Unt Lands Cedar Hill Linebacker

NT80 · October 13, 2007

UNT lands Cedar Hill linebacker

North Texas picked up its latest commitment on Saturday morning in Cedar Hill's Brandon Akpunku, a 6-0, 200-pound outside linebacker.

Akpunku is in his first season as a starter and had just one scholarship offer from UNT. The Mean Green's coaches became interested Akpunku after scouting him in spring practice and in Cedar Hill's spring game. He also attended the Mean Green’s senior camp late this summer.

Frenso State and Michigan State had begun to show interest in Akpunku in the last few weeks, but had yet to offer him a scholarship.

H-towngreen · October 13, 2007

There's another body for the D. With Tomlin that gives us 2 lb's altough Tomlin may end up at saftey. I would like to see a few cb's and now a few D-ends. I think that Troy Franklin may end up at D-tackle rather than o-line. Anyone seen this kid play or have any info on this kid?

You have to like the fact that TD continues to bring in players who come from winning teams.

Edited October 13, 2007 by H-towngreen

SUMG · October 13, 2007

Holy Cow! I googled Mr. Apunku....and came across this....2 pages worth of guys who are considering us. And, maybe every one of these is listed over on the recruiting board...I don't know. Anyway...make sure to check out both pages:

http://northtexas.scout.com/a.z?s=353&...c=4&yr=2008

NTPhiKap99 · October 13, 2007

Holy Cow! I googled Mr. Apunku....and came across this....2 pages worth of guys who are considering us. And, maybe every one of these is listed over on the recruiting board...I don't know. Anyway...make sure to check out both pages:
http://northtexas.scout.com/a.z?s=353&...c=4&yr=2008

Most of them are listed on the recruiting board. Oldtimer keeps it pretty updated.

class84 · October 13, 2007

I watched Cedar Hill play Lamar last night, so I wish I had seen this earlier so I could give a better scouting report.

Anyway, they called his name a fair amount, and Cedar Hill held a pretty good Lamar running game to 4 total yards. Their front seven controlled things pretty well, though their DB's were burned quite a bit.

GoMeanGreen1999 · October 13, 2007

I hope this kid is really good - but I have to be honest, getting a committment from a guy who had no other scholarship offers but us, is not getting anything other than what we have in the past.

untbowler · October 13, 2007

I hope this kid is really good - but I have to be honest, getting a committment from a guy who had no other scholarship offers but us, is not getting anything other than what we have in the past.

here we go again :rolleyes:

Lets see they scouted him in Spring Practices and at the UNT camp, I would suspect Dodge and company obviously saw something in him that us arm-chair recruiters have not.

good_ken · October 13, 2007

here we go again
Lets see they scouted him in Spring Practices and at the UNT camp, I would suspect Dodge and company obviously saw something in him that us arm-chair recruiters have not.

And I would say at this point TD and company have probably identified any holes on the defense; and have applied a sense of realism to all their scholarship offers.

OldTimer · October 13, 2007

Most of them are listed on the recruiting board. Oldtimer keeps it pretty updated.

Every name of the Scout.com board is already on our prospect list. I updated offers, prospects and committs on the new LB this afternoon. In fact, I emailed Scout.com a link to the newspaper article and they already have him listed as a NT commit....#12.

Cooley · October 13, 2007

The kid didn't start against DeSoto last week. Played on special teams though.

UNTLifer · October 14, 2007

There's another body for the D. With Tomlin that gives us 2 lb's altough Tomlin may end up at saftey.

Tomlin to safety? Really? Where did you hear that? Just curious, because he's a pretty solid LB.

UNT Mean Green · October 14, 2007

I'd bet if this kid plays at Cedar Hill he has something that we need...speed! That district down there with DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Arlington Bowie, Duncanville, etc...is like the Dallas/Ft. Worth version of the SEC...speed all over the place.

Alot of people get caught up in measurements of the 40 and all that, but the true definition of speed out there is football speed. It's simply a game of "Read & React" on defense. The play Aaron Weathers made last night from his safety spot to drop the QB behind the LOS...that was football speed. Giovanni Vizza's ability to do things with his feet...he has football speed. Neither one of those guys will blow you away with their 40 time, however, they play fast. You know Coach Dodge and his staff are going to recruit several kids with good football speed who can be game-changers.

OldTimer · October 14, 2007

Tomlin to safety? Really? Where did you hear that? Just curious, because he's a pretty solid LB.

I heard that a long time ago and Safety is where I project him to play at NT

SUMG · October 14, 2007

According to this morning's DRC....Akpunku runs a 4.42 40.

And this is his first year to get significant playing time (heck...according to DCTF....they had 11 kids who signed with Div. I schools last year).

Anyway, Brandon is among their leading tacklers according to the paper.

Speed at LB....Craig Robertson gave us a taste of what that's like last night.

Edited October 14, 2007 by SUMG

PlummMeanGreen · October 14, 2007

According to this morning's DRC....Akpunku runs a 4.42 40.
And this is his first year to get significant playing time (heck...according to DCTF....they had 11 kids who signed with Div. I schools last year).
Anyway, Brandon is among their leading tacklers according to the paper.
Speed at LB....Craig Robertson gave us a taste of what that's like last night.
And to my buddy GMG1999: Could you please quit whining so damn much? You're never happy about anything, mi amigo.

That kind of speed across the board with TDodge's future recruiting classes could fool around and get us into a BCS Championshiop Bowl. Ask Boise State 'bout that.

H-towngreen · October 14, 2007

That is some serious speed. Speed at lb is much needed around here.

As far as Tomlin at saftey, it's something that has been mentioned. Several schools wanted him to play saftey there but we offered him as a lb. Was just pointing out that he may end up there. Just like how Troy Franklin was offered as an o-linemen, but may end up at d-tackle.

good_ken · October 14, 2007

That is some serious speed. Speed at lb is much needed around here.
As far as Tomlin at saftey, it's something that has been mentioned. Several schools wanted him to play saftey there but we offered him as a lb. Was just pointing out that he may end up there. Just like how Troy Franklin was offered as an o-linemen, but may end up at d-tackle.

When I saw Tomlin's highlight clips, I thought he had safety written all over him. But thinkng about it, I could see him at LB. As that's how you get faster, put fast safeties at LB, and then move bigger LBs to DE. UT is notorious for that.

Point is, I could see Tomlin ending up at LB, to add more speed to that position.

]“Coach Dodge said he is recruiting players from winning programs,” Akpunku said. “He wants players who know what it takes to win. That is something he won’t have to teach them.”

Just saw this in the DRC article. Thought it was worth posting.

Edited October 14, 2007 by good_ken