Finney named JUCO Defensive Player of the Year

[NT03]

North Texas signee LB Cortney Finney from TVCC named NJCAA DEF Player of the Year #UNT #GMG http://t.co/KFEZAtI2l6

— UNTSportsGuy (@UNTSportsNewz)

December 19, 2014

[greenit]

Congrats to Cortney. Huge accomplishment.

Current UNT LBs: Time to raise your game!

[Harry]

Big honor. Good to have him in the fold.

Where does everybody see him playing? He is listed as an inside linebacker but could probably play all three.

[GOMG2013]

Congrats to Cortney. Huge accomplishment.

Current UNT LBs: Time to raise your game!

This is an extremely impressive accomplishment. To get NATIONAL juco defensive player of the year.

It's going to be hard to keep him out of the starting lineup. It doesn't seem like cosh is the type to complain about lack of talent from players, but with an accomplishment like this, you can't really say the talent will be an issue. If we can't make a juco MVP work, then how can we ever justify going juco ever again?

Very nice recruiting win in a big area of need. Can't underestimate getting Finney AND his teammate Dakota smith, who both played at a high level on an UNDEFEATED CHAMPIONSHIP, juco team. They should have chemistry and trust, which is important for a defensive unit. With a new DC and linebacker coach, new system...they all are starting from scratch.

[UNTLifer]

But our coaches can't recruit, remember.

[GOMG2013]

Big honor. Good to have him in the fold.

Where does everybody see him playing? He is listed as an inside linebacker but could probably play all three.

He can play outside. He played some ss in high school. We need the middle solidified though. We can't have our outside lbs, worried about the middle. We need each linebacker concentrating on their responsibility. That's the only way it works. All three have to trust each other. So many times I saw lbs leave their area and be out of position because they were running to another area chasing movement and not trusting the other linebackers.

A strong middle will make the outsides better. A weak middle will have the outside lbs looking inside. Wonder why Akunne didn't move the middle...but oh well. I can see Fred scott move to SAM. He has the size and he can hit. Just need to simplify his duties where he can be more explosive and make plays.

[Harry]

His dad Albert was a pretty good actor as I recall. Har Har Har!

[Travis]

But our coaches can't recruit, remember.

Not sure what the point of this statement is... based on the results of this past year, would you say we have recruited well?

[BillySee58]

Not sure what the point of this statement is... based on the results of this past year, would you say we have recruited well?

He says it anytime a recruit of ours gets something positive, like an award like this or they get rated 3-stars.

The fact of the matter is, what makes a coach is good recruiter is winning recruiting battles. I don't know if his listed offer list included all of his actual offers, but his only other FBS offers listed were Tulsa and UTEP. He's a good looking player, but to say that this pickup in any way proves the coaches can recruit is not a well-backed claim.

Just like when people use Brelan Chancellor to say Dodge was a good recruiter. He was a pretty good recruiter, but Chancellor didn't have any other offers so it wasn't a great job recruiting. No other teams he had to beat out. It was, however, a great job evaluating a kid like that.

Either way, I think this Finney kid should be a solid contributor. Whether or not the coaches have done a good enough job evaluating and developing the guys around him will determine whether or not our defense as a whole can be good. Because we aren't going to be starting any highly recruited guys on our defense next year.

Edited December 19, 2014 by BillySee58

[Mean Green 93-98]

I'd say what makes a good recruiter is someone who consistently wins recruiting battles he should win, occasionally wins some he shouldn't, and is able to turn out a few hidden gems here and there. Regardless, one is not a good recruiter on the basis of two or three good recruits, but on classes full of good recruits.

[BillySee58]

I'd say what makes a good recruiter is someone who consistently wins recruiting battles he should win, occasionally wins some he shouldn't, and is able to turn out a few hidden gems here and there. Regardless, one is not a good recruiter on the basis of two or three good recruits, but on classes full of good recruits.

You are spot on with this one.

Also, sorry if this thread is getting derailed. Awesome recognition for Finney! These are the type of JUCO players who do see the field and don't sit for their two years of D1 ball.

Edited December 19, 2014 by BillySee58

[Travis]

Yeah, I just remember Coach Mac himself saying that he and his staff made mistakes in recruiting. So... I struggled seeing the point of bringing that up.

[UNTLifer]

Actually, I don't say it whenever one of our recruits gets a favorable rating, etc.... I just find it funny that our coaches go from being loved one year ago, to behind the times and terrible recruiters doing everything wrong today. We had a poor season after we lost a host of good players. It happens at our level, but it doesn't mean our coach or staff are doing a poor job. I would like to see one person replaced on this staff.

I also find it funny when people criticize Coach Mac based on his overall record as a head coach. Look at where he has coached. Has any other coach had his success at Iowa State? What about here outside of Fry and Mitchell? The man has supreme confidence to take on those two jobs.

Back on track, congratulations Finney. I hope you have the same success at North Texas.

Edited December 19, 2014 by UNTLifer

[UNT90]

You know how you can be certain coaches are good recruiters?

Winning football records with players they recruited.

[greenit]

Mac certainly has that opportunity here at North Texas. While he may have been at a severe disadvantage at Iowa State, that is not the case here. He is on an equal playing field with the rest of the conference, and with a little work could be in a better position than most in the conference.

If he does not have a winning record at UNT by the time he is done here, something is wrong. He is going to have 3 winnable OOC games pretty much every year and our conference is not full of world beaters. Going .500 or better each year should almost be a given for a man of his talents against the teams that he will face.

[Harry]

Mac certainly has that opportunity here at North Texas. While he may have been at a severe disadvantage at Iowa State, that is not the case here. He is on an equal playing field with the rest of the conference, and with a little work could be in a better position than most in the conference.

If he does not have a winning record at UNT by the time he is done here, something is wrong. He is going to have 3 winnable OOC games pretty much every year and our conference is not full of world beaters. Going .500 or better each year should almost be a given for a man of his talents against the teams that he will face.

I think next year will be a tough one for Mac as we will have a much tougher draw from the east and the west just gets tougher every year. What if they add say a ULL or Arky State to the west for goodness sakes... C-USA is going to be a tough league every year from here on out I'm afraid...

[Aldo]

I think next year will be a tough one for Mac as we will have a much tougher draw from the east and the west just gets tougher every year. What if they add say a ULL or Arky State to the west for goodness sakes... C-USA is going to be a tough league every year from here on out I'm afraid...

I think this requires its own thread, but I agree. I don't think that it gets tougher, but that this is a competitive league in general, and as a fan are new to this level of parity that exists in CUSA.

[Ben Gooding]

A tough league is a bit of an exaggeration. I could argue it's a weaker conference than it ever has been, ever. And that's regardless of who they add to replace UAB.

Going .500 in conference should be a given with our budget and coaching salaries both sitting in the top 5 of the conference. Anything else is unacceptable.

[JesseMartin]

His dad Albert was a pretty good actor as I recall. Har Har Har!

I don't know if beating me to a bad joke is a good or a bad thing.

And wasn't CUSA the top ranked G5 conference this year? And if the conference keeps getting better...well, we'd better do so as well or we can expect a string of craptastic seasons. Staying good doesn't mean crap if everybody else outgrows you.

[MeanGreenZen]

Very excited about this player. Offers from Tulsa and UTEP plus he was being slow played by Kansas until they cancelled his recruiting trip on the final weekend. The truth is this kid is probably only about 5'9 and if he was two or three inches taller he would have had offers from the top teams in the Big 12 and SEC. But height doesn't matter at LB as long as the kid can run and has some weight on him. If a defensive player is THIS productive at the elite JUCO level (TX and KS) then that translates to D1 and Mac deserves credit for landing this kid.

In fact, I wouldn't mind if we went heavy after JUCO recruits EVERY year until the prestige of our program increases to where it is obvious we are a better choice than somewhere like SMU. With every D1 program in the country camping in our backyard all we are ever left with in DFW is scraps and projects (with the rare win on a blue chipper like Lance Dunbar or Zach Orr). Why not compete for players in a market where the elite programs rarely take players and the competition for talent isn't so intense? I know their are unique risks and downsides in the JUCO market that deter programs from taking too many, but I just think if a program with as many obstacles to overcome as UNT has is going to succeed we have to do stuff differently and use creative strategies to succeed. I like what Mac is doing with this recruiting class.

[Ben Gooding]

Very excited about this player. Offers from Tulsa and UTEP plus he was being slow played by Kansas until they cancelled his recruiting trip on the final weekend. The truth is this kid is probably only about 5'9 and if he was two or three inches taller he would have had offers from the top teams in the Big 12 and SEC. But height doesn't matter at LB as long as the kid can run and has some weight on him. If a defensive player is THIS productive at the elite JUCO level (TX and KS) then that translates to D1 and Mac deserves credit for landing this kid.

In fact, I wouldn't mind if we went heavy after JUCO recruits EVERY year until the prestige of our program increases to where it is obvious we are a better choice than somewhere like SMU. With every D1 program in the country camping in our backyard all we are ever left with in DFW is scraps and projects (with the rare win on a blue chipper like Lance Dunbar or Zach Orr). Why not compete for players in a market where the elite programs rarely take players and the competition for talent isn't so intense? I know their are unique risks and downsides in the JUCO market that deter programs from taking too many, but I just think if a program with as many obstacles to overcome as UNT has is going to succeed we have to do stuff differently and use creative strategies to succeed. I like what Mac is doing with this recruiting class.

I agree and I've been saying this. Why not try to be the premiere destination for JUCO's in the G5? Seems like it could be something really special.

[FirefightnRick]

With every D1 program in the country camping in our backyard all we are ever left with in DFW is scraps and projects

Sorry, but as long as other programs such as Georgia Southern, UAB and ULL are able to haul in talent from the heart of SEC country then this above is nothing but an excuse, and a lousy one at that.

Rick

Edited December 20, 2014 by FirefightnRick

[Eppie96]

A tough league is a bit of an exaggeration. I could argue it's a weaker conference than it ever has been, ever. And that's regardless of who they add to replace UAB.

Going .500 in conference should be a given with our budget and coaching salaries both sitting in the top 5 of the conference. Anything else is unacceptable.

A tough league is a bit of an exaggeration. I could argue it's a weaker conference than it ever has been, ever. And that's regardless of who they add to replace UAB.

Going .500 in conference should be a given with our budget and coaching salaries both sitting in the top 5 of the conference. Anything else is unacceptable.

Could not agree more. Six wins a year should be a expectation of our program. We have been back at Division I for almost twenty years.

[MeanGreenZen]

Sorry, but as long as other programs such as Georgia Southern, UAB and ULL are able to haul in talent from the heart of SEC country then this above is nothing but an excuse, and a lousy one at that.

Rick

NONE of the schools you mentioned are located in an area that gets picked through like DFW. This is the most recruited area in the country BY FAR. Many of the lower tier G5 are offering fringe DFW prospects scholarships just so they can claim to their boosters that they are recruiting in this hotbed to keep the boosters excited. Other fringe DFW prospects are getting G5 offers so that their program can establish a foothold in a certain area or a certain high school so they can try to land BETTER prospects next time.

George Washington never attacked the British army head on. He attacked from unexpected angles at unusual times in unusual ways. That is how underdogs win.

Why keep fighting these programs that consistently beat us for recruits? Let's do something different and maybe we would get a different result.

[greenit]

So, um... Finney. Congrats!!!