Mean Green

Independence (Kan.) Community College defensive lineman Shavod Atkinson shot me a text today to update me on where he stands when it comes to his plans.

Party on Greeenie faithful. Party on.

Atkinson told me that UNT assistant coach David Rausch came to see him Monday and talk things over. Atkinson then kicked around his options with his dad and finalized his decision to play for UNT. He will cancel his visit to New Mexico State and won't visit Colorado or Arkansas.

Atkinson is a key recruit for UNT because he should be able to step in right away and help a horrible defensive line that lost two of its only legitimate tackles (Isaac Thomas and Joseph Miller) after last season and had another backup leave the school (Jordan Scoggins).

I fully expect UNT fans out there to declare that this will fix all of the team's problems and that the Mean Green will suddenly transform into the 2002 defense that was one of the best in school history. Atkinson will help -- a lot -- but I would tap the brakes a little.

UNT finished last nationally in scoring defense in each of the last two seasons and still has a lot of work to do.

By the way, this guy is officially a member of the Mean Green nation now, so I humbly request that all UNT fans now spell his name correctly.

It's Shavod Atkinson, not Shavod Atkinsin or Shavod Atkinsen and nothing beginning with Shaved. There is a joke in there somewhere, but this is a G-rated blog and Shavod is a big guy.

I will let my friends over at the TY Sports Blog handle that one.

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