GrandGreen

Monday Game Lakeview Centennial 80 Episcopal School of Dallas 37. Chris Jones with 20

Kimball came from behind to edge Arlington Bowie 56-54, Jordan was the leading scorer with 21

Not an unique problem, in general a highly sought athlete is not going to be interested in a non-AQ program. You could attach all the negatives posted above to most non-AQ programs. Unless there is some over riding reason a player wants to stay home, NT cannot compete with a Big 12 , SEC, etc, team, but NT should be able to compete with the CUSA and like teams. It is always easy to overlook the local teams became familiarity often does breed contempt. NT is in a negative position with many of the Denton recruits, because they can't really compete for the stars and are expected to have open arms for those that are borderline at best prospects.

Friday Game Kimball 70 North Dallas 47, Jordan Williams with 15

Sounds like a player, but does NT at this point want or need another point guard? With A. Williams, C. Jones, B Walton, and T Norris all capable of playing the point, and next years team returning little except Hogans in the front court, I hope NT uses at least 2 of their last 3 ships on posts. If Knox suddenly becomes a factor, it may be different but with the only big recruit Robinson NT needs some big bodies. By the way although Robinson should not be the project that Knox, Barnett and Howerton were, I think he will be a couple of years from starting. Going from class 2a ball to college will be a major adjustment and although he apparently liked to shoot from outside, that is not what NT needs a 6'10 player for. Maybe Taylor is good enough to warrant a ship at the Wing as they do another off guard IMO.

Safety is the deepest position on the field, Shorter, Graham, Downing, Wright, and Cook. As an aside I don't think NT's secondary was as bad as many think. Because of lack of pass rush and a lot of defensive sets designed to stop the run, the defensive backs were in a lot of single coverages and gave up a lot of long plays. The defensive backfield needs to improve, but IMO the defensive line and linebacker positions are much weaker going into 2011. NT was fifth in the league in pass defense and sixth in rushing defense last year, not stellar but not awful either.

Sounds like some bad planning. Why build a deck that will have limited use. I would have thought RV would have worked it in some how if for no other reason than he could claim another 500 to 1000 in capacity. By the way is NT every going to announce what the seating capacity of the stadium is, if they are selling tickets they have to know? Not interested in how many can be crammed in Jerry Jones' style, but what is the actual seating capacity.

Appreciate your insight, but I think NT is probably much closer to being a championship team in the Belt than ISU was in the B12. Canales basically demonstrated that in his brief HC stint. NT was in every ball game except a bad performance against ULM, and could have easily won against the conference co-champ Troy and B12 Kansas State. NT will have the best returning back in the Belt and the State and some other talented players. No the team is nowhere close to being equal to even a mediocre AQ school, but it doesn't have to be in the Belt. The Belt won't be easy for NT because there are a lot of teams returning more than NT but I believe until proven wrong that NT has assembled a heck of a coaching staff. I am happy that NT got McCarney but I am also very happy with the coaching staff that McCarney has recruited. I do think that NT will win a few that they should not talent wise because of the coaching staff.

Define leash, NT is not about to buy out a 500k a year contract, no matter how bad it gets. So he will have plenty of time to build the program, but my expectations are that he will do much better than that. As far as the team looking strong next year, you can argue that ether way; Chancellor, Dunbar, Olin, Dodge, Carey, Phillips gives NT a fairly strong base plus all the injured that should return: Johnson, Leppio, Atterberry, Cook, Thompson, Brown, Hamington, Sashington, Ford and others. No defensive tackle appears very weak, but QB should be much better with a healthy Thompson and hopefully stronger Dodge. LB lacks numbers, but Orr and Phillips should be strong and Herron, Johnson have experience. Secondary should be much stronger than this year losing only one player Ira Smith who did not start at the end of the year. McCord, Ford, Hill, Jackson, Downing, Cook, Shorter, Wright and Graham all return. The offensive line lost standouts Santiago, Gill and a hobbled Drake. They return Leppio, Johnson, Freeley, Tomlinson, Fortenberry who have all started. Actually the team that Dodge took over should have been pretty good on the defensive side. Dodge's reliance on jucos will hurt next years team because there is little depth. However, the new staff will bring in some good players this year that hopefully will fill most of the holes.

Jeez guys, the team showed last year with Canales at the helm that they could play with anyone in the Belt. Yes we lose some good players particularly on defense with Robertson, Jackson and Atkinson gone, but the cupboard is not bare and knock on wood, I can't imagine another injury year like the last one. I will be disappointed if the team does not fight for a conference championship. That is difference than how long is McCarney leash, he will get at least four years and probably five to build his team. I don't expect miracles but this team played everyone close in the Belt except FIU who NT faced with a walk on fourth string QB and a HC about to go out the door. Non conference will be tough against Houston, Tulsa and Indiana but I expect NT to compete with those schools, Alabama is another story.

Not much going on but South Grand Prairie had a disappointing lost to Coppel 34-51, Trey Norris led SGP with 10 Casper CC closed out the 2010 schedule with a win over Northwest College 70-59 and a lost to Sheridan 67-78 Brandon Walton through 14 games is the leading scorer for Casper at 13.7 with 4.5 rb and 1.9 asts. Eastland(13-0) beat Hico (11-2) with Robinson held to 8 points, 53-42.

Not sure what you expect of a staff that is still being assembled. Historically , NT commits the great majority of its recruits late in December and January. I am sure NT is not going to have a banner class due to the coaching change, but I can't imagine that it won't be a lot better than if the staff changes had not happened. Even with a couple of coaches carried over, it is going to take a lot of evaluation to specify and prioritize NT needs. Even though the old coaching staff tried to keep in contact with recruits, I doubt they really were effective. Just guessing, but NT was recruiting with a very bad hand prior to the McCarney hiring and a lot of those old recruits might not be acceptable to the new staff. All recruiting data is suspect and until a player is committed or signed, I would not fret too much on losing x player to x university. Despite what is posted on a bio, you have no way to know if an offer was actually made or if it was, if it is still available. College's personnel can not comment on individual recruiting and there is nothing to keep a player from exaggerating a little or a lot. A form letter or a casual text becomes a firm offer.

This is a lot like recruiting. NT has certainly won the beauty contest but no one will know how good the coach is until he actually wins some games. It is very nice time to be a fan of NT, who should become the Bully of the Belt. NT now has resoures second to no other school in the Belt.

If this team doesn't develop a semblance to a bench, and play much better defense, this all is a superfluous discussion. At this point I am much more concerned with NT winning in the Belt than I am how those wins are going to be perceived. in the rankings

Nether the Pit, Snake Pit, or Super Pit are official names, so I am not sure what your point is. Obviously, some people refer to the "Men's Gym" as the Snake Pit. If not why is there even a debate, I have zero interest in documenting something that I have first hand knowledge about. The "Men's Gym" was known as the Pit until Maury John's quotes referring to a Snake Pit was picked up by newspapers and "Sports Illustrated", in ether 68 or 69. After that the name Snake Pit gained favor with many fans although the Pit was also used just as it is now. "Welcome to the Pit" for example.

Wrong

My guess priorities Defensive tackle - Abbe and Cantly are available but NT probably will hit the jucos Defensive Ends - NT has numbers but still does not have the pass rush it needs QB - Got to have more than Thompson and Dodge TE- Olawale is good receiver will look for better blocking TE LB - Need numbers, Orr, Johnson, Phillips, Herron, Prior but nothing behind them WR - Again good group with Taylor, Bynes, Stradford, Chancellor, Carey and Lewis but no depth RB - Set for 2011 but only one underclassmen OL - Have descent numbers but need one player to join Fortenberry, Johnson, Freeley and Tomlinson as a starter DB - Good rotation with McCord, Ford, Jackson and Hill at cb, Downing, Graham, Davis, Wright and Storer at safety

Thursday night games Lakeview Centennial (12-1) beat Rickardson Berkner (11-5) 72-58, Chris Jones with 19 South Grand Prairie (11-2) behind Trey Norris's game leading 16 beat Irving McArthur

Franklin was tried at dt his freshman year, and frankly didn't have the quickness needed. He was moved to offensive line, the position he was originally recruited for, and obviously has not shown enough to get in playing time even with last years injury ridden line. He has two years left to play so he has time to up his game, but it seems that he must make a move next year. Right now he appears to be behind Tomlinson, Freeley, Johnson, Leppio, Fortenberry, Bean and Adedipe. Noble also did not play last year and two freshmen redshirts Y'Barbo and Johnson are added competition. Maybe a new coaching staff will give him some added motivation.

About half the football playing jucos in the nation are in California. No other area comes close, Mississippi has the second highest number of schools but is minuscule in comparison. NT has got some great players from Oklahoma but overall they don't have a lot of players. Hint, all three Oklahoma schools rely heavily on Texas. Louisiana to me is a better hunting ground, more players and only one major school LSU to contend with. On the juco front, numbers at California and Mississippi. Quality in Texas and Kansas but intense competition.

Knox played for Arlington Grace Prep, a local basketball factory. He joined a long line of project posts NT has signed over the years: Barnett, Howerton, Masters. Done of these yet has become substantial factors although they have contributed. Sean Riley is the last big man and was he big, that really helped NT. Knox continues to be build up as a potential star mostly by the NT's PR staff, but this is his third year and he has not shown much progress. They said he is bigger and stronger but I don't see it. Not that I have seen them practice but I expect he shows more there than he has in the games that count. He seems more timid this year and that might because he is really getting a lot of fouls called on him. I have always thought he had a good shot but he has been off all year. I still have hope but it is waning, he seems to lack confidence more than anything. His biggest positive so far is that he doesn't throw up threes. .

Lots of Knox bashing. He is far from a good player at this point, but I didn't see were he did significantly worse than Edwards or Holmen. I still don't understand the Edwards signing or way Holmen can't contribute more, but someone out of the three has to develop. Odufuwa also was outplayed most of the game. Only Hogans really showed up for NT in this game.

SHSU is a good team no one disputes that and every team has bad games. The facts are however with a blow out loss to Sam, any chance at an at large bid to the NCAA is probably gone. Slim a chance as it was, now NT must again rely on winning the Belt tournament to get to the NCAA's. Again with three all conference players back I thought this team had a chance to take that next step up. I still have high hopes but right now, this team is in disarray. Sam is not that good a team to blow out NT, look at their record. As far as NT out playing them all but the first and last of the game, as ludicrous a positive as that is; I didn't see it. It appears to me that NT played even with them for that period due mainly due to their foul problems. Sam outplayed NT in the front-court and shoot much better and had a much stronger bench. This team has character but it is missing some key components. I will never understand the decision to leave two ships on the table in a year that NT should be great.

I have never thought NT was great this year despite their record. No depth and poor defense is played for too often. Thompson has carried them early, he disappeared tonight. Hopefully, the team will gel late and make a run, but as weak as the Belt has shown thus far: I think most could play with NT now. NT has played awful away and the lack of depth will continue to haunt them unless someone miraculously becomes a player. Maybe this game will be a wake up call, for a veteran squad to be blown out by anyone in the Southland is pitiful.

This team is not very good at this point. No depth and little defense. Very disappointing, I guess that number 10 mid-major will be quickly forgotten.