MeanGreen61

OK.........so smu has some more recruits ???????????

Not sure, but wasn't the figure in USA Today thru April ?

OUCH - Shows ya how much I've kept up with K-State

Snyder is the coach at K-State.

Football: Fouts home to many wins, memories Decades of players mold Fouts tradition 10:53 PM CDT on Sunday, July 29, 2007 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer Editor’s note: The following is the second of a three-part series on University of North Texas’ Fouts Field -- its history, its current-day status, and the possibility of it being replaced in the future. Today’s story focuses on the history of Fouts Field and some of its greatest moments and eras. Ken Bahnsen can still recall the afternoon he played the first home game of his senior year at North Texas State College in 1952, even though it wasn't the best outing of his career. Bahnsen was knocked out cold before the end of the first half of the Eagles' 55-0 win over North Dakota, but was alert for the most memorable part of the day -- the ceremonial opening of Eagle Stadium, now known as Fouts Field. "It was a big deal when we played that first game," Bahnsen said. "The old field was where the library is now. A couple of years earlier we played Nevada and one of their guys said, 'Gee, they had to run the cattle off for the game.' … We thought we were big time when we moved to that new stadium." The school that is now known as the University of North Texas is hoping to give a new generation of players an experience similar to Bahnsen's in the next few years by replacing Fouts Field, a facility where the school carved out a niche in college football history. The integration of college football in the South reached a milestone at Fouts in the 1950s, when UNT became one of the first schools in the region to recruit black players. “Mean” Joe Greene -- a member of the college and pro football halls of fame -- built his reputation at Fouts in the 1960s, while Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas won back-to-back national rushing titles in 2003 and 2004 on the field UNT continues to call home through changing times. UNT moved from Division I-A to Division I-AA and back, switched conferences multiple times and even changed its mascot from the Eagles to the Mean Green during the Fouts era. “You can look at that field as just dirt and grass, but it was more than that,” former UNT running back Abner Haynes said. “It was where we stood together and set a standard for the people who came behind us.” Haynes was speaking of the integration of the UNT football team, but he might as well have been talking about the generations of players who helped make the following milestones and eras possible at Fouts Field: Breaking the color barrier When it comes to historical moments at Fouts, one of the most important didn't involve a win or a championship. It was the integration of the UNT football team in 1956. UNT was one of the first universities in the South to feature black football players. Head coach Odus Mitchell handpicked Haynes and Leon King, a pair of standout athletes from the Dallas area, for his team's historical endeavor. The pair joined the Eagles' freshman squad, and after a few early incidents, was quickly accepted as part of the team. “We didn’t have any problem at all,” King said in 2004, when UNT celebrated the 50th anniversary of integration at the school. “The guys accepted us. We never gave it much thought.” Haynes went on to become one of the greatest players in UNT history, rushing for 1,864 yards from 1957-59 while helping the Eagles win back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference titles as a junior and senior. King lettered in 1957. After the pair finished their first season at UNT, coaching legends Paul "Bear" Bryant of Texas A&M and Bud Wilkinson of Oklahoma both met with Bahnsen -- who coached Haynes and King in their first year at UNT -- to seek his advice on how to deal with the impending integration at their schools. Both Haynes and King went on to successful careers after their time at UNT. Haynes played in the AFL and NFL, while King became an administrator in the Dallas Independent School District. Both credited their time at UNT for their success later in life. "Fouts Field is the place I used to remember Vernon Cole, George Herring and J.N. Wright," Haynes said. "I was under a lot of pressure and they made me feel like it was cool." The Valley titles UNT had one of its most talented collections of players in the 1966 and ’67 seasons, when the Eagles won back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference titles. John Love was an honorable mention All-America wide receiver in 1966 and was one of several UNT players who caught the attention of NFL teams while playing their home games at Fouts. Joe Greene, quarterbacks Steve Ramsey and Vidal Carlin, and wide receiver Ron Shanklin helped the Eagles post a 15-3-1 record in two championship seasons while playing the likes of Louisville, Cincinnati and Memphis. Greene went on to a Hall of Fame career in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and played with Shaklin, who led Pittsburgh in receiving in four consecutive years. Ramsey threw for 6,437 yards with the Denver Broncos while Love played for the Washington Redskins. Carlin was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and played with the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Oilers. The Hayden Fry era Some of the greatest moments in UNT athletic history came during the tenure of Hayden Fry, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame who put the Mean Green on the national map in the 1970s. UNT finished with at least seven wins in the last four years of Fry's six-year tenure with the Eagles from 1973-78, and had two of the best seasons in school history in his final two campaigns. UNT finished 10-1 with wins over SMU, UTEP and Memphis in 1977 before coming back to finish 9-2 the next season. The Mean Green gave Texas a scare in 1978 before falling 26-16. Fry left for Iowa after his success at UNT didn't translate into the bowl bids he thought his team deserved. "I really enjoyed my time at North Texas," Fry said. "But we went 10-1 and 9-2 and didn't get to go to a bowl game." The return to Division I-A A project the size of building a new football stadium is not an entirely foreign concept to UNT, which took on a project of a similar magnitude in 1995 with a return to Division I-A. UNT played at the highest level of college football before dropping to I-AA for 12 seasons beginning in 1983. Getting back to the Division I-A level was a challenge UNT took on in large part in Fouts. UNT expanded the stadium by 10,500 seats to seat 30,500 to meet NCAA criteria for Division I-A programs in time for the 1995 campaign. "The expansion created a lot of excitement," said UNT deputy athletic director Hank Dickenson, one of the few current athletic department officials still at the school who was involved in UNT's move up from Division I-AA. "That first I-A team was a I-AA team that had to play an unbelievable schedule. The guys on that team deserve a lot of credit for reviving the program." UNT didn't have much success that season, but one of its wins in a 2-9 campaign was among the more memorable moments at Fouts Field in the last 20 years. The Eagles defeated Oregon State, 30-27, in their first game at Fouts after returning to Division I-A. Troy Redwine gave UNT the win when he caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Jason Mills with 13 seconds left in the game. Redwine caught 10 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns on the day. "Beating Oregon State for the first I-A win was big," Dickenson said. "That game went right down to the wire. It was nice. Those kids didn't enjoy a lot of success, but they beat a Division I-A team right at home." The bowl years When Todd Dodge took over as UNT's new head coach in December, he cited several reasons why he left the high school football dynasty he built Southlake Carroll. One was the success the Mean Green enjoyed in the 2001-04 seasons that proved the school could win on the Division I-A level. UNT captured four straight Sun Belt Conference titles, 26 consecutive conference games and enjoyed unprecedented national attention after Cobbs and Thomas won back-to-back national rushing titles. UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal listed several moments from that era among his favorite memories of Fouts Field. "Clinching the conference title against New Mexico State at home and the activities that followed are among my favorite memories," Villarreal said of the 2002 season. "Seeing two national rushing leaders back-to-back was also really special." What made UNT's run under head coach Darrell Dickey even more memorable was that it seemed to come out of nowhere. The Mean Green was 0-5 in 2001 when it pulled out a 24-21 win over unbeaten Middle Tennessee, sparking a run of five straight wins. The streak earned UNT the first of its four straight conference titles. "We all had a lot of confidence playing at Fouts," said Scott Hall, the quarterback who led UNT to three of its four Sun Belt titles. "We were very successful there. We never felt like we would lose a home game." BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

Mean Green's Fouts Field Officials argue case for new field 11:06 PM CDT on Saturday, July 28, 2007 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is the first of a three-part series on University of North Texas’ Fouts Field — its history, its current-day status and the possibility of it being replaced in the future. Today’s story focuses on why UNT officials and fans believe Fouts Field needs to be replaced. From the window of his office in the Mean Green Athletic Center, Rick Villarreal can see the land where he hopes the crown jewel of his tenure at the University of North Texas will someday sit in the Mean Green Athletic Village. The former University of Southern Mississippi official put a new football stadium in his long-term plans the moment he took over as the athletic director at UNT in 2001. After what has transpired over the last few months, those plans seem closer to reality. Villarreal has overseen the completion of a few other facilities, which were included in the initial plans for his tenure at UNT and in November, accepted the largest donation in athletic department history. Those events were a prelude to what many believe will be the most important move of all in making a new stadium a reality — hiring former Southlake Carroll head coach Todd Dodge to take over the football program. The former Mean Green passing game coordinator won four Class 5A state titles in five years using a wide-open spread offense at Carroll before taking over at UNT in December. Since hiring their new coach, UNT officials have been far more open about their desire to replace Fouts Field — a facility built in 1952 — with a 30,000-seat stadium that could be expanded in the future. “A stadium has always been a part of our master plan,” Villarreal said. “It was phase two or three of the process. If you look around today, most of the first two phases are complete, which has allowed us in the last six months to turn our attention to building a new stadium.” Villarreal and UNT president Gretchen Bataille both have stated publicly that the school is raising money for a new football stadium and that the early stages of a capital campaign are underway. The challenge now for UNT is determining how it can raise the money to complete what would be the biggest — not to mention most expensive — project in athletic department history. Villarreal estimated the facility UNT wants to build to replace Fouts would cost about $52 million. Both Villarreal and Bataille said the university has yet to commit to a timetable for breaking ground on a new facility. Villarreal raised $12.3 million in the first five years of his six-year tenure at UNT and set the high-water mark for fundraising in athletic department history in November, when local businessman Al Goldfield and his wife, Shirley, gave $1.5 million to develop a plan for a new stadium. UNT is in the process of determining if officials can quickly raise the money it needs to make a new stadium a reality through selling the naming rights to various parts of the stadium, landing high-dollar donations and getting more from the average fan. UNT provided a figure of $1.5 million in response to a Freedom of Information Act request asking for the amount of money pledged by UNT boosters and businesses for a new stadium but did not provide a sum set aside for a stadium by the university. “There is a real desire to replace Fouts Field and it’s in the long-range plan,” Bataille said. “What we are doing now is assessing the possibility of undertaking the project.” UNT’s most ardent supporters believe that a closer examination will show the school is in position to replace a facility that opened when Harry Truman was president, Rocky Marciano was the world heavy-weight boxing champion and Mr. Potato Head was a new brand of toy. “Having Coach Dodge here increases my confidence that we can get a stadium built,” UNT fan and 1997 graduate Evan Dolezal said. “Everyone seems willing to follow him almost blindly. People showed up at the spring game who have not been there before, and we haven’t even played a game yet. I think that can translate into getting more donors.” Why replace Fouts now? Over the course of Fouts Field’s lifetime, UNT has increased the facility’s seating to 30,500, replaced the playing surface twice, installed a scoreboard with a replay screen and spruced up the venue countless times. And yet, one fact remains the same: UNT officials believe they would be better off replacing Fouts Field than continuing to renovate it. The original concrete stands on either side of the field seat a total of 20,000 and a track circles the field, putting fans farther away from the action. “We all know that Fouts is outdated,” Villarreal said. “We are doing a lot of work this summer and will redo our restrooms and concourses, but the reality is that Fouts does not have the amenities that lend itself to being the kind of venue we would like to have for our fans.” One common complaint about Fouts Field is that the stands are set so far back from the field that the fans do not feel as involved in the action as they do at other stadiums. “It’s the absolutely the worst place I have been to see a game,” UNT fan Rick McKinney said. “I have been to places where I had an obstructed view, and I still could yell and cheer and feel like I am helping to give the players a home-field advantage.” The facility also leaves a lot to be desired for UNT’s players and coaches, despite all the time and money the school has put into it. The locker rooms are small and cramped, and the stadium shows its age. Texas and Texas A&M have been able to keep Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and Kyle Field, which were built in 1924 and 1927, respectively, viable through extensive renovations. Even with the work that has been done at Fouts Field, there is little doubt that UNT is at a disadvantage when compared to the Texas teams it competes against for recruits and recognition. Southern Methodist University built Gerald J. Ford Stadium in 2000, and high school stadiums that rival Fouts in terms of their amenities and atmosphere are also being built at a rapid rate. The Denton school district opened C.H. Collins Athletic Complex, a 12,000-seat facility that cost $21 million, before the 2004 season. For programs like SMU, their home stadium can be a selling point in recruiting. UNT is in a situation where it must overcome playing in Fouts Field while trying to build for the future. “Facilities are a recruiting tool; there is no other way to put it,” said Jeremy Crabtree, a recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. “When you go out and recruit against your peers like SMU, which has a nice stadium, it makes it tough. It’s not the only thing kids look at, but it is a factor. North Texas is talking a lot about what could be there in the future from talking with the players they have recruited. That is a big positive for them.” Making it happen Over the last few years, Villarreal has examined just about every possible way to finance building a new stadium and has come to one conclusion. The project will take the involvement of more than just a few UNT fans. “The stadium is something everyone wants, but you have to make sure that it is something that everyone will support to offset the cost,” Villarreal said. “You have to do some studies and look at some issues before you commit to a project of this size. This is not something we can do on limited funds.” UNT is examining a number of ways to raise funds, including selling the naming rights for the stadium. The fact the proposed stadium would sit on the juncture of the east and west branches of Interstate 35 could make the naming rights enticing enough to bring UNT several million dollars. The university is also courting boosters who could give the large donations that could push the project forward more rapidly. “We have the ability to get larger donations for a stadium than we have in the past,” Bataille said. “But we also want to keep the project in perspective in terms of the overall university and its needs.” Last year T. Boone Pickens gave $165 million to the athletic department at Oklahoma State University, his alma mater. Gerald J. Ford gave SMU $20 million toward the construction of the stadium that bears his name in Dallas. UNT is known more for its music and arts programs than its business college — the school that most often produces the biggest donors to universities’ athletic departments. The lack of high-dollar donors is just one of a few obstacles for UNT. The universities’ efforts could also be hurt by an inconsistent athletic history that includes some lost years along with a few great moments. NFL legend “Mean” Joe Greene played for the Mean Green in the 1960s, Hall of Fame coach Hayden Fry stalked the sideline at UNT in the mid-1970s and former head football coach Darrell Dickey led UNT to four consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles from 2001-04. Those good times were spread around a stay in Division I-AA from 1983-94 and several long stretches of consecutive losing seasons. UNT lost entire generations of potential fans during seasons when Mean Green football was viewed as a second-tier program. The school also won’t be able to use taxpayer money to build a stadium like some Texas high schools have during the past few years. All the money UNT needs will have to come from corporate partnerships, naming rights deals and a fundraising campaign that UNT will eventually push aggressively after a silent phase. UNT officials believe the time for pushing a new stadium is drawing closer now that Dodge has arrived to drive interest in the program. Several UNT fans said they have faith that Villarreal’s vision will soon become a reality. “North Texas will be able to do it,” fan Jeff Roeling said. “It might take a few years, but Rick has been able to put together packages in the past to get things done. I have faith that it will happen.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com. TEXAS COLLEGE FOOTBALL STADIUMS The following is a list of the venues for the 10 Division I-A college football teams in Texas, the teams that play in them and the year they were built. Ford Field (SMU) — 2000 Sun Bowl (UTEP) — 1963 Fouts Field (UNT) — 1952 Floyd Casey Stadium (Baylor) — 1950 Rice Stadium (Rice) — 1950 Jones AT&T Stadium (Texas Tech) — 1947 Robertson Stadium (Houston) — 1941 Kyle Field (Texas A&M) — 1927 Amon Carter Stadium (TCU) —1929 Texas Memorial Stadium (Texas) — 1924 FOUTS FIELD UPGRADES The following is a brief list of some of the major Fouts Field improvements. 1986 — A $2 million project was completed to replace the grass field with Astroturf and put an artificial surface on what was a cinder track. 1994 — A $1 million project to add 10,000 seats is completed, expanding the capacity of the field to 30,500. 2005 — UNT spends $665,000 to replace the Astroturf surface with a Sportexe turf that closely resembles grass.

I want a new stadium as much as anyone. That said, I've brought people to Fouts and the stadium has never been a factor or really come up in discussions.

Pac-10: We'd leave BCS over plus-1 July 26, 2007 LOS ANGELES -- Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen, who supports bowl games and opposes a playoff system, told Sporting News Thursday his league will walk away from the BCS if the plus-one playoff model becomes a reality. This offseason alone, conference commissioners from the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Big East have said they are intrigued by the plus-one model -- which would provide a championship game between the two highest-ranked teams after the bowl games -- and might be open to implementing such a plan when the new television contract is negotiated sometime over the next year. The model, however, will go nowhere without Pac-10 and Big Ten support. "Our presidents have no interest whatsoever in a plus-one model -- none," Hansen says. "It's a little annoying that my colleagues continue to float this idea as though it has merit. If they continue to push it, and try to push us into a corner ... " Will the Pac-10 walk away from the BCS? "Yes, no question." Hansen's comments are the strongest yet from Pac-10 or Big Ten officials. He says Pac-10 university presidents are more concerned about protecting the sanctity of Rose Bowl than further tweaking the current system, which dilutes the Rose Bowl with a double-hosting model. Hansen says "many" officials within the league and within the powerful Rose Bowl committee want the game once again to pit the Big Ten champions against the Pac-10 champions -- with no BCS strings attached. "What's the difference between what we use now and the plus-one? Nothing," Hansen says. "You're still relying on (the BCS points system) to determine who plays in the game after all the other bowls. What if three teams are close to each other after all the bowl games? Which two play in the (plus-one) game?" The BCS television contract with Fox runs through the 2009 season. But the Rose Bowl has signed with ABC through the 2014 game, further complicating any discussion of a plus-one model. The BCS could begin negotiations for a new deal -- which could be as short as four years or as long as eight, depending on the system in place -- by next spring. That deal would begin with the 2010 season. Hansen's comments are yet another blow for playoff proponents. In May, Florida president Bernie Machen's playoff proposal was defeated roundly by his fellow Southeastern Conference presidents -- to the point that Machen proclaimed at the end of the league's spring meetings that the BCS was, "a very good way to go." "(SEC presidents) are persuaded, and I am now persuaded, that the best way to proceed is to try to work within the BCS structure, to make some changes to make it better," Machen said.

We were in the same conference (Missouri Valley) with Cincy for a number of years.

smoo's AD came from UCF so stay tuned

From the Muts board. Actual turnstile counts and attendance numbers for UCF. Chart - UCF attendance numbers http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-...ab02_layout#ucf

Offense should pick-up where they left off By Abel Prado Intern In his first year as Middle Tennessee State University's head coach, Sun Belt Coach of the Year Rick Stockstill led the Blue Raiders to a 7-6 record and a share of the Sun Belt title. Though they lost 31-14 to Central Michigan University in the Motor City Bowl, that appearance also marked the Blue Raiders' first trip to a bowl game. Five months removed from their last grid-iron appearance, Stockstill found answers to the most pressing issues facing the Blue Raiders' 2007 campaign: replacements for tailback Eugene Gross and quarterback Clint Marks, who graduated. Together, Marks and Gross combined for a total of 2,799 offensive yards and 114 points, one of the most productive running and passing tandems in the Sun Belt. In the spring, junior Joe Craddock won the starting quarterback position as he amassed 113 yards in eight completions during the spring game. A minor uncertainty is who will be the backup quarterback. Three players are in the race including Patrick Johnson from Macon, Ga., Duke transfer Gene Delle Donne from Wilmington, Del. and Salin Simpson of Lexington, Ky. Sophomore running back Phillip Tanner produced during the spring game, rushing for 104 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries and seems to be the most likely candidate to replace Gross. As voted on by the Sun Belt's eight head coaches during the Media Days held in New Orleans the last week, Middle Tennessee will head into September with a pre-season ranking of No. 2 behind Troy University. MTSU received no first place votes but received 44 points, 15 behind Troy's 59. North Texas received 22 points in the rankings, placing them seventh in the Sun Belt. Defense hopes to repeat as best against rushing By Clay Byington Intern The Middle Tennessee State football team has plenty to look forward to for the 2007 season as it returns six starters on defense from its 2006 Sun Belt Champion squad, including three preseason first team all-conference players. The Blue Raiders return all four starters on a defensive line that led the Sun Belt Conference in rushing defense and accumulated 22 sacks. Defensive lineman Erik Walden, who set the school record for sacks in a single season in 2006 with 11.5, will return to lead the front four. His neighbor on the line and fellow all conference honoree, Tavares Jones, finished with 5.5 sacks last season. Damon Nickson, a defensive back, was honored with a first team all conference defensive back spot and top kick return specialist. Nickson ended 2006 with five interceptions, leading the Sun Belt, and returned one of them for a touchdown. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. The Blue Raiders' Defensive Coordinator is Manny Diaz, who after graduating from Florida State in 1992, spent six years at North Carolina State before his first season with the Blue Raiders in 2006. Diaz is also in charge of the secondary, which should help a great deal with the development of Nickson. Diaz has a wealth of talent at his disposal this season. Diaz's crew had no problems with NT in 2006, steamrolling their way to a 35-0 victory-their first conference road shutout.

UNT's Alexander still hoping for return this fall 08:03 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 By Brett Vito / Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS — Josh Alex-ander has missed out on playing in plenty of games and being a part of several memorable moments during his career with the Mean Green. Fortunately for the senior offensive lineman, the first day of fall practice in the Todd Dodge era won’t be among them. During the final session of Sun Belt Conference media days on Tues-day, Dodge said the former starter will be back on the field after missing the end of the 2005 season and all of the 2006 campaign with a knee injury. Alexander was planning to make his comeback last season, but wound up having surgery late in the summer. His status for this fall was in question when the stitches in the patella tendon in his knee began to pull apart. Alexander (6-3, 295) worked to rehabilitate the injury instead of having surgery in the hope that he could return in time for the upcoming season. That rehabilitation process has gone well enough for the former Fort Worth Southwest product to give playing a try once again. “I don’t know if I have been around someone who had things look bleaker for him, but Josh never missed a meeting or a practice and he never wavered,” Dodge said. “We will get him out there to see what he can do. Our strength and conditioning guys say he has gotten stronger. I want to see him make it, but we won’t know what he can do until we get him out there.” The return of Alexander would add depth to a spot where UNT lacks experience. Redshirt freshman Matt Menard and sophomore Robert Peachey are at the top of UNT’s depth chart at left and right tackle, respectively. Both Menard and Peachey will be in their first season as starters in a passing offense that will depend on the offensive line to protect the quarterback. Few UNT tackles were better at that task than Alexander, who started in six of the nine games he played in the 2005 season. Alex-ander did not allow a sack the entire season. Addition of WKU could be boon for Sun Belt Western Kentucky will begin making the transition to the Division I-A level this season after a successful stint in Division I-AA. The move is one Sun Belt Conference officials and coaches believe will be a boon for the league. “Western is a great school and a great addition to the conference, plus it gets our numbers up,” Louisiana-Lafayette coach Rickey Bustle said. “Their athletic programs are top-notch and they are putting a lot of money into it.” WKU recently received a $5 million donation from Houchens Industries to expand and renovate L.T. Smith Stadium. Western will be the ninth member of the Sun Belt, which has a Division I-A football program, giving each team in the league four home and four away conference games each season. Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters said the addition of WKU would also prompt the conference to take a harder look at adding a second bowl tie-in for the league. The conference sends its champion to the New Orleans Bowl, but has had a second team play in a bowl game in two of the last three seasons. WKU will spend two years in the transition to Division I-A and will be eligible for the Sun Belt title and a bowl berth in 2009. WKU finished 6-5 last season but has made 12 postseason appearances in its history. “Our biggest concern is the transition years,” WKU coach David Elson said. “We want to build and be ready to be competitive in 2009.” New FIU coach confident in future of program Stepping into a tough situation in his first season as the head coach at Florida International has done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of Mario Cristobal. FIU was involved in a nasty on-field fight in a cross-town game with Miami last season, finished 0-12 and fired former head coach Don Strock. Cristobal left a job as an assistant coach at Miami after last season to pick up the pieces. Cristobal and Dodge are the only new head coaches in the Sun Belt this season. “It has gone great so far,” Cristobal said. “The one great thing about FIU and the players in South Florida is that they are hungry young men who want to be successful. We are also emphasizing reaching out to the community. We are working hard to develop a championship football family.” Cristobal said that building process has gone well thus far at a school he thinks can develop into a power. “All the coaches who go down to South Florida in recruiting have known in their hearts that the day FIU gets going, it would be a monster in the making,” Cristobal said. “It’s in a great location. We have the commitment to facilities to make it happen and every administrator is on the same page.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com

If UT has players in the game, fine. I did think that I had seen something about them having their kids on campus in summer school and not playing in the all star games. FORGIVE ME ISLAND if I may have made an honest mistake !

Congratulations George but I'm still a year ahead of ya

Personally I wish our guys would pass on these all star games and concentrate on working out out at UNT. Injury possibilities, etc. Not sure but thought I read somewere that Texas doesn't allow/want their recruits to play in these games.

Weaklings weigh down WAC Dave Reardon / dreardon@starbulletin.com SAN JOSE, Calif. » This time, when the Western Athletic Conference football coaches spent two days telling the assembled media how good their league is, the reporters didn't have to hide smirks behind their tape recorders and laptops. Undoubtedly, Boise State and Hawaii give the WAC an attractive top of the conference. The middle is beginning to look better with Nevada and San Jose State continuing to establish themselves. New Mexico State is expected to make a move into bowl contention. And just about everyone believes that Fresno State will bounce back strongly from its uncharacteristic 4-8 debacle of 2006. "It's nice now that WAC football is nationally known and nationally respected," said Nevada coach Chris Ault, still feeling the contact high of the Broncos' Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma half a year later. But what of the bottom third of the widespread WAC? Is there any hope for Louisiana Tech, Idaho and Utah State? These three teams were a combined 8-29 last fall, and they aren't expected by most to improve anytime soon. Fresno State's Pat Hill doesn't look like a cheerleader, but he always brings out the pom-poms for the entire league every July. Yesterday he said he submitted Top-10 votes for two WAC teams ("I won't tell you which ones," but you can probably guess) in the preseason national coaches' poll. "If San Jose State wins their first two games, I'll vote for them, too," he added. Hill bristled when asked if the Little Three drags down the rest of the WAC as the inevitable conference comparisons affect how others perceive the league -- from top to bottom. "We never talk about the bottom third of the Big Ten, we never talk about the bottom third of the Big 12. We never talk about the bottom third of the ACC," Hill barked. "I don't think we have a bottom third now. We don't talk about top third, middle third or bottom third. I don't think they're all high-powered teams from top to bottom in all those big conferences." Hill is a loyal soldier, but he's only part right. People do talk about the have-nots of college football, almost as much as the haves. It's because the lousy teams affect the fate of the good ones by their mere presence on their schedules, sometimes regardless of who wins the game. The WAC's weaklings are a severe hindrance to Hawaii's hopes (as premature as they are) for a berth in a BCS bowl game. Even if the Warriors do win all their games, they are penalized from the beginning by many voters who have no respect for a schedule that includes games at the Kibbie Dome, rustic Ruston and against Utah State at home. This is a problem for any WAC team trying to make a move up the ladder other then Boise State, which has established itself as a legitimate national power by going 58-6 over the past five years. You hate to say it because he's a class act, but Utah State coach Brent Guy's job is rightfully -- by the standards of his profession -- on the line. Yes, recruiting talent to Logan is nearly impossible and the Aggies aren't exactly made of money. But going from 3-8 to 1-11 doesn't help Guy's case and the 1-6 nonconference record is an albatross for the WAC. Of course, somebody has to be last, but in the truly good leagues the worst teams win more than once in two years outside of the family. Guy knows the heat is on, like it was on LaTech's Jack Bicknell, who was asked to not return after a 3-10 campaign in 2006. How does he save his job? "We have to be the San Jose State (which won nine games last season)," Guy said. "Every year you see a team jump up. We have to have a winning season and play in a bowl game. Then you can compete for championships. And before you talk about winning seasons and championships you have to talk about winning the first game. We have to win and start with positive momentum." Commissioner Karl Benson knows that the have-nots must improve for the league to attain true respect. He said the schools have committed to the WAC's strategic plan of increased spending on athletics. The WAC has a commercial that shows highlights of all nine teams, ending with Boise State's Statue of Liberty play in the Fiesta Bowl. The ad concludes with the question "Who's next?" We won't know until December if it's meet the new boss, same as the old boss -- or, as most of the league's observers believe, Hawaii can knock Boise State out of the top spot. While Idaho, LaTech and Utah State won't figure into the equation at the top of the WAC standings, they will likely factor into Hawaii's national-respect quotient. And, compounded by two I-AA opponents on the schedule, that's not a good thing for the Warriors.

Isn't a stadium part of athletics ? BOR can increase student fees for athletics without their approval.

Would the Bix XII want another private school as a member ? They have their "token" private school in Baylor.

. Big Ten Network has conference thinking expansion — again Posted 11h 45m ago By Randy Peterson, Des Moines Register The creation of the Big Ten Network means conference officials likely will discuss expansion again, Commissioner Jim Delany said Wednesday. "I think we need to look at it in the next year," he said during a wide-ranging interview with Register reporters. Adding a 12th team likely will be revisited because of the network, which is scheduled to launch Aug. 30, Delany said. An additional big-name university in a large television market means more exposure for the network and its sponsors. "It changes to some extent how you think about it," Delany said of expansion. "The broader (the network) is distributed, the more value (expansion) has. "We have eight states. With expansion, you could have nine." Said Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz: "If it makes sense — if the right institution was interested — I think there would be consideration given." The conference looked toward Notre Dame when exploring expanding to 12 teams in 1999 but the Irish chose to remain a football independent. "There was great value there," Delany said of Notre Dame's national appeal. "There aren't many universities that produce that kind of value." Rutgers and Syracuse could be universities at whom the Big Ten looks. "Wherever," Delany said when asked about specifics. "With the network — there's a different element. It changes the dynamics." In football, a 12th university could mean two divisions and a postseason playoff. "Any television executive would do whatever they could to be able to air a game like the Big Ten championship," said Mark Silverman, Big Ten Network president. "It would be worth a considerable amount of value. "Fans would take to something of that nature if it were in the best interest of the conference." Coaches think otherwise, said Ferentz. "I've not met anybody in coaching that really enjoys it," Ferentz said of the divisional playoff format. "There's a lot of downside to it, in my opinion." Among the concerns are playing an additional game and the potential of missing out on a BCS bowl if you lose the conference title game. But expansion could also result in a large conference without divisions. "I'm agnostic," Delany said. "I could live with two divisions and a championship game, but I think that has a tendency to devalue the season-ending game and have a negative impact on your losing team in season-ending games. "I don't want us to tear ourselves apart over the structure of football for the sake of expansion." Nor does Ferentz. "If it makes sense — if the right institution was interested — I think there would be consideration given," he said. Delany cautioned against rushing to add a 12th school. "You have to build a network that has value first," Delany said. "You don't expand it until you have it built. "Until we have a fully distributed network in the eight states, then you have a value and then you can look at expansion. "Every time you make a major adjustment in the Big Ten, there's a gestation period. You have to allow one set of efforts to settle in, and then catch a breath." http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/foo...expansion_N.htm

Get ready for something completely different on offense By Monte Hale, Thursday July 19, 2007 The Mean Green will have a new look in 2007. First-year head coach Todd Dodge, a Texas high school coaching legend, was hired to replace Darrell Dickey, whose offensive approach was centered on the run and play-action passing. Dodge ... not so much. The Mean Green will employ as many as five receivers per down in a passing offense that might be especially tricky for the rest of the league to defend. The key will be at quarterback where junior Daniel Meager, junior Matt Phillips and senior Woody Wilson all saw time last season, none of it terribly productive. Meager came out of spring as the leading candidate to start — he completed eight of 16 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns in the spring game — though freshman Giovanni Vizza could win the job. His high school stats were impressive and he fits Dodge's style. In any case, North Texas' streak of 31 consecutive regular-season games without a 200-yard passer isn't going to survive far into this season. Senior receiver Brandon Jackson should flourish, and incoming freshmen Breece Johnson and Sam Dibrell will contend for playing time. Senior tailback Jamario Thomas is back as well. He led the nation in rushing as a true freshman, but was plagued with injuries as a sophomore and then ran behind a line that underachieved last year. The focus will be on throwing, but Thomas again breaking 1,000 yards wouldn't be a surprise. DEFENSE When North Texas won four straight Sun Belt titles from 2001-2004, it did so with an excellent defense. The group has taken huge steps backward the past two years, but it could be a surprise in 2007. Nine starters are back and the hope is that experience will pay off. Senior safety Aaron Weathers led the team with 78 tackles, while all-conference linebacker Maurice Holman was second with 74 stops. The line also should be much improved and will be anchored by senior end Jeremiah Chapman, an all-conference pick who had a team-high 10 tackles for loss. The key will be if the secondary has matured and can avoid giving up the big plays of a year ago. Seniors Roy Loren, Gary Oubre, Roderick Cotton and Cliff Higgs are back, along with sophomores Korey Washington, Zach Babb, Antoine Bush and Kartey Agbottah. The team's strength on defense should be linebacking, where Holman, junior Colt Mahan, senior Derek Mendoza and junior Germaine Dawson return. The group should be much improved because of its experience. The defensive line is solid and the unit has depth at linebacker and safety. SPECIAL TEAMS The Mean Green returns junior punter Truman Spencer, who was a second-team all-conference pick last season. He averaged almost 41 yards per attempt and landed 15 inside the 20-yard line. Redshirt freshman Steven Woodward was the only placekicker at spring practice.

Texas football thread http://www.5atexasfootball.com/forum/vB/sh...ead.php?t=18829

1. Try to minimize your trips to the john. 2. Go to Fouts with the mindset that you're there to watch a game and not critique the facility. 3. Find out exactly what the coaches are or are not saying about a new stadium before you construe ( not contrue) they are putting out false/misleading info. 4. Have a nice day.

Under Armour -Wednesday, July 25 Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 07/17/2007 The North Texas football team has entered an agreement with athletic apparel company Under Armour for the 2007 season. The team will be outfitted from head to toe with Under Armour wear, including shoes, socks, pants, jerseys, gloves and wrist bands. North Texas is one of only five college football programs to have such a deal with the popular performance gear, joining Auburn, Maryland, South Carolina and Texas Tech. The Under Armour shoes that Mean Green players will wear come in five different models. Players will have the option of wearing molded-bottom cleats, or screw-in cleats depending on personal preference and the playing surface. There are also different shoes for the different positions that the players play. The speed shoes (see picture) are low-cut and lightweight, which is preferred by skill position players like wide receivers and defensive backs. There are also versatile mid-level cleats and the most-supportive high-top cleats that are designed for interior offensive and defensive linemen. It is the first time in recent history, Mean Green players will be outfitted exclusively by one company. In the past, players might have had shoes, pants, jerseys and gloves all made by different companies. The agreement with Under Armour does not end with the players game-day attire. The Mean Green will also be wearing practice gear including shorts, sweats and warm-ups from Under Armour. Coaches will also be outfitted in Under Armour for both practice and game-day. To purchase your own North Texas Under Armour apparel visit MeanGreenGear.com, the official retailer of North Texas Athletics.