GrandGreen

I think you are searching for excuses, I can't imagine that any players have practices or jobs that start at 8:30 p.m. As far as studying, you are talking about 45 minutes to finish the game; again I doubt many took off early to study. It was just interesting to me that athletes that hope for fan support for their own sports would demonstrate so little for their counterparts in basketball. Even though most were there due to the prodding of their coaches, I think it was bad form leaving early. I would also like to think that the mass exodus was due to players rushing off to study or to the weight room, but I find that very hard to believe.

Speaking of attendance, it would have been nice if 2/3 of the athletes honored at half time for academics had not left after the presentation. Talk about student apathy, the athletes don't even support each other. Does anyone else think these academic honors presentations could be better organized? It would be too much I guess to get the athletes in sync with their name announcements. It is not clear even what group of students represents what team.

This kind of thing does not help your relationship with Texas High School coaches or for that manner, Jucos. It is strange that players that violate department policies and team policies tend to be those at the bottom of the depth chart.

So, a NT fundraiser is your source. I just don't see any reason that the Belt would expand, and even if they do there are better candidates than TSU. NT would like to have a closer conference mate, but at the same time; I doubt they would want to aid another competitive team in the state or add another conference game. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. As an aside, I wouldn't expect any NT official to publically be anything but positive about TSU and UTSA efforts.

By who?

People are naive to think that additional fb division schools won't have an adverse effect on NT and other lower tier teams in the state. More Texas universities are not going to take recruits away from the Big Twelve but they will further reduce the talent pool for the CUSA teams and of course NT. I am continually amazed by what the TSU moniker is doing for good ole Southwest Texas State. A school that got little attention as SWT is now suddenly a hot topic for moving up. They are going to have a tough time being in the shadows of UT and as we know a big student body does not necessarily insure anything. UTSA seems on the surface a much more viable candidate for moving up, being a in a huge city with no pro football close, and a great football stadium to play in and a little more distance from UT. Both of these teams are going to have a very rough time moving up to the fb level. Unless they find a conference to support their move such as the Belt did FAU, Troy, and FIU, it is going to be a major challenge. Who are they going to play to get the minimum games necessity to move up to the fb level. I doubt any conference is going to sponsor them unless there are needs to replace teams. Do you think the CUSA folks are going to be any more welcoming than they are to NT. The last thing Houston, UTEP, Rice, and SMU want to do is develop competition. The WAC has tried to expand into Texas to appease La Tech, but I think they had much rather just eventually freeze La Tech out. I don't see them wanting a South Texas school. The Belt doesn't need any more teams with nine already and USA on the way. Additional teams just do not make any sense. I don't think the conference will seriously consider going to a twelve team divisional format. There is no market for a playoff game and I doubt many want to go to a conference were all the members don't play each other. It is also time for the Belt to grow up and require more of its teams then the bare minimum. I can't fault any university from trying to move up the athletic ladder. UTSA should move up easily to the 1aa level, but both schools are going to find it difficult to go further.

I hope the arena happens,but it seems I have heard this stories many times before. I actually don't mind UTA's current gym/auditorium, but I do think it gives them a big home court advantage. NT can't beat them now, I hate to think of future games if their recruiting improves.

I wonder if he can get or has already got a medical redshirt year. He was out last year with injuries that could be classified as a medical redshirt. It is possible he could get two redshirt years.

Raquel Cuffie for Winston Salem Prep. is averaging 13.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 5.3 spg and 7.5 apg Jasmine Godbolt for Naaman Forest is averaging 12.5 ppg and 7.8 rpg Lakevia Taylor for Hempstread is averaging 20.8 ppg shooting 52% from field and 39.7% from 3 Brittany Thompson for Waco Connally is avering 17.3 ppg and 11.2 rpg

UNO was established in 1958 not all that new, used to be LSUNO. It would be a blow to lose it's athletics teams, as it would at La Tech, ULM and ULL. Those taking this lightly, may want to consider that most schools athletics are subtantial money losers and even though Texas universities sports are not directly funded by the state, if this economic downturn continued things like student fee funded stadiums may be blocked.

You really have to search for something to bitch about in that game. Almost any coach is going to play it the way JJ did. You want to keep your starters in and beat a conference club by 50. Those type of things tend to come back to bit you.

Everyone better hope that Riley is the real deal. I dread to think what this club would be lead by a true freshman or a journeyman junior quarterback. Thompson and/or Tune maybe adequate or better quarterbacks, but NT is going to need someone bordering on exceptional to begin to turn this team around. Who is the most likely to be successful, the MVP of class 5A and a Parade All American raised in the offensive system, or a lightly recruited freshman or a former walk on.

I don't think JJ will change anything, but how about doing the opposite and going with a two guard lineup. Start Johnson or White at the point and Thompson at the two with Tremiel, Hogans and Odufuwa. Concentrate on getting inside buckets instead of bombing away with threes. NT is next to last in conference games in three point percentage at 30.8%. This proposed lineup should be a much better rebounding club and should also vastly improve the internal defense. Seems to me worth a try if only for segments of the game.

This is getting old. No defense or offense when the game is on the line. Even the USA announcers wondered why NT didn't hammer it on the inside with all of USA's big men in foul trouble. No, NT who will rely on three pointers, no matter they haven't shot them well in ages.

Good data about Lewis, I wondered what happened to him. I wonder which side of the ball he will end up next year. You are correct about the freshmen wr signees. Fentress, I think should be added as he was signed that year but had to set out a year after transferring from Rice.

I am always amazed this time of year, how there is almost universal glee directed toward the latest recruiting class. No matter were the class is rated or how many reaches are included, fans see visions of All Americans and greatly improved teams. NT status with the rating services has been well documented by Vito, with NT behind at least eight of the Texas teams and not remotely close to the Belt's Troy. Of course, it is hard to keep up with Troy who thus far has listed 41 signees. I really don't think many expected NT with all the on and off field issues to have a good year when it came to the recruiting services' ratings. I do think that under the circumstances, that Dodge and staff did well especially when compared to previous staffs. Instead of bemoaning the state of NT program and choosing among those with few other options, it appears to me that Dodge and staff really scrambled and assembled what I think will be a very Belt competitive class. Has NT ever signed 10 out of state players? Has any Texas team ever signed five Louisiana players, much less four from New Orleans? All the Louisiana schools rely heavily on Texas recruits, it seems strange going the other way. I have always wondered particularly when DD heavily mined Oklahoma, why he didn't do the same in Louisiana. Although Louisiana is farther from Denton, it has a lot more players than Oklahoma, NT has a good presence there playing in the Belt and with the obvious exception of LSU should be able to recruit with all the state's universities. NT generally signed the players in the need positions, but I was a little surprised at some of position numbers. I would have liked to see another QB, although Dodge has got me convinced that NT got an excellent candidate. I did wonder about Dodge's comment about not recruiting a QB unless they had followed him over a long period. Seemed strange that NT would limit itself by not following more QBs if that much scrutiny is really needed and also seemed to ignore that Vizza and in fact the whole first class was put together in weeks. Dodge managed to get his usual large class of receivers with by my count 6 who would be tried at that position. Anyone else wonder about Dodge's statement that he would only have nine wide receivers on scholarship? Bringing a juco in at offensive lineman and the number of corner backs also was a little puzzling. The offensive line seems relatively loaded, so Bean must be considered a very good prospect. Although the corner-backs were extremely exploited last year, the position had numbers and a lot of potential. I would have also like for NT to got another linebacker, the squad seems very thin. I do look for the two NT signed to both play this year.

If it makes anyone feel better. I have a subscription and cannot access the event.

Tyler Washington threw the discus 198' 6" as a sophomore, the fifth best in the nation that year. I don't think he was close to that his junior year, but I did find were he threw over 175 feet in the discus and 57' 7" in the shot last year. This guy must be a super athlete. He may be the best recruit of the class.

Looks like a good pick up for LB. A position I think that NT needs more at this time than DE.

Assistant coaches have to be nomadic to survive. Negative alert, do not read further if offended by semi rational conclusions! There are hundreds of assistant coaching candidates available with college experience, there are thousands of coaches that would like to coach at the highest level of college football. So there are always good choices for even programs as down as NT is right down. However, just like recruiting, NT is not going to be able to pick from the top shelf. If being in the Belt and not being able to offer anything approaching salaries that are now prevalent in the FB division is not a big enough hurdle, any position on the current NT football coaching staff has got to be viewed as very risky at this point. Up and comming coaches with college experience are just not going to go to this program. So your choices are going to be limited primarily to coaches wanted to move up to the next level with little or no experience or unemployed coaches on the down slope of their career. Under those circumstances, it looks like Nelson is a good choice. He certainly has the experience not only to coach but to work well with Deloach and Dodge.

Waco Reicher is a private school about equivalent to a 2a school. Doesn't mean he is not a great QB but he got his numbers against a low level of competition.

Not going to beat many teams, jacking up threes and letting the other team drive to the basket almost at will. Very disappointing loss, if NT had half the discipline that Troy demonstrated; they would be a good team.

You do know UNT was in 1aa at that time?