Sun Belt Spring Preview

MeanGreen61 · February 20, 2007

North Texas Begins: March 13 Game: April 22

The early spring buzz ... All eyes are on Todd Dodge and if he can get the job done. A star from the Texas high school ranks, Dodge and his spread offense will try to kick-start one of the nation's worst attacks. His old job at Southlake Carroll High had better facilities and was bigger in-state than UNT, but the athletic department is making a bigger commitment to football. Wins right off the bat would help.

The big spring question is ... Can either of the main quarterback options actually run the spread? Daniel Meager and Woody Wilson struggled mightily with the old offense, and there aren't many wide receiver options for the spread, so it might take a while for all the pieces to fit into place. Both quarterbacks can run, so look for more responsibility heaped on these two right off the bat.

The most important position to watch is ... Besides quarterback, running back. Jamario Thomas is back for another year after leading the nation in rushing a few seasons ago. He was phased out over last year in favor of Evan Roberston, but Robertson has to get academically eligible first. He's at North Central Texas College and will miss spring ball, but he should be back by the fall. That means Thomas should have the upper hand early on with all the spring practice reps unless JUCO transfer Cameron Montgomery turns into a star right away.

Spring attitude... It wasn't all that long ago that North Texas was the powerhouse of the Sun Belt. Two lousy seasons have forced a regime change, and Dodge should be just the coach to get the program back on track. It'll take a little bit of patience early on, but it's not like the offense can be any worse. At least there'll be some semblance of a passing game.

ANALYZING THE SUN BELT - SPRING PREVIEW

http://cfn.scout.com/2/620045.html

NORTH TEXAS RECRUIT CLASS

North Texas Mean Green 2007 - Sun Belt Head Coach: Todd Dodge

2007 Recruiting Class

Star of the Class

Cam Montgomery RB 6-2 195 Northeast Mississippi J.C. (The Woodlands HS)

As a senior in 2004 at The Woodlands he rushed 226 times for 1,335 yards and 23 TD ... Had six 100-yard games in senior year of high school ... Four-star JUCO recruit by Scout.com ... Rated nation’s third-best JUCO running back by Scout.com.

Potential Instant Impact Players

A.J. Penson LB 6-1 220 Lufkin, Texas (Lufkin HS)

2006 First team All-district 15-5A ... In 2006 recorded 85 tackles and 14 tackles for loss ... In 2005 had 85 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and three sacks ... Honorable mention 5A All-state by Texas Sports Writers Association ... 2006 Second team All-Texas by 5Atexasfootball.com ... 2005 All-Junior selection by 5Atexasfootball.com at defensive end ... Rated as No. 40 MLB in nation by Scout.com ... Rated as No. 7 inside linebacker in Texas by Rivals.com ... Two-year starter on district champion Lufkin Panthers ... Member of 2005 state semi-finalist and 2006 Bi-district champions ... State Top-100 prospect by San Antonio Express-News.

Giovanni Vizza QB 6-1 195 San Antonio, Texas (Alamo Heights HS)

In 2006 put up numbers of 107 rushes, 667 rushing yards and seven touchdowns along with 218/357 passing (61%) for 3,278 yards, 37 touchdowns to only eight interceptions and a 116.3 QB rating ... In 2005 had 98 rushes for 687 yards and six scores to go along with 127/215 passing (59%) for 2,062 yards and 17 TD ... Rated fifth overall prospect in San Antonio Express-News Top-20 ... Rushed for 141 yards and 2 TD, threw 26-42 for 347 yards and two scores with no interceptions in 2006 state title game versus Copperas Cove ... Member of 2006 4A Division I state champions; first state title in school history ... Named Offensive Player of the Year – regardless of classification – on 2006 All-Texas team by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football ... Unanimous All-District 27-4A ... Combined 747 yards passing and seven touchdowns in state finals and semifinals ...2006 All-Area Sub-5A by San Antonio Express-News ... Named 2006 week six area Player of the Week by San Antonio Express-News

Rest of the Class

Marquese Davis

LB

6-1

230

Atlanta, Texas (Atlanta HS)

Jesse DeSoto

DL

6-2

275

San Antonio, Texas (Lee HS)

Sam Dibrell

WR

6-2

205

San Antonio, Texas (Alamo Heights HS)

Kevin Ealey

DB

5-9

185

Brenham, Texas (Brenham HS)

Bron Hager

DB

6-1

210

Austin, Texas (Westlake HS)

Breece Johnson

WR

6-1

175

Colleyville, Texas (Heritage HS)

J.J. Johnson

OL

6-2

278

Plano, Texas (Plano West HS)

Marcus King

WR

6-3

200

Euless, Texas (Trinity HS)

B.J. Lewis

WR

6-1

190

Waco, Texas (Robinson HS)

Micah Mosley

RB

6-1

205

Nederland, Texas (Nederland HS)

Justin Padron

LB

6-0

220

Southlake, Texas (Carroll HS)

Sam Roberson

WR

6-4

210

Somerville, Texas (Somerville HS)

Kyle Russo

DE

6-3

245

Southlake, Texas (Carroll HS)

Jordan Scoggins

DL

6-1

274

Euless, Texas (Trinity HS)

Matt Tomlinson

OL

6-5

270

Klein, Texas (Klein HS)

Evan Walker

WR

5-11

185

Colleyville, Texas (Heritage HS)

Greg Garden

DB

5-11

187

Navy (Denton Ryan HS)

Edited February 20, 2007 by MeanGreen61

greenminer · February 20, 2007

Where the heck are people getting that SLC's facilities are better than our's? You can mock on Fouts all you want, but doesn't Dragon stadium seat less than 13K?

ipd054 · February 20, 2007

Where the heck are people getting that SLC's facilities are better than our's? You can mock on Fouts all you want, but doesn't Dragon stadium seat less than 13K?

Lets do the run down

Parking SLC

Seating Capacity UNT

Site Line SLC

Locker Room SLC

Turf TIE

Concessions SLC

Vending (t-shirt sales) SLC

Band UNT

Tailgate UNT

What am I missing?

Edited February 20, 2007 by ipd054

PHSCoach · February 20, 2007

SLC has an indoor practice field, A little smaller locker room, weight room is a little larger, stadium has better playing surface

MeanGreenBrigader · February 20, 2007

Who cares about that? What I care about is what these guys will do HERE with OUR facilities.

With that said, I think we're sitting pretty to upset the SBC. On that website, not once is NT mentioned as a favorite to take the conference. When you think about it, there is not really a "powerhouse" in the Sun Belt. Sure Troy is the reigning champion, but since our 4-year run, no one has established themself as the daddy.

The Conference is up for grabs.

GMG

FirefightnRick · February 20, 2007

Locker rooms: North Texas

Concessions: North Texas

Parking: North Texas

Coaches Offices: North Texas

Weight Room: North Texas

Turff: North Texas

I'm thinking few people on this board have actually walked into the SLC and NT facilities in order to compare the two correctly. Coach Dodge and his assistants new offices are extremely nice compared to many other D I programs much less to what he had at SLC. And the new 7,000 sqft NT weight room is incredible. And anyone who thinks their parking is nicer than ours hasn't been there before. They have to share their space with a warehouse district and in order to get even remotely close to the stadium you have to park up and over a curb into a field. Otherwise your parking over behind a bunch of buildings and hiking over.

Rick

Edited February 20, 2007 by FirefightnRick

gangrene · February 20, 2007

Where the heck are people getting that SLC's facilities are better than our's?

I'm sick of hearing that comment too! :rolleyes:

WIFE2HOT4U · February 20, 2007

SOUTHLAKE -- Carroll school district's indoor workout building has a new name: the Performance Course Stalcup Training Center.

The school board voted 6-1 Monday to rename the $1.2 million building after Performance Course, an athletic-training company, and the late Carroll football defensive coordinator Charlie Stalcup.

Under the contract, the Allen company will pay the school district $30,000 per year for 10 years. The contract will make Performance Course the exclusive athletic trainer on district property. Performance Course will also have rights to place ads in folders students take home and inside the Stalcup workout center.

Stalcup is best known for inspiring players, teachers and the community during a five-year fight against skin cancer. He died in July 2004 at age 50.

But Murphy Webster, who owns Velocity Sports Performance, a Southlake sports training company, said that he would have paid more for the naming rights, although he didn't mention a figure. He said that he thinks that a 10-year contract is too long. He told trustees that he would have liked the chance to negotiate a contract. He said he did not know that the naming rights were on the table.

After Webster spoke, the board met behind closed doors for about three hours before emerging for a vote. The indoor workout center, at Carroll Senior High School, opened in August 2000.

Area school districts, such as Grapevine-Colleyville and Mansfield, have been marketing advertising agreements for years as a way to raise money. The money is not subject to Robin Hood, the state program that shifts money from wealthy school districts to poorer school districts.

In Carroll, officials said, Stalcup's name will remind people of his strength and character.

"He was just such an example of a role model for our kids, through his illness. He was taking treatments, and he would take a golf cart and come out to practices and motivate kids," said Julie Thannum, a district spokeswoman. "He had Dragon spirit, and he epitomized what we want our employees and our students to be."

The district's dragon mascot character, Charlie, is also named for Stalcup; the name received the most entries in a contest in 2004.

greenminer · February 20, 2007

SOUTHLAKE -- Carroll school district's indoor workout building has a new name: the Performance Course Stalcup Training Center.
The school board voted 6-1 Monday to rename the $1.2 million building after Performance Course, an athletic-training company, and the late Carroll football defensive coordinator Charlie Stalcup.
Under the contract, the Allen company will pay the school district $30,000 per year for 10 years. The contract will make Performance Course the exclusive athletic trainer on district property. Performance Course will also have rights to place ads in folders students take home and inside the Stalcup workout center.
Stalcup is best known for inspiring players, teachers and the community during a five-year fight against skin cancer. He died in July 2004 at age 50.
But Murphy Webster, who owns Velocity Sports Performance, a Southlake sports training company, said that he would have paid more for the naming rights, although he didn't mention a figure. He said that he thinks that a 10-year contract is too long. He told trustees that he would have liked the chance to negotiate a contract. He said he did not know that the naming rights were on the table.
After Webster spoke, the board met behind closed doors for about three hours before emerging for a vote. The indoor workout center, at Carroll Senior High School, opened in August 2000.
Area school districts, such as Grapevine-Colleyville and Mansfield, have been marketing advertising agreements for years as a way to raise money. The money is not subject to Robin Hood, the state program that shifts money from wealthy school districts to poorer school districts.
In Carroll, officials said, Stalcup's name will remind people of his strength and character.
"He was just such an example of a role model for our kids, through his illness. He was taking treatments, and he would take a golf cart and come out to practices and motivate kids," said Julie Thannum, a district spokeswoman. "He had Dragon spirit, and he epitomized what we want our employees and our students to be."
The district's dragon mascot character, Charlie, is also named for Stalcup; the name received the most entries in a contest in 2004.

apples vs. oranges? This is a district facility that implies it's shared by all the Carroll schools (Carroll High, Carroll Senior High, and the feeders). Why don't we ask the Sun Belt for a facility to share between us and the LA schools so that we can say our facilities compete with UT's?

Edited February 20, 2007 by greenminer

NT80 · February 21, 2007

Southlake Dragon Stadium.....

http://www.flexicoreoftexas.com/pix/5_02/stadium2.jpg

Baby Arm! · February 21, 2007

Southlake Dragon Stadium.....
http://www.flexicoreoftexas.com/pix/5_02/stadium2.jpg

That picture is of a stadium is in Galena Park...Doh!

This thread just goes to show that perception of the quality of facilities begins and ends with your stadium. It doesn't matter that SLC's training & rehab facilities, coaches offices, meeting rooms, A/V capabilities, weight room, equipment room, locker rooms etc don't compare to what UNT has at the AC, people just look at the stadium and say they have nicer facilities.

BTW, Rick is correct about the parking at Dragon Stadium... it's the only time I've ever had to pay for parking at a high school stadium.

Edited February 21, 2007 by Baby Arm!

NT80 · February 21, 2007

That picture is of a stadium is in Galena Park...Doh!

Then it's built by the same company that built SLC's because it was on Carroll's "google" page. Check out the likeness to these "real" Carroll Stadium photos....

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...l%3Den%26sa%3DN