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Don't forget to check out Lance Dunbar tonight in The Hall of Fame game. I'm guessing he gets a lot of PT It's preseason , but so what. It's finally here!

When the Cowboys drafted Oklahoma State running back Joseph Randle in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, they saw DeMarco Murray 2.0. There are some similarities between the two players, too. Both are tall, upright runners who found success in college as pass-catching backs. Randle hauled in 108 passes in his three seasons at Oklahoma State, a large number for a collegiate running back, and averaged 5.5 yards per carry (YPC) in a competitive conference. The primary difference between Randle and Murray, however, is that Randle doesnt have outstanding straight-line speed. At just 198 pounds, he ran a 4.63 40-yard dash. Meanwhile, Murray checked in at 213 pounds and ran a 4.41, putting him in elite company. Weve had this talk before, and yes, there are slower running backs who have found success some guy named Emmitt comes to mind. But when we use any stat, were not looking for perfection. Rather, we want to tilt the odds in our favor. And using the 40 time as one of the tools to grade rookie running backs is a smart move. Since 2005, the most successful backs in the NFL in terms of approximate value have been the fastest, and it isnt even close. Read more: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-JonathanBales/RTN-Why-Lance-Dunbar-Is-the-Right-Choice-as-the-No-2-RB/3a0afc34-b849-4dfb-a35b-7e82c774942b

Started this evening : Lance comes in as the #2 RB and is already impressing with some nice runs !

Will Lance get more PT? http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9273091/felix-jones-ex-dallas-cowboys-rb-joins-philadelphia-eagles

Hey guys, so with some of us hoping that Will might end up with the Cowboys and Lance likely to see some considerable playing time in the preseason, is anybody planning to travel to Phoenix for the preseason game against the Cardinals? I know it's early but you all know how much I like to plan ahead, so if you're already considering a trip in August (17th), or might decide to do so at a later date, either reply to this thread or PM me and we can talk about any other things to do before and after the game depending on how long you might be in town. If a few of you may be coming, it would be cool to get seats together, wear North Texas gear, and cheer on Lance and possibly Will. For those visiting who are unfamiliar with the area I can recommend, or even organize meet-ups at, places if you let me know what you might want to do. If you want to come but have a limited budget, we might have a couple of open dates on our timeshare or if not we have an air mattress and a den if it comes down to that.

Position: Running back How acquired: Undrafted free agent, North Texas What he did: He spent the early portions of the season on the practice squad but was called up in October. Dunbar rushed for 75 yards on 21 carries during the season in a backup role. His value increased when DeMarco Murray missed six games with a sprained foot. Dunbar proved to be a player who can do different things -- he caught six passes out of the backfield, averaged 21.8 yards on kick returns and got work on special teams. In the second meeting with the New York Giants, on Oct. 28, Dunbar returned a kick 44 yards. Where he fits in the future: He needs more work in the passing game, especially in picking up the blitz, but it seems the Cowboys want to keep him around more than Phillip Tanner, the other backup running back. Dunbar has good speed and vision and seems to hit holes faster than Tanner. He will compete, possibly with Tanner in training camp, to be Murray's backup. The key for Dunbar, of course, is whether the new special teams coach thinks he can provide an impact on his unit. Story on ESPN Dallas by Calvin Watkins

Irving, Texas - This Sunday when the Cowboys face off against the Saints at Cowboys Stadium there will undoubtedly be a fair amount of Saints fans who travel from the city of New Orleans to witness their team play one of the most recognizable franchises in all of sports. New Orleans, Louisiana and Dallas, Texas are approximately 500 miles apart and the drive might take eight hours or so. It’s a drive that Cowboy running back Lance Dunbar has made before, however, under very different circumstances. Dunbar was a sophomore in high school when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The disaster turned the lives of thousands of people upside down, Dunbar and his family included. Fortunately, Dunbar’s family was wise enough to listen to the warnings of evacuation and made it out of the city before the hurricane hit. “We were evacuating to Mississippi,” Dunbar said. “We knew it was coming so we left and went to Mississippi.” Once in Mississippi, Dunbar and his family had left an entire life behind them and were forced to watch the news and see that very same life be flooded and torn apart. Now it was time to figure out where to go from there. They decided upon North Texas. So they made the trek to Haltom City. It might be easy to look at Dunbar as a rookie in the NFL and claim that it all worked out for the best, but the process of uprooting his entire life was anything but easy. “It was crazy,” Dunbar said. “It was like starting all over. You’ve got to meet new friends, meet new people.” Read more: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-JonathanAuping/Dunbar%E2%80%99s-Inspiring-Story-Has--Ties-To-New-Orleans-And-Texas/c83778b3-f8bd-46eb-9766-9751408074dc

A great write-up on our very own Lance Dunbar and his path to the NFL... "So does Dunbar have the goods to stick with the Cowboys? Well, George believes that if anyone can overcome the long odds that face any undrafted free agent, it’s Dunbar, who says he loves competition. McCarney compares Dunbar to a player he coached while an assistant at Iowa, Ronnie Harmon. Harmon carved out a 12-year NFL career in which he gained nearly 9,000 yards. McCarney says Dunbar has similar strength, hands and versatility." http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Star-Practice-Squad-RB-Has-Already-Had-Amazing-Journey-/8c2c4995-8f14-457c-b7d7-e72b29e9b39b

Home in Haltom City Clayton George found himself in a unique position to relate to Dunbar when he arrived as Haltom’s head coach in the spring of 2006. George had just spent a couple of years as the head football coach at Dallas Hillcrest, his first head-coaching job after leaving Southlake Carroll. Hillcrest became a hub for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina. He coached several players from New Orleans and heard their stories about the storm and the tragedy that came afterward. “I still can’t imagine what they went through and what they saw,” George says. “I had heard those things before I met Lance. I kind of knew where he was coming from.” George inherited a player with unique talent as both a rusher and a receiver. Dunbar joined Haltom midway through the 2005 season and gained 640 yards and scored four touchdowns. In his one season at Haltom, George says he did everything possible to put the ball in Dunbar’s hands. That translated into 1,100 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns, along with 750 yards receiving and two more scores in 2006. George spent just one year at Haltom because, shortly after the end of the 2006 high school football season, he accepted a job as the wide receivers coach at the University of North Texas offered by his former Southlake boss, Todd Dodge. But in less than 12 months, Dunbar and George had connected on a personal level. George got to know not just Dunbar but Jones and the rest of Dunbar’s extended family. George and Dunbar still talk regularly and the family invited George to their home on the final day of the NFL Draft. George was there to watch the dream come together for the player he calls his “favorite” of any player he’s coached. Their relationship extends beyond Dunbar’s obvious talent. “Lance is quiet and humble,” George says. “He’ll open up, but he’s reserved and quiet. He’s that way but he has a great sense of humor. He’s someone that was raised well. His character and integrity are tremendous. I sound so cliché talking about him.” When George left for UNT, he told Dunbar he would come back for him. Dunbar finished off his career at Haltom in 2007 with a 1,200-yard season. Oklahoma State wanted him. Colorado wanted him. So did Virginia. But Dunbar chose North Texas. “Initially, I was going to go to Oklahoma State,” Dunbar says. “(But) I also wanted to play as a freshman. I didn’t want to sit out. I’ve always felt if you’re good enough you can make it anywhere.” So Dunbar signed with UNT, a decision that admittedly made Jones happy. She and her husband went to every game. So did Lance’s father, Lance Dunbar Sr. Denton, Texas is a heck of a lot closer to Haltom than Stillwater, Okla. And it was proof that Texas was now home. The test? The day he signed with UNT, guess who called the Mean Green’s newest recruit? LSU. “LSU was definitely the school I wanted to go to when I was down there,” Dunbar says. “They were one of my favorite schools growing up. I was a big LSU fan, but that all switched after I went to North Texas.” Making History Dunbar wanted to play right away, and he did. When he received his first start for the Mean Green, he torched Louisiana-Lafayette for 224 yards and four touchdowns. By the time he ended his UNT career, he had torn up the Mean Green record book, which was once the sole property of Patrick Cobbs. Dunbar finished with 4,224 yards, making him the program’s all-time leading rusher. Additionally, he is now UNT’s all-time leader in touchdowns (49), all-purpose yards (5,375), 100-yard rushing games (21), points (294) and rushing touchdowns (41). He was also the only Mean Green runner to have three straight 1,000-yard seasons and became just the sixth back in FBS history to compile 4,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards for a career. He earned All-Sun Belt first-team honors twice and Sports Illustrated named him honorable mention All-America twice. He ended his tenure in Denton with a crescendo. He rushed for 313 yards against Middle Tennessee in a game played in a cold, driving rain for most of the contest. That night he broke Cobbs’ career rushing mark with Cobbs in attendance. But that wasn’t enough to entice NFL teams to draft Dunbar in April. Had one done so, he would have become just the second Mean Green player to be drafted in the last 16 years. But had one done so, he might not have ended up in Dallas. Dunbar did not earn an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in February, so his one opportunity to impress NFL scouts came in March at the Mean Green’s pro day at Apogee Stadium. The Cowboys were among the teams in attendance, as was current UNT coach Dan McCarney. “He did a great job,” McCarney says. “He opened some eyes that day that he does have quality speed and quickness and hands.” Read More: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-1/Star-Practice-Squad-RB-Has-Already-Had-Amazing-Journey-/8c2c4995-8f14-457c-b7d7-e72b29e9b39b

The running game is strong: There are no questions regarding the status of DeMarco Murray as the starter. Felix Jones has been guaranteed a roster spot by owner/general manager Jerry Jones. We thought the No. 3 running back gig was going to Phillip Tanner, but Lance Dunbar came on strong Wednesday night. Dunbar ran with a burst, scoring on a 58-yard run. Let's not forget about Tanner, who burst up the middle for a 1-yard score. Dunbar rushed 15 times for 105 yards and Tanner rushed for 48 yards on nine carries. Read more: http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4696483/rapid-reaction-cowboys-27-dolphins-13

SAN DIEGO -- Dallas Cowboys running back Lance Dunbar, a North Texas and Haltom High School product, returned to practice Monday and hopes to make his NFL debut in Saturday's preseason game at Cowboys Stadium against the St. Louis Rams. Dunbar missed the team's first two preseason games with a hamstring injury but caught the attention of coaches with a couple of explosive runs in Monday's practice at Chargers Park with the San Diego Chargers. "He's mentally into what we're doing. He has a good feel for our offense," said running backs coach Skip Peete. "He's a talented runner ... We just have to, obviously, give him the opportunity. I'm excited to see what he can do in a preseason game." Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/08/20/4194066/former-unt-back-dunbar-ready-for.html Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/08/20/4194066/former-unt-back-dunbar-ready-for.html#storylink=cpy

CBS 11 just had a story on Dunbar on the 10PM news about him being at Cowboys rookie camp. It was a great couple of minutes on him and what he did at North Texas. I'll try to find the link and post it on here.