Coach Elko needs to go after this RB. I watched him in several games and he is the real deal.

Shortly after the bowl win, freshman running back Caleb Hawkins announced he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal. The news was reported by On3 insider Hayes Fawcett, confirming that North Texas will lose the engine of its offense just as the offseason begins.

"North Texas true freshman star RB Caleb Hawkins is entering the Transfer Portal, he tells On3 Sports. This season he totaled 1,804 yards and 29 TDs. Was named the AAC Rookie of the Year, 1st Team All-Conference, & an On3 Freshman All-American," Fawcett posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The post underscored just how impactful Hawkins was in his lone season with the Mean Green. Hawkins delivered one of the most dominant freshman campaigns in the country. He carried the ball 200 times for 1,236 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, helping North Texas finish with a solid 12-2 record.

We need to hit OL before anything but if we can get a guy like him without sacrificing SEC ready OL we need to

AggieBB said:

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I'd rather have Hardy from Mizzou

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So would everyone else in the country. But he's already resigned an NIL deal to return to Missouri. Go get Jamal Roberts. Don't think Mizzou has NIL money left to keep them both.

Don't want a UNT running back, unless he hit a growth spurt in college or became significantly faster

he's playing at G5 school because he is not big enough or fast enough to play at P4 school much less a top tier P4 school. Maybe he is good enough to play at Iowa state , Minnesota, Mizzou, or Wake forest (mid tier P4 teams) Very unlikely he is talented enough to contribute at a top 15 program if he was he wouldn't be UNT
Congratulations on an excellent season It is good he is likely to get a chance on a bigger stage ; Unless you are UNT supporter because everybody who is good is leaving for a bigger stage

jt16 said:

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AggieBB said:

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I'd rather have Hardy from Mizzou

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So would everyone else in the country. But he's already resigned an NIL deal to return to Missouri. Go get Jamal Roberts. Don't think Mizzou has NIL money left to keep them both.

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Hot take, Roberts will be the better back next year. Hardy takes such an ass whipping with that running style. I think Roberts will be fresher and more explosive throughout the 26 season.

Yes but if we are going to get a player we should be raiding mid tier P4 schools like KC and Craver
Or full grown men who have done multiple years at a G5 school like Howell

One good year at UNT is probably not enough to justify an offer
Maybe the game footage tells a different story maybe the teams he played at UNT were better than I am giving them credit for.
On this board People think there are B1G players that are overrated because there league has a lot of really bad teams seems likely the UNT schedule is laughably weak

Sq 17 said:

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Don't want a UNT running back, unless he hit a growth spurt in college or became significantly faster

he's playing at G5 school because he is not big enough or fast enough to play at P4 school much less a top tier P4 school. Maybe he is good enough to play at Iowa state , Minnesota, Mizzou, or Wake forest (mid tier P4 teams) Very unlikely he is talented enough to contribute at a top 15 program if he was he wouldn't be UNT
Congratulations on an excellent season It is good he is likely to get a chance on a bigger stage ; Unless you are UNT supporter because everybody who is good is leaving for a bigger stage

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This. Unless a guy is a physical freak, who developed late and got overlooked, you don't try elevating him from the American to the SEC. Go watch Caleb Hawkins film. He's a good athlete with good size, ok speed, fair acceleration, good contact balance (against the American), fair quicks, and above average vision. This isn't Ahmad Hardy running a sub 4.5 at a very compact 210lbs. There is no reason to believe Caleb's style translates to the SEC.

Now, if his physical maturation continues, maybe he's a high level P2 runner in a year or two, but in this current model of college football (which ****ing sucks, btw), you don't spend a sizable portion of your NIL on a running back from the American, who doesn't have a single uniquely impressive physical skill. Maybe he becomes Kris Brown, of Colorado legend, as Caleb's style has some of the same tall, upright, glider characteristics, but you cannot concentrate your backfield resources on that level of physical uncertainty, in the SEC.

AggieBB said:

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I'd rather have Hardy from Mizzou

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Who on Earth wouldn't want the best RB in the country? I'll play that game. I'd rather have Marcus Dupree in his prime. Maybe even Walter Payton.

Yeah and how would he fare against SEC defenses

Pichael Thompson said:

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Our running backs are some of the best in the country


We need an oline that doesn't run their mouth & then loaf when it's time to put out work

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I love this board -

'We need an elite OL who will dominate elite DL's (even when said elite DL doesn't respect the QB)'

Good luck with that.

Scotty Appleton said:

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I love this board -

'We need an elite OL who will dominate elite DL's (even when said elite DL doesn't respect the QB)'

Good luck with that.

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100%. "Just go get the Iowa OL!" and don't worry about the fact there are seven SEC caliber DL and LBs daring Marcel Reed to beat them.

Just a quick look at his bio says he's from Oklahoma. Id imagine he follows the coaching staff to okie state

Pichael Thompson said:

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Our running backs are some of the best in the country

We need an oline that doesn't run their mouth & then loaf when it's time to put out work

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No, they really weren't. Go and look at the Rushing stats for the SEC. Our first RB checked in at 13 and that's with a very easy schedule this year. An o line helps but great backs still find a way to get their yards.

We don't be an RB in the portal. Morrow, Riden, and the two incoming FR are both big time RBs. RB room will be loaded.

WR is in a good spot also. I would expect OL and TE in portal, and LB and DL on defense.

The number of people who would flip our roster for UNT's is too high.

Go get the Washington RB.

rootube said:

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The number of people who would flip our roster for UNT's is too high.

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Nothing wrong with looking at some other schools top talent. UNT just had their best season in history shortly aftet they moved up to the best conference outside of the Power 4. We would be crazy not to look at the talent that made that happen. Doesn't mean we flip the whole roster.

Pichael Thompson said:

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Our running backs are some of the best in the country

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From what's left, Owens is not good at all. I'm hopeful he'll get downgraded to Amari Daniels reps as we continue to recruit better options.

Beyond him, the rest are unproven. Not even Morrow, although of the younger group he certainly got the most looks this season.

He's 6'-2" 200lbs, team him with KJ Edwards coming in, problem solved, but I'd still go get the biggest backs I could find from the portal. We need BRUISERS.

DGrimesAg92 said:

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He's 6'-2" 200lbs, team him with KJ Edwards coming in, problem solved, but I'd still go get the biggest backs I could find from the portal. We need BRUISERS.

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6'2" 200lbs isn't a bruiser in the SEC. Hawkins is a long frame kid. Maybe he becomes Ollie Gordon, bc I suspect he's Big12 bound. I predict if he goes to the SEC, he's relatively forgotten in two years. He's a good athlete, and good athletes don't cut it in the SEC, at RB.

Would be hilarious to add wisner and watch him go for 1000 yards. I'm hoping we throw more to our backs. I could see Wisner and Morrow catching a lot with lots of YAC. I don't recall it being part of kliens playbook.

Hawkins is from Oklahoma & likley follows his coach to OSU, IMO.
Horns are in desperate need of a RB tho, so it's not a guarantee. OSU can't outbid tu.

DGrimesAg92 said:

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He's 6'-2" 200lbs, team him with KJ Edwards coming in, problem solved, but I'd still go get the biggest backs I could find from the portal. We need BRUISERS.

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Tiger Riden should be a sledgehammer. He's just young.

Off season focus should 100% be on the oline, defensive tackles, and LB's. This is where NIL needs to focus.

Agsrback12 said:

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We need to hit OL before anything but if we can get a guy like him without sacrificing SEC ready OL we need to

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Why sacrifice anything? I don't know the ins and outs of our NIL pocket, but I refuse to believe that Tech can outspend A&M. I know they got a guy bank rolling them, but don't we got more guys?

npc said:

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Pichael Thompson said:

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Our running backs are some of the best in the country

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I continue to be baffled by this sentiment. Even with a healthy Moss, the ceiling on the guys behind him was below average to slightly above average.

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Owens averaged 5.4 ypc. EJ was 4.7. This was not a Moss or bust backfield.

The Banned said:

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npc said:

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Pichael Thompson said:

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Our running backs are some of the best in the country

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I continue to be baffled by this sentiment. Even with a healthy Moss, the ceiling on the guys behind him was below average to slightly above average.

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Owens averaged 5.4 ypc. EJ was 4.7. This was not a Moss or bust backfield.

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I really love it when people default to stats alone in a vacuum.
Under that logic, Mike Leach had the best QB's in the world. Except he didn't.

Having UNTs QB would be a plus.