Expanded Article on Modkins

Harry · December 1, 2006

http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/...b.3fbbd9cf.html

Georgia Tech's Modkins familiar with UNT

Former TCU coach visited Denton as high school recruit

11:23 PM CST on Thursday, November 30, 2006

By Brett Vito/Staff Writer

Georgia Tech running backs coach Curtis Modkins first had a chance to see what North Texas had to offer all the way back when he was a standout running back at Marlin.

Modkins came to UNT on a recruiting visit but decided to play for TCU. If Modkins has his way, he will spend a whole lot more time in Denton in the coming years.

The former TCU assistant who is now in his fifth year at Tech said Thursday that he is interested in UNT's opening for a head coach. He has yet to be contacted by UNT.

"I definitely have an interest in the job, but right now with where we are at in the season, my focus in on the ACC championship game," Modkins said. "After that I would be interested in the job."

Georgia Tech will face Wake Forest in the ACC title game on Saturday.

Modkins started for three years at running back for TCU and racked up 2,763 rushing yards. He was a second team All-Southwest Conference pick in 1992 and ranked third on TCU's career rushing leaders list at the end of his career.

Modkins joined TCU's staff after his senior year. He was a graduate assistant for one season and a full-time assistant for the next two years during a tenure that spanned from 1995-97. UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal was the director of football operations and was also an assistant athletic director at TCU over the same three years.

"I feel comfortable with Rick," Modkins said. "I know what he is about and I have coached in the area."

Modkins is in his fifth year at Georgia Tech and his fourth as running backs coach. He has coached two of the top running backs in Yellow Jackets history. In 2003, P.J. Daniels rushed for 1,447, the second highest single-season total in Tech history while playing for Modkins. Tashard Choice has rushed for 1,204 yards so far this season, a total that ranks fifth in school history.

UNT is looking for a replacement for Darrell Dickey, who was fired in the middle of his ninth season with the Mean Green earlier this year.

Briefly …

UTEP offensive coordinator Eric Price said Thursday that he is still interested in UNT's opening for a head coach but has yet to be contacted by the school. Midwestern State head coach Bill Maskill also expressed interest in the job but has not heard from UNT.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.