TJ Raymond

[MootPoint]

nfm

[HoustonEagle]

Just too many holes this year. The streak ends this season I am afraid. Please let me be wrong.

[UNTLifer]

Time for somebody to step up. We'll be alright with Pruitt, Thomas, Miller, Stevenson, etc... Our player's character will shine through on this one.

I'm tired of these guys with all the potential in the world not putting in their time in the classroom. No excuse.

[pollock]

Our best defense this year will be our offense. Should make for some high-scoring nailbiters.

We'll see what The Buick is made of next week at MT. Here's hoping it's a Grand National with the boost cranked up, and not your granny's LeSabre.

[PlummMeanGreen]

It's a loss but some teams will have to endure similar losses because of injuries, too.

Lets see what our young guys can do before we make any forecasts, though. After all, we know we have an offense that is very capable of staying on the field a long time (and eating up that time clock). We should also have another great kicking game this season as well. We have many positives with this team.

Many times the troops will also rally when there is a hole in the formation.

[Harry]

No way to sugarcoat this. Big loss.

[Green Jackal]

Just too many holes this year.  The streak ends this season I am afraid.  Please let me be wrong.

←

I think if we survive next weekend our chances improve dramitically.

[MootPoint]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/colleges/12535697.htm

North Texas football: Defensive lineman T.J. Raymond, a South Grand Prairie graduate, will miss this season after being declared academically ineligible, Mean Green coach Darrell Dickey said. Raymond, a sophomore, was expected to play regularly at both tackle spots, spelling senior Chris Miller and junior Sky Pruitt.

[good_ken]

We'll be alright with Pruitt, Thomas, Miller, Stevenson, etc... Our player's character will shine through on this one.

Uh, Michael Pruitt graduated.

[untgirl04]

Uh, Michael Pruitt graduated.

←

He's referring to his brother, Sky Pruitt.

[mhow2]

Uh, Michael Pruitt graduated.

←

Uh, Sky Pruitt

[Stan R]

He's referring to his brother, Sky Pruitt.

←

Uhhh.. I don't think Sky is Michael's brother.

[untgirl04]

Ooops! You're right.

His Mean Green brother, then.

[GreenBat]

Raymond has been getting school for free for the last two or three years and NT has not seen him play at all.

I say time to pull the scholarship from this bum and give it to somebody who can use it.

[untbowler]

again that 1.8 GPA is really hard to keep up with

[SilverEagle]

Yet another player with "great potential" that we have spent too much time salivating over.

Give me the Patrick Cobbs, Andy Brewsters, Chris Hurds, Taylor Caseys, and Evan Cardwells of the world.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

"Mr. Blutarski..... Your gradepoint average is zero point, zero, zero."

"I will try to do better next time sir!"

[H-towngreen]

The NT football program has now been placed on double secret probation.

[medpilot21]

It hurts us on defense...no question. It sucks just as much for him. TJ is a good kid, and he really tries to make the grades. I know this will sound terrible, but some kids just have trouble with college level class work. I talked to him at the BBQ, and he would give anything to be eligible.

So, how bad off are we? Not too bad at all I think. Isaac Thomas will be back, Miller and Pruitt are looking pretty good, and dont rule out the possibilty that we run some 3-4 with all that linebacker speed. I trust DD already had a backup plan in progress just in case this happened, so they wont be playing catch-up with the defense. So cheer up guys... here's my UPDATED projection on D.

DE: Jeremiah Chapman (Gilmore is closing, but Chapman starts)

NT: Chris Miller (Sky Pruitt rotates here)

DE: Eli Hutchinson (Willie Ransom rotates in here)

LOLB: Brandon Monroe (I know, Holman is really playing well)

ILB: Travis Thompson

MLB: Derek Mendoza

ROLB: Phillip Graves

LCB: TJ Covington

FS: Rod Cotton

SS: Aaron Weathers

RCB: Jamel Branch

I still feel pretty good about our chances...

GMG!!!

[emmitt01]

You assume Isaac Thomas will be back med...that's not a given. And I don't think there's a way to spin this. TJ was a difference maker on the d-line. I've heard from some that he could have been BK kind of dominant if he were in shape. Here's hoping he and Byerly use this season to get ahead in their classes and to concentrate on what is most important.

Your point about college level work being difficult is well taken though. It's easy to say "you're going to school for free so you should be on top of your studies" but it's easy to forget that these young men are at NT because they are football players. No, not football players first and students second but still football players. That means the competitive fire makes them want to be in the weight room, on the practice field running with the first team, as well as in the classroom. Their days are quite full and their motivations different from the average student. Is that an excuse? No. But their plate is a bit more full.

[El Paso Eagle]

You assume Isaac Thomas will be back med...that's not a given.  And I don't think there's a way to spin this.  TJ was a difference maker on the d-line.  I've heard from some that he could have been BK kind of dominant if he were in shape.  Here's hoping he and Byerly use this season to get ahead in their classes and to concentrate on what is most important. 

  Is that an excuse?  No.  But their plate is a bit more full.

←

Emmit,

You are correct that their plates may be a bit more full than the average student - But then again the average student does not have anywhere near the tutoring resources available to them as an athlete.

[Guest Aquila_Viridis]

I hear a lot of IFs about this guy. Time to move on.

[UNTLifer]

You assume Isaac Thomas will be back med...that's not a given.  And I don't think there's a way to spin this.  TJ was a difference maker on the d-line.  I've heard from some that he could have been BK kind of dominant if he were in shape.  Here's hoping he and Byerly use this season to get ahead in their classes and to concentrate on what is most important. 

Your point about college level work being difficult is well taken though.  It's easy to say "you're going to school for free so you should be on top of your studies" but it's easy to forget that these young men are at NT because they are football players.  No, not football players first and students second but still football players.  That means the competitive fire makes them want to be in the weight room, on the practice field running with the first team, as well as in the classroom.  Their days are quite full and their motivations different from the average student.  Is that an excuse?  No.  But their plate is a bit more full.

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Seems Mr. Patrick Cobbs has done very well both on and off the field, so did Scott Hall, Jonas Buckles, etc... These players are busy, but as El Paso Eagle stated they have the resources to do well, or at least maintain a 1.8 GPA.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Would it be to NT's advantage to switch to a 3-4 defense at given times in the MT game?? Passing downs for the 3-4 preferably, but (who knows) MT might pass every down since they are apparently still trying to develop their running game.

Any thoughts (pro or con) on an occasional 3-4 defense? For sure, we do have some speedsters on this Mean Green defense.

[ParksAndRecRick]

MedPilot well said. TJ is a great kid. He has trouble academically, but that is one of the reasons why we got him anyway. Seriously, one of my friends says their isn't a better kid in the world. Let's support TJ. I sincerely hopes he hangs in their and gets another shot.

You can not put ourselves into TJ's spot or his life....

From one Grand Prairie product to another,

ParksAndRecRick