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ARLINGTON -- At age 111, the University of Texas at Arlington is a little old for a makeover, but that isn't stopping university officials looking to change the way the public and students think about the school. Their message: Those who consider UT-Arlington a commuter school lacking the feeling of a vibrant campus should look again. With classes beginning today, about 4,500 of the university's 26,000 students, or 17.3 percent, are expected to live on campus, officials said. According to its own research, UT-Arlington will have a higher percentage of students living on campus than any UT System school. "There's nothing wrong with being a commuter school, but we have a campus for students who want to stay on or off campus," UT-Arlington President James Spaniolo said. "We just want our on-campus students to be that core that creates campus life. Hopefully, that core will serve as a magnet for the students who live off campus but want to be involved." As part of the 20-year master plan it developed in 1999, the university hopes to build a development called "College Town," a mixed-use development with market-rate apartments above ground-level retail spaces at UTA Boulevard and Cooper Street, said John Hall, vice president for administration and campus operations. The master plan also calls for modifications to make campus more pedestrian-friendly -- a recent trend at universities, Hall said. Streets will be narrowed for more foot traffic, trees and landscaping will be added and parking lots will be renovated for more green space or park areas, he said. The university also has a $32 million activities building under construction with an Internet cafe and lounge area. The University Center will also be renovated, he said. Officials hope that these projects will create hubs for students to gather. "This will enhance the college-life experience," he said. "It helps students become more engaged and more excited with campus life." Still, transforming UT-Arlington's reputation is far from complete. Even with the changes in the number of students living on campus and with the changing look, some believe that the school has more work to do. Lauren Ellison, a sophomore English major, said she sees the university as a stepping-stone to her final destination: Texas Tech. UT-Arlington is more of a transitional school or a community college, she said. "I don't feel like I'm getting the full college life here," Ellison said. Ellison said the city of Arlington doesn't have what most college towns do: a street or other locale where students can hang out. At Texas Christian University, Berry Street and University Drive are cluttered with retailers and restaurants that appeal to students. At the University of North Texas, Fry Street has similar student attractions. In Arlington, not many businesses that cater to UT-Arlington students have cropped up on Cooper Street, the major street that cuts through the school. "We need better places to hang out other than the library," Ellison said. Ellison's attitude is the kind of thing Frank Lamas wants to put an end to. Lamas, a UT-Arlington vice president for student affairs, said the university wants to keep students more engaged by creating new traditions, carrying out existing traditions and increasing activities. This year, for example, actor and hip-hop artist Ludacris will perform Sept.7, the first concert at Maverick Stadium. The school is also expanding Welcome Week activities and other activities such as Parents Weekend, Lamas said. "When students come to UTA, it should be a transformative experience," Lamas said. "They look back four years later, and these events will be what they look back on very fondly." In the meantime, student government wants to continue encouraging administrators to improve campus life. Student Congress President Zac Sanders said the Student Congress wants to attract a bar and a restaurant for the University Center, the main student building. They would also like to add a Taco Bell and a Subway. A Starbucks is expected to open in the University Center today, officials said. "To me, the perfect thing UTA needs are three- or four-story buildings with businesses, restaurants or a grocery store on the ground floor and apartments on the top floors," Sanders said. "That is what Arlington is waiting for, is trendy businesses that will be unique to the area." Development around the school will also help the city's efforts to revitalize central and downtown Arlington, said Wes Jurey, Chamber of Commerce president. The chamber's Downtown Development Council, which includes city and university officials, is trying to find ways to bring housing to the area along with entertainment and retail venues, he said. Jurey said boosting the downtown will attract students to the university's research program, which in turn will put more money into the economy. UT-Arlington is still changing and growing, and each year it is doing something different to make it better, Sanders said. "If you want UTA to be a commuter school, it can be," Sanders said. "If you want UTA to be a traditional campus ... you can do that, too. It's whatever you want it to be, and I don't think that's true with very many schools." Ricardo Lopez, a 2004 UT-Arlington graduate and a member of the school's alumni board, said he believes that the university's efforts to create quality housing and distinguish itself as a valuable part of the community will pay off. "I think that the university is really showing a commitment to working toward increasing the awareness of what UT-Arlington has to offer," Lopez said. "But I do think that takes time." Staff writer Nathaniel Jones contributed to this report. IN THE KNOW In 1993, about 8 percent of the University of Texas at Arlington's students lived on campus. Today, about 17 percent live on campus, according to university officials. SOURCE: UT-Arlington housing office and Star-Telegram archives

Maybe I was naive when it came to choosing a College but I never thought of UNT @ inferior to the other Big 3 (The 3:1 Female to Male ratio in Denton was my deciding factor - LOL). But, it's not until one graduates that they truly appreciate the affect Athletic success has on perception. I have never had anyone not be respectful regarding UNT academically - in fact it's the opposite. I have to admit the only time I feel inferior (For a lack of a better word) is when my peers start talking about Fball and rivalries. ATM vs. TX or OU vs. TCU etc. So, IMO academically UNT is a good school... When we see all "Other" schools Flags, Tshirts etc - people where them because of athletic success not necessarily because of Academics. UNT leadership must recognize that Athletic success against talented opponents is the key to Student/Alumni pride. IMO if we would/could get a big NAME coach in here and pay the $3M salary it would change things quickly. I am Financial Analyst for a very large Defense contractor and I have the same job as Baylor, TCU, KState, UT etc grads Remember, the average college student retains 20% of what they learned in school. I have met successful grads and less successful grads from all Universities. Networking is key = It's not who you know or what you know - It's who you know AND what you know along with a little luck & hard work. BE PROUD – after a few yrs in the work force no one really cares where you went to college, other than Sports talk!

Texans took college academic rankings as seriously as they took football polls, you might find fans howling for somebody's blood. U.S. News & World Report released its annual ratings of American colleges today, and Texas came up short against a rival state: Texas had only two schools on the list of top-tier national universities, with just one, Rice, in the top 20. California, on the other hand, had eight in the top tier, with two -- California Institute of Technology and Stanford University -- in the top 20. The University of California System, with about 208,000 students, had six schools in the top tier of 51. Only one member of the University of Texas System made the top 51: The University of Texas at Austin tied with four schools at 47th place, last in the category. Texas A&M University was ranked 60th. No Texas schools made the list of top liberal-arts colleges. The annual study, slated to hit newsstands Monday, bases its rankings on factors such as graduation rate, student-faculty ratio, acceptance rate and SAT/ACT scores. Robert Morse, the magazine's director of data research, said the UC System's selective admissions policies gave it an edge, compared with UT System schools. "Their financial resources are higher," Morse said, adding that faculty members there are typically better paid. SAT scores for the students in the middle of the class admitted to Berkeley in 2005 ranged from 1220 to 1450; scores for the same class at UT-Austin ranged from 1110 to 1360, according to the study. Morse noted that several UC System campuses also have medical schools. Some academics believe that the net effect of having a medical school connected to an undergraduate campus boosts the budget and faculty resource category since medical professors are typically higher paid than, say, someone who teaches freshman journalism. They also generate huge research expenditures. The UT System's medical schools are predominantly stand-alone facilities, but they account for two-thirds of the research dollars in the system, according to Geri Malandra, interim executive vice chancellor for academic affairs for the UT System. Private schools occupied the top 20 spots on the magazine's list. Ivy League schools dominated the top tier, with all eight of them in the top 15. Princeton, Harvard and Yale were Nos. 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Texas Christian University tied with four schools at No. 105, down from 97 last year. "While we are concerned that TCU's overall ranking has dipped slightly, we are pleased that the university is still ranked among the top institutions in the country," TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini said in a statement. "These rankings, which can easily change from year to year, are only one indicator of our success. ... This year's freshman class is the most talented and diverse to date. This is a clear indicator that more and more highly qualified prospective students and their parents are showing an increased interest in our institution." The top five public universities were Berkeley, the University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. UT-Austin has done considerably better in at least one other poll. England's 2005 The Times Higher Education Supplement put UT-Austin at No. 26 in the world, ahead of all the UC System schools except Berkeley. The 2005 Times survey put Texas A&M at No. 125 and Rice at No. 150. No other Texas schools made the top 200. Malandra said a soon-to-be-announced UT System 10-year strategic plan should begin yielding results as soon as next year. As for the University of Texas at Arlington, which was in U.S. News & World Report's fourth tier, along with the University of Texas at El Paso, Malandra said it wasn't valid to compare it to a school such as UCLA. "UT-Arlington is not part of a purely research university system, which is what the UC System is," Malandra said. "Up until recently, they were primarily a commuter school." Michael Moore, UTA associate provost, cautioned students and graduates not be too upset at the ratings if their alma mater isn't No. 1. Rankings such as the U.S. News don't benefit schools such as UTA without an extensive base of rich alumni, selective admissions, big research dollars or name recognition that boost others. The fact that UTA, for example, will be building a state-of-the-art engineering building in the near future isn't yet widely known and hasn't had a chance to raise its reputation. "There are many, many quality programs out there," said Moore, adding that prospective students need to do their homework when it comes to choosing schools and weighing the ratings numbers. "They're a tool. They're not the tool." IN THE KNOW College rankings U.S. News & World Report publishes annual rankings of the nation's top universities based on factors such as graduation rate, student-faculty ratio, acceptance rate and SAT/ACT scores. The annual study is slated to hit newsstands Monday. Texas schools' rankings among national universities: 17. Rice 47. University of Texas at Austin* 60. Texas A&M University* 70. Southern Methodist University* 81. Baylor 105. Texas Christian University* Third-tier universities (unranked: listed alphabetically) Texas Tech University University of Texas at Dallas Fourth-tier universities (unranked: listed alphabetically) Texas A&M University-Commerce Texas A&M University-Kingsville Texas Southern University University of North Texas University of Texas at Arlington University of Texas at El Paso * Indicates tie for position SOURCE: U.S. News & World Report

Famous Alumni? Cool Stats? Rankings? Not just Sports… Music, $, Politics, Departments, etc. Anyone? I have a couple of older guys here @ work and their kids will be going to UNT. I want to be able to throw some Names, stats, etc @ them. I’ll start – “Mean Joe Green”

Sack n Save - can't remember...

There is a Fiesta already near campus...

Typically - Conservative = Business, Engineering etc. Liberal = Art, Music Who makes more money? Who likes sports more? I just feel UNT has a rep for being too damn Liberal and Artistic – lets balance it out some. I always felt as a UNT student you either were in a Fraternity or you were an art/music major – we need more of a “Middle Ground” students so the average kid can fit in. You don’t have to be a wealthy Fraternity guy or a complete opposite nose ring, selling fake smoke on the corner Fry street guy. Just how I felt ’95-’00… so I rushed and remember the segregation I felt even when I hung with my artistic friends. And yes, I like Southlake Town Center.

This is GREAT! Other than the Fraternity hangouts and Cool Beans the rest can disappear... Now the University needs to focus more on attracting business and engineering majors! Really – when Mom and Dad come to visit the school and they see a new development that is nice and clean – it will help attract a more conservative student. I’m all for it, maybe it will influence our University in a positive way and increase the chance of local true corporate support.

http://www.dentonisd.org/51271830114354/site/default.asp

Job Title: Math Teacher (Special Education) Education: (or experience) Bachelor of Arts, University of North Texas, Denton, TX (August 2000) Special Education K-12 Background: I come to Denton, Texas via Dayton, Ohio and Los Angeles, California. I attended Belmont High School in Los Angeles and graduated in 1994. I began my education in Glendale, California where I attended Glendale Community College in 1995. I then received an athletic scholarship to the University of North Texas in 1997. I played football for three years and graduated in 2000 with a B.A. degree in History. After graduation I began working at McMath Middle School here in Denton as an Inclusion and Resource teacher. After two years at McMath moved on to Ryan High School where I teach Resource Math and coach JV and Varsity football. Philosophy of Education: “With great power comes great responsibility” Ben Parker Accomplishments or Personal Information – Hobbies, Family info, etc. I have three beautiful children, Ethan Ramone Archie who is 3 years old, Victoria Denise Archie and Tristan Antjuan Archie whom are my 2 year old twins. During my last semester at the University of North Texas I made the Presidents list with a Perfect 4.0 grade point average. I was a two time All-Conference player at the University of North Texas where I played Safety on the football team. Rocky is my favorite movie. Spider-Man is the greatest super hero of all time! My family did win $10,000 on the game show “Family Feud” in 2000.

Here's the 10th and final installment on the Class of 2007. Today we highlight quarterbacks: Top area QBs 1) Nathan Dick, Allen: Nathan Dick (6-3, 194) may be a better prospect than older brother Casey, who is the starter at Arkansas. Nathan is a pocket passer with a good arm and is smart like his older brother. Nathan completed better than 57 percent of his passes for 1,213 yards and seven touchdowns last season despite missing several games with a broken tibia. He also rushed for 294 yards. 2) Brock Mansion, Episcopal School of Dallas: The Plano option system didn't fit Mansion so he transferred to Episcopal School of Dallas. Mansion (6-5, 221) has all the tools -- obviously he has great size and a strong arm. Mansion had a terrific junior season, passing for 1,680 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also rushed for 937 yards and nine touchdowns. Mansion has made several trips to Austin and really wants to go to Texas, but he may be the Longhorns' third or fourth option. 3) Cal Farley, Keller: There would appear to be a slight dropoff after Nathan Dick and Brock Mansion, but Cal Farley (6-2, 185), a pro-style quarterback, certainly has the numbers to suggest he's a strong prospect. Farley passed for 2,254 yards and 14 touchdowns despite missing his team's final two games with a fractured fibula. Farley list of schools includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Virginia. 4) Darren Dillard, Garland Lakeview: Dillard (6-2, 180) is the top dual-threat quarterback in the area. He threw for 2,118 and 13 touchdowns and also rushed for three scores. His college choices are Florida, Georgia Tech, LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma and TCU. 5) Kyle McDonald, Haltom: McDonald (6-3, 175), a district rival of Farley's, is another top prospect who threw for more than 2,000 yards as a junior. McDonald passed for 2,079 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is looking at Arizona, Baylor and Texas A&M. The state's best: Texarkana Texas High QB Ryan Mallett is the state's best. Mallett (6-7, 230) may have the strongest arm in Texas schoolboy history, at least in recent memory, recruiting experts say. So where will he end up? Texas appeared to be the obvious destination, but the Longhorns asked Mallett to make a decision on their offer last week and he didn't bite. If Texas moves on, it could be Michigan that takes the lead. The nation's best: Well, here comes another Clausen. This time it is Jimmy Clausen from Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian. The younger brother of Casey and Rick is getting every bit of the hype that his brothers received. It is well deserved. Jimmy (6-3, 200) passed for 3,665 yards as a sophomore and 2,778 as a junior. Southern Cal may well be the favorite, but Clausen has several offers, including ones from Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Posted by Todd Wills at 9:31 AM (E-mail this entry) April 3, 2006 Class of 2007 breakdown: athletes Here's the ninth installment on the Class of 2007. Today we highlight athletes, those recruits who are likely to play a position other than the one they play in high school: Top area athletes 1) John Chiles, Mansfield Summit: It's been said here before, watching Chiles on video is worth seeing. He is the first player in the area I will make a point of seeing this fall. Chiles (6-1, 195), who has orally committed to Texas, said he wants to play quarterback for UT. He will play there for Summit after splitting time at receiver and quarterback last year. 2) Justin Johnson, Richardson Berkner: Johnson (6-1, 208) plays quarterback very well in high school and wants to keep doing so in college. We'll see. He did an exceptional job of running Berkner's offense before getting injured in the playoffs. Johnson rushed for 1,566 yards and 14 touchdowns and passed for 402 yards and five touchdowns. 3) Christian Scott, Skyline: Scott (6-0, 185) started at safety as a junior and played running back when Skyline went to the I-formation. He'll play quarterback this year, but probably will end up playing safety in college. And with his size, he could be a wide receiver or grow into a linebacker. 4) William Cole, Cedar Hill: Cole (5-10, 165) is a guy you want to get into space, whether it's on the football field or the basketball court. He can jump through the roof. Cole will play some quarterback to run the zone read this fall and he will also play receiver and running back. He is an exceptional return guy. The state's best: Chiles is an exceptional athlete, mentioned by some in the same breath with Vince Young, only Chiles is not as big and physical. Chiles passed for 237 yards and rushed for 491 yards last year. At receiver he showed an ability to turn short passes into long gains with 694 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. The nation's best: It may well come down to Chiles and Joe McKnight from River Ridge (La.) John Curtis. McKnight (6-0, 197) had his season shortened by Hurricane Katrina, but that didn't keep him from making a ton of big plays. He averaged 17.7 yards every time he touched the ball. McKnight has offers from LSU, Florida, Florida State, Arkansas and Ole Miss. Tim MacMahon says: Chiles and Johnson want to play QB in college, but I project both to play different positions. I see Chiles, who has one of the most entertaining highlight reels I've seen, as a Ramonce Taylor type -- a guy UT moves around to create mismatches. I'd make Johnson a safety or outside linebacker. He's a great athlete with smarts and toughness, as evidenced by playing most of a playoff game with a broken jaw. Coming Tuesday: Quarterbacks Posted by Todd Wills at 1:12 PM (E-mail this entry) March 31, 2006 Class of 2007 breakdown: running backs Here's the eighth installment on the Class of 2007. Today we highlight running backs: Top area running backs 1) Johnny Wooten, Garland: Wooten (6-0, 205) will get a chance to prove his recruiting stock is on the mark for run-oriented Garland. He already has a scholarship offer from Texas A&M and is also looking at Texas Tech, Arkansas, Nebraska and Southern Cal. Wooten averaged 6.1 yards per rush and scored six touchdowns as a junior. 2) Shawnbrey McNeal, Madison: The speedy back from Madison already has offers from Florida, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss and Kansas State and surely will get more. McNeal (5-9, 181) had a sensational junior season, rushing for 1,556 yards and 22 touchdowns. He has great vision and a feel for the position. 3) Shaka Harris, Carrollton Ranchview: Harris (6-1, 195) has as much speed (4.4 in the 40) as any running back in the area, and he is built like a high profile running back. He comes off a 1,047 yards and three touchdowns despite missing time with a broken vertebrae in his back. He doesn't have any offers yet, but they will come. 4) Michael Hicks, Carter: Hicks (5-8, 185) is a north-south runner who is very tough. He punishes tacklers and keeps his pads low. The question is: Can he take the pounding that a feature back would take in a major conference? Hicks had 1,113 yards on 155 carries last season as he rested often in the second half of Carter blowouts. He doesn't have any offers yet. The state's best: It's not a particularly strong year for running backs in Texas, but three have already made oral commitments - Waller's Cody Johnson (5-10, 225) and Pearland's Foswhitt Whittaker (5-9, 170) have given pledges to Texas and McAllen Memorial's Bradley Stephens (5-10, 180) to Texas A&M. Johnson is considered by most to be the best prospect, averaging 10 yards per carry last year while scoring 19 touchdowns. The nation's best: They don't get much better than North Fort Myers RB Noel Devine, who almost wound up playing for Prosper last fall. Things didn't work out for him and Deion Sanders, but Devine still had a spectacular junior season, rushing for 1,986 yards and 24 touchdowns. The thought is Devine will stay in state, but Southern Cal could be a darkhorse. Tim MacMahon says: Fullback is an endangered species, with one-back sets and spread offenses now the norm, but Skyline's Sinatra Wallace would be a good fit for an I-formation team. He's a 5-10, 250-pound battering ram who starts at middle linebacker and plays offense when Skyline lines up in the I. Coming Monday: Athletes Posted by Todd Wills at 1:43 PM (E-mail this entry) March 30, 2006 Class of 2007 breakdown: wide receivers/tight ends Here's the seventh installment on the Class of 2007. Today we highlight wide receivers and tight ends: Top area wide receivers 1) Malcolm Williams, Garland: Williams (6-3, 205) gave an oral commitment to Texas over the weekend. He had 17 catches for 283 yards during an injury-plagued junior season. Williams overwhelms opposing defensive backs with his 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash. He also could be a capable shutdown cornerback. 2) Romie Blaylock, Cedar Hill: Another 4.4 speedster, Blaylock (5-11, 175) has offers from Baylor, Houston and Kansas State. Also in the mix are LSU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. Blaylock wants to play in a spread offense and may be enticed by a program that lets him run track. Baylor has offered to let him do that. 3) Hubert Anyiam, North Garland: It's a speed year for receivers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Anyiam (6-1, 175) can flat out fly and he has the attention of Texas A&M. Anyiam averaged 22.5 yards per reception and scored six touchdowns as a junior. 4) Anthony Ford, Southlake Carroll: Ford should follow in the footsteps of Clint Renfro and McKay Jacobson as a highly sought after receiver from Carroll. Ford had eight receptions for 75 yards last year, but he mainly played cornerback because Carroll was stocked at receiver. He had three interceptions. Ford should fit into Jacobson's role as a slot receiver this fall. The state's best: This a tossup between Malcolm Williams, Lufkin's Dez Bryant and Gilmer's Curtis Brown. I'm going with Bryant, and maybe that's just because he blew me away against Southlake Carroll in the playoffs. Bryant (6-1, 195) has outstanding leaping ability and great hands. His top two schools are Texas A&M and Texas Tech. Brown and Williams have both committed to Texas. The nation's best: Arrelious Benn, Washington D.C. Dunbar. Benn already has a ton of offers from a who's who list in college football - Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Southern Cal. He's the first receiver in Dunbar school history to have 1,000 yards in a season. He has great speed and is exceptional running after the catch. Tim MacMahon says: Cedar Hill's William Cole (5-10, 165) and Irving MacArthur's Ron Brooks (5-10, 170) are two of the area's top all-purpose threats. They will probably play receiver in college, but Cole and Brooks could see a lot of time at quarterback and/or running back next season as well as returning kicks. Neither guy is very big, but they have great speed and are extremely elusive. Top area tight ends 1) Dante Pinchback, Irving: Pinchback is huge (6-5, 255) and he can run (4.8 in the 40-yard dash). He is physical and could wind up as an offensive tackle. Pinchback had three catches for 59 yards. He told Rivals.com that his focus must be on academics, particularly the ACT, and then the offers should start flowing in. 2) Jordan Scoggins, Euless Trinity: Scoggins (6-3, 260) is another local product with the size college coaches crave. Scoggins had 11 catches for 361 yards and two touchdowns last year. 3) Kramer Lucio, Richardson Berkner: Surprise, surprise, another Berkner product pops up on the 2007 breakdown. The Rams kind of look like a state championship contender, don't they? Lucio (6-5, 230) can play either tight end or defensive end. He had only one catch for 19 yards as a junior. The state's best: Pinchback is considered the best in the state, but Brenham's Ahmard Howard (6-4, 240) has already made an oral commitment to Texas. Howard is an athletic tight end prospect who runs a 4.67 in the 40-yard dash. The nation's best: All you need to know about Jacksonville (Fla.) Andrew Jackson tight end De'Angelo McCray (6-5, 265) is that he runs on his high school track team's 4x100 relay team. McCray, one of the two prospects in Florida, has offers from Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami (Fla.), Notre Dame and Tennessee. He had 18 catches for 369 yards last year, plus 52 tackles and 13 sacks at defensive end. Tim MacMahon says: It's been a while since the area had a crop of tight ends this good. Spread offenses have become the norm, but these three guys all play in run-based offenses. Pinchback and Scoggins have proven themselves as dominant blockers. Their soft hands are a bonus. Coming Friday: Running backs Posted by Todd Wills at 11:57 AM (E-mail this entry) March 29, 2006 Class of 2007 breakdown: offensive linemen Here's the sixth installment on the Class of 2007. Today we highlight offensive linemen: Top area offensive linemen 1) Tray Allen, South Grand Prairie: Allen (6-4, 285) is one of the top three recruits in the Dallas-Fort Worh area along with Lincoln DE Richetti Jones and Mansfield Summit QB/ATH John Chiles. Allen gets the pick of where he wants to go - Florida, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech have all offered him. South Grand Prairie coach David Fisher calls Allen one of the best finishers of a block he's ever seen. 2) John Jones, Cedar Hill: Jones (6-5, 280) already has offers from Baylor, Houston and Kansas State. He also plays basketball, so scouts have been able to pick up on the quick feet that make him one of the best tackle prospects in the area. He made varsity as a sophomore, but started for the first time as a junior. 3) Jeremiah Hatch, Carter: Hatch (6-3, 280) spent his first full season on varsity last year and produced an all-district season at center. He already has an offer from Arizona and is also drawing interest from Oklahoma, TCU, LSU and Iowa. Hatch has great quickness and is equally consistent as a run blocker and in pass protection. 4) Josh LeRibeus, Richardson Berkner: LeRibeus (6-3, 321) has offers from Baylor, Houston and Boston College. Also in the picture are Texas A&M and Oklahoma State, which made inroads at Berkner by signing Ugo Chinasa. LeRibeus is a two-year starter for one of the top programs in the area. The state's best: Tray Allen is considered the best in a strong crop of offensive linemen in Texas. Allen could play tackle in college, but he is considered to be the best incoming freshman at guard in the country. The nation's best: Tray Allen may well be the best line prospect in the country. He gets competition from Littleton (Colo.) Columbine's Ryan Miller. The 6-8, 280-pound tackle has offers from Colorado, Colorado State, Miami (Fla.), Kansas State, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Washington. Southern Cal and Oklahoma are also pursuers. Miller's major strength is his aggressiveness. Tim MacMahon says: Another intriguing prospect is Keller Fossil Ridge’s Chris Perry. He’s a 6-3, 319-pound guy with great quickness. He’s making the transition from defensive tackle to guard for his senior season. Texas A&M and Baylor are among a handful of schools that have offered him. He told Rivals.com he’s holding out for an offer from Miami (Fla.). Coming Thursday: wide receivers/tight ends Posted by Todd Wills at 11:06 AM (E-mail this entry) March 28, 2006 Class of 2007 breakdown: defensive tackles Here's the fifth installment on the Class of 2007. Today we highlight defensive tackles: Top area defensive tackles 1) Adrian Campbell, Richardson Berkner: Campbell follows Oklahoma State signee Ugo Chinasa as another blue-chip defensive lineman at Berkner. Campbell (6-5, 241) has been offered by Baylor (the runner-up for Chinasa) and is being recruited by Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. He is a more active player than Chinasa. Campbell had 108 tackles and five sacks last year. 2) Stephen Thomas, Lancaster:Thomas (6-3, 287) has already racked up several offers, including ones from Kansas, Florida, Arizona, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. Thomas, who transferred from North Mesquite, also has Southern Cal assistant Ken Norton Jr. hot on his trail. Thomas only played in a few games last year due to academic problems. 3) Anthony Morgan, Lancaster: Morgan (6-4, 336) gives Lancaster two blue chip defensive tackles, although he is being recruited by several schools as an offensive lineman. Like Thomas, Morgan has several offers, including from Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Kansas, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State and TCU. The state's best: Andre Jones, El Paso Andress: The expected battle between Texas and Notre Dame never materialized after Jones gave an oral commitment to the Longhorns last month. Jones (6-4, 305), on Rivals.com's pre-evaluation national top 100, is noted for coming off the ball quickly and his great footwork. The nation's best: Portland (Ore.) Benson Tech defensive tackle Myles Wade (6-2, 290) gives the state of Oregon one of the top defensive players in the country. Not only is Oregon State in the picture, but so are Texas, Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Stanford and UCLA. Wade had 40 tackles and eight sacks as a junior. Tim MacMahon says: Campbell and Thomas aren't your typical hole-clogging tackles. These guys are extremely athletic. Campbell was a key reserve on Berkner's Class 5A state semifinalist basketball team. Thomas started for North Mesquite's basketball team as a sophomore. They're tough enough to battle centers and guards at the line of scrimmage, but their ability to make plays in the backfield is what makes them special.

Top Free Agents for Buffalo Bills: Defense Chris Brown, buffalobills.com 03/02/2006 2:56 PM With the potential for an extension of the CBA between the owners and the players union free agency could be delayed a week or two. But under the assumption that free agency will go off as scheduled March 6, we take a look at the free agent options due to be out there. The Bills have some positions in need of an upgrade after a sub-.500 season in 2005. The most notable being the offensive and defensive lines. In this installment of our look at the free agent options for the Bills we will focus on defense. Offense was addressed earlier this week. Defensive tackle The crop of defensive tackles has some recognizable names, but only a few true space eaters. However, with an aggressive attack-style scheme expected, big space eaters won't be needed in Buffalo. As a result there are a handful of players who could help the Bills interior defense. Defensive tackle rank 1. Rocky Bernard - Seattle 2. Ryan Pickett - St. Louis 3. Damione Lewis - St. Louis 4. Chris Hovan - Tampa Bay I believe Bernard is the kind of interior pass rusher the Bills might be looking for, but he'll need to play next to a larger defensive tackle to be effective. With Sam Adams gone that player will have to be found in the draft or free agency. Pickett and Lewis could fit that bill as both still have potential despite the fact that it was never fully realized in St. Louis. A change of scenery could do both of them good. Pickett is more consistent than Lewis. Hovan signed a one-year deal in Tampa last season and played well after falling out of favor in Minnesota. He's a strong penetrator which would fit what Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is looking for. Grady Jackson didn't make my top three because weight has been an issue for him and he's more of a clogger. Arizona's Russell Davis would have made the list, but his season ending injury in Week Three last year makes him tough to put a value on. Defensive end With Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay the only defensive ends under contract on the roster a situational pass rusher might not be a bad idea. The problem is some of the better talent is already unavailable. John Abraham was franchised and Kyle Vanden Bosch re-signed with Tennessee. From a pass rushing perspective here's the best of the rest. Defensive end rank 1. Darren Howard - New Orleans 2. Anthony Weaver - Baltimore 3. Kalimba Edwards - Detroit 4. Carlos Hall - Kansas City Howard will be too expensive for Buffalo one year removed from being the Saints' franchise player. Weaver is more of a left defensive end. Edwards and Hall to me are the best fits for the Bills. They're both still young, and they're both very athletic with pass rushing ability. Neither of them can handle every down roles, but their talents can be maximized as situational pass rushers. That's what the Bills need on third down. Coach Jauron knows Edwards' abilities after coaching him in Detroit. Linebacker The Bills are in pretty good position here from a veteran standpoint and with restricted free agents Josh Stamer and Mario Haggan tendered, they have young backups across the board. Inside backer rank 1. Nate Wayne - Detroit 2. Brad Kassel - Tennessee 3. Ben Taylor - Cleveland Outside backer rank 1. Julian Peterson - San Francisco 2. Will Witherspoon - Carolina 3. Akin Ayodele - Jacksonville Cornerback With a pair of veteran corners in Terrence McGee and Nate Clements in the fold, the Bills figure to bolster the position through the draft after putting the franchise tag on Clements. Eric King and Jabari Greer will be back, and free agent Kevin Thomas wants to return after missing last season with a knee injury. Cornerback rank 1. Brian Williams - Minnesota (transition player) 2. Will Allen - NY Giants 3. Deshea Townsend - Pittsburgh The restricted free agents are more attractive than the unrestricted corners available. Ricky Manning (Carolina) and Ike Taylor (Pittsburgh) headline that list. Safety Troy Vincent is getting older and Lawyer Milloy isn't a fit in a cover-two scheme which requires more cover ability on the part of the safety. Coy Wire is certainly athletic enough, but coverage hasn't been his strong suit either. He could use some competition instead of just inheriting the strong safety position. Rashad Baker is capable, but some competition couldn't hurt for him either. Buffalo could look to sign a young up and coming free agent or draft a safety to groom for the future. Strong safety rank 1. Tank Williams - Tennessee 2. Ryan Clark - Washington 3. Joseph Jefferson - Indianapolis Free safety rank 1. Chris Hope - Pittsburgh 2. Dexter Jackson - Tampa Bay 3. Will Demps - Baltimore Tank Williams comes with durability concerns, Clark is a little undersized but always around the ball. Jefferson hasn't reached his full potential. Hope had a solid season last year and is tough. Jackson and Demps are good players, but some question whether their effectiveness was due mainly to the scheme in which they played as well as the talent around them. Adam Archuleta has had concussion problems and didn't make my list. Corey Chavous and Lance Schulters aren't much younger than Vincent. http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=3623

Here is a thought – Hire a RB coach that already has plenty of $ -hmmmmmmm Former NFL player who wants to coach here? Even interviewed……right?

Jets | Team talking contract with Kassell Thu, 16 Mar 2006 07:07:06 -0800 Randy Lange, of the Bergen Record, reports the New York Jets are talking contract with free agent LB Brad Kassell (Titans), according to his agent. His agent said two other teams are also talking with Kassell.

One of the offseason goals articulated by Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher was to add more speed to his linebacker corps, and the Titans accomplished that goal on Monday morning, as ESPN.com learned that the club has reached a contract agreement with unrestricted free agent David Thornton. Thornton The four-year veteran, who had played his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts, will sign a five-year contract that averages about $4.5 million annually. The deal includes $8 million in bonuses. Thornton, 27, will team with Keith Bulluck, one of the best if unheralded defenders in the league, to give the Titans a standout tandem of outside linebackers. Tennessee is likely to lose two veteran linebackers, Brad Kassell and Rocky Boiman, in free agency. But even if that weren't the case, the Titans probably would have pursued Thornton, rated by ESPN.com as the No. 22 most attractive free agent. Over the weekend, Thornton, who had hoped to remain in Indianapolis and will find it difficult to leave Colts coach Tony Dungy, visited with Titans officials. So impressed was Thornton by Fisher, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and linebackers coach Dave McGinnis that he extended his stay and instructed agent Brian Macker to start negotiations. Thornton was to have visited with the Seattle Seahawks later this week. The Colts had made some contract overtures to Thornton toward the end of the season but did not have sufficient cap room at the time to complete an extension. The team's recent history in free agency is that it does not overpay at the linebacker position and Thornton is just the latest in a series of starting linebackers to leave the Colts in free agency. A former North Carolina standout, Thornton was a fourth-round choice in the 2002 draft, just the 106th player chosen overall that year. But he moved into the starting lineup in his second season and has been a fixture there ever since. After playing the 2003 season at strongside linebacker, Thornton moved to the weak side in 2004 and started there for two years. Bulluck has also started at both outside spots for the Titans, and so the pair provides the inventive Schwartz considerable flexibility. In 63 games, including 47 starts, Thornton has 394 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, five passes defensed and four forced fumbles. While he isn't a flashy player, Thornton is a terrific two-way defender, stout against the run and able to drop and cover. As a starter over the past three seasons he averaged 117.3 tackles and he posted a career-best 158 tackles in 2003.

Texas State.........hmmmmmmmmm not going to say it!

No thanks! GO USC! Anyone really think TCU, ATM, TT, Baylor etc want Texas to win? Nope That's like cheering for the Texans while your a Cowboy fan. Call me a hater but I hope every other Texas D1 loses every time they play!

Fearless Prediction: New Orleans Bowl Story Tools: Print Email Blog This CollegeFootballNews.com Posted: 7 minutes ago 2005 New Orleans Bowl Southern Miss (6-5) vs. Arkansas State (6-5) Dec. 20, 8 p.m. ET, Lafayette, LA Also: Keys and Analysis | GameTrax A few things seem wrong with the 2005 New Orleans Bowl. First of all, it's not in New Orleans. Katrina made sure of that forcing the kickoff to the bowl season to be moved to Lafayette, Louisiana. Second, there's no North Texas for the first time in the bowl's four-year history. Fine, so Arkansas State might not get the heart racing, but it's the first time in a bowl for the Jonesboro school meaning they should bring plenty of fire and excitement. The Indians won a three-way tie-breaker with UL Lafayette and UL Monroe to earn the Sun Belt's post-season bid, but they have to play better than the Mean Green did over the last few seasons. Southern Miss whacked North Texas 31-10 in last year's New Orleans Bowl, and intensity might be a problem in this year's bowl. After all, this is a program that wants to play anyone, anywhere and anytime. Arkansas State might not be quite what the team had in mind for its post-season foe. Don't let the 6-5 record fool you; this is a good Golden Eagle team with three losses by four points or fewer. Offensive consistency has been a problem, and the defense hasn't been up to its usual snuff, but the special teams have been fantastic, there are plenty of big defensive hitters, and just enough veterans on offense to potentially come through with an efficient, business-like win. However, Arkansas State doesn't plan on being a pushover. Yeah, the Indians got pasted 38-10 by Army just a few weeks ago, and yeah, the offense did absolutely nothing against any defense with a pulse, but they have just enough of a running game to make this interesting if Southern Miss isn't pumped up. Players to watch: Arkansas State has absolutely no chance of keeping this close unless RB Antonio Warren has a huge day. The senior hit the 100-yard mark in eight of the nine games he played in, but his numbers weren't always enough to carry the offense. He has good quickness and functional speed, but his game is pounding the ball. He can be a workhorse when needed, and he's decent at grinding out the tough yards. Indian QB Nick Noce has to push the ball deep early to open up the Southern Miss defense. He's not much of a bomber, and he only threw two touchdown passes over the final five games of the season, but he's a veteran leader with good mobility. Noce doesn't have to throw for big yards, but he has to be efficient and he can't turn the ball over. Southern Miss QB Dustin Almond has had a shaky bowl career, to say the least. He ran well in a 2002 Houston Bowl loss to Oklahoma State, but he completed 11 of 27 passes. He had one of the uglier bowl performances in 2003 against the Utah defense completing 11 of 33 passes in a 17-0 Liberty Bowl loss. He made amends in last year's New Orleans Bowl with a competent game in the win over North Texas, but he'd like to close out his career with a big statement. With no running game to speak off to help out the passing game, Almond has to be on. Why Arkansas State might win: Southern Miss doesn't care. Overconfidence could a be a big, big problem for the Golden Eagles, and ASU has to take advantage with a few long, sustained early drives to take control right away. While the USM defense can tackle, it can be pushed around and it will give up rushing yards in chunks. However, it also forces a lot of turnovers, so ASU has to make sure it holds on to the ball and doesn't give away any cheap points. ASU must win the turnover battle by at least +2. Why Southern Miss might win: It runs for over 100 yards. Almond is a good enough veteran to win the game by himself if he has to, but the Golden Eagles would rather not take that chance. They're 5-0 when they rush for more than 100 yards, and 1-5 when they don't with the one victory coming against UCF when Almond threw for five scores. ASU has allowed 100 rushing yards or more in eight games this season, and 90 yards or more in two other games. In other words, USM has to pound the ball, not turn it over, and play hard to get the win. What will happen: This might not be pretty if Southern Miss is prepared. Arkansas State might be the worst bowl team to get a post-season bid since the start of the BCS era, and it won't be able to do much on either side of the ball against a Golden Eagle team looking to go out with a bang. Line: Southern Miss -17 http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/5171918

will the W BB be on tv for UT game?

Sometimes...... Perception is more important than reality - no moral victory I like the perception JJ is giving - optimistic If the "3" ball would have fell......it came down to 1 shot and the team never gave up.

Coach Jones made an interesting comment in the post game interview. Something to the effect of "This loss is no moral victory. We came here to win." (Stole this of the BB topic) LISTENING DD? Texas A&M Escapes With 72-70 Home Win Over North Texas I like that attitude!

From his interview during the game sat? He mentioned recruiting and his desire to coach.....

I only caught about 10 mins of it but 102.1 was talking about UNT this morning and a couple of Alumni called in.... They were talking about drinking and Homecoming, not sure really what it was all about...... Any know? It was around 8:15...

can someone post the video of the new stadium or link? Thanks!

by the way I can't spell... thank goodness Im in FINA I can add and subtract right 100-43=57 ???