0I have taken a pretty good bashing for my take on how UNT did in recruiting this year. I gave UNT a B for its class that is ranked in a tie for sixth place by Rivals.com. Scout.com updated its rankings and has UNT in fourth, although I have a hard time taking that list very seriously when it still includes Andrew McNulty.
Again, I think it was a solid batch.
Expectations were just too high, largely due to UNT opening up its new stadium. Apogee is great and helped quite a bit, but it was not going to make top-rated kids come running to UNT to play for a team that has had seven straight losing seasons, plays in the Sun Belt and has a perception problem in DFW.
Dan McCarney said at his signing day presser that UNT isn't exactly the easiest place to recruit.
I never understood the idea that a new stadium was going to be the fix-all. It helps, but there is a lot else that goes into it.
UNT has several good recruiters -- I heard the names Justin Gaines, Mike Canales, Mike Simmonds, Kent Riddle and Anthony Weaver a lot from recruits. Not to mention McCarney.
Those guys really busted their behinds to put this class together.
There were a couple of better classes in the Sun Belt, but look at who landed them. You pretty much could have kissed UNT's shot at out recruiting Arkansas State good bye when the school hired Gus Malzahn. The guy has a reputation in Arkansas like pre-fall-from-grace Todd Dodge -- and Malzahn has proven he can recruit on the college level. Not to mention, he spent a ton of time coaching in Arkansas and the region.
Florida International is rolling and has gone bowling the last couple of years. Mario Cristobal turned down the Rutgers job.
Louisiana-Lafayette was coming off a bowl win.
Middle of the Sun Belt was a good showing for UNT.
And speaking of recruiting, UNT has added one preferred walk-on already. I talked to Flower Mound center Kaydon Kirby this afternoon. He turned down a couple of offers, including one from DII Angelo State to take a walk-on offer from UNT.
Kirby has good size at 6-3, 290, and was a second-team All-District 8-5A selection last season.
UNT has had a bunch of good walk-ons over the years -- Derek Mendoza and Casey Fitzgerald are two. Chris Hurd was maybe the best of them all. He was the Sun Belt's Defensive Player of the Year back in 2003, the year UNT went 9-4 and beat the snot out of Baylor 52-14. UNT had some great defenses back then.
I'm not saying that Kirby is going to end up being the next in that long line of great walk-ons, but it seems like he will have a shot. At the very least, he'll have a chance to contribute down the line.
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I appreciate all the work you do Brett, and the kids we got and the hard work the staff put in. Thanks for the coverage to you and thanks for class to the coaches.
I agree with Glick...you do more for UNT than about 90% of the people who criticize you. Keep up the good work.
Does anyone know if "walk-on" Ivan Delgado ever got a scholarship? Seems to me he earned one.
James, in the signing day chat, the SID guys said if not yet then soon. Maybe Brett can follow that up? It would be a nice Fitz-type story.
I doubt if keeping a running blog on where kids UNT offered ended up going instead of UNT was much of a positive for the program's efforts. You did manage to help pump up June Jones' program on the hill a little; good work on the resume to the DMN.
Really Jonas.....don't be an idiot. We needed to know that info.
Brett after this report I might have to sleep on my back from now on because if I lay on my stomach well you know...
CHUBBY FOR BRETT!
Jonas, I am a huge fan and ran a recruiting blog on gomeangreen.com for the last year that tracked every offer I could find. I kept the kids that committed to other school on the blog and tried to update any moves the players made, whether giving a verbal to UNT or any other school. I live in another country, yet still am a member of the Mean Green Club and have season tickets. Made it to 2 games in 2010 and 1 in 2011. You want to question my NT loyalty after the thousands of dollars I spent to attend games and love my Mean Green? You want to take into consideration the 2000 dollars I dontated to scholarships last year at UNT? I don't agree with everything that Vito puts out here, but reporting bad news does not make him the enemy. Grow up man, this is the real world.
Just wanted to say you do a bang up job here Brett and I appreciate what you do as well. I am a daily visitor to the blog, and it really is nice to have this information sooner as opposed to the way it was before.
This blog is amazing, I can't make it clear how much I appreciate your work Brett!
I agree with all the compliments Brett, although I am of the belief that the real rating for a class comes three or so years down the road. Who rated Arkansas State's, U-Lala's or FIU's class of 2007 or 2008 high enough to expect they would all go bowling after the 2011 season? You have to let these kids mature. Great coverage.