University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Former Red Raider Joins North Texas
10/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Steven Bartolotta, October 7, 2009, 9:58 p.m.
This isn't your average walk-on for North Texas. Former Texas Tech linebacker Dewayne Baziel has joined the Mean Green football program as a walk-on and will begin practicing with North Texas this week.
This is a story with a lot of twists and turns so keep with us here as we explain how a talent like Baziel landed at North Texas.
Out of Galveston Ball HS in 2006, Baziel was a weakside defensive end with offers from Texas Tech, Iowa, Iowa State, Missouri, TCU, Utah, and UTEP.
His high school credentials were stout. He was the District 24-5A Defensive MVP and named to the TexasHSFootball.com Region III First-Team.
A lot of potential, and a lot of offers to choose from for Baziel who was ranked 43rd in the nation at his position in high school. His highlight video is below.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/video/recruiting-football/Dewayne-Baziel-Galvesto-4019;_ylt=Anfh3M0fLWVte.aQEXWNug9HPZB4
He went with Texas Tech and signed with the Red Raiders in 2006. Baziel redshirted his freshman year and then left Lubbock after the season. He then spent the next two seasons at Cisco Junior College and in 2008 was named to the SWJCFC second-team defense. Ironically, lineman Jeremy Bean was a second-team offensive pick in the same league in 2008.
So Baziel finishes up his classes at Cisco and spent this past summer getting his academics in order to find a Football Bowl Subdivision team to play for. Insert Kelvin Drake into the mix, his former teammate at Ball HS. Following the connections? Baziel showed up for the North Texas walkon program the week of the Middle Tennessee game.
Coach Dodge told me yesterday that Baziel is hopefully going to practice starting this week and potentially play for North Texas in the upcoming weeks. Now Dodge said that Baziel wants to be at North Texas but he also wants to be able to play so Dodge said they will give him an honest assessment as to whether or not he can help the team this season and play this year.
It sounded as if Baziel will get a first look at defensive end but at 6-3, 240 linebacker might also be a possibility.
Basically if Baziel can help, he will play. If not, he might not ever set foot on the field at North Texas. At his size, he appears to be a bigger version of AK on the edge. The biggest question you've got to ask is what kind of shape is he going to be in and how fast can he adapt to the speed of the game if he does indeed play this year. Also keep in mind, he is walking o
One way or another, the tale of Baziel is another interesting story line to follow as the 09' season unfolds.
