UNT Mean Green

Fellas, most of our team is considered small by Division 1 standards! Riley will be fine...he's going to be an outstanding QB. I doubt he'll see a whole lot of time at WR. I mean just look at the Depth Chart. 7 signees in the 2007 class, 5 in the 2008 class, 1 outstanding transfer, Fitzgerald-Rod Johnson-Stickler-Washington all return. It's pretty stockpiled at WR. Riley is fast and can make things happen with his feet. Is he a 4.4...don't think so. Closer to a 4.6 which is still fast especially for a QB. But, Riley has great football speed and good instincts with the ball in his hands. He's going to be a great college QB, and I couldn't be happier to 'steal him from Texas' and have him wearing Green & White Under Armour for 5 years! Riley, like Vizza, is tough as nails and very scrappy! Both are great competitors and hate losing.

Sounds like the same observation as the other 26,000 people in the building on Saturday afternoon. I totally agree on the Navy fans. There were even some officers cheering for North Texas. I'd love for Mean Green fans to be as highly thought of as the Navy fans are in a few seasons. It'd also be wonderful if we traveled that well as a group of fans to out of town games.

You don't think Coach Dodge puts his team first? How could you even question that? I am sure at the time of his hire, he felt that Coach Mendoza was his best bet as a DC and would take a chance on him. I mean, the guy didn't have all year to put a staff together...we all know that.

...and the Army game...?

OOPS!

Yes, Coach Mendoza is the Defensive Coordinator.

There was no good explanation regarding the celebration calls. What Dibrell did was nothing these refs don't see in the ACC each week when someone scores in the open field. Dodge said he asked the official about it and said '#19 was drawing attention to himself'. Take that for what it's worth. Only holding penalty call all day results in a safety! YIKES.

Chris was a STUD LB at Texas High during their State Championship run! #33 flew all over the field making plays. One of the better HS linebackers I've seen. I believe he was committed to Texas and then when the whole after-prom deal came up they revoked his offer.

The offense ran 16 plays from the 'Tornado' set with Gill in the game at TE, 2 wides, and Stickler flexed off the line at an H-Back spot. Threw the ball very well from this set. I believe 2 TD's were scored from 'Tornado'.

Who's headed to Sweetwater tonight for the Radio Show? Look forward to coach's comments on the Navy game and the upcoming tussle with the Arkansas State Indians.

I feel that Giovanni and Riley are similar. Both are good system QB's who can make things happen with their feet. Difference at this point is that Giovanni has been getting 80+ snaps a game at QB against D1 defenses in games.

"Mendoza has had a very successful career as an assistant coach in the Texas high school ranks. He spent all seven years with Dodge at Southlake Carroll, enjoying four state championships and a 98-11 record during that time. Over the last five years at Carroll, Mendoza helped guide the Dragons to a 79-1 record, with the only loss being a one-point decision in the 2003 state championship game. As the defensive coordinator at Carroll the last three years, Mendoza’s squad ranked 20th in total defense in 2004, 10th in 2005 and third in 2006. He coached at least one all-state linebacker in each of his seven years with the Dragons, including Ben Hixson who currently plays at Baylor, Patrick Benoist who plays at Vanderbilt and Pete Fleps who plays at SMU. With a perfect 16-0 record in 2006, his defense allowed an average of just 11.2 points per game and the team’s margin of victory was 33.1 points per game."

This is a good move for the Wolverines athletic department. Despite being a huge bowl capacity wise, anyone who has been to a game there knows it is really not very loud at all!

The game day atmosphere at Fouts has come a LONG ways! Rick Villareal and his entire athletic staff from top to bottom do a wonderful job at a number of things! This year the gameday's have been better than ever. Now, maybe having Lockheed Martin in the house on Saturday convinced them to build a financial partnership with North Texas athletics and well...you see where I am going... !

Smitty, I'm right there with you. I am in total 100% support of Todd Dodge and his staff. They know it and I know it. Have been since the rumors starting flying last November about Dodge being hired. I'd do anything in the world to help any of those guys. They are good men and are in the profession for the right reasons. There is not a single doubt in my mind that I have the same expectations as these guys and am very realistic about it. Coach Mendoza is a good man, and has been very successful in the high school ranks, being Dodge's right hand man since Coach Stalcup passed a few years back. I'm not one to jump to conclusions and make decisions 'in a vacuum' or based on 'emotion'. As a former coach, I watch the game differently than most. I evaluate the game just as I would from the pressbox coaching on the headphones. I think one of the major responsibilities of a coach is to put his players in positions to make plays. I don't know if we're getting that for our defensive unit. As complex as the college game has gotten offensively, I believe we need a few more guys like Chuck Petersen and Butch LaCroix on our defensive staff who have experience and know the ins and outs of the Division 1 game. I think we need someone who is a master of preparation and 'worst-case scenarios' everything during the week of practice. I know Gary DeLoach did those things, and players loved it. Coach Mendoza does work his guys hard and gets them prepared in the best way he knows possible. I'm not certain that is the best way there is though. I'm not calling for his head or an epitaph hanging outside the athletic center. Maybe a demotion, or maybe having Co-Defensive coordinators like Texas, and letting Petersen have more involvement. I feel like Coach Drake, Coach Rausch, Coach LaCroix and Coach Petersen certainly fit the bill of a Division 1 defensive coach. I trust Coach Dodge and Rick Villareal to evaluate coaches at the end of this year and do what is best for this team in the future...whatever that may be.

Well, if he reads the Navy message boards, then he is hiring a real estate agent to list his home...he's gone! Call me crazy but, I'll say this, I don't think Navy will want to schedule us again. I think Coach Johnson could see that if we get a halfway decent defense, we should blow mid-major teams, even bowl eligible teams out in a few years. I wish they would, but I don't see it happening.

The Indians are always a tough opponent. So they have the 41st best rushing offense in the country. By my calculations, Navy had the #1 rushing attack and put up over 550 yards. The #41 rushing attack should only up up 400 yards...OH BOY! Sounds like they can at least contain our offense somewhat...but who knows.

A.J. Penson has been doing that all year! If you single him out on Kickoff he flies down there and squares people up. He's an explosive player with a chance to be a big difference maker for the Mean Green for several years. He has been called by Coach Dodge "The best defensive player we coached against at Southlake Carroll." The Dragons played Lufkin when A.J. was a sophomore and a junior.

Congrats to Giovanni and the entire offense! Great job by Coach Leftwich getting the lineman prepared and an awesome job of executing and playing extremely hard against the scrappy Navy D-Line and LB's! Receivers did a great job of catching the football and making things happen. Backs did a good job of running the ball and a nice job of pass protection. Total effort by the offense. Great job Vizza! Set national freshman records and got Offensive Player of the Week!

Eulessismore can tell you about Robert Griffin. Big ol' kid! And your shopping list is not early! It's late if we're just getting on these kids.

Hello ASU War Chief. Thanks for the compliments/comments on the Navy game. It was an exciting game and a great atmosphere at Fouts Field. Looks like you guys had a good game last week. What is going to be the new mascot?!? How are people up in Jonesboro feeling about the Mean Green coming to town?

It was not intentional. One of the pilots came into the box in the 2nd quarter after landing and driving up to Denton. He said it was hard from the direction they were coming in and the way Fouts is turned to get it perfect.

I feel that recruiting defensive players out of high school and junior college could be a two way street right now in terms of recruit's mindsets: 1) I don't want to go play for the worst defense in the country. 2) Since they do have the worst defense in the country, my chances of getting early playing time are probably pretty high. Some kids favor the later.

Good reasons Euless! You had fun over there on the Student side huh? Might have to wonder over there and see how that is. Saw where you guys are squaring off with Arlington Martin in the first round at Birdville. Surprisingly good matchup that you guys should win!