris Loving are both transfers who have never played a down of D-I football in their career. The Mean Green do return their 3rd leading receiver from last year, Carlos Harris, but will be replacing nearly 1600 yards receiving and eight TD receptions lost to departure.

Fortunately for UNT, Texas’ secondary has been labeled as the weak spot on defense. While the Longhorns return multi-year starters in CB Quandre Diggs and S Mykkele Thompson, a walk-on and true freshman will be called on to take a majority of the snaps at the other Safety spot, vacated by the suspension of Josh Turner.

Even though Texas is still auditioning personnel in some areas of the defensive backfield, the presence and experience of Diggs, Thompson, and Duke Thomas should be enough to keep North Texas’ passing attack at bay.

Advantage: Texas LB’s vs North Texas RB’s

Season ending injuries to both Jordan Hicks and Steve Edmond in 2013 are a cause of concern for the Texas LB unit. Two years in a row, Hicks was lost early due to an injury, and the hope of the staff is that he can stay on the field for all of 2014 to be the vocal leader of the defense.

The Mean Green replace leading RB Brandon Byrd (1120 yards, 11 TD) with Reggie Pegram and Antoine Jimmerson. North Texas runs a style of football that spreads the carries out to multiple players. While Byrd led the team in all rushing statistics, both Pegram and Jimmerson had a great deal of experience throughout the season.

The talent differential is definitely in the Longhorns favor, but North Texas will press and make the Texas LB unit stop the rushing attack.

Advantage: Texas DL vs North Texas OL

The strength of both teams this year lies in the trenches where Texas returns three of four starting defensive linemen and North Texas returns 4 of 5 starting offensive linemen. Malcom Brown and Cedric Reed anchor arguably the top defensive line in the Big 12, and one of the best in the country. Texas did lose All-American DE Jackson Jeffcoat and hopes that the combo of Shiro Davis and Caleb Bluiett can maintain production.

The Mean Green enter 2014 with three, 3-year starters in Antonio Johnson, Mason Y’Barbo (2nd team CUSA) and Cyril Lemon (1st team CUSA). Coach Dan McCarney made an eyebrow raising decision this past week when he named Shawn McKinney starter on the Offensive Line. The effect of McCarney’s decision is that it moves All-Conference Lineman Cyril Lemon from his natural RG position over to RT. While McKinney is very large (358 lb), the move takes arguably the best player on North Texas from his best position.

North Texas is very big and talented on the offensive line. Against most teams, the Mean Green will have an advantage over their opponent. Matching up against Brown, Tank Jackson, and Cedric Reed won’t be an easy task.

Advantage: Special Teams

For several seasons, the Longhorns have had the luxury of strong kicking units. In 2014, P Will Russ and K Nick Rose take the field with very little experience or success. With the new offensive style that relies on long drives, consistent punting and accurate kicking is essential. Texas also begins the season with a new punt and kick returner as Daje Johnson is suspended.

North Texas returns their kicker from last year who made 67% of his attempts on the season, Zach Paul. At punter, the Mean Green will call on Redshirt Freshman Blake Macek to try and pin Texas deep. One positive for North Texas is that they were very efficient in special team returns last year, ranking 5th in the nation with an average of 14.28 yards per punt return (4 returns for TD) and 17th in kickoff returns with a 23.83-yard average (1 TD).

Charlie Strong mentioned in a recent press conference that starters will be playing on Special Teams. While this is a plus for Texas, the fact remains that there are too many uncertainties for the Longhorns in the kicking department to give them the overall advantage.

Advantage: