Finishing Out the '25 Class

[UNTLifer]

Looks like it will be all from the portal and I understand we are hosting another crew this weekend, so here are my questions.

1.  How many spaces do we have left to fill?

2.  Any idea what positions we are focusing on at this point?

3.  Do we expect any other current players to leave?

[jtm0097]

1. Not sure of the exact number but we don't have too many.

2. Mainly DL but I think we have a RB committed based on Cobbs tweet from the other day.

3. I think the portal closes soon but wouldn't be shocked if we have a few entries after spring practice  ends.

 

[Marty]

The winter portal opened Monday, Dec. 9, and ends on Saturday, Dec. 28. Meanwhile, the spring window runs from Wednesday, April 16, 2025, to Friday, April 25, 2025.

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, Marty said:

The winter portal opened Monday, Dec. 9, and ends on Saturday, Dec. 28. Meanwhile, the spring window runs from Wednesday, April 16, 2025, to Friday, April 25, 2025.

I read that as well, but saw where we were hosting another group this weekend so who really knows. 

[BillySee58]

14 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Looks like it will be all from the portal and I understand we are hosting another crew this weekend, so here are my questions.

1.  How many spaces do we have left to fill?

2.  Any idea what positions we are focusing on at this point?

3.  Do we expect any other current players to leave?

1. I have us at about 80 scholarship players. This count does not include Makenzie McGill who we almost assuredly need to put on scholarship to keep, and Evan Jackson who deleted his transfer portal post and hasn’t posted anything since. Also does not include high school commit Terrence Lewis who still seems in line to sign in February.

That being said, we probably could sign a few more HS guys this February. We have space and likely will have more space after spring to bring in more portal guys this summer if needed.

2. Probably will have a better idea on this after spring when we have a better idea of where we still are weaker than we want to be. We have pretty good numbers at each position.

3. There definitely will be more transfers after spring but pure speculation on who. Larry Moore appears to be passed over at tackle, and I doubt he wants to spend his last season of eligibility on the bench. Same for VJ Bronson at DT. At safety I don’t expect Isheem Young to come back but I could be wrong. He came here because of Caponi and we seem to have been recruiting that position as if he isn’t coming back. BJ Allen at safety looks like he is in danger of getting passed up by multiple guys so he could be better off looking elsewhere for more playing time. I think Zach Evans is similarly buried on the depth chart.

I‘d be surprised if any of those 5 guys were still here after spring. Those are 5 spots I pretty much expect to open up just based on guys who are sort of the odd men out at their spots, but looks like they’ll be here through spring to have a chance to carve out bigger roles.

[jtm0097]

3 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

1. I have us at about 80 scholarship players. This count does not include Makenzie McGill who we almost assuredly need to put on scholarship to keep, and Evan Jackson who deleted his transfer portal post and hasn’t posted anything since. Also does not include high school commit Terrence Lewis who still seems in line to sign in February.

That being said, we probably could sign a few more HS guys this February. We have space and likely will have more space after spring to bring in more portal guys this summer if needed.

2. Probably will have a better idea on this after spring when we have a better idea of where we still are weaker than we want to be. We have pretty good numbers at each position.

3. There definitely will be more transfers after spring but pure speculation on who. Larry Moore appears to be passed over at tackle, and I doubt he wants to spend his last season of eligibility on the bench. Same for VJ Bronson at DT. At safety I don’t expect Isheem Young to come back but I could be wrong. He came here because of Caponi and we seem to have been recruiting that position as if he isn’t coming back. BJ Allen at safety looks like he is in danger of getting passed up by multiple guys so he could be better off looking elsewhere for more playing time. I think Zach Evans is similarly buried on the depth chart.

I‘d be surprised if any of those 5 guys were still here after spring. Those are 5 spots I pretty much expect to open up just based on guys who are sort of the odd men out at their spots, but looks like they’ll be here through spring to have a chance to carve out bigger roles.

Thank you for this insightful recap Billy.

[El Paso Eagle]

Please keep in mind that it looks like shortly they will be changing the roster limits and the amount of players eligible to be put on scholarships. I believe then you will have to keep the minimum of 85 but you will be able to go higher if you choose but with a lower total number of players that can be in the program.

[BillySee58]

1 hour ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Please keep in mind that it looks like shortly they will be changing the roster limits and the amount of players eligible to be put on scholarships. I believe then you will have to keep the minimum of 85 but you will be able to go higher if you choose but with a lower total number of players that can be in the program.

After the Covid eligibility freeze of 2020, you were allowed to have more than 85 scholarship players. You were allowed to have 85 plus however many seniors from 2020 you had using their extra season of eligibility in 2021. We still decided to stay at 85. We probably budget for 85 so I don’t know that the rule change will change our self-imposed number.

[Jonnyeagle]

1 hour ago, BillySee58 said:

1. I have us at about 80 scholarship players. This count does not include Makenzie McGill who we almost assuredly need to put on scholarship to keep, and Evan Jackson who deleted his transfer portal post and hasn’t posted anything since. Also does not include high school commit Terrence Lewis who still seems in line to sign in February.

That being said, we probably could sign a few more HS guys this February. We have space and likely will have more space after spring to bring in more portal guys this summer if needed.

2. Probably will have a better idea on this after spring when we have a better idea of where we still are weaker than we want to be. We have pretty good numbers at each position.

3. There definitely will be more transfers after spring but pure speculation on who. Larry Moore appears to be passed over at tackle, and I doubt he wants to spend his last season of eligibility on the bench. Same for VJ Bronson at DT. At safety I don’t expect Isheem Young to come back but I could be wrong. He came here because of Caponi and we seem to have been recruiting that position as if he isn’t coming back. BJ Allen at safety looks like he is in danger of getting passed up by multiple guys so he could be better off looking elsewhere for more playing time. I think Zach Evans is similarly buried on the depth chart.

I‘d be surprised if any of those 5 guys were still here after spring. Those are 5 spots I pretty much expect to open up just based on guys who are sort of the odd men out at their spots, but looks like they’ll be here through spring to have a chance to carve out bigger roles.

Great analysis Billy!

[UNTLifer]

6 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

1. I have us at about 80 scholarship players. This count does not include Makenzie McGill who we almost assuredly need to put on scholarship to keep, and Evan Jackson who deleted his transfer portal post and hasn’t posted anything since. Also does not include high school commit Terrence Lewis who still seems in line to sign in February.

That being said, we probably could sign a few more HS guys this February. We have space and likely will have more space after spring to bring in more portal guys this summer if needed.

2. Probably will have a better idea on this after spring when we have a better idea of where we still are weaker than we want to be. We have pretty good numbers at each position.

3. There definitely will be more transfers after spring but pure speculation on who. Larry Moore appears to be passed over at tackle, and I doubt he wants to spend his last season of eligibility on the bench. Same for VJ Bronson at DT. At safety I don’t expect Isheem Young to come back but I could be wrong. He came here because of Caponi and we seem to have been recruiting that position as if he isn’t coming back. BJ Allen at safety looks like he is in danger of getting passed up by multiple guys so he could be better off looking elsewhere for more playing time. I think Zach Evans is similarly buried on the depth chart.

I‘d be surprised if any of those 5 guys were still here after spring. Those are 5 spots I pretty much expect to open up just based on guys who are sort of the odd men out at their spots, but looks like they’ll be here through spring to have a chance to carve out bigger roles.

Thanks and thank you for keeping up with all of this. 

[BillySee58]

7 hours ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Great analysis Billy!

 

2 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Thanks and thank you for keeping up with all of this. 

Thank you, both

[NT80]

12 hours ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Please keep in mind that it looks like shortly they will be changing the roster limits and the amount of players eligible to be put on scholarships. I believe then you will have to keep the minimum of 85 but you will be able to go higher if you choose but with a lower total number of players that can be in the program.

 

105

 

Due to the recent House vs. NCAA settlement, the way is paved for colleges to compensate athletes. The downside is that there will now be a roster cap in FBS of 105. With the average FBS school carrying 128 athletes, that means 23 athletes per team will be looking for a new home.Nov 25, 2024

................

 

All 105 can be on scholarship, but 105 is also the total roster limit ...including walk-ons and non-scholarship players.  Scholarship spending will be decided by the schools and/or conferences what each will offer.

 

While we may lose some former scholarship players to the portal and P4s, the P4s will have to cut their total rosters down and quality backups that we could now pick up.

Edited January 12 by NT80

[Cr1028]

11 hours ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Great analysis Billy!

He does it cause he’s selfless and after paying his labcoats he makes nothin.

[UNTLifer]

Is there still a NSD in February?

[BigChiefGMG]

https://247sports.com/college/north-texas/article/terrence-lewis-goes-in-depth-on-his-commitment-to-unt-234072748/amp/
 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFsgO-luDBz/?igsh=MWNycnllN3dxcmM2Mw==

wasn’t sure where to put this but it’s always nice to see someone shoutout part of the recruiting pitch was academics and that we had his major. I hope this kid balls out 

[BigChiefGMG]

Hmmmm. This is just one site but seeing these HS recruiting team rankings is just depressing. I know we went portal heavy but man….

[greenminer]

@BigChiefGMG What is that number used for the ranking? It's not the average, which appears to the right.

[MeanGreenGlory]

5 hours ago, BigChiefGMG said:

Hmmmm. This is just one site but seeing these HS recruiting team rankings is just depressing. I know we went portal heavy but man….

It doesn’t bother me at all. Love it or hate it, it’s what programs like UNT need to do to compete in today’s environment. 
 

We simply don’t have the appropriate time or scholarship capacity to bring HS players in, develop them for a year or two, get them to have a breakout year, and then lose them in the portal. 
 

We need to bring experienced college level guys in who can make an immediate impact for 1–2 years. 

[BigChiefGMG]

3 hours ago, greenminer said:

@BigChiefGMG What is that number used for the ranking? It's not the average, which appears to the right.

It’s the HS ranking of the entire class. This is just the HS signings only, so we’re 124th on 11 HS commits. I imagine the lower number of signings and mostly 3-2 stars attributes to that. I was just kinda stunned it was that low out of 135 FBS, that’s all. 

 https://www.on3.com/college/north-texas-mean-green/football/2025/industry-comparison-commits/

however our transfers ranking is at 70 below here being middle of the pack in that department. Something to feel better about for sure. 

https://247sports.com/Season/2025-football/TransferTeamRankings/

[BigChiefGMG]

No doubt MGG, just unprecedented times with all these moving parts, very hard for me to keep up with it. I actually feel great about the incoming transfers - it really is a lot of defensive and trench help. We all know we needed that. Cassity will have the biggest impact more than any player. I can already feel it. This season should be fun 

[greenminer]

@BigChiefGMG But my question is, how is this list being ranked?  It's not average rating per recruit, which I think is one of the best ways to look at these lists.

Edited February 7 by greenminer

[jtm0097]

https://247sports.com/season/2025-football/overallteamrankings/

We are middle of the pack in the conference. Several G5 schools ahead of us.

24/7 Overall Rankings

63. Memphis

71. Tulane

72. USF

82. East Carolina

84. Florida Atlantic

92. North Texas

[97and03]

18 hours ago, greenminer said:

@BigChiefGMG But my question is, how is this list being ranked?  It's not average rating per recruit, which I think is one of the best ways to look at these lists.

I googled it (just as you can) and the answer didn’t provide much clarity, tbh. They claim it is more transparent and fair than other services but I couldn’t find how they assign points specifically. 

[greenminer]

I re-sorted the on3 list, according to average rating per recruit, and we come in about 90, a bit higher than the screen shot above.

I filtered that list down to the AAC teams.  Here's how we stand (clickable image):

Edited February 7 by greenminer