Ross Hodgeson

This was very good again.

Long days and pleasant nights, 2023-24 Mean Green. It’s time for a very new group to contend in Denton, TX. Even relative to the current realities of college athletics, it’s been an eventful couple of years for North Texas. Just two winters ago, Grant McCasland was leading UNT on their second straight postseason run on the heels of a big, loud, successful campaign. Then, McCasland departed for the Big 12, as did superstar guard Tylor Perry. No matter; the Mean Green tabbed Ross Hodge, a promising young assistant to McCasland, to lead the returning core. In his first rodeo, Hodge lured some quality players from the transfer portal and kept North Texas right in the mix. Despite a fistful of injuries and six losses by five points or fewer in American Athletic Conference play, Hodge debuted with 19 wins and an NIT win at LSU before being knocked out of the tournament by its eventual champion, red-hot Seton Hall. Last Year: 19-15; 10-8, Seventh in the American Athletic Conference, lost in the second round of the NIT Head Coach: Ross Hodge (Second Year) Projected Starting Lineup PG Jasper Floyd – 6’3″, 190 Senior G Atin Wright – 6’1″, 190 5th-year Senior G Rondel Walker – 6’5″, 180 5th-year Senior F Grant Newell – 6’9″, 225 Junior C Moulaye Sissoko – 6’9″, 250 5th-year Senior Experienced Reserves G Latrell Jossell – 6’1″, 185 Senior G Matthew Stone – 6’4″, 200 Senior W Johnathan Massie – 6’6″, 205 Senior F Brenen Lorient – 6’9″, 210 Junior Freshmen G Tyran Mason – 6’6″, 195 F/C Baron Smith, Jr – 6’9″, 220 F/C Brock Vice – 6’10”, 230 (Redshirt) read more: https://collegehoopstop50.com/2024/10/03/69-north-texas-mean-green/

You are absolutely correct. New Mexico would be a great addition for basketball! NMSU isn't bad either actually.

Seems like if the Pac12 money whips them we could offer them a bigger share of the TV money coming in no? Also, if I was the AAC commish I would be pushing for UNLV to come with Air Force. I have no need for the New Mexico team other than for basketball.

Man that's great news. Congrats to you guys and thanks to everyone who chipped in.

Well here we go again ugh

It's a little bit of déjà vu for the Texas Tech football coaching staff to start the 2024 season. The first two games of the campaign have seen Joey McGuire and staff going against former Red Raiders, colleagues and close friends. That will once again be the case on Saturday when North Texas pays a visit to Jones AT&T Stadium. The Mean Green are led by head coach Eric Morris, a former player under the late Mike Leach who later served as offensive coordinator during Kliff Kingsbury's tenure heading the Red Raiders. Morris said Monday he gets back to his native Shallowater plenty, but hasn't had much chance to get to Lubbock since leaving in 2018 to become the head coach at Incarnate Word. A return to Washington State before heading off to Denton later, Morris is ready to make his return to the Hub City. read more: https://www.amarillo.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2024/09/11/texas-tech-football-unt-eric-morris-red-raiders-return-shallowater/75097919007/

No that video just reminded me of when we rushed the field when we won in Lubbock but I couldn't find any video from that. I think it was 1999.

After last nights debacle, I don't see more that 4-5 wins for them. How long can they keep spending millions for players with no results? It is not sustainable.

TEXAS

Agreed. This should be a very special day. So pleased to see the great weather as well.

43 of the 68 power conference teams are projected to start transfer QBs this week — a stunning 63% clip that shows how transient college football has become. ‌ And get this: Of those 43 projected starters, 30 are in their first year at their new school. ‌ From Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger: ‌ Unusual if not downright rare years ago, such a leap — team rookie to starting QB — is often now the norm when a QB starter at one power conference school moves to another. ‌ In fact, there are first-year transfer starting QBs at many conference champion favorites and expected CFP contenders like Ohio State (Will Howard), Oregon (Dillon Gabriel), Notre Dame (Riley Leonard) and Miami (Cam Ward). ‌ Those four players are believed to be among the highest-paid in college football, each having entered NIL contracts paying them high six figures and even into the seven-figure range. The high rate of QB movement isn't rooted in only playing time — it’s rooted in money. ‌ What they're saying: “If you are trying to get a starting QB with Power Four experience to transfer, you are in the $1.5 million range,” said Russell White, president of The Collective Association (TCA), a group of more than 30 NIL collectives from across the country. LINK: https://sports.yahoo.com/familiar-faces-new-places-qb-transfers-have-taken-over-college-football-125603758.html?.tsrc=1317&ncid=crm_-1383767-20240829-1&bt_user_id=evwCCtiSl3yyfrorhbvU%2Bw4e%2Bu2AXi6nwZhpHLgAZgx5%2FsWrEmmgZIkMd5yxKEB3GCMgzDdLT6OxhN8kxK4d0p6ughTGzB9U%2BWe4noEQE%2Bz7qg4JRMCCNreHURj05182&bt_ts=1724934971160

Yeah which is why I keep wishing we could try to merge with TWU.

How can you say that? Mason Fine is the best player we have had since Mean Joe!

Good news for them but not sure it will impact athletics. It's not like UNT Health Science Center is sending big check to UNT AD or anything. It will help their academics.

Seems to me with NIL and all the defections have increased the amounts of players who are transferring prematurely. I think some, not all of us are interested in seeing how their careers turn out.

I think they are basing that list off of a 247 report but yeah I get your point. With NIL and the constant transfers it has become sort of diminished.

North Texas practiced outside for a majority of the session at the Lovelace and McNatt Families Indoor Facility on Tuesday afternoon to help the players acclimate to the heat. The team will need to adjust to the heat as they have their season opener in Mobile, Alabama, against South Alabama at 4 p.m., as well as non-conference games that will be played in Texas. Tuesday marked the first practice open to the media since the Mean Green's first scrimmage on Saturday. Head coach Eric Morris spoke about the defense being a bright spot during the scrimmage. "Maybe six to eight consecutive three and outs that they went on. Offensively, we couldn't get a dang first down. We dropped a pass early on in the first series and then just kind of never rebounded after that and I thought the defense took advantage of it," Morris said. "It was fun to see them flying around and tackling the football, getting it down on the ground, stopping the run. Kind of all these things we've emphasized as a unit and did a great job." Link to full article: https://247sports.com/college/north-texas/article/fall-camp-notes-and-quotes-81324-mean-green-refine-strategies-as-fall-camp-heats-up-after-first-scrimmage-234736038/

Good stuff from Adam found here. https://www.meangreennation.com/p/north-texas-football-2024-preview

So I have been following them for awhile. You need to understand, this is the system that Hedlund has always employed. Think of it like a 4 corners basketball Mo Iba strategy back before they had the shot clock. He uses it because teams like OU have better talent and it equalizes things on the field. When it works it is good. It can be boring though.