Green Lantern

We really are a beaten dog fan base.

It’s not though. I don’t post on there, but I read the CUSABB forum. The La Tech fans generally feel that way. Go look at almost any thread about season/schedule predictions or anything to do with North Texas. Just wanted to point out that there’s not a logical reason to think we’ll significantly regress this year besides citing history that doesn’t have anything to do with what is currently happening with the program.

La Tech is talented (so are we, so is UAB) and it should be a good game for us. It wouldn't be a shocker for us to potentially lose this game. That said, it IS strange to me that while Seth's teams have undoubtedly improved by leaps and bounds in both seasons he's been at the helm, there are so many people that think we're gonna regress this year. Based on what exactly? We return 17 starters including one of the best players in the league at the most important position on the field in Mason Fine. Teams like that (barring major injury - which can be said for any team in any sport) - don't regress. That's not how college football works. Experienced teams tend to grow and progress with experience and coaching/system continuity. If people want to make the argument that our team "arrived" a little early last year winning the West outright, I might even agree to a certain extent. Going into the year, no one made us an odds on favorite to compete for the CUSA title...but we did. All EARNED on the field, including closing out some very close games (La Tech and UTSA). That's what good teams do. It's what separates Championship contenders from the other good teams in the league. Lots of the La Tech fans seem to be making a big deal about their ass beating of SMU in the Frisco Bowl last year. While it was funny to watch La Tech curb stomp SMU, no reasonable college football fan really expected anything different. Transitional coaching staff, playing in a bowl game they didn't really care about, with players for SMU outright pissed at the coaching hire that was just made was a great scenario for La Tech. They like to talk about how we "lost to a Sunbelt team" in our bowl and how FAU beat us badly both times. Newsflash: FAU kicked La Tech's ass too when they played and the same Troy team that beat us in New Orleans would have taken La Tech to the woodshed as well.

Agreed. This is why I can’t understand the dissenters faction related to Seth’s new salary. It’s as much for Littrell as it is announcing to the football community at large that UNT is serious as a program. We comp $1.2 - $1.6 for a head coach at our level and you’re going to consistently have an amazing candidate pool.

There’s a crew out there working. Finishing the other side of the end zone and I think adding the rubber pellet turf filler in the rest of the field or something else along those lines.

It definitely looks better in person. Here’s one without all the people on the field.

It’s crazy how many people don’t get this. There’s nothing to be scared of anymore. “Little Ol UNT” has finally grown up.

Awesome news. $1.4 in total comp for Seth is awesome. Glad to see UNT stepping up. At this rate, we might actually turn this program around for good!

Oline: Mason Fine is, without a doubt, the most important player we have. We've got to improve up front to keep him upright and healthy for the next two years if we want to get the program to the heights we all think are possible. The sack totals @Withers940 pointed out above wont cut it. FAU and Troy, along with UTSA, just trashed our offensive line last year.

Date played Winning team Losing team Attendance Notes January 1, 2011 Texas Tech 45 Northwestern 38 40,121 notes January 2, 2012 Houston 30 Penn State 14 46,817 notes January 1, 2013 Oklahoma State 58 Purdue 14 48,313 notes January 1, 2014 North Texas 36 UNLV 14 38,380 notes December 26, 2014 Louisiana Tech 35 Illinois 18 31,297 notes December 26, 2015 Washington 44 Southern Miss 31 20,229 notes December 27, 2016 Army 38 North Texas 31 39,117 notes December 26, 2017 Utah 30 West Virginia 14 20,507 notes With the City of Dallas refusing to pay ESPN the $300,000 to keep this game in Dallas, there's been this misleading narrative in multiple places thrown out there: "The HOD Bowl matches up "lowly" G5 programs" and that's why it's struggling for attendance. Look at above. When has the HOD Bowl struggled with attendance? In 2015 and 2017, when they had poor match ups without a regional anchor to put butts in seats. Tech, Houston, Ok State, North Texas and La Tech did their job when presented with an opportunity. Attendance of 30,000 plus for a non marquee bowl match up is doing your job as far as I'm concerned. Hey idiot bowl organizers. Maybe don't match up teams from Utah and West Virginia and expect to blow the doors off the place. That type of match up will CERTAINLY interest casual fans in TEXAS. Texas Tech vs. North Texas this past year would have created an incredible atmosphere and a fun game for TV. Too bad the "P5" programs focus all their energy in bowl season doing back flips to avoid playing non power conference teams. It's to the detriment of college football. Just want to point out this isn't a CUSA issue. If we send North Texas, La Tech, UTSA, Rice or UTEP up against a reasonable Big 10 or Big 12 opponent (like the bowl is supposed to have yearly), our conference can easily hold up our end of the bargain.

We just field a mediocre defense this year and we’re in serious business. Our offense is gonna be sick.

If they'd ever gotten the chance to match North Texas up against a Big 10 (Thanks Sandusky and Penn St!) or a Big 12 opponent, they wouldn't be having this discussion as there'd be 60,000-70,000 people in the stands with the right match-up.

Slight adjustment. Carry on.

This is ANOTHER great add by the staff at a real position of need. Class keeps on getting better!

Congrats man! Adding to an already impressive recruiting season for the Mean Green!

Have you seen this officially confirmed?

Ima be greedy and ask for 1-4 on @TheReal_jayD‘s list to go ahead and commit. Hey, it worked for Kuehne!

Completely agree. I get what a couple of the posters are pointing out about coaches not wanting to "rock the boat" or torpedo their chances at upward career trajectory by verbally trashing the current system. The point is that when presented with an opportunity in the media to address the UCF situation last year and make a case for increased playoff access (more teams- 8 to 16 - with a path for non power conference teams to make it), they should take that opportunity to address it and promote our programs in a professional way. Don't "meh" it, or side step the issue. Never throw out the we should "Stay in our lane" idiocy. You can articulately and eloquently make a case for increased access without stooping to trashing the current system (though it does deserve to be trashed). If you can't as a coach of one of these programs, you probably don't need to be leading one. An additional point that I'll throw out is that several coaches in CUSA (including Seth) are very well compensated for their current jobs. They, and Littrell definitely does this well, should be looking for every opportunity to increase the viability of their respective programs and CUSA as a whole. I personally don't care about coaches future job prospects. While employed and well compensated by the institution they're currently working for, I expect for them to run through a wall advocating for the program's best interest. Several of those quotes from the other CUSA coaches definitely didn't do that. UNT, whether we like it or not, is associated with those other programs. At the end of the day, all I want is the best situation for UNT. Period. D1 NCAA football has the worst, most inequitable way to determine a champion of any major sport by a mile. I don't understand how any fan of a program like North Texas can be ok with status quo.

The CUSA coaches’ comments on the playoff access are truly disturbing. What a beta, bend over and take it, bunch they are. How can guys that are supposed to lead D1 football programs honestly be ok with the fact that at the start of the season well over 50% of the teams - and all of CUSA - at that level, literally have 0% chance to compete for a national title. Defeatist nonsense.

You and @Censored by Laurie gonna stand for this??? Peach Basket vs. Green Globe. Winner take all?!?!? @BillySee58: Nice job on this episode. Enjoyed it!

Honestly that whole fiasco was just a microcosm of the day to day dysfunction in the AD at the time and lack of UNT administrative control and oversight of the program. If we wanted to fire Coach Dickey at the time (& there was definitely a case to be made that separation was in everyone’s best interest), just make the move and don’t expect him to coach out the rest of the season. Not sure what the powers that be (AD, Presidents office, BOR) expected. DD and RV out and out hated each other during the bowl years. It was no secret. Nothing good was going to come from dealing with the situation the way we did. It was so North Texas at the time. Very #OldDenton

Great job with the podcast guys. Really enjoyed it. @TheReal_jayD does a great job following recruiting for us. Much appreciated!