BIG DAWG

The following is an example of what gomeangreen.com would like Vito to write: 2009 Preview Coach Todd Dodge and his Mean Green are primed for what could be his best season since his arrival (no mention of losing seasons). In regards to the class that Dodge will be bringing in this Wednesday, everything is looking great, all the rating systems really have no real knowledge of the players we are recruiting, they just give them lower rankings because they are not going to a power conference, therefore I won't put any value in their rankings (no knocks on the low ranking of our class). I personally think UNT is bringing in the best class in the belt. I mean seriously, why wouldn't a recruit want to come here? Four years ago we won our fourth straight conference championship, we built a top notch athletic facility several years back, and we should have a new stadium sometime in the very near future. (Once again, no mention of losing records, bad defense, or bad offense) As far as the product on the field, Riley has a ton of experience in this offense at the middle school and high school levels, so that should translate into immediate success at the college level. As side note, Riley really is 6'0" as it listed on the roster, regardless of those naysayers who claim he is 5'9-1/2" (Riley is not small and he won't be broken). The defense will be totally different as well due to the immediate impact our JUCOS will have and having a second year under DeLoach. I have seen highlight films of these JUCOS, and I know these are their very best plays of the season, but these highlight films tell me these JUCOS are going to be instant stars and turn this thing around. (There is no chance that the JUCOS will be busts, and no mention of who isn't coming) Fans come out in droves for what will be a year unlike you haven't seen in a while, North Texas could double its win total from any year since Dodge has been here. GO MEAN GREEN! (Leave in the possibility for a "breakout" year)

Why do the sports gods hate me? Every team I like never seems to catch any breaks in this world...just as everything seemed to be lining up for NT this happens! I am about to give up on all sports. I guess I will have to learn to get into music in order to stay in touch with the university...I can't handle continually get my balls kicked into my stomach

This class is crazy if you think about it...after all we have gone through, the quality of the players we are signing is a masterful magic act pulled off by the Dodge and Co. I am very impressed, and now we can at least have hope for '09 now. Then you also have to look at what impact this grade situation may have on our success in 2009...if this high water GPA mark turns into not losing anyone to grades, that would be HUGE for this team As far as the loss of Scoggins...not a big loss at all in my book

Don't look now, but there is going to be a lot of beef on the D-Line this year...hopefully everyone stays eligible because there could be a turnaround coming on the defensive side of the ball in 2009

That is funny...when I typed his name into rivals this morning, we weren't even listed as team he was interested in, he had zero stars, and was listed as a guard. Now he is a 2* player at DE and it says he is a solid verbal for us...rather than being an undersized guard this morning, he is DE with decent size now...nice

Check rivals under Chris Knighton...he is a smallish guard

I know, it is almost painful...those days seem so far away!

Or this guy...he might be able to help as well...just a thought

I think this guy along with Atkinson could completely change our defense IMMEDIATELY!

If Cantly can be a player this season that could be some of the best news of 2009...developing a DT that will be a solid contributor for 4 years. We have seen how difficult it is to bring in DTs that can solidly contribute. It would be nice to dominate the middle of the D-Line again.

I think a lot of the drop from year one under Dodge to year two can be attributed to the fact that in year one, even with many playing out of position and learning new schemes, you still had players like Chapman and Weathers, along with some others who had been around and knew how to play at this level. As we all know...those guys graduated and some newbies were thrown into the fire year 2. Like I said earlier, I have no real allegiances to Dodge, I just want to win games and get back to bowls. That being said, I am not really ready to give up on the guy yet. There have been some growing pains in trying to get the ship on the right track, but those can be expected. I really do expect to see some good things in 2009, and I am not going to think differently until we actually play some games on the field. Just like some get up in arms when people make crazy predictions, I am not going to go the other direction and start talking about negatives in 2009 until I see the team on the field.

Dickey was here for 9 years and took us to 4 bowls, for which I am very greatful. Dodge has been here for 2, and was charged with rebuilding the program. He could be gone after next season, or he could go on to bring this team to some bowl games of his own. We are all frustrated with his tenure to this point, but at this point it has been only two seasons. It isn't like Dodge took a winning program and dragged it through the mud. If he isn't the man he will be fired soon, if he is the man we will have good times coming...lets be hopeful right now since we haven't played a game in 2009 yet

1) Atkinson is a starter when he steps on campus 2) Brown needs to move back to DE...he should not spend another down at DT if we bring in the DT's that we currently have committed, and we don't lose anyone to grades 3) Watch out for Cantly...this kid is big and has had a year to learn the system...we need him to be a big contributor this season

Dickey will be ok...you can still run the draw out of the spread

This truly is GREAT news. There isn't a recruit we needed more!

You are right...this defense could be decent. I agree with Vito in his blog entry about Atkinson today that this defense won't be as good as the bowl year defenses, but could be GREATLY improved. A greatly improved defense could make this season fun to watch...for the first time in a long time. GO MEAN GREEN!

This guy is more solid in his commitment than we think...not saying it is sure thing, but I am more confident now than I was a week ago

It was posted a while back that DeLoach has had all his success in turning a defense around in his second season. This is the biggest obstacle to getting this thing respectable. Here are some things to think about... 1) If Gilmore plays, he is a special player at DE...if my second point happens he will not have to play DT 2) Atkinsin signs, and can be a special player at DT...which we desperatley need 3) I believe are LBers are a solid group of players...will be juniors and seniors...adding the JUCO kid in case Penson doesn't live up to expectations 4) Secondary - Darrien Williams is special...Bush is solid, and Ira Smith is being brought in from JUCO to give Royce Hill, a true sophomore, time to learn the college game...at the other safety Kylee Hill showed signs of being a play maker back there. The defense, on paper, seems like it could make GREAT strides this season...will it happen? Only time will tell. OFFENSE 5) Riley...could be something special, but you know what they say about potential...show us something 6) OL - Our o-line could be pretty damn good this season...we get a 3* JUCO to come in and compete...Drake comes back, which is HUGE, like getting a JUCO without worrying if he can play at this level. Then youhave a host of young kids including JJ Johnson...we don't have to hit on all of them just a few 7) RB - In this passing offense, you forget about the RBs, but we have 4 in Cam, Dunbar, Hamilton, and what seems to be the forgotten man in Mosely...that isn't even mentioning Mathis who almost made this team as a true freshmen 8) WR - we have a ton of youth who I think we will be able to find 6 solid WR's including the JUCO guys...DON'T GIVE UP ON ROBERSON EITHER! I still hold out that this guy is going to be a stud. This thing can get turned around, and I as all of you are waiting! GO MEAN GREEN!

That is one of the better discussion points I have seen on this board in a long time. I really don't know...

Remember we have some guys sitting on the fence...some guys that could really help this program as we try to get this thing going...there are a lot of good things going on here that we all as fans can get these guys fired up about...we should be able to get this thread rolling!

1. Tailgating at NT is AWESOME! People bring out tents, grills, bands perform, kids have an area to run crazy and get started as a Mean Green fan at an early age. 2. Many of us can remember Nov. 16, 2002, ripping down goal posts on our way to the 2nd of 4 New Orleans Bowls, and a victory over Cincinnatti 24-19. 3. The annual Kickoff Cookout gives players and coaches and opportunity to meet and talk about the upcoming season. This event improves every year. 4. Who can forget the flyover during the Navy game...Fouts Field in its final years can still hold a lot of cheering fans. 5. How many of you have a Brandon Kennedy bobble head? Who said we don't have big time players here at UNT? I now know recruits read this board. I, as many of you bleed green, and can admit being frustrated with our current state, and I am the first to admit that I would love to be winning conference championships again, but we need to be able to let people know the reason we get so riled up is because we want to see this thing get back to the good days. Recruits and other people are coming on this board making assumptions that we aren't behind this program, and in turn don't support the team. I know this is the furthest thing from the truth. I am not calling for "peaches and cream" on this board, this is a place to vent and discuss things, but we can have some talk about some of the GREAT things going on here, and discuss some of the GREAT memories here, some of those memories reletively recent. We can talk about the positive things we are looking forward to. Heck the Spring game is now something that we all plan around and tailgate...it is an event now as it should be. There are plenty of threads out there to vent...I have posted on some of those threads myself, and will probably post again, but lets save this one for the recruits that are looking on this board for something to get fired up about NT Football.

ABSOLUTELY! This guy seems to be trying to do everything he can to find somewhere else to go other than NT. There is nothing in the HS ranks that is going to help us immediately, and immediate help at DT is what this team HAS to have to see any improvement on defense! BE AFRAID...VERY AFRAID!!!

My point was not that I actually expect this team to win 8 games, but that I have no idea where this program is at...nothing would surprise me was the actual point. If you made me place a bet, I would lean more towards the 0-2 win edge of the spectrum. I could see the defense getting better with DeLoach, and I can see this offense being productive which in the Sunbelt could lead to some wins...8 probably not, but I could see 6 wins if these two things happen.

WOW! Not that I can honestly disagree with anyone on this board when it comes to this topic, but look how far we have come on the "greatness" that was supossed to be Todd Dodge. This is truly an amazing turnaround for a fan base. Once again, not saying that I disagree with anything that has been posted on this thread, but in reality this guy has had a 2 years here. The guy's first recruiting class was a dud, but he had a couple of weeks to assemble it...hindsight he should have been recruiting instead of spending so much time with the Dragons, he could have coached in the state championship game, but did not need to be at practices all the time. The attrition from that class has been huge, but what can you expect, he hardly knew the kids he was recuiting due to the fact he didn't have the time, due to his own choices, but regardless, he had tough start. The guy does some seem to be arrogant, cocky, and not real preparred for this level, but I don't know if he is incapable of turning the thing around. I can see this team winning 8 or losing 12...I really have no gauge on this program at all. Somebody posted some stat that DeLoach usually shows defensive improvement in his second season with a team...Dodge seemed to find the value in a running game last season...there are a lot of young receivers and a couple JUCO transfers coming in, maybe this kick starts our offense...maybe the defense continues to be horrible, and maybe Dodge's offense continues to decline and we win less games, resulting in a 0-12 season. All we have in this world is hope that we will someday again be something in this game...until then I back the team I have!

I am looking at rivals and they say we have an offer out to Sean Warren, the DT from Blinn, but last time I read anything about Warren it was that we pulled his offer. Has rivals just not updated his page, or since Atkinsin isn't coming at the semester did that open up a scholarship to use on Warren at the break, therefore we re-offered??? Does anyone have information on this??? I have several PM's and e-mails out there, but have got nothing back yet, and it is killing me!!! Any answers would be awesome