MeanGreen61

http://recruitingbuzz.beloblog.com/ Grading the Mean Green Today's segment focuses on North Texas: Final grade: C Why?: There is a line of thinking that North Texas' new athletic complex should have brought a stronger class. The jury is out. North Texas went heavy on high school defensive linemen and junior college players that are expected to help immediately after a 2-9 season. Because of that this class will be graded on whether North Texas is able to rebound and get back in a bowl game. Best prospect: Offensive guard Kelvin Drake comes out of a strong program in Galveston Ball. Coaches at BCS schools told Drake that he is too short at 6-foot 3 to play guard for them. So Drake picked North Texas, where he thinks he can help out early. North Texas got the 280-pound Drake away from Arkansas State. Sleeper: Tulsa East Central defensive lineman Tim Patton has the size and the talent to contribute as a freshman. He is one of eight high school defensive linemen North Texas is hoping will keep a tradition of solid defensive fronts going in Denton. Pressure is on: Offensive lineman Trent Stanley was a second-team NJCAA All-American at JUCO power Coffeyville (Kan.) CC and he is expected to start the 2006 season at center or guard. If North Texas is going to return to its winning ways, it has to start with the offensive line. Posted by Todd Wills at 2:36 PM (E-mail this entry)

Sun Belt Conference http://www.collegefootballnews.com/Default.htm Spring Story Lines #5 5. The return of Jamario Thomas Has one player ever gone from being one of the nation's best one year and then couldn't get off the bench the next? North Texas RB Jamario Thomas led the nation in rushing in 2004, and was hailed by some as a worthy Heisman contender after rushing for 1,801 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was able to see the field thanks to a knee injury to Patrick Cobbs, but when Cobbs returned last year, Thomas barely saw the light of day getting a mere 89 carries, with 26 of them coming in a blowout loss to LSU, with only 361 yards and no touchdowns. Now Cobbs has graduated as the greatest running back in school history and the offense will be turned back over to Thomas. After waiting his turn, the lightning quick junior should once again put up huge numbers. At least that's what North Texas is desperately hoping for. Spring preview - North Texas North Texas Spring practice starts February 13, Spring Game: March 9 The big spring question is ... Will North Texas be North Texas again? There has been a lot of shifting this spring with the coaching staff and positions to try to get more production out of both sides of the ball after a miserable 2005. The ground game will once again be strong thanks to the return of Jamario Thomas, while almost everyone returns on defense, for good or bad, except at corner where Ja'Mel Branch and T.J. Covington have to be replaced after a decent season. The most important position to watch is ... Linebacker. North Texas is moving to a 3-4 defense to make up for the lack of size up front. It didn't help that Brandon Monroe tore the MCL in his knee and missed most of spring ball, but this move should be a showcase for all the teams' young linebackers. This isn't a big group, but it can run with several athletic, safety-like players for the outside. Spring attitude... It was all about not accepting what happened last year. After dominating the Sun Belt for so long, going 2-9 and ranking near the bottom in the nation in most of the big categories, there was a lot of tinkering going on this spring to make sure that doesn't happen again. The 2005 team was young and in a transition period, but that doesn't seem to be used as an excuse. Better quarterback play and stronger run defense should be enough to get back in the Sun Belt title mix.

Latest article on football AND basketball scholarship losses. Three Belt schools and some other familiar names listed. Football Schools (Division I-A) which will lose scholarships for poor scholastic performance under the terms of the Academic Progress Rates reform program: School No. Temple 9 Toledo 6 Hawaii 5 Middle Tenn. St. 5 Western Michigan 5 Buffalo 3 New Mexico St. 2 Northern Illinois 2 Men's Basketball Schools which will lose scholarships for poor scholastic performance under the terms of the Academic Progress Rates reform program: School No. Cal Poly 2 Centenary 2 East Carolina 2 Hampton 2 Jacksonville 2 Kent State 2 New Mexico St. 2 S. Carolina St. 2 Texas State 2 Mary.-Eastern Shore 2 DePaul 1 Florida A&M 1 Louisiana Tech 1 Prairie View 1 La.-Lafayette 1 La.-Monroe 1 Sacramento State 1 ARTICLE http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2349787

Howell's preliminary schedules shows over 50 teams (not including Sun Belt teams) host 1AA teams in '06. Arizona - S.F Austin Arizona State - N. Arizona Arkansas - SE Missouri Army - VMI Baylor - NW State Boise State - Sacramento State Boston College- Maine California - Portland State UCF - Villanova Cincinnati- Eastern Kentucky Colorado - Montana State Colorado State- Weber State UConn - Rhode Island Florida - West Carolina Georgia Tech - Samford Illinois - Eastern Illinois Iowa - Montana Iowa State - Northern Iowa Kansas - NW State Kansas State - Illinois State Kentucky - Texas State Louisiana Tech - Nicholls State Marshall - Hofstra Maryland - Wm. & mary Memphis - Chattanooga Miami - Florida A&M Mississippi - Nicholls State Mississippi State - jacksonville State Missouri - Murray State Navy - UMass Nebraska - Nicholls State New Mexico - Portland State NMSU - Texas Southern NMSU SE Louisiana N. Carolina - Furman N.C. State - Appalachian State Northwestern - New Hampshire Oklahoma State - Missouri State Oregon State - Eastern Washington Pitt - Citadel Purdue - Indiana State San Jose - Cal Poly South Carolina - Wofford USF - McNeese State SMU - Sam Houston Southern Miss - SE Louisiana Texas - Sam Houston Texas A&M - Citadel Texas Tech - SE Louisiana Tulsa - SFA Vanderbilt - Tennessee State Wisconsin - Western Illinois

Deavin Cox

Preview by Bird of Paradiso (ULL poster) #5W--NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN Tournament Titles: None Coach: Johnny Jones (63-77) 5th Tournament Record: 1-4 STRENGTHS: Very athletic team that goes 11 deep. Multiple scoring threats from the outside and PF Jeffrey Simpson can be tough to deal with inside. Isaac Hines is a good ball handler. Several players are very good at creating their own shot. WEAKNESSES: Offense plays way too much one-on-one basketball, making them less effective. This team doesn't play much defense at all....something that has unfortunately been a pattern with the Green. After starting 5-2 in conference play, team lost seven of their last eight. OUTLOOK: Not good. They have enough weapons to beat you, but you have to be able to guard to win, and this team doesn't guard well. They might win a game, but if UALR gets the 4E seed, the game will feature (?) two teams playing the worst basketball in the league.

Big PC police problems for the state. Delaware is the name of an Indian tribe

Walk on info from the official site. Football Walk-On Information Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 11/28/2005 North Texas Football Conducts Open Walk-On Tryouts Based On The Following Criteria: If currently enrolled at North Texas: North Texas students interested in walking onto the football team for the fall 2006 season must be enrolled full-time at North Texas and be in good academic standing. You must contact Mike Barela at 940-369-7638 to discuss walk-on policies rules and compliance. He is holding office hours from March 27, 2006 unitl May 5, 2006. Office Hours (subject to change) Mondays and Wednesdays - 9:30 - 11:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays - 1:30 - 3:30 pm If you are a senior graduating May/June 2006 and will be a first time UNT freshman student in the fall of 2006: -must be accepted and enrolled full-time at North Texas must be cleared by NCAA Clearinghouse (for clearinghouse info, see your high school counselor) -must make appointment (in person or by phone) with Mike Barela at 940-369-7638 to discuss all walk-on policies, rules and compliance -feel free to have your high school coach call on your behalf If you are a potential walk-on who is enrolled at another institution of higher education (ie junior college, community college or four-year college) and currently on the football roster (or at one time have been on the football roster) fall under the category of transfer. Because of this, no member of the North Texas Athletic Department may be in contact with you (regardless if you contact North Texas first) until North Texas receives a release from your school (per NCAA rules). If you are currently enrolled at another institution of higher education (ie junior college, community college or four-year college) and have never been on a football roster, you must contact Barela at 940-369-7638 to discuss walk-on policies rules and compliance. He is holding office hours from March 27, 2006 unitl May 5, 2006.

Rather than speculate on the UNT/BYU scenario, I'll opt to wait until all the info and facts are known. I doubt seriously that if a home-home with BYU were/would be turned down, it would be without very good reason.

More on $$$ problems for Louisiana schools. http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/2362761.html Colleges say raise tuition Officials raise alarm: Save higher education By JESSICA FENDER Capitol news bureau Published: Feb 24, 2006 College leaders want to charge students more and said Thursday they need higher tuition to save higher education. At a gathering of decision-makers, officials planned their tack: enlisting alumni to convince lawmakers to approve a tuition plan in the upcoming legislative session. Legislators rejected a proposed schedule of increases when they convened in spring 2005. A handful of officials said raising tuition would be unfair unless colleges and universities look at consolidating, closing and restructuring in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. “We can’t accomplish this just by raising tuition. I know some other board members feel that way,” said Pat Strong, a member of the Board of Regents. Strong made his comments at a forum of chancellors, university system presidents and members of various boards of supervisors. Public colleges are out $229 million when lost tuition, lost revenue and state-imposed budget cuts are added together. Coastal schools also face between $400 million and $500 million in damages from the two storms, at least 10 percent of which must be paid for by the state. Campus heads have been told to brace for another 8 percent cut in the upcoming legislative session. As state funding continues to dwindle, schools have not been allowed to boost tuition and guarantee themselves a stable source of income, Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie said. Louisiana ranks last in its amount of funding per student thanks to a combination of lukewarm state support and bargain-basement tuitions, Savoie told the group. Under the current post-storm pressures, the situation becomes even more dire, University of New Orleans Chancellor Timothy Ryan pointed out. He said UNO is making drastic plans to cut costs. Like many other higher education leaders, he doesn’t see an end in state cuts in sight, he said. “If we don’t see some change in the overall philosophy, we’re going to be right back here in three or four years.But we will have lost significant faculty resources,” Ryan said. “Faculty are not going to stay on a ship when they see it’s not going in the right direction.” Several others echoed Ryan’s sentiments. A group of higher education leaders tried unsuccessfully in spring 2005 to win approval for a plan that would allow their campuses to raise tuition to just below regional levels within six years. That plan would have allowed tuition increases of $437 at LSU in Baton Rouge every year for several years. It would have increased LSU tuition to as much as $7,042 per year if LSU charged the maximum increases. Other schools faced far less steep increases. Lawmakers rejected the idea in the 2005 legislative session, so education officials need to take a different tack, LSU Board of Supervisors Chairman Bernie Boudreaux said. He said if each college system can get its alumni to put pressure on lawmakers, a tuition increase policy will be more palatable. “I believe we can pass a tuition bill if we marshal our collective alumni power,” Boudreaux said. “We are too often without sufficient force.” But some education officials said tuition increases alone are not enough. Strong and Regents Chairman Roland Toups, whose organization oversees all of higher education, said the state can’t stop working on larger restructuring efforts. Combining schools, starting joint programs and even closing some campuses will be necessary to cut down “bricks and mortar costs,” Strong said. University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors member Michael Woods agreed. “I hope we can get beyond the territorial battles of ‘What is our name going to be,’ ” Woods said. “I hope we lay aside turf battles and realize what we’re here to do: Serve students.”

http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...NEWS01/60224003 Duke quarterback transferring to MTSU Duke quarterback Gene Delle Donne will transfer to MTSU and be eligible to play in the 2007 season. Delle Donne (6-foot-6, 245 pounds) will sit out next season to fulfill NCAA transfer rules and will be a redshirt sophomore for the 2007 season. “I took a visit to Pittsburgh last week and I had visits planned for UConn, Syracuse and Rutgers. But after seeing Middle Tennessee, I didn’t think any other place would compare,” Delle Donne said. The 19 year-old quarterback took a redshirt year at Duke last season, but he was rated the No. 22 top pro-style quarterback nationally by Rivals.com and top quarterback prospect in Delaware in the 2005 signing class. He was named Delaware’s 2004 Gatorade Player of the Year and chose Duke over Boston College, Maryland, Notre Dame and Michigan out of Salesianum High in Wilmington Del., according to Rivals.com. “I still had a good relationship with (current MTSU offensive coordinator G.A. Mangus) from high school when he was my offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in my freshman year there,” Delle Donne said. “And then I liked all the coaches and players and that community and campus at Middle Tennessee.” Delle Donne joins a host of other quarterbacks on the MTSU roster under new head coach Rick Stockstill. Two-year starting senior Clint Marks returns under center for the 2006 season, but he is the only quarterback with collegiate game experience for MTSU. “I take academics seriously and plan on taking some summer classes. But I really look forward to using that first year to learn from Clint Marks,” Donne said. “This is a great opportunity for me, and I can’t wait to get to Middle Tennessee and join that program.” Originally published February 24, 2006

Here's our tenative '06 schedule per Howell. We still need one as it shows 11 games thus far. North Texas (Sun Belt) 9/2 Sat @ Texas 9/9 Sat vs. Southern Methodist 9/16 Sat @ Tulsa 9/23 Sat @ *Louisiana-Monroe 9/30 Sat vs. *Middle Tennessee State 10/7 Sat @ *Troy 10/21 Sat vs. *Florida International 11/4 Sat vs. Louisiana Tech 11/11 Sat @ *Louisiana-Lafayette 11/18 Sat vs. *Florida Atlantic 11/25 Sat @ *Arkansas State

Here's Tech's schedule from their official site. Play at North Texas on November 4. http://www.latechsports.com/article.php?ar..._02_23_11:54:47

Athletics can rally enrollment WSU officials hope that wins on the court will pay off in the admissions office. BY AMANDA O'TOOLE The Wichita Eagle The recent success of the Shocker men's basketball team may have an impact on whether Jessica Rempe and Hillary Wilson choose to attend Wichita State University. "If a school doesn't have a winning athletics program, it kind of puts a damper on things," said Wilson, who wants to study pre-law. "It definitely has an influence." The two high school juniors from Abilene toured WSU last week during a recruitment visit. WSU officials are hopeful that more prospective students share their attitude. Bobby Gandu, assistant director for the Office of Admissions, said WSU's increased exposure helps make his job recruiting students a little easier. "It shows we are a major institution. Anything that gets our university's reputation out there is positive on the recruitment side of things," he said. "I think parents and students forget about us sometimes." There may be some logic in hoping more students will choose WSU next year. Kansas State University and the University of Kansas have seen spikes in enrollment after big seasons. K-State saw an increase of 579 students between fall semesters of 1997 and 1998 after the football team beat Syracuse in the Fiesta Bowl and another jump of 658 students between the falls of 1998 and 1999 after the team played at the Alamo Bowl against Purdue. Before then, K-State had documented six consecutive fall semesters of declining enrollment. KU saw a similar jump after the men's basketball team fell to Syracuse in the 2003 NCAA championship game when enrollment increased 659 students from the previous year. "I believe that it is a general rule that you'll find in most colleges and universities that when the athletic teams do well, it helps not only fundraising, but helps admissions as well," said Jim Marchiony, associate director of athletics at KU. "It tends to increase the pool of prospective students the school can choose from." Admissions and athletics officials said team successes aren't solely responsible for the boost in enrollment. But having a winning team helps. Kim Hoetmer, a guidance counselor at Goddard High School, doesn't think local students will be swayed to attend WSU because of the basketball team. But she thinks the school will become more attractive for out-of-state students, especially those in the Missouri Valley Conference. Ron Kopita, vice president for campus life and university relations, said it is hard to guess what enrollment numbers at WSU will look like next year. But he's excited for what's to come. "Having a highly visible, successful athletic program like the basketball team only helps. That's been documented across the country," Kopita said.

Not football, but concerns a conference member reducing sports programs. Wonder how the Katrina aftermath will also affect ULM and ULL along with La. Tech? "But I know one thing: UNO needs to take a long look at staying in the Sun Belt Conference. When you have a conference that includes schools in Denver and Miami, that's a lot of money devoted to travel. If we're worried about saving money, UNO needs to consider playing in a conference that is more regionalized." UNO will suspend 7 sports as part of cost-cutting Friday, February 24, 2006 By Brian Allee-Walsh Staff writer UNO's track and field program and women's golf program will be suspended at the end of the spring semester as part of a university-wide cost-cutting measure brought about by reduced enrollment at the Lakefront school after Hurricane Katrina, two Privateers head coaches said. Women's golf coach Jimmy Headrick and track and field coach Willie Randolph said they were informed this week by UNO athletic director Jim Miller their programs no longer will be funded, beginning in the fall. The cost-cutting measure affects seven sports and eliminates 34.5 scholarships -- in men's and women's indoor track, men's and women's outdoor track, men's and women's cross country and women's golf. Each scholarship for an out-of-state student-athlete is valued at $18,000. Eight sports will remain in operation, leaving UNO six below the NCAA required 14 to maintain its Division I rating. Unless UNO meets that requirement by the fall of 2010, it will forfeit its Division I standing. The four remaining women's sports are volleyball, basketball, swimming and tennis. The four men's sports are basketball, baseball, tennis and golf. Miller declined comment. An official announcement from UNO chancellor Tim Ryan is expected soon, several university sources said. UNO has 11,860 students enrolled this spring, down from 17,250 last year before Katrina. About 60 percent of the school's $5 million athletic budget comes from student activity fees. Last December, Tulane, the only other Division I program in New Orleans, suspended eight of its 16 sports programs to save approximately $2 million per year in operational costs. It's unknown how much money UNO will save by suspending the seven programs. Randolph said the news could not have come at a worse time. His men's and women's indoor track and field teams are preparing for this weekend's Sun Belt Conference championships at Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro. One university official said the decision was made now to allow student-athletes a chance to save a year of eligibility if they decided not to compete this spring. "My programs have been loyal to this school and are still loyal," said Randolph, who is completing his third season at UNO. "My heart goes out to these kids who've been through a lot since Katrina. I understand how the university has to balance the budget, but I don't understand how one program can be cut in such a large way. "It's hard for me to say it's fair. It's like a slap in the face. Shouldn't we have been saying to them before they came back after Katrina that maybe the best thing for them to do is go somewhere else before the cuts came? I would have been fine with that. Now many of these kids will have to start all over somewhere else." Randolph said the university's decision affects 43 student-athletes in his program and casts a cloud of uncertainty on the upcoming outdoor track and field season. "I guarantee we'll have some kids who won't compete because of this," Randolph said. "The question now is how many kids are going to feel they can really compete for the school after all of this. "I told my (indoor) team that they have been through too much not to give themselves the gratification of their hard work, their sweat and their tears. They deserve this weekend." Senior heptathlete Nadia Bell, who also competes in the 110 and 400 hurdles, said she and many of her teammates feel betrayed. "It hurts," a tearful Bell said. "It makes me really angry. Why would they do something like this now? Why would they get us all riled up to come back to school and make us so welcomed and than turn around and tell us, 'Oh by the way, we're going to cut your program.' "It hurts because Coach Randolph and his assistants were very supportive. If it weren't for them keeping us together, I'm sure a lot of us wouldn't have returned." Headrick said losing his program is a "sad day for college golf" and praised his team of six women for being "true ambassadors" for UNO as they competed during the fall semester. Headrick said his top priority in the coming weeks is to find scholarship opportunities for two freshmen -- Theunette Van Der Walt of South Africa and Mariale Camey of Guatemala. "They came to UNO with a dream and I want to make sure that dream continues," Headrick said. "It won't be at UNO, but it will be somewhere else." Headrick said he was told the university would honor the scholarships of current juniors Matilda Forsstrom and Josefine Danielsson, both from Sweden. "I know in my heart if Jim Miller could have saved golf, he would have saved it," Headrick said. "It's all about economics, and I understand that completely. These are tough times and tough decisions have to be made. "But I know one thing: UNO needs to take a long look at staying in the Sun Belt Conference. When you have a conference that includes schools in Denver and Miami, that's a lot of money devoted to travel. If we're worried about saving money, UNO needs to consider playing in a conference that is more regionalized." ARTICLE http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/...76572939890.xml

UNT linebacker may be out for spring 12:27 AM CST on Thursday, February 23, 2006 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle DENTON – North Texas inside linebacker Brandon Monroe has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee and could miss the rest of spring practice. Monroe started four games at middle linebacker and another two at outside linebacker last season. The junior finished fourth among UNT players last season with 67 tackles. Monroe has settled in at inside linebacker in UNT's new 3-4 defense. Briefly: Redshirt freshman Korey Washington has moved from wide receiver to cornerback. Washington was recruited as a defensive back, but spent the late stages of last season as a receiver.

Gives new meaning to "ride 'um cowboy"

Here's the record vs 1a conferences (today's membership). Mean Green have winning record vs 1) Sun Belt 2) Big East 3) WAC members http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/su...xas/vs_conf.php

College Footbal Data Warehouse has a lot of info, facts, stats. http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/su...texas/index.php

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - In another embarrassment for one of the nation's service academies, Navy quarterback Lamar Owens has been charged with raping a female midshipman in her dormitory room. Owens, a 22-year-old senior from Savannah, Ga., was charged under the military code of justice because the alleged attack took place on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy, academy spokesman Cmdr. Rod Gibbons said Wednesday. "He remains assigned to the Naval Academy and will continue to attend class, performing other duties normally assigned to midshipmen pending results of the investigation," Gibbons said. He said the academy took steps to prevent contact between Owens and the woman. Investigators said Owens attacked the woman last month after entering her room in Bancroft Hall without her consent. FULL ARTICLE http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060222/ap_on_...emy_rape_charge

Check out who Dunson is related to Football: Dickey promotes Dunson to tight ends coach 08:41 AM CST on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 Bt Brett Vito / Staff Writer Thomas Dunson made an impression on North Texas coach Darrell Dickey the last two seasons with endless energy that had the graduate assistant coach running up and down the practice field not only instructing players, but trying to elicit energy and effort as well. It was that enthusiasm and the impact Dunson made that convinced Dickey to promote the former LSU linebacker to a fulltime possession as the Mean Green’s tight ends coach. Dunson has been working with UNT’s tight ends during spring practice for the last week and began adapting to his new role as a fulltime assistant on Monday. Dunson, 27, replaced Duke Atterberry, who left UNT’s staff after two seasons. “I am beaming with excitement and a willingness to get everything rolling,” Dunson said. “Fortunately coach Dickey saw something in me and wanted to see if I could do it fulltime.” The addition of Dunson is just the first of a few adjustments Dickey made to his staff Monday. Former UNT linebacker Chris Hurd will take the spot Dunson vacated as the Mean Green’s graduate assistant on defense. Dickey plans on brining former UNT offensive lineman Andy Brewster back either this semester or in the fall to serve as the Mean Green’s graduate assistant coach on offense. UNT still has an opening for a running backs coach that Dickey said he expects to fill in the next few days. Hurd and Brewster are two of the greatest players of the Dickey era. Hurd was the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2003, while Brewster was a four-year starter and a two time first-team All-Sun Belt selection. Dunson gained Dickey’s confidence while serving in the same G.A. role Hurd and Brewster will fill next season. Coaches can work as graduate assistants for two years, a term Dunson had already used while working with UNT’s defense and special teams. “Thomas has done tremendous work here for two years,” Dickey said. “We were about to lose him and I didn’t want that to happen. We had a position that I thought he was very capable of coaching.” Dunson’s recent history as a player at LSU was also an enticement for Dickey, who has yet to decide where his newest coach’s recruiting territory will be. Dunson played at Klein Oak High School in Spring before continuing his career at LSU. Dunson coached at University High in Baton Rouge, La., during the 2002 season before accepting a G.A. position at UNT. Despite spending most of his playing and coaching career on the defensive side of the ball, Dunson is confident he can adapt to coaching the Mean Green’s tight ends. “I was a defensive guy in college, but I am a football guy at heart,” Dunson said. “No matter if it is offense, defense or left out, I am going to do it to the best way I can.” Dunson said his experience playing and coaching on defense will help him coach tight ends, who he hopes to teach to be aggressive and intense while clearing the way for running backs in UNT’s ground-based offense. As a former linebacker and defensive coach, Dunson will know just what his players will face from opposing defenses next season. The Mean Green will return several experienced players for Dunson to work with in the fall, including seniors Beau Davidson and Robert Harmon and sophomore Charles Brown. UNT also added Brian Carlson, who transferred to UNT from Kilgore College at the semester break. Dunson said he will emphasize energy and effort, values he learned from Jim McIngvale, his uncle who was a linebacker at UNT before becoming a highly successful businessman in Houston. McIngvale owns Gallery Furniture and gave UNT $1 million toward the construction of the Mean Green Athletic Center. Dunson worked at McIngvale’s store during high school. “What I told the players is that I know the Xs and Os backward and forward and they will come to everyone,” Dunson said. “What I want to focus on is energy, effort and focus. If we bring those three things to practice every day, we will get better and better.”

We need ELEVEN NASTYS on defense !

Bowl Game May Hit Albuquerque Friday, February 17, 2006 Bowl Game May Hit Albuquerque By Bob Christ Albuquerque Journal Staff Writer There were 28 major college bowl games that filled football's postseason calendar in 2005, swallowing up all but a handful of the schools with winning marks last fall. The New Mexico Sports Authority, however, insists 28 bowls are not enough and has been studying the possibility of bringing a postseason game to Albuquerque. Maybe even in time for next season. But don't look for UCLA to be playing LSU. Or Penn State against Oklahoma. Most likely a local bowl would be a marriage of lower-tier leagues. "Everything at this juncture is exploratory," said Dennis Latta, executive director of the Authority. He said his organization had its first meeting on the subject a year ago. "We want to see if it's practical," he said. "We have a lot of hurdles to overcome. The deadline to have everything in order is April 1." That's the last date that the NCAA, the organization that licenses the bowls, will accept proposals for new games. "It might make more sense to wait a year, take our time," Latta said. But then again, he said, there's a need for another bowl this season, and a year from now a lot of other cities might jump into the fray for the game. That "need" would be a matchup between teams from the Mountain West Conference, of which UNM is a member, and the Western Athletic Conference, which added New Mexico State to its roster this school year. The MWC currently has tie-ins to three bowls; the WAC two. "We have met with the Mountain West and the WAC, and both leagues badly want it," Latta said. Even the NCAA's ears are perked, the governor's office said. "The NCAA is very interested," said Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesman for Gov. Richardson's office. "My understanding it's both because of those two leagues involved and with Albuquerque being in the middle." Tom Starr, executive director of the Fort Worth Bowl, who has spent 26 years of his career in the bowl business, said the NCAA will want to see proof a bowl will succeed. "If you have a sugar daddy to put up the letter of credit ($2 million, according to Starr), you have one leg up," he said. "Then you work to get conferences and TV lined up. You also have to prove you have community support. And even then it's not a slam dunk." Latta says the whole idea is to boost tourism: "The Fort Worth Bowl had a $20 million impact on tourism. That's what we want." Said Gallegos: "The governor wants to aggressively pursue this, but to make sure it's a fiscally responsible decision."

Other Texas schools?That would be CUSA (I wish). Sun Belt? There are NO OTHER Texas schools in the Belt

1. If the WAC were a 12-team East-West division conference, other schools in our general area would also involved to create the EAST DIVISION 2. 12 team East-West format would have some cross over games, but travel would not be as extensive as the WAC now requires. 3. To the current WAC set-up I would definately say NO, but an East-West conference (and picking up an closer bowl) may be worth consideration.