MeanGreen61

January 29, 2007 UNT is making a late push on 2007. Of course, credit Todd Dodge for the surge. UNT has skyrocketed up to 16 pledges, and I like the players Dodge has targeted. Recent commitment A.J. Penson of Lufkin is just the kind of player UNT needs. He wasn't widely recruited as others at his position, but coming out of Lufkin, you know Penson's both talented and benefited from great coaching. Penson is the stereotypical nose-for-the-ball kind of linebacker, and I'm guessing bigger programs will regret skipping over him down the road. UNT also scored a win over the Big 12 with Westlake's Bron Hager, who chose the Mean Green over a Baylor offer. And Dodge's offense of the future seems in place with six WR pledges, a commitment from SA Alamo Heights QB Giovanni Vizza, and a recent pledge from Euless Trinity TE Jordan Scroggins. Like Penson, Scroggins comes out of a program known for producing college-ready players. Dodge has indicated with this January push he knows how to recruit. This fall, we'll see how his coaching translates to the next level.

J.J. Johnson is a Rivals 2-star 5.3 Martinson was listed but just got his 2-star 5.2 rating tonite Still no info on Marquese Davis

ILB, A.J. Penson Lufkin HS, 6-1, 215, Jr. Stats: Scout.com has him with 85 tackles (I assume includes) 22 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Scout.com has Penson a 3* District 15-5A has him listed as 1st team all district at LB. Scout.com is high on him, listing him as a 3*, Position Rank #40,. Gridiron guide pre season had this to say about AJ " an enforcer @ LB" converted DE. Considering Iowa State (1), Neb, Rice (1), A$M, UTEP (1) with offers from (1). Rivals article Jan 22. Penson ready for his 3rd official visit...to North Texas weekend Jan 26th. He has visited UH and Texas State. Rivals article We understand he is to visit NT in January with two teammates.'A.J. Penson is the next big thing to emerge from the Lufkin program. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder puts his hand down for Lufkin, but will most likely be a linebacker according to coach John Outlaw. There have been several top prospects come out of the tradition-rich halls of the East Texas school and Outlaw doesn't see Penson being any different. COMMITED TO NORTH TEXAS JANUARY 28, 2007 "It's probably because he had to play with his hand down, and at one time, he was opposite a pretty good one with McKinner Dixon who lined up on the other side. I don't know exactly why he may not have had all the early attention but A.J. is an awful fine person and a high character kid. Plus, he's a great football player." Penson says that while he would like to play linebacker at the next level, he'll play wherever the college coaches put him. Options are already mounting on the recruiting front with schools like UTEP, Iowa State, and Houston telling him to expect an offer in the mail. Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Rice have verbally offered him at this time. "I haven't talked to all of the schools, so I don't know if I have any big favorites," Penson said. "I think A&M is a good school though. I visited down there because we have teammates that have gone there. I want to visit Oklahoma State though and see what they have to offer." The Lufkin team has also been predicted to take home the 5A state tile this year. Senior Penson likes the all the talk. "It's us," Penson said. "There is always going to pressure because we're at the top but that's how I see my team. We're a great group, we can pull through it all. We were only one game away last year, so we've got to finish and play hard.

North Texas coach Todd Dodge has swept through the Houston area on a recruiting trip this week and picked up sleeper offensive lineman.[ UNT committments - Rivals http://middletennessee.rivals.com/commitli...&School=163 Matt Tomlinson - Solid verbal per Rivals. http://middletennessee.rivals.com/viewpros...mp;pr_key=56589

Take off the green tinted glasses then ask yourself WHY he'd want to come to NT vs staying at TAMU-CC? Why is NT necessarily a better route ?

Word is that Arrow is very happy in CC and at TAMUCC. With no football, his program is the big dog and gets the most attention of Islander sports.

Who have we lost to Tulsa that TD & his staff have actively recruited ?

The BOR can raise/adjust student fees without student approval.

Just checked & if I'm correct we have 18 commits. 13 in on our Rivals commit list plus Martinson, Vizza, Davis, Johnson & Hill that haven't been added.

Not necessarily. Depends on existing scholarship players who may not be returning.

A.J. Penson http://texasprepxtra.rivals.com/viewprospe...mp;pr_key=43693 Also showing in our total Rivals committment list. (List doesn't include previous committments Vizza, Davis & Martinson) http://www.rivals.com/commitlist.asp?Year=...&School=163 FWIW give us our third 2-star player with a 5.4 rating. .1 away from being a 3-star

"The more I got to know him I saw how he worked to get his program going. Then I met [uNT president Gretchen Bataille]. I have never seen a university where the president and athletic director work so well together. They impressed me." That says a lot for the future of UNT athletics. Bataille continues to impress and be giving RV the support he needs .

UNT recruiting visit list A few names have emerged from various sources when it comes to what prospects are visiting North Texas this weekend for the annual football banquet. Lufkin coach John Outlaw said a few weeks ago that his standout linebacker A.J. Penson and defensive back Ralph Thomas would visit UNT this weekend. Nothing has come up that appears to have changed those plans. The father of Plano West center J.J. Johnson said he would be in town this week. Gilmer linebacker Dominique Buchanan could also visit UNT this weekend. UNT is already in position to land a good class but could help its cause this weekend. Rivals.com ranks Buchanan No. 50 among outside linebackers and a three-star recruit. He originally committed to Baylor but is back on the market. UNT could take a flyer on Buchanan, who would make its class ranking shoot through the roof. The question is if he is worth the risk after several other schools backed away. Penson is a two-star recruit on Rivals.com and was offered scholarships by Houston, Iowa State and UTEP but is now down to UNT and Texas State after other schools filled up their scholarship slots for linebackers. Johnson, a center, is also a highly regarded player and would fill a void in the Mean Green's class that does not yet include an offensive lineman. Rivals.com ranks Johnson and Thomas two-star recruits UNT will have several more players on campus and could pull a rabbit out of the hat late in the process. Momentum pays in recruiting and UNT seems to be on a roll at this point. A few prospects that have yet to commit could be swayed by a chance to join a group that now features several highly regarded players from across the state. It will be interesting to see if UNT can finish strong. Feel free to weight in on this blog. Can UNT keep its recruiting momentum going? And what does the Mean Green need to make what appears to be a solid class a special one on the final weekend of the recruiting season?

Conference Average Salary Average Total Compensation Mountain West*........$430,108............$622,776 Conference USA** ....277,707..............552,384 WAC ........................218,409..............241,909 Sun Belt....................212,172..............237,166 MAC..........................168,015..............197,319 *Does not include BYU **Does not include Rice ARTICLE http://www.macreportonline.com/coaches_salary.html

Here's a link to the page & thread with 3tWarEagle's post . Why don't ya trot over & call him out? http://www.5atexasfootball.com/forum/vB/sh...438&page=13

No way an invite to the MAC would even be considered.

From a post by 3tWarEagle on another board. Looks like TD's group is like a war party from conditioning & discipline. Can't start soon enough. Saw the mean greens new Under Armour jerseys..they look pretty solid..as for the strength and conditioning program that they are going through right now.. We called it dragon maker and i can say first hand that i know Coach George is on the matts and they are hell. Mendoza in the weight room..oh man, coach ford running those 200's on the track..Dodge workin the QB's & WR. I dont know if Dodge will open up workouts to the public, but if any of you wanna see some intense coaching head up to Denton and check out their training.

Maybe the tunnel is why construction is taking so long ?

Are they using a Juarez construction company?

Don't beleive the attire is Black Shirt.

Maybe he's teaching Anger Management classes at TDC-Huntsville

Don't beleive everything that you hear. NT lost an invite to the Liberty Bowl because of pathetic attendance at a game bowl officials attended. The highest attendance at a Texas Stadium game during the Fry era was 27,183 in '74 vs SMU. The highest overall attendance was in '77 at 19,599. Every other year, except '78, was under 12,000.

A novel idea, conducting Spring drills in the Spring ! What will people think of next !

Fouts IS NOT the only facility at UNT.