Looking Back @ The 2003 Recruiting Class

[UNTLifer]

SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT Pos Stars Ht Wt 40 RR Video Hometown

Josh Alexander DT 6-3 278 4.95 - Fort Worth, TX

Rendal Bailey OL 6-4 295 5.1 - Fort Worth, TX

Cordale Baldwin RB 5-10 185 - - Phlugerville, TX

Jeremy Brown DT 6-5 270 5 - Tecumseh, OK

Lawrence Brown DE 6-3 200 - - Houston, TX

Blake Burrus TE 6-6 235 4.7 - Westmoore, OK

Joey Byerly DT 6-4 215 - - Orange, TX

Lonnie Chambers OL 6-4 295 - - Athens, TX

Charles DuPree DE 6-3 212 4.75 - Miami, OK

Raifu Durodoye RB 6-1 225 4.63 - Denton, TX

Allan Harrison DB 6-2 188 - - Big Lake, TX

Maurice Holman LB 6-0 209 4.6 - Mount Vernon, TX

Eli Hutchinson DE 6-4 230 5.1 - Miami, OK

Jon Ieans QB 6-5 200 - - Houston, TX

Curt Jones DT 6-2 260 - - Sinton, TX

Dupree Jones RB 5-10 180 - - Northeast, OK

Arther McNac LB 6-0 260 - - Northeast, OK

Zach Muzzy WR 5-10 175 - - Alvin, TX

Brian Nelson DB 6-0 180 - - Mansfield, TX

Damion Nobles OL 6-4 290 - - Navarro, OK

Michael Pruitt DT 6-2 280 4.8 - Miami, OK

T.J. Raymond DT 6-2 280 - - Grand Prairie, TX

Montey Stevenson DT 6-2 240 - - Alvarado, TX

Adam Venegas DT 6-5 277 5.2 - Olathe, KS

[IslandEagle]

SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT Pos Stars Ht Wt 40 RR Video Hometown

Josh Alexander DT  6-3 278 4.95 -  Fort Worth, TX

Rendal Bailey OL  6-4 295 5.1 -  Fort Worth, TX

Cordale Baldwin RB  5-10 185 - -  Phlugerville, TX

Jeremy Brown DT  6-5 270 5 -  Tecumseh, OK

Lawrence Brown DE  6-3 200 - -  Houston, TX

Blake Burrus TE  6-6 235 4.7 -  Westmoore, OK

Joey Byerly DT  6-4 215 - -  Orange, TX

Lonnie Chambers OL  6-4 295 - -  Athens, TX

Charles DuPree DE  6-3 212 4.75 -  Miami, OK

Raifu Durodoye RB  6-1 225 4.63 -  Denton, TX

Allan Harrison DB  6-2 188 - -  Big Lake, TX

Maurice Holman LB  6-0 209 4.6 -  Mount Vernon, TX

Eli Hutchinson DE  6-4 230 5.1 -  Miami, OK

Jon Ieans QB  6-5 200 - -  Houston, TX

Curt Jones DT  6-2 260 - -  Sinton, TX

Dupree Jones RB  5-10 180 - -  Northeast, OK

Arther McNac LB  6-0 260 - -  Northeast, OK

Zach Muzzy WR  5-10 175 - -  Alvin, TX

Brian Nelson DB  6-0 180 - -  Mansfield, TX

Damion Nobles OL  6-4 290 - -  Navarro, OK

Michael Pruitt DT  6-2 280 4.8 -  Miami, OK

T.J. Raymond DT  6-2 280 - -  Grand Prairie, TX

Montey Stevenson DT  6-2 240 - -  Alvarado, TX

Adam Venegas DT  6-5 277 5.2 -  Olathe, KS

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Obviously, guys like Venegas, Hutchinson,Stevenson, Pruitt, Muzzy, Durodoye, Burrus, Brown, Alexander have or had made it as contributors and Holman is a star, but what stands out to me is the fact that Harrison and Raymond could have been real stars if they had made their grades and Byerly could have been a stud if he had been willing to play a position other than QB. I'm not so concerned about the other ones who disappeared other than they were wasted scholarships in retrospect.

[calvin]

Looking at that list it is easy to see why we are struggling, how many impact players are on that list and how many of those players will be starting as seniors.

[BIG DAWG]

pretty tough to look at all the players that are no longer here, and the lack of IMPACT players.

You could argue that Holman is the only IMPACT player from this class

[UNTLifer]

Pruitt was the star of the class.

Chambers and Nobles provided valuable depth on the OL as JUCO transfers.

Holman is turning into a great linebacker.

Bailey, Baldwin, Byerly, Harrison, Ieans, Curt Jones (Never set foot on campus) and Raymond are all gone.

Dupree and Hutchinson never lived up to expectations.

McNac was another JUCO that added depth at LB.

Dupree Jones was sent to a JUCO and never contributed much.

The rest are servicable but aren't impact players.

I would say 10 of the 24 were busts, and NT can't afford to have over 40% of a class not contribute.

[GreenBat]

Removed because it might offend some players, who have thin skin.

Edited October 12, 2006 by GreenBat

[BoosterClub]

This is the stupidest topic I've seen yet on this board. How about some constructive criticism, something for the players to work on, instead of busting their chops?? Especially with the coaching (or lack of) they've had. Even great players would only be mediocre if they didn't have a great coach who knows how to best teach and coach that particular player. I hope to God the players who read this board don't get anymore discouraged than they must already be, and give up completely. This sucks.

[LoveMG]

Especially with the coaching (or lack of) they've had.

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bingo.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

This is the stupidest topic I've seen yet on this board. How about some constructive criticism, something for the players to work on, instead of busting their chops??  Especially with the coaching (or lack of) they've had. Even great players would only be mediocre if they didn't have a great coach who knows how to best teach and coach that particular player.  I hope to God the players who read this board don't get anymore discouraged than they must already be, and give up completely. This sucks.

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It is not a stupid topic. Texas Football has it every year.

Recruiting is the lifeblood of our program. There were only two impact players in that class...Pruitt and Holman. They are the only ones that have received some kind of all-conference accolades. It was stated that the others still in the program have been servicable. A few were starters in varying degrees but are not impact players. We cannot advance the program with only two impact players per year.

None of the posts were derogatory against current players. The condemnation is toward those that didn't report or failed to keep up their grades. Personally, I question the caliber of the entire class but never the effort or devotion of those who stick with the program. And, yes, coaching plays a major part with those that had the potential to develop.

Anyway, stick around for the 2008 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football and you'll see this rehashed and graded again. Maybe they'll be kinder than my letter grade of C-.

[UNTLifer]

This is the stupidest topic I've seen yet on this board. How about some constructive criticism, something for the players to work on, instead of busting their chops??  Especially with the coaching (or lack of) they've had. Even great players would only be mediocre if they didn't have a great coach who knows how to best teach and coach that particular player.  I hope to God the players who read this board don't get anymore discouraged than they must already be, and give up completely. This sucks.

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My intention was exactly what GrayEagleOne stated above. I would assume, yes, I know what happens, that based on your location that you are the parent of one of the players. Please know that I mean absolutely nothing derogatory from the post, but recruiting is what feeds the program, just as the draft feeds the professional teams. I too am proud of the effort and devotion the young men that have stuck around have made to the program, but I also know that this isn't high school anymore. These young men are given a free education based upon their athletic skills, so you could say they are paid.

Every recruit is rated coming out of high school. Does that suck too? Texas Football, and I'm sure many other publications, revisit and rate recruiting classes annually. Is that a stupid topic? Again, I certainly didn't mean to offend any parents of current players, because I respect their effort, but when you play major college ball it comes with the territory.

[Mean'n'Green07]

This is the stupidest topic I've seen yet on this board.

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It always cracks me up to hear someone use the adjective 'stupidest' when they are tying to explain why something is brainless.