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Former Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente is an Oklahoma native with deep ties in Texas and 10 years of head coaching experience. He built Memphis from one of the worst situations in the country into a conference champion in his third season. He won 19 games in his first two seasons at Virginia Tech, but things unraveled down the stretch, though he finished with a 43-31 record there. Fuente’s name has also been around the UAB job and some other potential openings. read more: https://theathletic.com/3941164/2022/11/27/texas-state-football-coach-candidates-spavital/

According to a report from the Daily Memphian, head coach Ryan Silverfield will return for a fourth season at Memphis. https://footballscoop.com/news/ryan-silverfield-will-reportedly-return-at-memphis

The win against Rice yesterday was metaphor of perseverance for Littrell and the Mean Green this season. After starting the year 2-3, the team has bounced back winning four of its last six to crawl back into the conference championship game. I know Coach McCarney would have been proud of Seth battling back and facing his adversity head on. Why not North Texas? Why not North Texas?

Sources with knowledge of the UAB search, view Vincent as a candidate; but not at the top of the list – despite formally interviewing this week for the top spot on a permanent basis. Where does the UAB search seem pointed? Bryant Vincent has guided the Blazers to a chance at bowl eligibility, despite the sudden flux in the preseason, heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale at Louisiana Tech. Well, to the professional ranks. Seriously. In fact, multiple sources tell FootballScoop that USFL head coach Skip Holtz, leader of the Birmingham Stallions, has emerged as a central target in the Blazers’ search for their next head coach. However, other candidates and factors are still being considered. link to more: https://footballscoop.com/news/an-sec-assistant-sitting-head-coaches-and-a-pro-coach-in-mix-with-uab-blazers-coaching-search

Heard a rumor from an unconfirmed source that Aune needs just 3 td passes to surpass Fine in the UNT football history books. Single season record, needs just two to tie and three to set the new record. GMG

INSTEAD OF A bank vault or a Brink's truck, the betting slips from what could be the largest payout in sports gambling history are being guarded by nothing more than an old, tattered Houston Astros backpack. On a recent Tuesday afternoon in Houston, with the MLB playoffs about to begin, the faded blue nylon bag -- its contents worth potentially millions -- sits on the floor of the massive Gallery Furniture showroom, just within arm's reach of its owner: the Houston furniture magnate and Astros superfan Jim McIngvale, better known around these parts and in the world of high-stakes sports gambling as Mattress Mack. Lanky and seemingly equal parts ears, teeth, cowboy boots and charisma, McIngvale has been a household name in Houston for decades thanks to his wacky TV commercials and his Ross Perot delivery. "I just have what you might call a high tolerance for risk," McIngvale says. "Damon Runyon said 'All horse players die broke.' And I know I shouldn't bet with my heart, but it's hard not to and it's a lot more fun." In 2017, McIngvale gained national attention for opening his doors and sheltering hundreds of victims of Hurricane Harvey for weeks inside his furniture showroom, something he also did after Hurricane Katrina years prior. After the storm, as the Astros continued their historic run to the 2017 World Series, McIngvale was in the news yet again, this time for an only-in-Texas furniture promotion through which anyone who bought a mattress from Gallery Furniture would get it for free if the Astros won it all. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34870415/houston-astros-superfan-mattress-mack-lose-no-matter-wins-world-series

DENTON — The North Texas men’s basketball team is back in action from the Super Pit Tuesday night with a home game against Paul Quinn College. Tipoff for Tuesday’s contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and will be streamed on YouTube and the Mean Green Sports Network, presented by Learfield on The Varsity Network app. UNT (2-1) is coming off a 61-52 home victory over Fresno State Saturday afternoon where reigning all-conference guard Tylor Perry made his return from injury and scored 21 points to lead the Mean Green to victory. Fellow starting guard Rubin Jones also made his return Saturday after missing the last five months due to an offseason surgery and positively affected the North Texas offense that had been looking for a spark. The Mean Green will welcome on Tuesday a Paul Quinn College squad that competes at the NAIA level and is the reigning United States Collegiate Athletic Association DI national champion. The Tigers (1-0) are not shy about playing NCAA DI teams around the Metroplex. On Oct. 29 Paul Quinn took on SMU in Dallas in an exhibition and held a one-point lead at halftime. The Mustangs pulled away in the second half and won 80-66. The next day Paul Quinn traveled to Fort Worth to face TCU. The Horned Frogs came away with a 112-42 victory. After Tuesday’s game the Mean Green will travel to the Bahamas to play in the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship. UNT will open the eight-team three games in three days tournament on Friday versus San José State. Tipoff to Friday’s game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT. All games will be streamed on FloHoops. Contact the Mean Green Ticket Office at 940-565-2527 or by emailing ticketoffice@unt.edu for more information on UNT hoops tickets. Game notes: https://meangreensports.com/documents/2022/11/21/11.22.22_UNT_MBB_Game_Notes_-_Paul_Quinn_College.pdf

1. Increase revenues The MW is considered the second-best Group of 5 conference in the nation behind the American Athletic Conference, and generally, that's accurate even though the MW sees itself as the top non-power conference. The AAC has appeared in six New Year's Six bowls since the MW last did so and has had more success in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, including back-to-back Elite Eight berths by Houston, a 2021 Final Four team. The AAC has been better than the MW. But the AAC also is losing Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the Big 12 in 2023, which means now is the time for the MW to overtake the AAC. The biggest difference between the two conferences is the annual budgets and size of the football stadiums, which is partially tied together (if you can fill those stadiums, the revenue explodes). Part of that advantage leaves the AAC when Cincinnati, Houston and UCF exit. But currently, the average AAC budget is about $10 million more than the average MW budget. That makes a difference. Growing the MW's revenue so its members are even with the new-look AAC — which will add Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA — is the top priority. The MW's annual financial distribution must increase. Read more: https://nevadasportsnet.com/news/reporters/seven-things-atop-gloria-nevarezs-to-do-list-as-she-becomes-mountain-west-commissioner

Doug is joined by former Virginia Tech and Memphis Head Coach Justin Fuente for the final conversation of a 3 part interview. He discusses taking how he landed the head coach job at Memphis, the tsunami of responsibilities as a first time head coach, how he turned around the program from off the radar to nationally ranked, the first time he saw future 1st rounder Paxton Lynch, why he left to take over for Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech, why he decided to keep legendary DC Bud Foster as a holdover on his new staff, how COVID stalled his momentum in Blacksburg, why it ultimately didn’t work out, and the lessons he learned from the job as he looks to the future. PART 1: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-ball-former-va-tech-hc-justin-fuente-on-qb-career/id1230116944?i=1000585174721 PART 2: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-ball-pt-2-justin-fuente-on-tcu-oc-break-patterson/id1230116944?i=1000585874257 PART 3: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-ball-pt-3-justin-fuente-on-memphis-turnaround-paxton/id1230116944?i=1000586344853

DENTON — The North Texas men's basketball team welcomes Fresno State to the Super Pit Saturday for a scheduled 5 p.m. CT tipoff. Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ and the Mean Green Sports Network, presented by Learfield on The Varsity Network app. It will be UNT's (1-1) first game back at home since its home opening victory on Nov. 7 over Southern Nazarene. Saturday will be the Bulldogs' (1-2) first true road game of the year. Most recently, they fell at home to San Francisco on Wednesday, 67-60. Saturday will be just the third all-time meeting between the two programs and the first in 45 years. North Texas traveled to Fresno, California, in 1977 and won 88-81 over Fresno State. This will be the second time the Bulldogs have visited the Super Pit. The first time came in 1973, which was the arena's inaugural season. The Bulldogs won 96-95. North Texas fans are encouraged to wear green to Saturday's game. A pregame tailgate will begin at 3 p.m. CT. Fans can download the GMG Lights app on their phones, which will sync the light on their phone to the intro video song and play during the introduction to the Mean Green starting five. Additionally, UNT will honor the 2021-22 Conference USA championship team prior to tipoff and the world-famous Red Panda will perform at halftime. Tickets to Saturday's contest can be purchased here. The GMG Lights app can be downloaded from your phone here. Contact the Mean Green Ticket Office at 940-565-2527 or by emailing ticketoffice@unt.edu for more information on UNT hoops tickets.

A fifth-year senior from Augusta, Ga., Mardrez McBride is no stranger to getting to know new teammates. One of coach Mike White's new members of the Georgia men's basketball team, McBride joined the Bulldogs after stops at McCook College (Neb.), USC Salkehatchie and North Texas. A 6-foot-2 guard, McBride started all 60 games at North Texas over the past two seasons. He's played a ton of college basketball, including in the postseason. In 2021, he scored 24 points against Texas State in the NIT, and in 2021, he scored 16 points in the Mean Green's upset of Purdue in the NCAA tournament. During a recent Quick Chat, McBride talked about adjusting to another new school, the value of his postseason experience on a team without a lot of it, his first dunk, his football days, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say: Frierson: As somebody that's been to a few schools already, how has the transition to Georgia been? McBride: It's been very good. We went hard here ever since I got here; every day is a grind. With so many guys coming in, so many newcomers, we're just trying to get a feel for each other. LINK: https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/11/16/mens-basketball-quick-chat-mardrez-mcbride

TAMPA — As the USF football coaching search unfolds over the coming weeks, every Bulls candidate will confront the same question. How good is the USF job? The answer being pitched this week at the Lee Roy Selmon Athletics Center: better than it was 35 months ago when the Bulls hired Jeff Scott. “A lot of things that Jeff helped pave the way for will be a great benefit to whoever comes in here and takes the baton from here,” athletic director Michael Kelly said Tuesday. Related: Forget about sexy hires, USF is looking for a long-term relationship The foundation Scott laid will be a crucial selling point as USF hunts for his successor. Because for all of USF’s inherent advantages — starting with its location in one of the nation’s top recruiting areas — its history is full of unrealized potential. But USF has also never won a conference title or played for one. Since 2000, only four other Group of Five programs have played every year without at least appearing in a conference championship: Eastern Michigan, UNLV, New Mexico and Tulane (which might get there this year). read more: https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bulls/2022/11/09/usf-football-coaching-search-bulls-jeff-scott-michael-kelly/

Memphis football coach Ryan Silverfield is facing pressure from fans after the Tigers' three-game losing streak. There's also growing concern that his job status could be in question if the season continues to spiral. If the Tigers made a coaching change - and there's been no indication that will happen, yet - could they look further south for a potential replacement? On ESPN's College GameDay podcast this week, senior college football writer Pete Thamel suggested Jackson State coach Deion Sanders could be a candidate should the Tigers move on from Silverfield. read more: https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/college/memphis-tigers/2022/10/27/memphis-football-deion-sanders-coaching-change-espn-ryan-silverfield/69597085007/

Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell: His offense is one of the most exciting in the country but won’t look as sharp this week against Southern Miss, as star quarterback Grayson McCall is out with a foot injury. If Chadwell doesn’t get a Power Five offer, USF could double his salary ($850,000 last year). Indiana coach Tom Allen: The former USF assistant (and Hillsborough County high school coach) takes a six-game losing streak into No. 2 Ohio State. USF would be an excellent landing spot for him, if he needs an exit strategy. Penn State co-offensive coordinator Ja’Juan Seider: The Belle Glade native and former Gators assistant coaches one of the nation’s top freshman running backs, Nicholas Singleton, and should be able to put up good numbers against a mediocre Maryland defense. Florida A&M coach Willie Simmons: He told the Tallahassee Democrat this week he hasn’t “heard any rumblings or gotten any contract” from USF, but he’d be an attractive candidate. His Rattlers have won seven in a row entering Saturday’s game at Alabama State. Read more: https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bulls/2022/11/10/usf-football-coaching-search-jamey-chadwell-tom-allen-willie-simmons/

After visiting five colleges in the spring, Denton (Texas) Braswell cornerback prospect Dylan Smith is close to scheduling his summer visits. "I have been talking with Arkansas and Colorado about getting out to both of those schools on an official visit," he said. Smith plans to check out Boulder for the first time in June. Houston, North Texas, Oklahoma State and SMU were the other programs Smith visited this spring. He has received a total of 14 offers throughout his recruitment, with all of the aforementioned schools included in his list of college options. Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Nebraska, Stanford are some of Smith's other offers. His older brother Cam Smith is currently a redshirt freshman cornerback at Oklahoma State. https://247sports.com/college/colorado/Article/Denton-Texas-Braswell-cornerback-Dylan-Smith-plans-to-visit-Colorado-Buffaloes-Arkansas-Razorbacks-this-summer-187444356/

Quarterback Jacob Zeno has performed admirably the last three weeks since being thrust into action on the road against Western Kentucky, but Dylan Hopkins has been a full participant in practice this week and was named the starter by UAB interim head coach Bryant Vincent. Zeno could still see some action this week considering the progression during his time as the starter. Before sustaining a concussion against the Hilltoppers, Hopkins led the Blazers to a 4-2 record while passing for 1,233 yards, 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, adding 119 yards and 2 scores on the ground. In his time subbing for the former, Zeno has completed 60 percent of his passes for 557 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. North Texas quarterback Austin Aune is one of the oldest players currently in C-USA, due to playing a few years of minor league baseball, and is as experienced as any play of the team. The junior has completed 58.2 percent of passes for 2,753 yards, throwing for 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and leads the Mean Green’s 24th-ranked passing offense (285.2 ypg). Backup Grant Gunnell has taken few snaps this season and Stone Earle is a threat in running packages, rushing for 90 yards and a score on 16 carries. Advantage: Even Read more: https://www.al.com/uab/2022/11/position-by-position-breakdown-for-uab-vs-north-texas.html

DENTON, Texas – North Texas senior kicker Ethan Mooney has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, given annually by the Orange Bowl. A native of Fort Worth, Mooney is North Texas’ all-time leader in career extra points and ranks second all-time in points kicking with 310. He has connected on 49-of-63 field goal attempts in his career good for 77.8 percent, the second-best mark in the UNT record book. Mooney, a preseason All-Conference USA honoree, currently ranks ninth in FBS with 15 made field goals this season. He ranks 12th in FBS with a 93.8 percent rate on field goals this season and also with 42 made PAT’s. Semifinalists will be voted on by a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers to select the three finalists. These finalists will be announced on November 29th and honored at the 31st annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Banquet on December 5th in Palm Beach County. The same panel then selects the winner, who will be announced live on ESPN during the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 8th. The Award is named for National Football League Hall of Fame kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1954. Although an All-Pro offensive lineman as well, Groza ushered in the notion that there should be a place on an NFL roster for a kicker. Since the first Lou Groza Award was handed out in 1992, 28 finalists, including 16 winners, have gone on to appear in the NFL, earning 13 trips to the Pro Bowl and taking home 7 Super Bowls. That list includes 2022 NFL kickers Rodrigo Blankenship, Randy Bullock, Daniel Carlson Mason Crosby, Jake Elliott, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Graham Gano, Matt Gay, Zane Gonzalez, Dustin Hopkins, Younghoe Koo, and Cairo Santos. For more information regarding the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, please visit LouGrozaAward.com, or follow @LouGrozaAward on Twitter for updates as they happen. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Jared Fleet, Director of Event Operations at the Palm Beach County Sports Commission at (561) 233-3120 or jfleet@palmbeachsports.com. National College Football Awards Association The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. The NCFAA encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story. About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and a local membership program that support its goals. Local, regional, national, and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Award program, the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches, and the annual Holiday Basketball Classic of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.

1 UNT_FB_Game_Notes 2022 11_UAB MON.pdf GMG

QB #7 @ Hutchinson JUCO 2022| 6’6 200| 2021 NJCAA All-American 20/21 National Champs | 5 time NJCAA Offense Player of Week https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2023/dylan-laible-273038

https://fiusports.com/sports/football/roster/grayson-james/9965