Has Recruiting Improved Under Morris? Yes

[TheReal_jayD]

Well Danny Macs recruiting after the health issues was non-existent. Seth had a historic first class then he struggled in the middle years. He found success in the end, but it was too late. When Eric Morris was hired it was too late to make a splash in the early signing period. But rebounded and won some historic recruiting battles when it came to Feb signing period. Winning the recruiting battle for Jayven Anderson and Taylor Starling was huge. They both are top ten recruits of all time for North Texas according to 247 Sports. The staff lost two signees in Jake Long from Angelo State and James Burn from Austin Peay. Jake changed path and headed to Duke. While James decided to stay on the East coast. other than that, the only two decommits from the Morris ERA as of now are Davion Hurth from Mesquite Horn (UTSA) and Ronnell McLain from Desoto (UH). I understand the McLain move. Can't blame a kid for wanting to make the jump to the BIG 12. The Hurth is a head scratcher and a tough loss. But Morris and Co have held their own against UTSA. In fact, they have won more battles than they lost against Traylor so far.  I think the Hurth loss is a product of negative recruiting and HS coach getting involved. We will see how it will play out. But let’s look at the guys currently committed. Because I think we really need to give this staff credit for some of the guys they have got in the boat so far. Look at some of these offer lists.

 

Commits

 

Brandon Jones - LB South Oak Cliff 

21 Offers- Arizona State, Missouri, Houston, SMU, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, UTSA and Washington including more. 

Kerry Williams - CB South Oak Cliff

8 Offers- Ole Miss, UTSA, Purdue and Tulsa including others.

Christopher Barnes - WR North Shore

15 Offers- Marshall, UTSA, Washington State, Texas State, and La Tech including others.

Luke Carter- TE Katy

8 Offers - Texas Tech, Rice, Marshall and Tulane including others.

Brandon Young Jr.- TE Mansfield Legacy

9 Offers – Arkansas State, Army and Air Force among others.

Jacques Spradley-Demps – WR Jarell

8 Offers – Baylor, TCU, Texas State and Arkansas State among others.

Jaydon Smith - CB Ingleside

11 Offers- Boston College, Nebraska, Washington, and Army among others.

Tyler Harrington- TE Kingwood

4 Offers- UIW and Cornell among others.

Micho”Tank”Lavine- LB Millwood

6 Offers- UTSA, Washington State and Kent State among others.

With more puzzle pieces on the way. I can't remember in my years covering North Texas recruiting a more impressive start to a class. I think once the games start, and North Texas has success on the field it will only improve. Exciting times ahead. 

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by TheReal_jayD

[All About UNT]

If you weren't going to do a podcast this is a great write-up and for us more visually driven learners even better than doing a podcast.  Thanks JD!

[TheReal_jayD]

18 minutes ago, All About UNT said:

If you weren't going to do a podcast this is a great write-up and for us more visually driven learners even better than doing a podcast.  Thanks JD!

With a 6 month old it’s sometime easier to type that get the pod set up. Hopefully more of both in near future.

[TIgreen01]

Lots of skill guys listed.  When/where is the beef coming?

[Wag Tag]

I have always been a big Morris fan and started following him after the positive comments were made by Seth and Graham after we played them. He has proven to be an evaluator of talent and has on field success at WSU with a quick turnaround. Recruiting HS players has fallen off dramatically across college football ranks and will continue to do so. This could be an opportunity for UNT but only if they stick and produce. We will know come signing period and 2 years later. With the NIL monies and the transfer rules  I’m skeptical. I think the twins may be a sign of the future. With success on the field I am more excited on who he can bring in with TP. GMG 

[Cr1028]

Commit means very little these days. If you want to look at improved recruiting vs Traylor you need to look at signees that were offered by Traylor. Everything else is essentially meaningless until signing day. There are still several months left where we could have more major decommits. Only count the hatched chickens.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Cr1028

[TheReal_jayD]

12 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

Commit means very little these days. If you want to look at improved recruiting vs Traylor you need to look at signees that were offered by Traylor. Everything else is essentially meaningless until signing day. There are still several months left where we could have more major decommits. Only count the hatched chickens.

Well the fact Traylor had his whole class signed prior to Eric hiring his first assistant we can just call it 1-0. Taylor Starling. We can revisit in December. 

[Cr1028]

14 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Well the fact Traylor had his whole class signed prior to Eric hiring his first assistant we can just call it 1-0. Taylor Starling. We can revisit in December. 

That is fine. I’m just saying if your job is Eric’s hype man, don’t take it too far. As we saw this week we had a “major commit” and then a standard decommit. The commitments mean zero until signing day. Nobody cares that Travis Hunter was committed to FSU. They care that he was signed by JSU.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Cr1028

[TheReal_jayD]

36 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

That is fine. I’m just saying if your job is Eric’s hype man, don’t take it too far. As we saw this week we had a “major commit” and then a standard decommit. The commitments mean zero until signing day. Nobody cares that Travis Hunter was committed to FSU. They care that he was signed by JSU.

I am not Morris’s hype man. But I will give respect when it’s due. I remember where we have been and I know we are light years from there. Is it perfect? No. If there was no NIL would our recruiting be even better? Yes. Am I going to fry because we had 2 decommits in June? Hell no.  We have 10 commits. We are way ahead of schedule at this point in the recruiting cycle. This staff has brought excitement to North Texas recruiting like I have never seen. I have saw other schools have this and the programs took huge steps forward. But all I see on GMG and Twitter is UNT fans complaining about decommits and not celebrating we just beat out baylor and TCU for one of the best WR in Texas. And I am so sick of commitment means nothing to signing day… they literally can jump in the portal 2 days later it has happen. Sit back. Enjoy the ride. Have some fun. All this pessimism is a drag.

 

do “they” care that hunter transferred from JSU just 12 months later? 

Edited June 28, 2023 by TheReal_jayD

[Wag Tag]

No matter what happens with the portal, at this time you still need to bust your a$$ on recruiting HS kids. In a few years it may be less effort. College football is still in a state of flux.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Wag Tag

[emmitt01]

By the logic employed by some in this thread, we have the nation's #1 high school recruiting class.   You could argue that Georgia, or USC, or Alabama is recruiting better, but ThEy HaVeN't SiGnEd AnYoNe YeT.  

[meangreenbob]

I guess discussing recruiting, the Portal and NIL is a good way to spend time before the season starts. 

But as I look around with what’s going on in the world today, let alone our own nation, I hope, but wonder if there will even be a season. 
🧐

[keith]

It's a good question and there are many ways to look at it, but we won't really know until the class develops and produces on the field over the next 2-3 seasons.  A lot can happen between now and then and some of that will be completely out of the control of the coaching staff.  Here's how I look at it.

All things being equal, a player being recruited will generally go with the "best" conference or "best" school recruiting him.  Yes, there are exceptions and they are called exceptions for a reason.  It's just human nature to go with what you (or your family/fiends/coaches) think is the best opportunity.  There's a hierarchy (real and perceived) of conferences and programs.  If a player is offered by a MAC school and a B1G school, more often than not, they will go with the B1G school.  Between the Sun Belt and the ACC, they will go with the ACC.  Between CUSA and the AAC, they will go with the AAC.  What I'm suggesting is that by being in a better conference (the best we have been in since returning from the 1-AA desert), our recruiting is naturally going to be better than it has been in the past.  In fact it damn well better be better.  That's almost a given and expected.  The real question is it exceeding the expectations that simply come along with being in arguably the best conference outside of the "P5" conferences and how are we matching up against our conference mates.  Only time will answer these questions.

Edited June 28, 2023 by keith

[ntmeangreen11]

I expected more I will be honest. I have no idea what we're offering when it comes to NIL but I would assume that is what's holding us back. I think if we had made the same investment in recruiting staff size about 10 years ago we would have seen the results I thought were possible. I thought Coach O alone would bring in at least 1 very highly rated player based on what I was told about him. I'm not doggin anyone, coaches or commits, I just expected more to this point and that's probably on me for unrealistic expectations. I will say having ten commits with ZERO being OL/DL reminds me of the Dodge days and that's scary. Concerns me we will continue to struggle to recruit high school DL players as we did in the Littrell era.

[GMG_Dallas]

On 6/27/2023 at 7:03 AM, TIgreen01 said:

Lots of skill guys listed.  When/where is the beef coming?

Don't quote me but I hear a GMG Recruiting Analyst may have some for sale.

[TheReal_jayD]

3 hours ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Don't quote me but I hear a GMG Recruiting Analyst may have some for sale.

[Wag Tag]

18 hours ago, ntmeangreen11 said:

I expected more I will be honest. I have no idea what we're offering when it comes to NIL but I would assume that is what's holding us back. I think if we had made the same investment in recruiting staff size about 10 years ago we would have seen the results I thought were possible. I thought Coach O alone would bring in at least 1 very highly rated player based on what I was told about him. I'm not doggin anyone, coaches or commits, I just expected more to this point and that's probably on me for unrealistic expectations. I will say having ten commits with ZERO being OL/DL reminds me of the Dodge days and that's scary. Concerns me we will continue to struggle to recruit high school DL players as we did in the Littrell era.

DL and QB seem to have always been a challenge. These are the 2 areas we should be spending NIL dollars on transfers.

[Side.Show.Joe]

Morris got a pass for his first class. The current class has some great players so far, but my problem is with the players we can't get to commit. As long as UTSA is down in San Antonio getting the players we are targeting (QB: Lugo, DL: Robinson, & our former OL: Hurth), our recruiting efforts are failing. Games are won in the trenches, and with quarterback play. Coach O hasn't been able to deliver those players. Something is amiss. JayD, do you know why these players are committing to UTSA instead of UNT?

[UNTLifer]

[NorthTexasWeLove]

Following recruiting nowadays is like watching a cat chase a laser pointer. A commit means nothing. A decommit means nothing. A transfer in means nothing. A transfer out means nothing. The more NIL takes a stronghold the less the individual player means something, ironically. We will have who we have on this year's roster. If it's good enough, great. Build another roster for next season that is also good enough. If it's not, change the methods and try again for next seasons roster. Names mean nothing anymore. Just, win. 

[Glory to the Green]

1 hour ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Following recruiting nowadays is like watching a cat chase a laser pointer. A commit means nothing. A decommit means nothing. A transfer in means nothing. A transfer out means nothing. The more NIL takes a stronghold the less the individual player means something, ironically. We will have who we have on this year's roster. If it's good enough, great. Build another roster for next season that is also good enough. If it's not, change the methods and try again for next seasons roster. Names mean nothing anymore. Just, win. 

I can see your points, but it feels like it discounts how the vast majority of our roster has remained in tact. The transfers/de commits get a lot attention, but to say the individual players mean nothing is a little harsh.  I’m excited for the upcoming season. At the very least, it should be entertaining!  Hopefully we win enough to build some momentum/excitement for the bowl season. 

[TheReal_jayD]

On 6/30/2023 at 9:23 AM, Side.Show.Joe said:

Morris got a pass for his first class. The current class has some great players so far, but my problem is with the players we can't get to commit. As long as UTSA is down in San Antonio getting the players we are targeting (QB: Lugo, DL: Robinson, & our former OL: Hurth), our recruiting efforts are failing. Games are won in the trenches, and with quarterback play. Coach O hasn't been able to deliver those players. Something is amiss. JayD, do you know why these players are committing to UTSA instead of UNT?

Hurth Hurt. Lugo wasn’t our top QB target. They liked Memphis and Rice QB better. UTSA and Traylor can recruit. Morris is holding his on much better than Seth did against Traylor. But the 2 conference championship rings are the key recruiting message at the moment for UTSA. Look at every picture when kids go on visits to San Antonio the trophies are in the photo. Not to mention playing 6 games a year in 72 degree weather helps. 

[jtm0097]

8 hours ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Hurth Hurt. Lugo wasn’t our top QB target. They liked Memphis and Rice QB better. UTSA and Traylor can recruit. Morris is holding his on much better than Seth did against Traylor. But the 2 conference championship rings are the key recruiting message at the moment for UTSA. Look at every picture when kids go on visits to San Antonio the trophies are in the photo. Not to mention playing 6 games a year in 72 degree weather helps. 

Lugo might end up being really good for UTSA, but he seemed to be more of a run first guy. I wasn't too upset we didn't land him. With the new era of college FB, I wouldn't mind if we take a portal QB every year. I know the staff wants to build Texas HS relationships. I'm all for taking a guy that maybe had an offer from us in HS, then decided to leave the great state and immediately regretted it.

It's been said before, but this will be the first time in years that our QBs actually have a QB coach. For context, I am not bashing Quinn Shanbour.  He was put in a tough spot as a GA/Analyst, and I think he will be a rising star with more coaching experience. 

Edited July 2, 2023 by jtm0097

[emmitt01]

On 6/30/2023 at 10:13 AM, UNTLifer said:

Shhhh, don't be bringing logic into this. 

Definitely don't mention that there are 3 North Texas commits in this class ranked higher by 24/7 sports than UTSA's highest rated commit.

[UNT Family Man]

13 hours ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Hurth Hurt. Lugo wasn’t our top QB target. They liked Memphis and Rice QB better. UTSA and Traylor can recruit. Morris is holding his on much better than Seth did against Traylor. But the 2 conference championship rings are the key recruiting message at the moment for UTSA. Look at every picture when kids go on visits to San Antonio the trophies are in the photo. Not to mention playing 6 games a year in 72 degree weather helps. 

Agreed that Morris and crew are fairing better against Taylor than SL.  Wish we had secured Deuce Adams. This position, OT, DL and 1 - 4 ⭐️ (any position) I think would be priority this cycle.