- I’m not going to proclaim this to be the best recruiting class ever under Coach Mac…….Yet. Every coach is going to tell you on signing day that he loves his class and that it’s going to be one to shape the future and well basically feed you the company line. Coach Mac is no different. What I will say about this class was that it took care of some immediate needs. It’s a class that makes fans feel a little better about next year and for one day took their eyes off that awful schedule.
- A lot of times fans want to compare their classes to rivals like SMU or teams that play in a lower conference than them like Texas St. The only thing that really matters is how you did in your conference. UNT fared pretty well in that category. They finished 6th in the 247 rankings, 5th on Scout, and 9th on Rivals. Rivals though was missing some players who would have put UNT around 6th. Those rankings back up Coach Mac’s statement about this being the best class he has ever signed at UNT.
247
SCOUT
RIVALS
- Who out of this class will offer immediate help?
- DE Jareid Combs should be able to boost the pass rush
- S James Gray should help fill in one of the safety spots since Lairamie Lee graduated
- QB DaMarcus Smith well you guys already know how this guy can help
- CB Xavier Grindle will come in and challenge to replace the spot left by James Jones
- LB Courtney Finney will help with the departure of Derek Akunne
- Who are the long term projects who could develop into solid starters?
- TE Kevin Dillman star athlete who should be at QB, but he will be good wherever he plays
- DT Demikal Harrison kid hasn’t been playing football for that long, but will be a monster by his JR year. He might also challenge to play next year.
- QB/TE Caleb Chumley he will get his chance at QB, but he will end up at TE. I’d argue that Dillman is more of QB than Chumley. Either way he is a stud athlete.
- DE Eli Howard really developed in his senior year. He could help turn the Mean Green DL into one of the best in CUSA in 2 years.
- Finally let’s go back and re-rank and analyze that 2012 class who should have a major impact this year.
A+ = All American
A= All Conference
B= Solid Starter
C= Starter Potential
C- =Contributor
D= Non Contributor on Roster
F= Bust/Not on Roster
A+
None
A
DB Marcus Trice
WR Carlos Harris
B
None
C
DT Sir Calvin Wallace
DE Jarrian Roberts
DE Malik Dilonga
OT Ryan Rentfro
LB Jamal Marshall
C-
RB Rex Rollins
OL Connor Trussell
DT Dutton Watson (Yes is off the team, but he would’ve been a contributor)
D
DB D.Q. Johnson
DT Mustafa Haboul
LB LaJaylin Smith
F
OL Boone Feldt
DB David Busby
RB Mark Lewis
WR Roderick Lancaster
DE Brad Horton
DB Xavier Kelley
DB Devante Davis
LB Dustin Clark
RB Jamarcus Jarvis
QB Brock Berglund
OL Cam Feldt
So out of the 24 signees only 7 have made a real impact on the field. 11 of those guys were basically busts. Only 5 have starting potential. The misses in the 2012 class left UNT looking for immediate help this year. The good news is it looks like the coaching staff filled those needs with their signees this year.
Dan McCarney subscribes to the Rule of Thirds: 1/3 will be starters/heavy contributors, 1/3 will be contributors but not stars, and the rest will be transfers/ busts /injured.
The rule is all kinds of unscientific but it provides a good guildeline. You aren’t going to sign 25 studs. Things happen.
11/24 is 45% of the class. The difference between a bust class and a record haul can sometimes be three guys. Imagine if we had three more starters from that class? Maybe one of them was a QB? We’d have had a totally diff 2014.