2/half FW*Telegram recruiting article

[OldTimer]

QB, linemen top UNT's additionsBy JEFF WILSONStar-Telegram Staff WriterDENTON - North Texas coaches were in a position they hadn't faced in four years while trying to lure recruits north of the Metroplex.

The Mean Green went 2-9 in 2005 after four consecutive Sun Belt championships, and the sudden dropoff wasn't lost on some recruits.

Coach Darrell Dickey, though, said the lost season wasn't a factor and the 2006 class might develop into the best since UNT started its run of success five years ago.

"Our reception in people's homes is still outstanding," Dickey said, fewer than 24 hours after being released from a two-day stay at Presbyterian Hospital of Denton. "It did come up. We went after the same people we went after in the past couple of years. We didn't try to go after a class based on the fact that we were 2-9."

Junior-college quarterback Woody Wilson, JUCO cornerback Roy Loren and Tulsa (Okla.) East Central HS defensive tackle Tim Patton are the players coaches believe will be impact players next season for the Mean Green, which opens Sept. 2 at Texas.

Wilson, one of four junior-college transfers and 18 recruits overall, is a dual-threat quarterback who signed with Arkansas out of high school. The Razorbacks, though, recruited him as a defensive back.

Wilson threw for 910 yards and rushed for 214 in seven games for Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College. He enrolled for the start of the spring semester and is expected to compete with Daniel Meager and Matt Phillips when spring practices begin Feb. 13.

Wilson could be a perfect fit as UNT looks to add more zone-read and shotgun pass plays to its offense. He also has another attribute: experience.

"Those are the things he excelled at," Dickey said. "The priority was an older quarterback. Our other two quarterbacks are sophomores; they're still young. We need a little more experience at that position and we need a little more competition at that position."

Loren, one of three additions from Coffeyville, is the only junior-college player who didn't enroll last month. He is expected on campus in the summer and in the starting mix at cornerback in the fall.

At 6-foot-2, Loren is in line to replace departed senior starters T.J. Covington and Ja'Mel Branch.

Patton, though, could be the best of the bunch. The all-state player averaged 15 tackles over his final four games, including 17 in the state-title game. At 6-2 and 301 pounds, he has the frame to contribute as a freshman.

Patton was one of eight defensive linemen signed, along with three offensive linemen and two tight ends. The Mean Green's rushing attack struggled early last season behind a new line, and a lack of depth hurt late as the defensive line was asked to play more minutes than in past seasons.

IN THE KNOW

Notable signees

Robert Gordon, DB

5-11, 175, Ardmore, Okla.

Want speed? He was a member of the fastest 4x100 team in Oklahoma last year. Also returned punts and played receiver.

Tim Patton, DT

6-2, 300, Tulsa, Okla.

He recorded 17 tackles in the Class 5A title game, a 9-7 win over Bixby. Also visited Kansas and Oklahoma State.

Sam Owusu-Hemeng, DE

6-1, 230, Arlington

Had the fastest 40 (4.74 seconds) and best vertical leap (33 inches) among ends at Nike Training Camp in Fort Worth last summer.

Craig Robertson, LB/S

6-0, 210, Stafford

A first-team performer in three sports, he averaged 22 points in basketball and hit .487 with 21 steals in baseball last season.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeff Wilson, (817) 390-7953 jwilson@star-telegram.com

[BIG DAWG]

Wilson could be a perfect fit as UNT looks to add more zone-read and shotgun pass plays to its offense.

Good news for you DD haters. Come on with us aboard the DD Wagon, the offense may look to be opening it up.

[GreenFlag]

"Good news for you DD haters. Come on with us aboard the DD Wagon, the offense may look to be opening it up."

The offense is not going to "open it up." He says this stuff every year and does the same thing as he has done the last 8 years. This is not an exageration either. This is not an inflamitory post-just the facts.

[LoveMG]

Good news for you DD haters.  Come on with us aboard the DD Wagon, the offense may look to be opening it up.

←

He said the same things before last season.

[GangGreen]

Throwing for 130 yards a game is not really what I would call opening it up.

[Travis]

it is true... i have been hearing the same "we plan to open up our offense" line since my freshman year at UNT. Now a year or two after graduating and I still hear him say that. But, to no avail... no changes. This year may very well be different. But, i will believe it when i see it.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Sounds like a pretty athletic class. Tulsa East Central is the school that produced OU All-American and Atlanta Falcon/Dallas Cowboy DT Tony Casillas. This Patton guy's a lot bigger than Tony, though. Beginning his career at 6-2, 301...good stuff.

Edited February 2, 2006 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[mad dog]

The offense is not going to "open it up." He says this stuff every year and does the same thing as he has done the last 8 years. This is not an exageration either. This is not an inflamitory post-just the facts.

←

Facts, eh?

How about this:

Pass Attempts by year

2002: 217

2003: 225

2004: 250

2005: 278

Now that looks to me like an offense that is gradually trying to work in more passing without giving up its bread and butter running attack. Also surprising that a team throws 28 more passes a year when transitioning from a 4 year starter (Scott Hall), to a redshirt (Meager) and a true (Phillips) freshman.

[Green92]

2 more passes a game is not "opening up" the offense. We where down in a lot of those games and had to pass.

[untbowler]

Facts, eh?

How about this:

Pass Attempts by year

2002: 217

2003: 225

2004: 250

2005: 278

Now that looks to me like an offense that is gradually trying to work in more passing without giving up its bread and butter running attack.  Also surprising that a team throws 28 more passes a year when transitioning from a 4 year starter (Scott Hall), to a redshirt (Meager) and a true (Phillips) freshman.

←

unfortunately most of those passes were needed since we always fell behind by 2 TD's or so in almost every game and when the running game is not 100% effective your forced to throw. Wish we were throwing more due to the system and not b/c we had to play catch-up every game.

[SilverEagle]

2 more passes a game is not "opening up" the offense.  We where down in a lot of those games and had to pass.

←

I agree. "Opening it up" is a lot different than "passes of desperation".

[Eagle-96]

Facts, eh?

How about this:

Pass Attempts by year

2002: 217

2003: 225

2004: 250

2005: 278

Now that looks to me like an offense that is gradually trying to work in more passing without giving up its bread and butter running attack.  Also surprising that a team throws 28 more passes a year when transitioning from a 4 year starter (Scott Hall), to a redshirt (Meager) and a true (Phillips) freshman.

←

If you break down the per game stat, it comes to:

2002 - 16 passes per game

2003 - 17 passes per game

2004 - 19 passes per game

2005 - 25 passes per game

From 2002-2004 it is a paltry increase of 1 or 2 passes per game. It's not too surprising when you consider that in 2005 we were in games that we had to pass to try and catch up(Troy, LSU, FAU, LaMo, and ASU). We were on track for 21 passes per game until the final 3 games we passed for 35, 38, and 38 respectively. That's 167 passes in the first 8 games and 111 in the last three. Against Troy we had 10 passes on the last series because the continued running wasn't working. DD did not open the offense up.

[mad dog]

Well... everyone wanted more passing. Here's more passing.

How many more passes a game would you like to see? Five? Ten? Twenty?

If you get what you are wishing for on this, be prepared for another 2-9 season as we implement a new system. Nebraska is just now getting back to the same ballpark as they were before success-wise after going West Coast. Personnel, schemes, playbooks, coaching... everything needed to change.

We are mixing in more of the pass, and have since 2002. Just because it is a gradual change doesn't mean that it doesn't count.

[Eagle-96]

Well... everyone wanted more passing.  Here's more passing. 

How many more passes a game would you like to see?  Five?  Ten?  Twenty?

If you get what you are wishing for on this, be prepared for another 2-9 season as we implement a new system.  Nebraska is just now getting back to the same ballpark as they were before success-wise after going West Coast.  Personnel, schemes, playbooks, coaching... everything needed to change.

We are mixing in more of the pass, and have since 2002.  Just because it is a gradual change doesn't mean that it doesn't count.

←

I am not talking about scrapping the entire playbook and going west coast. I am calling for something more original in the passing game then the quick out and the straight go and heave it. I would be happy if we passed the same amount of times as the last few years as long as we mix it up a little. All it takes is a few tweaks. As far as personel is concerned. We have what it takes. We just aren't using them.

Edited February 2, 2006 by Eagle-96

[NT80]

Well... everyone wanted more passing.  Here's more passing. 

How many more passes a game would you like to see?  Five?  Ten?  Twenty?

If you get what you are wishing for on this, be prepared for another 2-9 season as we implement a new system.  Nebraska is just now getting back to the same ballpark as they were before success-wise after going West Coast.  Personnel, schemes, playbooks, coaching... everything needed to change.

We are mixing in more of the pass, and have since 2002.  Just because it is a gradual change doesn't mean that it doesn't count.

←

Passing on 3rd and 8 is more passing than when we ran effectively and needed only 3rd and 2, but it is NOT better passing. As some have mentioned, there is a difference in passing because you want to vs need to. I think you'll find that although we passed more we scored a lot less, thus indicating inaccuracy and/or short passes for yardage instead of long passes for points.

[H-towngreen]

Will DD finally open up the Offense a little. We will all see in a few weeks when spring ball opens up.

How about this thought though. DD said that he is thinking about installing some "zone read" plays into the O. The zone read is what yoy saw Vince Young do all the time. Vince would read the D-end and would decide from that if to hand off or take it himself. It is a great way to open holes up on the line also. With J-Mo and Wilson back there I think that it would work out great.

[FirefightnRick]

ULL made a switch to a zone-read this past season. All it got them was a share of the conference championship and their first win over the Mean Green since the peanut butter sandwich was invented?

Rick

[ObviousMan]

Will DD finally open up the Offense a little. We will all see in a few weeks when spring ball opens up.

How about this thought though. DD said that he is thinking about installing some "zone read" plays into the O. The zone read is what yoy saw Vince Young do all the time. Vince would read the D-end and would decide from that if to hand off or take it himself. It is a great way to open holes up on the line also. With J-Mo and Wilson back there I think that it would work out great.

←

Please don't equate any of UNT's quarterbacks to Vince Young. I don't see any players on UNT's squad that are 6-5, 235lbs, run a 4.4 40 and can throw a ball 60 yards flat-footed. There aren't any Vince Young's at any school, the guy was a freak of nature, and it will be fun to watch him on Sundays.

The zone read can be successful if, and only if, you have 5 horses up front. Even Vince Young gave credit to his huge, quick, very impressive, offensive line. Most of those 5 gentlemen will also be playing on Sundays.

I think DD has run his clock to 0 here at UNT. He was what the program needed at the time he was hired. However, over the course of his tenure here, he has not produced a consistent non-conference image. With very few wins over upper-level D-1 programs, or even mid-level D-1 programs, UNT's regional/national image is not very good for recruiting.

Also, it seems with the high number of quality recruits that other schools find in this state that DD could at least get 1 or 2 per year. I mean when you get out recruited by Texas, Texas A&M, and other Big 12 schools that's one thing, but UNT routinely gets beat by SMU, Texas State, and Sam Houston State just to name a few and the last 2 are D-IAA schools.

His offensive scheme is a one trick pony. UNT runs the ball, period end of story. If you stop the run, UNT folds and goes home the loser. While running the ball is paramount to a successful offense, it is not the only option. Mix in more passes, more motion, more disguises so that the opposition doesn't put 9 in the box. Make the other team play honest heads up football.

Don't get me wrong I think the players at UNT give it their best every time they strap on the pads. But, we're getting our heads handed to us in games we should at least be competitive in if our program is to grow and improve. Think about what other conferences like Conf-USA, MAC, and WAC are doing. Periodically, you will see one of their teams rise up and smack one of the big boys in the mouth, or they'll have a stellar season and go 11-1 (TCU).

Winning conference games is nice, but UNT should strive to be better than that. Once upon a time, UNT was consider a good football program on the rise. Now, they are more of a pretender than a contender.

Just one man's opinion.

[H-towngreen]

Please don't equate any of UNT's quarterbacks to Vince Young.  I don't see any players on UNT's squad that are 6-5, 235lbs, run a 4.4 40 and can throw a ball 60 yards flat-footed.  There aren't any Vince Young's at any school, the guy was a freak of nature, and it will be fun to watch him on Sundays.

←

Try reading mt post again CaptainObvious, I did not compare any of our QBs with Vince Young. I was simply explaining and giving an example of the "zone read" in case someone didn't know what it was.

[ObviousMan]

Try reading mt post again CaptainObvious, I did not compare any of our QBs with Vince Young. I was simply explaining and giving an example of the "zone read" in case someone didn't know what it was.

←

I understood your point. However, my point was not understood.

None of the UNT quarterbacks are big enough, nor quick enough to run the zone read play. Most of the schools that run zone read with success have big (6-3 and up, 220 and up) QBs that are quick (not necessarily fast).

While Wilson may have talent, his physical tools might preclude him from running the zone read. Also, none of the currect QBs on the roster have the size, or quickness, to run the zone read.

As a result, the zone read while an effective play series, might not be the best solution for the current UNT crop of QBs.

Shouldn't the type of play fit the personnel we have rather than trying to force a type of play that the personnel may not be capable of executing successfully?

Just a thought