Coach Andy Mac

Joe Greene and Brandon Kennedy are the two greatest defensive tackles in North Texas history. Freshman weren’t allowed to play college football in the 1960s so Greene lettered only three seasons at North Texas. But he earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors all three of his seasons and remains the only consensus All-America in school history. Freshman are now allowed to play college ball and Kennedy became one of only four players in North Texas history to win all-conference honors all four of his seasons. He was second-team All-Big West as a freshman and then first-team All-Sunbelt Conference in his final three seasons. He also was the Sunbelt Defensive Player of the Year in both 2002 and 2003. Greene became the fourth overall pick of the 1969 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He went on to win four Super Bowl rings and earn spots on both the NFL’s 100th anniversary team and in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Kennedy went undrafted in 2004 and never played a down in the NFL. Dion Novil is anxious to find out if and where he fits in between Greene and Kennedy in the historical pecking order of North Texas defensive tackles. Novil was a three-year starter and a two-time first-team All-Conference USA selection. He collected 37 ½ career tackles-for-loss and 10 ½ sacks – far short of the school-record 61 tackles-for-loss by Kennedy and his 18 sacks. But Novil is not short of Kennedy in one key aspect – his height. Kennedy did not fit the NFL’s prototype for the defensive interior – not at 5-9 ½, 332 pounds. Which is why he went to training camp as an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos and didn’t last the summer. Players that size tend to get smothered by all those 6-3 and 6-4 guards in NFL blocking fronts. read more: https://www.si.com/nfl/talkoffame/nfl/north-texas-dt-dion-novil-has-nfl-aspirations

NEW ORLEANS – UNT Tennis slipped 5-2 to Tulane on Saturday in New Orleans. Senior Lucie Devier and freshman Liisa Vehvilainen each picked up singles wins. DOUBLES Devier and Maria Ponomareva fell 6-1 in the one position. Jasmine Adams and Kexuan Zhou put up a fight winning four sets, the final score was 4-6. Vehvilainen and Saki Oyama were ahead 5-4 with their match remaining unfinished. SINGLES Zhou battled through her singles match before falling 3-6, 5-7. Ponomareva stumbled 3-6, 4-6 in the fourth position. Adams dropped her match 5-7, 2-6. Devier picked up the Mean Green's first point of the match. She won set one 7-5 and set two 7-6 with a 7-3 tiebreaker. Vehvilainen breezed through set one winning 6-3 but fell 4-6 in set two. This forced a third set that was played in tiebreaker format that was won 10-8. After falling 4-6 in the first game Oyama bounced back winning 6-3 in game two. The sophomore lost her third set tiebreak in dramatic fashion, 11-13. QUOTABLE "We were a little flat to start doubles and Tulane took full advantage of the early lead," head coach Sujay Lama said. "They were the better team today. We'll regroup and prepare to play aggressive tennis tomorrow. " UP NEXT The Mean Green will finish their stint in New Orleans at UNO on Sunday. The match will begin at noon. DOUBLES RESULTS1. Lahari Yelamanchili/Charlotte Russell (TLN) def. Lucie Devier/Maria Ponomareva (UNT) 6-12. Mackenzie Clark/Kristen Borland (TLN) vs. Liisa Vehvilainen/Saki Oyama (UNT) 4-5, unfinished 3. Adelaide Lavery/Jiayun Zhu (TLN) def. Jasmine Adams/Kexuan Zhou (UNT) 6-4 Order of Finish: (1, 3) SINGLES RESULTS1. Lucie Devier (UNT) def. Mackenzie Clark (TLN) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)2. Lahari Yelamanchili (TLN) def. Jasmine Adams(UNT) 7-5, 6-23. Liisa Vehvilainen (UNT) def. Kristen Borland (TLN) 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8) 4. Adelaide Lavery (TLN) def. Maria Ponomareva(UNT) 6-4, 6-35. Charlotte Russell (TLN) def. Kexuan Zhou (UNT) 6-3, 7-56. Jiayun Zhu (TLN) def. Saki Oyama (UNT) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (13-11) Order of Finish: (5, 4, 2, 1, 3, 6) read more: https://meangreensports.com/news/2022/3/26/womens-tennis-tennis-falls-short-to-tulane.aspx

We previously discussed concerns over free speech on the campus of the University of North Texas, including the canceling of an event on child gender transitioning. Students and faculty were not content to protest such events but acted to prevent others from hearing opposing views. Now, the university itself has lost a critical motion in a free speech case brought by Mathematics Professor Nathaniel Hiers after his contract was not renewed due to his criticism of the school’s microaggression policies. Judge Sean Jordan ruled that Professor Hiers may proceed to trial on his free speech claim. Professor Hiers sued the Board of Regents of the University of North Texas after it told him that it did not renew his contract due to his criticism of the policy. Mathematics Department Chair Professor Ralf Schmidt expressly stated that “[m]y decision not to continue your employment in the spring semester was based on your actions in the grad lounge on 11/26 [2019], and your subsequent response.” That is a reference to a controversy when a copy of the school’s microaggression policy was called “garbage” on a blackboard in the graduate lounge. The court included the picture in its opinion: When Schmidt sent around a demand for the person responsible to step forward, Hiers publicly accepted responsibility. He was later canned. We have previously discussed microaggression policies and the concerns over free speech over their fluid definition and controversial examples. I have had debates over such policies and I am often struck by the difficulty of those on the other side to clearly define the scope of the term. That lack of clarity (and the subjectivity of some of the term) creates a chilling effect on free speech. Free speech demands bright lines to avoid self-censorship and coerced silence. read more: https://jonathanturley.org/2022/03/24/federal-court-rules-in-favor-of-unt-professor-fired-for-criticizing-microaggression-policy/amp/

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The Conference USA basketball tournament is here, and hopefully for the majority of teams currently in the league never again. Winner gets to cut down the nets, and also take down the curtain. Let’s get awkward. The most important week of the year is here for UAB basketball, which is to say, Jordan Walker better be comfortable shooting jumpers on a rent-a-floor basketball court inside a football practice facility in Frisco, Texas. Ah, good ol’ Conference USA. Nothing says “we don’t care about basketball” quite like hosting a conference tournament on two courts separated by a partition inside a building that draws more people for Dallas Cowboys dance camps. read more: https://www.al.com/uab/2022/03/its-all-or-nothing-time-for-uab-in-awkward-cusa-tournament.html

Under the new partnerships, hourly employees in Texas will have access to education from Houston Community College and Lone Star College locally, Alamo College, Austin Community College, Dallas College, Tarrant County Community College, Texas State University, University of Texas at Dallas and University of North Texas. The schools are among Amazon’s more than 140 universities partners and additional online providers.. read more: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Amazon-expands-employee-perks-at-Texas-colleges-16978712.php

Hope Trautwein sat on her bed in Denton, Texas, with a notepad, penning a list of her dream schools. Nearly 45 minutes earlier, the then-senior announced she was searching for a new home via the NCAA Transfer Portal. After receiving emails and calls from Power Five schools across the nation, including UCLA, Texas, Oklahoma State, Alabama, Florida and Georgia, the former North Texas star felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Out of high school, Trautwein wasn’t highly sought after by top-end Division I programs. North Texas was one of the only decently-sized schools to give the star-studded pitcher an offer. Fast forward five years, and Trautwein became the hottest pitching recruit in the portal. Overwhelmed by her options, the right-hander looked at the notification on her phone. To her surprise, the buzz was an Instagram follow request from Oklahoma assistant coach JT Gasso. Immediately, she handed the phone to her Mean Green teammate Miranda Holguin. “Oh my gosh!” Trautwein exclaimed to Holguin in disbelief. “JT Gasso just followed me on Instagram!” read more: https://www.oudaily.com/sports/shes-just-shining-from-within-sooners-hope-trautwein-living-out-dream-with-ou-softball-after/article_01ab4bfc-9e33-11ec-b6e9-fb19c27f017e.html

North Texas’ current NFL players are headlined by a pair of wide receivers in Jaelon Darden and Jalen Guyton, but the program is far more than just a skill-player producer. The Mean Green sported 10 players in the NFL this past season, including two players each at offensive tackle, cornerback, and linebacker. Ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, that motif might actually carry over as we take a look at their prospects most likely to enter the NFL this offseason. Torrey is a burner with a great top speed as well as a shiftiness to his game. Though short in stature, he ripped off 1,215 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in 2021. Torrey ran for a combined 36 career rushing touchdowns and chipped in with another 4 receiving scores. As for Novil, he headlines the North Texas defensive group after starting for the past four seasons. He recorded 11.5 career sacks but was a constant force against opposing quarterbacks with a bevy of hurries and hits. Novil was excellent against the run, as he stands 6’4″, 330 pounds. Let’s get to the full reports, including Novil, Torrey, and the rest of the North Texas Mean Green entering the NFL in 2022. Read more: https://www.profootballnetwork.com/north-texas-2022-nfl-draft-scouting-reports-deandre-torrey-dion-novil/

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Damon West starts his presentation with, “We got the Uptown burglar. That’s the name I’m gonna have to live with for the rest of my life. That’s the consequences of my decisions and I wanna tell you because the choices you’re making today are gonna live with you for the rest of your life.” Regarded as the leader in an organized ring that committed dozens of burglaries in Uptown Dallas starting in 2007, West was arrested in 2008. Initially he was sentenced to 65 years in prison. “That jury was able to sentence me to life in prison,” he said. “Obviously I didn’t do the entire life sentence because I’m standing in front of you today.” READ MORE: 'Incredible Ambassador For Wildlife,' Dallas Zoo Mourns Loss Of Capybara Named Fred Freed from prison in 2015, West will be on parole until 2073. He recently shared his life story with student leaders in training from 22 Dallas Independent School District high schools. West told CBS 11 News, “I’ve had a privileged life… got set back with the choices that I made and went to prison. It’s an interesting dynamic too when you talk about race in there because you know, it was for the first time that being white was no longer the advantage.” Alondra Lemmer, a Dallas ISD Leader in Training, says, “I would take it as even though you come from a really bad place, or like you’re in a really bad spot, you can bring yourself upwards.” Once a quarterback at the University of North Texas (UNT), West is proof that life is all about decisions. Now a motivational speaker, his transformation started with a concept shared with him in prison….which helped him co-author a Wall Street Journal best seller titled ‘The Coffee Bean.’ Read more: https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2022/02/28/college-qb-journey-prison-motivational-speaker-dallas-students/

Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale is a businessman from Texas who owns and operates the Gallery Furniture retail chain. Mattress Mack has become sort of an internet sensation for the exceptionally large wagers he places on sporting contests, most recently with his record-setting total $9.5 million dollar bet on the Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl LVI. Not only is Mack notoriously famous for gambling gigantic sums on sports contests in his personal life, but he uses a similar approach in his business. Mack offered Gallery Furniture customers a full “reimbursement to those who spent $3,000 or more” on furniture from popular brands like Sealy, and Tempur-Pedic if the Bengals were to win. He also has run this same promotion for the Astros in the past. Unfortunately, Mack lost his massive bet when the Bengals lost Super Bowl LVI, but as a result did not have to reimburse customers. Mack played football himself in college for the University of North Texas. Coming out of college, Mack and his wife moved to Houston to run the furniture store that started “as a small business” and eventually grew to the $200 million annual business it is today. At the start of their business venture, Mack and his wife used to sleep in the store, and Mack, as a last resort when initially struggling financially, invested his last $10,000 to air a TV commercial. The commercial became a huge success when Mack spoke at a rapid-fire pace to get his whole message to fit in the 25 seconds allotted. At the very end of the Gallery Furniture advertisement, Mack exclaimed, “We will save you money!” The slogan “save you money!” stuck to this day and so did McIngvale’s nickname, Mattress Mack. Read more: http://thecollegevoice.org/2022/02/28/the-legend-of-mattress-mack/

On Oct. 7, Marshall is scheduled to play football against Alabama-Birmingham, Old Dominion is scheduled to play football against Middle Tennessee and Southern Mississippi is scheduled to play football against Louisiana Tech. Is scheduled is a loaded term. Those games are scheduled by Conference USA. Marshall, ODU and Southern Miss are saying not so fast. Welcome to the latest fallout from OU and Texas declaring allegiance to the SEC. With all the domino-effect realignment of Southeastern Conference expansion, Conference USA was gutted. Six C-USA members are headed for the American Conference: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Alabama-Birmingham, North Texas, Rice and Texas-San Antonio. Three more are headed for the Sun Belt: Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss. The latter three don’t plan to wait. Marshall, ODU and Southern Miss declared they would join the Sun Belt this summer and play a Sun Belt football schedule in 2022. Conference USA cited its bylaws and declared the defectors had to give at least 14 months notice. C-USA earlier this month even released a football schedule – with the Thundering Herd, Monarchs and Golden Eagles included. Now Marshall has filed a lawsuit against C-USA, seeking a quick exit. It’s all one big mess, and think of the uncertainty. read more: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/college/sooners/2022/02/24/bud-wilkinson-bear-bryant-loved-talk-college-football-alabama-crimson-tide-ou-sooners/6922277001/

Ole Miss football is expected to hire Purdue special teams coordinator Marty Biagi, according to multiple reports. Biagi has been with the Boilermakers for two seasons, beginning in 2020. Prior to his time with Purdue, Biagi served as North Texas’ special teams coordinator from 2017-19 and was with Notre Dame in 2016 as a special teams analyst. Biagi will replace Jeremy Springer at Ole Miss, who recently left to join the Los Angeles Rams’ staff. Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin hired Springer away from Marshall earlier in February. read more: https://247sports.com/college/ole-miss/Article/Ole-Miss-football-hiring-Purdue-special-teams-coordinator-Marty-Biagi-per-reports-183442176/