'18 WR Nikia Jones (Wagoner, OK)

GMG24 · February 17, 2017

http://www.hudl.com/profile/4781172/nikia-jones

http://247sports.com/Player/Nikia-Jones-94517 Rated a 3 star by 247

He tweeted he got his first offer back in May from Kansas and did not post anything other than a UNT offer from us yesterday. Interesting

UNTLifer · February 17, 2017

Long and athletic. Plays WR, S and Punter. Like the offer.

Cr1028 · February 8, 2018

Played the waiting game and lost.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/okpreps/football/high-school-football-wagoner-standout-nikia-jones-left-with-nowhere/article_032cc18f-3d3b-5350-8d9d-32d6b83467f8.html

Maybe we will have something for him in the future.

BTG_Fan1 · February 8, 2018

Should offer him a Blueshirt.. would be our highest recruit if grades checkout

H-towngreen · February 9, 2018

Seeing as we only signed 19 I’m sure we have room

BTG_Fan1 · February 9, 2018

1 hour ago, H-towngreen said:

Seeing as we only signed 19 I’m sure we have room

Only had 19 scholarships after signing 6 extra kids last year..

Ben Gooding · February 9, 2018

25 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

Only had 19 scholarships after signing 6 extra kids last year..

I thought at the time those blue shirts were dumb, and a year of maturation and I still think they are dumb.

Eagle71 · February 9, 2018

4.56 6'3" 200 lbs. Must be a lot of quality WR/S out there this year. Love our Oklahoma guys.

H-towngreen · February 9, 2018

12 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

I thought at the time those blue shirts were dumb, and a year of maturation and I still think they are dumb.

Agree, If they are such a borderline prospect to start with that you are blue shirting them, then the odds of them contributing are low.

and with 19 signed, a couple of those being jucos who enrolled early and possibly count to last years class, I don’t see why we wouldn’t have room for someone like this

Ben Gooding · February 9, 2018

42 minutes ago, H-towngreen said:

Agree, If they are such a borderline prospect to start with that you are blue shirting them, then the odds of them contributing are low.

and with 19 signed, a couple of those being jucos who enrolled early and possibly count to last years class, I don’t see why we wouldn’t have room for someone like this

Blueshirts are for guys that you know you can land now that won't be there for you in the following class. Do these guys, the blueshirts from last year, really fall into that category? Were we 100% certain that there weren't going to be better options this year? If my memory serves me right, I believe those 6 blueshirts from last year had a total of 3 offers that weren't UNT. It's just frustrating to watch it unfold. I get trying to have your full 85, but I'd rather wait until we get some studs in here that are scholarship worthy than hurrying up and trying to fill slots like it appears what we have done.

MeanGreenTexan · February 9, 2018

18 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

Blueshirts are for guys that you know you can land now that won't be there for you in the following class. Do these guys, the blueshirts from last year, really fall into that category? Were we 100% certain that there weren't going to be better options this year? If my memory serves me right, I believe those 6 blueshirts from last year had a total of 3 offers that weren't UNT. It's just frustrating to watch it unfold. I get trying to have your full 85, but I'd rather wait until we get some studs in here that are scholarship worthy than hurrying up and trying to fill slots like it appears what we have done.

We would have had to have used more offers on OL prospects (because the blueshirts from last season were overwhelmingly OL), and may have missed out on some of these stud Defensive Secondary guys we landed. Most-likely wouldn't have had room for Morris late.
It appears OL is the position Littrell wants to use blueshirts on, as our blueshirts this year are OL again. I think he thinks he can get them in and develop them.
I suppose we'll see.

GMG_Dallas · February 9, 2018

3 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

Blueshirts are for guys that you know you can land now that won't be there for you in the following class. Do these guys, the blueshirts from last year, really fall into that category? Were we 100% certain that there weren't going to be better options this year? If my memory serves me right, I believe those 6 blueshirts from last year had a total of 3 offers that weren't UNT. It's just frustrating to watch it unfold. I get trying to have your full 85, but I'd rather wait until we get some studs in here that are scholarship worthy than hurrying up and trying to fill slots like it appears what we have done.

I agreed with you at the time we blueshirted these guys but now I don't mind the decision. When SL took over we needed immediate contributors and depth. Ultimately, the guys blueshirted last year will be here 1 year less than the guys who would have signed this year. In the grand scheme of things I don't think it's that big of a deal. We were in a bad place and now we're not. Blue shirting speeded up the process of becoming competitive since we picked up several Jucos who ended up contributing these past 2 years. I would rather not blue shirt 6 guys per class though so hopefully moving forward we blue shirt less and less every class so that we can slow build towards regularly having the maximum 25 slots available during recruiting cycles.

If it weren't for blue shirts, we would might still be a below .500 team due to the lack of depth. After seeing SL work magic his first 2 years here, I would think people would be a little less critical of his tactics until proven otherwise. I guess some will always complain.

UNTLifer · February 10, 2018

8 hours ago, GMG_Dallas said:

I agreed with you at the time we blueshirted these guys but now I don't mind the decision. When SL took over we needed immediate contributors and depth. Ultimately, the guys blueshirted last year will be here 1 year less than the guys who would have signed this year. In the grand scheme of things I don't think it's that big of a deal. We were in a bad place and now we're not. Blue shirting speeded up the process of becoming competitive since we picked up several Jucos who ended up contributing these past 2 years. I would rather not blue shirt 6 guys per class though so hopefully moving forward we blue shirt less and less every class so that we can slow build towards regularly having the maximum 25 slots available during recruiting cycles.

If it weren't for blue shirts, we would might still be a below .500 team due to the lack of depth. After seeing SL work magic his first 2 years here, I would think people would be a little less critical of his tactics until proven otherwise. I guess some will always complain.

Agreed 100%

UNTLifer · February 10, 2018

Back to Mr. Jones, how has he not signed somewhere if this is not a grade issue?

GMG24 · February 10, 2018

GIVE HIM A BLUESHIRT NOW!!!!

GrayEagle · February 11, 2018

I'll admit that I'm ignorant when it comes to blueshirts but it is a new thing and maybe others are too. But, it is my understanding that you can't blueshirt a recruit that you offered. I'm pretty sure that we offered Jones although that offer may have been withdrawn after Ogunmakin accepted.

I know that we have very good receivers on the squad now but this guy is apparently in the Guyton class and if we can blueshirt him I hope that we can jump on this assuming he's willing and eligible.

BTG_Fan1 · February 11, 2018

1 hour ago, GrayEagle said:

I'll admit that I'm ignorant when it comes to blueshirts but it is a new thing and maybe others are too. But, it is my understanding that you can't blueshirt a recruit that you offered. I'm pretty sure that we offered Jones although that offer may have been withdrawn after Ogunmakin accepted.

I know that we have very good receivers on the squad now but this guy is apparently in the Guyton class and if we can blueshirt him I hope that we can jump on this assuming he's willing and eligible.

Then offer him a PWO, and then give him a scholarship once the season starts..

UNTLifer · February 11, 2018

As the old saying goes, "If there is a will, there is a way."

TheReal_jayD · February 13, 2018

North Texas contacted him monday. It sounds like to me the high school coach is pushing him to go P5. This is very common.

Cr1028 · February 13, 2018

33 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

North Texas contacted him monday. It sounds like to me the high school coach is pushing him to go P5. This is very common.

It’s tragic that some of these HS coaches let their egos get in the way of these young men making the best decision for their own future. That coach hung this kid out to dry waiting for an offer that never came. Oh well, if he has to go P5, he will likely enjoy a year at juco first.

BillySee58 · February 13, 2018

10 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

It’s tragic that some of these HS coaches let their egos get in the way of these young men making the best decision for their own future. That coach hung this kid out to dry waiting for an offer that never came. Oh well, if he has to go P5, he will likely enjoy a year at juco first.

Exactly. If that is the case, the coach is doing a real disservice to his athlete. It's really sad how many high school coaches don't know the recruiting process, and/or don't understand college football (i.e. Refer to G5 schools as Division II, which I have seen numerous times) yet are in a position where the athletes and parents usually know less and look to the coach to guide them in the process.

BTG_Fan1 · February 13, 2018

2 hours ago, TheReal_jayD said:

North Texas contacted him monday. It sounds like to me the high school coach is pushing him to go P5. This is very common.

What are the options that UNT would have? He was extended an offer basically a year ago.

greenminer · February 13, 2018

2 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

Exactly. If that is the case, the coach is doing a real disservice to his athlete. It's really sad how many high school coaches don't know the recruiting process, and/or don't understand college football (i.e. Refer to G5 schools as Division II, which I have seen numerous times) yet are in a position where the athletes and parents usually know less and look to the coach to guide them in the process.

I've never considered this before.