MGB: What impact will losing JC signees make?

[Brett Vito]

MGB:

http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2016/08/what-will-the-impact-of-unts-three-key-losses-english-hayes-and-johnson-be.html/

[UNTLifer]

What did Coach Littrell say about the players that aren't here?  I second that.

[EagleMBA]

8 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

What did Coach Littrell say about the players that aren't here?  I second that.

 

[BillySee58]

Wow. So weird case there with Derricott.

[TreeFiddy]

Hard to know when UNT knew they weren't coming and started recruiting additional players to take their spot.  For example, we recruited Mylam Peters, also a LB pretty soon after Johnson.  And we also recruited Jalen Thomas after signing Hayes.  It seems like we may have known, or had a pretty good idea, that they would not qualify.

Regardless, it stinks to not have players that seemed to have a lot of ability.  In the end, it was a pretty patchwork class that will have to overachieve compared to their ranking.  Not much different than the prior staff.   Let's hope that this staff is able to get more out of the players that make it to the field.

[UNTexas]

The thing Vito isn't reporting is this stuff happens every year, to every team. Maybe it feels worse because Mac left this team in shambles but in the end you take the field with what you have and fight like hell. Stranger things have happened to our football team. Hell, this stuff happens to NFL teams. The best season I ever had as a player, we were worse off as far as roster goes and ended up having a great season. You never no how the chips may fall.

Hopefully, the ones who stayed through these hard times will show their character and play with a chip on their shoulders and give a big FU to the media, fans, and most importantly their opponents who think they should suck. 

[Charlie NT 73]

I truly believe this staff will be the difference maker for this season.

The 2016 season will be a very valuable learning experience for the team and the staff.

I also believe this team will win more games that expected, regardless of the players that do not show up.

Tee it up and let it fly!

Of all the football seasons I have watched, the 2016 season will be more special that all previous beginning seasons I have seen.

Tee it up and let it fly!

 

[GrayEagle]

I think that we would have been a stronger had all qualified but you can't miss what you never had.  There is still a nucleus of good coachable players who will lift this team from the doldrums.  By all counts we have some walkons who are superior to scholarship players.  This team will be much better through better player evaluation, conditioning, and coaching.  The only deterrent that I see from commitments not qualifying may be depth.  

To me, the ruling that hurts most is that against English.  Being near his sick dad will cost him a year of playing time.  It will be three years before he plays again.  The NCAA to us stands for No Chance Approval Allowed.

Edited August 12, 2016 by GrayEagle

[Aldo]

Ok let's recap:

Littrell came in December. One UNT commit.

Then, signing day came in February after having to hire nearly an entire staff.

After that, they are having to recruit an entire 2017 class as well as picking up more 2016 commits.

It's going to be a rough couple classes, as is the nature of long-term rebuilding. 

[Mean Green 93-98]

4 hours ago, GrayEagle said:

To me, the ruling that hurts most is that against English.  Being near his sick dad will cost him a year of playing time.  It will be three years before he plays again.  The NCAA to us stands for No Chance Approval Allowed.

No, he doesn't lose a year of eligibility.  The rule change now automatically allows players to transfer in such cases without losing any eligibility.  However, they must sit out a year and get that year back at the end.  The rule doesn't even allow for any possibility for exceptions, so seeking a waiver was done either (1) with complete unawareness of the new rule or (2) to put on a show.

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

The English thing was never going to happen because the NCAA had passed new rules about those type of transfers.  I think many here kind of denied that in their hope that it would somehow be different.  It never was. 

As far as JUCOs, I think Littrell and Company have done the best they could in the little time they had.  There was a lot of dice rolling on guys many programs had backed away from.  It had to be done this year.  

I would rather Littrell continue the UNT tradition of staying off the NCAA hit list than to tamper with a JUCO's grades.  SEC schools get slapped on the wrist for things like that; but, they'd gut us for it, for sure...like totally.

I'm pleased with the JUCOs who have qualified.  And, in the C-USA level of competition, I'm confident that Ekeler and Reffett can do well with what we have out there today.