Sunday night UNT Hoops notes (Odoh update)

[Harry]

I spent some time running down a couple of the experts in college basketball recruiting to lend a little perspective on P.J.Hardwick, the Houston Christian Life point guard who signed with UNT last week.

I never had a chance to use what Mike Kunstadt and Jim Hicks gave me until today.

Something about a new conference for UNT.

Kunstadt runs Texashoops.com and is the authority on Texas high school players, while there might not be a more knowledgeable guy when it comes to Houston players than Hicks, who runs RCS Sports.

Both described Hardwick as a pass-first point guard who is college ready due to the type of teams he played on the last few years.

Hardwick played on an elite AAU team like every other top prospect and also played on a high school team with five Division I players in the starting lineup.

Hick said he kept them all happy and showed an ability to get the ball to teammates in the right spots. Kunstadt said he is very fast with the ball in his hands.

Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/archives/2012/05/sunday-night-hoops-notes-hardw.html

[An Aquarian]

Oh boy.

[Harry]

I thought for sure Benford would at least get a meeting... not a good sign.

[Greenhorn]

I trust in Coach Benford when it comes to Odoh.

[Green P1]

Someone would have to be some kind of idiot to forfeit a year of eligibility over a situation like this.

Edited May 7, 2012 by Green P1

[H-towngreen]

We need Odoh bad. Without him we have nothing in the way of bigs unless you want to plat TM out of position all year which would be an idiotic move.

[Harry]

There are no bigs left... this is a critical situation for us.

[NT03]

I thought for sure Benford would at least get a meeting... not a good sign.

Maybe he didn't want one and would rather have Coleman ? Just a guess

I can't see UNT not releasing him of his LOI. Something like that can hurt you down the road in recruiting. If Odoh doesn't want to come here , there is no reason to hold it against him.

The poor kid doesn't even speak fluent English

and knows no one on campus. No reason to drag this out & punish him.

You hold him hostage for a year & you eliminate hill junior college from any further recruiting trips. You also risk the move being used against you by other coaches in a head 2 head battle over a player

[greenminer]

Com'on Odoh; you've got a great opportunity here and don't want to lose a year of eligibility.

Give Bedford a chance.

[H-towngreen]

Com'on Benford; you've got a great opportunity here and don't want to lose a year of TM's eligibility.

Give Odoh a chance.

Fixed

Edited May 7, 2012 by H-towngreen

[ADLER]

By Brett Vito

New UNT head coach Tony Benford has not talked with Odoh yet and there are no plans for the two to meet, Hill College coach Swede Trenkle said Sunday. The longer this drags out, the more I am starting to think Odoh won't end up at UNT.

And I don't think there is any way UNT releases Odoh so that he could sign with LSU. I don't even know if LSU is interested.

The whole process has just hit a stopping point.

It would be a tough break for UNT to lose him because he is the key to the Mean Green's incoming class.

Clarke Overlander will be a good shooter for UNT down the line, but the important piece in the class is Odoh, a 6-10 center. Adding Odoh would allow UNT to move Tony Mitchell to the wing. UNT is losing Kedrick Hogans and Alonzo Edwards to graduation. Those two guys were the only other true post players UNT had.

I don't think Odoh is going anywhere else. I assume that he has NBA aspirations, at least I hope he does, and I don't think that he could ever find another opportunity quite like what is being presented at North Texas.

I have faith that Coach Benford knows exactly what he is doing and will quickly get this situation resolved.

[NT03]

Benford may think Coleman would be a better fit.

Odoh doesn't seem like the mix it up , physical type we need down low.

We have Roger , but the guy is no taller than 6'5.

We don't need a big to score , we just need a big to be physical & have a presence in the paint.

We also need someone to help protect TM. Tony will have a target on his back. I can see teams coming after him with hard fouls & possible cheap shots. I think someone like Coleman on the floor could make someone second guess those thoughts. Guy looks pretty rough !!

Edited May 7, 2012 by NT03

[MeanMag]

Is there a LOI UNT has to release him from? By that I mean, is the coaching change a release from a LOI anyway?

It might not be UNT's position to release him from a LOI that is nonbinding at this point, if the coaching change nullified and released him from the LOI anyway.

[UNT90]

Is there a LOI UNT has to release him from? By that I mean, is the coaching change a release from a LOI anyway?

It might not be UNT's position to release him from a LOI that is nonbinding at this point, if the coaching change nullified and released him from the LOI anyway.

Players commit to a school, not a coach. Odoh does not get an automatic release with a coaching change.

Anyone ever consider a meeting may not be necessary because Odoh is locked into coming to UNT?

Just a thought.

[NT03]

Players commit to a school, not a coach. Odoh does not get an automatic release with a coaching change.

Anyone ever consider a meeting may not be necessary because Odoh is locked into coming to UNT?

Just a thought.

I thought this as well. Vito really needs to dig deeper. Only thing we get out of the situation , there will be no meeting. Doesn't really mean he is going anywhere

[Travis]

In the past, NCAA has released kids from a scholy when there is a coaching change.

[Harry]

In the past, NCAA has released kids from a scholy when there is a coaching change.

In the past perhaps, but we've gone over the NLI (National Letter of Intent) rules with a fine tooth comb and the bottomline is unless UNT releases him from his scholarship he will have to sit out an entire year. Kids are signing with a school not a coach.

[glick1980]

Does Hardwick also have to sit out the upcoming season since he signed with Miss State?

[untbowler]

Does Hardwick also have to sit out the upcoming season since he signed with Miss State?

He was released from MSU, otherwise he could not sign a LOI with UNT.

[GrandGreen]

The only way to make sense out of this is to conclude that Benford does not want Odoh and if that is the case he should be released. Seems odd that NT who doesn't have a real center would not want the leading shot blocker and rebounder in Div 1 of the Jucos.

I have to have faith in Benford, but why wouldn't you take an afternoon or morning and drive to Hillsboro and meet a player who has signed with your school. Sounds very strange to me if Vito is correct in what he writes. Whether or not Benford wants Odoh, he deserves to be talked to about his future.

[GreenBat]

Give him his release to anyone but Sunbelt, CUSA schools and SMU and LSU.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Give him his release to anyone but Sunbelt, CUSA schools and SMU and LSU.

Why not LSU?

[GreenBat]

Why not LSU?

You Did Not Ask that! Why do you think.

[NT03]

FWIW , LSU just got a commit from 2012 JUCO Calvin Godfrey.

rivals.com

Not sure how many ships they have/have left

LSU it about the only place I could see Odoh wanting to go if he didn't want to come here

[Harry]

The only way to make sense out of this is to conclude that Benford does not want Odoh and if that is the case he should be released. Seems odd that NT who doesn't have a real center would not want the leading shot blocker and rebounder in Div 1 of the Jucos.

I have to have faith in Benford, but why wouldn't you take an afternoon or morning and drive to Hillsboro and meet a player who has signed with your school. Sounds very strange to me if Vito is correct in what he writes. Whether or not Benford wants Odoh, he deserves to be talked to about his future.

Beginning to wonder this myself but athletic 6-10 don't grow on trees! With Tony likely staying one more year, you really have to try and maximize your lineup to do some damage. From reading the LSU board it appears there just aren't any quality juco big men available.