Grade the Littrell Hire

southsideguy · December 14, 2015

can't grade until i see a test score.

Cerebus · December 14, 2015

can't grade until i see a test score.

I know you people are trying to drive me insane and it won't work.

Tyler Maryak · December 14, 2015

getting a pretty smooth bell curve so far...

MGNation92 · December 14, 2015

I said B+ because I think he will greatly change the look and feel of the offense and recruiting. I am worried about his defense and what it will look like. Frankly I don't give a damn if we win every game 50-49, just as long as we win. That being said, I would prefer some experience and aggression(Manny Diaz comes to mind) when it comes to the defense. We will see.

Travis · December 14, 2015

getting a pretty smooth bell curve so far...

More like a boobs curve.

Tyler Maryak · December 14, 2015

More like a boobs curve.

where were those in my statistics class!?!

Green P1 · December 14, 2015

We should probably run this poll again in a couple weeks when we know more about the hire.

Cerebus · December 14, 2015

We should probably run this poll again in a couple weeks when we know more about the hire.

UNT90 · December 14, 2015

Fine.

Since I can't give it the grade it truly observes, I gave it a C+.

It's a coordinator from a P5 program without a track record. If you set your green cool aid aside, this is the highest grade the hire deserves RIGHT NOW.

Green92 · December 14, 2015

I gave it a B+. I liked the goals that were set out at the beginning of the search. I think those goals were met with the hires so far.

greenit · December 14, 2015

Of the realistic candidates that were out there, I would rank SL towards the top but not at the top.

For me It would have taken a guy that you would say no way we could ever get to be an A+.

For an A/A- I think we could have found a guy with the traits we were looking for AND had prior HC experience.

I put this hire in the next category and gave a B+.

Keep in mind that using this criteria, based solely on candidates available at the time, our prior hires would have been C's and D's. This was definitely a step up in class.

Hopefully, he is able to follow it up with actual results.

GOMG2013 · December 15, 2015

A few have mentioned previous head coaching experience...I guess most mean FCS head coaching experience, because why would a current FBS coach come to UNT. It may be a slight upgrade from sun belt...and fans don't want a retread with HC experience but has been fired.

So the next step is Co ordinator. There were a few big names, but they went to p5 programs. If UNT could have made a Tom herman type hire, I would have considered it an A. And I'm not talking hindsight after the year they had. In february, it was an A hire.

Herman got off the plane after the title game and started flipping local talent with limited time. The staff he assembled were "A" hires as far as recruiting. Giles and applewhite were some top recruiters in texas and especially houston area. Pope with lots of experience in big 12 and texas. Craig naviar another top recruiter in texas. The staff had great hires that were proven.

Littrell has a nice start with harrell, but he's not an A. A B is still a huge improvement though.

southsideguy · December 15, 2015

ok ok, i gave him a C plus for showing up, if we are grading on a curve a B.

TIgreen01 · December 15, 2015

I will add that I purposely graded down due to the shenanigans that RV pulled a few months back when he called the Dodge hire a good hire. That's what this poll feels like to me---a way to pat RV and our administration on the back by getting a waaaaay too early reaction from the fan base (who has very limited information on what candidates we actually considered) so it can be used against us in 10 years.

I do like Littrell, but I call shenanigans on this poll.

Army of Dad · December 15, 2015

I know you people are trying to drive me insane and it won't work.

Drive you insane? How sure are you that you're not already there?

Also:

"If you look at the fan polls at the time, this was a great hire!"

-RV in 2020

Edited December 15, 2015 by Army of Dad

Travis · December 15, 2015

Drive you insane? How sure are you that you're not already there?

Aslo:
"If you look at the fan polls at the time, this was a great hire!"
-RV in 2020

I would love to find the Mac hire and see what we were saying then. I think that RV likes to whitewash the past because my memory says there were plenty of people scratching their heads on the Dan hire.

Cerebus · December 15, 2015

I will add that I purposely graded down due to the shenanigans that RV pulled a few months back when he called the Dodge hire a good hire. That's what this poll feels like to me---a way to pat RV and our administration on the back by getting a waaaaay too early reaction from the fan base (who has very limited information on what candidates we actually considered) so it can be used against us in 10 years.
I do like Littrell, but I call shenanigans on this poll.

Why can no one READ THE DAMN THREAD?!

Littrell is a Smatty hire (That's what I call him, we're best buds and all), that means
the man RV wanted is sitting over in Ft. Worth,
the coach I wanted is wearing a Tulane sweat shirt right now,
this thread was started by ME, poster of many threads like this.

With all the above info I don't know how anyone could consider to be some sort of veiled attempt to pat RV on the back. I assure you the actual Pro RV partisans spit on the ground and begin to softly hum La Marseillaise when my name comes up.

So, for the last time I am explaining why I am doing this:

It's the God forsaken off-season and if I have to read one more thread about coaches who aren't here anymore, former players who have no eligibility left, helmet stickers, the pros and cons of pageantry or God forbid uniforms then I may snap and take the business end of a roofing hammer to this server.
I am genuinely curios how the hire is perceived by the grognards on the board, and how that rating changes as certain steps take place.
It's fun to use trend lines.

MeanGreenTexan · December 15, 2015

Why can no one READ THE DAMN THREAD?!
Littrell is a Smatty hire (That's what I call him, we're best buds and all), that means
the man RV wanted is sitting over in Ft. Worth,
the coach I wanted is wearing a Tulane sweat shirt right now,
this thread was started by ME, poster of many threads like this.
With all the above info I don't know how anyone could consider to be some sort of veiled attempt to pat RV on the back. I assure you the actual Pro RV partisans spit on the ground and begin to softly hum La Marseillaise when my name comes up.
So, for the last time I am explaining why I am doing this:
It's the God forsaken off-season and if I have to read one more thread about coaches who aren't here anymore, former players who have no eligibility left, helmet stickers, the pros and cons of pageantry or God forbid uniforms then I may snap and take the business end of a roofing hammer to this server.
I am genuinely curios how the hire is perceived by the grognards on the board, and how that rating changes as certain steps take place.
It's fun to use trend lines.

Speculation. Despite hearing it often, I've seen/heard nothing to back this up.

You must have a source? And that source is either a: accurate, or b: parroting what everyone else is saying like this.

UNTcrazy727 · December 15, 2015

Fine.
Since I can't give it the grade it truly observes, I gave it a C+.
It's a coordinator from a P5 program without a track record. If you set your green cool aid aside, this is the highest grade the hire deserves RIGHT NOW.

The three schools he was at all had top 25 offenses while he was the OC. UNT has never hired a candidate with that good of a resume. C+ is an average/below average grade. I'm not sure how you can look at what Littrell has accomplished and call his hiring, at best, average. Especially, for a bottom rung G5 program.

Edited December 15, 2015 by UNTcrazy727

Cerebus · December 15, 2015

Speculation. Despite hearing it often, I've seen/heard nothing to back this up.
You must have a source? And that source is either a: accurate, or b: parroting what everyone else is saying like this.

1) Read the thread.

MeanGreenTexan · December 15, 2015

1) Read the thread.

I've read the whole thing already. Early on, it's mostly people not understanding why you're doing this. Then people played along and poked you in the process. That's about it.

Not reading it again. Got a specific post you'd like to point me to that proves Rick Villareal wanted Meacham and Smatresk wanted Littrell? Otherwise, this is speculation.

Edit: I read it again. Mac Engel? Parrot.

Edited December 15, 2015 by MeanGreenTexan

UNT90 · December 15, 2015

The three schools he was at all had top 25 offenses while he was the OC. UNT has never hired a candidate with that good of a resume. C+ is an average/below average grade. I'm not sure how you can look at what Littrell has accomplished and call his hiring, at best, average. Especially, for a bottom rung G5 program.

He hasn't won anything as a head coach. All of the programs that had great offensive improvement were P5s. As a matter of fact, he has never even been an assistant at a G5 program. In his entire coaching career. It's an entirely different world, and he will need to adjust.

I think he is going to be shocked at how hard it will be to change the perception of this program with high school recruits.

Edited December 15, 2015 by UNT90

97and03 · December 15, 2015

Fine.
Since I can't give it the grade it truly observes, I gave it a C+.
It's a coordinator from a P5 program without a track record. If you set your green cool aid aside, this is the highest grade the hire deserves RIGHT NOW.

sunshine pumper

Eagle-96 · December 15, 2015

How can we really make an informed decision on this coaching hire. There has not been enough data to determine if Littrell has done a "good/bad" job yet. None of his coaching hires are official yet. We don't know who his recruits are for 2016. He has never been a head coach. Should you ask this question after some better data has been collected? Will there be more polls in the future to see how the boards opinions have changed over time(that would be fun).

Asking for a friend.

Cerebus · December 15, 2015

Edit: I read it again.

Mac Engel? Parrot.

What kind of confirmation are you expecting? A signed affidavit from Smatresk that he undercut his own employee? Anything else you want to the university to release that it never will? The PIN number to the UNT endowment debit card? How about about a blow by blow description from the athletic department about how Mac was fired? Here it is:

"Well I for sure didn't want to fire Coach Mac in the middle of the season but at halftime of homecoming EK had me in a headlock and The Brintinator was working my kidneys over something fierce and they said they wasn't going to quit unless I for sure promised to let him go before sunlight!"

Go ahead and print that out, head on down to the athletic offices and I am sure someone there will sign it for you.

You are never going to get that kind of story on UNT letterhead. I can tell you that I have heard that Littrell is Smatresk's pick from more than enough insiders that I trust that interpretation.