GrandGreen

Actually a history of winning is the most likely way to build up a program. I believe those that think a new stadium is a panacea for all of NT's football woes are in for a big disappointment. The stadium, short term, is not going to significantly alter the competition coming into Denton. Going from an old to new 30,000 seat stadium is not going to alter the economics of college football. Teams that can fill mega stadiums are not likely to schedule away games when they can make substantially more money at home and keep the home field advantages. Likewise, I don't think a new stadium will have much of an effect on the scheduling of other Texas teams in Denton who can come up with a myriad of reasons not to play NT. The new stadium will be a great building block for recruiting and elevating the program, but it is not going to turn a struggling Belt team into big time program without a lot more factors greatly improving. ColoradoEagle, based on your comments here; I doubt that you will ever be more than a casual NT fan. I have been going to NT games for decades, and I have never thought going to Fouts was a "terrible experience" or that the program was a joke. First, I have been to a lot of so called great football stadiums and I can honestly state that the stadium I watch a game is a minor consideration in my enjoyment of the game. Now where I set in the stadium may be, paying premium prices to be in the OU or UT end zone in seats that wouldn't accommodate the average pygmy does have a negative effect. NT is not going to be playing in a big six conference any time soon, and most that think NT's program is a joke will not change their opinions. Because those opinions are derived from a type of herd mentality that believes winning and hype are superior to loyalty or allegiance to their University.

It doesn't make me feel better, but I don't think you can find anything in NT history that comes close to matching the last two years in football futility. Being positive and optimistic is great, but you can't cover up the record of the last two years. There may have been years were the win/loss records were as bad but nothing matches the total non-competitiveness of the program in Dodge's first two years. I attended all the home games in Bob Tyler's one season and the disaster of Rod Rust's last season and I can honestly tell you that there is little comparison between those years and last year. You can argue why the last two years were bad, but I really don't see how anyone can state they were "far from the worst ever". Give me an example of any NT team in the last 50 years that supports your contention. Any real NT fan wants Dodge to succeed and in a mammoth way, but why try to obscure the obvious.

As of about 3:20 the roster has only been partially updated. It looks like that may be half way through.

I think a 1-11 record had more to do with it, then any projections. Just like the all conference team, NT is not going to get any respect until they turn things around.

I thought his comments were a bit off base, but otherwise I like what NT is doing with all the added coverage. Obviously, getting a bounce back player is not the same as winning a recruiting battle against the big XII and SMU or Houston certainly are not in the top tier of college football. Also getting late qualifiers is not exactly beating top tier competition either. Having said that I think Dodge and staff are doing exactly what they should be doing in recruiting. They are scrambling for every player they think can upgrade the program and finding players that have basically fail through the cracks. If DD and staff had tried half as hard, Dickey may have gotten that better job he so desparately wanted and NT might not have fallen so far or fast.

I hope the raw deal he got from SMU, only fires him up. Quick Google show that SMU timed him at 4.4 in the 40, second fastest on the team. I always take 40 times with a grain of salt but no doubt this guy has phenomenal speed for a linebacker.

Cody Spencer had a problem getting cleared to play by the NCAA because of the odd grading system used by his high school. As I recall it, he always would have met the academic requirement if his high school had used the standard grading format and once it was interpreted correctly, he was certified eligible. Comments relative to other posts: I don't think either Cardwell or Brewster had any academic issues. Brewster was an all state player but deemed to small by everyone to play until NT picked him up late. I don't think anyone thought Roman was a shut down corner back but rather a player with some speed who was available and worth taking a chance on. By the way, Roman was a gutsy kid who was totally mishandled along with every cornerback on that team. I am not sure Deon Sanders would have been successful trying to play that defensive scheme.

All other things being equal, I think I would take two years more experience over an extra 10 lbs.

I have a lot of problems with NT alums latching on the UT and OU's of the world and acting like the NT's teams either don't exist or are an embarrassment to these great fans. I appreciate the fans that stand up and are counted as supporters of their universities' sports regardless of the level of play or the success of those institutions. It is easy to be a fan of UT, you are bombarded by the media hype, they are as close to a pro team that is allowed, and they top of the mountain in athletic excess. I appreciate that many if not most alums could not care less about sports in general, but it is the ones who are rabid fans just not of their own institution that bug me. They come in two types. One, the front runners that have to be with a winner no matter how little actual connection they have with that school. Hey my team can beat you and I will savor it, no matter that my team as ten times the resources and usually insists on as uneven a playing field as allowed. Second, and even worse are the cowards that apparently can't take the heat of supporting a losing program or even a winning one that is not in the top echelon of teams.

On paper there are no proven wrs on the team, and with the lost of Fitzgerald, it seems questionable that NT's receiving crops could be better in 2009. However, the receiving crop last year was really weak outside of Fitzgerald. Only Stickler among the other players was even average as a Belt receiver. Every year TD has gathered a large number of wr recruits and none as yet has proved to be significant factor, obviously that can't continue. This group of newcomers seems more capable than others with four redshirt freshmen returning and three transfers comming in. Hope primarily lies with the transfers Outlaw, Jackson and Stradford who all appear to be faster than any wrs on NT's recent teams. Roberson appears to be the best of the returning letterman. He has great size and adequate speed but last year he just did not make enough plays. Lewis is also apparently returning to the wr position, he had a few good moments there as a freshman. Overall, I think that the receivers will be better as a group this year. The queston is who is going to immerge as reliable receivers. Out of Roberson, Lewis, Johnson, Jackson, Outlaw, Stradford, Brigman, Rucker, Taylor, Barrett, Lott, the other Jackson, Jones, Dickerson, Carey and others, surely TD can find a handful of capable receivers.

Still remember SMU's Potts or Thomas complaining about lack of tickets purchased by NT at a SMU hosted Texas Stadium game. They failed to mention that tickets brought through NT were full price and far from prime, when you could get better seats much cheaper through SMU or for free from many of their sponsors who had bought thousands of cheap tickets.

Tyler may not have been technical fired after one year, but he would have been if he had not left. Miss State took Chapman out of the game in two straight years, and barely eked out wins that were later forfeited due I think for using ineligible players.

Just for the hell of it, back to original intent of the thread. It is usually a good assumption that when you have all the players back at a position it should be significantly better. Does not always happen like Jarmario's sophomore year when NT had two national rushing champions returning. I think Montgomery is a very good back and if he were in DD's offense he easily could be a 1500 yard rusher. In a pass first offense and having to share the backfield with other good backs, he may not get to the overrated 1000 yard marker. I would not state that NT that next years backfield is the strongest in NT history, but it should be the deepest. Dunbar with his speed and reported size 5'9" 205 could also turn into something special. I have seen severl comments about the value of Mosley as a short yardage back. Yes, he could do that but he also has a very good ypc average and more speed than he gets credit for. Hamilton is one of the quickest players on the team and TD needs to get him on the field a lot more than last year. I still think he should be a wide receiver. Running back is loaded, why not try him at WR were there are no proven performers? Expanding on good point by Vito, it is ironic that Dodge has recruited such a good group of runningbacks and has yet to establish any of his recruits as a FB Diviison level receiver.

Chapman was obviously hindered by not being in a conference for most of his playing times as well as probably the lack of defensive stats from that era. He was also injured twice by illegal blocks by Mississippi State and missed a few games. However, the not being in a conference has not hindered other Fry players who have been named to the HOF, despite IMO not being the player Chapman was. For those that didn't follow the link in my post, it had to do with Walter being the MVC player of the week as a freshman after having 22 tackles in one game. The only other item I found on the net about Walter was about him getting 13 tackles in NT's 28-0 victory over Houston. Just for perspective, Nwigwe last year led NT with 111 tackles in twelve games and the highest total by a lineman for the year was 30 by Russo and 29 by Thomas who also was a defensive tackle. Chapman playing nose guard got almost as many tackles in one game as NT's last years leading linemen did in a whole year. Other comparisons among defensive linemen in recent years who led the team in tackles: Jeremiah Chapman in his senior year, 78; Awasom in his senior year, 53 and Booger Kennedy in his senior year, 66. Again how can Walter continue to be ignored. He passed away years ago, but right is right; he should have inducted decades ago.

Another year without Walter Chapman. I think I will continue to bring this up every year as NT continues to ignore IMO the best player on Fry's teams. Other than that, a good class; glad to see Gales honored and also probably the best volleyball player in NT history. Wilburn also is definitely deserving. Walter was before the internet but just to give you an idea of how good he was. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...68/2/index.htm#

Yes, if you start with the assumption that the defense does not substantially improve, what the offense does hardly matters. I think the likelihood of the defense substantially improving next year is better than the offense doing the same thing.

NT was a very conservative last year despite being hammered in most games. I think Vizza was much more frustrated than even the fans with TD's offensive calls last year. TD's spread offense was a passing team's equivalent of DD's run up the middle game plans. The game plans last year stressed not turning over the ball and not beating yourself. A very faulty strategy when you have the worst defense in the nation. Yes, he limited interceptions but ended up with with one of the lowest average yards per catch in the NCAA. Which is an even more amazing statistic when you considered how many games, NT was basically playing against the subs in the third and fourth quarter. I personally preferred TD's go for broke offense of his first year to his kick a field goal no matter what the score approach last year. I also think it time to forget about Vizza, he made a strange decision to quit but it was his to make.

Probable the quickest player I've ever seen at NT was Antony Bridges who was a second team All American who transferred from Louisville to NT for his senior year. The reason I mention him is that I think he was even smaller than Smith and played safety. Unfortunately for NT, he was injured most of the year and didn't even make the All Southland Conference team. NT seems to be loaded at cornerback were three year starter Bush if running at second team. Also according to TD's interview he is most impressed with Santiago and Gill on the offensive line and they both play tackles, so the best chance for other offensive linemen to start is probably at guard. Also as I have posted before, I think Franklin's future is much brighter in the offensive line. I hope they redshirt him this year, because this line is very deep. I like NT putting out the depth chart, sure it will change but it keep interest in the program. I have to comment the athletic staff for making a much better attempt then in the past of trying to keep interest in the football program during the summer.

I basically agree with GrayEagle, Riley has the potential to be a much better QB than any NT has had since the move back up to FB diviison. However, QB is a scary position for NT not only because they are starting a freshman but they have little depth. As someone has seen a lot of spring games, I have come up with only one conclusion; you can tell practically nothing about the team by watching them. Under Dodge it is even worse, because he seems to be paranoid about divulging anything about the team. The team will go as Riley goes and I think the odds are that he will have a great freshman year versus be a disappointment. I am concerned that he has no proven targets on the team and the development of the receiving corp could slow down any offensive progress. TD just stated in the chat, that Riley was up to 195 lbs which a good weight no matter what his height really is. If you have to start a freshmen QB, NT has as good an one has anybody. I think Riley will do an excellence job of leading TD's offense. However, the question is; can that offense succeed against good FB Division teams.

Son of Worm, I think. Unofficial label for new eagle logo.

The annual game with ASU can be called the Grenade Bowl and have an appropriate trophy.

I really hope that the Belt does not mess up and lose their best asset, the New Orleans Bowl. There is not a better location in college football to play a bowl game. Maybe the key is to allow the NO bowl to have the option of getting the first place team or another that is more suited geographically. I really doubt there are many teams that would prefer to go to another low level bowl rather than to New Orleans.

Sun Belt tennis is almost entirely made up of foreign players. NT was the only team that used predominately American players until the coaching change. That change has allowed NT to move up quickly from being the doormat of the conference. It is obvious that limiting foreign players would hurt the other Belt teams just as much as NT, in fact probably a little more as NT still more USA players than most if not all the Belt. As the rules are now, NT would be stupid not to follow the trend of recruiting mostly foreign players. However, I would be all far a rule that would limit foreign players in all sports. I do believe that having a few international athletics is a good thing, but in some sports specifically long distance running and tennis it has got competely out of control. One of the reasons that WKU and MTSU dominate the all sports competition is that they liberally use foreigners in several sports.

It seems to me if you are writing a blog on a player like the one on Gilmore, you could at least state his current weight, it seems very pertinent in the context of the article. TD recently stated he was 6'6 270. Not that Dodge doesn't frequently overstate size of his players at least compared to what are supposedly accurate measurements used on the roster. If Gilmore is truly over 270 he should be able to be very effective at defensive tackle and may have lost some of the quickness that made him a good defensive end. With the predominance of the spread offensives, most teams are going to quicker defensive lineups. While Akpunka is at the low end of the weight scale, lots of teams now have linebacker sized defensive linemen on the outside. Putting Gilmore at dt follows that trend, and as I've wondered on previous posts, what is the future of all those 300 lb. plus linemen NT recruited last year. Cantly remains apparently the exception to the rule, it seems if he is quick enough to play de, he would be even more suited for dt if he has adequate strenght to play the position. It appears that most of the defensive lettermen returning havn't impressed the coaches enough to figure into the line rotations. That could change but it appears that only Ross and Gilmore really are being considered as possible starters at this point. It looks like Ross and Gilmore at dts with Cantly and Akpunka at de's with the possibilities of jucos Atkisson, Jackson and Weber being in the rotation. I also wouldn't count out freshman Tyler Washington at de.