MeanGreenFan http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1-meangreenfan/ MeanGreenFan Syndication Wed, 08 May 2013 09:32:14 +0000 hwmiii@sbcglobal.net (GoMeanGreen.com Forum) IP.Blog 60 An Evening with North Texas Coach Tony Benford http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-134-an-evening-with-north-texas-coach-tony-benford/ th, 2013.
 
After an introduction from UNT Athletic Director Rick Villarreal:  Benford said that he appreciated “Coach V’s” support but after a long meeting today he told RV, I’m a big guy – of course I need to drop some pounds and I’m working on that (audience laughter) – but no what I said was coach, I can take care of myself -I’m a big boy and I’ve been doing this a long time and I know what it takes to win and what I have to do to get this program to the level that we aspire to be at.  He personally thanked Ernie Kuehne (called him the Godfather of North Texas basketball) and Julie (wife of David) Anderson from Texas Capital Bank who helped to set up the event to the applause of the crowd. He said he appreciated everyone's support and would do his very best to build a program they could be proud of.
 
On the new Ernie Kuehne practice facility:  the facility is phenomenal, what Mr. Kuhne and others have done for us is unbelievable from a recruiting standpoint.  We have a building that we can sell.  The one thing I tell recruits all the time is we are going to invest in them, not only as a person but also on the court in terms of their game.  With the new practice facility – there’s no excuses.  With the facilities we have and the new Jumbotron and some other things that we’re doing there are no excuses.  We have a phenomenal institution – we just have to get the word out and we’re doing that.
 
On his staff:  He introduced the entire basketball staff to applause.  Said assistant David Anwar was the “hardest working man” in college basketball.  He’s always recruiting.  Thanked Jeff Luster his Director of Operations for his hard work.  Coach Bart Lundy just turned out a head job.  He’s a great coach, tremendous family guy – does a great job of developing our players.  I’m very fortunate to have him.  My Associate Head Coach is Robb Evans.  Robb Evans was successful head coach at Old Miss and Arizona State.  Coach Evans was just voted the #1 mid major assistant in the country by a publication.  He brings a great deal of wisdom.  With the year we were having this year, I turned to these guys and asked them have you even experienced this and they had not.  Especially in terms of injuries. 
 
On Academics:  All four of my seniors are going to get their degree.  Niko came in today and hugged me to say goodbye.  He already had his plane tickets to head back to France.  He won’t be able to walk the stage but he earned his degree.  I will miss Niko.  I am really proud of him.  A lot of people had given up on him.  I told him you have to be positive.  We’re going to miss him.  Roger also got his degree and he will be playing in Europe and already has a job there.  Jacob Holman graduates and is wanting to coach so we are looking to help him do that as a graduate assistant.  Justin Patton is going to graduate but he will limp across the stage because he just had surgery.  Unfortunately that is what our season was all about (injuries).  All of those guys got their degree and I am really proud of that.  All of the guys we have do not have any academic issues.  We have a great academic support system led by Cinnamon Sheffield and she does a great job.  On my watch, we are going to prevent anybody from being ineligible at the semester. 
 
On this past season:  We knew the expectations were really high this year.  We knew that.  We didn’t run from that.  We tried to temper it a lot.  I told my guys you have to play the game at your best because you never know how it will play out.  We did a lot leading up to the season to prepare them, we had a sports psychologist come in and we did a boot camp.  Losing Brandon Walton hurt a lot.  I’m not saying he was a one man team but we made as a team this year 113 3’s; the year before he hit 54 3-point shots by himself.  That tells you what we missed with a guy like Brandon being out.  Knowing that we moved through the season and we thought we lost some games we should have won.  There were some games we gave away I feel like.  Defensively we weren’t very sound.  Those are things we have to do better as a coaching staff.  As we went on through the season we had some other injuries that set us back.  Losing Chris Jones, I thought he was really starting to buy in to what we were trying to do.  He was beginning to be a true point guard and being a coach out on the floor.  Then he goes down, at Western Kentucky.  Nobody is even around him and he breaks his foot.  Now we go from a guy leading the league and averaging six assists to then as a team only averaging 8 assists the rest of the season.  So that was a terrible blow for us losing him.  Then Holman, Patton is out.  That’s just how the season went.  One thing about our guys is they never quit.  Even when we had 7 or 8 guys total in practice they never quit.  We almost had to suit up Coach Anwar (laughter) but I don’t think he could get up and down the court very well.
 
What won't happen again:  I won’t ever go into a season like this last one without enough shooters, in particular 3-point shooters.  When Brandon went down it really hurt what we were trying to accomplish.
 
Breaking down the numbers:  We averaged three 3’s a game.  Bandon Walton averaged two 3’s a game the season before himself.  We were last in the league in assists.  We led the league in turnovers.    So – if you understand basketball, this is very tough (to overcome).  And people say, “yeah well you have Tony Mitchell”… yes he’s a great player but if you can’t get the ball to him, you can draw up any play that you want.  It was very difficult for him to do anything especially with teams swarming around him.  In Tony’s defense and Roger’s defense – those guys gave great effort all season, they were positive they kept working and they never quit.  That’s one of the things I am proud about is that these guys never quit this season. 
 
On Jordan Wililams:  I thought a guy like Jordan Williams really grew up this year.  I have pro scouts there to see Tony asking about him now, “what about Jordan Williams” and I tell them he’s got a chance…a lot of pro scouts are looking at him and they have him on the radar right now. 
 
On TJ Taylor:  When I took the job here I encouraged TJ to check Marquette out and he goes there for two weeks and I get a call from Buzz saying he doesn’t think it is going to work out and the kid wants to get back home.  So he came back and obviously we tried to get him eligible and it didn’t work out.  He’s a really, really good player.  He has the potential to be our best player.  He can really shoot the ball, put it on the floor.  He’s going to bring a lot to our team next year. 
 
On Keith Coleman:  The big kid returning back Keith Coleman, well I sort of did a disservice to Keith because I didn’t get him enough playing time.  I just felt more comfortable with Tony Mitchell and Roger Franklin in the game to be honest with you – I should have developed Keith a little more…but he’s worked hard, his attitude has been great lately, I think Keith still has a chance…he’s 6-10 very athletic.  I still think he still has a chance to be a really good player at this level.  When I was at Marquette we signed a lot of junior college guys and one of them plays for the Mavericks right now (Jay Crowder).  A couple of those were three year guys.  What you learn is they often need a year to adjust to the game.  I feel like Keith falls into that category – he needs to give us a really good summer and I think he can still help this program in his remaining two years.
 
On Vertrail Vaughns:  We got a transfer from George Mason and you guys are going to love him.  He got his degree in three and a half years.  He’s eligible to play right away and he’s going to get his Masters in a year.  A really good three point shooter. In his sophomore year he made over 50 3’s.  So you can see where we are trending now, we have some guys who can make some shots.  I’m never going to have a team that can’t shoot the ball in my career.  He’s a great leader and a great student and he’s going to bring a lot to our locker room and the court.    He’s a really, really good player.  He can really shoot the ball, put it on the floor, I mean he’s going to bring a lot to our team next year.  Tony Mitchell called me and was really impressed that we had signed this kid – saying he wished that he could play with him and some of our other signees.
 
On Greg Wesley:  An all stater, He’s a cross between Tony and Jordan, very athletic and slasher he’s got a chance to be a good player. 
 
On Josh Friar:  He’s a big, strong, athletic rebounder.  I saw him two weeks ago, I was down in Houston at the John Lucas (former NBA star player) basketball camp and Josh was there and he did a great job going against a couple former NBA players and some college guys. 
 
On Colin Voss:  Colin is a Juco All American, former football star – I told Coach Mac he’s going to love this guy when he sees him.  He wants to play football when he’s done here also.  He played football in high school and his dad is a football coach.   He’s a really good basketball player.  He’s got great feet, great hands – nobody is going to push us around inside anymore I can tell you that.
 
On Armani Flanigan:  We call him Flash, y’all get used to “Flash”, Coach V has watched Flash play and he can probably tell you he hasn’t seen somebody jump that high in a long time…he is about 6-8, from Chicago by way of Wyoming Junior College.  If you can envision Tony Mitchell’s athleticism and with Rogers motor…not saying that Tony’s motor didn’t run all the time.  He's going to be a very good player for us.
 
Future scholarships and NCAA changes:  We may sign two more – we’ve had a couple guys come and visit. There’s a new NCAA rule that Coach Mac has benefited from and say a kid can graduate in three years, and he wants to leave and he can prove there is a degree plan offered at the school he wants to transfer to that is not available at his current school he can play right away.  Now you have Duke, North Carolina every great program in the country who is recruiting these types of kids – it’s like free agency in basketball at the NBA level.  So you have all of these major programs trying to recruit and wine and dine these guys.  I have a friend at Memphis and there was a player there named Tarik Black, and he wanted to transfer and you had guys like Coach K, Coach Self etc. on campus trying to get a visit with the kid.   That shows you how the game in college basketball is changing with these 5th years guys that can make a tremendous impact.
 
How the strategy will change:  The guys that we are bringing in will really change the way that we play.  We want to get out in the open, get some easy transition buckets – spread the floor.  With the team that we have now we are going to able to do that.  You know at the Super Pit there is a board that keeps track of 3-pointers.  That thing stayed on one number all last for a long time…it never moved.  I think we are going to able to move that board this year with our guys ability to shoot the basketball.
 
On defense:  One area that we have to get better at is defensively.  Now I think with the perimeter guys we have we will be able to do a better job of contesting three point shots.  Because of our lack of quickness on the perimeter we could not contest the three point shot this last season. 
 
On moving to Conference USA:  We will really benefit from it from a TV standpoint.  Stephen Howard our SID does a great job.  Last year we played a total of 25 games on TV in the Sun Belt.  Last year C-USA played 180 games on TV.  So that will help us to get exposure. A lot of those games will be on Fox Sports so you will be able to see them here in the metroplex. It’s a league with quality teams like UTEP who will be really good and Tulsa who will be good.  Louisiana Tech, a lot of teams that won 20-games this last year.  There will be a lot of good teams that will be coming into the Super Pit that you guys haven’t seen that you will be able to see.  We are looking forward to the challenge.  With the guards that we have, our guards will be as good as anyone in that league.  We will be ready to compete right away.]]> Wed, 08 May 2013 05:13:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-134-an-evening-with-north-texas-coach-tony-benford/ North Texas 2013 Spring Practice Update II http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-133-north-texas-2013-spring-practice-update-ii/  
It was every bit of 120 plays or more.  The speed of the day was typical Mac -- quick moving, almost a constant flow of bodies on and off the field.  This update won't be as long, I am going to provide some of the things that jumped out or amused me.
 
  • Brock Berglund - Brock didn't look like he was running or walking well from the moment I started watching him, although he participated in a couple of series.  There wasn't an impact injury or anything of consequence that I could see.  It appeared that he was having issues when he extended his leg/hamstring.  He actually jogged of the field to the training room and then later returned to the sideline sans his shoulder pads and seemed very upbeat.  I think pulling him out was precautionary and hopefully not a lingering injury.  I initially thought the downer of the day was having Berglund lose almost an entire scrimmage of reps but of course that later turned out minor as compared to the injury sustained by stud defensive end Quenton Brown.
  •  Quenton Brown was playing end on the opposite end from where I was.  All I can say is he went down on his stomach...the trainers were out there pretty quick.  I know it was pretty serious but that said, he did get up and walk off on his own accord to the training room.  I couldn't help but think "wow this is North Texas luck" when I saw it was him, he was one of the guys you just really hoped would stay healthy.  This is an extremely physical game and the intensity level Mac requires puts everyone at their best.  My hope is that it is not a serious injury and he will be okay.  Keep your fingers crossed because our team takes a big loss talent wise if he is gone.
  • Last injury note -  and I'll move to evaluations - Antoine Jimmerson was on crutches and had a boot on his foot so -- I would expect it is likely an ankle.  Not a big issue - we know what he can do.  Just hope he comes back quickly.
  • Boone Feldt and Shawn McKinney - I saw a pretty good battle going on between these two and of course with current starter Kaydon Kirby.  They really seemed to be all over both Feldt and McKinney throughout the scrimmage.  Feldt certainly made his presence felt seeing a fair amount of time with the #2 squad.  At times he looked comfortable at other times he didn't.  He suffered a setback in a situational series where the #3 offense started from their own 5-yard line.  On first down he shotgun snapped it badly to Jordan Gill.  Or did he?  I really wasn't able to verify whose fault it was but it ended up as a fumble and a touchdown for the defense and Coach Chico and Mac came unglued.  Feldt impressed me in terms of how he handled the situation.  Instead of blame anyone he took full responsibility.  I am going to say Feldt's stock is up right now.  Part of that is due to the fact I had never seen him play in a live situation.   He looks the part and you can see why he was so highly regarded.   McKinney has his moments but he is needing to lose weight because the speed of game is tiring him and diminishing his impact.  You could tell that Mac and Coach Simonds were spending a lot of time with him, coaching him on things yelling at him at other times.  I think McKinney is better than Feldt at this point in the running game.  I think Feldt is the better pass blocker.  Keep an eye on McKinney later in the spring, he should lose some pounds from all these workouts and hopefully he will prove his mettle.
  • Mark Lewis  - Lewis, with the loss of Jimmerson is getting a lot of snaps.  Brandin Byrd has been flat out spectacular and Pegram looks like he will help us immediately.  Lewis is getting a lot of looks as a redshirt freshman and he seems to be answering the call.  He had a couple of really nice runs and shows a good burst of speed.  I also thought Wilhite showed good at times and saw a nice dive into the goaline by Pegram.
  • Chad Polk - I kept saying who is #42 and the reason was he was making plays.  Turns out it was Chad Polk, the linebacker turned pass rushing defensive end.  Polk had a sack and several tackles for a loss.  He seems to like coming off the edge and his speed is impressive.  He will not be a guy who can take on a 300 pound tackle consistently against the run but could prove valuable in third and long situations.
  • Cade Carter - I saw a lot of #96 at tight end and finally figured out he was Cade Carter the walk-on from Lucas.  He's quite tall but not very thick.  He seemed to be very aggressive as a blocker and made me think he might have a little something.  Clearly he will be in a logjam behind Miller and Smith and juco Chris Loving.  I know Cooper Jones was in there some but he didn't catch my eye.
  • DT and Andy McNulty - I thought DT had the pass of the game on a long TD to Brelan Chancellor who just outran the secondary.  With Berglund going out, McNulty got a lot of snaps and I really like what I am seeing.  The biggest thing that I noticed is McNulty's speed as a runner.  He also threw the ball away when there wasn't anything there several times and one time I saw Chico clap and praise him for doing that in a controlled scrimmage.  For the crtics of McNulty - he isn't going anywhere and he's a much better player than he was as a true freshman.
  • Jerrian Roberts - Got a fair amount of evaluation plays on Roberts Saturday and I liked what I saw.  He almost looks like a clone of Aaron Bellazin right now but as a redshirt freshman he could be a lot bigger than Bellazin before it's all said and done.  He showed me an ability to hold his ground on power plays against the first and second team O-lines.  He didn't always make the play but he wasn't getting pushed back on roller skates either.  He brings a lot of speed and quickness from the outside and could be a fierce pass rusher at times.
  • James Jones - Jones is quietly having a nice camp.  No he didn't get the pick six that proven starter Zach Whitfield did, but as a second teamer I watched him blanket receivers all day long.  I also saw him return a quasi action punt return and make some nice moves.  He isn't getting a lot of headlines but he seems very composed and fundamentally sound in coverage at corner.  I liked what I saw of him on Saturday.
  • Young D-Line - Saw some real good things out of Sir Calvin, Austin Orr and Dutton Watson on Saturday.  Again, they likely won't set the world on fire but they made solid plays against the run and held their ground well to allow the linebackers to make plays.  Mustafa Haboul had a pretty nice day against the 2nd and 3rd team lines too.  The starters at tackle and end are pretty well set but it's the rotational backup spots that are up for grabs and I would say right now DT is a three horse race between Wallace, Orr and Watson.
  • Biggest hit of the day - Laramie Lee absolutely laid out Brandin Byrd on an ill advised outside run. You can see the picture of it here.   It struck me as one of the biggest hits I have seen in a practice scrimmage in a long long time at North Texas.  Lee is not a big guy but he sure hits like one.  It's nice to see big hits every once in awhile.
  • Darnell Smith - Had an amazing catch and next to Chancellor may be the best receiver on the team right now.  Hard to believe this guy was a walk-on from a community college when you see him on the field.  He is silky smooth and had great hands.
  • Note to Coach Chico - For some reason, perhaps it's because he is the "new guy" but no one every throws the ball to Texas transfer Darius Terrell.  Terrell looks great in his pads, runs good routes and seems to have all the tools.  For the sake of the fans would you please throw the ball his direction some before we get through spring ball?  We'd like to see what the kid can do!
  • Signees and recruits - I saw two UNT 2013 signees, Wylie Rheinhardt and Dominic Walker.  You can see a pic of them here.  Really like both of them physically and I agree with one of the board posters suggesting Rheinhardt be moved from tight end to defensive end.  He looks like a bad dude and has some size.  You can also see exactly why they signed Walker as well, he is every bit of 6-5 and big framed, very lean right now but could be huge in a couple of years.  There were a couple of guys that North Texas is recruiting as well, offensive lineman Brad Lundblade from Argyle and a kid named Jackson Lamb who is a 6-4 quarterback  from Frisco Wakeland.  Lamb's Hudl video is here.  I could see why there is interest in Lundblade, the dude has a big lower body and some size.   After practice was over Mac had all of the signees come out and be introduced to the team in the middle of the field.  The recruited guys had to stay on the sidelines.  It was a nice moment, seeing the new guys meet up with their future teammates.
GMG
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ]]> Mon, 01 Apr 2013 03:56:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-133-north-texas-2013-spring-practice-update-ii/ North Texas 2013 Spring Practice Update I http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-132-north-texas-2013-spring-practice-update-i/ I had the opportunity to watch North Texas’ Wednesday football practice and wanted to share my thoughts.  The weather was windy but very nice, and there was a good group of fans, athletic department and students watching intently and enjoying the warm weather.
 
Most were there to catch a glimpse of the heralded QB transfer Brock Berglund.  In case you have been hiding under a rock – Berglund was a 4-star rated dual threat quarterback prospect out of Colorado who eventually signed with Kansas and then ran into some off the field issues which landed him briefly at a junior college and ultimately in Denton.  Brock spent last Fall on the scout team and is really getting his first real action with the program this spring.
 
While I certainly was interested to see Berglund, it was also a good chance to familiarize myself with some of the many new faces heading into the third year of the coach Dan McCarney era at North Texas.  I was fortunate to be beside good fan Bill Covert who had a paper roster and helped me out with some of the numbers and names.
 
Make no mistake – this is a much different team than what fielded Apogee last season.  There are a LOT of red shirt players who are now in the mix, not to mention some key transfers who are expected to make a big impact in the win column this fall.
 
My first impression was numbers – there are more players than I recall seeing participate in spring in quite some time, perhaps ever.  A fair amount of these are walk-on players but many are redshirt freshmen or redshirt sophomores who haven’t yet made the field.  I also was impressed with the overall size and speed of this team.  The one exception to this would probably be the defensive line which has four guys out but at just about every other position we are deeper, stronger and faster than we have been under Mac.
 
Quarterback
 
I spent a good amount of time watching Berglund as I hadn’t really seen him in a true practice setting before.  The irony is I ended up watching a lot of Derek Thompson but more on that later.

Berglund is as advertised although you can see that he is shaking off some heavy rust having been off the field of play for two years.  He has quick feet and a strong arm but the biggest thing that stand out about him is he possesses an amazingly natural and quick release throwing the football.  In fact, you would almost label him a “slinger” but it is very natural.  By comparisons, Thompson and McNulty both take longer from the point at which the make a decision to throw the ball and release it.  In terms of pure arm strength, I would say Berglund and Thompson are very close.
 
The “Play of the Day” for Berglund was not a pass however.  During the scrimmage portion Berglund went back for a simple quick out pattern to the inside receiver and upon realizing he was covered up started to zig zag back and forth in five yard increments as an angry mob of defenders were eagerly chasing after him.  It didn’t look good, in a couple more seconds he was going to be sacked for a 40-yard loss but somehow he had a quick burst to the outside and started moving up the field.  The defense seemed shocked that he was able to get around them and started pursuit.  There were some “oohhhs” and “Ahhs” on the sidelines as he promptly made his way back to positive yardage before being mugged on the sidelines about 15-yards in the black…  we have not had that type of exceptional runner at the quarterback position since maybe – Danny Meager?
 
I can’t finish off the Berglund section of this write-up without making a couple of things clear.  He’s struggling to get a good grasp of the system and he’s not close to the comfort level you see in a Derek Thompson right now.  The good news is that he seems highly motivated and brings a light positive attitude with all of his accolades.  He will get there and there is no disputing that he possesses some serious skills.  He's extremely talented and it will be fun watching him put the pieces together.
 
Derek Thompson was not supposed to be my main focus of the day, but I couldn’t help watching him for a lot of the practice.  A couple of reasons, he is svelte – I’m guessing he’s probably lost 20 pounds or more. It gives him a whole new look, he looks faster -- more confident.  Clearly heading into his final spring he knows the drills, he know the playbook and more importantly he knows what this coaching staff is looking for. 
 
Thompson has received the ire of the fan base – and with good reason last season – but he strikes me as a really good kid, someone if you ran a company you would love to hire.  He goes through the drills with full focus and intensity and in the scrimmage he plays with passion.  I thought his arms strength and touch on a windy day was superb and with the lowered weight he seems to adjust to the pressure better as opposed to being a statue.  He threw several nice long balls to Brelan Chancellor (one that was a sure touchdown was dropped) that showed a nice touch.  This is one practice but from my vantage point Thompson really held his own and will not be laying down for Berglund.  In fact, I would be very very surprised if this battle is decided before this Fall.  Having a guy like Brock Berglund in the mix is the BEST thing that ever happened to Derek Thompson.
 
Andy McNulty is the clear number three, and despite his critics I saw some good things from him.  The red shirt season was a blessing as he looks stronger in the pocket than from what I recall.  He fits the dual passing runner prototype that Mac loves although I would put him behind Berglund and Thompson in arm strength.  He seems to have a good grasp of what they are trying to do and in that regard is a welcome addition back.  The 4th guy appears to be Jordan Gill who despite being smallish at 6-0 180 has a pretty nice arm so you can see why they have asked him to stick around.
 
Running Back
 
Clearly this is the deepest and most talented position on the team.  Senior Brandin Byrd got the most reps and made the most of his time.  I was extremely impressed as he made some 20 and 30-yard spectacular runs, on both the inside and out.  I had sort of pegged him as a vertical, between the tackles sort of player but during this practice he wowed me with his speed and moves.  He received big praise from new running backs coach Tommy Perry, who seems to be a reincarnation of Spencer “Lefty” Leftwich with his low growling voice and flamboyant use of the language.  I only saw a few plays with Antoine “Jim Jim” Jimmerson and let’s just say he hasn’t lost a step.  The guy that caught a lot of my focus was Purdue transfer Reggie Pegram.  Pegram runs with authority and seems to be more of a north south runner ie Byrd.  He has a nice burst of speed and is very physical.  He also appears very durable.  At one point he was running towards the goal line and got pulled down from behind by a blitzing defensive back.  There was concern on the sideline as he grabbed his leg.  Luckily he got up on his own two feet and walked to the sidelines.  Next thing I know he was trying to get back in the scrimmage to the chagrin of the trainers.  Also got a glimpse of Louisiana product Mark Lewis.  Really liked what I saw, he like Byrd and the others is big and physical with good speed.  Lewis did make the cardinal error of fumbling the ball and received some verbiage from Mac who was in the vicinity.
 
Wide Receiver
 
The scrimmage was focused on more short yardage situations and seemed to lean towards the running game so I really couldn’t get a good evaluation of the wide receiver position.  I will say this – we’re bigger/taller at the position than I seem to recall in recent years.   #11 Darius Terrell looks the part and seems to have really slimmed down from his playing days at Texas.  Brelan Chancellor had a couple of drops but the good news is he looks like the Brelan of old speed wise and I see no ill effects from the separated shoulder.  There are a lot of new faces at this position, I did see transfer John Chelf and he seems to have a little something.  Carlos Harris is starting and really seems to have made himself a “go-to” guy in the eyes of the coaches.  What strikes you is with a good contingent of scholarship talent like Terrell, Chancellor and Harris there is also an substantial amount of former walk-on talent at this position including Lynrick Pleasant and perhaps the best performing wide receiver in camp thus far Darnell Smith.  I was unable to catch much of Nick Schrapps and Rod Lancaster but hope to do that on Saturday.
 
Tight End
 
Most of the plays in this area went to Drew Miller who appears to have put on some additional weight, Tanner Smith who reminds me of Jeff Muncheow and Daniel Prior.  Prior is returning from a medical redshirt year and brings a LOT of athleticism to the position although he is undersized.  Prior has the type of speed where he can line up as an H-Back and really chase down a linebacker.  Miller and Smith seem to be the more traditional tight ends who you like to double down on a defensive tackle.  Cooper Jones seems to be more of the passing option.  He’s tall and lean and really doesn’t strike me as a guy who will ever get really big.  He is athletic and could provide a weapon in the passing game.  The most impressive body belongs to Marcus Smith but unfortunately he’s standing on the sidelines this season due to a knee injury.  It’s a shame because this kid is a beast physically and could be the coveted blocker and pass receiver that they hope and pray Fall arriving juco Chris Loving will be.  Smith said he should be 100% starting this summer but I can’t help but have my doubts as he hasn’t been healthy since he arrived here.
 
O-Line
 
I know I said running back was the deepest position on the team, but I would put O-Line at 1.b.  I can’t tell you how reassuring it is to look at the size and numbers we have at this position at this particular time.  And here’s what gets me excited, it’s not guys like Cyril Lemon, Mason Y-Barbo or Antonio Johnson.  They are already proven commodities.  It’s the youngsters – guys like Connor Trussell, Ryan Rentfro, Kaydon Kirby and Travis Ellard who are all redshirt freshman, BIG and look like they can help us from a depth perspective RIGHT now.  The weight program is paying dividends under Frank Wentrich and it is nowhere more evident than at this position.  I also liked what I saw from juco transfer Justin Manu who is a tall, imposing figure who plays nasty.  Manu’s biggest issue is trying to unseed starting right tackle Chris Anyiem who has really has a chance to end his career at North Texas on a very high note.   I really did not get a good evaluation of Boone Feldt or his brother Cam.  Prosper walk-on Michael Banogu is every bit of 6-5, 275 and certainly looks the part.  Let me end on this, I was really impressed with Connor Trussell both in terms of how he played in drills and the scrimmage and his size, he really has dedicated himself in the offseason.
 
Defensive Line
 
OK good news bad news here…we’re down close to four players due to injury and this may be the lightest area in terms of proven talent on the team.  The good news is we lost nothing at tackle, and although KC Obi was productive at defensive end he was quite undersized.
 
The returning tackle is big Richard Abbe.  Abbe looks like his weight is good and seems to be the man at nose tackle.  He looked ok.  Ryan Boutwell was on the sideline. At defensive tackle I was impressed with three guys.  The first two are Austin Orr and Dutton Watson.  Orr is a sophomore and Watson is a redshirt freshman.  They both have good size, 6-3 265? and can move a bit.  I see neither as major impact players necessarily – right now - but they both could be critical to the success of this team.  Keep an eye on both of them this spring as their progression will be critical for the program.  The third guy is Sir Calvin Wallace.  Wallace was a disappointment early on, but I saw signs that he could be a contributor.  First off he’s lost a lot of weight – whoever is managing his diet deserves kudos.  Where’s he’s different than the other two is he showed me a tremendous burst of speed on a couple of plays.   His continued progression could be a huge boost for the program.  Mustafa Haboul can hold his own in the drills and brings a certain toughness but man he looks small out there.
 
At defensive end there are two guys who really get me excited.  One is transfer Quenton Brown.  This kid is an impressive physical specimen and backs it up with his play.  He looks like a defensive end!  He’s tall, long arms and a good nose for the ball.  I think he will have a tremendous impact on this defense.  The second one is red shirt freshman Malik Dilonga.  Dilonga is 6-4, 255? and he reminds me very much of Eddrick Gilmore with a tremendous wing span.  There were times when he looked lost but there were more times when he was actually making nice plays and showed good quickness and speed.  He REALLY intrigues me.  He is lean – I mean he could be 285 in a couple of years so I could see him as a possibility at defensive tackle.  The bottom line is this – he showed signs in the practice of being able to help us this year which is fantastic.
 
Couple more notes, I did not get to see a lot of Jerrian Roberts at defensive end – I think Alex Lincoln is our best bet at tackle opposite Abbe right now.  He’s always going to be a little undersized but he is just a great football player and makes plays.  I hate to say this but Brad Horton is not participating in Spring drills and that’s a shame because he probably needs it the most.   My best news note to end is on junior Daryl Mason who is out for Spring Drills as well.  Mason – unlike Horton – has shown us already on the field he can play – he was just undersized.  Well – he grew!  They have him listed at 6-3, 233 on the official roster – my guess is that he is more like 6-4, 255 now.  Absolutely looks the part and could be a HUGE piece of the defense this season.
 
Linebackers
 
Not a whole lot to report here – I really didn’t get a good chance to see much of their drills.  It looks to me like Zach Orr and Derek Akunne are the studs and Will Wright will be the guys and there’s a plethora of guys fighting for the backup spots.  I saw a couple of nice plays from sophomore LaJaylin Smith and did not really get to evaluate newly moved Jamal Marshall.  I will try to focus on this area more in future updates.
 
Defensive backs
 
The story here is Louisville transfer Zed Evans who really looks good, great speed and just makes plays.  I witnessed a terrific play from safety Kenny Buyers who appeared to be with the starting unit.  He dropped Brandon Byrd for a loss in the backfield and caused a fumble with a big stick.  With walkons included – there must be over 20 defensive backs running in and out of there - you could probably spend an entire practice just focusing on that particular area.  In summary, I think this may be the most athletic and the fastest group we have seen – it is not the most physical group.  I do like the fact that we have so many numbers because it will force the cream to rise to the top.  Like Linebacker I will try to put my eyes in this positional vicinity for future updates.
 
Coaching, Etc…
 
You would never believe that Dan McCarney was a year away from having a stroke.  He is in TREMENDOUS shape, running around from drill to drill – screaming out orders or admonishments…he is a joy to watch.  I think what sums it up for me are the little things, when he was sprinting back and forth from one side of the field to the other he spotted me walking up and took the time to stop what he was doing and shake my hand.  Before he closed out practice with the team he ran over to the officials to thank them for their efforts…he made sure to get to every single high school coach on the sidelines some face time and a handshake and thank you.  He’s just a remarkable man, and his attitude is contagious among the players and the staff.  He represents North Texas so well, in a down to earth way you just want to see him succeed.
 
I saw a lot of good things from new running backs coach Tommy Perry – he’s the loud, growling type but very similar to Mac in how he is constantly moving and coaching.  Ryan Walters is much more quiet and thoughtful as opposed to his predecessor Justin Gaines.  Director of Operations Scotty Conley has incorporated a megaphone to keep players on track during the periods.  Safeties and Recruiting Coordinator Noah Joseph is very active and maintains that same tip of your toes intensity that you see from Mac.  Joseph must be from Wisconsin cause he has that Jerry Lundgaard (Wiliam Macy) type of imploring accent to his voice.   It seems like a great staff, good instruction, highly motivated and you can’t help but think it rubs off on the players.  While the criticism can be biting at times you also see strong praise delivered when it is deserved.  You get a clear sense that there is much at stake and that everyone will need to give their all or get the hell out.
 
Mac’s wife Margy was in attendance with Mac’s dog.  Also seen were George Dunham, Hank Dickenson, Eric Capper, Steven Bartelotta and a plethora of high school coaches – I noticed Frisco Wakeland well represented.  If you are able to make it up to Denton, I strongly encourage you to do it.  Guest are encouraged and welcomed.  I know many will attend scrimmages on Saturday but if you can break away during the week, the practice field scene gives you a good sense of how the program is being run. GMG!]]> Fri, 29 Mar 2013 03:36:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-132-north-texas-2013-spring-practice-update-i/ Signing Day 2013 Recap and Player Interviews http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-129-signing-day-2013-recap-and-player-interviews/ It was my understanding that the UNT AD will be releasing the press conference including the audio and so rather than recap everything that Mac said I will focus on a couple of the key points that he made… “Program got better”, a fairly generic coaching quote for signing day but seemed quite sincere…
he signed 13 high school players and 5 JC’s, 20 out of 23 played high school call in the state of Texas…Alluded to K-State Coach Bill Synder in reference to the recruiting rankings saying that Snyder typically did not have the highest rates class by the services but managed to have a very good program that won with class etc…As of August 1 2013 Mac indicated that North Texas would – for the first time since he’s been here – have the full allotment of 85 scholarships…they have gone from 72 to 107 players participating in their off season workouts and the walk-on program pool is getting deeper and more talented… Mac’s big quote was “We will WILL this program to success...”  Mentioned that they did not sign a punter but felt like Sulphur Springs’ Blake Macek could be that guy and they were confident enough at this stage to not give up a scholarship but reserved the right to do that later if necessary…emphasized how big an impact that strength coach Frank Wentrich was making on the entire program and how different the team looked from a physical perspective as compared to when he had arrived…Defensive tackle Dylan McDorman and end Daryl Mason both has off season shoulder surgery and won’t participate in spring but should be back in the fall…Andrew Tucker will play safety and participate in spring drills…Louisville transfer Zed Evans brother Erick will be joining the team from Seagoville as a walk-on…Juco transfer Shawn McKinney transformed from 405 pounds down to 355, he is also a very talented tennis player.  He shared a story of when he was playing ball for I-A Hubbard he had some interest from Baylor and Baylor coach Art Briles actually came to watch him play in a tennis tournament that Hubbard was participating in which at his size is not something you see every day.  McKinney said Wentrich had a good plan for him to keep the weight down and that part of his issue was not the type of food he ate but eating late at night which many of us can relate to...at 6-4, 340 he is a specimen physically. When I asked him about playing other positions other than center he indicated his sole focus was to solidify the center position as UNT lost their best lineman Aaron Fortenberry and they didn’t want to take any chances there…James Jones the cornerback transfer from Kilgore was a fun interview, he is a VERY accomplished player and very well spoken.  He started out at Kilgore playing safety and on special teams where this last season he had three touchdowns on punt returns.  In his sophomore year his coaches told him that at his size he would be better served to move to cornerback where he excelled.  He was a talented quarterback at Aldine and had a lot of big school interest.  I asked him about his vertical jump and if it had ever been measure because I had seen a picture of him blocking a field goal way up in the air online, and he laughed and said he tested ok on vertical but seemed to always jump higher when he needed to on the field.  James is enrolling in the UNT Business School and studying business marketing. He plans to start at cornerback and also return both punts and kickoffs.  That may seem fairly forward for him to say but as a Junior College All American who led his conference in punt returns he has every right to approach it that way.  When I asked Jones about UNT in general he said “I Love it here!” …UT transfer Darius Terrell was my next interview and like Jones very well spoken, very polished giving thoughtful answers to my questions.  Terrell has been here since the Fall semester and maintains a 3.0 average which impressed me. I asked Darius about his transfer from Texas and how the change in offense may have contributed which he agreed but he also said that the changes in the coaching staff complicated things there.  I’m not going to lie, he was not pleased with the way things were handled at Texas and said his decision to go there turned out to be a “mistake”.  The good news is he is very happy at North Texas and can’t wait to get on the field.  Having been a cheerleader for his teammates on the sidelines all season, he said after the Western Kentucky game despite being sorry for his teams' loss he felt as “Chains had been lifted off of me...” and that he could finally start to fulfill the goals he has set for himself at the start of his college career.  He made it very clear that when he had made his decision to leave Texas it was his former teammate Zach Orr that helped to convince him that North Texas was where he needed to be and then Chico Canales after that. As an aside, one thing in all of the interviews that I had was a concurrent theme that Chico Canales was a very positive influence on these players, either directly in their recruitment or indirectly during a visit etc.  That was encouraging for me to hear…But back to the Terrell interview – Terrell will play on the outside at wide receiver.  It does not sound like he will get his number at Texas #15 and he was not sure what his number would be.  He was really excited about finally getting to play this spring and show what he could do.  He looked lighter than some of the pictures I had seen and towered over James Jones to my left...Back to Shawn McKinney, he was under the radar at IA Hubbard and despite interest from Baylor he decided to go juco.  Seemed to love Denton and the school.  …Next up was Quenton Brown.  Very impressive physical specimen, he was as tall as McKinney but much more defined.  Sort of a no nonsense personality answering my questions quickly and directly but also a good sense of humor.  He was a captain and leader of his Arizona junior college and while he played weak side end there he said UNT did not really have a strong or weak side position in the Skladany version of the 4-3.  His father was a boxer and actually had a tryout with an NBA team.  His dad was 7 feet tall but was only 6-6 when he tried out with the NBA team which I thought was interesting.  I get the feeling that Tony Benford will want to become fast friends with Quenton as he told me his younger brother is the #1 shooting guard prospect in the COUNTRY out of Wheeler Georgia, name is Jaylan Brown.   Quenton has been in Denton for 4 weeks.  When I asked him about what he thought of Denton and UNT he said, “Nice little setup.”  I brought up that he had left Central Florida and wondered if that was due to the coaching staff (as had been reported in some outlets) and he said that there were some issues with the coaching but the main reason he signed with UNT was due to a connection and belief in John Skladany from when he played under him at UCF.  Brown had 9 sacks last season and he is a huge Skladany disciple in that he truly believes he can surpass those numbers in Skladany’s system...Zed Evans the Louisville transfer was up next and we talked a little bit about his bowl game experience with Louisville and how much fun it would be to get back to one with North Texas.  Zed’s brother Erick Evans is a walk-on at North Texas and he is coming from Air Force.  Erick is a running back.  Zed will play safety and play on special teams at North Texas…Justin Manu is every bit of 6-5 and 300 pounds.  He is planning to be a Kinesiology major at UNT.  Manu said Chico Canales was a key component of him signing with North Texas. He said he knew that coming on the scene he would have to prove himself to his teammates but that he was a “leader” at Snow JC both on and off the field and expected to become the same here.   Fairly soft spoken and quiet he was very proud of his All American Juco selection and said he owed that to his coaches and teammates at Snow.  Manu said Denton was “Really Neat!” and said Frank Wentrich workouts were proving to be “challenging”.  My final interview was with Andrew Tucker who was excited to be reunited with former teammates Rex Rollins and Sir Calvin Wallace.  He felt Wallace could be a big part of the team at defensive tackle and seemed sincere. Tucker will play safety at North Texas and I have no doubt he has the athleticism and he reassured me that he loved the contact so it could well be a good match.  Tucker is living in Victory Hall and seems to enjoy it saying he was “comfortable”.  Unfortunately I did not get to have time with Brock Berglund who seemed to be like a celebrity with all of the media and flash bulbs going on around him and several other players that I would have liked to have spent time with but I really appreciated the ones I got.  Thanks to UNT SID Eric Capper for this format which was very helpful in getting to know some of the new faces in the UNT football program.  GMG!   ]]> Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:25:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-129-signing-day-2013-recap-and-player-interviews/ GoMeanGreen.com Bowl X April 13, 10AM http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-128-gomeangreencom-bowl-x-april-13-10am/ The 10th annual GoMeanGreen.com Bowl has an official date!  Please mark your calendars for this April 13th (2013) at 10 AM!  For those fans who have not yet experienced this fun event please plan on doing it this year and bring some friends!  This is a flag football game that includes both UNT Fans as well as former great UNT athletes from all sports. This is an event for EVERYONE no matter what your skill level and we encourage the ladies to join in.  The only thing that matters is your passion for North Texas!  The game features real referees and is played on the sacred ground of beautiful Apogee stadium. Their will be an official draft conducted to select both the green and white teams.  The game takes place the morning of UNT Football's annual spring game.   As in past years we will offer a silent auction and are working on other potential fun events.  More info to come but please mark down your calendar now for this fun game which raises money for UNT athletic scholarships.
 
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, DONATING, SPONSORING or VOLUNTEERING - Please mark the date on your calendar and leave a comment on this page below!  We will be using the website for much of the communication this year so we want to make sure you are in the loop.  Also, if you know of a former athlete or alumnus that you would like to invite please let us know if they are able to participate. With this event growing every year, we are very much in need of volunteers, silent auction items and sponsors.  Please give consideration to volunteering in the following ways:
  • Gameday - We need players, referees, and volunteers to set up the event, help with the setting up the game and clean up after.
  • Silent Auction - We need donated silent auction items and assistance with setting up and running the auction.
  • Sponsors - We are looking for individuals and businesses to donate either as a T-shirt sponsor (back or two sleeves) or through other ways.
  • Players - We have former players and alumni that would like to participate in this game but need to know about it.  Please pass this info on to Mean Green Friends and Family.
  • Fans - Just because you can't play doesn't mean we you can't participate!  Come be a fan and cheer on your favorite player in the game!
TO DONATE OR PAY YOUR $25 PARTICIPATION FEE VIA PAYPAL CLICK HERE!

Stay tuned to the gomeangreen.com website for more details!!  GMG!]]> Mon, 07 Jan 2013 18:53:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-128-gomeangreencom-bowl-x-april-13-10am/ <![CDATA[Coach Mac's WKU Postgame Interview]]> http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-127-coach-macs-wku-postgame-interview/ George: Thanks Hank, outside the North Texas locker room with UNT Head Coach Dan McCarney… boy a tough one to take…let’s kinda take it in order here,  you take a halftime lead… you take a 24-point lead into the 4th quarter I guess at that time you had to feel pretty good about this one.

Mac: Yeah George I mean, we were doing lots of the things you need to do – winning the turnover margin, not many penalties, running the ball with pretty good efficiency – getting some stops on defense.  So it wasn’t like anyone was arrogant or overconfident or anything like that but we knew what we had to do to win that football game but we just didn’t go do it.  Obviously we got 3 turnovers on defense and I think…I believe we only got a field goal out of it…*pause*… and we’ve got to do a better job of complimenting each other in each phase of the team.  When you get turnovers you have to get some points.  Obviously the one big mistake for the pick six really gave them the juice to get back into that game and feel like they could go on and win it.

George: Well and the field goal you got that’s when you’ve got the interception from Derek Akunne down to their 10-yard line and that’s a case where maybe you feel empty that you get a 3 instead of 7..

Mac:  Yeah, Absolutely you know in those kind of situations where you get a big, big play go in there knock it in for 7-points on the board and we were not able to do that.  So I am extremely disappointed and this is a hard one to swallow right now George.

George:  Yeah, now let’s talk about where the game seemed to turn – when you are up by 24-10 and the interception the pick six by Dawling from what you could see from the sideline the play itself what was called and what you were trying to do there?

Mac:  Just poor execution George, without going into all the details of it – really poor execution.  The last thing I said to the offensive staff was let’s protect the ball, our defense is playing their tails off…just take care of the football…we’re playing really good defense.  Obviously we didn’t do that and it’s really, really disappointing.  And the guy that made the play was a guy that I helped recruit to Florida, Jonathan Dawling from Bradenton southeast and he left Florida and transferred to WKU and it was a sensational play he made for the touchdown today.

George:  And not just on the scoreboard but it seemed their defense seemed to play differently after that…they seemed to fly around a little bit more and it seemed to just give them a huge boost in addition to what it did on the scoreboard.

Mac:  Yeah – we’ve all seen that through the years George, you’ve seen it just like I have.  You get new energy new enthusiasm, new confidence when someone rises up to make a play.  A play like that can really flip a game around and it did.  But really was a disappointing loss at the end.  But as I told my football players and my team in there I’m really proud of these seniors, there’s no cracks in the foundation of this program because of them – it’s a strong foundation and from the bottom of my heart and the fabric of my soul I appreciate all that they’ve done for us.  I want them to go on in life and be real successful and thanked them for all that they’ve done in our second year of building this thing.

George:  Well it’s tough probably to look forward after a game like this but you have 65 freshmen and sophomores on this team a number of players who have transferred and are sitting out this year, tough to think about now but the future of this program does look like it’s on the upward swing.

Mac:  Well there’s no doubt George, there’s really no doubt and we gotta learn from today and that’s really important as coaches and players so that doesn’t happen and we get into situations in the future that we hold on to those leads and we keep playing aggressively and we play smart and we don’t beat ourselves which it really looked like we did there..later in the second half.  And learn from it so that when we get in these situations next year we can close the deal, win some games and have opportunities to go on and play more games at the end of the season.

George:  Dan -- thanks for the time, appreciate it…

Mac:  Sure George thanks and thanks to all our fans for the phenomenal support.  I’m really proud to be the head coach at North Texas and the people that support us and the people I work for are as good as I’ve ever been around in college football.

George:  Thank you.]]> Sun, 25 Nov 2012 03:56:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-127-coach-macs-wku-postgame-interview/ <![CDATA[UNT's 4th yr. mistake still lingers]]> http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-126-unts-4th-yr-mistake-still-lingers/
The problem is he should have left a year earlier than he did; and I believe had we been able to make that change we would be a much stronger program now - and we wouldn't be leaving the Sun Belt in the manner  as it appears that we may this season.

Dodge's record in his first three UNT seasons (2007-10) was 2-10, 1-11, 2-10...  Dodge was dismissed in October of 2010 (his 4th season) after going 1-6.

Everyone, including Todd Dodge knew that after year three things were likely not going to turn around.  I think Dodge was surprised that UNT granted him the fourth year rather than just pay out his 5-year guaranteed contract and move on.  But, either one or some combination of Dr. Bataille and or The Board of Regents chose not to do this, and I don't know if we will ever know exactly why.

Some cite that giving Dodge an additional year would help them put together a more respectable package for the new coach, and allow for a significant increase in assistant salaries which were woefully light.  Whatever you think the reason was, one thing is clear.  A college football coach cannot recruit quality high school athletes when they know his contract term is not going to be renewed.  7 years of osing football hurts recruiting without a doubt but when parents know a coach will likely not be there for their son's 4-5 university experience they most often will take a pass.  After two consecutive losing seasons Dodge was in a hole and he knew that time was not on his side.  Especially with UNT's biggest capital expenditure ever - a new stadium -  on the horizon.

So Dodge did what any other coach would do in that situation, he sold out juco.  Unfortunately when he rolled the dice it was UNT's chips on the craps table.  Dodge thought if he didn't win in 2009 (year 3) he would be gone...so in his 2009 signing class out of 21 he signed 8, again almost half of the entire class.  Then, likely surprised that he was being given a pass for year 4 out of 22 signees 10 were jucos, again almost 50% of the entire class.

This is - in my opinion - the MAIN reason we are struggling as a program right now.  As Tasty and others point out, it's certainly not the ONLY reason.

Some say other Sun Belt programs have been able to turn things around faster with new coaching staffs.  Hugh Freeze benefited mightily from a very talented roster that Steve Roberts has assembled.  At ULL Hudspeth inherited Ricky Bustle's best team since he had been there.  While Dodge was going juco, Willie Taggert was building his program with good high school talent and it started paying off.  I did an analysis of Sun Belt schools and their juco recruiting awhile back and the consensus was very few of the Belt schools here lately do a LOT of juco recruiting, the biggest one appeared to be Troy and I think it has been hurting them the past couple of season.  The reason they don't is because most of the time it DOESN'T work and in the case of Dodge it is taking years for us to rebuild from this mistake.

Here's where UNT is struggling in recruiting now and they aren't alone.  Dicky used to tell me that he wanted 6-3, 6-4 guys that could run.  If they had size great, but if they didn't but had the frame to add size it was ok.  This is the prototype that EVERY college football team wants and to compound the situation they are extremely rare. These guys turn into defensive ends, defensive tackles, tight ends and sometimes offensive linemen.   I haven't seen enough of this YET in Mac's 1st full year class -- I hope we will see more of this in future classes.

We need to get better and deeper at QB.  Just watch TCU to see what the impact of the QB position can be, with Pachall they could win the national championship, without him they are a mid tier Big 12 team at best.  What would Arkansas State be without Ryan Aplin?  Finally, we need more size on defense, especially on the defensive line and at linebacker.  I love the way our defense moves to the ball but we need to bring more cement with them.  The Dickey era teams lacked speed but more than made up for it with their ability to punish runners and receivers with the ball.  Mac’s love for team speed has kept us somewhat devoid of the headhunter category at linebacker and safety.

I received an email from a good fan asking if the talent level wasn't up to par why wouldn't they be playing more of the freshmen signees.  Mac understands that while some of these kids could probably help us this season, for the good of the program they should spend another season building their bodies under Frank Wentrich.  Having an additional year of development and growth will only help in their confidence and make them better players.  This is a strategy I am 100% behind Mac on.

The one area that I will share in others with is you have to recruit well to improve your program and we don't have 5-years to get this ship righted.  I don't know if anyone doubts that this coaching staff is one of the best we have ever had in terms of experience.  What they haven't yet been able to prove to us is that they can recruit.  This will take a year or two because remember they really only have one full year of recruiting class under their belts.  Last season they didn't officially have the C-USA move to sell, it was only rumor.  Now they have it and I am really interested to see how having 4-Texas teams in conference will play with recruits and their families.  I know that Dickey and Dodge would have killed to have that to sell not to mention the stadium.  After losing to MTSU we likely won't get to a bowl but its not impossible.  I think now you try to win as many as you can to help the 2013 recruiting class.  GMG.]]> Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:06:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-126-unts-4th-yr-mistake-still-lingers/ Who can help us now? - 2012 UNT Football Recruiting Class Review http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-123-who-can-help-us-now-2012-unt-football-recruiting-class-review/ Projected Immediate Impact Signees (8)

1).  LaJaylin "LJ" Smith, LB, 6-0, 218, LaPlace, Louisiana (St. Charles Catholic HS) Coached by Frank Monica - Smith was a three-time Class 3A all-state pick and a three-time first-team all-district pick at St. Charles Catholic, who went 15-0 and won the Louisiana 3A State title in 2011….As a senior Smith led the St. Charles Catholic defense with 60 tackles and 13 sacks and as a junior he racked up 75 tackles, eight sacks, and five PBU’s….Smith was a three-time first-team all-river parish selection….Smith played in the 2011 Bayou River Showdown All-Star Game…. He was named to the Louisiana Football Magazine Heart of Champions team after the 2011 season.

Harry's thoughts:  I think Smith has the ability to help us right away.  If not at linebacker, he could most certainly help on special teams.  He will have to adjust to the size of D-I players but certainly is the type of athlete that could raise the level of play from day 1.

2).  Boone Feldt - C - 6-3 - 276 - Buda, TX (Buda Hayes HS) Coached by his father Blake Feldt - ESPN ranked him as the #9 center prospect in the country...He is a two time first team all district selection and was named to the Austin American Statesman 2011 All Centex First Team...Named to the AP Class 3A All State First Team...One of the very best linemen in the State of Texas in a year considered to be one of the deepest in that position..younger brother of Cam (a 4-star Rivals recruit) who transferred in to North Texas from Arkansas last season and will be eligible to participate in Spring Practice...played center for most of his career before moving to center at Pilot Point HS...Father Blake is the head coach at Buda Hays and lettered at Texas Tech...Outstanding strength and agility, he is expected to compete for playing time immediately alongside his brother on a pretty experienced UNT offensive line in 2012...He committed to North Texas on 07/30/2011.

Harry's Thoughts:  I know that our offensive line is pretty loaded this year but I still see a chance for Feldt to break into the two deep unless a decision is made to redshirt him.  He's a very good player and could immediately help us at center if we wanted to move Fortenberry to guard.

3).  Xavier Kelly, Cornerback, 5-11, 170, Katy, Texas (Mayde Creek HS) Rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com…Kelly had 60 tackles, two interceptions, two blocked field goals, and four PBU’s as a senior…Moved to Texas from the state of Florida, where he compiled 98 tackles, five interceptions, and 13 PBU’s at Winter Park HS…..Kelly was named to the 2010 All-Orlando First Team as a defensive back…..Kelly was a 2011 BrightHouse Sports Network Preseason Football Honor Roll Honorable Mention pick as a defensive back.

Harry's Thoughts:  This is a guy who because of the position he plays could be an IMMEDIATE starter for North Texas.  I think because he moved from Florida he was very under the radar and I know that they will be expecting big things from him right away.  At the very least I expect him to be in the cornerback rotation.

4).  Sir Calvin Wallace - DT - 6-3 - 300 – Tyler, Texas (Chapel Hill HS) Coached by Thomas Sitton – Another key component of Chapel Hill's run to the State Championship win against Alvarado in 2011...He was recruited to North Texas by Coach Anthony Weaver...Named 2011 Class 3A First Team All State team by TheOldCoach.com...Had 73 tackles as a junior and nine tackles for a loss….Wallace was named District 17-3A First Team this season...In 2010 Wallace was the Defensive Newcomer of the Year for District 17-3A and a second-team All-East Texas Defensive line pick...

Harry's Thoughts:  Starting to sound like a broken record I know - but I see a role for Sir Calvin here right away.  Perhaps not at nose tackle, where we bring in two 300 pounders in Big Dick Abbe and Tevin Cantly, but rather he could provide depth at nose which would allow someone to help out defensive tackle where we are small and thin.  I would be shocked to see Sir Calvin as an immediate starter, but I think if he shows up in shape he could certainly be a rotational player at nose.

5).  Devante Davis- S - 5-11 - 185 - 4.5 - Baton Rouge, LA (Woodlawn HS) Coached by Don Jones - All District his junior and senior year.....Davis was rated as the No 63. safety in the nation by ESPN…..As a senior, Davis had 97 tackles, four PBU’s, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery….MaxPreps.com ranked Davis as the No. 48 rated player in the state of Louisiana….Davis played the in the U. S. Army Red Stick Bowl All-Star Game and was named the Defensive MVP of the game as he had an interception … Had 85 tackles, eight pass breakups, five forced fumbles, and two interceptions as a junior and was named first-team all-district. Davis committed to North Texas on 07/05/2011....he runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and is considered a four-tool player meaning that he can play cornerback, safety, punt and kickoff return.

Harry's Thoughts:  With Freddie Warner's injury Davis could be an immediate impact player at corner.

6).  Dutton Watson - DE - 6-3 - 245 - 4.8 - Midland, Texas (Midland HS) - Was selected Honorable Mention on the Texas Associated Press Sports Editors on the Class 5A All-State team...Watson finished the season with 48 tackles and a team-high 18 tackles for loss and six sacks which is impressive given the fact most teams schemed around him...Won the District 3-5A Discuss Championship by breaking the 170-foot barrier...Coached by Craig Yenzer...Watson was a three-year starter at defensive end for Midland High. During that span, he made 132 tackles, 13 sacks and 36 tackles for loss. Watson has been a first-team all-district selection the last two seasons.

Harry's Thoughts:  I really like what I see on film for Watson and despite the fact I would love to see him get a redshirt year to bulk up in  the weight room, I just think he may be too talented to leave on sidelines.  I see Watson as an immediate rotational guy that could vie for a starting position as the season evolves.

7).  Jarrian Roberts - LB - Ht:6'2" Wt:220 - Clarksville, TX (Clarksville, HS) - Versatile athlete that played defensive end his junior year and middle linebacker in his senior year. Was an honorable mention 1A All State Selection at linebacker in 2012... Was recruited to North Texas by Coach Mike Simmonds... As a junior and senior he lettered in four sports; All-State in basketball, All-State in football, a regional qualifier in shot put, and an All-District pitcher in baseball. Committed to North Texas on 07/20/2011....Roberts was named the All-Red River Valley Football Defensive MVP by the Paris News as he averaged 13 tackles a game this season…...Roberts piled up 118 tackles on the year, eight tackles for a loss, and six sacks as he was named the District 6-1A Defensive MVP.

Harry's Thoughts:  I really took it on the chin here - I'll admit, I was worried about a small school kid making the transition to FBS ball but as we learned close to signing day that this kids stock skyrocketed and Iowa State and Tulsa both offered him late.  After reviewing his video, I think he may be really, really special and could help us right away especially with the big loss of Stock at outside linebacker.

8).  David Busby- DB - 5-11 - 179 - 4.5 - Coppell, TX (Coppell HS) Coached by Joe McBride -Busby was rated a three-star recruit by ESPN.com and 247Sports.com, Busby and ranked No. 67 among all 2012 cornerbacks in the country by ESPN. He was a first-team all-district selection his senior season and he had six interceptions and 70 tackles and was an AP honorable mention all-state selection….Busby notched 85 tackles, 14 pass break-up’s, and had seven interceptions as a junior….The seven interceptions in 2010 were the most in the state of Texas….In 2010 Busby was an AP First Team All State pick….In 2009 Busby was the District 6-5A Newcomer of the Year and an all-district pick as a sophomore….He totaled 15 interceptions during his high school career.

Harry's Thoughts:  I have to put Busby as an immediate impact guy, not because safety is as big a need area as say corner might be but rather, Busby is battle tested at a high (5A) level of competition and against top notch wide receivers with speed.  I think Busby may very well be backing up Oklahoma transfer Mike Trice from day one...he's that good.

Carlos Harris - RB - 5'8" - 175 - 4.4 - Frisco HS (TX) As a senior had 1723 yards rushing and 21 TD’s at Frisco...Was the District sophomore of the year...Named the Dallas Morning News Player of the Week after rushing for 446 yards and 7 touchdowns in a game...As a junior Harris rushed for 713 yards and 8 touchdowns...Could play running back, corner, return kicks and punts but most likely will see time at wide receiver...will remind fans of former Mean Green star Jamel Branch from Katy..

Harry's Thoughts: I won't list Harris as immediate impact although you could make an argument that what he brings to special teams would fit for that category.  I will say this, I wouldn't put it past Mac and Chico to find a way to get this kid on the field in key 3rd down situations and due to his speed and elusiveness.  With Brelan Chancellor moving to more of a traditional wide receiver it is quite possible that we see Harris move into the old Chancellor offensive role with reverses and quick outs.  He should be a very fun player to watch sort of a Billy "White Shoes" Johnson clone.

Ryan Rentfro - OG - 6'4" - 280 - FM Marcus (TX) Was a second team All State selection by OldCoach.com...Named to the All District 8-5A Team as a senior...Logged 68 pancakes and 42 knockdowns as a senior...Rentfro committed to North Texas on 01/22/2012

Harry's Thoughts:  Rentfro is a good sized good looking prospect that will help North Texas but based on  the numbers we have coming back in the O-Line and barring major injuries I see him as a red shirt candidate this year.

Jamal Marshall - DB - 6-3 - 185 - 4.4 - Fort Bend, TX (Elkins HS) - Marshall is a track athlete who just recently started playing football...Had 46 tackles, 10 pass blocks and 2 sacks as a senior...has outstanding speed and size for his position...His personal best in the 200-meter was 23.17 seconds and he participated in the State relays for Elkins.

Harry's Thoughts:  Marshall is probably the most intriguing of all of the signees in that he has boiler plate size and speed for a cover corner.  Given the fact that cover corner is a major concern for UNT with injuries, graduation etc..I probably should place Marshall as an immediate impact guy but I think he may need a year to learn the system and adjust to the speed of the game at this level.  

Connor Trussell, Offensive Line, 6-5, 285, Arlington, Texas (Martin HS) -
Was a key member of an offensive line that helped Martin rush for nearly 3,500 yards last season and advance to the Class 5A Division I state quarterfinals…Primarily played right tackle, but also has experience at guard and as long snapper….Ran a 5.49 40-yard dash…Ran a 1.82 10-yard dash…Bench pressed 185 pounds 27 times…

Harry's Thoughts:  Trussell is a good sized good looking prospect that will help North Texas but based on  the numbers we have coming back in the O-Line and barring major injuries I see him as a red shirt candidate this year.

Mustafa Haboul, Defensive Tackle, 6-0, 247, Arlington, Texas (Martin HS) Was first-team All-District 4-5A...Dallas Morning News named him Player of the Week following a 19-7 in over Euless Trinity, in which Haboul had five tackles going against Hiva Lutui, a four-star offensive linemen rated one of the best in Texas …Did not play football until his freshman year…Started as a sophomore… Nicknamed the "Beast"...Had eight sacks, 49 tackles, and a fumble return for a touchdown in 2011…In his junior year, he had 18 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack and three fumble recoveries...Was used on offense in short-yardage situations and scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion…Also member of the Martin track and field team, competing in shot put and discus.

Harry's Thoughts:  I love the heart and desire that this kid brings to the table, and he could be a big surprise in Fall camp because I don't think he will take much crap and will immediately bring a physical nature to his coaches and teammates.  That said, I would like to see him get a full redshirt year to develop in the weight room and work on his technique.  I think he's a McCarney blue collar lunch pail type of kid that will make the players around him better.  

Rex Rollins - RB – 6-1, 185, 4.5 - Tyler, TX (Chapel Hill HS) Coached by Thomas Sitton – An outstanding athlete, Rollins moved in from Hallsville just before his junior season and would become a key cog in Chapel Hill's 2011 State Championship run. He played both running back and cornerback...Rollins was a first-team District 17-3A pick as a running back this season…..He rushed for 961 yards and eight touchdowns. …..As a junior he rushed for over 800 yards, with eight touchdowns and he averaged 9.6 yards a carry...Was a key member of his high school team that went 15-0 and won the Class 3A Division I state championship and a teammate of UNT defensive tackle signee Sir Calvin Wallace... Rollins participated on Chapel Hill's 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams at the state finals...he was a past teammate of Chapel Hill defensive back Laramie Lee, who played for UNT last year...former North Texas Coach Anthony Weaver recruited Rollins...Rollins was North Texas’ first recruit of the 2012 class committing on 6/15/2011.

Harry's Thoughts: Rollins is slated to be a safety and with the addition of transfer Mike Trice (Oklahoma) and depending on how he performs in two-a-days may be looking at a redshirt year.

Jamarcus Jarvis, Running Back, 5-10, 195, Houma, Louisiana (East. Ascension HS) - Jarvis was a first-team all-district selection in 2011 as he rushed for 932 yards and 11 touchdowns…He also had 20 receptions on the year for 343 yards and compiled 1,275 all-purpose yards on the year with 15 total touchdowns his senior year….Jarvis rushed for 800 yards as a junior and had 10 touchdowns…He played in the U.S. Army Red Stick Bowl All-Star Game in which he rushed for 36 yards on six carries, and was the second leading rusher on his team….Jarvis, also a sprinter, was a member of the Class 5A 4x100 relay team that won the state title last season and took first place at the LSU Relays and the Griffin Relays.

Harry's Thoughts: Not sure where Jamarcus fits, he could be the redshirt running back with a long line of guys at that position or they could decide to move him to safety.  Not sure if he would be looked at corner or not. As with all of these, his performance during two a days will dictate whether or not the staff sees him helping out on special teams.  I won't put him as immediate impact player but he's an interesting player to consider.

Malik Dilonga - DE - 6-4 - 245 - 4.95 - Cedar Hill, TX (Trinity Christian) Coached by Offers NT, ULM COMMITTED North Texas 07/20/2011. Dilonga (6-4, 245) was a first-team TAPPS Division II, District 2 selection and 2nd team all district selection as a junior. Had 45 tackles 4 passes blocked...Did you know: Malik's sister Monique and two of her friends who are also close to him are students at UNT...plays center on the TC basketball team.

Harry's Thoughts:  This one is tough, because I have no idea on how Dilonga shows up...he has the potential of growing significantly (ie comparisons to Adrian Awasom) and I sense that he may end up at defensive tackle before all is said and done. Assuming he shows up close  I think Mike Nelson will choose to try and redshirt Dilonga if he can.  

Nick Schrapps WR Ht:6'3" Wt:197 40:4.62 - Beaumont, Texas (Monsignor Kelly HS) – Schrapps was a first-team all-state and first team all-district player his senior season...Was a 3-time TAPPS 3-5A all-district selection...as a junior he had 68-receptions for 718 yards and 7 tds...He committed to North Texas on 09/01/2011...an outstanding basketball player, Schrapps gave up hoops in his senior year to focus on football...Recruited by North Texas Coach Mike Nelson...He was a first-team all-district player and a second-team all-state player as a junior... Named the week eight winner of the Built Ford Tough award for a 10 reception, 230 yard and three touchdowns….Was a second-team all-district player his freshman season…..Schrapps was named the Port Arthur News 40th Super Team Wide Receiver….Also named to the Beaumont Enterprise 2011 Super Gold Football Team….Schrapps was also academic all-state selection his senior year.

Harry's Thoughts:  I like Schrapps and can see a possible place for him as a possession receiver but I won't put him as immediate impact with the usual disclaimer that he could make a place for himself in 2-a-days.  I do this because I think we may be ok in terms of possession receiver this year, especially with a solid spring from Chaz Sampson and may be looking more for a speed guy to infuse into Chico's offense.

Brad Horton DE Ht:6'6" Wt:240 40:4.7 - Liberty Christian Argyle TX - Coached by Greg Price - A 1st Team TAPPS 1-I Selection at defensive end...Tremendous potential with great height (6-6) and speed (4.8 40)...Focused on basketball until his junior year...He committed to North Texas on 09/09/2011...Dad played baseball for Texas Tech...Recruited by former North Texas Coach Clint Bowen.  Named 2011-12 TAPPS All-State Defensive First Team and a First Team all-district pick his senior season….Horton was an all-district player his junior season…..A versatile athlete, Horton is also a three-time all-district basketball selection.

Harry's Thoughts: Big Brad will come with a LOT of fanfare due to the fact he has a frame and size that we just haven't seen much of around here.  I'm going to lean towards redshirting him (similar to Diloga) because a year in the weight room could do wonders.  He could be a future bookend of Skladany's defense and I would expect that his best years come in C-USA.

Mark Lewis, Running Back, 5-10, 210, Livonia, Louisiana (Livonia HS) Lewis rushed for a school record 1,965 yards and 33 touchdowns his senior season….He was named to 2011 LSWA (Louisiana Sports Writers Association) Class 3A All-State football team and was the leading rusher in Class 3A in the state of Louisiana...Lewis was named the District 5-3A MVP and was a Class 3A First-Team All-State selection his senior year…..He was named to the All-Metro team by the Baton Rouge Advocate his senior season…..Played in the U.S. Army Red Stick Bowl All-Star Game and was the leading rusher in the game with 53 yards along with being named the skill player MVP for his team….He was a two-time first-team all-district player and a four-time all-parish team selection…. Lewis was a finalist for the Warrick Dunn Award.

Harry's Thoughts:  Very talented player that is at a position with a bit of a line.  Lewis' best chance is if he can prove himself to be a guy that can get 3-4 inside the tackles consistently.  An interesting thing to keep in mind about Lewis is he was a fierce linebacker prior to moving to running back so defense is not completely out of the question.  With the numbers we return at RB I will not list him as an immediate impact but again performance in camp could get him in the mix and he most certainly could be an immediate impact player on special teams.

Dustin Clark OLB Ht:6'0" Wt:202 - Borger HS (TX) Clark, recorded 18½ sacks as the Bulldogs advanced to the Class 3A Division I playoffs. He committed to North Texas on 12/17/2011...Was selected to the All State AP 2nd team and was the District 10 3A MVP...shows an incredible burst of speed from the edge and projects to be a linebacker and could help out on special teams right away...Was Coached by Rusty Purser..Was recruited by UNT Coach Nick Quartaro.

Harry's Thoughts:  Initial thought is his edge speed makes him a possibility on passing downs but I will lean towards letting him redshirt if you can.  Obviously Stock's departure gives him an opening that hadn't been there prior.  And Clark is clearly a possibility for special teams.

Let's hear your thoughts on this topic!  Please provide your comments here or on the Mean Green Football Board!]]> Mon, 14 May 2012 18:24:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-123-who-can-help-us-now-2012-unt-football-recruiting-class-review/ UNT to C-USA Press Conference Musings http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-122-unt-to-c-usa-press-conference-musings/ rd (club level) or 5th (media) floors.  We went to the 5th and it was being held in the Bill Mercer press room which is pretty nice albeit much smaller than the Club area that they used for the Tony Benford press conference.

Evan and Joe recognized Coach Rob Evans when he walked in almost immediately.  I wasn’t sure it was him and there were a lot of suits in the place by that time.  I finally got the courage to go over and shake his hand.  He made no mention about the UNT job and I didn’t ask but I went away thinking this man is going to be coaching for us!

I recognized several other people as they filed in.  C. Dan Smith was a familiar face, and I was happy to shake his hand and thank him for all of his contributions over the years.  A really good man, we are lucky to have him.  There appeared to be a fairly good contingent of faculty and administration folks, and the usual suspects, Vito, the Daily and the like.   There was definitely a sense of excitement in the air as the room started to fill and you couldn’t help but admire the CUSA logo’s intermingled in the North Texas décor.

SID Eric Capper called things to order and introduced RV who quickly passed the mic over to UNT president Lane Rawlins and the Chairman of the Board of Regents Jack Wall.   Wall spoke on behalf of the Board and  tried to emphasize that this was about student athletes and the importance of proximity to other Texas cities.  He spoke of the academic prowess of schools like Rice, Tulane and Tulsa and how good it was to be associated with them in that particular regard.

I really enjoyed hearing Dr. Rawlins speak.  You could tell it was a proud moment for him, having once started C-USA and now later in his career being a catalyst in securing North Texas’ spot.  Rawlins was very strong and direct in his comments, saying that the stadium /facilities and location were major factors in UNT’s admission and giving Villarreal credit for getting the stadium done.  He spoke to how hard it was to get ailing programs going in the right direction these days, and how had we made the type of commitment we had of late 20 years ago it would have elevated us to a completely different place.  The positive thing that comes from that is that we – as an athletic program – have proven that we can overcome obstacles and make things happen.

Rawlins best point was during a Q&A session where he basically said that we should “Celebrate this moment but get ready to get up and do some work”, because opportunities like we have in this conference can either be maximized or squandered having experienced both in his career.  He and Villarreal seemed optimistic that UNT was poised to take advantage this time.

Villarreal spoke for most of the event – and rightly so – having been here a decade and witnessing the transformation that has occurred.  I thought he carefully covered all of the bases that he needed to.  Thanking the students, fans, administrators, coaches etc...  I couldn’t think of one group that he left out.  I thought it was particularly nice that he chose to thank the former players from past conferences who kept the dream alive for the program despite lacking facilities and support.  

You sensed how much Rick had matured in this position and there was a sense of confidence in his speech.  Two of the guy’s hires were now at UT and LSU; he had landed one of the most promising basketball coaches in the country in Tony Bedford (who is already showing he can recruit) and just weeks before convinced women’s basketball coach Mike Peterson to leave a solid Wake Forest program.   This guy is on a roll and the C-USA invite may well be the biggest prize of his career.

There were a few emotional moments, which were given the circumstances expected, but overall I thought it was a very good speech – a little long perhaps but again he had a lot of people to thank.  Rick got pretty choked up speaking to how Wright Waters took him under his wing and helped him along even though he had never been an AD before.  Also when he thanked Dr. Pohl, who didn't know sports and yet knew that it was important to the University.  Even threw a bone to Gretchen Bataille for making the stadium process happen.

But all of this was stuff that you could watch yourself on the video of the entire event of course.  You probably would gather a lot more of the specific details that way.

As a fan it was a glorious day.  There were lots of smiles and handshakes, an overall sense of “We Made It!” reverberated throughout the room.   I’m not going to lie; I saw a lot of smiles.  People were very upbeat and it was nice visiting with folks like Hank Dickenson who had been around since the Helwig years.  

I even got to throw in a question near the end.  I couldn't believe that there hadn't been one baseball question so I carefully asked RV how C-USA would impact UNT's baseball timeline.  He snapped back quickly, "I knew you were going to ask that question.." and everyone laughed.  I got a real sense that baseball was close and that he had just a few more details (and probably money) to sew up before it could be finalized.  If you are a baseball fan you should be excited because it's coming, it's just a matter of time and C-USA is a very good baseball league.

The surprise and really highlight of the event was the appearance of Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky.  It was late in the presentation and Rick said we have a special guest introducing Banowsky who came in through the back door and walked through the crowd receiving a nice applause.  I figured out later that he had been to Louisiana Tech earlier in the day and was just getting in from the airport.
Banowsky was taller than I pictured him in person, very charismatic almost the polar opposite of the more stoic Waters.  He’s a youthful  50, big smile and appears very lawyer thoughtful peering through his designer glasses, always careful to  qualify his genuine enthusiasm for North Texas with “and the conference as a whole..”  He made particular mention of the fact that C-USA was looking to get some regional traction in these “market based” moves almost like a chemist that was mixing a conference stew.  

At times it felt almost surreal, the CUSA red banners, a window view of beautiful Apogee to my left, and the Conference USA commissioner who I had seen in pictures was speaking to us as part of his team. We finally, after some long and precarious roads, had made it into Conference USA.   As a UNT alum and fan, it was one of my best moments.]]> Sat, 05 May 2012 05:18:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-122-unt-to-c-usa-press-conference-musings/ GMG.COM BOWL 2012 FLAG FOOTBALL RULES http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-120-gmgcom-bowl-2012-flag-football-rules/
FLAG FOOTBALL RULES

START OF THE GAME

1)  Game time is starting time.  The officials watch will be the timepiece used to decide game time.
2)  The WHITE TEAM will be designated the HOME TEAM and shall call the toss.  The winner of the toss shall have choice of options. The options are:  
1) Offense
2) Defense
3) Direction
4) Defer to second half.

GAME TIME AND TIME OUTS

1)  Games will consist of two 20 minute halves.  The clock will be a running clock for the 20-minute duration of each half.  At the expiration of each 20-min. half an additional seven (7) plays will be allowed. Half-time will be ten (10 minuets in duration.  
3)  The offensive team has 25 seconds from the time the ball and restraining line is set by the officials to put the ball back into play.  If the team exceeds 25 seconds a delay of game penalty will be assessed.
4)  A game or half cannot end on a defensive penalty unless the penalty is refused.

PASSING

1)  All players are eligible to receive a pass
2)  Only one forward pass per down (either over handed or underhanded) is allowed.
3) No forward hand-offs between the quarterback and the center is allowed.
4) At the time of a pass reception, the receiver must have one foot down and in bounds for a complete pass (ball in complete control).
5)  Any number of backward or lateral passes are permitted.

FUMBLES

1)  All fumbled balls touching the ground are dead immediately at the spot the ball first touches the ground and the ball is next put in play from that spot.
2)  The team fumbling the ball retains possession except on fourth down.
3)  The “kick” which touches the ground after being touched by a receiver is dead at that spot.




GMG.COM FLAG FOOTBALL 2012 RULES  P. 2.


4)  All incomplete laterals or passes behind the line of scrimmage will be spotted where the ball lands.
5)  Any player catching a pass or fumbled ball that does not touch the ground can advance that ball.
6)  The offensive team may not fumble a ball forward in mid-air to advance the ball.

FLAG BELTS AND LEGAL “TACKLES”

1)  Each player must wear a flag belt.  Each team should wear a different color flag belt id available.  Every player must have their shirt tucked in their pants.
2)  If a player losses his/her flag belt and has possession of the ball, the defense must touch them with ONE HAND between the shoulders and knees to make a legal “tackle”.
3)  A legal tackle is made when a defensive player detaches the flag from the ball carrier.
4) A shielding infraction will be called if a ball carrier uses his/her arms, hands, the ball or clothing to hide or prevent an opponent from pulling the flag.
5)  The ball is dead if either knew of the ball carrier touches the ground at any time.

TIE AND OVERTIME GAMES

1)  In case of a tie at the end of regulation play, overtime will be played.
2)  Each team will get one possession.
3)  The ball will be placed at the forty yard line.  Each team will have four (4) downs to either score or get a first down to continue possession.  In the event neither team scores, the winner will be determined by yards gained in the overtime period.

EQUIPMENT

1)  Only sneakers and artificial turf shoes are permitted (no metal cleats, spikes or bare feet will be allowed).
2) No jewelry (rings, necklaces, or earrings) is to be worn when playing.

FIELD DIMENSIONS AND DOWNS

The game will be played on a regulation 100-yard long, 50-yard wide playing surface. A first down will be earned upon a gain of 20-yards by the offensive team within the allowed number of downs (4).

NUMBER OF PLAYERS

1)  There is a minimum of six (6) players per team to start a game with a maximum of nine (9) players per team on the field at any one time.

GMG.COM FLAG FOOTBALL 2012 GAME RULES  P. 3.



2)  Free substitution is allowed after the ball is ready for play and before the snap, each player or entering substitute of an offensive team can be lined up anywhere behind the line of scrimmage.
3)  There will be a one-yard restraining line for the defensive team while in any formation or situation; the officials will mark off the restraining line.
4) Only one offensive player may be in motion parallel to the line at any one time before the ball is snapped.

LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

The team in possession of the ball must have a minimum of five (5) and a maximum of seven (7) players on the line of scrimmage at the start of each offensive play.  A maximum of five (5) defensive players may rush the passer after the snap and upon a count of “two” (2 second delay) after the snap.  All rushers must rush around not through opposing and blocking players.  Blocking players must have their hands behind their backs (no hands), and leg blocking is not allowed.

PUNTING

1)  The referee will ask the offensive team on all fourth downs if the intend to punt or “go for it”.  There are no fakes allowed.
2)  All players must remain at the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked.  Defensive players may put their hands up and/or jump to block the punt as long as they do not cross the line of scrimmage.
3) On a bad snap, the ball is dead where it first touches the ground.
4)  The ball may be punted or an arcing “pass” may be substituted for an actual punt.
5)  The receiving team may have a max. of three (3) players back to receive the punt (or pass in lieu of punt), all other receiving team players must be on the line of scrimmage and cannot move until the receiving teams punt return ball carrier passes the original line of scrimmage.  Punting team players are free to proceed downfield after the ball is punted to defend the punt return.
6) If the ball is muffed or dropped by the receiving team after a punt (or pass in lieu of a punt) the ball is dead where it first touches the ground.  
7)  If the punt (or pass in lieu of punt) hits the ground prior to being touched by a receiver, the receiver must obtain possession of the ball after the first bounce in order to advance the ball.

BLOCKING

1)  The only type of blocking allowed is screen blocking.  All blocking must be made with the blocker in an upright position with both hands clasped in front or behind their backs or directly at their sides.
GMG.COM FLAG FOOTBALL 2012 GAME RULES, P. 4

2)  No player may use his/her hands to go through, over or around an opponent.
3)  No body blocks, roll blocks or shoulder blocks are allowed at any time (Penalty will be expulsion from the game).  Offensive players may not keep their elbows out when blocking, they must be against the body.

INADVERTENT WHISTLE

The ball will be ruled dead at the spot where it was when the whistle was blown.

SAFETY AND TOUCHBACKS

1)  A fumbled ball by an offensive player in their end zone constitutes a safety
2)  If a team intercepts a pass in the end zone and does not advance the ball out of the end zone it is a touchback.
3)  If a team receives a punt in their end zone and does not advance it out of the end zone, it is a touchback.  The ball is put in play on the 10-yard line.
4)  Following a safety, the ball shall be placed on the 10-yard line of the team credited with the safety.


SCORING

1) Touchdown scored by a male participant:  6 points
2)  Touchdown scored by a female (as runner, receiver or passer) participant:  7 points
3) Safety: 2 points
4)  Point after Touchdown:
A.  From 3 yard-line: 1 point
B.  From 10-yard line:  2 points
C.  Extra point scored by a female participant (as runner, receiver or        
passer) adds one (1) point

PENALTIES
Section 1:  Penalties with a loss of 5 yards:
Delay of game
Illegal substitution
Free kick infractions
Interference with opponent or ball before snap
False start or any other illegal act by the snapper
Encroachment
Less than 4 players on line before the snap
Illegal position at snap
Player illegally in motion
Illegal shift
Illegally handling the ball forward
Illegal forward pass (includes loss of down)
Illegal procedure
GMG.COM FLAG FOOTBALL 2012 GAME RULES, P. 5.

Offsides

Section 2:  Penalties with a loss of 10 yards
Delaying start of either half
Pass interference-(if defensive ball spotted at infraction & first down)
Holding, illegal block or blocking below the waist
Striking, kicking, kneeing (also result in disqualification)
Clipping, tripping or hurdling
Illegal participation
Unsportsmanlike conduct by player, coach or attendant
Pushing runner
Illegal use of hands or arms
Roughing the kicker (automatic first down)
Roughing the passer
Holding the ball carrier to remove the flag
Guarding the flag or stiff arming


Section 3:
Measurement of half the distance to the goal line is done inside the 10-yard line for 5-yard penalties and inside the 20-yard line on 10-yard penalties.]]> Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:13:00 +0000 http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/blog/1/entry-120-gmgcom-bowl-2012-flag-football-rules/