DRC full article of Steadman/Muse

OldTimer · August 18, 2006

Basketball: Steadman leaves UNT; recruit ineligible

11:09 PM CDT on Thursday, August 17, 2006

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas announced on Thursday that Jai Steadman is no longer an assistant coach with the men’s basketball team and incoming recruit Curtis Muse has not met NCAA eligibility requirements to play for the Mean Green next season.

Steadman spent just one season at UNT.

“I am appreciative of the time that coach Steadman has spent with the program, and I wish him well with his future endeavors,” UNT coach Johnny Jones said in a prepared statement.

Jones declined to comment further when reached on Thursday. Steadman could not be reached.

Steadman came to UNT from McNeese State and also coached at TCU from 2000-01. Steadman chose to resign from TCU after the school reported he was involved in two NCAA rules violations.

One involved providing improper travel to a player. The other involved adding content to an academic paper that a player never turned in for a grade, a charge that was later dropped.

“I am not aware of any issues,” UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal said. “When there is a change in coaching in any of my sports I tell the head coach to make sure that we are following proper procedures.”

Steadman recently interviewed for McNeese State’s opening for a head coach. McNeese later hired Dave Simmons, an assistant at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La.

Steadman had served as UNT’s recruiting coordinator the past several months and helped the Mean Green land one of their best classes in recent years that included Muse.

The 6-10 forward averaged 7.6 points and 4.8 rebounds a game as a sophomore at Mineral Area (Mo.) Community College.

Muse and his Mineral Area teammate Jonathan Jackson signed with the Mean Green at the same time. Jones said that Jackson is still expected to play for the Mean Green.

“We took a chance on Curtis, hoping that he would be able to meet all of the NCAA requirements to play here,” Jones said. “We were fortunate to win the recruiting battle for him, but were unfortunate in that he won’t be able to be on the floor.”

UNT is expected to be deep in the frontcourt, despite the loss of Muse. Keith Wooden, a 6-9 transfer from Arizona State, is expected to play a significant role along with sophomore Harold Stewart, junior Quincy Williams and sophomore Justin Howerton.

“Fortunately one of the areas we have more depth is in the post position,” Jones said. “With Keith Wooden becoming eligible we shouldn’t lose any production.”

Steadman is the second UNT assistant to leave the staff since the end of last season. Fred Rike departed to become the head coach at Division II Angelo State. Charlie Leonard is entering his sixth year at UNT while Bill Foy is entering his first after replacing Rike.

Jones said he expected to fill Steadman’s position in the next few days.

untbowler · August 18, 2006

said that Jackson is still expected to play for the Mean Green.
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Does this statement frighten anyone else? Makes it sound like Jackson may not be showing up? If not what a horrible recruiting job then losing 2 major players.

UNTLifer · August 18, 2006

Based on JUCO stats, Muse is the big loss.

eulesseagle · August 18, 2006

IMHO just about every school has to face the endemic problems with atheletic talent with marginal grades....sometimes they come through and sometimes they do not. Coach Jones may have won the recruiting war but like other coaches lost to the grade issue. We should not lambast Coach Jones for doing what he is suppose to be doing....

Also, IMHO, Coach Jones has talked some other atheletes from major programs to join his program even if they have to sit out a year. I admire that.

untbowler · August 18, 2006

IMHO just about every school has to face the endemic problems with atheletic talent with marginal grades....sometimes they come through and sometimes they do not. Coach Jones may have won the recruiting war but like other coaches lost to the grade issue. We should not lambast Coach Jones for doing what he is suppose to be doing....
Also, IMHO, Coach Jones has talked some other atheletes from major programs to join his program even if they have to sit out a year. I admire that.
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Well i guess wgy go upto to BFE Idao to recruit a marginal academic Post Player when we probably plenty right here in Texas and surrounding areas?

Buford_Julep · August 18, 2006

This is why I will never forget Jai Steadman.

I retired last spring. My wife wanted to make my last day at work something special. She knew NT basketball is my number one passion. Without my knowledge she called the basketball department and asked for their help. The NCAA final four was going on at that time and Jai Steadman was the only coach still in Denton.

As time was running out on my last day, in walked coach Steadman, the entire NT basketball team and three cheerleaders in game dress. The cheerleaders danced while the NT fight song played and then they did some cheers. Next, coach Steadman and the players shook my hand and congratulated me.

I am not a big donor to NT Athletics or an important person that needs to be kept happy or anything like that, but I felt pretty special that day.

e-bone ver2.awesome · August 18, 2006

This is why I will never forget Jai Steadman.
I retired last spring. My wife wanted to make my last day at work something special. She knew NT basketball is my number one passion. Without my knowledge she called the basketball department and asked for their help. The NCAA final four was going on at that time and Jai Steadman was the only coach still in Denton.
As time was running out on my last day, in walked coach Steadman, the entire NT basketball team and three cheerleaders in game dress. The cheerleaders danced while the NT fight song played and then they did some cheers. Next, coach Steadman and the players shook my hand and congratulated me.
I am not a big donor to NT Athletics or an important person that needs to be kept happy or anything like that, but I felt pretty special that day.
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That's great. It is that kind of thing that is rarely reported or talked about. But if a player is ineligible, no matter if that type of thing happens at every school in the country, then the coaches get blasted.

eulesseagle · August 18, 2006

B.J.--

Were the cheerleaders mail or femail?

Buford_Julep · August 18, 2006

Three young women.

UNTLifer · August 18, 2006

femail?
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Zeke · August 18, 2006

This is why I will never forget Jai Steadman.
I retired last spring. My wife wanted to make my last day at work something special. She knew NT basketball is my number one passion. Without my knowledge she called the basketball department and asked for their help. The NCAA final four was going on at that time and Jai Steadman was the only coach still in Denton.
As time was running out on my last day, in walked coach Steadman, the entire NT basketball team and three cheerleaders in game dress. The cheerleaders danced while the NT fight song played and then they did some cheers. Next, coach Steadman and the players shook my hand and congratulated me.
I am not a big donor to NT Athletics or an important person that needs to be kept happy or anything like that, but I felt pretty special that day.
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That is a really really cool story.

GrandGreen · August 18, 2006

There got to be more to this story. Steadman was the one credited with getting the recent transfers so this might be a big loss in recruiting.

NT appeared to be one over the ship limit so they must have known that there was going to be an opening.

This highly touted recruiting class is beginning to look very suspect. Muse the most highly rated did not qualify. Jackson has not played in two years. Bell the point guard althought highly touted his fish year was not even jc all conference playing on a team that three others make all conference his soph year. Mangrum was hurt most of his senior year. Of course we will have to wait another year and see on the two transfers Dennis and Fleming.

Edited August 18, 2006 by GrandGreen