My Bet Is Unt Coach Dodge Will Have Superb Walk-on Program!

[PlummMeanGreen]

Back in the day, ex UNT Coach Jerry Moore was a big advocate of a well organized walk-on program such as the one he left at Nebraska. I have a good feeling that Coach Dodge will have a well organized walk-on program at UNT as well.

IMO, one of the greatest things of being close to so many DFW area potential recruits is how many of them can actually come up (alone) or even with their parents on an "unofficial visit" status to visit our huge sprawling campus.

We do have very much to sell at UNT with all our most recent newer venues such as our huge city block long Student Rec Center, new dorms springing up all over for the largest residential campus this side of UT-Austin and so much more. Of course, the Mean Green Village is the icing on the cake for all our present athletes as well as all the new ones on the way.

[Green Mean]

I think walk on programs for schools like UNT is awesome...theres a lot of talent floating around all over the state that just want one chance to prove their ability....ESPECIALLY kickers, punters, special teams type of players. I mean in that situation I highly doubt players necessarily care about the facilities, prestige etc etc( tho it surely doesnt hurt afcourse) In addition it seems like a lot of walk ons have heart the size of a gorilla and are very scrappy and gritty players. Even if you have one or two descent players that pan out ever couple of years I think it would be WELL WORTH the program.

Edited January 22, 2007 by Green Mean

[PlummMeanGreen]

I think walk on programs for schools like UNT is awesome...theres a lot of talent floating around all over the state that just want one chance to prove their ability....ESPECIALLY kickers, punters, special teams type of players. I mean in that situation I highly doubt players necessarily care about the facilities, prestige etc etc( tho it surely doesnt hurt afcourse) In addition it seems like a lot of walk ons have heart the size of a gorilla and are very scrappy and gritty players. Even if you have one or two descent players that pan out ever couple of years I think it would be WELL WORTH the program.

Plus I think we've even had 1 or 2 walk-ons at UNT that became All SBC performers?

I'd think any UNT walk-on would get more than a fair assessment with our new Mean Green coaching staff; seems they even did with the previous one.

Out of what I think I once read were about 140,000 that played Texas HS football, we know the recruiting gurus are missing a few 2 or 3 star Lone Star Friday Night Heros; and who knows, maybe even a 5 star from a smaller (1A or 2A) Texas HS slips under their radars from time to time. We all but know there will be some 2 star rated seniors that will eventually develop into a 3, 4 or 5 star college football player before they graduate.

Edited January 22, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[GreenBat]

Plus I think we've even had 1 or 2 walk-ons at UNT that became All SBC performers?

Chris Hurd was a walk on and he was the SBC defensive player of the year.

Here is the criteria for walking on at NT

Link

North Texas Football Conducts Open Walk-On Tryouts Based On The Following Criteria

If you are not currently enrolled in North Texas:

-You must apply and be accepted to North Texas

-Once you have been accepted, proceed with the below instructions

-If you have not applied, do so at your earliest convienance

-If you are not accepted to North Texas, you will not be able to walk-on (per NCAA rules)

For Spring 2007

If currently enrolled at North Texas:

North Texas students interested in walking onto the football team for the spring 2007 season must be enrolled full-time at North Texas and be in good academic standing.

If you are a senior graduating May/June 2007 and will be a first time UNT freshman student in the fall of 2007:

-must be accepted and enrolled full-time at North Texas

must be cleared by NCAA Clearinghouse (for clearinghouse info, see your high school counselor)

If you are a potential walk-on who is enrolled at another institution of higher education (ie junior college, community college or four-year college) and currently on the football roster (or at one time have been on the football roster) fall under the category of transfer. Because of this, no member of the North Texas Athletic Department may be in contact with you (regardless if you contact North Texas first) until North Texas receives a release from your school (per NCAA rules).

[rcd12]

I agree. A school like North Texas must be able to take advantage of every resource available to them. One major resource we have is a 30k+ student body and there has got to be some talent and desire somewhere in that number. I do think that Coach Dodge will implement a successful walk-on program, but I do not believe that the previous staff had done this as I have said before. This is evident from the margin of the number of players on the roster to the NCAA regulated roster limit (somewhere around 25 open spots not used).

[PHSCoach]

UNT had 101 players listed on the roster counting the ones that did not make grades at the end of last year. They can have a max of 105 so get your grades in line and report to the AC.

Edited January 23, 2007 by PHSCoach

[rcd12]

105 is the number that they can bring to fall camp. The new rule that the NCAA established in 2005 was that a team could have an unlimited number of players in the time period between the first day of class and the first game, before the first game the roster must be cut down to 120 players (which is the upper boundary on the margin number that I was referring to). Spring roster limits are different however and I believe the number is unlimited.

Edited January 23, 2007 by rcd12

[PHSCoach]

NCAA 2006-2007 Manual

17.11.2.1.2 D1A 105 student-athletes who may engage in pratice activities................

I have no idea where you got your dream of 120 or unlimited roster

[rcd12]

I was a walk-on quarterback at TCU in 2005 only during camp and then I decided to transfer back to North Texas before school started because of the high tuition costs there.

This is a direct quote from the walk-on invitation letter that the assistant director of football operations sent to me and was mailed out to all invited walk-ons that year:

"New NCAA legislation allows us to bring an unlimited number of walk-ons at the start of classes, but the roster must be trimmed to 120 (85 scholarship and 35 walk-ons) by the first game of the season. This gives you the opportunity to show the coaching staff that you will be able to help us be successful in 2005 - in whatever capacity that may be. If you are not one of the 120 players selected to remain on the team through the fall, you will get the opportunity to prove yourself once again in the spring of 2006."

And since your obviously confused on this matter and only gave a partial statement in reference to bylaw 17.11.2.1.2, I will clear it up for you.

17.11.2.1.2 Limit on Number of Participants -- Division I-A.

"In Division I-A football, there shall be a limit of 105 student-athletes who may engage in practice activities prior to the institution's first day of classes or the institution's first contest, whichever occurs earlier." (Adopted: 1/11/94)

To put this in terms that you can understand, the bylaw states that prior to the institution's first day of classes there is a limit of 105 players. Which is referenced in the part of my statement where I said, "105 is the number that they can bring into fall camp."

Link to Bylaw

Edited January 23, 2007 by rcd12

[rcd12]

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Edited January 23, 2007 by rcd12

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---It has been a while but Beasley Reese (from Temple) was a walk-on for Hayden Fry during the mid 70's... he was later given a scholarship and after graduation went to the NFL (undrafted) and made the Cowboys then to the Giants then to Tampa Bay. I think he played 10-12 years as a defensive player mostly in NY. The last I heard of him he broadcasting sports for (CBS?).

---It is very possible that walk-ons can be very good. A lot of good players are missed, sometimes because of size and sometimes because they haven't fully matured by the end of HS. Some make up the difference in size with desire and the mental ability to understand the game..... which may be overlooked when recruiting but becomes very obvious when working with them personally..

Edited January 23, 2007 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[PlummMeanGreen]

---It has been a while but Beasley Reese (from Temple) was a walk-on for Hayden Fry during the mid 70's... he was later given a scholarship and after graduation went to the NFL (undrafted) and made the Cowboys then to the Giants then to Tampa Bay. I think he played 10-12 years as a defensive player mostly in NY. The last I heard of him he broadcasting sports for (CBS?).

---It is very possible that walk-ons can be very good. A lot of good players are missed, sometimes because of size and sometimes because they haven't fully matured by the end of HS. Some make up the difference in size with desire and the mental ability to understand the game..... which may be overlooked when recruiting but becomes very obvious when working with them personally..

Good post, SCREAMING EAGLE--66...

It was a pleasure watching Beasley Reese develop into a very good football player at North Texas. I had almost forgotten that he came to Denton as a walk-on.

Beasley has also the last 2 or so decades carved himself a very nice (and successful) career with major networks as a sports analyst and color commentator. He also came from great stock as his dad was a Texas High School administrator.

There are really many positive things that can happen for a walk-on at UNT. Hope this aspect of our football program becomes a solid one under Coach Dodge (and I think most of us feel that it will).

Edited January 24, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[PlummMeanGreen]

UNT had 101 players listed on the roster counting the ones that did not make grades at the end of last year. They can have a max of 105 so get your grades in line and report to the AC.

I would think after most our 'ships are filled in a couple of weeks (but don't they always keep several available for walk-on's, right?); anyway, after this recruiting haul is in I'd bet that we will still fall way short of 105 total varsity football players over at the Mean Green Village; but I wonder just how short?

I think this Spring and Fall would be a great opportunity for any walk-on who plans to come to UNT during this exciting new era we find ourselves in.

Edited January 24, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen