All-time best UNT FB player you ever witnessed

greenminer · January 8, 2017

Just out of curiosity, I would like to know who each of you think is the best North Texas/NTSU player you ever witnessed in person? Bare minimum, I ask that you consider a season-long performance. Don't put a name in the hat just because of "that one game."

Witness in person. Can't be someone you only saw on TV or via online highlights. As long as you saw them for at least one game, they qualify.

Mine is Booger Kennedy. Without a doubt, consistently the most disruptive force I have ever seen play on the college level. I put him ahead of other college greats. I saw LT, Urlacher and Roy Williams (OU safety), and IMO Booger was more effective than they were. I will likely never see anybody like him again. 2002 Belt Defensive POY, 2x conference POY, 4x All-Belt team (3x 1st team)

Freshman Jamario might be a close second, except I never got to see him play until later in his career.

Cooley · January 8, 2017

1) Walter Chapman, DT

2) Ken Washington, QB

3) Bernard Jackson, RB

Hunter Green · January 8, 2017

1) Booger

2) Jamario

3) Cody / Johnny Q

Edited January 8, 2017 by Hunter Green

TIgreen01 · January 8, 2017

Defense - '02 Booger dominated just about every game.

Offense - '04 Jamario was equally a monster.

Special teams - '13 Brelan.

All of these guys just attacked constantly.

NorthTexan95 · January 8, 2017

Booger, Dunbar, Mitch Maher

emmitt01 · January 8, 2017

Booger, though I would move Jamario above him had his hamstring injury not slowed him

greenjoe · January 8, 2017

Scott Davis. As long as he was on the field I felt we could win.

GO MEAN GREEN

DeepGreen · January 8, 2017

Joe Green. Period.

southsideguy · January 8, 2017

I always liked Jordan Case , he was tough and knew how to win.

Berlan was special-every time he touched the ball you knew he could go.

B Jackson-RB

overall greatest player Mr. Joe Green.

Edited January 8, 2017 by southsideguy

pastorgrant · January 8, 2017

Hard for me to choose between Booger and Lance Dunbar, but I will say Booger.

Got5onIt · January 8, 2017

Jamario Thomas

He was so dominate the national media talked about him transferring to a big school.

GTWT · January 8, 2017

Players I did see:

Booger

Jamario

Scott Hall

Players I wish I had seen:

Mean Joe

Abner Haynes

Steve Ramsey

Graddean · January 8, 2017

Joe Green, Ron Shanklin, John Love

Marty · January 8, 2017

Booger

Walter Chapman

Brelan

Harry · January 8, 2017

Booger Kennedy.

drex · January 8, 2017

Mean Joe Greene...a man among boys.

GrandGreen · January 8, 2017

DL Joe Greene but both Walter Chapman and Booger were closer than many may think

QB Steve Ramsey

RB Jamario, that freshman year was magic, there were several better career running backs

WR Ron Shanklin- Quinn and Fitzgerald had better hands but not the speed

DB Leonard Dunlap

OL Glen Holloway

Lb Brad Kassell

Overall: Joe Greene

H-towngreen · January 8, 2017

Jamario. It's not even close.

What he did in his Freshman season was absurd. Seemed like he was putting up 250yds every game. You watched him and thought sure fire 1st rd pick. To this day I still wonder what would've been if not for the injuries, coaching change, etc.

SilverEagle · January 8, 2017

This thread should be revised to say "best North Texas player ever at all of the positions".

Joe Greene was certainly a "once in a generation" player, and at the top of my list. But there were too many others at their respective positions that deserve a "best of" designation.....whether or not it was a career, a season, or a particular game.

Joe Greene was certainly the greatest, but how do you completely ignore his teammate Cedric Hardman who was one year younger than Mr. Greene and at his DE position his senior year he had 38 sacks. Keep in mind that he got those sacks without Joe Greene taking some of the blocking heat off him.

Was this a flash in the pan? Nope. He was drafted the next year and spent the next 9 years with San Francisco racking up 112 sacks. He then went to Oakland and played two years and had 14.5 sacks. That's 126 sacks for a career. By comparison Charles Haley had about 105 sacks in his career.

Anyway, Brandon Kennedy, when he was having a great day, was pretty close to being equal to Joe Greene and Cedric Hardman.

Other great's

QB's Great Arms, Steve Ramsey, Giovanni Vizza. Mobile, tough, and great arms......Jordan Case (78-79), Scott Davis (88-90), Mitch Maher (92-94), Scott Hall (2000-2001, 2003-2004). So far, Mason Fine is looking like he has "potential" to join this group.

WR's My boyhood favorite.....John Love.....#27 on your program. Casey Fitzgerald is a very close second. If there was a category for "best JUCO transfer ever, it would be John Love. I only saw him twice at homecoming games in 65 and 66. In the 66 game, every time the ball was punted to him, the crowd came to their feet anticipating a big play. They got the ball into his hands any and every way possible. A first round draft choice by the Washington Redskins.

BUT how do you ignore Barry Moore (68-69) who has 59 more career yards than John Love. And BTW, they are both still in the top ten in receiving, #'s 7 and 8. Johnny Quinn is the all time receiving yards leader at 2718 yards, but that's a four year career. Barry Moore and John Love put up 2183 and 2124 yards in two years.

Best RB ever? Patrick Cobbs, but I still have a fondness for the late, great, Bernard Jackson. Jamario Thomas had a great freshman year. Everyone thought that hamstring problems limited his career, but he suffered from hamstring problems during his record setting freshman year. Remember him sitting out the Ark St game because of his hammy? When he wasn't in the game during his freshman year, he was on the stationary bike. So, something else limited his career after his freshman year.

Edited January 8, 2017 by SilverEagle

bstnsportsfan3 · January 8, 2017

Football, Lance Dunbar

Basketball, Josh White

DeepGreen · January 8, 2017

9 minutes ago, SilverEagle said:

This thread should be revised to say "best North Texas player ever at all of the positions".

Joe Greene was certainly a "once in a generation" player, and at the top of my list. But there were too many others at their respective positions that deserve a "best of" designation.....whether or not it was a career, a season, or a particular game.

Joe Greene was certainly the greatest, but how do you completely ignore his teammate Cedric Hardman who was one year younger than Mr. Greene and at his DE position his senior year he had 38 sacks. Keep in mind that he got those sacks without Joe Greene taking some of the blocking heat off him.

Was this a flash in the pan? Nope. He was drafted the next year and spent the next 9 years with San Francisco racking up 112 sacks. He then went to Oakland and played two years and had 14.5 sacks. That's 126 sacks for a career. By comparison Charles Haley had about 105 sacks in his career.

Anyway, Brandon Kennedy, when he was having a great day, was pretty close to being equal to Joe Greene and Cedric Hardman.

Other great's

QB's Great Arms, Steve Ramsey, Giovanni Vizza. Mobile, tough, and great arms......Jordan Case (78-79), Scott Davis (88-90), Mitch Maher (92-94), Scott Hall (2000-2001, 2003-2004). So far, Mason Fine is looking like he has "potential" to join this group.

WR's My boyhood favorite.....John Love.....#27 on your program. Casey Fitzgerald is a very close second. If there was a category for "best JUCO transfer ever, it would be John Love. I only saw him twice at homecoming games in 65 and 66. In the 66 game, every time the ball was punted to him, the crowd came to their feet anticipating a big play. They got the ball into his hands any and every way possible. A first round draft choice by the Washington Redskins.

BUT how do you ignore Barry Moore (68-69) who has 59 more career yards than John Love. And BTW, they are both still in the top ten in receiving, #'s 7 and 8. Johnny Quinn is the all time receiving yards leader at 2718 yards, but that's a four year career. Barry Moore and John Love put up 2183 and 2124 yards in two years.

Best RB ever? Patrick Cobbs, but I still have a fondness for the late, great, Bernard Jackson. Jamario Thomas had a great freshman year. Everyone thought that hamstring problems limited his career, but he suffered from hamstring problems during his record setting freshman year. Remember him sitting out the Ark St game because of his hammy? When he wasn't in the game during his freshman year, he was on the stationary bike. So, something else limited his career after his freshman year.

Silver, I wanted to go back and edit my original post but you did a great job for me! Joe Greene was certainly the best overall, but I've had the opportunity to see many of the players you mentioned. And all were outstanding players. Holloway, Hardman, Barry Moore, Love, Ron "Shank the flank" Shanklin, Jamario(what could have been!), Ramsey. I think Ramsey lead the nation in TD passes during his time at NT. 60+ or some insane number.

Ryan Munthe · January 8, 2017

Chancellor. You KNEW he was going to have an impact on every special teams play.

FirefightnRick · January 8, 2017

Booger

Scott Davis

Jamario Thomas

Lance White

Johnny Quinn

Craig Jones

Six players who changed the dynamic of the game if they were in.

Rick

Christopher Walker · January 8, 2017

Probably a too-close-to-call distinction between Brelan Chancellor and Lance Dunbar.

ghost_of_darrell_dickey · January 8, 2017

I haven't been around for too long. Graduated in 2010. I am surprised at the lack of love in this thread for Zac Orr. That guy was a beast and playmaker on defense. He'd be my defensive pick for sure. Gotta go Dunbar on offence.