North Texas was supposed to be reaping the benefits of what was widely considered a recruiting coup by this time in the tenure of head coach Todd Dodge.

When Dodge came to UNT after the 2006 season, he immediately went out and signed six highly regarded wide receivers in the span of just a few weeks between the time he took over and national signing day.

Those players haven’t produced the way UNT hoped, which has set the Mean Green back and sent its coaches scrambling to find junior college wide receivers to add to its third recruiting class in Dodge’s tenure. UNT turned its attention to that class on Saturday, when a host of junior college players began their official visits to Denton during a bye week for the Mean Green, which is 1-9 entering its final two games of the season.

At least two wide receivers were expected to be in a group of 6-10 players who visited campus.

UNT is hoping to find at least a few players in that batch who can make an impact while it waits for the wide receivers it signed earlier to develop.

“I would have liked to have had that first group of wide receivers be more productive by this time,” Dodge said. “The ones that are still at receiver are young. … For some guys, it takes longer. That is the case with Sam Roberson. He needs to have a solid spring.”

Roberson, a talented 6-4 redshirt freshman, is one of the young players UNT is hoping will become the hit of a series of recruits that has included several misses. Of the six wide high school wide receivers UNT signed in its first recruiting class, three are no longer with the team.

Forrest Rucker appeared to have the most potential of the four high school receivers UNT signed in 2008, but suffered a shoulder injury that forced him to redshirt this season.

All four of UNT’s 2008 wide receiver recruits are sitting out this year.

Quarterback Riley Dodge filled in at wide receiver for three games, but is expected to return to his natural position next season.

The 10 high school wide receivers UNT has signed in the Dodge era have combined to catch 79 passes for 807 yards and three touchdowns. Sam Dibrell, who quit the team after a loss to Rice on Sept. 27, caught 52 passes for 610 yards and two touchdowns during a 14-game career over two seasons.

The opportunities UNT’s recruits in the Dodge era have received have been limited by the presence of All-Sun Belt Conference selection Casey Fitzgerald, but several have been beaten out by walk-ons.

Kevin Dickerson, Alex Lott and Roderick Johnson all saw significant action in the Mean Green’s loss to Florida Atlantic last week.

“All of those guys were walk-ons, but they have earned their right to play and have been consistent,” Dodge said.

Some of the wide receiver recruits other Sun Belt programs have brought in during the last two seasons have been far more productive.

Troy sophomore Jerrel Jernigan had caught 84 passes for 1,003 yard and eight touchdowns heading into a game against LSU on Saturday night. Jernigan’s totals exceeded those of all of UNT’s wide receiver recruits in the last two seasons combined.

Florida International freshman T.Y. Hilton had 27 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns heading into the weekend.

“Jerrel played quarterback in high school, but had tremendous talent and ability,” Troy coach Larry Blakeney said. “We thought we were getting a jewel and it turned out that way.”

FIU caught a break when Hilton decided to stay close to home instead of play for one of several schools in the Southeastern or Big East conferences that recruited him.

“I didn’t know how big an impact he would have, but I knew he would upgrade our production,” FIU coach Mario Cristobal said of Hilton.

UNT will continue looking for its gem in Dodge’s third recruiting class. The Mean Green has already received an oral commitment from Dallas Lincoln wide receiver Daniel Mayberry.

It appears as if UNT will look to add a few more receivers, including a few with junior college experience, this weekend.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

Wide receivers in the Sun Belt

North Texas has signed 10 high school wide receivers in its last two recruiting classes. Here is how the group compares to two of the star young wide receivers in the Sun Belt, Troy’s Jerrel Jernigan and Florida International’s T.Y. Hilton.

North Texas

2007 signees

Player            catches-yds.-TDs            status

Sam Dibrell            52-610-2   quit team

Breece Johnson            5-35-1            backup

Marcus King            0-0-0            quit team

B.J. Lewis            10-86-0          moved to DB

Sam Robertson            12-76-0          backup

Evan Walker            0-0-0            no longer on team

2008 signees

Kenny Barrett            0-0-0            redshirting

Desmond Brigham            0-0-0            redshirting

Forrest Rucker             0-0-0            redshirting

Willie Taylor            0-0-0            redshirting

Totals   79 catches 807 yards    3 TDs

Troy

2007 signee

Jerrel Jernigan            84 catches 1,003            8 TDs

Florida International

2008 signee

T.Y. Hilton            27 catches 777 yards    4 TDs

Note --  Stats heading into Saturday’s games