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UNT's Best Football Signing Class
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Harry
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2011 Football Recruiting Class,
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02 January 2012
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Mean Green Historians are usually in agreement, the North Texas signing class in year 2000 under Darrell Dickey had to be one of the best if not the best in the history of the program. This class would lead the program to 4-consecutive nationally televised bowl appearances and some of the greatest players to ever wear a Mean Green uniform. What's more amazing is this is a class that was signed after the team had logged a miserable 2-9 record in 1999. Let's take a look back at the class that turned it all around.
Comments in Bold
1 Bradshaw, Matt 6/4 250 4.9 TE Spring 2000 - Bradshaw was a solid player that Dickey redshirted. He was a very good blocker and helped in the two tight end formations. Not a star but a solid 5-year member of the supporting cast.
2 Brown, Josh 6/4 295 5.1 OT NE Okla JC 2000 - Josh was one of the higher rated players we signed but he never really panned out and injuries kept him from getting on the field. One of the few busts of this signing class.
3 Claiborne, Justin 6/3 225 4.65 LB Apache, Okla 2000 - Much like Bradshaw, Justin was not a star but he was a solid performer that played some linebacker and fullback. Good size and very physical, I remember him partaking in some of the big hitting defensive drills and his unselfishness when they asked him to play fullback in his senior year. Justin has helped support our GMG Bowls and I've seen him at transfere a few games.
4* Brewster, Andy 6-2, 240 OL West Texas - I had to add Brewster because I do believe he joined the team this year as a walk-on but quickly received one...that's right this kid had no other scholarship offers, joined North Texas and became the best center we have had starting 4 straight seasons and winning multiple Sun Belt honors. He like many others in this class was a leader that everyone looked up to and although undersized one of the technically best blockers I have ever seen.
5 Daigle, Chip 6/3 295 5.0 OG Navarro JC 2000 - I don't know if Chip ever made it on the field, so I'm going to call bust on this one. I think he's a game warden now and doing well.
6 Dominique Mackey 5/10 190 4.5 DB Austin Reagan 2000 - Ah, the speed of Dominique. This guy was possibly one of the fastest players I have ever seen at North Texas but his career was riddled with injuries and he never really was able to perform at the level they hoped.
7 Eleby, Lajace 5/10 170 4.4 DB Cleveland 2000 - Great, great high school player that never got academically eligible and to my knowledge he never played for North Texas. In many eyes, he might have been the best on paper talent they signed in this class. He played QB in high school and was incredibly elusive.
8 Gardner, Randy 6/4 235 4.7 TE Midland 2000 - One of the pillars of the class, Gardner was a Top 100 TE that UNT landed. He was one of the best blocking tight ends we ever had. He gave four outstanding years and was a big reason that Pat Cobbs and the other UNT running backs had so much success. He fought through pretty major back injuries to be a multiple All Sun Belt performer.
9 Hall,Scott 6/1 195 4.6 QB San Antonio Schertz Clemons 2000 - Without question, the most successful UNT QB in the history of the program. You can go on and on about this kid, but he was a winner and leader like we haven't seen since. He gave this entire program a winning attitude in the time he was here. I recall A&M looked at him hard but wanted him to play defensive back. North Texas gave him a chance at QB and the rest is history. First ballot North Texas Hall of Famer.
10 Harrison, Joey 6/2 245 5.0 DL Sulphur Springs 2000 - High hopes for this kid but ankle injuries kept him from ever being what he could have been. I think he finally gave up after realizing the injuries had taken a toll. I seem to recall he had a brother that played at Notre Dame.
11 Howard, Kevin 5/10 175 4.4 WR Dallas Carter 2000 - Kevin Howard was a great athlete that showed up in big games with big plays. He was a special team phenom and brought a level of speed North Texas just hadn't had in prior years. Having to miss some games due to eligibility issues was the only blemish in an otherwise solid career.
12 Johnson, Freddie 6/2 190 4.5 RB Wichita Falls 2000 - Great football player who I believe had eligibility issues or injuries and never played in a game or played in very few.
13 Kadulbar, Brad 5/11 185 4.8 K Ennis 2000 - Kad was one of the best we ever had.
14 Kennedy, Brandon 5/10 285 4.9 DT Terrell 2000 - What can you say, this guy may be the best player North Texas has ever had other than Joe Greene who only played here two years. Booger was unstoppable from the day he stepped on campus. I remember talking to veteran O-Lineman Andy Lott when BK arrived as a true freshman. Lott, a senior and pretty good football player, was blown away at how good this kid was and how strong his hands were. Again, if this kid is not a first ballot UNT Hall of Famer there is no justice in the world. The BEST player in probably the best signing class we've ever seen at UNT.
15 Kramer, Shawn 6/5 270 4.8 TE Coffeyville JC 2000 - Sad story, Kramer suffered a terrible injury that required Care Flight to come to Fouts and land on the field. I remember being there and the scene being surreal. His name bears an award for Most Inspirational at UNT.
17 Land, Chris 6/4 320 5.3 OT Katy Taylor 2000 - Great high school player with good size that never got eligible.
18 McBride, Cougar 6/2 190 4.5 LB Alpine 2000 - One of the most colorful players I can ever recall. Rare to see him out of a cowboy hat, he seemed to be from a different planet. Undersized, but without a doubt one of the fiercest players I have ever seen on special teams. He was a crazy headhunter and was one of the few guys I ever remember the coaches having to reel back on gameday. He got involved in an off the field incident which ended his time early at North Texas. I believe he's some type of hunting guide now.
20 Northcutt, Ryan 6/3 290 4.8 DE Keller 2000 - Real sad story, this kid was a great football player that got some type of illness which the doctors said he could not play football again. Devastating news for this kid and his family. Never got to play a down at UNT.
21 Priestly, Walter 5/10 180 4.5 CB Alief Elsik 2000 - Small, not real fast but just a tremendous competitor that I think started 4 straight years on bowl teams. Great signing for North Texas coach Bruce Bell who used to get us great players in Houston.
22 Ridgeway, Chris 6/4 225 4.8 DE Friendswood 2000 - A bust. Chris may have been one of the most lauded players we signed that year out of Houston but he never really got his college career on track because of injuries.
23 Taylor, Casey 6/3 240 4.7 TE San Antonio Marshall 2000 - Another Hall of Fame candidate from this class, Casey was a state top 100 that had visited Baylor and did not get an offer. The knock on him was that he was 190 pounds "dripping wet". I'll never forget when he came into his first game as a true freshman against TCU at Amon Carter and I realized how good he was right away. He went on to have an amazing career, became one of the strongest guys on the entire team and one of the best linebackers we ever had. What people don't realize is guys like Taylor Casey were big time leaders and motivators for the program.
24 Tei, Aaron 6/1 190 4.5 LB S. Grand Prairie 2000 - A bust. Tei had big accolades but was undersized and once he realized the linebacking talent we had left the program.
25 Zuniga, Nick 6/3 308 5.0 OL S. Grand Prairie 2000 - Nick turned out to be one of the best linemen we have had and was one of the meanest we ever had. Great sign for North Texas because he was an all Sun Belt performer for multiple years.
The interesting thing is many point to the 2000 class as being the one that turned UNT's fortunes around. When you look at this class you realize that really only about 50% of the signings turned out to be good/great players and there were a lot of guys thought to be the better players that ended up busts.
Comments in Bold
1 Bradshaw, Matt 6/4 250 4.9 TE Spring 2000 - Bradshaw was a solid player that Dickey redshirted. He was a very good blocker and helped in the two tight end formations. Not a star but a solid 5-year member of the supporting cast.
2 Brown, Josh 6/4 295 5.1 OT NE Okla JC 2000 - Josh was one of the higher rated players we signed but he never really panned out and injuries kept him from getting on the field. One of the few busts of this signing class.
3 Claiborne, Justin 6/3 225 4.65 LB Apache, Okla 2000 - Much like Bradshaw, Justin was not a star but he was a solid performer that played some linebacker and fullback. Good size and very physical, I remember him partaking in some of the big hitting defensive drills and his unselfishness when they asked him to play fullback in his senior year. Justin has helped support our GMG Bowls and I've seen him at transfere a few games.
4* Brewster, Andy 6-2, 240 OL West Texas - I had to add Brewster because I do believe he joined the team this year as a walk-on but quickly received one...that's right this kid had no other scholarship offers, joined North Texas and became the best center we have had starting 4 straight seasons and winning multiple Sun Belt honors. He like many others in this class was a leader that everyone looked up to and although undersized one of the technically best blockers I have ever seen.
5 Daigle, Chip 6/3 295 5.0 OG Navarro JC 2000 - I don't know if Chip ever made it on the field, so I'm going to call bust on this one. I think he's a game warden now and doing well.
6 Dominique Mackey 5/10 190 4.5 DB Austin Reagan 2000 - Ah, the speed of Dominique. This guy was possibly one of the fastest players I have ever seen at North Texas but his career was riddled with injuries and he never really was able to perform at the level they hoped.
7 Eleby, Lajace 5/10 170 4.4 DB Cleveland 2000 - Great, great high school player that never got academically eligible and to my knowledge he never played for North Texas. In many eyes, he might have been the best on paper talent they signed in this class. He played QB in high school and was incredibly elusive.
8 Gardner, Randy 6/4 235 4.7 TE Midland 2000 - One of the pillars of the class, Gardner was a Top 100 TE that UNT landed. He was one of the best blocking tight ends we ever had. He gave four outstanding years and was a big reason that Pat Cobbs and the other UNT running backs had so much success. He fought through pretty major back injuries to be a multiple All Sun Belt performer.
9 Hall,Scott 6/1 195 4.6 QB San Antonio Schertz Clemons 2000 - Without question, the most successful UNT QB in the history of the program. You can go on and on about this kid, but he was a winner and leader like we haven't seen since. He gave this entire program a winning attitude in the time he was here. I recall A&M looked at him hard but wanted him to play defensive back. North Texas gave him a chance at QB and the rest is history. First ballot North Texas Hall of Famer.
10 Harrison, Joey 6/2 245 5.0 DL Sulphur Springs 2000 - High hopes for this kid but ankle injuries kept him from ever being what he could have been. I think he finally gave up after realizing the injuries had taken a toll. I seem to recall he had a brother that played at Notre Dame.
11 Howard, Kevin 5/10 175 4.4 WR Dallas Carter 2000 - Kevin Howard was a great athlete that showed up in big games with big plays. He was a special team phenom and brought a level of speed North Texas just hadn't had in prior years. Having to miss some games due to eligibility issues was the only blemish in an otherwise solid career.
12 Johnson, Freddie 6/2 190 4.5 RB Wichita Falls 2000 - Great football player who I believe had eligibility issues or injuries and never played in a game or played in very few.
13 Kadulbar, Brad 5/11 185 4.8 K Ennis 2000 - Kad was one of the best we ever had.
14 Kennedy, Brandon 5/10 285 4.9 DT Terrell 2000 - What can you say, this guy may be the best player North Texas has ever had other than Joe Greene who only played here two years. Booger was unstoppable from the day he stepped on campus. I remember talking to veteran O-Lineman Andy Lott when BK arrived as a true freshman. Lott, a senior and pretty good football player, was blown away at how good this kid was and how strong his hands were. Again, if this kid is not a first ballot UNT Hall of Famer there is no justice in the world. The BEST player in probably the best signing class we've ever seen at UNT.
15 Kramer, Shawn 6/5 270 4.8 TE Coffeyville JC 2000 - Sad story, Kramer suffered a terrible injury that required Care Flight to come to Fouts and land on the field. I remember being there and the scene being surreal. His name bears an award for Most Inspirational at UNT.
17 Land, Chris 6/4 320 5.3 OT Katy Taylor 2000 - Great high school player with good size that never got eligible.
18 McBride, Cougar 6/2 190 4.5 LB Alpine 2000 - One of the most colorful players I can ever recall. Rare to see him out of a cowboy hat, he seemed to be from a different planet. Undersized, but without a doubt one of the fiercest players I have ever seen on special teams. He was a crazy headhunter and was one of the few guys I ever remember the coaches having to reel back on gameday. He got involved in an off the field incident which ended his time early at North Texas. I believe he's some type of hunting guide now.
20 Northcutt, Ryan 6/3 290 4.8 DE Keller 2000 - Real sad story, this kid was a great football player that got some type of illness which the doctors said he could not play football again. Devastating news for this kid and his family. Never got to play a down at UNT.
21 Priestly, Walter 5/10 180 4.5 CB Alief Elsik 2000 - Small, not real fast but just a tremendous competitor that I think started 4 straight years on bowl teams. Great signing for North Texas coach Bruce Bell who used to get us great players in Houston.
22 Ridgeway, Chris 6/4 225 4.8 DE Friendswood 2000 - A bust. Chris may have been one of the most lauded players we signed that year out of Houston but he never really got his college career on track because of injuries.
23 Taylor, Casey 6/3 240 4.7 TE San Antonio Marshall 2000 - Another Hall of Fame candidate from this class, Casey was a state top 100 that had visited Baylor and did not get an offer. The knock on him was that he was 190 pounds "dripping wet". I'll never forget when he came into his first game as a true freshman against TCU at Amon Carter and I realized how good he was right away. He went on to have an amazing career, became one of the strongest guys on the entire team and one of the best linebackers we ever had. What people don't realize is guys like Taylor Casey were big time leaders and motivators for the program.
24 Tei, Aaron 6/1 190 4.5 LB S. Grand Prairie 2000 - A bust. Tei had big accolades but was undersized and once he realized the linebacking talent we had left the program.
25 Zuniga, Nick 6/3 308 5.0 OL S. Grand Prairie 2000 - Nick turned out to be one of the best linemen we have had and was one of the meanest we ever had. Great sign for North Texas because he was an all Sun Belt performer for multiple years.
The interesting thing is many point to the 2000 class as being the one that turned UNT's fortunes around. When you look at this class you realize that really only about 50% of the signings turned out to be good/great players and there were a lot of guys thought to be the better players that ended up busts.
