Thursday afternoon recruiting notes

Harry · December 6, 2012

I spent some time today working the phones and have come up with at least a working list of a few of the players coming in on official visits this weekend and picked up some information on a few of the guys in play for UNT at this point.

One new name out there is Sergio Medina, a linebacker/running back from Hannahville in Louisiana. Hannahville head coach Lou Valdin confirmed that Medina is coming to UNT this weekend. He’s 5-10, 215, and is being recruited by several Sun Belt-level schools. He was the Offensive MVP of District 8-5A last season.

“He’s very fast and very strong,” Valdin said. “He runs a 4.5 and is 215 pounds.”

Valdin believes Medina could play either running back or linebacker in college, but UNT seems to be interested in him as a linebacker.

Trinity Valley offensive lineman Shawn McKinney posted on his Twitter account that he is coming on a visit to UNT this weekend and is thinking about committing.

I later confirmed that McKinney will visit with Trinity Valley head coach Brad Smiley.

Read blog: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2012/12/thursday-afternoon-recruiting-notes.html/

UNT90 · December 7, 2012

And speaking of defensive linemen, I finally got South Garland defensive tackle Charles Walker on the phone. He has already visited UNT and is headed to Houston this weekend.

Walker was a heavy UNT lean coming out of his official visit and nothing has changed at this point.

“They are my favorite school at this point,” Walker said of UNT. “I like the school and the people. I’m comfortable there and it’s close to home.

“They are talking about me playing right away at tackle or end.”

This would be a huge get. Fingers crossed.

GrayEagle · December 7, 2012

It's hard to say what will motivate Medina. Beginning the year he was listed as a safety but switched to linebacker. When the offense sputtered and the running back kicked off of the team, Medina became the running back and Hahnville started winning. He seems to prefer running back in college but I don't know how many offerers he'll have at that position. It seems to me that he has all of the tools to be a good linebacker but lacks experience.

http://highschoolsports.nola.com/news/article/-2099855189915971925/running-back-sergio-medina-sparks-hahnvilles-resurgence/

The Fake Lonnie Finch · December 7, 2012

I spent some time today working the phones and have come up with at least a working list of a few of the players coming in on official visits this weekend and picked up some information on a few of the guys in play for UNT at this point.

One new name out there is Sergio Medina, a linebacker/running back from Hannahville in Louisiana. Hannahville head coach Lou Valdin confirmed that Medina is coming to UNT this weekend. He's 5-10, 215, and is being recruited by several Sun Belt-level schools. He was the Offensive MVP of District 8-5A last season.

"He's very fast and very strong," Valdin said. "He runs a 4.5 and is 215 pounds."

Valdin believes Medina could play either running back or linebacker in college, but UNT seems to be interested in him as a linebacker.

Trinity Valley offensive lineman Shawn McKinney posted on his Twitter account that he is coming on a visit to UNT this weekend and is thinking about committing.

I later confirmed that McKinney will visit with Trinity Valley head coach Brad Smiley.

Read blog: http://meangreenblog...ing-notes.html/

Is Smiley interviewing for a job?

The Fake Lonnie Finch · December 7, 2012

And speaking of defensive linemen, I finally got South Garland defensive tackle Charles Walker on the phone. He has already visited UNT and is headed to Houston this weekend.
Walker was a heavy UNT lean coming out of his official visit and nothing has changed at this point.

“They are my favorite school at this point,” Walker said of UNT. “I like the school and the people. I’m comfortable there and it’s close to home.

“They are talking about me playing right away at tackle or end.”

This would be a huge get. Fingers crossed.

Has anyone discovered whether this is the brother of the Walker DL from Garland at Oklahoma?

Harry · December 7, 2012

Is Smiley interviewing for a job?

Good catch +1

H-towngreen · December 7, 2012

Getting a little tired of 5-10 LB's

foutsrouts · December 7, 2012

Getting a little tired of 5-10 LB's

Unless he's a new version of Mike Singletary. On the other hand most guys listed at five ten are actually more like five eight.

UNTLifer · December 7, 2012

Getting a little tired of 5-10 LB's

Akunne seems to have worked out just fine. Who else would you be referencing? I believe our other recruit, Scott, was picked up to play FB.

H-towngreen · December 7, 2012

Akunne seems to have worked out just fine. Who else would you be referencing? I believe our other recruit, Scott, was picked up to play FB.

If your looking for top level LB talent, generally they're not going to be 5-10. Akunne is a decent Sun Belt level LB but we need better.

cl_1_2008 · December 7, 2012

If your looking for top level LB talent, generally they're not going to be 5-10. Akunne is a decent Sun Belt level LB but we need better.

Decent Sun Belt level LB? Akunne is the second best player on our defense, and he's not too far behind Orr. There are plenty of areas we need to improve, but linebacker isn't one of them.

MeanGreenTexan · December 7, 2012

Decent Sun Belt level LB? Akunne is the second best player on our defense, and he's not too far behind Orr. There are plenty of areas we need to improve, but linebacker isn't one of them.

I'll go even further and say that Linebacker has probably been tied with Running Back as our best position for over a decade.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · December 7, 2012

Sam-Mills-and-the-1994-New-Orleans-Saints-Defense.jpg?m=1340118486

This guy might have said, "He's too tall to play linebacker effectively."

GrayEagle · December 7, 2012

If it's any consolation, Medina is listed as 6'0" on two recruiting blurbs. That should at least make him a legitimate 5'10".

Harry · December 7, 2012

I think we could improve at linebacker. Not meaning we don't have some good players but we need more size at that position.

BillySee58 · December 7, 2012

I've said this before and I'll say it again, we're North Texas and, as of right now, that doesn't mean a whole lot to recruits. We either get good players who lack the measurables (height, weight, 40 time, shuttle time), players who have the measurables but are raw and didn't produce, or players who have a little bit of both.

You can also argue for players with grade complications to be added here, which is why we are in on Charles Walker from South Garland, and players from small schools with limited exposure.

This needs to change and soon, so hopefully we can pull guys like Charles Walker and/or Matthew Romar (guys who have the measurables and produced) away from other schools starting now. Hopefully we can break through as a program soon so we can start pulling in guys like this more frequently.

Edited December 7, 2012 by BillySee58

H-towngreen · December 7, 2012

Decent Sun Belt level LB? Akunne is the second best player on our defense, and he's not too far behind Orr. There are plenty of areas we need to improve, but linebacker isn't one of them.

I'm not saying he's a bad LB but where was he on the All Sun Belt Team? Hell, Orr was only 2nd team. Once again, the majority of your LB's around the county are not 5-10. Yes, there have been some good undersized LB's, but the vast majority are not 5-10.