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Dodge was told he had to win 7....so with the 6th loss....RV should then make the move. Reassign TD or whatever. Do that....so that the search for the new coach can begin IMMEDIATELY. I suspect our 6th loss will be 3 weeks from today. As sadly, I don't see this team winning another game. Maybe they will....but with injuries, and the overall lackluster play....I don't see it. Anyway, if we lose the next three....the search could begin on Monday October 11. And we might have a new coach in place by the end of the season. The new coach could then possibly salvage some of this recruiting season....one in which we need to sign lots of good players. And one more thing: Please UNT...spend the dough and bring in a proven guy. At this point, we don't need any more f'ing experiments. So no hotshot OC from some place...or whatever. There are lots of name coaches available.....hire one.

Who even cares? A fan is a fan. Doesn't matter how much you give. You could be the biggest monetary supporter, but you'll still never gain respect from me because of this kind of stupid crap you pull.

Maybe we shouldn't even keep score at the games and just hand out participation ribbons to both teams.....

I don't know where you've been the last four years but it hasn't been reading this board. The majority have been pulling for Todd to the point of embarassment among our friends. We realize that some of his problems were inherited but many resulted from using high school coaches, failure to conform to the college game, and correct failures in a timely manner. He is unable to teach or inspire players to win. Todd is as nice a guy as I've met. Maybe he's too nice. It seems to take a hardass to get the best out of most of the players. Dodge has done some fine, make that great things for us during his tenure such as correcting the drug problem, encouraging scholarship so that no players are now lost to APR, and pushing for the new stadium. But, he cannot seem to win regardless of how hard he tries and it's time for change before we start losing fans. There is simply too much at stake to continue with a coach who wins about one out of every eight games played. That doesn't happen in the annals of the FBS. Further, more conference changes are likely soon and no one will want us with our recent history of losing. Lastly, as you are well aware, it's hard enough to get people to donate to a winner, much less a perpetual loser.

23,000+ fans showed up for the first home game, of a coach that was 5-31 and you think he needs better fans?

Nothing good can come of leaving him on as an interim guy. Absolutely nothing positive. But it could work out to be a negative decision. The most obvious one (to me) is Dodge's propensity to burn potential redshirts. Brelan Chancellor got his shirt burned today so he could execute a 2 yard punt return. Anyone who thinks Dodge saw Arkansas State last year as his last game and last shot at a win was particularly upset about the Derek Thompson decision because Dodge would never have to deal with the potential consequences. I don't want to open up that can of worms again... But if it had turned out to be Dodge's last game, the fallout would have been more real and justified than anything we heard about black jerseys. I'm sure a lot of other people can point out other examples of guys who played a handful of snaps on special teams or got throw in the fire for no apparent reason late in the year as true freshmen. NT03 mentioned John Weber's action last year when I saw him at the Pourhouse today. Anyway... When he's got nothing to lose for his own future, I don't want him determining the future eligibility of our players. When we broke camp this year, we had Nathan Tune, Victor Gill, Esteban Santiago, and Craig Robertson starting as 5th year seniors. Whatever anyone may think about their performance so far, they were starters because the coach who inherited them chose to play them. And he had the choice to play them as 5th year seniors because the coach who recruited them allowed them to redshirt as freshmen. I want to make sure that the next coach, if there is a next coach, gets the same opportunity to use as much of the talent on this roster as possible. It's already too late for Aaron Bellazin, Brandin Byrd, Brelan Chancellor, Drew Miller, Zach Orr, Richard Abbe, Ryan Boutwell, Zach Olen, Jose Serrano, Derek Teegarden, and Will Wright. But it's not too late for Ricky Broxton, John Dodson, Blake Dunham, Shelton Gandy, Jared Harrison, Graylan Hawkins, Joshua Hunt, Antonio Johnson, John Noble, Wesley Racht, Konockus Sashington, Nick Summerfield, James Tandy, and Mason Y'Barbo. As soon as loss 6 hits, you appoint an interim and inform him that anyone who is still redshirt eligible (and the list is dwindling, just 3 games into the season) is untouchable. Because I don't trust Dodge to care about the long term future of this team if he's already been fired.

I'm trying to remember....have they added a "Had A Good Time" place on standings now?

First, I thought Emmitt's "8 wins" was a good little bit he was pulling on us. Then, I was convinced TFLF was pulling the "message board Andy Kaufman" bit of our generation, staying in this crazy character for months while privately giggling at everyone at night, outsmarting all of us with every post. Now, I'm hoping... nay, PRAYING... that grad88 is topping it all. THIS. CAN. NOT. BE. REAL. If it is, it's time to save money, go to FCS, and maybe get a coach in here from good Christian Hardin-Simmons for 80k and sign him to a lifetime contract. We save a ton of money for the university, get some REAL integrity in here, and all have a great time every week! Think of the power we could save by turning off the scoreboard!!!

Question. Would you be happy if we just played FCS football? If winning doesn't matter, then why not just drop down to the FBS level and save a little money? Did you ever stop and think of the effect this constant losing has on the players in this program? Do you foolishly think that they are OK with losing, also? Don't you think they deserve to have the best chance to be successful on the football field? A chance they have not gotten for 4 years now? I think you are naive, not to mention self centered, for not realizing the effect that constant losing has on people far more important than the average fan.

What line of work are you in? In the business world, shareholders expect results. No one is going to get a free pass because the are running a "classy" program with "true" employees who buy their secretaries flowers on Secretary's Day..........it is about results, especially when others around you in similar situations are doing so much better. Save the "It's not whether you win or lose" bs for someone else and have a little pride.

Jim Harbaugh's Stanford Cardinal are pounding Wake Forest. And, Robb Akey's Idaho Vandals are beating the snot out of UNLV; fouth quarter beginning and they are shutting out the Rebels. Look, injuries or not, Todd Dodge just didn't get it done. Those guys have already taken teams to bowl games. Idaho was no better off than we were when Akey was hired. Stanford was the joke of the Pac-10. We've gone nowhere. In fact, we may have gone backwards. We are razor thin everywhere, even after four years of Dodge's recruiting. JUCOs are providing band aids and patching holes. But, let's face it, in 2011, whomever is leading the Mean Green will truly have a bare cupboard. There won't be nine starters returning on defense like Dodge squandered in 2007. There won't be a young Kelvin Drake, Victor Gill, or Esteban Santiago, a game Daniel Meager to screw over.... I feel bad for the players who have been injured, but watching these other programs get off the ground while we spin our wheels makes me sick. FIU has lost second half leads against Rutgers and Texas A&M in the past two weeks. Dodge would have been blown out by both of those schools in the first half. That's Mario Cristobal - another fourth year coach - playing BCS schools close at home and on the road with his formerly downtrodden FIU Golden Panthers. Are they winning a ton yet? No. But, they are no longer getting blown out either. Army sure as hell wouldn't shut out FIU, Stanford, or Idaho. Anyway, just venting at the end of the day while watching Akey and Harbaugh, fourth year guys whose teams are rolling.

Just blow my brains out.

I have read many posts over the past years through the highs and lows of the Mean Green. I finally decided to register and post my thoughts. I am a proud UNT graduate (3 times) and a longtime season ticket holder and Mean Green Club member. I was in the stands supporting our team in the late 80's/early 90's when we had little excitement and a few thousand fans in the stands. The spirit and game day excitement has certainly improved. The great new stadium will be a showcase for the campus and I have no doubt that we will see many great championship teams play there. The last year in Fouts Field appears to be headed to one that we will want to forget. But, I have confidence that the athletic director who helped turn around the spirit on campus and an interim president who supports athletics will bring an outstanding coach to the Mean Green Nation! Let's all join together and support the Mean Green when the need it the most. And, let's look forward to a bright future! I am not throwing in the towel. But, will be disappointed if UNT does not take this opportunity to bring us a great new leader. Glory to the Green!

If TD was told he had to win 7....and you fire him before he gets that chance to win 7: I think that could really hurt us amongst Texas high school coaches. TD is one of their own. If it wasn't for that....I'd say go ahead and make the move. That's my main reason for doing it after loss #6.

You never had one to begin with

Anyone who wants to bail out on the Oct. 2nd game, let me know. I've got company coming down from Wisconsin. Took me to Lambeau Field, Wrigley Field, old County Stadium... He and my dad went to Ripon and Lawrence, the Texas/OU of D-III private Wisconsin schools. My first ever tailgating experience was with this family friend. I'm going to try and show him the best tailgate he's ever seen in his life, and I'll bring as many other guests out as I possibly can. Not fishing for tickets... But anyone who doesn't want to show up (I totally understand and don't criticize), I'll find someone to use that ticket and show them the best time they can possibly have at a potentially 0-4 coaching death march in progress. If you aren't coming, I'll find a local and try to make them a new fan. Did it in 2007 for SMU (spent about $6-700 on food and tickets for first time UNT viewers on that game) and it seemed to get at least a few new people to hop on board and somehow ride out the Dodge era. Maybe it can happen again.

I'd agree if we hadn't already seen 3 years of guys playing limited, absurd minutes and then getting little or no use thereafter. Several of those burned shirts played against Clemson and haven't seen the field since, injuries be damned. Doesn't make any sense to me. In 4 or 5 plays, did we SUDDENLY realize that someone wasn't ready and they oughtn't play again this year? And, if so, why didn't we realize that after spring and fall camp? Abbe played against Clemson, hasn't seen any activity since. Boutwell played against Rice, but not against Clemson or Army. Teegarden, a 177 pound true freshman QB recruit, played against Clemson and hasn't played again since. Drew Miller, a true freshman and one of SIX tight ends on the roster, played against Army and Army only. Redshirt freshman Austin Fitzpatrick didn't see the field yesterday. Neither did Junior TE Jamie Olawale. NO tight ends caught ANY passes. None have caught any passes ALL YEAR. We've only even thrown to a tight end TWICE in THREE GAMES. They only go in there to block! Did we absolutely HAVE to burn that potential redshirt? Would it have killed us to let one of those other, older, bigger, more experienced tight ends go in and block instead? Byrd may be able to contribute this year... But is his contribution going to overshadow Lance Dunbar? And James Hamilton? And if he's so explosive we ABSOLUTELY MUST USE HIM RIGHT NOW NOW NOW, why does he have only two carries? And none in the past two games, when our offense has struggled and looked out of sorts? We can't find enough carries for our most explosive, dangerous weapon (or his explosive, dangerous backup), but we've absolutely got to have Byrd use up a year of eligibility on special teams? And not as a returner, where he might actually be able to use his speed and elusiveness to improve our field position or score points? I don't think Dodge would burn redshirts as a "middle finger" to the fans. I think he'd do it because he's proven to be completely inept at utilizing the potential 5th year to develop a bigger, better, more trained talent pool. We keep throwing guys out there, year after year, to do basically NOTHING and forego a possible year of actual contributions somewhere down the line. If the last coach followed the same philosophy Dodge does regarding giving underutilized players a year to learn and grow and develop, we would have started this season without our starting QB, half our offensive line, and our best defensive player. Anyone who is enjoying Craig Robertson's work on defense this year should stop to consider that under the current philosophy, Robertson would have graduated last year. Because he would have played a handful of snaps on special teams in the 3rd and 6th game of his true freshman year, and not seen the field at all otherwise. If he's fired, he needs to be gone and we need to do as much damage control as we can on saving the future eligibility of as many of our athletes as possible. Once the year is written off as lost, we play with the roster we have and try to secure the best possible future we can for the years to come.

Some thoughts: 12 players out for most if not all of the year since two-a-days...the 12th player is a true freshman, Knockus Sashington (gotta love the name). Most of these players are starters. Jason Sehorn and Dave Ryan, commentators for CBSCS were discussing how these injuries of this magnitude are unprecedented and break down the leadership and connectedness of the team in addition to the obvious problem of having so many of your top players out. They also brought up the fact that we are already short of the 85 scholarships available to FBS schools, so it just makes it worse. We need to support our team the entire season, no matter what happens with the coaching staff. It will be a monumental feat to overcome this many injuries, especially when you consider how tenuous the situation is already. The fact is that most of these players will be around next year and in future years. We need to support them...period. If Dodge can lead this team to a dramatic turnaround under the current circumstances, he'll be a hero. If not, RV will be faced with the biggest hire of his career. RV has done a great job with the athletic program in his tenure. He overcame huge deficits in facilities, lack of school and fan spirit and support and has helped to create a culture where people are proud to cheer our student athletes and our programs and facilities are vastly improved. The game atmosphere is dramatically improved, despite the W-L record. We will succeed and become a solid football program again. Perhaps Dodge pulls off the amazing turnaround. If not, I'm thinking Mike Leach and Jeff Bower are good places to start the coaching search. Leach may not be interested/affordable and I'm not sure what Bower is doing these days, but they are both proven HCs and are top of mind to me. For now, let's support the Mean Green as Dodge and his staff work to overcome improbable odds. Put yourself in their shoes. I can not imagine the pressure they are under right now. They want to succeed...let's support them in that. If they don't succeed, RV will make a change. The players, coaches and we, the fans, all understand that. Now they have a lot to do to get ready for FAU.

You really live in your own special little world don't you. I like Dodge and think he is a class act, but Football is about winning, making MONEY, and being one of Gateways the nation can see your school. This includes bringing in donations for endowments, its been shown winning and donations go hand and hand. I have been to Fouts when there were just a couple thousand people there it sucks. We keep Dodge and this idea that winning does not matter and we will be back to that sooner then later.

That's a great motto for Dodge's team: "We always grow more from our losses than our victories." They should put it on a sign above the tunnel when the team comes out.

SOME of us actually went to the Army game. SOME of us actually witnessed this team give up. SOME of us watched the confusion from the coaches (wasting precious time before calling time out at the end of the second quarter...NOT going for it on 4th and 1 at the 45 yard line???, etc.). SOME of us noticed the look of despair and utter defeat on the players' faces BEFORE the game even started (and, of course, Army marched it right down for a TD to start the game). SOME of us were HEARTBROKEN to witness the frustration from Lance Dunbar because the coaches were too inept to call a play in...then wasted a good 18 precious seconds before calling that timeout. Lance Dunbar plays with heart...to witness the frustration when he came off to the sidelines was sickening to me. Broke my heart..... SOME of us were not proud...and I would be remiss to totally excuse the effort (or, lack thereof)....coaching (or, lack thereof)...and the fact that we looked like we did not even show up. No offense to Army (I cannot say anything bad about the Army or USMA as my father was in the Army for 26 years)...but it is not as if they are a perennially Top 25 team. BUT...they absolutely CRUSHED this team. SOME of us are realistic. SOME of us realize the futility of this season. SOME of us realize the best course of action would be to cut our losses and move on to a new regime.

Since we're psychoanalyzing, you have a pollyanna complex. Good things don't happen just because we wish really, really hard for them. It's never "only a matter of time" until you win in college football. There are plenty of examples of coaches who could not lead teams to a winning record. I don't hang my self-esteem on whether North Texas wins or loses. But I didn't put my money and time into the new stadium referendum so that UNT would have a showplace for lousy football. That degree you're so proud of would be more valuable if UNT had a great football team bringing more national attention to the school. Prospective employers and clients would be talking to you about your alma mater. The media would pay more attention to the university. So all things considered, I feel pretty strongly that we should start not sucking as soon as possible. I hope it begins next weekend against FAU.

Maybe we should just hand off to our running backs more often.

I agree. The season is over as far as ability to be successful, and considering the injury situation, there's not much chance that North Texas will be competitive in many of the remaining games. That being said, I will continue to have a great time cheering for North Texas and whomever is leading our team through the end of the season.

best post you ever made

I knew someone would play this card. Dodge was hired by UNT because he won games. He has been given four years to win games. You may be feeling sorry for him, but I can't imagine he's feeling sorry for himself. He had a chance to deliver and it hasn't worked out for him. When a player isn't good enough, do you think Dodge keeps him around because we're a family and families stick together? Hell no! Dodge knows that he was brought here to win games and if he didn't, he'd be shown the door.

This, I don't agree with. I really, REALLY think that if/when a change gets made, it should be immediate and we should name an interim coach to finish out the year.

The Canales that just coached the offense to the first shutout loss since 2006? No thanks.

I think its inevitable now. If there's a coach on the staff that RV feels has a shot to be the HC. Get him in as soon as possible and see what he can do. Why wait? If it's Canales, give him 9 games. If he doesn't work, start over next year. If he provides a spark and the team buys in, maybe we discover something. Nothing to lose this season at this point.

I pretty much agree with every word of this.

/gmg.com'd

Does Derek have a dog? Might wanna send someone to check on it.

The Mean Green are in a very peculiar position for the rest of the season... Quarterback - There is no reason to play Riley Dodge at QB for the remainder of the season... He is not the future at that position and supposedly is not even physically capable of playing the position effectively... The only reason to play him would be if Blaine is so terrible that it will be an embarrassment, or if Coach Dodge believes that Riley is the only hope (albeit slight) to keep his job... What would you do...?? For the life of me I can't understand why the offense isn't just handed over (no pun intended) to Dunbar... I think he is literally their only chance to win a game this season... Not 7 games, A game... Did you really ever think that WKU would be looking at a date with us and SALIVATING...?? They are... Trust me... I think it is (or at least should be) a forgone conclusion that this team will have a new head coach and coaching staff next year... I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing, but it might not translate into the win totals we were hoping for for the new stadium... More than anything I hope the players can show some heart and not give up on themselves... It's no surprise with all the bad luck and bad play that the fans are jumping ship, but the players have every reason to play for themsleves... I will be at all the remaining home games curious to see what the team makes of the rest of the season... I'll be cheering myself hoarse, but without much hope...

I think the UNT fan base has been more than patient with the product on the field that Dodge has produced. Only in North Texas would you see fans who could tolerate such a debacle for the last four years, if this was a big program or a team with a winning tradition, much more would be expected. Im actually shocked that he is still here at year four, anywhere else in Div. 1 football, that wouldn't be the case.

I hope that if he doesn't get to 7 wins, whatever place he winds up coaching next year provides him with the sort of fans you feel he's entitled to. If he wants to donate back all the salary he's earned under his contract, I promise I'll give him one last standing ovation on his way out the door.

Get real? What's laughable is thinking a 5-34 coach should get another three years to prove himself! You don't have to be an upper-tier D-I program not to suck. There are plenty of teams with UNT's resources -- or less -- that are not as consistently awful as UNT has been under Dodge. Barring some miraculous run through the Sun Belt that starts next weekend, Dodge is compiling a record of futility that future UNT coaches will have trouble meeting. He has been historically bad.

Time is of the essence, Tony....mainly for two reasons: 1) Recruiting 2) Beating other schools for potential coaching candidates. So yeah....October 11....over November 29....by a HUGE MARGIN.

I haven't done a survey....but if I had to guess...I'd say TD is probably like most all of us: Some fellow coaches probably love him....and some probably hate him. I would bet you that he still has lots of friends in the h.s. coaching community. So why risk ruining future relations with those friends of his? And finally...have you guys ever heard of "being a man of your word?" If RV told Todd that he had to win 7 games out of 12....and he fires him after three games....he's not being a man of his word. And don't think that kind of crap couldn't hurt us in a coaching search. Some people wouldn't want to work with an AD they can't believe.

Let's not spend so much money on a high profile head football coach that we won't be able to keep JJ if he gets an offer from another school.

Worse? I guess you're right. Todd Dodge could get an extension.

And why would you do that? Look as critical I am of Dodge I don't want to add salt to the wound of the kids who have only gone through losing their whole collegiate career. Sitting seniors would be a cowardly thing to do in my opinion. Let them finish out the season and lets give them a reason that despite their struggles, they are still part of the Mean Green family and future in some shape or form.

I love Georgio but he's a TD blowhard so him not wanting to ask more questions isn't a surprised.

This offense has looked shockingly similar to Dodge's... if I didn't know better, I'd assume nothing has changed. Shotgun draws in short yardage? A continual ignoring of Dunbar? Same stuff, different year. The worst run in the modern era of NT football continues.

No hurry to get rid of dodge, I don't see it mattering much if it is now or in three or four weeks. RV has to be looking (Leach) now and what coaches are available for the most part won't be figured out until later in the season. But we will have a clean sweep with Canales as interim coach for the end of the season.

Hey, misery enjoys company.

No NO NO excuses How silly to even think this, Special teams suck for four years and still suck, stupid mistakes and so forth, this the same old crap. Injuries don't address these issues. If this was Dodge's first year it is an excuse. If Dodge does not get his 7 wins then he goes period, he was lucky to be here this season to begin with.

Hell No Had to slip it in