Mike Ekeler - LB Coach Georgia - It's official!

Aldo · December 17, 2015

Put me down as iffy. I'd like to know more about him, his system.

Aldo · December 17, 2015

Look I'm a rock guy, but remember we go to a jazz school. Everyone throwing out rock drummers really needs to listen to some jazz drummers, like Ginger Baker who I posted above.
You don't have to wail incredibly hard on the drums to be really impressive, just keeping perfect time in a strange time signature would blow most rock drummers out of the water:

Anyone mention Max Roach yet?

Oh yeah. Deserves a second mention tbh.

Edited December 17, 2015 by Aldo

MGNation92 · December 17, 2015

Look I'm a rock guy, but remember we go to a jazz school. Everyone throwing out rock drummers really needs to listen to some jazz drummers, like Ginger Baker who I posted above.
You don't have to wail incredibly hard on the drums to be really impressive, just keeping perfect time in a strange time signature would blow most rock drummers out of the water

If we're talking about keeping time in weird time signatures while also being a badass at drums. I feel like Danny Carey of Tool definitely deserves a mention

medpilot21 · December 17, 2015

Coaching staff is rounding out with lots of energy. Good pick for a DC if we do hire Coach Ekeler. It will be interesting to see what the new coaches can do with the talent we already have? Some of the current players will feel like they have won the lottery, but others will be completely overwhelmed. That is probably the case anytime a coaching staff turns over, but sounds like lots of changes coming on both sides of the ball. Coach Litrell is off to a good start by changing the team schemes along with the mindset of the fans, but we will still be wearing those SouthLake Carroll, Kelly-Green jerseys? Do what you want with the helmets, but who do I have to sleep with to get our pre-Dodge, New Orleans approved, battle tested Hunter Green jerseys back?

'Disclaimer - anyone but UNT90 please. I'm sure a great guy, but the 30 minute "Fire RV" tirade after an orgasm would kill the moment.

GMG :)

Aldo · December 17, 2015

(disclaimer: I love jazz)

Edited December 17, 2015 by Aldo

Cr1028 · December 17, 2015

Time to put an end to this madness.

Eagle-96 · December 17, 2015

why you gonna still his thunder like?? What else will he have to do at the nursing home today??

Wait! UNT90's in a nursing home?

Christopher Walker · December 17, 2015

Look I'm a rock guy, but remember we go to a jazz school. Everyone throwing out rock drummers really needs to listen to some jazz drummers, like Ginger Baker who I posted above.
You don't have to wail incredibly hard on the drums to be really impressive, just keeping perfect time in a strange time signature would blow most rock drummers out of the water:

John Sturino, the One O'Clock's current drummer is, um, intense.

(Plug Time) You can see Sturino and his OAK TRIO tonight at Andy's Bar on the Square for FREE.

Monkeypox · December 17, 2015

Looking at when this guy was co-defensive coordinator at Indiana, his teams regularly gave up 35+ points. Why is everyone so high on this guy? Just because of the schools he has coached at?

I agree, with the caveat that he was regularly facing teams like Wisconsin and Nebraska, and those throw off the averages a bit. We'll see, I guess, but in my mind we'll be looking at a lot of high scoring wins/losses when we play equal talent, and 30, 40 point losses in our bodybag games. The Air Raid puts pressure on the defense of both sides. You have to be a hell of a DC to compensate, and this guy doesn't have the skins for me to get too excited. Hopefully he's learned something in the last few years.

I'm okay with our coaching hires, but not ecstatic. I understand the excitement anytime you get new guys in. I'm excited in the same way. But it's mostly just being optimistic to that end. Proof will be in the pudding.

HarringtonFishSmeller · December 17, 2015

Like that this guy began his coaching career with Bo Pelini at OU and LSU. That's an aggressive coach. Hope we can pull the athletes on board to allow him to blitz and pressure the way Pelini's defenses do.

HarringtonFishSmeller · December 17, 2015

I agree, with the caveat that he was regularly facing teams like Wisconsin and Nebraska, and those throw off the averages a bit. We'll see, I guess, but in my mind we'll be looking at a lot of high scoring wins/losses when we play equal talent, and 30, 40 point losses in our bodybag games. The Air Raid puts pressure on the defense of both sides. You have to be a hell of a DC to compensate, and this guy doesn't have the skins for me to get too excited. Hopefully he's learned something in the last few years.
I'm okay with our coaching hires, but not ecstatic. I understand the excitement anytime you get new guys in. I'm excited in the same way. But it's mostly just being optimistic to that end. Proof will be in the pudding.

I'm okay with Ekeler because he has experience. I'd be okay, for that reason, with Brad Davis as well.

I'm worried about the no experience and one year experience guys hired on the offensive side of the ball. But, give me coaches on the defensive side with as many years in it - and, at the P5 level - as Ekeler, and half the battle will be won. Other half will be somehow getting talented - and, motivated - enough players on board to execute what these coaches can teach.

MeanGreen22 · December 17, 2015

I'll just go ahead and say it so everyone knows:
He's a P5 position coach. No G5 experience. Will he suck? Probably

aren't all coordinators/head coaches former position coaches?

MEANGREENCOACH2 · December 17, 2015

So this is our DC now?? Title says its official

GMG24 · December 17, 2015

So this is our DC now?? Title says its official

yes

Harry · December 17, 2015

Georgia's inside linebackers coach for the last two seasons, Mike Ekeler, will join the new coaching staff at North Texas as the defensive coordinator according to a report from footballscoop.com. It was reported earlier this week by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Ekeler would be leaving the team to pursue another position.

Ekeler, who also served as co-special teams coordinator, was a fan favorite in Athens with his intensity, brashness in the media, and sideline antics. He also did what many would consider a very good job with Georgia's inside linebackers, helping Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera become NFL draft picks earlier this year. Still, the loss of those two leaders didn't appear to hurt Georgia much on defense as The Bulldogs improved defensively in 2015 with Jake Ganus, Tim Kimbrough, and Leonard Floyd all spending time there.

read more: http://georgia.247sports.com/Bolt/REPORT-Ex-UGA-assistant-Mike-Ekeler-joins-North-Texas-staff-42100802

MEANGREENCOACH2 · December 17, 2015

yes

thanks couldn't tell with all the YouTube links and such

PS happy late birthday SCRUB!!!

Edited December 17, 2015 by MEANGREENCOACH2

Brett Vito · December 17, 2015

MGB:

http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/12/report-mike-ekeler-is-headed-to-unt.html/

TheWestie · December 17, 2015

Coach Litrell is off to a good start by changing the team schemes along with the mindset of the fans, but we will still be wearing those SouthLake Carroll, Kelly-Green jerseys? Do what you want with the helmets, but who do I have to sleep with to get our pre-Dodge, New Orleans approved, battle tested Hunter Green jerseys back?

Norvie in 2006 when they changed the official school color of green from hunter green to the current kinda-Kelly green.

Sure Littrell can order dark green uniforms, but they won't match anything at Apogee. Or the Super Pit. Or the new Union. Or anything else green on the campus in the last 10 years.

Our current green has nothing to do with Todd Dodge or Southlake Carroll. The color came along with the SOW and the new typeface wit hthe rebranding in May 2005. We reused our existing New Balance uniforms for the 2005 and 2006 seasons with the darker green and put the new typeface stickers on the existing helmets. They repainted the court in the Super Pit for the 2005-2006 season with the new green.

Cerebus · December 17, 2015

If we're talking about keeping time in weird time signatures while also being a badass at drums. I feel like Danny Carey of Tool definitely deserves a mention

Well he does have a degree in jazz from UMKC...

As far as the new DC goes: Solid hire, doesn't make me move the grade up or down on Littrell as a whole (B+).

southsideguy · December 17, 2015

Is he already here? If so get to work the defense needs it.

medpilot21 · December 17, 2015

Norvie in 2006 when they changed the official school color of green from hunter green to the current kinda-Kelly green.

Sure Littrell can order dark green uniforms, but they won't match anything at Apogee. Or the Super Pit. Or the new Union. Or anything else green on the campus in the last 10 years.

Our current green has nothing to do with Todd Dodge or Southlake Carroll. The color came along with the SOW and the new typeface wit hthe rebranding in May 2005. We reused our existing New Balance uniforms for the 2005 and 2006 seasons with the darker green and put the new typeface stickers on the existing helmets. They repainted the court in the Super Pit for the 2005-2006 season with the new green.

Yeah, I know the Kelly Green is not Todd Dodge's fault, but I can only remember seeing it about the time he arrived here. I liked those New Orleans Bowl uniforms with the Hunter Green jerseys, script helmets, and the great impressions they made. I do like the helmets better now, so it is what it is. Give us one throw-back game a year wearing the dark green uniforms. Of course, when we start winning again I honestly wont care what green we wear.

GMG

Mean Green 93-98 · December 17, 2015

Norvie in 2006 when they changed the official school color of green from hunter green to the current kinda-Kelly green

I'm pretty sure the official school color was always kelly green. They changed the football uniforms to hunter green during the Matt Simon era, but I always assumed that was because no one would be caught dead wearing kelly green in the mid-90's. And I don't think anybody would have wanted kelly green seats when Vic Trilli had the Super Pit seats changed from orange. But there was a significant discrepancy between the football team's uniforms and anything with the "official" school colors on it.

ChristopherRyanWilkes · December 17, 2015

Looking at when this guy was co-defensive coordinator at Indiana, his teams regularly gave up 35+ points. Why is everyone so high on this guy? Just because of the schools he has coached at?

I stated previously with another coach mentioned on here that it made me nervous when guys went from DC back down to a position coach. However, I just like this guy and I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it is because of his energy. I think another thing is how much it seems the fans and coaches at Georgia seem to like him and how respectable that defense was/is. I just get a good feeling about him and I hope I'm not wrong because you're right, he doesn't quite fit the criteria I was thinking of originally.

Plus: Georgia was willing to pay him more as an assistant than we did Cosh as a coordinator. Which tells you how much Cosh was getting paid before we got him from Buffalo (the college). It can't get any worse (fingers crossed).

Edited December 17, 2015 by ChristopherRyanWilkes

Harry · December 17, 2015

I stated previously with another coach mentioned on here that it made me nervous when guys went from DC back down to a position coach. However, I just like this guy and I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it is because of his energy. I think another thing is how much it seems the fans and coaches at Georgia seem to like him and how respectable that defense was/is. I just get a good feeling about him and I hope I'm not wrong because you're right, he doesn't quite fit the criteria I was thinking of originally.

I agree with you that I like his energy. I also agree with @Huff it does not appear that he has any Texas recruiting ties which is a bit of a concern. I do believe good coaches can recruit anywhere if they work hard and can sell. His ties to developing NFL players is certainly a plus.

FirefightnRick · December 17, 2015

Coaching staff is rounding out with lots of energy. Good pick for a DC if we do hire Coach Ekeler. It will be interesting to see what the new coaches can do with the talent we already have? Some of the current players will feel like they have won the lottery, but others will be completely overwhelmed. That is probably the case anytime a coaching staff turns over, but sounds like lots of changes coming on both sides of the ball. Coach Litrell is off to a good start by changing the team schemes along with the mindset of the fans, but we will still be wearing those SouthLake Carroll, Kelly-Green jerseys? Do what you want with the helmets, but who do I have to sleep with to get our pre-Dodge, New Orleans approved, battle tested Hunter Green jerseys back?
'Disclaimer - anyone but UNT90 please. I'm sure a great guy, but the 30 minute "Fire RV" tirade after an orgasm would kill the moment.
GMG :)

For bringing up uniforms in a football coach thread you deserve a response from 90.

But since your somehow still confused about our traditional color,..here's a link to a report ch 8 did yesterday on North Texas asking for historical memorabilia to commemorate our 125 years. I want you to check out the colors on some of the articles already donated. Outside of the small time of the Fry era we have carried Kelly Green the most of our history.

http://www.wfaa.com/videos/news/local/denton-county/2015/12/09/unt-seeks-mean-green-memorabilia/77078144/

Rick