Vito Coaching search update

Harry · November 18, 2015

North Texas is progressing with is search for a new football coach and has traveled to talk to candidates for the job. (Denton Record-Chronicle/David Minton)

It’s been very quiet in terms of how UNT’s search for a new head football coach is progressing. UNT wants to keep it under tight wraps and has done a good job of doing just that.

With that being said, here are a couple of tidbits …

– UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal and school officials have been on the road talking to a few of the coaches they are interested in. Most coaches don’t want their names connected in any official way to head coaching jobs for a number of reasons, including the fact they are still recruiting for the teams they currently work for. UNT has been having preliminary discussions and presenting what they have to offer to candidates.

- See more at: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/11/tuesday-night-coach-search-update-2.html/#sthash.EjjRdSic.dpuf

North Texas is progressing with is search for a new football coach and has traveled to talk to candidates for the job. (Denton Record-Chronicle/David Minton)

It’s been very quiet in terms of how UNT’s search for a new head football coach is progressing. UNT wants to keep it under tight wraps and has done a good job of doing just that.

With that being said, here are a couple of tidbits …

– UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal and school officials have been on the road talking to a few of the coaches they are interested in. Most coaches don’t want their names connected in any official way to head coaching jobs for a number of reasons, including the fact they are still recruiting for the teams they currently work for. UNT has been having preliminary discussions and presenting what they have to offer to candidates.

- See more at: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/11/tuesday-night-coach-search-update-2.html/#sthash.EjjRdSic.dpuf

Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/11/tuesday-night-coach-search-update-2.html/

Edited November 18, 2015 by Harry

akriesman · November 18, 2015

So much for Colby Carthel if Vito is correct :(

Harry · November 18, 2015

That would knock out Withers and others as well. I can't argue with the point that It has worked out with Fuente and Hermann. It's almost as if you are a defensive guy you aren't going to land a FBS head job these days.

shaft · November 18, 2015

So basically, no update.

UNTLifer · November 18, 2015

Lot's of speculation in that article. See my signature below.

FirefightnRick · November 18, 2015

So much for Colby Carthel if Vito is correct :(

Yup, another OJT for someone. Hope I'm wrong but I think it's a mistake.

Rick

TheReal_jayD · November 18, 2015

Hopefully it's one of UNC Littrell, Riley, Applewhite, Norvell, or Thomsen

UNT90 · November 18, 2015

I wish, just once, we would hire a head coach that was the best fit for North Texas instead of just following the latest trend...

TheReal_jayD · November 18, 2015

I wish, just once, we would hire a head coach that was the best fit for North Texas instead of just following the latest trend...

i don't think mac or dodge hirings were trends...

UNT90 · November 18, 2015

i don't think mac or dodge hirings were trends...

Both were over-reactions to what fans wanted, actually.

Dodge was an overreaction to Dickey. Mac was an overreaction to Dodge.

Now we are just following what everyone else is doing (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't).

A coach from a P5 is going to face MAJOR challenges here. He will come into a situation where he his counted on for all game marketing, marketing to students, marketing to local businesses, repairing damaged relationships with high school coaches, and dealing with a dysfunctional athletic department. These are things he would have never seen or had to do at any P5 school. It has disaster written all over it. Hope I'm wrong.

Edited November 18, 2015 by UNT90

VideoEagle · November 18, 2015

I wish, just once, we would hire a head coach that was the best fit for North Texas instead of just following the latest trend...

There's not reason that doing what other schools have been successful doing automatically means hiring a coach that isn't a good fit. From what Vito writes and what is obvious from watching games this year, building a successful, consistent program at NT is going to be a long term project. It's not rebuilding, this is a start to build what hasn't been here in so long there are any remnants left. Candidates will know that coming in.

And every executive position requires a lots of OJT. Football coach at a FSB programs is far, far more complex than some middle level manager.

Edited November 18, 2015 by VideoEagle

UNT90 · November 18, 2015

There's not reason that doing what other schools have been successful doing automatically means hiring a coach that isn't a good fit. From what Vito writes and what is obvious from watching games this year, building a successful, consistent program at NT is going to be a long term project. It's not rebuilding, this is a start to build what hasn't been here in so long there are any remnants left. Candidates will know that coming in.
And every executive position requires a lots of OJT. Football coach at a FSB programs is far, far more complex than some middle level manager.

But the challenges here are much greater than at any other university that this P5 assistant will have ever coached. He is coming to a place that simply doesn't market athletics to it's alumni, has a lazy AD riding out his last year or 2 (hopefully less), has a ticket office in complete disarray, has a schedule that draws no fan interest, and has a general culture that makes fun of his football program.

It's hella unique. Ask Dan McCarney.

TheReal_jayD · November 18, 2015

But the challenges here are much greater than at any other university that this P5 assistant will have ever coached. He is coming to a place that simply doesn't market athletics to it's alumni, has a lazy AD riding out his last year or 2 (hopefully less), has a ticket office in complete disarray, has a schedule that draws no fan interest, and has a general culture that makes fun of his football program.
It's hella unique. Ask Dan McCarney.

Dan also had one foot already in the retirement home.

untbowler · November 18, 2015

I hope this keeps Thomsen in the mix if he is interested, comes down to him, Riley, or Briles, I would take Thomsen since he has coached and won at a non-P5 and is not coaching with a silver spoon mentality.

Not sure Briles or Riley would be able to accept that they are not at a P5 with all of their advantages.

As for potentially throwing out coaches from lower divisions, if they are proven winners why would you not want them to apply and coach, they are proven winners.

Cr1028 · November 18, 2015

So much for Colby Carthel if Vito is correct :(

If true, I hope they find a way to get Lincoln Riley. He is my favorite next to Carthel.

Harry · November 18, 2015

I find the Buffalo hiring of a D III coach Lance Leipold very interesting in that it breaks the typical mold:

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/09/penn_state_football_buffalo_bu.html

Cr1028 · November 18, 2015

I hope this keeps Thomsen in the mix if he is interested, comes down to him, Riley, or Briles, I would take Thomsen since he has coached and won at a non-P5 and is not coaching with a silver spoon mentality.
Not sure Briles or Riley would be able to accept that they are not at a P5 with all of their advantages.
As for potentially throwing out coaches from lower divisions, if they are proven winners why would you not want them to apply and coach, they are proven winners.

Don't think that will be a problem.

Riley, who spent the last five seasons at East Carolina, will replace co-coordinators Josh Heupel and Jay Norvell, who were dismissed from their duties last week.

Riley’s coaching career started at Texas Tech as a wide receivers coach at 23. After serving as an interim offensive coordinator in the Red Raiders’ Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State, he followed new East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill in 2010.

In Riley, Oklahoma receives a coordinator who has had complete control of the ECU offense over the past five seasons as well as a bridge to the one-year Mike Leach era at Oklahoma. Riley is a disciple of Leach, who helped guide OU’s offensive turnaround in 1999. Leach gave Riley his first job at Texas Tech.

Riley’s time at East Carolina drew the attention of Bob Stoops.
Five seasons of work produced the top five passing seasons in ECU history. He mentored all-conference quarterbacks Dominique Davis and Shane Carden, the latter being named Conference USA’s offensive player of the year in 2013 and a first-team selection in the American Conference this past year.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Cr1028

UNT90 · November 18, 2015

I find the Buffalo hiring of a D III coach Lance Leipold very interesting in that it breaks the typical mold:
http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/09/penn_state_football_buffalo_bu.html

Don't look for any mold breaking hire at UNT.

Quoner · November 18, 2015

Lot's of speculation in that article. See my signature below.

I hate this time of year, too. Didn't used to, though.

FirefightnRick · November 18, 2015

Both were over-reactions to what fans wanted, actually.
Dodge was
A coach from a P5 is going to face MAJOR challenges here. He will come into a situation where he his counted on for all game marketing, marketing to students, marketing to local businesses, repairing damaged relationships with high school coaches, and dealing with a dysfunctional athletic department. These are things he would have never seen or had to do at any P5 school. It has disaster written all over it. Hope I'm wrong.

All of this...plus he will not recieve the best advice to promote his program.

When I spoke to RV one time about possibly addressing the issue with DMac about the team often arriving to the stadium too late or too early for the Mean Green March he refused on the grounds that DMac had coached in the Big 12, Big 10 and the SEC after all, and couldn't be bothered with such mundane issues.

The reality I felt was, he was afraid of him. Either way, our AD wasn't going to put his foot down to correct a problem in support of a tradition at North Texas, so I said Eff it and stopped trying to get there in time to participate anymore.

Rick

DeepGreen · November 18, 2015

All of this...plus he will not recieve the best advice to promote his program.
When I spoke to RV one time about possibly addressing the issue with DMac about the team often arriving to the stadium too late or too early for the Mean Green March he refused on the grounds that DMac had coached in the Big 12, Big 10 and the SEC after all, and couldn't be bothered with such mundane issues.
The reality I felt was, he was afraid of him. Either way, our AD wasn't going to put his foot down to correct a problem in support of a tradition at North Texas, so I said Eff it and stopped trying to get there in time to participate anymore.

Rick

RV needed to "man-up", grow some balls back then. Or, maybe RV should have explained all of this during the job interview, included it in Mac's job description, "Maintaining UNT Game Day Traditions".

SilverEagle · November 18, 2015

RV needed to "man-up", grow some balls back then. Or, maybe RV should have explained all of this during the job interview, included it in Mac's job description, "Maintaining UNT Game Day Traditions".

And why wouldn't Mac want to make sure his team participates (in a timely manner) in something that just about every D-1 school in the nation builds their game day (after tailgating) around? I mean every school listed on his resume just drips with traditions on game day. Did he think it was just an option here?

HarringtonFishSmeller · November 18, 2015

Hmmm. Hadn't thought of Seth Littrell at North Carolina. Would seem to have area recruiting contact from his time in the Big 12 with Texas Tech and Kansas. Worked for Stoops' bro Mike,and former OU OC Kevin Wilson at Indiana.

Seems too low key. Never hear much about him. I'd stick him in the same category at Memphis Co-OC Brad Cornelsen - long shot hires if everyone else falls through,

rcade · November 18, 2015

A coach from a P5 is going to face MAJOR challenges here. He will come into a situation where he his counted on for all game marketing, marketing to students, marketing to local businesses, repairing damaged relationships with high school coaches, and dealing with a dysfunctional athletic department. These are things he would have never seen or had to do at any P5 school. It has disaster written all over it. Hope I'm wrong.

If a new coach comes here and finds that he's being asked to make up for deficiencies in the athletic department, I hope he has enough juice with Smatresk to go to him and demand better from the AD and his (or her) top subordinates. It has been reported that RV asked Smatresk for a public vote of confidence and didn't get one. If RV is still around after the coaching hire, maybe we'll be in a situation where the coach is more powerful than the AD and can get the support he needs in areas like marketing.

Eagle-96 · November 18, 2015

If we go down the OC or assistant head coach path from a P5 school then it's:

Reilly

Briles

Norvell

Cumbie

Meacham

We also have to realize that RV is telling the candidates exactly what HE wants them to hear regarding how difficult the situation is/will be here at UNT. He may be able to sell him on how "easy" it will be to win here like he most likely did with Dodge and Mac. It won't take them long to figure out the difficulties and get disillusioned though. I hope the new coaching prospects do their due diligence and know what they are getting into.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Eagle-96