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Yes, I think this sounds like a terrible idea. When USF made this move, they spent two years as a D-1 independent (just like WKU did during their provisional D-1 period) while maintaining a non-football membership in a conference that sponsored D-1A football: C-USA. USF had been a C-USA member since 1995, two years before their football program was even launched and 5 years before they made their transitional move to D-1A. Connecticut did a stint as an independent during their provisional period, and two years afterwards. But they made their move up at the invitation of the Big East, which they already belonged to in all other sports. The Big East asked them and Villanova to decide by 1997 whether they'd move up to D-1A football, with a conference entry year of 2005. Because of realignment, the Big East brought them in in 2004, so Connecticut only spent two years as a non-provisional Independent rather than three. But the whole time, they were guaranteed a spot in the Big East. Around the same time that Connecticut and USF did their independent years, there were a lot more independent 1-A teams out there. I think La Tech was still independent in 2000 (not sure). I know a lot of the teams that founded Sun Belt football (MTSU, ULM, and others) were independent at the time, because that's what led to the expedited Sun Belt football process. Now, there are only 3 other independents- Navy, Army, and Notre Dame. Notre Dame gets a special deal in the BCS contract, while Navy has it's own bowl tie-in contract. All of them have unique advantages that allow them to schedule games throughout the season. It's no coincidence that those are the only teams that have managed to survive as D-1A football independents. And it's also no coincidence that they all belong to a conference to provide a home for their other sports. UTSA will have no conference mates, which means no conference schedule. They'll probably have no trouble filling their schedule in the first 4-6 weeks of the year, before everyone else is locked into their conference slate... But they'll have a terrible time getting games (especially home games) in the last 6-8 weeks of the year. Look at USF... Back in 2001, they scheduled fellow independent Connecticut, C-USA member Houston, and 3 D-1AA teams in Oct/Nov just to fill out their schedule. In 2002, they played 4 C-USA teams (they were scheduled to join full conference play the next year, I'm sure that helped) and a D-1AA to fill out October and November. Even if they do manage to find enough D-1A teams to schedule them during open weeks to ensure a full 11 D-1A games (with one 1-AA that could still count towards postseason eligibility)... UTSA will have no bowl tie-ins. That means that no game could/would take them unless all existing primary and secondary contractual deals with the conferences and independents are not able to be met. So if they do somehow manage to fill out a schedule, and they do manage to get a winning record... The odds are very, very slim that there would even be a possible home for them. Some might argue that the Alamo Bowl would offer a secondary deal to them as a show of San Antonio support... But in the past 15 years, neither the Big 10 nor the Big 12 has ever failed to meet their contractual obligation and send an eligible team to the game. Considering that the main value a bowl brings to a city is the tourist money spent on hotels, restaurants, bars, and so forth... I can't see UTSA getting a bid there. Not when half the teams that play in that bowl are nationally ranked, and all of them have national recognition for TV ratings and fan bases that travel in huge numbers. So, they'll have a near impossible task setting a schedule and nothing to show for it even if they manage to schedule and win. Throw in the fact that they're alienating the Southland, their home for all other sports, and this could be a potential catastrophe for their entire athletics program. Going independent in football is hard enough; so hard that everyone else besides Notre Dame and 2 of the service academies gave it up. Going independent across the board is madness. That's why there's a New Jersey school in the Great West Conference- Because teaming up with anyone, no matter how geographically or ideologically unsuitable the arrangement may seem, is almost always better than going it alone. It's why only seven schools out of the 347 that play D-1 basketball do it as independents. Of those seven, Savannah State and Seattle are desperately seeking admission to the MEAC and WCC, respectively. Winston-Salem is a former MEAC member in the process of dropping down to D-2. Longwood is in the process of dropping down to D-III (like UNO). Cal-State Bakersfield is still in transition up from D-2, and trying for Big West membership in 2011. North Carolina Central just finished moving up from D-2, and they'll join the MEAC on July 1st. SIU-Edwardsville just moved up from D-2, they compete in the OVC starting next school year. Even those guys are all either still transitioning up, down, or begging to join pretty much anyone. If UTSA's football hubris gets the school kicked out of the Southland like the article hints may be happening... They'd better have a backup plan for their other sports. Or they may find themselves stuck in the Great West with Houston Baptist (and no NCAA basketball auto-bid, either). And anyone who thinks this sort of attitude towards the conference might not permanently sour their relationship with the Southland should remember two words: Louisiana Tech. Mention their name to longtime Sun Belt members and see how much their attitude towards the conference back during their member days continues to alienate people, even a decade later. Arkstfan can speak to the lingering hard feelings a lot better than I can, because I just hear/read the old stories and fan complaints. If he sees this, I hope he'll chime in on this angle of the UTSA story. --------- UTSA is taking a far riskier chance than USF (or anyone else in the past 10 years) took in transitioning to D-1A football. They don't have the affiliation or relationship in place like Connecticut or USF did. They don't have the scheduling support/opportunities or postseason options that independent teams did at the beginning of the decade. Throw in the fact that they run the risk of alienating their conference mates and losing their home for all other sports (something Texas State and Lamar have managed to avoid as they aspire to take the same step up to D-1A football), and this could be a disaster. Best case, they're adding the most expensive sport with a near-zero chance of postseason play and few resources to even set a schedule. Worst case, they have to find a new, less geographically friendly home for their other sports, and their athletics expenses rise across the board. Given that they aren't exactly powerhouses in the other sports they sponsor, it won't necessarily be easy to get into another conference from the outside if they get themselves kicked out of the SLC. Unless someone winds up in a desperate situation (the WAC collapse/raid scenario), it may be hard for them to get an offer to join any conference that sponsors D-1A football at all. All in all... It seems like a very bizarre move. If this is their attempt to wave a hankie at the WAC in hopes that they get an invite sooner than later, they'd better hope the gamble works.

This. Misery loves company I'll man up and admit that I've done nothing but be negative towards the football program for awhile. I didn't see anything wrong with it until people came over to my Basketball board ( ok it's really not mine , but I'm one of the few who live over here ) and be negative towards JJ's program here recently. This is one of the few bright spots we have on campus. We should be very thankful JJ is here and that he wants to build a strong program. Is he the best coach in the country ? No way. Could UNT get someone better ? Maybe , but that's not a guarantee. JJ is a very respected coach around the nation and lead us the BIG DANCE just a few years ago. I see a few posters who are online and don't post anything at all after a win or they post that we shouldn't of won that game or it wasn't good enough. Then the same posters are quick to be so negative after every loss and almost seem proud that we did so just so they can pump out their chest and say "told you we sucked". I don't get it. Either you love UNT or you don't. It's like a marriage.It can't be conditional. This attitude helped open my eyes on how negative I've been towards TD and the FB program. Although I'm not happy about our situation , I'm going to go into this season with a new, better , positive attitude.

My linkhttp://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=50605 I'd like to call your attention to this thread...SS gets a big win against a previously undefeated USA women's team and neither you, nor Deep Green made a comment...the two of you, along with others, only seem to make your presence known on the basketball board when things go wrong. Do you take some kind of satisfaction in a struggling woman's program b/c RV didn't make the hire you specifically wanted? Is it spill over frustration from the football season? Do you secretly hate UNT and relish in our current woman's hoops mediocrity? Instant gratification is rare in this world...and often very short lived.

Many have stated thier frustration with Dodge is in keeping the best QB off the field, or being stretched too thin with calling plays and being the CEO of the team at the same time, and just plain not understanding the game at the BCS level. While I don't think Dodge himself is in over his head, I do believe he brought in some assistants who were. The hiring of coach Canales is reflective of a long line of excellent replacement hires by Dodge: He re-hired DeLoach after finding that Mendoza was utterly outcoached in every game. He pushed for a dedicated FB strength & conditioning position, then brought in one of the best in Ausmus, and a guy most of us are very happy with in Gahagan. He shifted Gandy over to Special teams where we saw many improvements last year (hope to see better kicking this season). He brought in coach Nelson to take over the D-Line. Then, he gets coach Canales... and here we are. Optimism in the form of Green KoolAid. Everyone he hired so far has the much desired skins-on-the-wall. With this hire, many of coach Dodge's fiercest critics are easing off (even praising him), and seem to think this will free him up to focus on game management. The "cupboard is bare" and "young team" arguements are no longer valid. I don't think anyone here is too concerned over the talent of the players (other than D-Line, and I think there are 100's of other schools in our boat). My question is: Do we trust Todd Dodge to drive this machine he's built to a 7-5 or better year in 2010?

The only thing I have to say is that when Coach Dodge's first recruiting class was announced (which he was in charge of), and everyone was getting excited about all the WR's being recruited, my response was (in honor of the late Clara Peller) "where's the beef?". Can anyone show me where the beef is in our current recruiting class?

An athletic QB that's only 6'0? That means he has to be a WR to be successful at the Division I level or his future coach should be fired. Don't you guys know anything?? Where is Lonnie Finch to back me up??

Based on the writing style, length, emotion, and multiple uses of emoticons, my guess is that the writer is female. Based on the football knowledge I'm guessing a current or former offensive coach's wife.

DFW to Newburgh will run you about $352 with a connection in Detroit. DFW to White Plains is running about $261 with a connection in Chicago.

i don't know that being excited for a new hire on the offensive staff communicates a satisfaction for the way the defense performed last year. was the pass rush sufficient? hardly. did our defense force turnovers? rarely. the fact is, though, we have first hand experience watching deloach change these deficiencies at north texas. We have to trust that there will be improvement on that side of the ball. to say that there wasn't improvement from '08 to '09 would be inaccurate so can't we hope for progress in '10? i think the excitement is exactly what you mentioned. a hope that the offense will be more efficient and control the turnovers and the defense will also improve. if both of these things happen, there's reason to be excited. could the defense benefit from TD's ability to now manage both sides of the ball equally rather than being so offensively focused? i think so.

Completely wrong assumption. For that assumption to be true, then no other coach had any input, made any contribution nor could have had gained any experience during the last year. Based on your assumption, nly Coach Canales had any influence on the team with either the offense or the defense. Likewise, based on your assumption, none of the players on either side of the ball gained any experience of any kind last year. That is just not reality. Since the assumption in invalid on it’s face, the question had no basis either.

I am not sure after NT suffering the worst loss in history, is the right time to be complaining about program negativity. If the last two games are not enough to question a coach, when do you?

be careful....some posters are legacies and seem to know that their shait don't stink and that their opinion is one of a god's... i agree with ya though. it is surprising to see the number of folks that only complain. i've done it before but am trying to make a concerted effort to quit that crap....IT HELPS NO ONE!!!

My trust is in Canales, Deloach, Nelson, Gandy, Leftwich, and Gahagan. Dodge, since agreeing to turn over the playcalling and training of QBs to Canales, is no more than a side issue to me now. We now have guys on both sides of the ball with enough experience at this level calling the shots. Dodge can go sit up in the press box, eat hot dogs and drink Diet Cokes for all I care. He won't be the one calling the shots anyway - and, it's the best career move he's ever made! Think of the upside for Dodge in giving up control to people who actually know what they're doing - he can become a Mack Brown-, Bobby Bowden-, Joe Pa-like figurehead in his mid-40s instead of having to wait until his 70s. Maybe he can borrow Bowden's old golf cart to go to and from practice and sit in the shade while Canales gets us ready for 2010.

It's no longer a matter of trust or faith or belief. The University already put its trust in Dodge when it hired him and then kept him on the job despite a 5-31 record. We put our trust in him by joining and renewing the Mean Green Club and buying tickets and showing up week after week despite the mounting losses. This year it's a matter of Todd Dodge proving himself a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision head coach, and the only way to do that is to win. No excuses. I have no expectations, positive or negative. I have hope, and I will continue to support this team. I sincerely hope that every member of this board will, after the 2010 season, wish to have Todd Dodge back for a fifth season. But that sentiment must be earned in the fall, not given in January.

I personally can't see 7 - 5. This 1 hire doesn't make us better than Kansas St,Clemson,Troy or MTSU. That would mean we would have to WIN 7 of the other 8 games on the schedule and I don't see that happening. It's one coordinator position. It's a not a whole new staff , it's not a 5 star QB and it's certainly not a stud DT that can carry a whole unit. A good hire ? Yes. UNT & TD's savior ? No

Greatness then.. Guess I just missed it.

Holy sheet, I don't know if I have ever seen TFLF on the Kool Aid and over the top positive, I have to say this is a bit scary.

The President, being the head of the law enforcement end of govt (the executive branch) has every right under the constitution to investigate (or not) any criminal activity with probable cause. Congress on the other hand, really has no ability to weigh in on the matter unless it is affecting interstate commerce, but they would also need an investigation first, so what's the harm? Personally, I would love for the president to get involved in an investigation in this matter. The more he focuses here, perhaps the less he'll focus on law making issues, theoretically beyond his job description.

This team seems to be enigmatic: The UAB tourney saw us lose to Samford, only to pick up a nice win against UAB. Then, we knock off USA, only to drop the next two horrifically. I just wish we could see some consistency from the ladies... Coach Stephens seemed like a great hire in the beginning. We should give her the same leeway we provided Todd Dodge to try and make it work!

Got this quote from a poster on a USF message board. "I saw them play the first week of the season and the QB looked pretty good, if he wasn't a senior Canales could have some immediate success with NT."

I think it is foolish to trust in Todd Dodge. He has done very little in terms of success to warrant trust. So, no i do not trust that he will get the job done because the job hasn't been close to getting it done the first three years. It is all a wait and see.

Or maybe DeLoach is installing a 3-3-5 Defense ?

My God where would we be without Motown? Thank you for the very appropriate link to Martha and the Vandella's! Rick

Hey I had little hope after RV said he was staying with Dodge and his staff, even with this ultimatum of 7 wins. But I thought Ford would probably need to go to see real results I think what I heard about practice and maybe TFLF's posts convinced me that a real D1a OC would help. I am very excited now because I do think it is just what the doctor ordered. I can see us with a real shot at 7 games in the W column next season. Yes the proof is in the pudding, the mean green pudding is looking better all the time.

The more I read the more afraid I am, as if I have fallen into an episode of the Twilight Zone. A world where UNT has a great hire, TD is still here and handing over his offense, and a world where TFLF is giddy on the Kool Aid. Things are all Topsy-turvy and I feel a bit dizzy. Maybe I have died because even GMG looks different? Parallel Universe? I have the goose bumps.

I'd pretty well guarantee Riley will be the starting QB next year. Canales wants a dual threat. Don't get me wrong; I love Nathan, and Derek looked good in his 2 minutes of fame last year, but neither of them bring the running threat Riley does.

Probably means the Obama administration will force the Big Ten to add the Univ. of Chicago to the conference.

Nothing set in stone yet, but it's logical to assume Ausmus would follow Kiffin to USC, where Ausmus was previously on Carlisle's staff. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the rest of the USC S and C staff remains intact without further changes.

Do we know what his pay is? Maybe we spent some money this time.

Whoa, slow down the train! We still have to have the players to make the plays, do we have enough of them now? And how much control of the offense and coaching Riley will Dodge really give up? It's his job on the line this season. He's been involved in play calls for 24 years and now suddenly going to turn over the car keys and son to this new guy he's known for 2 weeks?? I like the hire but...wow, this will be interesting!

This is a huge change for Dodge. I wonder if part of this "delegation of authority" was the reason for the delay in the hiring? Probably not but I think it shows how much pressure Dodge must be under to want to turn things around this season. Spring football will be very interesting!

Harry: I just hope Dodge follows thru and lets Canales and DeLoach both run their respective areas. This is huge philosophy change and just hope Dodge sees that it was needed.

It definately gives me some more hope for next year.

Fantastic News to finally be official. This has to be one of Dodge's best hires by far. Spring Practice will be fun to follow with Canales leading the offense.

so it sounds like Pelosi wants to freeze defense spending and gut the military much like Clinton did in the 90's then claim they created a huge deficit all the while leaving the States vulnerable due to a skeleton army. Remeber Clinton have Bin Laden in kill sights and refused to pull the trigger.

Especially considering the fact that Hugo Black, a lawyer for the Ku Klux Klan, a direct enemy of the Catholic Church and Roosevelt's first Supreme Court appointee wrote the 5-4 dissent that became what most libs today refer to when they attack religion. Read here, from the middle of page 40 on down to page 47. Rick

I didn't know our founding fathers were still alive in 1947? Rick

Ever hear of the 10th amendment? That is what the folks are so mad about. Yes, they have a pretty well documented budget-busting state health care system in Mass. What they don't want is the federal gov't to come in and mandate a plan for them. Even in a lib state like Mass, many folks care about the 10th amendmant and badly want the federal gov't's hands out of their state business. "Moral victory" my rear end! If Brown wins in Mass (and the jury is still definitely out on that at this time) this will be so very much more than a "moral victory". But, go ahead a get the "spin" going if you want just in case Brown does win. "Moral victory"...if you think a Brown victory would not be a rebuke of Obama's policies you are smokin' something wacky! Interesting how the spin has already started and the winner hasn't even been declared as yet! The "moral victory" thought will come if Brown loses a very close election. That, given that it was Ted's seat for so many years, would indeed, be a moral victory of sorts. But, I hold out great hope for the victory of a more concrete kind in this election. We'll all know which it is in a few short hours. You never know, some "community group" may mobilize all those "registered dem voters" and push Coakley over the top! I hope not...I pray for a Brown victory!

Its called States Rights, which is what they wanted with their failed State Run Healthcare, not having an out of touch Congress forcing Gov't Healthcare mandates on everyone. Let the states and cities decide what they want not some National mandate.

If this happens we should all be pissed unless we hire an OC with many skins on the wall.

We have money, just will we pay up or not.

considering he is unemployed I do not think it would be a paycut. You never no what someone wants to do until they sign on the dotted line, but this is typical small time thinking that UNT Admins and many fans seem to follow.

Interesting how people KNOW what one person will do or not do and who the dept. may or may not have contacted as yet.

Stealth Asst. Coach recruiting?

That is Unacceptable, I think Dodge must go minimum 7-5 or 8-4 to keep his job, maybe 6-6 if RV feels bad for him.

Tells you something about your program when you lose one of your coaches to a high school.

I can't see TF leaving as a bad thing, as long as we bring in a Division 1A OC my feeling about next season just improved drastically.

Yeah!!!! Good Luck to him. No can we find a true OC that knows how to use TE and Middle of the field receivers.

So what does that say about Tune and Dodge then?