MeanGreenZen

Darrell Dickey had some amazing recruiting classes in his first years. After that, the quality of his recruiting classes dropped dramatically. What proof can anyone point to that demonstrates Dodge inherited a locker room full of studs? What is the record of the Dickey holdovers at North Texas? Now, I don't think this should be Dodge recruits vs. Dickey recruits (and maybe that is the problem with this team.) as there are several outstanding holdovers from the Dickey regime. I just wish there were more.

As Mean Green fans endure the water torture that is this season, let us look at our team with an eye towards what it can become in the next few seasons (assuming Todd Dodge can make a few significant adjustments to his game day strategy, coaching staff and team attitude). Offensively, our quarterback is set with either Giovanni Vizza or Riley Dodge. Competition will determine who wins the job, but I am confident either one can be a record-setting quarterback for North Texas. We seem to be in good shape at running back with Micah Mosley, Cam Montgomery and Lance Dunbar all averaging 4.7 yards a carry or better. Although I don’t think any of these guys are in the same class as a Patrick Cobbs or a freshman Jamrario Thomas, we can win with this trio. Receiver has actually become a position of concern for next season with the graduation of Casey Fitzgerald and so many other unexpected defections. We really need a playmaker or two here, but I hope Dodge doesn’t go overboard trying to fill this hole (we all know Dodge has yet to meet a high school receiver he hasn’t offered a scholarship to.) Surely there is a receiver already on the roster who will step up when given an opportunity (a la Fitzgerald last season). The offensive line has the potential to be the strength of the team in the next few seasons. Kelvin Drake (hopefully fresh off a redshirt) and J.J. Johnson possess all-conference skills, although one will have to switch positions to get them both on the field at the same time. North Texas is also loaded with several other players on the offensive line who have significant starting experience. Defensively, barring an unexpected breakthrough, the defensive line, goes into next season as the biggest hole on the roster. Calling the defensive line a “hole on the roster” actually does not do it justice. Our defensive line is a black hole that has sucked away our ability to compete on the FBS level. We have maybe one player on our roster with the skills to be in a defensive line rotation in the Sun Belt. When thinking of the nucleus of our defensive line I am not counting on Eddrick Gilmore. Gilmore is wildly talented, but the road to success is littered with the corpses of wildly talented players who couldn’t make the sacrifices required to reach their potential. Gilmore’s past suggests he will be remembered with such recent Mean Green immortals as Michael Ruff and Chris Moss… guys whose immense physical talent was eclipsed only by their lack of discipline. The defensive line problem was originated by Darrell Dickey, who was so amazing at recruiting defensive linemen (Brandon Kennedy, Adrian Awasom, Darrell Daniels, Evan Cardwell, Michael Pruitt) that he completely stopped doing it. He left the cupboard empty for Dodge, who somehow forgot to restock it in his first two recruiting classes (No big deal since all those receivers he signed are catching so many touchdown passes we don’t even have to worry about defense.). Dodge’s ability to find players on the defensive line QUICKLY could mean the difference between him someday being the head coach at the University of Texas or reuniting with his BFF Ron Mendoza in District 7-5A next year. All three of our starting linebackers will return. Now…maybe it is because of how bad our d-line sucks, but I’ve just never been impressed with our current crop of linebackers. They look strong and fast, but they never seem to make game-changing plays. I don’t see tackles behind the line of scrimmage or forced fumbles. I don’t see the type of leadership we are used to having on defense from our linebackers. This is a position that could use an infusion from the junior college ranks. Kylie Hill, Darien Williams and Royce Hill are players you can build around in the secondary. Keep in mind that a decent pass rush could make these guys much better. So could an intimidating hitter patrolling the middle of the field. If I were Todd Dodge, I would call every junior college coach I knew and ask them who was the hardest-hitting defensive back they played against all season. Then I would target those players. Life sucks for Mean Green fans right now, but there are some building blocks in place for a better future.

0-4 doesn't bother me. It is the way we have gone 0-4 that bothers me. LSU and K-State are supposed to kill us. It is the complete domination by opponents like Tulsa and Rice (teams we should be competitive against) that bothers me. Rice could have scored 100 points against us if they had wanted to! As far as other coaches winning in Fouts. Fouts wasn't so bad in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. But as more and more schools we compete against upgrade their own facilities (SMU), Fouts looks worse and worse. Do you contend that players don't make the team? Because better players would be drawn into a handsome new stadium.

Our football team is horrible this season and it is embarrassing to everyone affiliated with UNT. Surely the students do not enjoy being the laughingstocks of the Dallas/Fort Worth sports scene. Surely students do not enjoy others making fun of how bad their school's football team is. Surely the students can understand the damage a horrible football team does to the value of their degree. If our team was awesome this season, opponents of the stadium could point to our record and say, "Why does the football team need a new stadium? They are doing fine with Fouts Field." But the current state of our football team underscores why we need a new stadium so badly. We need a new stadium to attract better recruits so that the team is not so horrible. We need a new stadium so our friends/co-workers/bosses/family members can't make fun of our school because of how bad the football team is. Maybe our struggles this season will shame and motivate students to come out and vote for a new stadium. A vote for a new stadium is a vote against being the butt of a joke. Good times...

Reads like Todd Dodge wrote it himself. Think Dodge has this writer's ear?

Pit bulls should be banned. Here is the new rule I propose: All pit bulls must be spayed or neutered. No one has to give up any they currently have, but you can't get more.

Has RV made one updisputed good coaching hire since he has been here? Johnny Jones took us to The Big Dance and I consider that a success, but has JJ's overall time here been a success? If Dodge fails, do we trust RV to hire his replacement? Or is Dodge's success tied to RV's status as the AD?

Hiring Deloach fixed that problem. Dodge's problem has been his inability to recruit defensive linemen. Hopefully, if we can get the stadium issue passed Dodge will have some more ammunition to go after the big boys up front.

It's not Dodge Ball. It is now Dodge Bawl.

No contest. You should portfolio-orize the greatest North Texas football player of all time: Brandon Kennedy.

Are Missouri, Kansas and Colorado still in the Big 12? Because three Big 12 starting quarterbacks: Chase Daniel, Todd Reesing and Cody Hawkins are listed as being under 6-0 tall the same as Riley. Anyone with atleast a hint of college football knowledge knows that you don't have to be tall to play quarterback in a spread offense. You receive the ball in the shotgun, everyone is spread out and most of the throws are to the outside. Why do people keep insisting Riley is too short to play quarterback at UNT? This isn't the NFL.

I am not believing the Riley Dodge/Wes Welker comparisons. I can believe a Riley Dodge/Drew Brees comparison. Those of you saying Riley is too small to play quarterback in college are crazy. The spread offense negates the need for size at the quarterback position. Maybe Chase Daniel is too small to play quarterback in college because Riley is taller than him. Maybe Missouri should reconsider playing Chase Daniel at QB and move him to the slot? When Chase Daniel wins the Heisman he should probably decline it because, after all, he really isn't tall enough to be playing quarterback in college. Joey Byerly sure was tall. Why didn't he make it? P.S. -- If Todd Dodge can't win here, he won't be looking for a job in the Big 12, he will be looking for a job in Class 5A. So spare me the "Todd is saving Riley's redshirt for a potential transfer later in his career" argument. They both picked North Texas and they will both sink or swim with that decision. I am betting they swim. And I am betting Riley Dodge will be our starting quarterback before we begin Sun Belt play.

The craziest thing about this is that UNT never even recruited Herman and Herman, being a bit of a momma's boy, was open to the idea of staying home and playing in Denton. Dickey had a National Top 100 kid in his hometown and didn't even offer him a scholarship. We just assumed he was too big time for us. Sad.

Or maybe he could hide behind your bulldozer?

You question Riley's toughness? Did you see him play when he was so sick he puked on the field before the snap and then throw a touchdown pass in the state championship game? Toughness? Really?

I guess you didn't read the title of the thread. I said he would be the starter by conference play. I also said he may see a series or two against LSU. And he will. If we are getting blown out, why would we keep our starter in the whole time? NEWS FLASH: Riley Dodge did not come to UNT to play slot receiver. If he wanted to play receiver, he could have gone to Texas and played in front of 80,000 people every week and had a chance to win a national title. Instead, he came to UNT so that he could play quarterback. He will be our starting quarterback soon.

Everything on defense boils down to the lack of a pash rush. A good pash rush has made an all-conference defensive back out of many bums.

No one said he is horrible, but we didn't hire Todd Dodge so our quarterback could throw for two touchdown passes a game. Heck, Scott Hall used to throw for more touchdowns than that and he was playing Dickeyball.

The biggest problem is the defense, but that is not fixable until Todd Dodge can recruit some real D1 defensive linemen who know how to spell and can actually get in to UNT and stay eligible. No help is coming for the defense this year. The offense has sucked so far, too. Riley has more upside than Vizza. Riley will be replacing Vizza within the next two years anyway. Why not let Riley go through his growing pains this year when we are going to suck anyway because of the worst defense ever?

Yes, because Peyton Manning and Tom Brady had nothing to do with their teams winning Super Bowls. It was probably just a coincidence that Vince Young was UT's quarterback when the Longhorns won the national title. And Missouri being good this year has nothing to do with Chase Daniel. Since some of you are having a hard time detecting sarcasm. That was sarcasm. I'm voting for a Dodge/Dodge ticket in '08. Time for CHANGE.

Why would there be sarcasm? It is time for some Riley Dodge at quarterback for North Texas. Or do you enjoy getting beat by 30 points every week?

Easy, Dodge's defense is the worst thing that has ever happened to college football. Dickey's offense was fine when Cobbs and freshman Jamario were at their best. Dodge's defense has been nothing but embarrassing. Of course, I am still on board with Dodge. He just needs to figure out how to recruit some defensive linemen.

Todge's master plan to insert his son as the starting QB is beginning to unfold. This week Riley's redshirt was burned when he was inserted into the game as a slot receiver. This is a good way to introduce Riley to the speed of the Division IA game. In the next few games Riley may see a series or two at QB. By the time we open the Sun Belt, the Vizza era will be over. I can't wait.

You could get really creative with the prizes: Like lunch with all the cheerleaders, a chance to play H-O-R-S-E against Johnny Jones, or a sideline pass for a football game... fun stuff like that. T-shirts and free food is boring.

Ever since Belo acquired the DRC the DMN has used the DRC UNT beat writer for its Mean Green coverage. Even in the dot.com boom that was the case. I have no problem with that. That is just smart business. If you haven't noticed, the DMN barely has any college writers any more. There are no longer beat reporters assigned exclusively to UT, A&M, Tech and Oklahoma (as there was as recently as last season). Those writers are gone and have been replaced with Chuck Carlton covering the entire Big 12 by himself.