Denton Prep Heroes Spearheading Local Connection
9/27/2018 9:01:00 AM | Football
DENTON – Growing up in the Rayzor Ranch area of Denton, Tyreke Davis admits he didn't follow UNT much as a kid and aspiring college football player.
The prep star from local Ryan High School kept track of the Mean Green from afar, but had other programs in mind when it came to dream destinations after high school.
That all changed when Seth Littrell set foot on the UNT campus, and Davis' attitude did a complete 180 when he went to the Heart of Dallas Bowl in 2016 to watch the Mean Green in Littrell's first season at the helm. Immediately, Davis was far more receptive to North Texas.
"It just worked out great," Davis said. "Coach Littrell and [defensive coordinator Troy Reffett] were the biggest reasons I came here. They showed great interest in me and in getting to know my parents with home visits. My mom fell in love with them, and I did too – with this culture and this staff. Around my junior year of high school, that was their first time going to a bowl game under the new staff. I got that offer from them, and I knew this is where I wanted to be."
UNT's director of recruiting, Luke Walerius, said players like Davis are helping to open up a pipeline to high school talent in the immediate area, as the small pocket of towns right around Denton has quickly become one of the most talent-rich football hotbeds in the country.
"Our success on the field is playing a big factor in that," Walerius said. "Guys have hometown pride, and they want to stay and make plays in front of their family and friends. Their high school buddies can come see them play and they have high school friends who go to UNT. It's all about pride in the area you grow up in."
"Guys take pride in playing for that hometown team, and not just playing but winning championships for that hometown team," he added.
When Davis was a senior at Ryan and already committed to North Texas, he suddenly had a new teammate in Dayton LeBlanc, whose father Derrick got the defensive line coaching job at North Texas after previously spending time at Southern Mississippi and LSU, among others.
That meant LeBlanc was thrust into a new high school environment as a junior, and Davis was quick to take him under his wing.
"When he first got to Ryan, he was a little childish and funny, but Dayton's my boy," Davis said. "We got along instantly when he first got here [to Denton]. Plus his dad was here coaching at the time, too. We clicked when he got here. We were best friends pretty quick."
LeBlanc was originally an offensive tackle at Ryan and spent a lot of time blocking for Davis, who was a two-way star for Ryan at linebacker and running back, so the two had an immediate bond.
"We bonded because we were the only two guys going from offense to defense and going both ways," LeBlanc said. "We'd always be together, offense or defense. And he was committed to North Texas, so he was around here all the time and we just hung out a lot and became really close.
"He was the main reason I came here. TJ [Tauaalo] and Rod [Young] were also big factors. But Tyreke was a big reason. He doesn't know that, but he was."
LeBlanc's father left North Texas after one season to take the defensive line job at Kentucky, taking Dayton with him to finish high school in Lexington, but Dayton never had a doubt he would return to Denton.
"I didn't commit to North Texas until after he left," Dayton LeBlanc said with a laugh. "When he brought up the Kentucky job opening and he talked with the family, we all told him to take it. We knew it was best for my family and best for my dad, but I always knew I'd be back here."
What started as an instant friendship as stars for a Texas high school powerhouse has evolved into the same relationship at UNT, but on a larger scale: helping a resurgent defense for an unbeaten North Texas team that has broken out on the national scene and earned 10 votes in the Associated Press poll.
That success has been cultivated by a high-octane offense averaging 48.75 points per game this year, but it has also had a great deal to do with the Mean Green's defense, which leads the nation in interceptions (10) and is eighth in sacks (14).
The defense is coming off two particularly strong efforts when it held Arkansas to 17 points in Fayetteville two weeks ago and a Liberty team that hung 52 points on Old Dominion to just seven points on Saturday night in Lynchburg, Virginia.
"It feels good," said Davis, a sophomore nickel back with 10 stops on the season. "We always emphasize that we want to be the reason why we win games. This year, our defensive chemistry has come a long way, and I think that has a lot to do with summer workouts. Our defense clicks really well together, all across the board, and that has a lot to do with our success."
When LeBlanc, a freshman defensive tackle with two stops in three games this year, thinks about it, he can't help but be taken back to those practice fields in East Denton.
"It feels like being at Ryan again, honestly, having a great defense with a great offense, too," LeBlanc said. "We're really hard to beat if we reset every week like [Littrell] says. We play a new offense every week so we can't worry about the last game, but Louisiana Tech is a very good team that we're getting ready for. That game means a lot to me, being from Louisiana, because that was one of my dream schools growing up."
With the defensive resurgence and the national attention the Mean Green are garnering this year, both players said they hope more players from a fertile recruiting ground in their own backyard will start staying home and building something special in Denton.
"Hopefully it happens," LeBlanc said. "Everyone says they want to go away from home and away from their parents. But you don't. Once you get here, you really need your parents. I'm lucky to have mine that I talk to every day.
"We have a bunch of kids at Ryan that can play, and I'm sure there's a bunch at Guyer and Denton High that can play, too," LeBlanc added. "A flock went to [Power-5 programs], but none of them are playing. You have to go somewhere that you're gonna play. You come here and you can win and play. Everyone wants the biggest offer, but I came here and I'm playing and winning, so that's all I'm going to say about recruiting. That's what I did, and I'm doing pretty good."
The prep star from local Ryan High School kept track of the Mean Green from afar, but had other programs in mind when it came to dream destinations after high school.
That all changed when Seth Littrell set foot on the UNT campus, and Davis' attitude did a complete 180 when he went to the Heart of Dallas Bowl in 2016 to watch the Mean Green in Littrell's first season at the helm. Immediately, Davis was far more receptive to North Texas.
"It just worked out great," Davis said. "Coach Littrell and [defensive coordinator Troy Reffett] were the biggest reasons I came here. They showed great interest in me and in getting to know my parents with home visits. My mom fell in love with them, and I did too – with this culture and this staff. Around my junior year of high school, that was their first time going to a bowl game under the new staff. I got that offer from them, and I knew this is where I wanted to be."
UNT's director of recruiting, Luke Walerius, said players like Davis are helping to open up a pipeline to high school talent in the immediate area, as the small pocket of towns right around Denton has quickly become one of the most talent-rich football hotbeds in the country.
"Our success on the field is playing a big factor in that," Walerius said. "Guys have hometown pride, and they want to stay and make plays in front of their family and friends. Their high school buddies can come see them play and they have high school friends who go to UNT. It's all about pride in the area you grow up in."
"Guys take pride in playing for that hometown team, and not just playing but winning championships for that hometown team," he added.
When Davis was a senior at Ryan and already committed to North Texas, he suddenly had a new teammate in Dayton LeBlanc, whose father Derrick got the defensive line coaching job at North Texas after previously spending time at Southern Mississippi and LSU, among others.
That meant LeBlanc was thrust into a new high school environment as a junior, and Davis was quick to take him under his wing.
"When he first got to Ryan, he was a little childish and funny, but Dayton's my boy," Davis said. "We got along instantly when he first got here [to Denton]. Plus his dad was here coaching at the time, too. We clicked when he got here. We were best friends pretty quick."
LeBlanc was originally an offensive tackle at Ryan and spent a lot of time blocking for Davis, who was a two-way star for Ryan at linebacker and running back, so the two had an immediate bond.
"We bonded because we were the only two guys going from offense to defense and going both ways," LeBlanc said. "We'd always be together, offense or defense. And he was committed to North Texas, so he was around here all the time and we just hung out a lot and became really close.
"He was the main reason I came here. TJ [Tauaalo] and Rod [Young] were also big factors. But Tyreke was a big reason. He doesn't know that, but he was."
LeBlanc's father left North Texas after one season to take the defensive line job at Kentucky, taking Dayton with him to finish high school in Lexington, but Dayton never had a doubt he would return to Denton.
"I didn't commit to North Texas until after he left," Dayton LeBlanc said with a laugh. "When he brought up the Kentucky job opening and he talked with the family, we all told him to take it. We knew it was best for my family and best for my dad, but I always knew I'd be back here."
What started as an instant friendship as stars for a Texas high school powerhouse has evolved into the same relationship at UNT, but on a larger scale: helping a resurgent defense for an unbeaten North Texas team that has broken out on the national scene and earned 10 votes in the Associated Press poll.
That success has been cultivated by a high-octane offense averaging 48.75 points per game this year, but it has also had a great deal to do with the Mean Green's defense, which leads the nation in interceptions (10) and is eighth in sacks (14).
The defense is coming off two particularly strong efforts when it held Arkansas to 17 points in Fayetteville two weeks ago and a Liberty team that hung 52 points on Old Dominion to just seven points on Saturday night in Lynchburg, Virginia.
"It feels good," said Davis, a sophomore nickel back with 10 stops on the season. "We always emphasize that we want to be the reason why we win games. This year, our defensive chemistry has come a long way, and I think that has a lot to do with summer workouts. Our defense clicks really well together, all across the board, and that has a lot to do with our success."
When LeBlanc, a freshman defensive tackle with two stops in three games this year, thinks about it, he can't help but be taken back to those practice fields in East Denton.
"It feels like being at Ryan again, honestly, having a great defense with a great offense, too," LeBlanc said. "We're really hard to beat if we reset every week like [Littrell] says. We play a new offense every week so we can't worry about the last game, but Louisiana Tech is a very good team that we're getting ready for. That game means a lot to me, being from Louisiana, because that was one of my dream schools growing up."
With the defensive resurgence and the national attention the Mean Green are garnering this year, both players said they hope more players from a fertile recruiting ground in their own backyard will start staying home and building something special in Denton.
"Hopefully it happens," LeBlanc said. "Everyone says they want to go away from home and away from their parents. But you don't. Once you get here, you really need your parents. I'm lucky to have mine that I talk to every day.
"We have a bunch of kids at Ryan that can play, and I'm sure there's a bunch at Guyer and Denton High that can play, too," LeBlanc added. "A flock went to [Power-5 programs], but none of them are playing. You have to go somewhere that you're gonna play. You come here and you can win and play. Everyone wants the biggest offer, but I came here and I'm playing and winning, so that's all I'm going to say about recruiting. That's what I did, and I'm doing pretty good."
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