Mean Green

Oklahoma tailback Allen Patrick might play against North Texas on Saturday after all, according to an Associated Press story that hit the wire late Wednesday night.

Patrick missed more than two weeks of practice and had been wearing a protective boot on his right foot after spraining his ankle.

"He said he feels better than he did when he played on it last year," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops told the AP. "Again, he's getting better and we're working him toward playing."

Backup Chris Brown has been suspended for this weekend's game.

There will be a notebook in tomorrow's paper based in large part on what Todd Dodge had to say in his first midweek press conference. Here are a few highlights:

Micah Mosley continued to receive high praise from Dodge, who said the freshman running back will play against Oklahoma on Saturday. More and more, it is looking like senior Jamario Thomas will start with Mosley and Deavin Cox also getting a few carries.

Robert Peachey is still not working out, although Dodge said he is not yet giving up hope that the sophomore tackle will play on Saturday. At this point, I don't see Peachey making it back in time. I expect to Adam Venegas to start at tackle against the Sooners.

In an interesting side note, Dodge has never been down on the Sooners' home field. Texas and OU played in Dallas throughout Dodge's career with the Longhorns and he never ventured out of the press box the one time he was in Norman to speak at a coaching clinic.

By the way, tomorrow's notebook is the first installment of our weekly look at all sports at UNT. For more on soccer, volleyball and a few other tidbits, see tomorrow's paper.

It has been a crazy few hours here at the Denton Record-Chronicle, where we have been putting the final touches on our football preview section. The project is the biggest of our year. It takes weeks to plan, write, edit and produce.

The section will be in tomorrow's paper and includes eight pages of UNT stories, photos, graphics and other content. Be sure to pick up a copy if you live in the area or can drive into our circulation region without going too far out of your way.

We cranked the last bit of it out during an all-nighter that lasted well into the early morning hours today, bringing all blog activity to a halt.

Now that we are back at it today, I do have a small bit of news on the basketball front. I received the unfortunate word just a few minutes ago that Chris Higgs is going to have to give up playing basketball because of a back injury that required surgery. The junior guard didn't get to travel to the NCAA Tournament because of the injury.

The former Sanger standout played in just one game last season and seven the year before when he scored five points. Where Higgs was valuable was in practice where he chased guys like Kendrick Davis and Calvin Watson around the court in scrimmages and made them better.

Ask any coach on the college level and he will tell you that walk-ons are an important part of any team because of what they do in practice. UNT has lost a good one in Higgs.

North Texas was well represented when The Dallas Morning News' rankings of the top 100 college football recruits in the area came out today.

UNT has five players in the top 100 already committed: athlete Riley Dodge at 22, running back Lance Dunbar of Haltom at 63, offensive lineman Troy Franklin of Celina at 66, linebacker Derek Tomlin of Southlake Carroll at 81and athlete Willie Taylor of Dallas Hillcrest at 97.

It wasn't a big secret that UNT is doing well early, but the DMN list is just another indication of where the experts believe the Mean Green's recruits rank. UNT is listed as an option for several of the area's other top players who have yet to pick their college destination.

I found it pretty ironic that the list came out on the same day a Morning News story about Baylor's Joe Pawelek. None of the experts thought the linebacker would amount to much, but he has turned into a standout player for the Bears.

I site the recruiting rankings just like everyone else in the newspaper business, and personally I think those ratings are a pretty good gauge of how a school is faring each season. If you swim with the big fishes in terms of recruits, you tend to have a higher success rate in terms of players panning out.

The Morning News list is just another indication that the Mean Green is following that same line of thinking -- one that will pay off in the long run.

North Texas' scrimmage was closed to the media last night, but like a lot of other people out there I made a call or two and heard the same story as everyone else. UNT really struggled offensively in its dress rehearsal for its season opener at Oklahoma.

No players suffered major injuries in the workout that had UNT's starters and top reserves playing against a scout team.

I received a few questions today, so here goes with the daily mailbag ...

A mystery guest wanted to know how offensive linemen JJ Johnson and Matt Tomlinson have looked in practice. Both are expected to contribute down the line but are buried behind more experienced players at this point. Tomlinson has a chance to play because of all the injuries UNT has suffered on its offensive line, but I don't think either is ready. UNT would be better off red shirting both.

Josh also wanted to know about UNT's offensive line and specifically Chad Rose, who started at center the last two seasons. Rose will contribute this year, but I don't see him starting, especially with Kelvin Drake entrenched at center and Esteban Santiago looking particularly strong at guard.

More than a few people wrote in to ask about when and if freshman Giovanni Vizza will play this season now that Daniel Meager has been named the Mean Green's starter. Head coach Todd Dodge said he picked his starter and wouldn't rotate quarterbacks. I don't think we will see Vizza unless Meager really struggles in the first two games of the year and forces Dodge's hand.

A final question was submitted about linebackers Tobe Nwigwe, Craig Robertson and A.J. Penson. There is no doubt that Nwigwe will play and UNT's coaches really seem to like Robertson. I expect Robertson to be groomed to step in next season after UNT loses a load of experienced players. UNT is getting Penson ready to play, but I suspect that he will redshirt. I don't see any reason for Penson to burn a year with Maurice Holman, Brandon Monroe and Derek Mendoza entrenched as starters and several other capable backups waiting in the wings, including Nwigwe and Colt Mahan.

North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal signed a new five-year contract today that will begin on Sept. 1.

For details of the deal and comments from Villarreal check back on the blog later today and be sure to pick up a copy of tomorrow's edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle.

North Texas will undergo what amounts to a dress rehearsal today at Fouts Field in its final scrimmage before its season opener at Oklahoma. UNT will split into two teams, one with the players who are likely to see the field against the Sooners and a scout team.

A full crew of officials will be on hand. The coaches who will be in the press box for games will work from there during the scrimmage, which is closed to the public.

UNT spent large parts of its last practice before the scrimmage working on special teams and appears to have settled on its lineup of kickers and return men. Truman Spencer is still kicking off, Evyn Roman is returning punts and Antoine Bush is returning kickoffs. Thomas Moreland appears to be solidifying his hold on the kicking job.

Backup linebacker Tony Taveras missed Thursday's workout and will also miss today's scrimmage with an ankle injury. Offensive lineman Robert Peachey continued to miss practice with a bad hamstring. Defensive end Eddrick Gilmore could also miss the scrimmage. He hasn't been at practice in several days, although head coach Todd Dodge says he is still trying to return to the team.

In a fun little item, UNT's athletic trainers drop me a note every year on how much ice and tape a team goes through in practice. It's amazing to think about, so here goes.

So far in practice, UNT has used 54,000 pounds of ice, 12,750 bottles of Powerade and 5 1/2 miles of tape. As far as I know, none of the tape has been used to attach kickers to stationary objects like goal posts or trees.

In other random practice observations ...

Cornerbacks Latif Nurudeen, Antoine Bush and Kevin Ealey intercepted passes in team drills.

Wide receiver Breece Johnson made a nice leaping catch near the end zone in drills. Brock Stickler made a diving catch over the middle of the field. Casey Fitzgerald caught a touchdown pass that covered about 70 yards from quarterback Daniel Meager and Sam Dibrell also had a TD grab.

Redshirt freshman Esteban Santiago continues to get a long look with the first team at guard.

From the mailbag ...

Stan e-mailed today to ask about freshmen defensive linemen Jordan Scoggins and Jesse DeSoto. Both are getting a long look in practice, but are behind some experienced players in Isaac Thomas, Joseph Miller, Montey Kenner-Stevenson and Jonathan Stewart. None of the four veterans have proven to be star players at UNT, but their experience gives them the edge. Dodge said he is trying to determine if DeSoto could contribute this season.

I think Scoggins could turn into quite a player. He and DeSoto will contribute, but I don't know if it will be this season. It will depend a lot on how the four players in front of them perform and if all four stay healthy.

Multiple people have also asked about Cam Montgomery, the highly regarded JUCO transfer running back. Cam is still around, but he hasn't jumped out as a potential impact player in practice. Everyone knows Jamario Thomas is UNT's No. 1 running back with Deavin Cox and freshman Micah Mosley just behind. Sometimes JUCO players just take a while to settle in after transferring. Cam could need some time.

UNT also seems to like Montgomery as a wide receiver out of the backfield. The Mean Green has thrown to him a bunch in practice. It was tough to see from the far end of the field, but it looked like Montgomery made an appearance in the slot today in passing drills.

North Texas men's basketball coach Johnny Jones added the last player to a six-man recruiting haul on Thursday when former DeSoto guard Dez Willingham signed with the Mean Green.

Willingham received a waiver from the NCAA and will be immediately eligible because he has graduated from SMU and is enrolling in a graduate program not offered by his former school.

Landing Willingham should be a boon for UNT, which was looking to bolster a backcourt that lost several key players after last season, including Calvin Watson, Kendrick Davis and Rich Young. Jones said Willingham can play both guard spots and could play off the ball quite a bit at UNT.

UNT lost recruit Ryan McCoy to NCAA eligibility issues and will now have another option when it looks to rest starting point guard Ben Bell.

In an interesting side note, Jones said one reason he thinks Willingham will play several minutes at shooting guard next season is the development of Josh White. The former Baton Rouge, La., Christian Life Academy guard appears as if he will be an impact player as a freshman.

North Texas head coach Johnny Jones added the final piece to what turned out to be an impressive recruiting class on Thursday when former DeSoto standout Dez Willingham transferred to UNT.

Willingham began his career at Kansas State and spent the next two seasons at SMU. The 6-0 guard has already graduated and will take advantage of an NCAA rule that allows student-athletes who have already earned their degrees and still have a year of eligibility remaining to transfer and become immediately eligible.

For more on Willingham, see tomorrow's edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle.

North Texas appears to be getting a better handle on where all of its players will fit in terms of starters, backups and potential redshirt candidates for the upcoming season.

Daniel Meager will start at quarterback and a few of the other spots on the depth chart are starting to be solidified. Head coach Todd Dodge said Wednesday that Deavin Cox would be the Mean Green's backup running back behind Jamario Thomas and Thomas Moreland is still leading the kicking battle.

One of the more interesting comments Dodge made was about the progress of Micah Mosley. The freshman running back is making a big impression in practice and could push for playing time this season.

Dodge said he has yet to make any firm decisions on who will redshirt. Those calls could be put off until well into the season when UNT will have a better idea of its injury situation.

In other news and notes ...

Senior Josh Alexander was back at practice in street cloths. Dodge said the former tackle would serve as a student assistant coach working with UNT's offensive linemen. Alexander had to give up the game because of a knee injury.

Tackle Robert Peachey is still out and Jamario Thomas only ran conditioning and agility drills in the afternoon practice session.

Defensive back Noel Luna intercepted a pass in team drills. ... B.J. Lewis and Casey Fitzgerald both caught touchdown passes in drills. Sam Dibrell and Sam Roberson made impressive grabs on deep passes.

From the mail bag ...

I received a question in e-mail today on how wide receivers Marcus King and Evan Walker are doing in practice. King is back from what turned out to be a minor knee injury and is looking better. I mentioned a little earlier that he made a good play on a deep ball today. Walker has also done some good things. I think both are on the bubble when it comes to make UNT's rotation of its top eight receivers.

Be sure to pick up a copy of tomorrow's paper. There will be a feature on Daniel Meager's unexpected rise to the starting quarterback job at UNT this season and a few other notes.

The North Texas board of regents will consider a new contract for athletic director Rick Villarreal during its meetings later this week. Some basic financial parameters of the contract will be in tomorrow's paper. The deal would be for five years.

By now everyone knows that UNT won't be playing Miami to open the 2008 season. The Hurricanes were looking for a higher profile opponent to play in their first game at Dolphin Stadium after deciding to leave the Orange Bowl after a long an illustrious history there. Villarreal said UNT is still in negotiations with Miami on a settlement, but has already filled the void in its schedule with LSU. UNT has lost to the Tigers twice since 1999.

On the football front, head coach Todd Dodge said Thomas Moreland is leading the race for the job as the Mean Green's kicker. All-conference punter Truman Spencer could end up being UNT's kickoff specialist and designated kicker for long field goal attempts.

Running back Jamario Thomas was back at practice today. Offensive lineman Robert Peachey was still out and wore a cotton sleeve on his leg.

The play of the day came from an unlikely player in kicker Trent Deans. Senior linebacker Maurice Holman blocked Deans' field goal attempt, scooped it up and began running toward the end zone. Deans -- all 178 pounds of him -- caught Holman before he could get a full head of steam and posted perhaps the most unlikely tackle of fall practice. Needless to say, UNT's players went wild. Dodge blew the whistle and made the play the last of practice.

In other practice news and notes, sophomore defensive back Antoine Bush made a nice play to break up a pass intended for Casey Fitzgerald and Brock Stickler made an impressive leaping catch over the middle of the field.

From the mailbag …

I received a question yesterday about running back Cam Montgomery. The JUCO transfer is practicing but is having a relatively quiet camp.

Be sure to check out tomorrow's paper for a few other notes, including the story of the rapid rise of Esteban Santiago on the Mean Green's offensive line.

Ok, show of hands. How many of you thought Daniel Meager would start at quarterback this season for North Texas about two months ago?

Anyone?

I didn't think it was much of a possibility either. Meager has endured injury problems and let several opportunities slip away. When UNT head coach Todd Dodge signed highly regarded recruit Giovanni Vizza and secured a commitment from his son Riley for 2008, Meager seemed all but done.

Meager continued battling anyway and won the starting job that had been taken away so many times back. No matter what one thinks of Meager's abilities, the way he kept at it is something to admire.

Who knows how long Meager will hang onto the job. Dodge said that he named his starting quarterback for the season. Meager will have his shot to stay on the field for a while.

Meager has been though it all -- from being put in a tough position following a highly successful quarterback in Scott Hall to dealing with a coaching change. Meager hung in there and won the job, despite those challenges.

So today, it's time to give Meager his due. He certainly deserves it after all the doubts and obstacles he has overcome in his time at UNT.

UNT head coach Todd Dodge named Daniel Meager the Mean Green's starting quarterback after practice today.

Dodge said freshman Giovanni Vizza would be the Mean Green's backup. Check back on the blog and pick up a copy of tomorrow's paper for more on Dodge's decision.

North Texas quarterbacks Daniel Meager and Giovanni Vizza went head-to-head in a scrimmage Saturday morning with the starting job clearly on the line. It was a grand opportunity for both but neither seemed to take advantage in a workout that lasted just more than 100 plays. Meager led UNT to three touchdowns, while Vizza guided the Mean Green to two.

Meager was the first quarterback on the field, but that might not mean much.

After the workout, Dodge described his quarterbacks' performance as average.

For a while I was convinced that Meager would start against Oklahoma, but now I am not so sure. Vizza has made up ground as he has gained experience.

Dodge said he would make up his mind about who to start after the scrimmage and would let his players know. He just won't make an announcement anytime soon.

Let the speculation begin.

In other scrimmage news and notes:

B.J. Lewis, Brock Stickler, Breece Johnson and Brandon Jackson appear to have secured the starting wide receiver spots.

UNT had several players miss the workout, including defensive backs Latif Nurudeen and Evyn Roman, wide receiver Casey Fitzgerald, offensive lineman Robert Peachey and running back Jamario Thomas.

All-conference punter Truman Spencer continued to work on kickoffs while Jackson and Korey Washington returned punts. Defensive back Antoine Bush and Evan Walker returned kickoffs.

For a full report on today's scrimmage, see tomorrow's edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle

Andrew Smith's No. 12 jersey is going to stay off the field at North Texas after all. The details will be in tomorrow's paper, so be sure to pick up a copy or check out our Web site late tonight. For those of you out there who are new to the program, Smith was the quarterback who led UNT to the Sun Belt Conference title and a win over Cincinnati in the 2002 New Orleans Bowl. He died in a car accident before the 2004 season.

In other news ...

Head coach Todd Dodge said he will stick to his vow to pick a starting quarterback after today's scrimmage. Just don't hold your breath waiting to hear an announcement. Dodge said he will tell his players but keep his choice a secret from the rest of the world until the Oklahoma game.

Jamario Thomas missed the second session of two-a-days on Thursday and was in shorts Friday after his hamstring acted up. Considering Jamario's hamstring has given him fits for years, it was not an encouraging sign. He is expected to play today, though.

Everyone is expected to be available for today's scrimmage with the exception of tackle Robert Peachey. The sophomore is still dealing his own hamstring issues.

Argyle's Victor Gill has moved to tackle from tight end. The switch is one that was talked about for years and has finally become a reality.

Wide receiver Brock Stickler continued to be impressive in practice on Friday.

Sam Dibrell made a nice catch on a touchdown pass from Giovanni Vizza.

By the way, today's 9 a.m. scrimmage is still closed to the public.

Just when you thought North Texas coach Johnny Jones was done recruiting for 2007, he pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the addition of 6-7 forward Kedrick Hogans on Friday.

The interesting part about Hogans was that he was still on the board with just weeks left before the start of school. I talked to Hogans earlier tonight and there is a good reason he was still around this late in the process. It's an intriguing story that will be on our Web site in a few hours.

What will be interesting to see is if Hogans turns out to be a contributor or just a reserve buried on the bench. Hogans' credentials seem to indicate he could be a steal.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune rated the top 10 players in the state in October of 2006. Hogans wasn't in the top 10, but he was listed among 12 other players to watch. He was a first-team all-state selection and the state tournament MVP in Class 3A.

To get a player of Hogans' stature this late in the game will do a lot of good for the Mean Green, which needed to add depth to its roster. One comment Hogans made that was particularly interesting was that UNT's coaches wanted to develop him to potentially play the small forward spot later in his career.

Hogans would have to improve his shooting range, judging from what Jones said and what has been written about him in the past. It's not an unattainable goal. Believe it or not, Calvin Watson wasn't considered a shooter when he arrived in Denton.

I am not saying that Hogans will turn out to be anything close to what Watson became, but he is definitely a Division I recruit. At this point, UNT did well to land a player who could help this year as a defender and rebounder and maybe turn into a key player later on.

I received a bunch of good questions on the blog and in e-mail today. Here is my take on what is going on in UNT land.

Rick wanted to know how Jesse DeSoto, Justin Padron and Kyle Russo look in practice. Head coach Todd Dodge singled out DeSoto as one of the players he will be looking at during Saturday's scrimmage to determine if he can contribute this season. The freshman defensive lineman could have a chance to play right away, but I see Padron and Russo as redshirt candidates. Padron is buried behind a host of good linebackers. UNT does not have as many proven defensive ends, but the development of Charlie Brown makes it more likely that Russo will also redshirt.

Don had a similar question about the status of Bryant Seidle now that he has moved to linebacker. Seidle is one of those players who got caught up in the change in the Mean Green's offense. I thought Seidle was a star in the making at tight end. He could end up being a pretty good linebacker, but there are too many proven players in front of him at this point.

A mystery guest asked about Sam Roberson, the wide receiver from Somerville. I like Roberson's potential and he appears as if he has a chance to make the top six at wide receiver, but it will be close. UNT has a lot of good young receivers and I wonder if UNT might not be better off redshirting Roberson this season.

Joe was wondering about the men's basketball schedule in the wake of the news that UNT signed power forward Kedrick Hogans. The schedule is pretty much done. It is a matter of getting the last couple of games in place. I would be surprised if it isn't out in the next couple of days.

North Texas has added Kedrick Hogans, a 6-7 power forward from New Orleans, to its 2007 recruiting class.

Hogans averaged 13.8 points and 9.5 rebounds a game last seson when he was named all-state and the MVP of the Class 3A Top 28 Tournament in Louisiana.

UNT received his letter of intent this morning.

For more on Hogans, check back on the blog later today and be sure to pick up a copy of the Denton Record-Chronicle tomorrow. Tomorrow's content will also be on our Web site late tonight.

North Texas is moving its second scrimmage of fall practice up to 9 a.m. Saturday because of the oppressive heat that continues to make working out at just about any time of the day an unpleasant experience.

In other news, UNT released an updated roster on Thursday that included sophomore defensive end Eddrick Gilmore, but didn't include senior quarterback Woody Wilson. Neither has practiced, but UNT head coach Todd Dodge said there is still a chance that he could have a few players return to practice in the next few days after taking care of off-the-field issues.

On the injury front, sophomore tackle Robert Peachey, sophomore center Bryan Glass, freshman wide receiver Marcus King and redshirt freshman linebacker Sam Owusu-Heming all missed practice Thursday with a variety of injuries.

Defensive back Robbie Gordon and linebacker Craig Robertson both made nice plays in pass coverage, deflecting balls near the goal line. Freshman wide receiver Breece Johnson caught a touchdown pass on a slant in 11-on-11 drills.

One of the hottest and least accurate rumors of the summer regarding the North Texas men's basketball team was finally put to rest Thursday when Eastern Washington announced that Benny Valentine had joined the team.

The 5-7 guard played at Texas Tech and seemingly half the college basketball world was convinced he was going to transfer to North Texas. UNT head coach Johnny Jones said that wasn't the case.

Just in case anyone is still wondering, here is a link to Eastern Washington's release that includes confirmation that Valentine is headed to the Northwest.

http://goeags.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/081407aaa.html

Nick and longtime UNT fan John McDowell submitted a couple of good questions to the blog today, which is something we would like to see more of. Here is the latest.

John -- and everyone else who follows UNT -- wanted to know what is going on with defensive end Eddrick Gilmore. The sophomore hasn't practiced with the Mean Green this fall and was still MIA on Wednesday. He stopped by practice Tuesday in street cloths. Word is Gilmore could be back soon, possibly in the next couple of days.

The return of Gilmore would be huge for UNT, which doesn't have much depth on its defensive line or proven playmakers up front outside of Jeremiah Chapman. Gilmore hasn't proven he can be a difference-maker either, but he does have the potential to be a top player for the Mean Green.

The other big question going into practice today was the status of wide receiver Marcus King. The freshman took a nasty tumble at the back of the end zone at the end of practice Tuesday. Luckily for UNT, King was OK and will only be out for a few days. Dodge said the video of King hyper-extending his knee was a scary sight.

Dodge said King, who played in a run-based offense in high school, was making rapid progress before the injury.

North Texas tackle Robert Peachey was on crutches Wednesday with a hamstring injury that head coach Todd Dodge said would make the sophomore's status a day-to-day decision.

Hamstring injuries can be tricky -- just ask running back Jamario Thomas, who battled that problem ever since late in his freshman season.

Peachey probably won't have nearly as tough a time with the injury as Thomas, but it wasn't an encouraging sign to see UNT's projected starter at right tackle standing on the sideline. UNT does not have much depth on its offensive line -- especially at tackle.

There will be a full story in tomorrow's paper on the news that came out of UNT's workout. Be sure to pick up the paper or check our Web site late tonight.

North Texas hosted Garland cornerback Jarrett Ben on a visit Saturday. Ben has close to 10 scholarship offers, including a few from Big 12 programs.

UNT hasn't landed a cornerback for its 2008 class yet and Ben appears to be at the top of the Mean Green's wish list.

The following is a link to his profile on Rivals.com.

http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=62728

I just returned from North Texas' morning practice session and offensive lineman Ajani Banks and defensive lineman Draylen Ross were back on the field.

The return of both is critical for the Mean Green, which does not have a lot of depth on either its offensive or defensive lines.

For more on practice and the return of both players, check back on the blog later today and be sure to pick up a copy of tomorrow's edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle. Tomorrow's content will also be on our Web site late tonight.

Add sophomore defensive lineman Draylen Ross to the list of players who have missed the last several days of practice. Ross has not worked out with the Mean Green this fall, but did stop by practice Tuesday along with defensive Eddrick Gilmore and offensive lineman Ajani Banks.

All three have missed all of fall workouts.

The list of linemen UNT has lost or seen miss significant time this fall is getting pretty long -- Josh Alexander and Nick Foster are also among those who are gone for one reason or another. Needless to say all the losses are going to contribute to some depth problems this season. UNT isn't going to be able to afford many injuries on either its offensive or defensive lines.

In other news and random observations:

Safety Aaron Weathers has been one of UNT's best defensive backs in single coverage during drills. UNT's receivers have generally had the upper hand until they run into the senior.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Craig Robertson intercepted a pass in team drills and continues to be impressive. UNT's old coaching staff was high on Robertson. UNT's new staff appears to have the same opinion.

Freshman wide receiver Marcus King was injured at the end of practice after catching a pass in the back of the end zone and falling awkwardly to the grass. He was helped off the field.

Running back Deavin Cox was back in pads and looked good in practice Tuesday. ... Steve Warren wore shorts and was limited. ... Quarterbacks Giovanni Vizza and Daniel Meager jumped in line with the Mean Green's receivers and both caught touchdown passes in goal line drills. I guess a little fun never hurt anyone. ... Vizza threw consecutive perfect passes into a basket during a drill that requires quarterbacks to loft a fade pass over a vertical net and into the target. ... Wide receiver B.J. Lewis made a couple of nice catches in goal line drills. ... Wide receiver Korey Washington continued his quick comeback from missing several days of practice by making a couple of impressive catches. ... Freshman wide receiver Sam Dibrell made a nice catch in drills. ... Brandon Jackson caught a deep ball and scored from about 50 yards out. ... Meager and Vizza both led UNT's offense to touchdowns in 11-on-11 drills. ... Kartey Agbottah showed his agility on a leaping interception while playing against the scout team offense. ... Antoine Bush, Evyn Roman and Casey Fitzgerald all saw time on UNT's kickoff return team. ... Charlie Brown made a few nice plays at defensive end, his new spot after moving from tight end.

Sophomore wide receiver Korey Washington made his first appearance of fall practice today after missing the first week to take care of issues off the field.

UNT head coach Todd Dodge said he was excited to have Washington back because of his abilities with the ball in his hands.

Senior quarterback Woody Wilson is still nowhere to be found. A UNT official said there is still a chance Wilson could make it back, but at this point one has to wonder if Wilson can make up for the time he has lost.

There will be a story in tomorrow's edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle about Washington's return that also includes several other notes.

Dennis sent me an e-mail today asking about how Cliff Higgs has looked in practice.

Higgs has done well, but it appears as if UNT is leaning toward playing Kartey Agbottah alongside Aaron Weathers at safety now that Roy Loren has left the team.

Higgs is listed as the backup to Weathers, an all-conference safety and arguably UNT's best defensive player. When Loren left, it opened a spot for another starting safety and Agbottah is going to get every opportunity to fill that spot. Head coach Todd Dodge said just yesterday that Agbottah has the potential to be a terrific player if he can capitalize on his potential.

Higgs will see some time at safety and should also make a big impact on special teams. He finished with 17 and 16 tackles the last two seasons, respectively. I expect him to exceed those totals this year while playing a significant role as a backup.
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Shawn sent an e-mail today asking how head coach Todd Dodge would handle his quarterback situation this season -- rotate players or pick a starter and stick with him.

Dodge has maintained all along that he will select a starter after Saturday's workout and stick with him. There won't be any of the shuffling that went on last season.

That does not mean that UNT's starter won't have to produce, though. If Daniel Meager starts at Oklahoma and SMU and does not produce, I could see freshman Giovanni Vizza getting a shot at the starting job later in the season. The same would hold true if Vizza starts and struggles.