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North Texas made a bit of a splash a few weeks ago when it landed North Carolina transfer quarterback Jace Ruder. The Kansas native is a former four-star prospect and just the type of player who could have an impact on a team's fortunes. He's far from being the only quarterback entering Conference USA this season who fits that profile. Luke McCaffrey went from Louisville to Rice. Austin Kendall joined the fray last week when he jumped from West Virginia to Louisiana Tech. And that's just for starters. There are more than a half dozen high profile quarterback transfers who have landed in C-USA heading into the 2021 season. N'Kosi Perry moved from one beach town to another when he went from Miami to Florida Atlantic. Former Texas A&M quarterback James Foster ended up at Charlotte. - Denton Record

(DS#999 ILB) rSr/2025

ILB Jace Ruder, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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07/06/21 - Austin Aune, rJr/2023, North Texas, 6-2, 215 (DS#42 QB) + More +

It wasn't that long ago that quarterback Austin Aune and his teammates were essentially on their own. The COVID-19 pandemic forced UNT to shut down its athletics facilities last summer. The Mean Green's players trained any way they could, running in parks and lifting at home. Aune can see the difference the return to a regular routine has made for the Mean Green over the last few weeks. "Our offseason has been great," Aune said recently. "The biggest difference between this offseason and last year is we couldn't do the offseason program last year. We're in great shape to have a good year. The culture of the team is in a good place. Guys are pushing each other and holding each other accountable." UNT is hoping that change will help it build on a 4-6 season that culminated with a loss to Appalachian State in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The Mean Green have played in bowl games in four of their five seasons under coach Seth Littrell. UNT will enter the fall looking to break through for its first bowl win since the Heart of Dallas Bowl at the end of the 2013 season. - Denton Record

(DS#42 QB) rJr/2023

QB Austin Aune, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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06/26/21 - Jaelon Darden, Sr/2021, North Texas, 5-08, 174 (DS#27 WR) + More +

Jaelon Darden and Hope Trautwein dazzled North Texas fans throughout 2020-21 school year. Darden needed just nine games to post 19 receiving touchdowns, while Trautwein became the first known player to strike out all 21 batters in a Division I softball game. Those accomplishments and others landed both on the short list of contenders for Conference USA's Michael L. Slive athlete of the year awards. The league announced its list of contenders for both awards on Friday. Each of the nominees received player of the year honors in their individual sports.

Darden was named C-USA's Most Valuable Player after posting one of the best individual seasons in program history. The Houston native became the first UNT player to be named a consensus All-American since program legend "Mean" Joe Greene in 1968. The 5-foot-9 speedster caught 74 passes for 1,190 yards in his final season with the Mean Green. He became the first UNT player selected in the NFL draft since linebacker Cody Spencer in 2004 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him in the fourth round on May 1. "It shows how much they trusted me," Darden said. "They loved what I was doing. I am shocked that I was picked by the Super Bowl champs." - FOX 4 TV News, Dallas

(DS#27 WR) Sr/2021

WR Jaelon Darden, North Texas
News Source: FOX 4 TV News, Dallas
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06/25/21 - Austin Aune, rJr/2023, North Texas, 6-2, 215 (DS#42 QB) + More +

North Texas still has a long way to go before opening the 2021 football season. Summer workouts have yet to wrap up. There is still an entire fall camp for UNT to sort out how it will build on its fourth bowl appearance in five years. That didn't prevent UNT coach Seth Littrell from laying out where the Mean Green stand now when it comes to the race for the starting quarterback job on Thursday. "Right now, in June, it's Austin Aune," Littrell said during the first session of UNT's annual coaches' caravan. "Austin had a great spring and is having a great summer. Other guys did as well. We will see how it goes as we move forward as we always do. I feel very good about where we are at. Austin did a lot of great things this past season." The race for the starting quarterback job was just one of a host of topics UNT coaches and officials addressed during a wide-ranging series of interviews during a virtual event. - Denton Record

(DS#42 QB) rJr/2023

QB Austin Aune, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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05/27/21 - Greg Francis, rSr/2022, North Texas, 6-2, 195 (DS#999 SS) + More +

North Texas landed UNLV transfer defensive back Greg Francis on Tuesday, when the Mean Green continued to load up on players who could immediately bolster their defense. Francis announced his decision on his Twitter account. The Las Vegas native did not play during what was supposed to be his senior season in 2020. UNLV coach Marcus Arroyo announced in November that Francis had opted out of the remainder of the season. He will have one season of eligibility remaining at UNT. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Bishop Gorman product played as a backup defensive back and on special teams in 2017 and 2018 before emerging as a starter in 2019. - Denton Record

(DS#999 SS) rSr/2022

SS Greg Francis, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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05/22/21 - Dion Novil, rSr/2022, North Texas, 6-1, 300 (DS#25 DT) + More +

The best news UNT received in the offseason was Novil's decision to return for a second chance at his senior season. Novil was a force in the middle of UNTs three-man defensive front last season when he posted 38 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks while facing constant double teams. One of the intriguing storylines for the Mean Green heading into the 2021 season is how Novil will fare under new coordinator Phil Bennett. The former SMU coach said he would like Novil to slim down from the 330 pounds he played at last season and become more active. UNT will base out of a four-man front under Bennett, which will open opportunities for Novil to see more one-on-one matchups and become an even bigger pass-rushing force. Novil has the type of talent that should make him an elite player in C-USA again this season no matter how UNT uses him. - Denton Record

(DS#25 DT) rSr/2022

DT Dion Novil, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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05/22/21 - Manase Mose, rSr/2023, North Texas, 6-2, 297 (DS#19 C) + More +

Mose seems like he has been a staple of UNT's offensive line forever. That's a good thing, as far as the Mean Green are concerned. The former Euless Trinity standout has started 35 straight games since moving into the lineup at right guard as a redshirt freshman in 2018. Mose moved to center last season to replace his brother, Sosaia Mose, after he graduated. Manase Mose was an honorable mention All-C-USA selection last season, when UNT's offensive line was arguably the Mean Green's most improved and effective unit. He should be in for another big season this fall. - Denton Record

(DS#19 C) rSr/2023

C Manase Mose, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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05/17/21 - Makyle Sanders, rSr/2022, North Texas, 6-1, 206 (DS#108 SS) + More +

Sanders finished second among UNT players last season with 68 tackles to go along with two interceptions. The senior entered the NCAA transfer portal after the season. He pulled his name out after exploring his options and will return to UNT for another season. Sanders should be among the Mean Green's most productive defensive players again in 2021. - Denton Record

(DS#108 SS) rSr/2022

SS Makyle Sanders, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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05/16/21 - Tommy Bush, rSr/2024, North Texas, 6-4, 204 (DS#999 WR) + More +

North Texas picked up a commitment from Georgia transfer wide receiver Tommy Bush on Saturday night. Tommy Bush was once one of the top prospects in the country when it came to high school wide receivers. The former Schertz Clements standout will try to capitalize on that potential at North Texas. Bush announced his decision to return to his home state and play for the Mean Green on Saturday night. He spent the first three years of his college career at Georgia and will have three seasons of eligibility remaining at UNT. Bush announced his decision on his Twitter account, where he thanked the Georgia coaching staff and his former teammates before saying that he would continue his career at UNT. Bush is one of more highly regarded players to transfer to UNT in recent years. He was considered one of the top 200 prospects in the country when he signed with Georgia in 2018. - Denton Record

(DS#999 WR) rSr/2024

WR Tommy Bush, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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05/16/21 - Sean-Thomas Faulkner, rSr/2023, North Texas, 5-11, 190 (DS#999 SS) + More +

New North Texas defensive coordinator Phil Bennett left little doubt what he values when it comes to players earlier this spring. "Where I differ from a lot of people is I don't dwell on size," Bennett said. "I'm a speed guy. I go by the philosophy that speed kills. And I want movement. I want guys who can run." UNT took another step toward building that type of defense late Friday night when it landed a commitment from Sean-Thomas Faulkner, a graduate transfer from The Citadel. Faulkner played a key role in the last three seasons for The Citadel and comes to UNT with two seasons of eligibility remaining. He announced his decision on his Twitter account. "Back to work," Faulkner wrote in his tweet. The South Carolina native finished with 40 tackles, including four behind the line of scrimmage, in just four games last season at strong safety. - Denton Record

(DS#999 SS) rSr/2023

SS Sean-Thomas Faulkner, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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05/15/21 - Jimmy Walker, rSo/2024, North Texas, 6-3, 262 (DS#999 DE) + More +

North Texas defensive end Jimmy Walker enters transfer portal...Walker has spent two seasons at UNT. He made his first career tackle in a loss to Charlotte last season, when he played sparingly. Walker redshirted in his first year at UNT in 2019. He is a former Houston Lutheran North standout. Walker was highly recruited coming out of high school and was offered a scholarship by New Mexico, Tulane and UTSA. He was a redshirt freshman last season and still has four years of eligibility remaining after the NCAA granted players an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. - Denton Record

(DS#999 DE) rSo/2024

DE Jimmy Walker, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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05/12/21 - Enoch Jackson, rSr/2025, North Texas, 5-11, 301 (DS#999 DT) + More +

Former Arkansas defensive lineman Enoch Jackson announced his transfer destination Tuesday. Jackson, the second Razorbacks player to announce plans to transfer from Arkansas following spring practices, has committed to North Texas, according to a post to his Twitter account. He stated plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal on April 21. Jackson (6-0, 298 pounds) was in competition for playing time at defensive tackle during the spring, but Isaiah Nichols, Taurean Carter, Eric Gregory, who has a combo role at end and tackle, and others appeared to be ahead of him in the depth chart. He played in three games over the last two seasons - against Mississippi State and Western Kentucky in 2019, and against LSU in 2020. He did not record any statistics. Jackson finished the Razorbacks' spring game on April 17 with 5 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack for the Red team. - Northwest Arkansas Times

(DS#999 DT) rSr/2025

DT Enoch Jackson, North Texas
News Source: Northwest Arkansas Times
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05/04/21 - Jaelon Darden, Sr/2021, North Texas, 5-08, 174 (DS#27 WR) + More +

The North Texas draft drought is finally over. Jaelon Darden, a diminutive wide receiver whose rare combination of talent and drive made him one of the best players in Mean Green history, etched his name into program lore yet again on Saturday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Darden with the 24th pick in the fourth round of the NFL draft, bringing one of the more baffling slumps in college sports to a close. UNT had not had a player selected since the Oakland Raiders picked linebacker Cody Spencer in the sixth round in 2004. Hundreds of players have pulled on a Mean Green uniform since, including linebackers Zach Orr and Craig Robertson as well as running back Lance Dunbar. All three UNT legends are among a host of players who went on to the NFL after their time with the Mean Green. And yet, it was Darden, a 5-foot-8 slot receiver with blazing speed, elite quickness and an insatiable work ethic who finally broke the longest draft drought in major college football. - Denton Record

(DS#27 WR) Sr/2021

WR Jaelon Darden, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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04/23/21 - Enoch Jackson, rSr/2025, North Texas, 5-11, 301 (DS#999 DT) + More +

Another Arkansas football player has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Enoch Jackson, a redshirt sophomore defensive tackle, announced his intent to leave the Razorbacks program on Wednesday. He becomes the second player to transfer since the end of spring practices. Wide receiver Mike Woods, who was expected to be among Arkansas' top playmakers in 2021, said Tuesday he is entering the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Jackson, 6-0, 298 pounds, was in competition for playing time at defensive tackle during the spring, but Isaiah Nichols, Taurean Carter, Eric Gregory, who has a combo role at end and tackle, and others appeared to be ahead of him in the depth chart. He played in three games over the last two seasons - against Mississippi State and Western Kentucky in 2019, and against LSU in 2020. He did not record any statistics. - Northwest Arkansas Times

(DS#999 DT) rSr/2025

DT Enoch Jackson, North Texas
News Source: Northwest Arkansas Times
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04/11/21 - Jace Ruder, rSr/2025, North Texas, 6-2, 237 (DS#999 ILB) + More +

North Texas landed North Carolina graduate transfer quarterback Jace Ruder who will have a chance to compete for the starting job when he arrives on campus over the summer. Ruder will get his shot. UNT rotated Aune and Jason Bean at quarterback last season, when neither seized control of the starting job. Bean has since left for Kansas. Ruder will have to get up to speed quickly once he arrives at UNT. He's more than capable. "Everyone is different," Littrell said. "The guy we are bringing in has experience at the Power Five level. It won't be the speed of the game that will be different. It depends on how quickly he can learn the system. He is a talented guy. We are hoping he can help us in the future." There is no way UNT goes out and grabs a graduate transfer quarterback without giving him a chance to show what he has to offer in a game. - Denton Record

(DS#999 ILB) rSr/2025

ILB Jace Ruder, North Texas
News Source: Denton Record
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