UNT mailbag

[Brett Vito]

There were a few questions posted on the blog today. Here's my take on a few.

First off, I did ask the coach over in Garland about quarterback Henry Hunter. It doesn't look like UNT is in on him.

As far as UNT signing a quarterback in this class, I don't think there is any doubt that the staff would like to add one to the roster. Riley Dodge is injury prone. Sorry, after a separated shoulder his last game in high school, a concussion in one of the few games he got onto the field two years ago and a separated shoulder, severely sprained ankle and a broken arm in his one college season at quarterback last year, there is little doubt left.

UNT has the good soldier (not to mention a pretty good player and the Official Player of the Mean Green Blog) Nathan Tune back. UNT also has what looks like a player with a ton of potential in Derek Thompson, who will be a sophomore next year after he played a handful of plays at the end of last season.

Todd Dodge said he would like to sign a quarterback in every class. Tune will be gone after next year. A run of injuries in an offense that uses the quarterback in the running game quite a bit makes that necessary.

There were a couple of questions about William Cole as well. He should be around for spring. He practiced toward the end of the year.

One has to wonder if Cole will be what he was in high school after blowing out his knee, but he should help UNT next season even if he is half of what he was.

As to the question of counting transfers as part of a recruiting class, sure, that makes sense. When it comes to the way classes are scored, no one does it that way, though.

There are a few transfers or guys who won't show up in official recruiting lists around the league who will play big roles next year. One will have to remember that when looking at how teams shape up going into next season. Wesley Carroll is ready to go at FIU. He was the 28th ranked quarterback in the country coming out of high school and was an All-SEC Freshman Team selection while he was at Mississippi State.

It's just the way it goes.

As far as the rankings go, it's a great spark for conversation. If it the end-all, be-all? No.

East Texas Mopar made that point today.

Here's the bottom line, though. College football is different than high school football. It's not about your off-season program or having players who are well-versed in a scheme or having great parental support.

It's about talent. And a coaching staff that puts that talent in the position to win. Troy didn't win the last four Sun Belt Conference titles because it had players who tried hard. The Trojans won because they had Omar Haugabook and Levi Brown and Jerrel Jernigan and Leodis McKelvin and Sherrod Martin and Brandon Lang and Cameron Sheffield and Larry Blakeney, who put them in position to succeed.

When UNT won four in a row, it wasn't because it had a great scheme. It won because it had Cobbs, and Adrian Awasom and Cody Spencer and Brandon Kennedy and Jonas Buckles and Johnny Quinn and Andy Brewster.

That's why this part of the year is so interesting. College football is about talent and coaching.

Now is when team get that talent.

Or they don't.

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