MGB: 5 steps UNT needs to take to improve

MeanGreenTexan · March 17, 2015

When are you going to insist that RV make a breakout coaching hire?

Or, Why was it not insisted that this past season, or the one prior, be Benford's breakout year? I mean, gotta give him 1 year to get rid of the 'cancers', right?

REALLY HOLDING THEM FEET TO THE FIRE NOW!!!!!!
Benny lucking into a breakout season (what would that even mean for this pile of garbage?) would be the worst thing that could possibly happen to Mean Green basketball....

Yeah. This. This may actually be worse than a complete disaster next year... because it would likely equal an extension.

Wonder what "breakout" even means? Over .500? 20-wins?

Edited March 17, 2015 by MeanGreenTexan

BillySee58 · March 17, 2015

Okay well if you want a guy on the cheap what about Mike Davis from Texas Southern?

Plenty of guys who could be good here (my guy is still Scott Cross), it just doesn't appear that anything will happen until next year. At that point I don't know what our financial situation will look like.

untbowler · March 17, 2015

so if next year is breakout year, guess that means Benford will heavily schedule the SWAC and Meac so he might be able to go above .500 next year, the DMAC cupcake approach

Travis · March 17, 2015

so if next year is breakout year, guess that means Benford will heavily schedule the SWAC and Meac so he might be able to go above .500 next year, the DMAC cupcake approach

It wouldn't surprise me.

MeanGreenTexan · March 17, 2015

It wouldn't surprise me.

I mean, at least McCarney takes care of those cupcakes. We lose to UA-Huntsville (neutral floor), PVA&M (@ home), etc...

untjim1995 · March 17, 2015

With no hc change, what NT needs is an infusion of talent. I think Benford has got to the point, that he can win with superior talent, however I don't know how he is going to get it here.
Next year will obviously dictate Benford's fate, and although I don't like it unless the team totally implodes or there is a new AD; he will get the last year of his contract.
Going into next year, NT has only two players it can rely on. Combs and I believe Reese, if he can control the off-court stuff. I also think Harris can be something special, again if he controls his behavior both on and off the court. Taylor if he gets another year has still got to prove he can play. A lot of ifs in the returners,and even if everyone is back and stable; there still are giant holes to fill.
Primary, a front player with at least average CUSA starter skills, preferably two. Benford's big men transfers have all been either busts or at best role players except for Voss, that has to change if any success is gained. Going into the season with Combs, Amed and a very promising freshman is a recipe for at best a season like last year. I don't think many realize how important Voss was to last year's team.
Secondly, NT needs a dependable outside scoring treat. Taylor, Harris, or Reese could be that person; but I hate to depend on any of them.
Last word is with Benford, no one knows who will actually be here at the start of play. He could completely turn over the squad or fed-up players could just leave.

Next season is make-it-or-break-it with him...there will only be a 2017 if he gets an extension. No way that we let a coach go and recruit with one year left on his contract--nobody would ever sign with a coach who could be gone by the end of the season.

untjim1995 · March 17, 2015

Or, Why was it not insisted that this past season, or the one prior, be Benford's breakout year? I mean, gotta give him 1 year to get rid of the 'cancers', right?

Yeah. This. This may actually be worse than a complete disaster next year... because it would likely equal an extension.
Wonder what "breakout" even means? Over .500? 20-wins?

I would hope that the "breakout" season would involve 20 wins AND a winning season in conference play AND a postseason tournament bid in the NCAA or NIT only.

What I have a suspicious feeling about is that it is just going to take .500 or better to get him extended. RV needs this to work out BADLY...otherwise, you are looking at another major hire as a bust under his watch, in the one sport that actually had turned into something decent.

You know, I get that Benford's buyout is big and that it is just more than we can or choose to pay right now, for a lot of reasons, acceptable and unacceptable. But if football does what we think it will in 2015, which is get about 3-4 wins, and Benford follows that up with a 17-15 record full of wins over SWAC and D-II teams in OOC and still gets extended, how are you ever going to get a fanbase built up to even remotely come close to averaging decent attendance at the Super Pit or Apogee? And if that isn't your goal, then why play FBS/Division 1 athletics?

UNT90 · March 17, 2015

some major donors close to this program have insisted that next year will be Benford's breakout year.
Always next year...

fixed it for ya

and self ban begins again...............now

Stupid me. I allowed myself to actually feel hope for a brief moment before realizing this is almost identical to what you posted after last season.

So I guess break out is 3 games under with a first round blow out 28 point loss to a lower seed in the conference tournament?

Great?...

Army of Dad · March 18, 2015

Or, Why was it not insisted that this past season, or the one prior, be Benford's breakout year? I mean, gotta give him 1 year to get rid of the 'cancers', right?

Yeah. This. This may actually be worse than a complete disaster next year... because it would likely equal an extension.
Wonder what "breakout" even means? Over .500? 20-wins?

You could say over .500 would be a breakout since he's never done it before...

97and03 · March 18, 2015

Plenty of guys who could be good here (my guy is still Scott Cross), it just doesn't appear that anything will happen until next year. At that point I don't know what our financial situation will look like.

Not sure why you think he would want to leave. Not only is it his alma mater, but currently it is a better job.

FirefightnRick · March 18, 2015

Now you know why I pushed the importance of the 3 or 4 year contract.

Rick

untjim1995 · March 20, 2015

Now you know why I pushed the importance of the 3 or 4 year contract.
Rick

I think it's beyond sad that it would be easier to try and get a coach here for only a 3 year contract because it would make it easier to replace that coach sooner. A crazy approach that, oh, every single FBS school uses is to actually buy out that contract early if needed.

wardly · March 20, 2015

In 1961, my freshman year,Charles Johnson was men's basketball coach. In the 54 seasons since then we have been thru 11 coaches who had a combined 16 winning seasons.Johnny Jones,R.V.'s hire, was responsible for 6 of them. While I personally would not have hired an "assistant head coach", I am content in seeing his 4th year play out. Just saying....

Army of Dad · March 20, 2015

In 1961, my freshman year,Charles Johnson was men's basketball coach. In the 54 seasons since then we have been thru 11 coaches who had a combined 16 winning seasons.Johnny Jones,R.V.'s hire, was responsible for 6 of them. While I personally would not have hired an "assistant head coach", I am content in seeing his 4th year play out. Just saying....

And by content you mean you buy multiple season tickets and attend all or nearly all of the home games?

Also you are content with being blown out by an 11 win team and seeing a 4th year from a coach who was in charge for the only loss to a D2 this school has ever had and finished below .500 in two of his three years here and can't seem to get and keep recruits on the team for more than a season (especially high school recruits-the lifeblood of long term success).

In my opinion, that's an....interesting position.

MeanGreenTexan · March 20, 2015

And by content you mean you buy multiple season tickets and attend all or nearly all of the home games?
Also you are content with being blown out by an 11 win team and seeing a 4th year from a coach who was in charge for the only loss to a D2 this school has ever had and finished below .500 in two of his three years here and can't seem to get and keep recruits on the team for more than a season (especially high school recruits-the lifeblood of long term success).
In my opinion, that's an....interesting position.

I've enjoyed a chance to sit in Mr. Wardly's seats before... Yes, he buys season tickets.

UNT90 · March 20, 2015

And by content you mean you buy multiple season tickets and attend all or nearly all of the home games?
Also you are content with being blown out by an 11 win team and seeing a 4th year from a coach who was in charge for the only loss to a D2 this school has ever had and finished below .500 in two of his three years here and can't seem to get and keep recruits on the team for more than a season (especially high school recruits-the lifeblood of long term success).
In my opinion, that's an....interesting position.

Not surprising. People get used to losing, and historically we have been doing that for a very long time.

flyonthewall · March 21, 2015

oh the cow kicked nelly in the belly in the barn