Littrell to be named UNT HC per Brett McMurphy

DeepGreen · December 5, 2015

Was Coach Littrell on the press box / sideline when NT beat Indiana ?

If it's true, welcome Coach Littrell.

GO MEAN GREEN

If he was, surely he saw some potential in UNT back then.

BigWillie · December 5, 2015

Fans should be concerned that Littrell won't have the best chance to succeed with RV around. He's got a way of doing things that has not produced success on the field and has not built a strong base of fan support. I think the best course of action is to pair the new leadership in football with new leadership at the AD position.

Hint, hint... this is the next announcement.

Cerebus · December 5, 2015

Not true, Harry.
There are several of us who wanted a proven head coach who has won in challenging circumstances.
I am glad we got our first choice, but I question if the first choice is the right choice.
As do several others.

My first choice was Willie Fritz. However it seems he is happy to sit at GSU until he can grab a P5 post. I don't know if that gamble will work out for him, but it's the one he is making.

However I was very please with the selection pool. I would have been happy with either of the finalists. If Littrell can round out his staff by snagging some young talent from the Leach coaching tree and pairing it with some veteran experience on the defensive side I will be frankly ecstatic.

UNTcrazy727 · December 5, 2015

Not true, Harry.
There are several of us who wanted a proven head coach who has won in challenging circumstances.
I am glad we got our first choice, but I question if the first choice is the right choice.
As do several others.

Sure, everyone wanted Fritz, but who else is out there that fits the profile like him? IMO Littrell is the exact type of guy we need and everyone should be excited right now.

BigWillie · December 5, 2015

90 will always find something wrong with anything that doesn't fit his opinion.

UNT90 · December 5, 2015

I hope he was our first choice. Mac was a somewhat proven headcoach who had won in a difficult place and that didn't help. We got a proven offensive mind who will attract solid recruits. This is a good thing.

He had an overall losing record and grew up in a P5 environment (much like Littrell). He was ill-prepared for the challenges of UNT, especially with RV as the AD.

Littrell is much closer to a Mac type than what I had in mind for the position.

That said, I hope he is wildly successful and wins a CUSA conference championship.

90 will always find something wrong with anything that doesn't fit his opinion.

And if I loved the hire, you would remind me of that if he did fail.

Stop being childish.

So ... Still #FireRV ???

Absolutely. And hopefully before Jan 1

I was hoping for that, too, but Seth Littrell is a step up from the coaches we've hired in the past in terms of his résumé. He has built exciting offenses at each stop in his career and has four years of Texas coaching experience (as a Texas Tech assistant) and an Oklahoma background that may help us bring some players across the Red River. It's a risk to go with someone young who has never been a head coach, but he's been an OC for five years and the numbers his teams have produced on that side of the ball are impressive. I won't say I'm 100% on board, but I like enough to stick around for next season despite the ass-whip of an AD who's still running the show.

If RV is still here by the time next football season starts, not only is this hire doomed to fail, but the UTEP attendance will become more normal than not...

Edited December 5, 2015 by UNT90

greenminer · December 5, 2015

90 will always find something wrong with anything that doesn't fit his opinion.

I'm on board with Litrell, but as long as RV is around there are legitimate reasons to be concerned about the future of our program.

BigWillie · December 5, 2015

If this was Smatresk's hire, maybe he truly is moving forward with replacement of RV.

Eagle-96 · December 5, 2015

Not true, Harry.
There are several of us who wanted a proven head coach who has won in challenging circumstances.
I am glad we got our first choice, but I question if the first choice is the right choice.
As do several others.

One thing to keep in mind. We don't know who interviewed and who turned us down. If coaches like Fritz, Thomsen, Whithers, etc... turned us down we can't force them coach for us. We have to pick from the pool of candidates that were interested in coaching here. By some accounts, this was a Smatresk hire. If RV made it undesirable for some coaches to consider us then that is a different story and something that needs to be addressed. But the bottom line is we can either be disappointed that the type of coach we wanted wasn't hired and let that get in the way of our support for the team or we can look to the future and throw our support behind Seth and look forward to better days.

rcade · December 5, 2015

If Littrell's salary is $1 million, he'll be the highest paid coach in CUSA. Rick Stockstill at MTSU earns $801K with another $126K in maximum bonuses, per USA Today.

Hunter Green · December 5, 2015

Someone give me a ninja face here, but has anyone heard the name of Mike Singletary come up?

GO MEAN GREEN!

TheReal_jayD · December 5, 2015

Not true, Harry.
There are several of us who wanted a proven head coach who has won in challenging circumstances.
I am glad we got our first choice, but I question if the first choice is the right choice.
As do several others.

They are awfully quiet?? But if you and the mouse in your pocket want to jump on the bandwagon Coach Perry said there is still some room. Jump on before it is too late!!!

He had an overall losing record and grew up in a P5 environment (much like Littrell). He was ill-prepared for the challenges of UNT, especially with RV as the AD.
Littrell is much closer to a Mac type than what I had in mind for the position.
That said, I hope he is wildly successful and wins a CUSA conference championship.
And if I loved the hire, you would remind me of that if he did fail.
Stop being childish.
Absolutely. And hopefully before Jan 1
If RV is still here by the time next football season starts, not only is this hire doomed to fail, but the UTEP attendance will become more normal than not...

1. Littrell and Mac have almost nothing in common... One is an offensive wiz.. the other a d-line coach. one is modern and changing with the time the other is stuck in the 80s.. one is young and energetic the other is old and stubborn. and so on and so on.

2. just because some one doesn't agree with your pessimism doesn't make them childish.

3. RV is on the verge of retirement. i guarantee you he wont be here in 12 months. he stayed on because finding an AD then a head coach would have delayed this process even further.

4. GO MEAN GREEN

UNT90 · December 5, 2015

One thing to keep in mind. We don't know who interviewed and who turned us down. If coaches like Fritz, Thomsen, Whithers, etc... turned us down we can't force them coach for us. We have to pick from the pool of candidates that were interested in coaching here. By some accounts, this was a Smatresk hire. If RV made it undesirable for some coaches to consider us then that is a different story and something that needs to be addressed. But the bottom line is we can either be disappointed that the type of coach we wanted wasn't hired and let that get in the way of our support for the team or we can look to the future and throw our support behind Seth and look forward to better days.

I doubt Fritz was ever contacted. The parameters for this hire were announced early on. P5 OC or bust.

It's very possible we bust.

Ben Gooding · December 5, 2015

Someone give me a ninja face here, but has anyone heard the name of Mike Singletary come up?
GO MEAN GREEN!

I brought up Singletary 4 or 5 weeks ago. The idea was not taken in well. I don't even like the idea, but I just threw out the name for the sake of having name hires thrown out.

UNT90 · December 5, 2015

They are awfully quiet?? But if you and the mouse in your pocket want to jump on the bandwagon Coach Perry said there is still some room. Jump on before it is too late!!!
1. Littrell and Mac have almost nothing in common... One is an offensive wiz.. the other a d-line coach. one is modern and changing with the time the other is stuck in the 80s.. one is young and energetic the other is old and stubborn. and so on and so on.
2. just because some one doesn't agree with your pessimism doesn't make them childish.
3. RV is on the verge of retirement. i guarantee you he wont be here in 12 months. he stayed on because finding an AD then a head coach would have delayed this process even further.
4. GO MEAN GREEN

Look children, several have already posted in this forum.

Try respecting someone who doesn't agree with you for a change...

Edited December 5, 2015 by UNT90

Ben Gooding · December 5, 2015

I doubt Fritz was ever contacted. The parameters for this hire were announced early on. P5 OC or bust.
It's very possible we bust.

Jesus dude, just because it is not who YOU want does not mean it is going to be a bust. No one knows if this is going to be a bust and no one really knows if this is going to be a solid hire. It's all just a whim and a prayer. Willie Fritz could have done some good things here for us, maybe. Willie Fritz could have came here and fell on his face like McCarney, maybe. But, apparently, he is not coming here. So accept what is and let go of what isn't, son.

UNT90 · December 5, 2015

Jesus dude, just because it is not who YOU want does not mean it is going to be a bust. No one knows if this is going to be a bust and no one really knows if this is going to be a solid hire. It's all just a whim and a prayer. Willie Fritz could have done some good things here for us, maybe. Willie Fritz could have came here and fell on his face like McCarney, maybe. But, apparently, he is not coming here. So accept what is and let go of what isn't, son.

Such anger because someone simply disagrees with you...

greenit · December 5, 2015

If Smatresk is serious about this he knows that an outdated AD has to go. Simply putting a new coach in a broken support system is simply throwing away money.

BigWillie · December 5, 2015

Such anger because someone simply disagrees with you...

It is one thing to just disagree, but you are saying that your team is going to bust just because they didn't hire who you thought they should.

That is not being a fan and I think you are letting your hatred for RV take over what support you have for your alma mater.

Or maybe I am just being childish again......

Edited December 5, 2015 by BigWillie
Misspelling

TheReal_jayD · December 5, 2015

Such anger because someone simply disagrees with you...

i don't think its anger.. just think us true MEAN GREEN fans aren't going to let your pessimistic attitude ruin this exciting day in MEAN GREEN nation.

MEAN GREEN LOVE >> your RV hate

Ben Gooding · December 5, 2015

Such anger because someone simply disagrees with you...

I don't agree or disagree with you. Willie Fritz could have done some good things here for us. He could have came here and sucked something fierce too. Seth Littrell was not my top choice and I don't really know what to expect from him from any standpoint. From the interviews that I have looked up and listened to he is generic in his talk and talks a lot of mumbo jumbo. That is something I am not very fond of. I do know that his offenses have produced everywhere he has been. I do know that he has never been to a G5 program once. So, I don't know what to expect. I am not disagreeing with you on anything. You're just annoying about how you handle your "my way or the highway" mantra. We all know you wanted Fritz. We all know that you will be subconsciously rooting against all things UNT until RV is gone. I am like that in every aspect right now except for the new football coach. I will root for him and his team until he gives me reasons not to. I do know where this athletic path leads with RV still employed by this university. That is why I am skeptical about anything UNT athletics right now. Hopefully this hire gives the new AD (please baby Jesus give us a new AD) some wiggle room to work on other athletic endeavors upon his/her arrival...such as basketball facility upgrades, building a real alum donor foundation, getting more than 10-15 big money donors, cultivating Denton businesses, getting real momentum behind the baseball program, gaining traction on an indoor football practice facility, negotiating decent home football games, looking for a new basketball coach, etc. But I am not going to put down this hire until I have reasons to. It seems to be a "decent" hire after taking a step back and looking into it. We needed youth and this hire provides that. We needed offense and this hire provides that. We need to know who his coordinators are going to be and who his "right hand man" in recruiting is going to be. As much as this looks like a decent hire on paper, it could be a devastating hire that sets us back another half decade. Who knows. This is a chance hire (though less of a chance than Dodge).

GrandGreen · December 5, 2015

Any selection is going to get support from a lot of the fan base, just as no hire is going to get total support. This is definitely a step up from the last four hires in terms of resumes, Simon, Dickey, Dodge and McCarney. Doesn't mean he will be successful, but it does point to much better odds of him doing so.

UNT90 · December 5, 2015

It is one thing to just disagree, but you are saying that your team is going to bust just because they didn't hire who you thought they should.
That is not being a fan and I think you are letting your hatred for RV take over what support you have for your alma mater.
Or maybe I am just being childish again......

No, I said it's quite possible that it will bust, and that possibility becomes a certainty if RV remains.

MeanGreen13 · December 5, 2015

I honestly believe that mac's stroke and quadruple bypass had everything to do with the insane drop off you witnessed from the team (trust me, I'm almost a Dr.). I think that he made a lot of emotional decisions that led us down a really shitty path. The Nepotism, the overbearing control over the other coaches while not physically or mentally being able to be involved in every facet of the program. he shot himself and everyone else in the foot with his stubborn adherence to an antiquated philosophy. It felt like the worse we got, the more he dug in. New coach will probably not be that way. he is young enough to remember what it feels like to be handcuffed by a coach and, even if he plans on being involved in eveything, he has the energy left to do it. I am still worried RV will ruin everything so I'm not holding my breath until the press conference.

outoftown · December 5, 2015

I will be among those sitting back and see how it goes. At least there is hope now. I would have preferred to have someone with HC experience, as going with someone who has never been an HC is always a crapshoot (still not sure SMU is gonna be happy with who they picked). That said, crap shoots can also go in your favor, and there is nothing saying Litrell will fail, just as there is nothing saying he will suceed. But if he comes in and starts to improve recruiting, then that would already be an important step for the pogress of the program.

All that said.to me this is not his hire but Smatresks. RV still needs to be on the hook for Dodge and MacCarney....and for Benford.