North Texas Football: Mean Green a threat due to electric offense

North Texas looks to finally yield a competent defense to go with its offense

The good news is that North Texas has nowhere to go but up on defense. The bad news is that has been the theme for the last five years and if this team wants to take the next step and contend for a conference title, they are going to have to better on this side of the ball.

North Texas hired a completely new defensive staff and they are hoping that will be enough to get the defense better.

Caleb Colvin is going to lead the defensive line up front and it is a really young defensive line for the Mean Green. Grayson Murphy, Kortlin Rausaw, and Gabe Murphy are all freshmen and I expect them to get significant playing time for this retooling defense.

After sitting out the spring, Dion Novil should be ready to go in the fall to be a contributor on the defensive line. Last year’s leading tackler linebacker KD Davis is back and he will be joined by Tyreke Davis and Larry Nixon III. These are athletic linebackers and they should be a key component in turning this defense around.

The secondary returns all four starters and brings in plenty of experience. Safety Makyle Sanders was the second leading tackler on the team last season and he also brought in two interceptions. John Davis Jr and Quinn Whitlock are back to man the outside corner positions.

These guys have experience, but how talented they are is still in question. The defense has the ingredients like athletic pass rushers and linebackers to be better than they have been. Whether they will is the question that still surrounds the program.