Green Menace

"USA's (Univ. of South Alabama) first season record is 7-0. Beat Hutingdon College 35-0 last nite before 23,683. " USA averaged 18,031 against no-name teams and mostly JC's on their schedule. [img][Hidden Content]]

Exhibition or not, that's a damn impressive crowd for a new program. And I think the article points out that they sold 8,500 season tickets.

No sure if this has already been posted, but South Alabama had their first football game ever against Hargrave Military before 26,783 fans. Nice crowd. I think Lamar will have a packed house for its first football game. Jags Football

UNT AIN'T winning yet they are getting a new stadium. Double standard? Almost true. However, Fouts field is 57+ years old and crumbling. We need it to bring in better FBS teams. BTW, UNT 20, Ball State 10 Hey, it's a start! ;D

From an outsider, I offer these two opinions. -don't get hung up on increasing stadium capacity. Fill up what you have at every home game. -Win! Trust me. All else will work out just fine.

Why doesn't Lamar set up a live video/internet camera (not sure what they are called) during construction/renovation work? NT did this during several large building construction jobs on campus and it was pretty neat to watch the daily progress.

Seriously, North Texas just won the National Paintball Championships. I kid you not. So, take that SHSU!!! ;D

Wonder what type of classrooms UH is planning for. Academic for all students or study rooms for athletes only? If the former, state money can be used. That's how tiger stadium at LSU was partially built initially. But they build dorms into the stadium.

"I would suspect that UNT did the same as Troy and ULM." Actually, UNT did both during their 1A qualifying year in 1994. The stadium was expanded to 30,000 (terrible seating BTW), and they averaged over 19,000 per game that year.

Side bar here- Have you ever watched a BCS football game where the starting lineup players introduce themselves, "so and so player, Senior tight end, undecided". ;D

Isn't that what you risk in any game? I'd rather risk it against Texas than against a Division II. The difference is, against a Div. II team the odds are that a Lamar player can get hurt and be out for a game or two. Against a UT, that same Lamar player could be lost for the season. I'm just saying............

Be careful what you are asking for. Being cannon fodder for UT, Tx Tech, or TAMU is demoralizing to the players and to the fans. Especially to a young, new program like Lamar. You risk getting your players hurt or seriously hurt.

That is correct. And you can add the MAC to the list.

SECOND - Your 33,000 stadium size figure is TOTALLY WRONG. AND it was NEVER a rule EVER. You're almost correct in your statement. As I understand it, in the very early '80's, the NCAA split football into D1A and D1AA. The requirement to remain in D1A, the top level of competition now known as FBS, was to have a minimum 30,000 seat capacity stadium. Many programs, such as North Texas, chose not to meet the stadium requirement and simply dropped down to D1AA (NT's death wish). NT remained there for 10 years, and in 1994 made the push to move to D1A. The requirement then was to have the 30,000 seat stadium, which they did through expansion, and average 17,000 or so fans that season. I may be off on the attendance average requirement, but 17K seems about right. It was just a one year stadium/attendance requirement for programs wanting to compete in D1A.

Be careful what you ask for. Although never used on an NT helmet (thank God!), here's our "Eagle on Steroids" that was used on marketing pieces several years ago.

Before you drool over joining the WAC, you better pay attention to travel costs for your "non-revenue" producing sports teams that have to be flown all over the West. Basketball, Womens Soccer, Baseball, etc. That costs losts of moola. UNT has turned down the WAC because of travel costs. If UNT decides to jump off a cliff, that doesn't mean LU should follow. Being in the WAC puts Lamar near the front of the line for any new conference. Hey, go for it! Now that Lamar has all of this new found wealth, by all means, do it. The WAC will be chomping at the bits to add Lamar to the conference so La Tech will have a travel partner.

Before you drool over joining the WAC, you better pay attention to travel costs for your "non-revenue" producing sports teams that have to be flown all over the West. Basketball, Womens Soccer, Baseball, etc. That costs losts of moola. UNT has turned down the WAC because of travel costs.

You're correct. I've always wondered how long La Tech would last in the WAC, but they just keep hanging on to the coat tails of the three money makers you mentioned.

If a Sunbelt team goes undefeated, they get to go to the New Orleans bowl (no shot at a BCS game). That's wrong. It would be a long shot and it depends on a Sunbelt teams strength of schedule, and how badly they beat all of their opponents, but they could go to a higher ranked bowl or possibly a BCS bowl. True, the stars would have to align perfectly, but it can happen. It happened to Boise State. As to Louisiana Tech joining this proposed "new conference", NO WAY! They are in the WAC and the WAC is a solid conference, although somewhat top heavy.

Many players "consider" colleges they would like to play for. Don't be fooled by this. What's important are the colleges that actually "made an offer" to a particular prospect. Big, big difference.

Exactly! Dodge's system was/is taught at the middle school level up in Southlake. When the kids hit high school they know the system well. Add to that, Southlake is a very affluent area of the Dallas area. Lots of money. Fast forward to Dodge and his HS assistants having to recruit in the inner city areas of Dallas, Fort Worth, and everything in between. Like putting a round peg into a square. I hope I'm wrong and Todd can be successful at the college level.

I hope you're right, but with two games to go in his second season and two recruiting classes under his belt, Dodge is sitting at 3-19. The starting 22 includes several "walk-ons" recruited by the previous coach. In fact, most of Dodges' recruits have been wide receivers and DB's, several who have left the team. So far, he has recruited poorly when it comes to Defensive tackles, ends, and linebackers, and offensive linemen. The big defensive tackle out of Nederland HS wanted UNT to offer him so he could play with Mosley but he's now committed to Baylor. And the sad part is, some of the "high school" coaches he brought in are failing miserably at the FBS level and Dodge has said he will retain his current staff for 2009.

Did I mention that "the Mean Green put an end to Sam Houston State's 45-game non-conference home winning streak with a 76-71 victory in Huntsville"? ;D UNT fans have at least one thing to brag about this year. So far, Todd Dodge has been a bust.

The new $10 per credit hour fee will cap at 15 semester credit hours and will not be implemented until the stadium is complete, which is expected to be in the fall of 2011. Now if only they could win an actual football game. Link: [Hidden Content] Ha! If only our HS coach could tweak his spread offense a little and actually use a tight end set on occasion. Regardless, passing this fee referendum is a great day for UNT.

Great point! Lists like these are good for nothing more than chest pounding. I could care less where my team is ranked. Just get me in the NCAA Tournament.