The Fake Lonnie Finch

Us: http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...mp;ATCLID=68013 Them: http://www.gobearcats.com/genrel/goin_bob00.html and http://www.gobearcats.com/genrel/thomas_mike00.html

Iowa State - 2006: 4-8 Iowa State - 2007: 3-9 Iowa State - 2008: 2-10 Iowa State - 2009: 7-6, bowl win over Minnesota. Also included in the win total is a win versus Big 12 North Champ Nebraska in Lincoln. Can't be done in the first year? With other coaches players? Just more baloney disproven by actual on the field results - and in the Big 12, no less! We can do the same if we hire a college football coach in here.

Why is there an assumption that Leach would have to take a non-BCS school job? He's already proven he can take a BCS also-ran and wring an 11 win season out of it. The guy's had eight consecutive eight+ win seasons at dusty 'ol Texas Tech. I'd think the athletic directors at places like Colorado, Arizona State, Washington State, Miami, and others who have coaches on a short leash would gladly talk to Leach about leading their programs. His act would easily play well in Boulder or Tempe. Besides, the Leach situation is wholly unlike that of Mangino. After the Mangino incident occurred, players came out of the woodwork immediately and sided with the player. You haven't had any do that at Tech. In fact, you've had the polar opposite occur. Former players are defending Leach and deriding James. Also, once Leach beats the snot out of Tech for their flimsy evidence of firing "with cause," his reputation as a coach will be bolstered even further. In the end, I think everyone - except Adam James - will be a winner here. Tech will get a coach on par with Leach. And, Leach will likely get a job with a program with as much or more to offer than Tech had.

It's not a loophole, there's just no rule against it. Also, not every program needs to do it. Oklahoma, Texas, USC, Alabama etc. don't have to oversign. Kids already want to come there. The only schools doing it are those on the edge - Kansas State, Mississippi, Troy, etc. They do it to keep up. Finally, who cares what Troy's academic status is? We all know not every college in America is the same. If Troy offers an educational opportunity through athletics to some kids who otherwise wouldn't have much of an opportunity, what's the problem with it? It is what it is - a school out in the middle of nowheresville South Alabama. Kids there need an education as well. The academic baloney discussions around college football are laughable. Most of the kids playing at supposedly "better" academic universities are majoring in junk like sociology or some sort of P.E. knock off anyway, so what difference does it make? It's not like these kids are overcrowding the physics departments, so who cares? Troy gives them a chance to get their sociology or P.E. degrees there instead of Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, or some other regional school. Big deal.

Doesn't look alll that harrowing to me. Looks like he'd have been more tortured if Leach had made him go down the street to get a hair cut and shave. Whiny slob. Look, this is a win-win for Tech if they can land Art Briles. In one fell swoop, the will have gotten rid of a quirky coach and a lazy, spoiled football player while getting one of the best rising football coaches in America. Also...SMU fans should cross their fingers as well. June Jones and his pass-happy offense would fit nicely with what Tech already has on board. If Tech can't rob from within their own conference, why not from within their own state? If Tech has the scratch, they'll get either of them. I think Hall and Oates hit the nail on the head of this situation years ago: "Money's the matter...if you're in it for love, you ain't gonna get too far."

If Wazzu tanks again next season under Wulff and Akey leads Idaho to another winning season, I think you'll see Akey move eight miles to the west. The guy's been recruiting the same vicinity since 1999...with great success, as Tom Hicks Voice would say.

It doesn't matter. Until they ban it, there's nothing wrong with Troy doing it. It's no different than in the days before the WAC banned partial qualifiers, allowing Fresno State and Boise State to stock up on them at everyone else's expense. Look, a savvy coaching staff does everything it can do within the rules. Nothing Troy is doing is against any rule. Fresno and Boise signing every last non-qualifying kid worth a look out of California was legal as well. Why bellyache about it? It gave those schools the opportunity to move up in the world. There's an old saying: If you can't beat them, join them. We're neither beating them nor joining them. So, our future and theirs will not change. Congrats to Troy for having a coaching staff who is smart enough to get every player they possibly can for their program. It's the best of all world for the kids. They know if they do qualify late, they have a place to go. If not, no sweat, they hit a JUCO for a year or two and still have Troy on board with them. It's a win-win situation for everyone. I know this may come as a shock to many in this area, but not every high school football player has the storybook, Southlake home life. A lot of those guys come from rough backgrounds and hopelessly broken homes. Academics may be further down the list of their daily worries, behind things such as their personal safety, food, shelter and the like. Troy gives them some peace of mind about their future. I've got no problem with that. In fact, I applaud it sign. Sign away, Troy. If you stand still, people are going to pass you. Troy, like Fresno and Boise before them, isn't standing still.

Oh, yeah. I'm sure they've already contacted him. The only unfortunte thing is that because Baylor is a private school, I haven't been able to locate a copy of Briles contract to see how the buyout language reads. Also, Baylor is one of the schools that offered Scotty Young. If Tech gets Briles, he already have a QB committed with whom he has a relationship. His other offers were listed as Arizona, SMU, and Rice. It'll be interesting to see what happens. Also, it'll be interesting to see where Mike Leach lands. I think he'd be a good fit for the Colorado or Miami (FL) jobs. I think both will be open after next season. Colorado is awful and Miami (FL) had a miracle year in 2009 to buy Randy Shannon another year. They could easily tank in 2010, and fans were already grumbling there before this season. It think their coach is on a short leash. I could also see Leach at Arizona State as Dennis Erickson continues to wear out his welcome there. Or, the Wazzou job. Paul Wulff has an abysmal 3-22 record on the Palouse in his first two seasons. And, with Washington's fortunes changing quickly under Steve Sarkisian, you gotta think the Cougar fans on the other end of the state are getting restless. Another poor showing in 2010 and that job will also be open.

Art Briles Bachelor's Degree - Texas Tech, 1979 Running backs coach - Texas Tech, 2000-2002 If I were a Baylor fan, I'd be worried about the situation that has developed at Tech. It's not a pipe dream that Tech could take Briles away from Baylor. He's familiar with the program and has had some good history there. Also, Briles probably would save the Top 25 recruiting class Mike Leach has built for the 2010 signing period because the offenses they run are comparable.

Exactly! Give us some of that "bad PR" that goes with winning season after winning season.

Exactly! I mean.... Unfortunately, until we start winning, this message board is a house divided...and more unfortunately, divided by people who have nothing new or interesting to say other than to defend their small corner of the entire failed bit that is the current state of UNT football.

Days...try years! Free your *ss, and you're mind will follow. Many people here get too close to the situation (coaches, adminstration, player's families) to remain objective. And, speaking as someone who remains objective, I recognize that there are dozens and dozens of coaches out there who would take a pay raise and a shot at being a head coach for us (or for some, a shot a redeeming their reputations as quality head coaches). I believe we have something good to sell in UNT. I'm convinced that Rick Villareal did not in 2006, and that's why he called down the road to a high school coach. And, then, to add insult to injury, allowed him to hire many coaches who were also high school coaches...as well as one straight out of the business world. That's not doing your best to legitimately find the proper coach for my alma mater, in my opinion. If that makes me a bad fan, then I sincerely hope we have thousands more like me who care enough to object to half-*ssing the program. In my eyes, it's high time for Rick Villareal to Stand and Deliver!

Major Applewhite - Texas - Assistant Head Coach/Running backs Bobby Jack Wright - Oklahoma - Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Jay Norvell - Oklahoma - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Josh Huepel - Oklahoma - Quarterbacks Jeff Mullen - West Virginia - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Gunter Brewer - Oklahoma State - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Doug Nussmeier - Washington - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Bryan Stinespring - Virginia Tech - Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Bryan O'Cain - Virginia Tech - Quarterbacks (former head coach at North Carolina State) John L. Smith - Arkansas - Special Teams Coach/Outside Linebackers (former head coach at Utah State, Louisville, and Michigan State) John Jancek - Georgia - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Luke Fickell - Ohio State - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Darrell Hazell - Ohio State - Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers John Blake - North Carolina - Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/Defensive Line (former head coach at Oklahoma) Steve Addazio - Florida - Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Chuck Heater - Florida - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Scott Loeffler - Florida - Quarterbacks Randy Sanders - Kentucky - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Carl Pelini - Nebraska - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Eric Russell - Texas Tech - Special Team Coordinator Tony Gibson - Michigan - Assistant Head Coach/Secondary Lorenzo Ward - South Carolina - Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Eric Wolford - South Carolina - Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Steve Spurrier, Jr. - South Carolina - Wide Receivers Charlie Harbison - Clemson - Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Brad Scott - Clemson - Associate Head Coach/Guards and Tackles (former head coach at South Carolina) Kim Dameron - Mississippi - Safeties Frank Gansz, Jr. - UCLA - Special Teams Carl Torbush - Mississippi State - Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers (former head coach at Louisiana Tech and North Carolina) Les Koenning - Mississippi State - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Clint Bowen - Kansas - Defensive Coordinator (and he may be out of a job very soon with Mangino likely beig fired!) Bill Miller - Kansas - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks Ken O'Keefe - Iowa - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Erik Campbell - Iowa - Wide Receivers/Tight Ends Lester Erb - Iowa - Running Backs/Special Teams Darrell Wilson - Iowa - Linebackers/Special Teams Eric Johnson - Iowa - Recruiting Coordinator/Linbackers Phil Parker - Iowa - Defensive Backs Tim DeRuyter - Air Force - Defensive Coordinator Ron Burton - Air Force - Defensive Line (former Dallas Cowboy player) Clay Hendrix - Air Force - Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Blane Morgan - Air Force - Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

That's not entirely true. The defensive coordinator that ULM brought in this year is being considered as a replacement for Weatherbie. Our offense can vouch for his ability to put together a capable defense. Anyway, if you look at what assistants are paid at Non-AQs, our coordinators don't do too badly. It would be a notch up for a good coordinator or position coach at another school. But, again, we have to have the athletic director believing in what he's selling. He didn't do that in 2006. You have to go out into the marketplace and ask people. Making a phone call to someone 25 miles away or talking to someone who happens to be passing through on the way to Tulane isn't conducting a coaching search.

I go back and forth on this, but...really...does the man know what the f'ing Sam Hill Blazes he's doing? I read in the footballcoachesscoop.com thingy that ULL is keeping Bustle after all and his assistants are all out on the road recruiting. Can we get some closure here one way or the other, Rick? Recruiting is already going to be tough enough with 5-31 over the past three years. But, every day this thing isn't settled is a day where opposing recruiters are out there using it against us.

Okay, stick me back in the column that says "FIRE HIM."

Well, he won't have it next year...so, maybe he could see his way to giving us a hand up for a season or three.

They've missed out on a lot of logo and color changes.

Coach Hines.

I think TCU is doing the righ thing by trying to keep Gary Patterson. Do you not agree with that which I am saying to you now?

In some ways, yes. It all depends. You can get a guy who you've put in charge back on the same page with your goal easier than firing everyone. If the guy in charge has good knowledge of your business you want to keep him. The thing is, you make the hiring calls in the future instead of him. Or, you stop down and go through the interviewing process with him. See, to me, there's a good idea in Dodge's head about the way offenses can be run. But, it definitely needs to be tweaked by someone who has prepared for college defenses for a while. Yes, it's RV's fault and Dodge's fault for not having that kind of foresight. (And, I mean...you can excuse Dodge for not knowing, since he'd never been up here. But, RV? He's the one who should have known better!) Anway. Take it for what it's worth. I still think Dodge can succeed with help from experienced guys. The only question that remains, I suppose, is if he's willing to part ways with longtime friends in order to get this thing going.

Some of you guys are whole hog wanting Dodge gone. I only want him gone if he won't change out some of this coaching staff. The thing is, he's got to be pretty humbled by the 5-31 thing. I just think if he had more experienced guys helping on his side of the ball, he wouldn't repeatedly do things like try to run option out of the end zone against Troy from the shotgun. I don't think there's any way that play would have been run if Petersen were the OC and helping call the shots. I just don't think it helped Dodge to hire so many "yes men" upon arrival. The college game is too fast and the defensive coordinator too good at hiding blitzes and cover packages for the thing to ever get off the ground without some more experience eyes in the box and sideline to help him. I've been on record as saying it was arrogant or stupid for Dodge to come in and try to run the thing with high school coaches. I stick by that. But, my guess is that he's learned his lesson. And, he's the one that had a little something to begin with. It wasn't Mendoza, Drake, Ford or George...or the original cornerback coach who came out of the private business world. I really would like to see Dodge with a competent, college coordinator drawing up offenses with him, and a receivers coach who can get the guys to run sharper routes and cut down on the drops in crucial situations. Add that to an already good mix of Gandy and Leftwich continuing their good work with the backs and line, and I think we've got something.

It should be him or that corner from Troy Bryan Willis. Although, they rarely give those things to defensive players. So, Carey's probably got it locked up.

Mark Stoops to Youngstown $250k to $280k? That's insane! That's less than he was making as defensive coordinator at Arizona. I'm telling you all, coaches will go places just to get their shot. Surely Mark Stoops could have gone to an FBS mid-major to cut his teeth. I know the Stoops' are from Youngstown, but come on.