Recruiting War Opposition

[Smitty]

The thing that amazes me the most about this sudden wealth of recruits and commitments is the universities that North Texas is beating for these kids. There are a lot of major football powers who are expressing interest in these players. In years past, we rarely saw North Texas mentioned in such company. And to be beating these schools? It is an absolutely remarkable turnaround.

This brief list of schools is pulled from bios and commitment reports as having either offered or recruited players that have committed to or are considering North Texas:

Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Colorado State, Iowa State, Tulsa, TCU, Arizona, West Virginia, Baylor, Kansas, Purdue, Utah, Houston, Iowa, Penn, Princeton, UTEP, Yale, Mississippi, Ohio State, SMU, Louisiana Tech, UL Monroe, Air Force, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest

Two schools showing up on these lists a lot - and perhaps suffering the most from Todd Dodge's arrival - Tulsa and Oklahoma State. I wonder if those two are going to see their supply of Texas recruits dramatically reduced.

UNT's increased recruiting is also a huge reason why SMU, Rice, Houston, and possibly Tulsa will fight North Texas joining Conference USA.

[PlummMeanGreen]

The thing that amazes me the most about this sudden wealth of recruits and commitments is the universities that North Texas is beating for these kids. There are a lot of major football powers who are expressing interest in these players. In years past, we rarely saw North Texas mentioned in such company. And to be beating these schools? It is an absolutely remarkable turnaround.

This brief list of schools is pulled from bios and commitment reports as having either offered or recruited players that have committed to or are considering North Texas:

Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Colorado State, Iowa State, Tulsa, TCU, Arizona, West Virginia, Baylor, Kansas, Purdue, Utah, Houston, Iowa, Penn, Princeton, UTEP, Yale, Mississippi, Ohio State, SMU, Louisiana Tech, UL Monroe, Air Force, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest

Two schools showing up on these lists a lot - and perhaps suffering the most from Todd Dodge's arrival - Tulsa and Oklahoma State. I wonder if those two are going to see their supply of Texas recruits dramatically reduced.

UNT's increased recruiting is also a huge reason why SMU, Rice, Houston, and possibly Tulsa will fight North Texas joining Conference USA.

Personally, I'd like to see all of the Okie schools supply of Texas talent be reduced to zilch; of course, had that happened the last 60 or so years, there would be no NC banners at Owens Field in Norman, now would there? Of course, we'd still love for many of those Okies to enroll at UNT.

All of this with Todd Dodge & staff is exceeding anything that any of us could have ever expected at this juncture. Wonder if he could accompany our fund-raisers when they go out trying to land the Big Donor for "you know what" that hopefully seats 40,000 (minimum)?!?!?!?

PS: Still deferring to the "edited" signature below.

Edited June 12, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[PlummMeanGreen]

The thing that amazes me the most about this sudden wealth of recruits and commitments is the universities that North Texas is beating for these kids. There are a lot of major football powers who are expressing interest in these players. In years past, we rarely saw North Texas mentioned in such company. And to be beating these schools? It is an absolutely remarkable turnaround.

This brief list of schools is pulled from bios and commitment reports as having either offered or recruited players that have committed to or are considering North Texas:

Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Colorado State, Iowa State, Tulsa, TCU, Arizona, West Virginia, Baylor, Kansas, Purdue, Utah, Houston, Iowa, Penn, Princeton, UTEP, Yale, Mississippi, Ohio State, SMU, Louisiana Tech, UL Monroe, Air Force, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest

Two schools showing up on these lists a lot - and perhaps suffering the most from Todd Dodge's arrival - Tulsa and Oklahoma State. I wonder if those two are going to see their supply of Texas recruits dramatically reduced.

UNT's increased recruiting is also a huge reason why SMU, Rice, Houston, and possibly Tulsa will fight North Texas joining Conference USA.

Sorry about the double post, yet you're right Smitty (IMHO)..........

........... AND............... even more the reason UNT must out-do all those schools with our football program and our future new football stadium. Surely we won't build a new stadium in Denton that just seats 500 more than Fouts Field? What a terrific, bonehead mistake that would be which would only bogg Mean Green football down for another 2 or 3 generations.

Do we really want the next 25 years to be like the last 25 years have been; that is, of non-Top 25 ranked MG football?

We have to be bigger and better than this group of CUSA schools, folks. That is the only thing that will really impress them and bring us into CUSA (for you who think that league is our ultimate panacea--of which I do not). Keep in mind, most of those schools have already voted twice to keep UNT out of both the SWC and CUSA. (Anyone really don't think an out-dated track stadium call Fouts Field didn't play some part of of that)?

U OF HOUSTON OUT-DID MOST ALL THE SWC WHEN IT WANTED IN : Superior performance and an impressive football stadium were (part) of the very things that got UH voted into the old Southwest Conference.

The Coogs' didn't just merely equal everything SWC schools were doing to get in, but they exceeded most all of the SWC schools plus they brought an impressive football stadium into the SWC fray; namely the Astrodome (then a novelty that many called the "8'th Wonder of the World" and an impressive recruiting tool for UH to boot).

Edited June 12, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

The thing that amazes me the most about this sudden wealth of recruits and commitments is the universities that North Texas is beating for these kids. There are a lot of major football powers who are expressing interest in these players. In years past, we rarely saw North Texas mentioned in such company. And to be beating these schools? It is an absolutely remarkable turnaround.

UNT's increased recruiting is also a huge reason why SMU, Rice, Houston, and possibly Tulsa will fight North Texas joining Conference USA.

---I disagree.......Since the increased recruiting is being successful anyway, I would think it would increase the odds. One reason to have kept us out is so we couldn't recruit against them. It appears that reason is disappearing fast and being a member or not a member may make little difference now. I would think one more reason to keep out is vanishing.

---If we can overshadow SMU (especially because of the large Dallas/Texas market) and also some others of them without being a member, then I would think it might increase our chances. It is extremely early and maybe not possible but a good winning season this year and defeating SMU again would sure help our reputation and credibility. Overall last season was a bad one but it would not take a lot of improvement to turn several of those losses into wins. Less stupid penalities and a better mind-set will help a lot.

Edited June 12, 2007 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[NT80]

UNT's increased recruiting is also a huge reason why SMU, Rice, Houston, and possibly Tulsa will fight North Texas joining Conference USA.

I also disagree. Rivalry adds to attendance and media. Would SMUt reject TCU to come back because of recruiting? No. Would any of those mentioned favor a trip to Troy over an easy trip to Denton? I think not.

[PlummMeanGreen]

IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRA HOUR ON YOUR HANDS, READ THIS LATEST INSTALLMENT FROM ONE ALUM WHO HAS BEEN AROUND THE MEAN GREEN SCENE ("...and seen everything except childbirth" to quote Bill Blakely) & AROUND THE MG SCENE LONGER THAN SOME OF YOU ON THIS BOARD HAVE BEEN ALIVE {BUT NOT QUITE AS LONG AS OTHERS}. (and if you make it thru this epistle, please do tell me what part of this is not close to being correct)?

If you are good to go with yet another year of 15,000 per home game @ Fouts Field, then you are not the one that needs to read any of this.

Disclaimer: I (as I know many of you) feel our UNT AD, ie, Rick V, our UNT Head Football Coach (Dodge) and Head Basketball Coach (Jones)--our 2 "money-maker sports" are true NCAA D1-A level talents; its just that many of us don't know who of the UNT ancillery staff meet a similar criteria.............and a major barometer at most schools of their collegues success is usually measured by (increasing) attendance figures (or at least they probably need to be increasing to show yearly positive efforts in that key area of any NCAA D1-A school. Many of us thought Rick V should have all but cleaned house when he arrived in Denton, but by not doing so many feel his talent is being dragged down to the level of those who cannot begin to match his energy and talent level.

...........................................................................

To Rick V: 15K per game averages during prime time ticket selling times (4 bowl years running?) we know didn't meet your own personal expectations from a campus that state of Texas forecasters are saying will be the 2'nd largest in enrollment in the entire state of Texas in due time AND...............with 5-6 million population within 1 hour (give or take) of the Mean Green Village may be a strong indication that sometimes you just might need to consider blowing some things up in some key areas of your athletic department in order to rebuild it back the way you probably wanted things to be when you first hired on at UNT.................

..................and such a "blowing up" effect which would give all of us in the UNT community (including you as our AD) a fresh new beginnning here on the eve of Dodge-Ball (and perhaps a better opportunity) to start doubling our present per home game averages to reach 30,000 plus averages.

We all appreciate the fact that you've already put some key personnel in place (namely Todd Dodge) when you have been having to grin & bear it the last few years with Dickey Ball. Yet for such growth (30K per home game) to have more than a fair chance to materialize, don't we really have a need for ancillary athletic employees on our campus whose talent might give us a real chance to succeeed? Do we have some presently on staff who have had more than ample time to prove themselves yet years later still have not? No one at UNT wins when we have those who have proven they cannot do the job --not even the ineffective employee(s) themselves who might very well be more successful elsewhere by getting a fresh new start at some other collegiate outposts other than the one they've been employed for years.

............................................................................

SO WHAT IS OUR MAIN BAROMETERS OF SUCCESS FOR UNT FOOTBALL/BASKETBALL ANYHOW?

If it's not attendance, then someone please enlighten the rest of us as to what is being used in Denton that measures our ancillery staff's success? Is it all the new facilities we've seen rise on that Texas prairie in recent years? Certain cause for brief celebration, but (for heaven's sakes, folks) without them where would UNT be in context to any school that operates at any division of NCAA? If we don't get those new facilities at the MG Village, wouldn't we be out of the inter-collegiate sports business? So I suppose we can keep on celebrating those (hardly new anymore) facilities and maybe get a bit overboard extolling all the virtues of those bare minimum required facilities out at the MG Village, but aren't they still everything we need to even stay at the NCAA D1-A (or any) level for that matter? Lets move on beyond all the extolling of things we needed 10-15 years ago because haven't we all observed that if you stand still at the NCAA D1-A level, then you are going to soon find yourselves going backwards and members of such conferences as.................well, never mind that one.

Just what other barometers are being used for athletic success at our main campus if what we have been selling (even during prime selling time 4 bowl years) is just not attracting the imagination of our 6 million populated DFW area)? Is it winning civic awards in Denton that gets the job done for our alma mater, ie, UNT athletics or do such things sell an extraordinary number of additional season tickets (in order to help us get us past that vaunted 15K per game averages )?

Is it good ol' boys who will drink a beer or 2 or 3 with you and call you by your first name? Is it UNT officials who might have a bit too much time on their hands to spend with the many of us who give well under $1,000 in most years? Personally, many of us would rather they be spending such time with those out there who could fund our alma mater a brand spanking new NCAA D1-A football stadium or even a bubble indoor practice facility.

Surely at UNT some consider all the personal "first name" attention as an "awe shucks" type of luxury---I do not (and surely most of you have more excitement going on in your life than such attention as that). I think many of us would prefer UNT athletic employees spend all their extra time with those who can and will make a bigger difference ($$$$) much quicker for our school's athletic program and its future than any of us less than $1,000 donors (and also to those who contribue their monies to other campus or academic areas as well).

CHAPTER TWO--CUSA MEMBERSHIP FOR UNT (in some of your wildest dreams)

So for UNT............just what is it that what will suddenly and magically change the minds of several ex SWC/ CUSA schools most of whom are still bitter because they (themselves) were rejected from the Big 12? BTW, the same very schools who have already rejected UNT not just once (now lets all count this together in unison, math majors), but, uh, twice before for conference membership?

Sorry fellas, but 3 1/2 decades of following all this has taught me more than just a few things when it comes to UNT and UNT athletics. I try to wear those green-tinted glasses when I can, but I've also looked at the history of all this, too, and doesn't history usually teach most of us a few things, especially as far as state of Texas NCAA D1-A intercollegiate athletics is concerned?

UNTIL..............UNT's does some things very dramatic (such as something just like or even similar to what I expressed in my below signature manifesto); yet until we do somthing very grandiose in football stadium facilities and turnstile numbers, we are merely going to me continue to be all these Texas-based/ex SWC school's "whipping post"....................

.....................and yet if we met all the aformentioned steps to impress our Texas/CUSA friends, then we have yet anther possible stumbling-block at UNT and that is the fact that then.................CUSA members will all need to decide if they need yet one more Texas-based school in their league. Some in CUSA have already expressed there may be one too many as it is. So.................why would some from UNT continue to "non-stop" put all our alma mater's future eggs in the CUSA basket? Hasn't TCU shown us there are alternatives to CUSA?

Hey folks, I want a fairy tale type/Horatio Algier story for UNT just like the next guy, but I have learned in the past 3 1/2 decades that our thinking what other schools should do on our behalf just because we think that is what they should do will only end in major disappointment and so therefore...........

............I still defer to the "edited" signature below...............and BTW..............anyone else have other suggestions or ideas as to what we can do at UNT that will get the undivided attention of the rest of the almighty sovereign state of Texas D1-A football schools (of which few things we've done in the past have ever really impressed them yet as to what we have previously done at UNT) at.........................a higher profile, of course? CASE IN POINT: After our 4 bowl run to New Orleans, remember the snub (no matter how you slice it) from Houston's Texas Bowl officials as far as our being omitted as possible candidates for their bowl?

Edited June 14, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[Charlie NT 73]

I agree- NT needs to make a statement regarding the new FB stadium-

I read somewhere the powers in control said a 31,000 seat stadium was in

the works. What? But, built with expansion in mind to 35000. What? You have

to be joking! When do they expect to complete the expansion-30 years from

now?

I suggest the "first" stadium must be at least 45,000 seats, with expansion to

60,000 seats. North Texas should be drawing 40k fans a week anyway. It will

happen! Build it and they will come!

[UNTLifer]

I think many of us will be pleasantly surprised with the increase in attendance this year due to the 180 degree change in attitude of the program. While DD did get us to 4 bowl games in a row, he was not fan friendly and played a boring style of football. TD and his staff have a completely different attitude (positive), are fan friendly, aren't afraid to recruit/compete with the "big boys" of college football, have a plan to make NT the team of the Metroplex and play an exciting style of football. Just watch attendance this year and be pleasantly surprised.

Also, don't complain when parking get's tougher, the lines to enter Fouts get longer, there is a longer wait at the concession stands, etc... All byproducts of a successful program.

[UNT_92_Fan]

Can someone Cliff Notes this thread for me...?

[Eagle1855]

Can someone Cliff Notes this thread for me...?

Todd Dodge has so far been pretty good for UNT.

[Will to Win]

Can someone Cliff Notes this thread for me...?

Agreed!

Here are your cliff notes: "Langnappe"

[PlummMeanGreen]

Agreed!

Here are your cliff notes: "Langnappe"

Thet wood B...................L-A-G-N-I-A-P-E- (aye suh'pose aye shood no bedder thin inee'wun).

gmg!

Edited June 14, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen