Recruits

[H-towngreen]

Oldtimer asked for everyone to keep an eye out. Did anyone notice any names, schools? Any body with some size to help out?

[Rudy]

There were some sitting in front of us in Section E. I didn't get a chance to talk to them becuase the angels sat in between us and the recruits. I guess they had to create a "barrier" between them and the fans.

[stevegreen]

were they big...all i saw was several guys around 5'9"-maybe 6'...all skinny. we need size

[BazMom]

I am totally confused as to what has happened this year with the recruits and the angels. My husband was having a conversation with one of the recruits at the game just a general conversation. He is obviously a player parent, player jersey on, vocal cheerleader and was rudely, in front of the recruit, told that he was not allowed to talk to the recruit. ???????????????I'm not getting the reasoning behind not wanting a loyal mean green loving fan to be treated so rudely and especially in front of a young man who we are obviously interested in playing football for UNT. What kind of message does this send? Very disappointed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SilverEagle]

I think that it has to do with NCAA rules about the number of "official contacts" that a recruit can have with school officials, as well as alumni.

It wouldn't take much effort on the Angel's part, or on the part of the University for that matter, to explain the situation to fans at the game.

Did I say "effort"?.......OOPS! What was I thinking! ........

Edited November 21, 2005 by SilverEagle

[BazMom]

Even if that is the case part of their training needs to be in tact 101.

[SilverEagle]

Even if that is the case part of their training needs to be in tact 101.

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I totally agree.

[OldTimer]

So far I have not received any information on prospective recruits from last Saturday's game.

Folks, I am concerned about recruiting this year:

1. Lopsided wins by Tulsa and La Tech, improved wins/status TV exposure(I have seen 2 or 3 of their game on TV) of UTEP, we recruit against these teams big time. Even Baylor and SMU have increased their wins/losses this year making it even harder to compete with them....but not as major factor as the other 3.

2. Losing Bruce Bell who covered the Houston area and (Per Footballscoup Ramon Flanigan-though it is rumored he did not recruit last yer) won't help. If any other coaches are let go it will just reduce the manpower available.

On the bright side of darkness...with no bowl game, the remaining coaches will have more time to recruit.

Even if you can't talk with the recruits....their letter jackets tell a story that might lead to ID. Remenber to look at weekend BB games for a group of prospects...with no angel flight members.

[TIgreen01]

I saw a few...no idea what high school it was, but there was one letterman jacket that I remember....black coat, with a Yellow 'M'....

Either way, none of the kids I saw were taller than 6' and NONE of them were over 180 lbs....but then, I didn't see the whole group.

[greenjoe]

Old Timer-Don't confuse the "Eagle Angels" with the former Air Force Auxillary group on campus,"Angel Flight."

GO MEAN GREEN

[PlummMeanGreen]

So far I have not received any information on prospective recruits from last Saturday's game.

Folks, I am concerned about recruiting this year:

1.  Lopsided wins by Tulsa and La Tech, improved wins/status TV exposure(I have seen 2 or 3 of their game on TV)  of UTEP,  we recruit against these teams big time. Even Baylor and SMU have increased their wins/losses this year making it even harder to compete with them....but not as major factor as the other 3.

2.  Losing Bruce Bell who covered the Houston area and (Per Footballscoup Ramon Flanigan-though it is rumored he did not recruit last yer) won't help.  If any other coaches are let go it will just reduce the manpower available.

On the bright side of darkness...with no bowl game, the remaining coaches will have more time to recruit. 

Even if you can't talk with the recruits....their letter jackets tell a story that might lead to ID.  Remenber to look at weekend BB games for a group of prospects...with no angel flight members.

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Charles, I know you follow NT recruiting as close as anyone on this board and beyond so I am now concerned that you are beginning to be most concerned about this year's recruiting. In light of how Tulsa and La Tech handed our heads to us on a silver platter, I think we may have all been a bit unrealistic with just how our recruiting has been the last 4 years; of course, many of us tend to wear those green-tinted glasses each recruiting season a bit longer than we sometimes should which serves as yet another UNT veil of what the truth and reality of the situation really is.

We all know we have some good talent on our football team, but where our NT recruiters have let those Mean Green football players down is that they just didn't sign enough similar talent as to give them a chance to beat any OOC schools on our schedule (and now those last few recruiting classes have reared their ugly head in light of losses to TU, LTU and most of the SBC this Fall).

I will continue to be a broken record with my feelings about the direction of this football progarm until there is a change at NT because the veil has (finally) been lifted off my own eyes as to what we've have right now in light of those (here we go again) 4 most "tell tell" signs of our status quo with games versus FAU (2'nd loss in a row), FIU (a squeaker of a win although they had 8 turnovers for crissakes) AND the icing on the cake for this NT Ex which was the cause of my light finally turning on with all this with DD, the home Tulsa loss (our worst in all of our history) and to La Tech who has nothing in the area of football facilities that compare to ours and best to my knowledge, they have no blueprints to even show that they will have such facilities any time soon, either.

I guess the non-chalant "oh well" attitude many of our alums seemedly have adopted with all this considering DD and the fact that UNT football has now spiraled toward being #117 in a 117 member NCAA D1-A concerns me as much as DD's leadership of our football program itself. All this also shows me that someone on our campus has done one helluva' good snow job on some pretty damn good football fans. Yet, I realize I was just as blinded about all this myself until recently when we played those 4 strategic games I listed above which I feel are very strong indicators of our football program's direction. I don't think that gets turned around in 1 or 2 years, either, especially since the rest of the SBC has (obviously) passed us by.

You know, in my 30 plus years of observance of NT athletics, I know many of us feel we don't have a very good track record at NT for hiring athletic personnel and proof of that is how over that span of time so few NT athletic hires get jobs better than the one they had at the University of North Texas; so in that regard, I would hope NT officials might understand why many of us are questioning why there would be a continuance of Coach Dickey on the NT payroll knowing if he were to spend the next 1, 2 or 3 years in Denton he would still most likely not get even close to a .500 W/L career record. Folks in 3 years, that would be giving an NCAA D1-A coach "11" years to still be under .500. As I said, our track record of hiring (and too many times keeping too long on the payroll) at NT is a poor record at best. Hardly the kind that other schools would ever use as their own model and I don't know of any who have ever had a coach on their payroll 8, 9, 10 or 11 years staying under .500 in that period of time. Take out our SBC competition (or...........if we would have been members of the WAC or CUSA in the last 8 years and what would we have had then as a cumulative W/L record ?

So if NT wants to extend all this an additional year in light of what the results of this one football season has brought to full light what we've really been doing the last 4 years in the recruiting wars, then I suppose they will do just that; but after next year they themselves will have to face the cold stark reality that UNT has further entrenched itself as an SBC school that is even no longer competitive in the SBC, which means we will (once again) be spiralling toward that #117 slot in the 117 member NCAA D1-A. That will be a major disappointment for those who have stuck with this football program year in and year out for a very long time. Even longer than some NT grads who are presently on the NT Board of Regents if truth be known (and I hope the truth will always be known at UNT).

IN CLOSING... Another thing campus decision-makers may want to consider is this: UNT will play all of its toughest SBC foes in 2006 on the road except one and that will be, uh, against Coach Howard Schnellenberger's Florida Atlantic University team that makes a return visit to Fouts Field and I'm most assured (insert sarcasm) that we will get our first (ever) win over them in 2006, right?

GOD BLESS TEXAS!

Edited November 21, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

[Guest JohnDenver]

I am totally confused as to what has happened this year with the recruits and the angels. My husband was having a conversation with one of the recruits at the game just a general conversation.  He is obviously a player parent, player jersey on, vocal cheerleader and was rudely, in front of the recruit, told that he was not allowed to talk to the recruit. ???????????????I'm not getting the reasoning behind not wanting a loyal mean green loving fan to be treated so rudely and especially in front of a young man who we are obviously interested in playing football for UNT.  What kind of message does this send?  Very disappointed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I saw that going on.. you husband is obviously a happy guy that was there yapping to Chad Rose's parents and some of the recruits. The way the Eagle Angels handled your husband and they way they handle the regular crowd are polar opposites. Your husband got the royal treatment. We have CSC and police threatening to take us out if we talk to them.

[Guest JohnDenver]

A big dude wearing a red letter jacket with "Big Country" on the back. A pretty common nickname, so I am not sure it will help you.

There was a pack of kids from Nacadoches (yikes. spelling?). One of them was wearing a Mike Horn jacket. They all seemed to have fun and they all were pretty tall. The tallet one was the most vocal and he seemed to really have a good time. I think they were the only ones to stay the entire game.

[H-towngreen]

I believe that Bruce Bell will be staying until after the national signing day. As someone said earlied one good thing out of not going to a bowl is that it leaves more time for the coaches on the recruiting trail.

As for those kids from Nac. according to Rivals there is a 3* prospect named Jamarcus Skillern from there who we are intrested in. He is listed as an athlete but is playing QB this year. Right now it shows that he leaning towards UTEP, but it's early and you never know how things will turn out. It may be one of those cases were he wants to play QB and we are the only school that would give him a shot at that postion.

Edited November 21, 2005 by H-towngreen

[OldTimer]

I believe that Bruce Bell will be staying until after the national signing day. As someone said earlied one good thing out of not going to a bowl is that it leaves more time for the coaches on the recruiting trail.

As for those kids from Nac. according to Rivals there is a 3* prospect named Jamarcus Skillern from there who we are intrested in. He is listed as an athlete but is playing QB this year. Right now it shows that he leaning towards UTEP, but it's early and you never know how things will turn out. It may be one of those cases were he wants to play QB and we are the only school that would give him a shot at that postion.

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Actually he went to several QB camps and is currently ranked in Rivals top state 100...in the 70-80 range. He also plays TE...at least last year.

[SilverEagle]

Since we all seem to agree that our greatest weakness this year is in BOTH sides of the line, here is what I found in the latest program.

Returning starters (and back-ups) OL

Joel Foster, 6-4 X 268

Josh Alexander 6-3 X 282

Adam Venegas (?) 6-3 X 305

Chad Rose 6-3 X 285

Dylan Lineberry 6-3 X 310

Frank Gray 6-1 X 285

Jeremy Brown, 6-5 X 299

Waiting in the wings ?

Ajani Banks, 6-3 X 325

Brian Amacker, 5-11 X 267

Drew DuBose, 6-2 X 244

Bryan Glass, 6-0 X 280

Jack Crumes, 6-4 X 270

Now DL

Joseph Miller, 6-3 X 275 (DL)

Sky Pruitt, 6-2 X 295 (DL)

Montey Stevenson 6-2 X 267 (DL)

Jeremiah Chapman 6-4 X 245 (DE)

Blake Burruss, 6-7 X 252 (DE)

Willie Ransom, 6-3 X 250 (DE)

Waiting in the wings ?

David Collins, 6-4 X 210 (DE)

Jonathan Stewart, 6-2 X 260 (DL)

Chad Cooley, 6-2 X 228 (DE)

Robert Peachy, 6-5 X 270 (DL)

Issac Thomas, 5-11 X 290 (DL)

T.J. Raymond, 6-2 X 310 (DL) Coming back????

Chase Pistole, 6-3 X 260 (DL)

Raifu Durodoye 6-1 X 237 (DE)

The average weight of our RETURNING OL starters is 290.

The average weight of our "waiting in the wings" OL is 277! If you took out Banks (who is 325), then it's 265!

The average weight of our RETURNING INTERIOR DL (minus T.J. because we don't know if he will be back) is 279 lbs!!!

The average weight of our "waiting in the wings" INTERIOR DL is 270!

Recruitment wise, I don't call this progress.

We either have to get these guys serious about working out in the weight room during the off-season, or we need to pick up LOTS OF BEEF during the next round of recruitment.

[DeepGreen]

Since we all seem to agree that our greatest weakness this year is in BOTH sides of the line, here is what I found in the latest program.

Returning starters (and back-ups) OL

Joel Foster, 6-4 X 268

Josh Alexander 6-3 X 282

Adam Venegas (?) 6-3 X 305

Chad Rose 6-3 X 285

Dylan Lineberry 6-3 X 310

Frank Gray 6-1 X 285

Jeremy Brown, 6-5 X 299

Waiting in the wings ?

Ajani Banks, 6-3 X 325

Brian Amacker, 5-11 X 267

Drew DuBose, 6-2 X 244

Bryan Glass, 6-0 X 280

Jack Crumes, 6-4 X 270

Now DL

Joseph Miller, 6-3 X 275 (DL)

Sky Pruitt, 6-2 X 295 (DL)

Montey Stevenson 6-2 X 267 (DL)

Jeremiah Chapman 6-4 X 245 (DE)

Blake Burruss, 6-7 X 252 (DE)

Willie Ransom, 6-3 X 250 (DE)

Waiting in the wings ?

David Collins, 6-4 X 210 (DE)

Jonathan Stewart, 6-2 X 260 (DL)

Chad Cooley, 6-2 X 228 (DE)

Robert Peachy, 6-5 X 270 (DL)

Issac Thomas, 5-11 X 290 (DL)

T.J. Raymond, 6-2 X 310 (DL) Coming back????

Chase Pistole, 6-3 X 260 (DL)

Raifu Durodoye 6-1 X 237 (DE)

The average weight of our RETURNING OL  starters is 290.

The average weight of our "waiting in the wings" OL is 277!  If you took out Banks (who is 325), then it's 265!

The average weight of our RETURNING  INTERIOR DL (minus T.J. because we don't know if he will be back)  is 279 lbs!!!

The average weight of our "waiting in the wings" INTERIOR DL is 270!

Recruitment wise, I don't call this progress.

We either have to get these guys serious about working out in the weight room during the off-season, or we need to pick up LOTS OF BEEF during the next round of recruitment.

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I've been complaining about the size of our DL/OL for 5+ years. I think this is our achilles heel.

[meangreendork]

Some of the numbers for the DL and OL guys are unusual to see.

228? 252? 210?

Not to say those guys are small, but some of the line are just a hair heavier than our RBs and some of the other linemen are the size of linebackers or DBs. While that's good for speed, it also means these guys might be knocked around in the trenches. They may have the power of bigger guys, but physics mean a lot when 250lbs runs into 350lbs.

Weight room time.

[UNTLifer]

This is not a knock on Joel Foster. I love his attitude, but he has been 268 for the last few years. We need to remove the Jenny Craig from the training table and hold our strength and conditioning coach accountable.

[H-towngreen]

Just keep in mind alot of those guys are still kids. There is a big difference in how much someone can put on from HS to a D1 college. Just in terms of the strength and conditioning. Those numbers are from 5 months ago, there is no telling how they might have changed.