North Texas ESPN recruiting record

[BillySee58]

ESPN only recently started using the star system, in addition to their numerical rating system, back in 2010 but in those 4 years prior to this one our record was 5 "3-star" players signed in 2012. This year, once Chumley (rated a high 3-star at 77) is counted we will have 7 "3-star" commits on ESPN.

Not to mention ESPN has not rated Tee Goree or Willy Ivery. If ESPN did get around to rating them (they just recently rated Andrew Jones a 3-star at 72) then we could have 9 "3-stars" on ESPN. I wouldn't count on it, but either way we know how good those two guys are. So do other recruiting services, as Goree is 3-star on 247, Rivals, and Scout and Ivery is a 3-star on Rivals, Scout, and a 79 on 247 (1 point shy of a 3-star). Ivery was actually once rated an 87 on 247, but once the SEC interest didn't become offers he was dropped to a 79.

Despite this being a relatively small high school class, it is reaching new heights and it is showing in the recruiting-site rankings. Whether they matter to you or not. 9 out of 17 high school commits being 3-stars is a pretty nice change of pace from what we are used to seeing out of our recruit ratings.

[Harry]

ESPN only recently started using the star system, in addition to their numerical rating system, back in 2010 but in those 4 years prior to this one our record was 5 "3-star" players signed in 2012. This year, once Chumley (rated a high 3-star at 77) is counted we will have 7 "3-star" commits on ESPN.

Not to mention ESPN has not rated Tee Goree or Willy Ivery. If ESPN did get around to rating them (they just recently rated Andrew Jones a 3-star at 72) then we could have 9 "3-stars" on ESPN. I wouldn't count on it, but either way we know how good those two guys are. So do other recruiting services, as Goree is 3-star on 247, Rivals, and Scout and Ivery is a 3-star on Rivals, Scout, and a 79 on 247 (1 point shy of a 3-star). Ivery was actually once rated an 87 on 247, but once the SEC interest didn't become offers he was dropped to a 79.

Despite this being a relatively small high school class, it is reaching new heights and it is showing in the recruiting-site rankings. Whether they matter to you or not. 9 out of 17 high school commits being 3-stars is a pretty nice change of pace from what we are used to seeing out of our recruit ratings.

Good info as usual Billy. This is a great class no doubt. In the next couple of years we will know with more certainty. Let me say this, the UNT coaching staff is doing a terrific job, Winning helps and I can't help but think that Bowl win gave us some late momentum.

[chrisfisher]

And this doesn't even count some of our transfers. Remember transfer Anthony Wallace was a 4 star recruit out of high school. We also just added a Wyoming transfer that was 3 stars out of high school. This class is looking good!

[Mean_Green09]

Its almost like Christmas Morning all over again!

[PlummMeanGreen]

How does all this translated in Rivals (and Scouts) recent national team rankings?

Sometimes these services are slow to report recent commits. Anyone else notice that, too?

[golfingomez]

Its almost like Christmas Morning all over again!

I think you mean 'New Year's Day Afternoon'

[Mean Green 93-98]

How does all this translated in Rivals (and Scouts) recent national team rankings?

Sometimes these services are slow to report recent commits. Anyone else notice that, too?

Since we no longer have an active website for either of them, we're not likely to get the same quick updates that, for example, UT gets with orangebloods.com.

[BillySee58]

And this doesn't even count some of our transfers. Remember transfer Anthony Wallace was a 4 star recruit out of high school. We also just added a Wyoming transfer that was 3 stars out of high school. This class is looking good!

It also doesn't count 3 walkons put on scholarship who count towards our class. Kenny Buyers, Kaydon Kirby, and Blake Macek. Because those three players played just one year at UNT as a walkon before being put on scholarship, they count in this year's signing class. You can only sign 25 players per class, and those walkons count towards that 25 cap.

They were walkons, but we're talking about an honorable mention all conference cornerback, starting center/member of the CUSA all freshman team, and our punter/member of the CUSA all freshman team. 3 proven players with 2, 3, and 3 years of eligibility left. May have been walkons, but they're at least 3-stars in my book.

[emmitt01]

Since we no longer have an active website for either of them, we're not likely to get the same quick updates that, for example, UT gets with orangebloods.com.

That's not such good news for UT...they'll be quickly reporting that aTm flipped another one of their recruits.

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=ncfrecruitingon-the-trail&id=51421&src=desktop

[Mean_Green09]

That's not such good news for UT...they'll be quickly reporting that aTm flipped another one of their recruits.

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=ncfrecruitingon-the-trail&id=51421&src=desktop

Money talks with the Aggies

[Mean_Green09]

How does all this translated in Rivals (and Scouts) recent national team rankings?

Sometimes these services are slow to report recent commits. Anyone else notice that, too?

With Rivals it pushes us up to #10 in CUSA and 101 in the country

[PlummMeanGreen]

Since we no longer have an active website for either of them, we're not likely to get the same quick updates that, for example, UT gets with orangebloods.com.

As I told Harry days ago, a Scout rep told me they were up for sale and don't have an official Scout moderator to get rid of all the crap threads/posts several non-UNT'ers have blitzed our school's public forum with.

Scout writer Annabel Stephan apologized and said that would all change under new ownership. I told her our hardy handful of posters will not continue updating the Inside North Texas forum until they start moderating. She was most understanding, too.

GMG!

From Mean_Green09's above post and he said: With Rivals it pushes us up to #10 in CUSA and 101 in the country

A Response: Not sure how some schools without 3 stars can be ahead of some who have some or many to be honest. Is this the "new math" from the 1960's at work here?

I think North Texas will rise dramatically once all our stars are in.

My main question is: Just how close to being 3 star recruits are some of UNT's 2 star recruits?

I think I know a coaching staff at the only NCAA FBS school in Denton, Texas, America who will turn some of those 2 star HS recruits into 3 star (and up) college-level football performers and isn't that what really counts the most?

Edited January 27, 2014 by PlummMeanGreen

[chrisfisher]

With Rivals it pushes us up to #10 in CUSA and 101 in the country

That's pretty bad - and this is one of our better recruiting classes. Just shows what a great job the coaches are doing - pulling out every bit of potential from our athletes.

[BillySee58]

Just how close to being 3 star recruits are some of UNT's 2 star recruits?

I think I know a coaching staff at the only NCAA FBS school in Denton, Texas, America who will turn some of those 2 star HS recruits into 3 star (and up) college-level football performers and isn't that what really counts the most?

We have 4 players on Rivals who are rated at 5.4. Just .1 points shy of 5.5, which is a 3-star rating.

Of those 4 players (Fonzale Davis, Shaq Jackson, Brandon Garner, and Jalen Adams), 3 of them are rated a 3-star by at least one other recruiting service. Also, offensive lineman Chris Miles is not a 3-star on any recruiting websites but has over 10 D1 offers and some sweet highlight film. Easily a 3-star in my book and a reason the coaches stopped recruiting o-linemen for this class.

[Mean_Green09]

That's pretty bad - and this is one of our better recruiting classes. Just shows what a great job the coaches are doing - pulling out every bit of potential from our athletes.

Think quality over quantity. Rivals ranks their teams based on points. So if you bring in a lot of kids your going to get more points. All the teams ahead of us in CUSA have more players committed.

[MeanGreenTexan]

We have 4 players on Rivals who are rated at 5.4. Just .1 points shy of 5.5, which is a 3-star rating.

Of those 4 players (Fonzale Davis, Shaq Jackson, Brandon Garner, and Jalen Adams), 3 of them are rated a 3-star by at least one other recruiting service. Also, offensive lineman Chris Miles is not a 3-star on any recruiting websites but has over 10 D1 offers and some sweet highlight film. Easily a 3-star in my book and a reason the coaches stopped recruiting o-linemen for this class.

I don't get how Davis is not a 3*. Oh well. 5* or 0*, that guy is a baller.

[BillySee58]

That's pretty bad - and this is one of our better recruiting classes. Just shows what a great job the coaches are doing - pulling out every bit of potential from our athletes.

Rivals only has 12 of our 17 high school commits listed. Also they, just like every other recruiting service, did not rate our 2 JUCO guys.

Again, the reason why this class ranking as a whole may not be overwhelmingly high is because it is not that big. Not to mention 7 of the members of this class (3 walkons put on scholarship, 1 FBS transfer, 1 grayshirt, and 2 JUCOs) either were not eligible to be rated or were not rated.

That leaves our 17 high school kids as the ones who account for our class rankings. None of the 4 major recruiting websites have all of our high school commits listed. If your a numbers guy or a "stargazer" the number you should focus on is that 9 of our 17 high school commits are 3-stars.

[Mean_Green09]

I'm not to concerned with 2 stars or 3 stars. All I know (or claim to think I know) is that this group of players can straight up play some ball. Our 2010 class which produced many of the big time producers on this years team was ranked 99th nationally by rivals. Its all about development. You've gone shopping for the groceries now its time to use them to make a great meal.

[Mean_Green09]

Rivals only has 12 of our 17 high school commits listed. Also they, just like every other recruiting service, did not rate our 2 JUCO guys.

Again, the reason why this class ranking as a whole may not be overwhelmingly high is because it is not that big. Not to mention 7 of the members of this class (3 walkons put on scholarship, 1 FBS transfer, 1 grayshirt, and 2 JUCOs) either were not eligible to be rated or were not rated.

That leaves our 17 high school kids as the ones who account for our class rankings. None of the 4 major recruiting websites have all of our high school commits listed. If your a numbers guy or a "stargazer" the number you should focus on is that 9 of our 17 high school commits are 3-stars.

They do actually have one JUCO rated Akii Smith (2 Star). They are missing two high school recruits on there Jalen Montgomery and Andrew Jones.

[Mean_Green09]

They do actually have one JUCO rated Akii Smith (2 Star). They are missing two high school recruits on there Jalen Montgomery and Andrew Jones.

Sorry add Trevor Moore and T.J Tauaalo both who are not rated on Rivals

Edited January 27, 2014 by Mean_Green09

[BillySee58]

Sorry add Trevor Moore

Yeah, Moore is only rated on ESPN. Smith is rated a 2-star, so it doesn't really help us. Him and Greer are both sort of projects as far as JUCOs go. They have the measurable but aren't rated as high by recruiting services because they don't have the sustained production on the JUCO level.

Andrew Jones is a 5.3 2-star but is still listed as a NIU commit. Shows you how much rivals cares about programs like us and NIU.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Yeah, Moore is only rated on ESPN. Smith is rated a 2-star, so it doesn't really help us. Him and Greer are both sort of projects as far as JUCOs go. They have the measurable but aren't rated as high by recruiting services because they don't have the sustained production on the JUCO level.

Andrew Jones is a 5.3 2-star but is still listed as a NIU commit. Shows you how much rivals cares about programs like us and NIU.

I thought for kicking, the Rivals/Scout/ESPN/etc... ratings dont mean as much as these:

http://kohlskicking.com/recruiting/national-rating-system/kickers/2013

[JesseMartin]

Overall, fretting over how they're ranking this class is an exercise in futility. And of course there will be talk about how committing to us instead of a P5 school will drop some of the commits' ratings, which is entirely possible. The fact is, we're stoked and Mac recruited a bunch of quality guys for exactly what is needed. Everything is going exactly according to Mac's plan. Whether it's great strategy, good timing/luck, or a combination...that's rock and roll right there.

[BillySee58]

Chumley now listed as a commit on ESPN. Chumley overtakes Kicker Trevor Moore (75 grade, 3-star) as our highest rated commit according to ESPN with a grade of 77 (3-star). Any grade between 70 and 79 is rated a 3-star.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/school/_/id/249/class/2014

We now have seven 3-star commits on ESPN, which is a record for us in ESPN's limited time of having a recruiting service and even more limited time using the star system. Say what you want about stars and how flawed the system is, it helps with perception. Sure, high rated guys don't always work out but keep in mind they are rated on their athletic potential. Whether or not they end up have the mental side to be a successful D1 student-athlete is another story.

We have a very good class now, we will sign a very good class no matter how the class shakes out on signing day, and it is showing off in the individual prospect rankings. Good things to look forward to in recruiting.

[meangreener]

All of these places that have us lowly ranked is just because of our small class. This would be a highly ranked class had we been giving out the usual number of scholarships. 7 (9 if you combine people that are 3-stars on other sides) 3-stars is better than most CUSA schools.

Also, in the past, we've had a lot of times in which we're the only FBS schools to offer scholarships...pretty much all of our recruits have major offers from tons of other schools including all the P5 teams we've beat this year on the trail. (A lot.) Excellent recruiting job.

Edited January 30, 2014 by meangreener