Harry

I agree with you, and in it is obscene. The kryptonite to the argument is why can some schools with lessor resources that UNT, like Western Kentucky, UTSA or Ark State etc seem to patch together more success? SMU has paid a ton to Chad Morris and his staff and in return they have maintained a fair amount of stability since Jones left. It seems like from the recruiting it is paying off. What I think we can all agree on is that it is a very complicated formula with many variables to field a successful FBS G5 football program. I seriously doubt that Littrell factored in when he took the job that half his staff would be poached in the first year. Sugarcoat it all day long but that's a tough blow to a coach trying to develop a winning culture. Perhaps this is a movement to show our support and desire for him to stay awhile longer and provide stability.

Would love to think we were just being proactive here -- but not historically our way of doing things.

Makes you wonder if someone wasn't sniffing around on Littrell. Clearly his stagf was decimated. A feather in his cap, perhaps but I would love to see them up his assistant pool to keep some semblance of continuity.

slow sports day

Lol

Sources told the Express-News that Romo’s chief of staff, Sonia Martinez, may have been involved somehow, and while emails to Martinez bounced back, the university wouldn’t confirm whether she, too, was put on leave.

Plenty said about why not North Texas... how about why? Sounds to me that we need a gambler. I do not dispute any of Tasty's good info, especially the part that the money deal has changed since when we hired Johnny. That said, we still have the carrot that just 5 years ago our coach was able to parlay his time here into a SEC gig at LSU... that is no small feat.. SMU and TCU can't boast that. We need a coach looking for a big payoff opportunity. Come here and win and you could get a fast track to a high profile gig. I also think location is a big plus. We have so much talent around DFW. Combs wanted to stay close to home, I expect there will be others. Not to mention the bounce back players like T-Mitch who you may be able to land. Everyone talks about how why Scott Cross would leave UTA. My question is, if he is such a valued commodity why would he not get another opportunity already? I think if Cross was offered this job (and more money/budget) he would still take it.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 16, 2017 Contact: Jordan Stepp jordan.stepp@unt.edu/940-369-8329 FOOTBALL Littrell Adds Jeff Koonz as Linebackers Coach Koonz Joins North Texas After Spending 2014-16 at Cincinnati DENTON – North Texas head football coach Seth Littrell announced Thursday that former Cincinnati co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Jeff Koonz has been named the Mean Green’s linebackers coach. “We are extremely excited to welcome Jeff to our staff,” Littrell said. “He is a young, energetic coach with a lot of quality experience at Cincinnati, around the Big 12, and in Conference USA as well from his time at Louisiana Tech. He is an excellent teacher and we look forward to immediately hitting the ground running with him this spring. Jeff comes very highly recommended from two coaches I have a great deal of respect for in Sonny Dykes and Gene Chizik.” Koonz spent the last three years at the University of Cincinnati and was elevated to his most recent role of co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach prior to the 2016 season under former head coach Tommy Tuberville. He coached safeties in 2014, his first year with the Bearcats, and linebackers in 2015. In 2015, Koonz mentored second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection Eric Wilson and freshman standout Bryce Jenkinson, who finished first (106) and third (59) on the team in tackles, respectively. Cincinnati finished its 2014 campaign with a 9-4 record, an American Athletic Conference Championship and a matchup against Virginia Tech in the 2014 Military Bowl. Prior to Cincinnati, Koonz spent four seasons at Louisiana Tech. During the 2013 campaign, Tech’s first as a member of Conference USA, Koonz directed a revamped linebacking corp, which was led by Conference USA honorable mention player Daniel Cobb, who finished the season with 82 total tackles. In 2011, Tech’s starting linebackers Adrien Cole and Jay Dudley accounted for 230 total tackles - 65 percent of Tech’s tackles for the season. Cole led the team with 128 tackles and 13 tackles for a loss as he was named first-team All-Western Athletic Conference and the WAC Defensive Player of the Year. Dudley was responsible for 102 tackles, eight tackles for a loss and four interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. In 2010, Koonz’s first year at Louisiana Tech, three of his linebackers finished the season in the top four on the team in tackles, with Cole earning second-team All-WAC honors. The Wallkill, New York, native previously served as a defensive quality control assistant at Texas, helping lead the Longhorns to a Big 12 title and an appearance in the 2009 Bowl Championship Series national championship game against Alabama. He also served at Texas as a graduate assistant from 2005-06, and linebackers coach for the 2006 season. Prior to his second stint at Texas, Koonz was the secondary coach at Iowa State for two seasons under Chizik, while also assisting with special teams from 2007-08. Koonz was also a graduate assistant coach at Auburn during the 2004 campaign under Tuberville, coaching the secondary. While at Auburn, he worked on staffs that led the Tigers to the 2002 Capital One Bowl championship, a 2003 Music City Bowl victory, the 2004 SEC championship and a win in the 2004 Nokia Sugar Bowl.

We can't just go out and do the same ole hire based on a 10% bump of what we paid Benford and keeping somewhere in the middle of C-USA salaries. We have to make a commitment to building something special. If we present the right package and commitment to facilities we will be able to make a very good hire. My point is it is not just the coach, it's the vision we can convey.

I hope this works out for all involved but I would suggest we set up a process to evaluate each opportunity that arises based on its merits. What I don't want to see is UNT become a easy scholarship continuation subsidy for those who couldn't make things work at their original choice. If they can provide us value and have a burning desire to compete we should welcome them with open arms. I agree with UNT Jim that this is a no brainer strategy for UNT and should be a great way to accumulate talent into the program. I just want to be careful that this is in the best interest of our program.

I agree 100%. Just rewind to when Benford was hired. This was a pretty highly sought after job. We've certainly seen better days but the potential remains.

Yes I like that aspect of it for sure.

Agreed. Do you like the ad? I have mixed thoughts. We selling education or medical marijuana LOL? Good to see UNT being proactive though.

Like seeing it there for sure but does anyone read the paper anymore? Deep?

Wow dodn't know he had been there 18 years. Set to retire in 6 months. Makes you wonder if they have known about this and were hoping they could let him exit stage left. http://www.ksat.com/news/video-students-divided-about-utsa-future-after-president-ricardo-romo-put-on-leave

Hindsight is 20/20. Well we have one now, and if you care about North Texas you have to hope they will be able to pull through.

Agree 100%. Good post @GrandGreen

Thank you for the updates Kram.

I agree they had a good class but they were telling those kids the issues were behind them. It looks like they may have lied.

I agree with you but most think that will never happen. I would think at a minimum you could look at 2-3 years without a bowl and scholarship reductions though. That would hurt. Let's be honest, they can play it off like nothing happened but their brand has taken a HUGE hit not just from John Q public but their own alums and donors. I don't think Art Briles will ever get a job again after those texts were released. Not only did he foster a culture of rape but he lied about it... I think all of the assistants there should pay a price as well but they all seem to have landed on their feet. One was brought on by Tom Hermans at Texas (Casey Horney?). It will take years to fix that although Penn State has proven there is life after. It's all about the money. If you have a big brand that generates dollars, ESPN (who really drives everything including the NCAA) will cut you some slack.

My thoughts are he will go Tech. His dad is their all time leading rusher I believe. Great football player back in the day. And the only reason he left Tech early was to be drafted in the NFL. He was 41st pick in the draft but did not have a long NFL career.