[Smu Supposedly Has Their New Dc]

Fresno St.'s D was 74th in total D last year...giving up 407 yards per game.

Really not much on his abilities as a LB coach other than some discussion about the LB Dwayne Andrews.

Recruiting side he is credited with a couple of recruits a year, some 3*s out CA.

[Wish She Were Coming Here]

At 6'-8" she is very athletic and can dunk easily, but I was surprised when she spoke, she sounded a little ..ah... burley sounding to me; are we sure about this???

I was wondering if anyone was going to say something. I wasn't that surprised when I heard "her" speak--it seemed to match.

[Smu Supposedly Has Their New Dc]

Tom Mason, former linebackers coach at Fresno State. Supposedly from the mouth of (their) JJ, but is being kept hush-hush for a couple days.

http://www.ponyfans.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.p...asc&start=0

I'll take Gary DeLoach, myself.

[App State @ Lsu]

Aren't we still playing them later in the season?

Rick

Yes, that's my understanding. But they moved us out of that opening slot because they wanted a higher-profile opponent for a nationally televised game.

Edit: From Vito's blog 1/28/08

I did a little asking around today about the status of the UNT-LSU football game next season. Take it for what it's worth, but an LSU official said that the school is trying to set up a home-and-home series with a BCS conference opponent beginning next season.

The official said LSU might have to move a game to make room for the new series on its schedule, but at this point it does not plan on moving the UNT game.

[App State @ Lsu]

That's the high-profile opponent they jilted us for? Sure, they're at the top of 1-AA but they are 1-AA. I guess it shows what one win over a major BCS team can do for a program.

[Unt Selects Firm For Stadium Design]

If you want to take a look at some of HKS Sports Arena Portfolio, click on the link below. Then hit, Portfolio, then Sports...

http://www.hksinc.com/

I'm impressed. Based on their designs, they seem to have a perfect combination of functionality and aesthetic beauty. I don't know how much our budget will allow for the latter, but I hope at least we can get a loud stadium that gets us close to the action.

[Ips Driver Error]

Regularly.

[Scholarship Question]

Employees' children do not get free tuition. Riley Dodge will be receiving a football scholarship to play for North Texas.

[Channel 11's Story On Nt]

What an asset the Dodges are/will be to the University of North Texas! I'm proud to have them aboard.

[Favorites]

In the long run, I think Riley is the biggest get for the program. As for immediate impact, you tend to look to the JUCO guys, and I agree with you that I expect Alonzo Horton to make an immediate impact. He and Eddrick Gilmore at the ends? You've gotta love that!

[The Signing Date Event]

So much for the Sun Belt's directive of at least 11 home homes over a 2-year span.

We did have 6 home games last year, did we not?

[Signing Day Chat?]

Great class coming in this year. Good job Coach Dodge and the entire staff!

Absolutely. This class looks even better than I expected, and I am excited about seeing them play! Thank you, Coach Dodge and staff!

[Scout.com Rates]

With all the speed we seem to be getting does anyone think we'll move to a 3-3-5 defense in the future?

I don't know about that, but I would definitely see us making use of nickel packages more extensively--I don't remember us ever using one last year.

[The John Shorter Story]

Still some holes to fill in there:

Where did Rivals get their information that caused them to report Shorter had switched to Tulsa?

Assuming Shorter actually did switch to Tulsa, when? He was "solid with North Texas" Tuesday morning, then reported and confirmed as a Tulsa commit that same afternoon.

What persuaded him to switch to Tulsa?

What persuaded him to switch back? Sounds like gut feeling and instinct prompted him to choose North Texas in the end, but some of the stuff in the middle doesn't quite make sense.

I guess in the end it doesn't matter. He made the right choice, and I'm looking forward to watching him play for the Mean Green.

[Scout.com Rates]

When was the last time a school took 13 players in one class to play DB or WR

The number one recruiting class in the country took 13: http://rivals100.rivals.com/commitlist.asp...08&School=2

You recruit according to need. We are progressing from a low-scoring run-based offense to a high-octane passing offense that requires more receivers.

And if you watched any of our games last year, I'm sure you saw that we needed speed in the defensive backfield.

[Scout.com Rates]

It's amazing how differently the two services rate/rank. MTSU is at #100 on Scout, but #65 on Rivals!

[Riley First To Sign]

One to go!

12:45 p.m.

One more fax just came through. This time it's a former high scool All-American and Northwest Mississippi star, Alonzo Horton.

Alonzo Horton – DE – 6-4 – 260 lbs. – Northwest Mississippi CC

Junior College: Ranked in the top 100 junior college prospects by Rivals.com ... Top 50 JUCO prospect by the Sun Herald ... Tallied 80 tackles, including 11 for a loss during his sophomore campaign at Northwest Mississippi. Auburn University: Appeared in 11 games for the Tigers as a redshirt freshman primarily on special teams ... Recorded three tackles ... High School: Ranked as the 10th best defensive end in the country as a senior at Marion Abramson Senior High School ... Earned SuperPrep All-American honors as a senior ... Registered 146 tackles and 13 sacks as a senior, earning all-city and all-state honors ...Top 25 Louisiana prospect by Rivals.com.

[Riley First To Sign]

MY Favorite signing... TROY FRANKLIN SIGNED HIS LOI!

Okay, everyone breathe a huge sigh of relief.

And then hold your breath again for Horton and Royce Hill.

[Riley First To Sign]

So...are the only ones that are still out:

Troy Franklin

Alonzo Horton

Gabe Hollivay

Royce Hill

Is that it?

Take out Hollivay, and yes.

12:17 p.m.

Add 'em to the board! Another big offensive lineman has just sent in his National Letter of Intent. Who?

Gabe Hollivay – OL – 6-3 –320 lbs. – Itawamba CC

Junior College: Was a NJCAA first-team all-state selection for Itawamba Community College ... Top 25 JUCO prospect by the Jackson Clarion Ledger ... Top 25 JUCO prospect by the Sun Herald ... Was the lineman of the week for Itawamba College five times during the 2007 season. High School: Selected to the 2006 Bernard Blackwell All-Star Classic as a senior at Hamilton High School in Mississippi ... Named to the second-team all-state team by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

[Interesting Comment On Signing Day Blog]

SIGNING DAY CENTRAL

12:15 p,m.

Recruiting has become a year-round process and Coach Dodge and his staff began bringing the 2008 class together early in 2007. Soon after signing day last year, the Mean Green coaching staff began working on the 2008 class. Throughout the spring, Dodge and his staff began the talent evaluation and made the decision to present early offers to players who were just finishing up their junior year of high school. The idea of early offers was met with some trepidation among other Sun Belt Conference coaches, who have always worked under the philosophy that it is better to let the perceived "bigger" schools fill up first and then go after the rest. Dodge and his staff were aggressive from the beginning and did not shy away from battling any school on the players they wanted. Some Sun Belt coaches said they would be interested to see if North Texas could hang on to all of its early commitments and as of this point it is looking as if Dodge and his staff have accomplished what many of his colleagues thought was improbable.

I hadn't heard those comments from the other Sun Belt coaches. But obviously the job Dodge and staff have done holding onto verbal commits is to be commended.

[Hollivay Got Him Some Stars]

I am beginning to think my math degree is worthless.... We add a two-star ( 2.0) to a 2.23 average and it increases our average to 2.31.???? I am confused.

It's because our average was previously calculated having an unranked player. We have thus replaced an unranked player with a 2-star rating.

[Riley First To Sign]

Getting toward the last:

12 p.m.

Coach Dodge and his staff just picked up another DB. Darien Williams will head east from Vernon, Texas to play for the Mean Green.

Darien Williams – DB – 5-11 – 180 lbs. – Vernon HS

Named District 6-3A Most Valuable Player in 2007 ... Third-team 3A all-state selection by Texas Sports Writers Association ... Recorded 135 tackles, three interceptions and 12 pass break ups as a junior ... Helped lead Vernon High to the 3A Division II state semifinals ... All-district selection at safety both as a junior and sophomore.

[Riley First To Sign]

Troy Franklin's dad has been on the board here, quite a bit this morning. I wouldn't think he'd be on here, if Troy was going to sign elsewhere.

Where was it that Troy took a visit not too long ago?

[Shorter, '08 And Spring Schedule]

SO does anyone know what happened with Shorter. Every thing said he switched yesterday and now we've got a LOI. Were the reports wrong, did Todge make a final push, did he decide to stay closer to home? If anyone knows please share.

The reports were obviously right, but I do not know what exactly made him change his mind. But as Lifer noted, he's definitely got a sharp one.

[Signing Day Chat?]

Anyone else nervous about Franklin and Hill?

I'm hoping they're just trying to torture us like Vizza did last year.