'15 OL Jordan Murray (Coppell)

[GrandGreen]

After so many threads and comments about lineman's lack of size on this board, now a giant commits and the concern is he is too big. Obviously, he is not a great player at this point or he would have a lot more offers: something that can be said for the majority of NT recruits for a decade.

His size is an asset, not a liability: I remember NT played a team, I think maybe Nevada, that had 6'10 and 7' starting offensive tackles. A natural for dl against field goals and extra points.

[GrayEagle]

The Arkansas Razorbacks have a starting OL guy, # 63 Dan Skipper, who is 6-10, 316.

I wonder if Jordan Murray is the biggest football player that North Texas has ever had

in North Texas football history?

I don't think so either, Charlie. I seem to remember a player that was about 6'9" and maybe a light snack less than 400 pounds. I believe that he was from northeast Texas, like maybe Paris or Sulphur Springs.

[Harry]

Don't think so. We had a huge farm boy from west Texas during the Dickey era, 2000-2004 I want to say, that was at least this big? Nicest kid you'd ever meet. His parents were giants as well. Can't think of his name but he stepped back on Ol Green Guts' foot one time and broke a bone in it causing him to have surgery. He was huge and just fast enough to time with a calender. I think he got to play one series of his final home game?

Rick

Brad "Big Nasty" Woosley

[Brett Vito]

MGB follow-up with comment from Murray, Coppell coach Mike DeWitt:

http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2014/11/jordan-murray-talks-about-decision-to-commit-to-unt.html/

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Can you imagine 5'10" McNulty throwing to the side of the field where a 6'10" guard is in front of him?

Interesting.

Convert him to NT.

Yes. Switch to the 3-4, and it'll still be like a 4-3 with this kid in there!

[BigDanTeague]

Pure project.

Curious how many times you've seen him play.

[BigDanTeague]

The difference is, as an offensive tackle, the game is played much higher outside than on the interior, with DTs, nose guards, guards, and centers.

In pass pro you're trying to keep your upper body upright while getting a good kick set. You're using your feet to stay in front of your rusher and your arms to keep fending him off. I played center, and I knew that if I didn't stay low I would get bull rushed into my qbs lap. That doesn't do a defensive end much good, as a tackle will just ride them up field, since there is no qb directly behind them.

In run blocking you're more concerned about setting the edge and getting the d-ends sealed than you are about getting great leverage and drive blocking, as a tackle. You still need good leverage, but it's just very different on the outside. There's a reason you rarely see defensive tackles and nose guards over 6'4" in the NFL. And why most offensive tackles are usually 6'5", mostly 6'6" and bigger.

This is good stuff.

I love this pickup. The concept of being scared off because a guy is too big is pretty comical.

With 6-9, 345 and 6-6, 300 (Munden) committed at the tackles, then 6-3, 280 (Barr) and 6-4, 285 (Wheeler) committed at center and guard, respectively, I love the frames the coaching staff has pursued for their respective positions.

[El Paso Eagle]

If nothing else think of this guy on the FG/XP block team

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

If nothing else think of this guy on the FG/XP block team

Didn't SMU have one of those guys a couple of years ago from Carpathia? Vigo something or other?

[BillySee58]

Didn't SMU have one of those guys a couple of years ago from Carpathia? Vigo something or other?

Margus Hunt

[Withers940]

Margus Hunt from Estonia

[Charlie NT 73]

I met a $MU grad asst this past summer. During our conversation, we talked a little about recruiting.

The GA told me $mu has 3 other athletes from Estonia enrolled and working out with the $mu S/C coach.

These 3 guys were hammer throwers for the Estonia National Track and Field team.

All 3 guys are 6-6 , 6-7, and one at 6-9, in the 260 to 275 lb range.

These athletes are learning football, just like Magus Hunt.

They were recruited by June Jones on one of his missions.

[UNTLifer]

I am not scared off by his height, but I've watched smaller, quicker DE's blow up big tall tackles by getting under their pads and driving them back in to the QB forever, especially if the OT doesn't have quick feet. I hope my concern is all for nothing, but something tells me his offer list would be much larger had he be further developed.

[UNTLifer]

None. O stars and 1 offer, since that is what the majority on this board use as a grading system, tell me all I need to know.

Edited November 21, 2014 by UNTLifer

[BillySee58]

https://twitter.com/_therealjmurray/status/540977055224315906

And has decommitted from us.

[UNTLifer]

He jumped because we were his only offer. This is why I could care less about him now. He was never committed to us, just playing CYA. See ya. This kid is a major project that is drawing interest just because of his size. $20 he never pans out.

These HS coaches that get their panties in a wad when we pull an offer or decide to delay offering can kiss my behind when their players do the same. I want kids that are true to their word and who want to play for North Texas.

[Withers940]

https://twitter.com/_therealjmurray/status/540977055224315906

And has decommitted from us.

WHY?

[NT03]

Commits to San Diego State

[UNTLifer]

Bye.

[Rudy]

Have fun.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Rudy

[H-towngreen]

lolz

[Withers940]

Transfer in 2016

[BillySee58]

I think this kid is very questionable as to whether or not he can be a successful FBS-level player and I was not all that excited about when we got him. That being said, I hope he starts for them and you all realize that the problem is not about some kid not keeping his word or jumping as soon as he got other offers. The problem is this staff's inability to outrecruit other schools and get kids who other schools are going after.

[UNTLifer]

And who's fault is this? I hear people singing Perry's praises about how well he recruits. Is Canales that bad? You can't tell me Patrick is a poor recruiter. It appears Simmonds' players love playing for him. Is Mike Grant failing as the recruiting coordinator? I continually see people stating that this staff is weak at recruiting, yet I hear or read good things about these men I have mentioned. Is it the coaches or is it truly overcoming the stigma of losing at UNT?

[BillySee58]

And who's fault is this? I hear people singing Perry's praises about how well he recruits. Is Canales that bad? You can't tell me Patrick is a poor recruiter. It appears Simmonds' players love playing for him. Is Mike Grant failing as the recruiting coordinator? I continually see people stating that this staff is weak at recruiting, yet I hear or read good things about these men I have mentioned. Is it the coaches or is it truly overcoming the stigma of losing at UNT?

To me, it all goes back to the head coach. You can have good recruiters but struggle if you don't have a good recruiting head coach. Especially if you're losing. Because ultimately these kids are going to be playing for that head coach, not just the position coach or their lead recruiter.

I think Coach Mccarney is currently a very below average recruiting head coach. Being an older coach it's understandable that he can't connect as well with high school kids as well as a 34 year-old coach like PJ Fleck, who is killing it in recruiting at Western Michigan. But Coach Mccarney doesn't seem like a relentless recruiter like so many other head coaches, and very rarely do these kids rave about Coach Mccarney himself when Vito interviews them after they commit.

It's hard for a kid to commit to a school when they don't have a relationship with the head coach, especially when they have other options and the head coaches of those other FBS schools are calling them and contacting them often (within the parameters of the rules). That, to me, is why we have a situation where 9 of our 11 high school commits either have only 1 other FBS offer or no other FBS offers.

Edited January 12, 2015 by BillySee58