Texas Takeover: Tony Denman and the UTRGV Vaqueros

[JDG42]

Hello all! I'm JDG42. I've been a lurker on many dynasties in here and it even inspired me to start my own in a google doc with a couple of friends. Unfortunately, my PS3 crashed and that dynasty went with it. I've recently started a new one as a Texas Rio Grande Valley teambuilder and my friends enjoy it so much they encouraged me to share it on here.

For some context, the head coach is my favorite all time NCAA video game player I ever recruited. His name is Tony Denman and he was a stud JUCO receiver for a friend and I's NCAA 09 PS2 North Texas dynasty. I used him in a sim only NCAA 04 death penalty dynasty with Texas Southern that I ran for 10 years. I'm not good with all the layout stuff others use so I guess mine will look bare-bones in comparison. I'm using an unnamed default roster to continue the fictional world from the 04 dynasties. Everybody has a random name. The teambuilder I found uses NMSU's roster so I edited everybody down to walk-on status. As a result, I'm 20 overall. I'll be playing on near default All-American using JoshC's method. So far I've liked the way the games have played. My recruiting rules are as follow
Can only recruit from the state of Texas unless JUCO or state coordinator came from. I have all the talent in the world in my backyard so I have no excuse to leave. This rule will be in effect until I reach 5-star prestige at which point 75% of my roster has to be Texans
Can only target guys in the preseason top 10 with the option to add any one star in-state prospect. This is a safeguard against running the risk of say needing a tight end but having none interested. This way I’m not taking on a walk-on
After initial roster is gone can only sign number of seniors to avoid stacking talent
NO SCOUTING UNTIL AFTER SIGNED! This is a new one for me but one I think is necessary. Looking back on the UCO dynasty, even limiting myself to top 3 interested and any instate was still too easy as I was able to weed through the out of state guys and have my pick instate. This way I’m on a level playing field as the CPU and am guaranteed to get some variety in my classes

[JDG42]

I'm already well into the first season so I'm going to go ahead and post what I have. Feel free to comment at any time. Thanks for reading!

[JDG42]

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has never had a football team. As he sat in his office on the campus of the Edinburg school that 28,700 students call home, athletic director Keith Jones decided that needed to change. That was back in 2010. Fast forward to 2012 and the fledgling program was dealt a huge blow. The WAC was discontinuing football. As a WAC member in every sport, the program yet to play a game was without a home and Jones knew there was no way they could survive as an independent. Fortunately, the University of Idaho decided to drop down to the FCS Big Sky Conference, and the Sun Belt conference, who was set to take both Idaho and New Mexico State starting in 2014, extended UTRGV Idaho’s offer. Months later with things looking Jones was dealt another setback; he lost his coach. The man who built the program the past couple of years brought in the players and helped make the sales pitch to the Sun Belt bolted for a position coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals. Weeks away from signing day and months away from kickoff Jones needed a new coach fast. He knew he needed a builder, a proven winner, somebody who wouldn’t jump ship easily. He needed one man…..

On a brisk Tuesday morning, Texas Southern head coach Tony Denman sat in his office looking over the day’s schedule when his phone rang. On the other end was UTRGV athletic director Keith Jones. After some small talk, Jones cut to the chase. “Tony I know you’ve got a good thing going down there at TSU but I wanted to gauge your interest in coming to lead the Vaqueros program.” Jones wasn’t wrong. Since taking over a program rocked by NCAA sanctions not seen since the SMU death penalty days in 2003 Denman went an impressive 77-49 and a SWAC Championship behind a high flying offense. He had no reason to leave. Great job security. Great program. Bright future. Still, Denman heard Jones out. Finally, he agreed to drive up for a visit.

Two days later Denman was in Edinburg touring the campus and the city. He met with the players and coaches. After talking it over with his family including his son Tony Denman Jr. a standout senior they gave him their blessing to do what he thought was right. The road would be tough. New team, independent schedule, no tradition. Hard sell for guys who don’t want playing time. But he faced challenges much tougher at TSU. That being said he didn’t want to leave the school that gave him his first chance high and dry so close to signing day. So Denman made a bold but honorable move. He agreed to take the UTRGV job but refused to bring a single assistant with him and used his last day as the school’s athletic director, a job he was given two years prior, named his defensive coordinator Lenny Allison as his successor. After meeting with his team Denan and his family packed up and departed for Edinburg and an unknown future.

[JDG42]

VAQUEROS TAB DENMAN AS SECOND HEAD COACH

Following the sudden departure of former head coach Ted Lowe to the Arizona Cardinals UTRGV AD Keith Jones named former Texas Southern head coach Tony Denman as Lowe’s replacement. Denman went 77-49 in 10 years at the HBCU in Houston winning one SWAC championship and rewriting the school’s offensive record book with his high-powered passing attack.

“I’m honored to be given such a responsibility as leading this program in their inaugural season,” Denman said. “I know I’m behind the eight ball here but I promise I’ll give everything I have to help this program grow into a winner.”

Denman made the strange move of bringing no assistants with him, opting to keep his whole staff at TSU while retaining all of Lowe’s staff for the upcoming season.

“I felt it was best to have some continuity with me coming in so late,” Denman said. “After the season I’ll evaluate and go from there.”

The first glimpse of the Denman era will come in a couple of weeks as the Vaqueros host their annual spring game this time inside a new stadium.

[JDG42]

UNORTHODOX SPRING OPENS DENMAN ERA

In what Texas Rio Grande Valley head coach Tony Denman described as an “open practice” the Vaquero faithful got a glimpse of their 2013 squad. The team went through various practice drills with a couple of intersquad scrimmaging mixed in akin to a high school spring type outing.

“We felt it was for the best given the lack of time we’ve had,” Denman said. “I’ve only been here for what? Two and a half, three weeks? When you factor in meeting the players and the staff, getting settled in all that takes time. We barely got to install the basics so a normal spring game wouldn’t have done anybody any good.”

While Denman didn’t go into specifics on who impressed here are some of our takeaways.

JUCO transfer Terrance Utley got reps at both quarterback and receiver. He started the first two scrimmages at QB looking a little shaky in Denman’s air raid attack. However, out wide he was by far the best of the bunch. Either way the 6’3 185lbs La Marque native should have a big role.
True freshman running back Gerrod Schmidt outshined expected starter senior Bryan Myrick. Schmidt looked quicker and at 210lbs has the blend of power and speed coaches covet.
The receiving core is very much a work in progress as nobody stood out. True freshman Joshua Hood and junior Russ Pressley had their moments but nobody separated themselves. One thing to keep an eye on is junior Curtis Lynch taking snaps at quarterback in running situations. He took a handful today and looked good running.
Defensively the battle for second corner heated up between true freshmen Garrett Lundy and presumed starter Donnell Payne. Payne struggled early especially against Utley and was replaced in the last two scrimmages by Lundy who at 6’2 held his own picking off three passes.
Finally in the battle for QB1 neither Blair Randle or Don Joyce separated themselves, each flashing great plays and boneheaded plays.

The full schedule and roster is expected to be released next week

[JDG42]

UTRGV ANNOUNCES FIRST SCHEDULE AND ROSTER
@#14FSU
@#23NIU
VS FCS Southeast
VS FCS Midwest
VS FCS Northwest (homecoming)
VS NMSU
@Arkansas State
@Ole Miss
VS Old Dominion
VS Texas State
@North Texas
VS FCS West (senior night)

DEPTH CHART
QB: SR Blair Randle 40 overall, JR Don Joyce 40 overall, JR Terrance Utley 42 overall
RB: FR Gerrod Schmidt 44 overall, SR Bryan Myrick 46 overall, JR Montrell Daniels 43 overall, JR Kyler Ham 42 overall, FR Prince Dockery 43 overall
FB: FR Ryan McCollum 40 overall
WR: JR Terrance Utley 58 overall, FR Joshua Hood 43 overall, SO Cam Brothers 44 overall, JR Russ Pressley 41 overall, JR Curtis Lynch 41 overall, FR Lewis Eaton 42 overall, JR Kelechi Redd 42 overall, JR Jasper Dowdell 40 overall, Noah Whitaker 40 overall
TE: SO Kingsley Gates 44 overall, SR Lawrence Forte 40 overall, JR Eric Clancey 40 overall
LT: SO Ken Weatherford 46 overall, SR Josh Morrow 40 overall
LG: SO Pete Broussard 44 overall, JR Slade McTaggert 41 overall, SO Harvey Bernard 40 overall
C: JR Rashaud McIntire 46 overall, JR Lenny Wesley 40 overall
RG: SO Jamaal Hand 46 overall, FR Seven Ostrander 41 overall, FR Rian Dixon 41 overall
RT: SR Stewart Rivas 42 overall, FR Ty Nealy 40 overall, SO Kelly Burns 40 overall
LE: JR Sid Palmer 43 overall, SR Jon Bryan 40 overall, SR Jeffrey Stegall 40 overall
RE: SR Ike Henry 45 overall, SO Shedrick Burrell 41 overall, FR Jerrell Bratton 41 overall
DT: SO Colton Weiss 44 overall, SO Kennard Seymour 44 overall, SO Freddie Ramirez 40 overall, SR Cary Gross 40 overall
LOLB: JR Johnathan Andrews 48 overall, FR Blake Walters 46 overall, SO Phil Chapman 42 overall, SR Ty Watson 47 overall
MLB: JR Rickey Vogel 43 overall, JR Leslie Hill 42 overall, FR Jason Medlock 41 overall
ROLB: SR Ulysses Salyer 42 overall, SR Jerry Gates 40 overall, SR Tavarious Chavez 40 overall
CB: FR Dorian Dunbar 44 overall, FR Garrett Lundy 43 overall, SO Jovon Monroe 43 overall, SR Bruce Triplett 44 overall, SR Beau Southerland 43 overall, FR Donnell Payne 43 overall, SO Zachary Stovall 41 overall
FS: FR Reggie Heard 46 overall, SR McKinley Gore 44 overall, SR Aaron Mark 41 overall, FR Khalif Richards
SS: SR Ayo Bradley 46 overall, SR Lorenzo Gary 45 overall
K: SR Akim Wesley 50 overall
P: SR Marshall Childress 50 overall

[JDG42]

EARLY TURNOVERS COST UTRG IN FIRST GAME

Three turnovers including a first quarter scoop and score cost Texas Rio Grande Valley in a 69-14 road loss to 10th ranked Florida State.

“I think for our first game given the circumstances we did a solid job,” head coach Tony Denman said. “We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot like we did today but we rebounded well and I think we found some playmakers.”

Receivers Terrance Utley and Cam Brothers were the bright spot for a UTRGV offense that put up an impressive 294 yards against a stout FSU defense. Utley built off his strong spring hauling in 11 catches for 105 yards and a score while Brothers caught the first touchdown in team history on a 14-yard catch with 1:42 in the first half. He finished with six catches for 78 yards.

GAME NOTES
UTRGV struggled running finishing with 11 carries for -3 yards
FSU QB Brandon Crowder didn’t look like a typical redshirt freshman throwing for 182 yards and two scores while rushing for 159 yards and another two scores on 12 carries
FSU rolled up 372 of their 588 yards on the ground with 6 touchdowns
Junior end Sid Palmer made history registering the first sack in program history. Linebacker Ulysses Salyer joined him with his own sack
Senior quarterback Blair Randle recovered from a rough start (1-6, fumble returned for TD) to throw for 292 yards and two scores to one interception
Despite the lopsided score UTRGV actually managed to tie FSU in the third 7-7 a major accomplishment for the program

[JDG42]

VAQUEROS CLAWED IN ROAD LOSS

Northern Illinois quarterback Greg Ramirez’s five total touchdowns powered NIU past Rio Grande Valley 55-17 for their first win of the season. Ramirez led an offense that rolled up 638 yards including a staggering 389 and five scores on the ground.

“That’s the second straight physical team we’ve played and it’s beating us up bad,” head coach Tony Denman said. “We don’t have a lot of depth so it really hurts. Furthermore, we have to tackle. Way too many broken tackles.”

Offensively the Vaqueros improved finishing with 350 yards all through the air as the ground game mustered -11 yards on 10 attempts. Most impressively was a great two-minute drive late in the first half that ended with a 21-yard field goal by senior Akim Wesley, the first in program history. Quarterback Blair Randle had another up and down game throwing for 349 yards and two scores but also four interceptions while being sacked twice. Out wide the team of Terrance Utley and Cam Brothers continued their hot start. Utley led again with eight catches for 127 yards while Brothers had both touchdowns on seven catches for 93 yards. In the return game seniors, Bruce Triplett and Beau Southerland each had over 100 yards.

“I think we have something here with Terrance and Cam,” Denman said. “They just find a way to get open and do a good job of securing the catch and turning upfield. Really encouraging.”

GAME NOTES
UTRGV forced their first field goal of the season and a season-high two punts
Senior linebacker Ayo Bradley became the first player with double-digit tackles in a game with 12
Junior linebacker Rickey Vogel notched both the first forced fumble and a fumble recovery in team history