Jenkins And Hollivay

[Mean Green 93-98]

Football: North Texas Adds Pair of JC Linemen to Recruit List

2008

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

An opportunity for immediate playing time proved to be an important asset for North Texas this week, when it added a pair of junior college offensive linemen in the hours leading up to national signing day.

Gabe Hollivay, a 6-3, 320-pound guard from Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Miss., and Nathaniel Jenkins, a 6-4, 340-pound tackle from Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss., both said they loved UNT’s campus and the Mean Green’s coaching staff.

The fact that both could play right away for the Mean Green only made their decisions easier. Both said Monday that they had orally committed to UNT.

Oral commitments are non-binding. Wednesday is the first day 2008 recruits can sign national letters of intent.

“I loved it when I went out there,” Hollivay said. “The coaches were nice, I got along with all of the players and the school was great. I loved the campus. I felt like I could come in and help right away.”

The Clarion (Miss.) Ledger rated the top 10 junior college prospects in the state and the second 15. Hollivay, who played at Hamilton, Miss., High, was a member of the second 15.

Hollivay chose UNT over Memphis, Southern Miss, Arkansas State and UAB.

Hollivay said he can play all three spots along the offensive line, but was recruited as a guard by UNT.

Jenkins, 6-4, 340, also said he was lured by the opportunity to play right away at UNT, which was the only Division I school to offer him a scholarship.

“North Texas has a nice campus and a good architectural program,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins, who played at Forest County (Miss.) High, said UNT’s coaches want to work him at both tackle and guard in practice before determining where he will play for the Mean Green.

Both Hollivay and Jenkins will arrive at UNT in the fall. Jenkins is still taking classes at Pearl River and must complete 19 credit hours by the end of the summer to qualifying for a Division I school.

“He’s a big, strong kid and a monster of an offensive lineman,” Pearl River head coach Tim Hatten said. “He has to get 19 hours to qualify, but he will gut it out.”

Right tackle Adam Venegas was the only senior on UNT’s offensive line last season, although backup tackle Robert Peachey elected not to return to the team.

UNT finished last in the Sun Belt Conference last season with 39 sacks allowed for 283 yards in losses and fourth in scoring with an average of 24.8 points a game.

UNT finished 2-10 on the season.

The addition of Hollivay and Jenkins gives UNT 26 commitments, one over the NCAA limit for a signing class.

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

[Dodge2007]

UNT needed the beef and it appears we'll land some boys who will compete for some snaps. We were last in protecting the QB from sacks so landing some size and hopefully, ability makes the OL battles that more interesting.

Competition is going to be fierce this spring and fall at every position. That is beautiful.

[Ibleedgreen]

...a good architectural program???

[NorthTexan95]

So how will we handle being over one on the recruiting number? Are we expecting someone not to sign? Will Riley simply walk on?

[greenpie]

...a good architectural program???

[UNTflyer]

...a good architectural program???

Shhh. Wait until he signs.

[UNTLifer]

Maybe he meant drawing.

[emmitt01]

I know I'm nitpicking but it seems that Vito always has to take a "parting shot" at the football program whenever he writes. I am fully aware that in an article about two offensive linemen you need to mention that we gave up a lot of sacks and where we ranked in scoring offense...these are both relevant facts. Mentioning, AGAIN, the 2-10 record on the other hand....

[MCMLXXX]

So how will we handle being over one on the recruiting number? Are we expecting someone not to sign? Will Riley simply walk on?

Perhaps he could grayshirt and then sign next year and enroll in the spring. Wouldn't this open up the opportunity to redshirt the next year and then have 4 more years of eligibility.

[good_ken]

So how will we handle being over one on the recruiting number? Are we expecting someone not to sign? Will Riley simply walk on?

2 our the 26 are midterm recruits and will count against the 2007 numbers. So we only have 24 'ships counting towards tomorrow's total

[PerryG2480]

Hollivay chose UNT over Memphis, Southern Miss, Arkansas State and UAB.

Music to my ears.

[MeanGreenBuzz]

2 our the 26 are midterm recruits and will count against the 2007 numbers. So we only have 24 'ships counting towards tomorrow's total

Are you sure those don't count? Either way losing Shorter puts us at 25.

[TIgreen01]

I know I'm nitpicking but it seems that Vito always has to take a "parting shot" at the football program whenever he writes.

Agreed. Vito has taken a lot of flak from the board that I think is unwarranted....but his writing style is definitely starting to grate on me--particularly the tone of his articles/blogs "trumping" Troy's recruiting class over ours.

[NT03]

Maybe he meant drawing.

Hi my name is Simon and I like to do draawerrings!!!

[UNTLifer]

Hi my name is Simon and I like to do draawerrings!!!

Very nice. I thought that as I typed my post above but thought it would be lost on most.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

UNT needed the beef and it appears we'll land some boys who will compete for some snaps. We were last in protecting the QB from sacks so landing some size and hopefully, ability makes the OL battles that more interesting.

Competition is going to be fierce this spring and fall at every position. That is beautiful.

Could it be that after watching the pounding that Vizza took last season TD got a little worried about his own son being a QB and decided to heavily recruit to bulk up his line so his son doesn't get hammered.

Could it also be that that is one amazingly long sentence with no punctuation and fool of spelling errors.

[SilverEagle]

I know I'm nitpicking but it seems that Vito always has to take a "parting shot" at the football program whenever he writes. I am fully aware that in an article about two offensive linemen you need to mention that we gave up a lot of sacks and where we ranked in scoring offense...these are both relevant facts. Mentioning, AGAIN, the 2-10 record on the other hand....

Reporters have been taught to write an article as if the person reading it, is reading it for the first time. Our last season's record would therefore be a relevant piece of information.

I hope that Mr. Jenkins is a quick study, since it doesn't look as if he will join the team until the beginning of fall practice. And (depending on how long it takes to get his grades posted) maybe not even then.

We really needed both of these guys to be here this spring.

Edited February 6, 2008 by SilverEagle