Someone Wanted Info Re N. Texas Juco Recruits

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Football: Coffeyville QB orally commits to UNT
Wilson hopes to add leadership, talent to Mean Green offense


09:00 AM CST on Wednesday, December 14, 2005
By Brett Vito / Staff Writer



Woody Wilson viewed film of a few of North Texas games this season and decided the Mean Green had just one major void in their offense during a 2-9 season.

It’s a hole the Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College quarterback hopes to fill next year.

Wilson confirmed late Monday night that he made a non-binding oral commitment to play for the Mean Green beginning in 2006 and will transfer to UNT at the semester break. Kilgore College tight end Brian Carlson also said he has committed to play for the Mean Green.

“I feel like I will be a good fit at North Texas at quarterback,” Wilson said. “I watched a couple of their games this year and it looked like they needed a quarterback and a leader. I think I can be that guy.”

Wilson, 6-1, 185, played quarterback at Coffeyville, where he threw for 910 yards and rushed for 214, despite playing in just six games before breaking his collarbone early on in a loss to Garden City in the Red Ravens’ seventh game of the season.

The injury kept him out the remainder of the season.

Wilson’s speed and athleticism made him a Division I prospect not only as a quarterback, but a defensive back as well. Wilson said Nebraska, Kansas State and Kansas all recruited him as a defensive back.

Wilson, who hails from Fayetteville, Ark., signed with Arkansas, but didn’t post a standardized test score that would allow him to compete as a freshman at a Division I college.

Arkansas placed Wilson at Coffeyville, where he spent his freshman year as a redshirt.

Wilson started at quarterback in his second year at Coffeyville until he broke his collarbone. He could have returned at the end of the season for the Ravens’ game against Georgia Military in the Golden Isle Bowl Classic on Dec. 3, but could have risked further injury.

“I will be ready for spring practice,” Wilson said. “I could have come back for the bowl game, but I didn’t want to take the risk.”

Wilson will join what is expected to be a heated quarterback battle in spring practice, when the Mean Green will look to spark an offense that struggled last season.

Redshirt freshman Daniel Meager started every game last season for UNT and threw for 941 yards. Freshman Matt Phillips also saw extensive action and threw for 448.

Joey Byerly, who was academically ineligible this season, could also return in time for spring practice.

UNT finished last in the Sun Belt Conference in passing yards and passing efficiency in 2005 with an average of 129.3 yards a game on a 92.9 efficiency rating.

The Mean Green averaged just 14.3 points per game last season, but have a few key players back, including 2004 national rushing champion Jamario Thomas, first team all-conference offensive lineman Dylan Lineberry and second-team all-conference wide receiver Johnny Quinn.

Carlson, 6-5, 271, believes he could add to that core by providing a physical presence as a blocking at tight end while continuing the Mean Green’s tradition of featuring all-conference players at the position. Jeff Muenchow was an All-Sun Belt Conference pick in 2001 and 2002, while Andy Blount received the same honor in 2004.

UNT did not have an all-conference tight end last season.

“They have a good program and I can fill a spot for them,” Carlson said. “At Kilgore, they used me as a blocking tight end about 90 percent of the time.”

Carlson was also recruited by New Mexico and cancelled a visit to the Albuquerque school after committing to UNT.

Carlson only began playing football during his senior year at Klein Oak High School in Spring after concentrating on basketball early on in his high school career.

“I was real impressed with the facilities at UNT and the academic program,” Carlson said. “I like the offense they run because it’s similar to the system we run here. They guys also seemed to get along really well. It seemed like a family.”



BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is [email protected]