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In 2013, the year we had the 9-4 "Mac Mirage" season and won a bowl game to boot, our friends in Hattiesburg went 1-11 as a member of the newly reconfigured C-USA. That was Coach Todd Monken's first season at Southern Miss, a season in which he inherited a USM program that went 0-12 the year before. Monken would weather a tough first season and then in 2014 get three wins (3-9). Monken won the west with USM in 2015 and came up just short of Washington in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. So Harry, why does this pertain to good ole UNT? Well for one thing, Monken replace the "defensive minded" Ellis Johnson at USM. Sound familiar? Johnson — whose defensive-minded pedigree always seemed to be a poor fit with the Golden Eagles — was owed a $2.1 million buyout over the next three seasons. Sound familiar? Monken was an offensive minded coach that opened up the Southern Miss system and playbook. It took time, and just like here -- it won't happen overnight but he recruited well and was no longer the most predictable team on the C-USA schedule. He took at QB who was struggling in Nick Mullens and developed him into one of the best in C-USA. I specifically remember when Southern Miss beat us at home in 2014 - you know that place where we rarely lost under Mac - how much bigger and faster the USM personnel was. Keep in mind, Monken hadn't been there two years yet! Recruiting matters folks, and it wasn't just skill positions, their linemen were 2-3 inches taller and lean. They were demolishing us on the line of scrimmage. USM has a better history than UNT that cannot be debated. However, I would argue that UNT has more talent available to them than USM does just in terms of location. I also believe UNT has a better budget, as well as academics and facilities. I remember that game signaling that something was terribly wrong in the Mac regime. We should have not seen that type of talent drop off after winning a damn bowl game the year before! What pained me then now gives me hope for the future under Coach Littrell. It can be done. gmg