Mean Green

I received a couple of good questions today on the blog that I thought I would answer to go along with some thoughts on the loss of Eddrick Gilmore and a few other roster notes.

J.D. wanted to know if Gilmore was an academic casualty or if he left the program for personal reasons. UNT officials are not allowed to say because of privacy laws what a student's academic status is. The simple fact of the matter is players just don't drop off the roster when they are going to be starters for no reason.

UNT has lost several players over the last year for various reasons. Defensive backs Kevin Ealey and Evyn Roman have left. Offensive lineman Jack Crumes is gone and now so is Gilmore.

Those losses are the types that can come back to haunt a program when the next round of APR scores come out. UNT is heading into next season five scholarships down for its latest four-year score.

UNT isn't out of the woods yet when it comes to keeping its players eligible for next season either. Summer school is still in session and UNT has several players who need to do well to be eligible next season.

Just remember, UNT will only be hit if its four-year average score is below 925 and a player drops out of school while he is academically ineligible.

I got a hold of an updated fall roster and there are a few interesting notes. Along with Gilmore and Crumes, Missouri transfer Donte Neal is also no longer on the roster.

Riley Dodge will wear No. 11. Wide receiver recruit Kenny Barrett will wear Johnny Quinn's old number -- 81.

Andrew Smith's No. 12 is not taken. I have to compliment head coach Todd Dodge on that decision. I would like to see Smith's number retired or see the school recognize the former quarterback in a lasting way. For those of you out there new to the program, Smith led UNT to a win over Cincinnati in the New Orleans Bowl in 2002 and was later killed in a car accident.

As for losing Gilmore, UNT really took a tough blow to a part of its roster without a lot of depth. UNT's backups are either unproven or older players who have not produced a whole lot. One of the challenges Jeremiah Chapman faced last season was every team UNT played knew he was one of its few legitimate pass-rushing threats. Top-rated recruit Alonzo Horton is going to be in the same boat next season unless Marquis Sykes breaks out.

Losing Gilmore will weaken UNT's front seven as a whole. The Mean Green brought in a host of players that could make an impact in the secondary, but outside of Horton, UNT is going to have to go with what it has on hand. Outside linebacker Craig Robertson is great, but Tobe Nwigwe, who had just 10 tackles last year, will start at middle linebacker. AJ Penson has potential, but is a sophomore with little experience. Joseph Miller is solid at defensive tackle, but UNT has few other potential standouts up front. Isaac Thomas has been solid at times, but has had trouble staying healthy.

Miller is UNT's only returning player who had a sack last season.

UNT brought in three junior college defensive backs and six high school defensive backs. Four had better be ready because they could end up being the strength of UNT's defense.

Post your thoughts on the blog. Are you concerned with the number of players UNT has lost in the last year and the Mean Green's defensive front seven?