McNair signing and what it means

BeyondTheGreen · August 10, 2015

This signing definitely complies with the interviews from our last podcast. The fact is North Texas is getting more recognition, even with the disappointing season in 2014. Our last two recruiting classes are proof of that and hopefully there is success on the horizon. Perhaps the recruiting plan is taking shape and there certainly does seem to be more interest in the program. Last season we had significant contributions from freshmen Kishawn McClain, Willy Ivery, Tillman Johnson and Jeffrey Wilson.

I caught up with Coach Patrick over the weekend and while he couldn't talk directly about McNair (at the time), he did offer a few bites regarding NT recruiting. "Don't just look at one kid," said Patrick. "And pay more attention to the kind of guys we're bringing in. Its not always about stars. HS coaches want their kids to be surrounded by good people and thats what he have here. A few more games go our way last year and we're 7-5. Kids see that. Our plan is coming into place. I'm more excited now than I've ever been."

I could tell he was excited and while signing McNair is great, I do believe the story here is the sum of our class. Guys like Combs, Young, Finney and DaMarcus Smith could (and should) contribute this year. The past two classes are solid even if the players weren't all "rated" very high. It also doesn't always matter who offers a kid, but I'm sure McNair didn't only reach out to NT after MSU pulled his offer, he has other suitors. He's a three star now, but was once a four star player.

This recent signing might not equate to any victories, but its a tribute to our staff for getting a kid from a state that likes to churn out athletes. McNair also isn't the only kid who has coaches that want him to go to North Texas.

greenminer · August 10, 2015

2015 is pivotal.

Ben Gooding · August 10, 2015

2015 is pivotal.

extremely

Cr1028 · August 10, 2015

a9efde899780f1e8c4da98b204facf40f699e4f3

TIgreen01 · August 10, 2015

I was with you until...

"A few more games go our way last year and we're 7-5" :huh:

Ben Gooding · August 10, 2015

I was with you until...
"A few more games go our way last year and we're 7-5"

I can see 6-6, but not 7-5. Utsa and So Miss were very winnable games that we were in til the end. Win those 2 and we're a bowl team, a bad bowl team but still a bowl team.

untjim1995 · August 10, 2015

How many times and ways have heard this said to us over the years...

HoustonEagle · August 10, 2015

How many times and ways have heard this said to us over the years...

Not many times during the Dodge years.

All About UNT · August 10, 2015

I really like this pick up but he will have to struggle with homesickness with a wife and baby back in Florida. Hopefully he can move them out here so that it doesn't weigh on him so much

meanrob · August 10, 2015

I don't care about stars but considering the lack of UNT players on the pre-season all conference lists I'd say recruiting hasn't been great. Get more guys on those lists after this season and I'll change my tune. But right now I see very few impact players on this team.

Just looked at Phil Steele's preseason CUSA list. Three UNT players total on the first and second teams. Buyers is one and he was recruited by the previous staff and even then, his being on the list is a little.....iffy.

Doesn't speak well.

Edited August 10, 2015 by meanrob

All About UNT · August 10, 2015

I don't care about stars but considering the lack of UNT players on the pre-season all conference lists I'd say recruiting hasn't been great. Get more guys on those lists after this season and I'll change my tune. But right now I see very few impact players on this team.
Just looked at Phil Steele's preseason CUSA list. Three UNT players total on the first and second teams. Buyers is one and he was recruited by the previous staff and even then, his being on the list is a little.....iffy.
Doesn't speak well.

pretty sure Buyers was a walk on during Mac's tenure. Transfer from Air Force

untjim1995 · August 10, 2015

I don't care about stars but considering the lack of UNT players on the pre-season all conference lists I'd say recruiting hasn't been great. Get more guys on those lists after this season and I'll change my tune. But right now I see very few impact players on this team.
Just looked at Phil Steele's preseason CUSA list. Three UNT players total on the first and second teams. Buyers is one and he was recruited by the previous staff and even then, his being on the list is a little.....iffy.
Doesn't speak well.

This...

MeanGreenTexan · August 10, 2015

There is not one recruit on this roster that was recruited by Dodge's staff.

Harry · August 10, 2015

There is not one recruit on this roster that was recruited by Dodge's staff.

Marcus Smith was a Dodge recruit that Mac Greyshirted.

Mean_Green09 · August 10, 2015

I don't care about stars but considering the lack of UNT players on the pre-season all conference lists I'd say recruiting hasn't been great. Get more guys on those lists after this season and I'll change my tune. But right now I see very few impact players on this team.
Just looked at Phil Steele's preseason CUSA list. Three UNT players total on the first and second teams. Buyers is one and he was recruited by the previous staff and even then, his being on the list is a little.....iffy.
Doesn't speak well.

7 Players on Phil Steele CUSA list in 2013.

I'm all for bringing in "your" type of guys and guys that will work hard and do everything right off the field. Its one of the reasons how Boise St built winners.

but

At the same time you have to eventually develop these guys in players who produce. This staff hasn't faired well in their development of players outside of OL and a few other areas. But for the most part they havent been able to turn the hard workers into All conference type of talent.

Boise took a kid like RB Doug Martin who was a 2 star recruit and turned him into an NFL starter. Or 2 star DT Chase Baker and got him to the NFL. We need to start to see that happen here.

Ben Gooding · August 10, 2015

7 Players on Phil Steele CUSA list in 2013.
I'm all for bringing in "your" type of guys and guys that will work hard and do everything right off the field. Its one of the reasons how Boise St built winners.
but
At the same time you have to eventually develop these guys in players who produce. This staff hasn't faired well in their development of players outside of OL and a few other areas. But for the most part they havent been able to turn the hard workers into All conference type of talent.
Boise took a kid like RB Doug Martin who was a 2 star recruit and turned him into an NFL starter. Or 2 star DT Chase Baker and got him to the NFL. We need to start to see that happen here.

What we seriously need is a freaking draft pick, badly. That is a very, very strong recruiting tool that we simply don't have right now.

untjim1995 · August 10, 2015

Recruiting, in general, is a crapshoot. You've got schools that get great recruits, no matter what, just because of their reputation, but even then, as we have seen with Texas in the last few years, that means very little if the right coach and playbook are not in place to fight complacency.

What is special is when you get guys like Gary Patterson that look at HS running backs and see them as future defensive linemen or linebackers for his scheme. But again, even at any program, you have hits and misses. The problem here, though, is that we have almost no positive history in the last 35 years to recruit with toward players, coaches, or their parents. All they have known us as are losers, quitters (I-aa drop in the 80s), or just not being a serious school about football. Today, you've got a coach in Mac that makes in-roads with the high school coaches because of his relatability to them and his experience as a long-time coach, but both the players and the coaches think his offense is too boring and they think that the school doesn't really think highly of the program itself because of the beatings we take every time we play someone that is a p5 giant. We have a good school, located in a nice town while still being near the big city, but our recruiting rankings almost every year are just pitiful. I know Mac feels frustrated by it. And I know that the previous coaches wished they had what he has to recruit with today, but I don't think either had the personality or track record to make any serious in-roads around here beyond a few success stories. The Dickey days had some great RBs and defenses, but we had no strong throwing QB that could put the team on his shoulders, as well as his attitude of just finishing games as fast as possible without getting too hurt when playing OOC games. Other than Mac's obvious upgrade in attitude towards trying to win every game, the rest of it is basically the same as those days. Have an awesome defense and running game while playing teams that are usually rated near us in conference equals bowl berths. Don't have those, you don't get anywhere near .500. And its always being under .500 that continues to kill any recruiting progress.

MeanGreenTexan · August 10, 2015

Marcus Smith was a Dodge recruit that Mac Greyshirted.

Committed July 25, 2010. Sure enough...
You would think I would know that.

Harry · August 10, 2015

Committed July 25, 2010. Sure enough...You would think I would know that.

It's funny you brought that up because Mac specifically mentioned him today in terms of the last semblance of Dodge recruits... so I was lucky to have heard him say that or else I might have forgotten as well.

TIgreen01 · August 10, 2015

7 Players on Phil Steele CUSA list in 2013.
I'm all for bringing in "your" type of guys and guys that will work hard and do everything right off the field. Its one of the reasons how Boise St built winners.
but
At the same time you have to eventually develop these guys in players who produce. This staff hasn't faired well in their development of players outside of OL and a few other areas. But for the most part they havent been able to turn the hard workers into All conference type of talent.
Boise took a kid like RB Doug Martin who was a 2 star recruit and turned him into an NFL starter. Or 2 star DT Chase Baker and got him to the NFL. We need to start to see that happen here.

This staff did a good job developing Dodge's 2 star recruits. We know they can develop players that have the talent and work ethic to become all-conference level players. What they haven't yet proven is the ability to identify them in high school and get them onto campus. That 2014 class looks like a huge improvement over 12 and 13, and 2015 did as well (though they relied more on JUCOs). Hopefully we're on the right trajectory in talent evaluation. We'll start to find out this year.

Harry · August 10, 2015

This staff did a good job developing Dodge's 2 star recruits. We know they can develop players that have the talent and work ethic to become all-conference level players. What they haven't yet proven is the ability to identify them in high school and get them onto campus. That 2014 class looks like a huge improvement over 12 and 13, and 2015 did as well (though they relied more on JUCOs). Hopefully we're on the right trajectory in talent evaluation. We'll start to find out this year.

I agree with you and frankly, we have to try and keep coaches like Tommy Perry and KP in place... believe me the big boys will come calling eventually. KP is a god at Miami and Perry is an Aggy so you won't likely be able to keep them from there but I just don't want to see them bail for Tulsa, SMU or Houston etc.. this is where the school can help us. Put together a deferred compensation package that incentivizes our best recruiters to hang around for 4-5 years. Experienced position coaches are a dime a dozen. Big time recruiters who can develop relationships with players coaches and their families are worth their weight in gold.

Got5onIt · August 10, 2015

Love the McNair pickup.

With that said, yes recruiting is an in-exact science. However, there is a general consensus that separates an unranked/1 or 2 star (does 1 star even exist anymore?) from your 3-5 star athletes. Sure, there will be diamonds in the rough and highly overrated players, but your chances of getting a key contributor go up. It's like drafting a player in the 1st round vs the 6th round. The probability of getting an elite player goes up in the higher rounds.

How many recruiting battles are Mac & Co winning for 3+ star recruits? Programs like Boise, surely have a roster full of these type of guys....

MeanGreen13 · August 11, 2015

Our 2015 class rank jumped up 8 spots when he enrolled... hopefully he has that type of impact on the program while he is here!

Cougar King · August 11, 2015

Stars and hype mean nothing until you produce on the field. For example we currently have the #23 recruiting class in the nation for 2016 according to 247 but until those kids are on campus and see the field, it doesn't mean anything.