Now that the dust has settled.......

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

Same. During the Mac press conference, I cracked a couple jokes, but thought at the time that he seemed legit. Some people couldn't contain themselves, compared with the reserved optimism today.

http://www.gomeangreen.com/forums/topic/57753-press-conference/

This is why you should never judge a coach one way or another by his gift of the gab. 

[Eagleisland]

Worried about that as well.  While Littrell has been at many places where they have scored points, those places have also given up many points:
2010, Arizona:  33rd in Yards Allowed, 41st Points Allowed, final record 7-6
2011, Arizona:  101st in Yards Allowed, 107th Points Allowed, final record 4-8, Coach Mike Stoops fired before end of season.
2012, Indiana:  97th in Yards Allowed, 104th Points Allowed, final record 4-8
2013, Indiana:  124th in Yards Allowed, 117th Points Allowed, final record 5-7, Littrell hired by North Carolina
2014, North Carolina: 118th in Yards Allowed, 119th Points Allowed, final record 6-7
2015, North Carolina: 100th in Yards Allowed, 35th Points Allowed, record so far, 11-2

As you can see, despite all of the accolades Littrell has received for his side of the ball, every team he's been on as OC has not had a good defense.  Combined record of the schools he's been OC at:  37-38.

What is the reason for UNC's turn around this year?  Probably that former Texas DC and Auburn head coach Gene Chizik was hired as DC last December.  Tar Heels still gave up a bunch of yards this year, but their Points Allowed was way down - 119th to 35th. 

Record of schools Littrell's been at without Chizik as DC:  26-36.  So, until this season, his mentors had not done a great job of shoring up the defensive side of the ball.  Hope that made some sort of impression on him.

As posted last week and reiterated this morning, scoring and "exciting" offense is all well and good...unless, you can't stop anyone on the other side of the ball. 

It's clear that Littrell knows how to help an offense score.  The question is, will he hire a DC who will complement that...so that we don't relive the Dodge years of high schools and yardage total...to go along with many losses. 

Key hire among coaching staff, then:  Defensive coordinator


 

First off....high scoring offenses tend to lead to higher scores for opponents, regardless of the defense. If the offense is efficient and scores often, the opposing team has more opportunities to score. It's the mirror image to the conservative, low-scoring, field position and running offenses. 

Second, he was in no way responsible for the defensive play in any of those scenarios, so it is hard to say that his defense....or defensive coordinator....won't be good.We will not know that for sure until he gets some of his recruits in and we see how his defensive coordinator operates.

 

[TheTastyGreek]

I'm proposing tomorrow and I am gonna use at least one snippet of his speech in my actual proposal....just deciding which part

1) Whoa... Subtle stealth comment here. Congrats!

2) Go with the line around 44:45 talking about "I believe in getting it done right and not just getting it done quick". You don't have to be telling the truth, just say it credibly enough that she thinks you're interested in her needs. Once the papers are signed, it's no take-backs! 

[Cerebus]

I've never thought, following the opening press conference of any of my new teams' new hires, "dang, we messed that hire up." 

Harry can back me on this:  As soon as Dodge announced he was bringing up an all HS staff because "football is football" I tuned to Harry and said "terrible idea, someone has to talk him out of that."  

It really killed my enthusiasm.  

[MGNation92]

Harry can back me on this:  As soon as Dodge announced he was bringing up an all HS staff because "football is football" I tuned to Harry and said "terrible idea, someone has to talk him out of that."  

It really killed my enthusiasm.  

Just like when Mac said "Iowa is Florida, and Florida is Iowa, National Championship". Went straight downhill from there

[UNT90]

I've never thought, following the opening press conference of any of my new teams' new hires, "dang, we messed that hire up." 

This. It's a sunny day always the first day of a coaching career.

i think by game 8 of next year we will have a little better feel.

[HarringtonFishSmeller]

Another former Sooner player who has coached on the defensive side of the ball is now available, Chris Wilson.  Wilson is a longtime DL coach and was the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State from 2010-2012.  Maybe Littrell gives him a look.  USC's Helton cut him and several other coaches loose following the Pac-12 Championship Game. 

2015, Southern Cal:  45th in Rush Defense, 15th sacks, DL coach, record so far 8-5, Pac-12 Championship Game
2014, Southern Cal:  35th in Rush Defense, 32nd sacks, DL coach, final record 9-4
2013, Georgia:  41st in Rush Defense, 29th sacks, DL coach, final record 8-5
2012, Mississippi State: 69th in Rush Defense, 100th sacks, 62nd Yards Allowed, 34th Points Allowed, DL and DC,final record 8-5
2011, Mississippi State: 65th in Rush Defense, 43rd Sacks, 43rd Yards Allowed, 16th Points Allowed, DL and DC, final record 7-6
2010, Mississippi State: 15th in Rush Defense, 59th Sacks, 52nd Yards Allowed, 21 Points Allowed, DL and Co-DC, final record 9-4
2009, Oklahoma, 7th Sacks, DE coach/ST Coordinator, final record 8-5
2008, Oklahoma, 3rd Sacks, DE coach/ST Coordinator, final record 12-2, Big 12 Championship Game, National Title Game
2007, Oklahoma, 30th Sacks, DE coach/ST Coordinator, final record 11-3, Big 12 Championship Game
2006, Oklahoma, 57th Sacks, DE coach, final record 11-3, Big 12 Championship Game
2005, Oklahoma, 3rd Sacks, DE coach, final record 8-4
2004, Colorado, 84th Rush Defense, 37th Sacks, DL coach, final record 8-5, Big 12 Championship Game
2003, Colorado, DL coach, final record 5-7
2002, Colorado, DL coach, final record 9-5, Big 12 Championship Game
2001, Colorado, DL coach, final record 10-3, Big 12 Championship Game
2000, Colorado, DL coach, final record 3-8

2000 with Colorado was his first season D-I/FBS.  Over the past 16 seasons:
-14 as part of winning programs
-14 bowl games, including three Fiesta Bowls, and one national title game
-7 Conference titles games:  One with USC, three a piece with Oklahoma and Colorado, 4 winners

Product of Richardson (TX) High School
Has Coached in Big 12, SEC, and Pac-12

Guy has a ton of experience in the P5, more than Littrell.  Has recruited the region and South for years, West Coast for USC.  With 16 years in a row at P5 schools, you'd be hard-pressed to say that C-USA coaches would show him some sort of offense he hasn't already seen from the wide open attacks in the Big 12 and Pac 12, to the ground and pound old schoolers of the SEC.

Hope he gets an interview...selfishly, a little, because I also grew up in Richardson.   
 

Edited December 8, 2015 by HarringtonFishSmeller

[rcade]

I've never thought, following the opening press conference of any of my new teams' new hires, "dang, we messed that hire up." 

What about when Dennis Parker promised that North Texas would be 5A Division I State Champs within 3 years?

[Christopher Walker]

Also talked about special teams. He sees special teams as (paraphrasing here) another offensive opportunity. Tells me he likes to be aggressive in special teams as well.....

I liked what he had to say about quality of ST players. It was to the effect of Special Teams has to be comprised of players who could start with the 1s on offense and defense as well, no drop in quality with that side of the ball.

[BillySee58]

What about when Dennis Parker promised that North Texas would be 5A Division I State Champs within 3 years?

I was sick that day. Missed his presser.

This. It's a sunny day always the first day of a coaching career.

i think by game 8 of next year we will have a little better feel.

Mainly because we will have seen A LOT of recruiting by then. Between this signing class and probably already having 15 commitments by game 8 next year, plus the progression of the team on the field. But still early on.

 

Edited December 8, 2015 by BillySee58

[All About UNT]

1) Whoa... Subtle stealth comment here. Congrats!

2) Go with the line around 44:45 talking about "I believe in getting it done right and not just getting it done quick". You don't have to be telling the truth, just say it credibly enough that she thinks you're interested in her needs. Once the papers are signed, it's no take-backs! 

Thx Tasty! I will have to work that in there 

[BillySee58]

Harry can back me on this:  As soon as Dodge announced he was bringing up an all HS staff because "football is football" I tuned to Harry and said "terrible idea, someone has to talk him out of that."  

It really killed my enthusiasm.  

I don't believe you. This implies that we had press conferences before Coach Mac got here.

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

1) Whoa... Subtle stealth comment here. Congrats!

2) Go with the line around 44:45 talking about "I believe in getting it done right and not just getting it done quick". You don't have to be telling the truth, just say it credibly enough that she thinks you're interested in her needs. Once the papers are signed, it's no take-backs! 

I told him to do the part about recruiting and running the spread option. 

[Ben Gooding]

First off....high scoring offenses tend to lead to higher scores for opponents, regardless of the defense. If the offense is efficient and scores often, the opposing team has more opportunities to score. It's the mirror image to the conservative, low-scoring, field position and running offenses. 

Second, he was in no way responsible for the defensive play in any of those scenarios, so it is hard to say that his defense....or defensive coordinator....won't be good.We will not know that for sure until he gets some of his recruits in and we see how his defensive coordinator operates.

 

Potent offenses also take teams out of their game plan sooner than they would like and forces them to do things offensively that they typically aren't as comfortable doing. 

[greenminer]

 before Coach Mac got here.

History goes back that far?

[THOR]

I'm proposing tomorrow and I am gonna use at least one snippet of his speech in my actual proposal....just deciding which part

congrats...she is a hottie...

[Ben Gooding]

I'm proposing tomorrow and I am gonna use at least one snippet of his speech in my actual proposal....just deciding which part

"We're going to play hard. And we're going to go fast." 

 

Congrats though. 

[All About UNT]

congrats...she is a hottie...

thanks buddy!

"We're going to play hard. And we're going to go fast." 

 

Congrats though. 

Thanks Ben!

[UNT90]

I was sick that day. Missed his presser.

Mainly because we will have seen A LOT of recruiting by then. Between this signing class and probably already having 15 commitments by game 8 next year, plus the progression of the team on the field. But still early on.

 

Dodge could recruit, but couldn't coach. It isn't one or the other that we need. By game 8, we should have a feel on if he can do both.

[MeanGreen13]

I am so glad Coach Littrell is not a rah rah guy... HUGE RELIEF! 

[JesseMartin]

Key hire among coaching staff, then:  Defensive coordinator

THIS.  With Skladany retiring, and Joseph going to Indiana, we've gone so far downhill from our tenacious D of 2012-2013.  There were times when it looked like our opponents' offenses were running away from our defenders, regardless of their relative position to the goalline (and very well they may have).  That's a far cry from last, and even moreso, this year, when they just run right over us.

Another former Sooner player who has coached on the defensive side of the ball is now available, Chris Wilson. 
 

Everything you posted about him sounds awesome, and I'm kind of surprised that no one else has yet weighed in on it.  @BillySee58?

I am so glad Coach Littrell is not a rah rah guy... HUGE RELIEF! 

Yeah, as long as we aren't expecting him to market the team and such (which tends to be the case here and is pretty ridiculous).  I don't feel the need to hire a coach who is a cheerleader.  I just want to win AND follow the rules (especially academic ones).  I don't really care if he's comfortable giving speeches to the press, as long as he does well speaking to his players.  Wins, fair play, good citizenship, and academic success are the key elements.  I know you guys joke about the "good husbands and fathers" speeches a bit, but we don't need guys stealing TVs and crab legs or getting picked up for the litany of things that have gone on recently.  I'm not saying that I expect him to tutor and mentor each one personally, but he should have an appropriate system for delegating tutelage and mentorship throughout his coaches and network of other support staff.

[GMG24]

I could of sworn that he talked about defense today. I am almost positive he did, He mentioned swarming the QB and making the offense make athletic plays or something to that extent.

competitive plays, but yes. Everything else spot on

 

[Green Mean]

I think the best approach to take in all this is to be cautiously optimistic.  At this point leave everything up to him and see what he has.  Rather than checking back in 3 years you can at least see some idea what you have in a guy in year 1.

[Mike Jackson]

The more RV talked during the introduction the more he sounded like  her was filibustering to prevent a vote on his competence.  RV should not have been  allowed to talk that long , no one came to see him speak.   Moving on the  positive, it is great is that he is from just a little up north.   Funny thing is that I really believe that he knows about the challenges he will face here.  The  question is will be able to overcome them?  On the contract given his age and possible up side I would have liked to see a 6 or ever 7 year contract with benchmarks that would key incentives and renegotiation of his salary.  Also buyout structure that would allow him to leave a few regional P5 school  at a slight lower buyout level than  USC, UT Austin, Alabama, Notre Dame, LSU and Texas A&M.   Cause I want the schools I mentioned to pay premium highest dollar to steal our coach.

[Army of Dad]

When will @All About UNT propose?

"at the end of the day"

(and congrats)