Thoughts about this next hire

Harry · October 11, 2015

Hindsight is 20/20, but I think we were so concerned about the lack of experience that was displayed in the Dodge regime we focused TOO much into experience and needing to hire a guy that had been a head coach. What we forgot about was recruiting. It is the LIFEBLOOD of programs at our level.

I never felt like this staff was assembled with that priority in mind. It is not to say that we do not have good recruiters on this staff. I think Tommy Perry and KP have shown the ability to land quality prospects. I think this time around it really has to be a big component of the hire.

And this does not mean that the head coach has to put all of the recruiting on his shoulders. Look at SMU. Chad Morris is a good coach and I am sure he can recruit. But the real big time recruiter on that staff is DC Van Malone. Malone has been a top producer of prospects at every stop he has been at.

If you look at the staffs on the higher level programs, you don't just see one or two guys that can recruit -- every single one of them can.

The other thing I think I would like to see is a coach who runs a more wide open offense. I know the Dodge years were painful in many respects, however offensively we were pretty stout at times. The big key was Dodge could lure some pretty good QB's into the program. I think the ground and pound philosophy does not attract the top QB talent.

We are sitting in an absolute goldmine of talent here in DFW. Yet, we really have never put together a solid plan or formula to tap into this talent pool.

Lastly, I think we need to embrace our strengths. We have numbers, tons of alumni and students who have either attended, graduated or have some type of connection here. We should have a much more powerful social media presence. We should be open access in terms of fans watching practice and scrimmages etc. We have basically gone a decade now where the coaching staffs have limited access during two-a-days and what has it got us? Note to self, there are not a bunch of opponent spies out trying to learn our playbook.

I would like to see North Texas become a great stepping stone to bigtime p5 jobs. In other words, if you are a quality assistant you can come here and if you win you will get a big opportunity to move up the food chain as a head coach. There are places with far less resources who have managed to do this. What are they doing? How are they structuring things to be attractive? Why reinvent the wheel?

Last time, we used a consultant (Chuck Neinas) to help us find Danny Mac. I am not against a consultant being involved but we need them to understand the priorities and not just try to match us to their best candidate, versus match us with the candidate that best positions North Texas to be successful. Again, we are sitting here in DFW and the great state of Texas. I would think someone who has experience here would be a big plus.

Finally -- and this is important -- whomever we hire, does NOT need to remind us how tough things are here. That was my biggest issue with Mac. I understand that he was proud of his accomplishments at other places, but dammit you are at North Texas and I want you to be proud of what we have and see the potential here. We heard how bad the program was when the staff got here yet, in the bowl season our top players were from the same prior regime that was roundly criticized. Nothing to be gained by slamming the past. We know our past has been an issue. We need a coach that will look forward not back. We need to know that the next coach truly believes in this place and has a definitive plan on how it has to be structured for future success. Not just a resume. I think this type of forward thinking candidate is one that our fans will get behind and support unlike any coach we have had here before.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Harry

BillySee58 · October 11, 2015

Completely agree. Need recruiting and offense without it being Todd Dodge. I know that was traumatic, but it is possible. I don't mind a consultant if they do actually understand what we need in a coach to win here.