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Mosley Article And Update/True freshman making impact


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True freshman making impact

By TROY PHILLIPS

Star-Telegram staff writer

DENTON -- Had it been anyone other than Todd Dodge, Bob West said he wouldn't have gotten involved.

West, a veteran sportswriter for the Port Arthur News, covered Dodge when the latter played quarterback nearly 30 years ago at Port Arthur Jefferson High. West does color commentary for local radio at Port Arthur-area high school games and watched Nederland running back Micah Mosley last season.

"Nobody was recruiting him as a running back," West said. "I called Todd and told him, 'If he can't play for you, I don't know anything about football.' If it had been Mack Brown, I wouldn't have done it."

Days after talking with West, and after watching tape of Mosley frustrating powerhouse La Marque, Mosley became the first back to commit to Dodge at North Texas.

Mosley, who ran for a school-record 2,403 yards last year at Nederland, is one of Dodge's early UNT success stories. Mosley will see time tonight when the Mean Green (0-3) faces Arkansas (1-2) in Fayetteville, Ark.

Mosley has been a starter and a backup in UNT's spread offense. Senior Jamario Thomas, who recently returned from hamstring problems, is mentoring Mosley on the finer points of moving the chains.

If UNT's running game clicks, the two could be a tough combination for opponents: Thomas with his big-play history and Mosley's potential to turn short yardage into something special.

"It's always good to be behind a guy willing to teach you or help out in any way," Mosley said. "He didn't start at SMU, but he was the first one off the sideline to tell me what I did wrong or right. It's a good relationship."

Mosley has 19 carries for 71 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown, with no fumbles. He also has caught seven passes.

Dodge told Mosley "don't plan to redshirt" as a true freshman. And Mosley showed Dodge he was ready to play during fall drills.

"I wanted him to come in here and compete," Dodge said. "When he stepped on campus, he didn't come here with a redshirt mentality. We don't want that, because you never know."

Mosley said before Dodge, a Port Arthur legend, called him, he was being recruited as a defensive back, and he strongly considered playing baseball at nearby Lamar University.

"I know recruiting isn't an exact science," Nederland coach Larry Neumann said. "Some players don't get recognized for what they rightly deserve. There are lots of variables: size of [high] schools, competition and other things."

Neumann conceded another variable -- though he lacks direct knowledge where Mosley's recruiting was concerned -- might be race. It's a sensitive issue, but Mosley is a white running back, rare beyond high school.

Asked about the lack of attention, Mosley himself broached the point despite uncomfortable.

"You don't see too many white backs," he said. "That's hard to say without it sounding bad, and I don't mean it that way."

Despite games last year with 406, 318 and 275 yards rushing, as well as showing breakaway speed (12 carries, 138 yards) against one of the state's fastest defenses in La Marque, Mosley couldn't get other schools to take him seriously as a running back.

"Those two [touchdown] runs against La Marque were all I needed to see," Dodge said.

To Neumann, Dodge got a steal -- not only an excellent student but a back who matured early.

"Micah will never be deterred one bit," Neumann said. "He's done some unbelievable things here, but it's not all he is. His mental approach and demeanor are a little beyond his years."

[email protected]

Troy Phillips, 817-390-7760

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Always knew Micah would be a solid D-1 back if someone would give him a shot. He can do it all, run out of the "I", catch the short passes and he is a very good down field reciever. Give Todd Dodge a couple of years to get his type of players into North Texas and learn the system  and they will be tough, it'll be a good time to be at North Texas for Micah Mosley.

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Trust me, you would love to have Neumann as Memorial's HC.

No I wouldn't.  PAM has supposedly the 'Father of the forward pass' and they still struggle in the red zone.  I wanted Suggs, period.  And what's Nederland's record against Suggs' coached teams?  0-3.  Nuemann doesn't help his kids get looks and the above article proves it

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Who cares about Suggs record? He obviously doesn't want you. He left for greener pastures.

You don't know what you're talking about when you refer to Neumann. He's a straight forward guy. Let's not get into knocking coach's practices here. You really wouldn't win that one and you don't want to go there.

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I won't go there.  Just remind you the number of D1 scholarships in football from Nederland since he's been there.  What 3 or 4 now counting DJ???

Instead of making unsubstantiated statements with absolutely no proof, why don't you see if you can come up with THREE and only three names of players over the past 15 years who could have gone D1 from Nederland but didn't.  I'll be surprised if you can name one.  But you'll probably just say, "Who cares?" and continue to spread untruths.  And this isn't limited to just you, anyone who reads this thread - especially Nederland supporters who are in the know - can you come up with three names of players who could/should have gone D1 in the Neumann era over the past 10+ years but didn't.  I'll bet the list isn't very long...

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Well there was uuuuhhhh, then uuuuuhhhhhh, and uuuuuhhhhhh... what about uuuuhhhhh :-\ ??? :-\  Wait what about ol' ..... ribbit, ribbit, ribbit....????

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Guest maverick24

Glad to hear that young man is doing well. I know it was fun to watch him against Lumberton last year. I think he was only a few yards shy of a school record and they took him out and even the Raider fans were yelling to put him back in and let him get the Record!

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And how many times has the "d1" team gotten past the first round?

Once in 5 years small dog.  How many victories in 5A??? 

Opps I forgot about(damn I forgot their names just that quickly)--the 2 6' 5" linemen who went to Rice and U of H...ah Mayhew Bros....

But I digress.  Nuemann still doesn't do much for his players after football season and none of you gals can convince me otherwise

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I think the question was... name one player who should have gone D1 that didn't... the two 6'5" guys "the Mayhews" that you named went D1, so that answer doesn't fit the question whether you remember their names or not.

I don't think anyone is trying to convince anyone... it's just a simple question to try and bring some facts to the discussion... I know that often flies in the face of all that is these message boards. 

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