MGB: Benford to enter 5th season in final year of contract

[EagleMBA]

2 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

Didn't McCarney, Dickey, Petersen and Stephens all have years left on their contracts?  I also dislike NT playing up the Frazier signing like they had just signed a 5 star player out of high school.   Half year of play, if NT is lucky.  

I do like the players coming back, but the decision to trust Benford with them; rather than hire someone who has established something. is at best questionable.  

Trying to get cover be tying the president to the decision is about as cowardly as it comes.  I guess a positive is that he didn't extend his contract.  

The problem is that if Benford has limited success next year, said a 18 win season with a oc schedule like this year, than it is almost assured he will be granted a new contract.  

This. And then the cupboard will need to be restocked again, so he will need a multi-year deal.

[UNT90]

2 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

I guess a positive is that he didn't extend his contract.  

 

This is how you know RV doesn't believe onesies coming out of his own mouth. If RV really thought this program was headed in the right direction, he would have extended Benford. He didn't. 

He is hoping for a miracle so he can keep collecting a check while leaving an avenue to blame Smatresk so he has an out. It's cowardly, but did anyone expect anything different from this guy?

I mean, Fly took great pride in telling us what a fantastic fundraiser RV is, how there would be consequences for losing (first last year then again this year), that UNT had the money to buy out the contract, how if we only had the information he had (and wouldn't share) it would all make sense, yet at the end of the day Rick Villarreal couldn't or wouldn't raise 350k to buy out Benford. So much for that great fundraiser Rick Villarreal. 

At the end of the day, all that was BS. That's what happens when you only cultivate 17 people and they tire of fixing your mistakes, I guess.

Edited March 23, 2016 by UNT90

[bloodstunt]

4 hours ago, NTAlum09 said:

Talent doesn't me anything if you don't have team chemistry which is the coach's responsibility.

 

If they feel that all this talent is coming back it would seem the perfect time to go out and get a coach that might be able to build something with that talent rather than wasting it with a coach that has proven to be the SUCK. 

[Ben Gooding]

To also add, I have never seen or heard of a coach coaching out the last year on a contract. 

[Mean_Green09]

1 hour ago, Ben Gooding said:

To also add, I have never seen or heard of a coach coaching out the last year on a contract. 

Ray Harper at WKU just did it

[CMJ]

Tina Slinker did too actually. 

[TIgreen01]

10 hours ago, Green Lantern said:

I like the "some people doubt Coach Benford" part. No, based on 4 years of atrocious basketball, any sane human being doubts Coach Benford.

Just a mind boggling decision being made here. I honestly really didn't think we'd get to this point and better judgement would prevail. I feel dumb.

Agreed.  There has to be something else going on behind the scenes.  It is not possible to watch this team and come away thinking that they are well coached --at least, if you have ever watched or played the sport.  

I still can't believe that the reasoning here is to keep this 20 loss team together.  I could care less if they started the year not having played together.  BY THE END OF THE YEAR they had played over 30 games together and showed the same inconsistencies that they did early on.  Benford coached teams don't get better as the year progresses.  That is a giant red flag, RV!!

Edited March 23, 2016 by TIgreen01

[UNT90]

8 minutes ago, TIgreen01 said:

Agreed.  There has to be something else going on behind the scenes.  It is not possible to watch this team and come away thinking that they are well coached --at least, if you have ever watched or played the sport.  

I still can't believe that the reasoning here is to keep this 20 loss team together.  I could care less if they started the year not having played together.  BY THE END OF THE YEAR they had played over 30 games together and showed the same inconsistencies that they did early on.  Benford coached teams don't get better as the year progresses.  That is a giant red flag, RV!!

One has to wonder how the steep decline in oil prices has affected Ernie Kuene's pocketbook, and therefore affected Ernie's Eagles.

RV basically has one person he goes to for basketball money. Who knows, maybe Benford is a quick learner and sucked up to Ernie and Ernie actually believes the garbage will smell better next year. But I think Ernie finally said no to RV. Either that or Fly was just full of it when he said the money was there to buy out Bemford. A distinct possibility. 

Neither way, we have Benford returning next year, which means the Hattiesburg Hustler will be here through next March.

You are watching the end of major college athletics at UNT. Enjoy.

[FirefightnRick]

58 minutes ago, CMJ said:

Tina Slinker did too actually. 

Right, because of another bad move by RV.  

Slinker was in the last year of her contract in 05-06 and her team started the season out 12-2.  So RV jumps the gun...just like he did with Mac and extended her two more years......mid season.  Then the team tanked, going 7-5 in conference the rest of the way and got beat badly in the first round of the tournament by Ark St.  

The next two seasons the team suffers two 9-20 and 14-18 seasons forcing RV to not renew her for the 08-09 season.

 

Rick

[Ben Gooding]

1 hour ago, Mean_Green09 said:

Ray Harper at WKU just did it

Yeah, you're right. It just doesn't happen all that often. 

[UNT90]

1 hour ago, Mean_Green09 said:

Ray Harper at WKU just did it

Surprised RV didn't say he was following the WKU model...

[akriesman]

What are you guys complaining about ?  Benford is better than Vic Trilli.   Let's shoot for mediocrity.   Yay team.

Honestly, Benford had better get 20+ wins next season.   Anything else is a failure IMO.   These are going to be his players and the most talented squad that HE recruited (not inherited). There are no excuses.   None.  Nada.   ZIp.

[Army of Dad]

Just now, akriesman said:

What are you guys complaining about ?  Benford is better than Vic Trilli.   Let's shoot for mediocrity.   Yay team.

Honestly, Benford had better get 20+ wins next season.   Anything else is a failure IMO.   These are going to be his players and the most talented squad that HE recruited (not inherited). There are no excuses.   None.  Nada.   ZIp.

Every player on the team this season was one he recruited too. Obviously, they made excuses for him and his second(!) 20 loss season and losing twice as many times to D1 competition as he won.

There are always excuses for failure in this administration.

[Tyler Maryak]

1 hour ago, akriesman said:

What are you guys complaining about ?  Benford is better than Vic Trilli.   Let's shoot for mediocrity.   Yay team.

Honestly, Benford had better get 20+ wins next season.   Anything else is a failure IMO.   These are going to be his players and the most talented squad that HE recruited (not inherited). There are no excuses.   None.  Nada.   ZIp.

Success will equal 20+ wins to you, but I fear that reaching .500 (or maybe approaching it) will equal success to others.

[Army of Dad]

4 minutes ago, Tyler Maryak said:

Success will equal 20+ wins to you, but I fear that reaching .500 (or maybe approaching it) will equal success to others.

Well it would have been 20, but X and Y happened. We are really looking forward to the Z guys coming back next year so we had to extend Coach Benford.

[Mean_Green09]

My thoughts on this dumb decision by our AD

 

North Texas to Keep Benford for Final Year of Contract. Foolish or Wise?

[untjim1995]

Here's a question for you all--What does Benford have to do to get extended here after next year? Is a .500 season enough to get him extended for a couple of years at his current pay? I'd guess that is what you are looking at here. If Benford can be kept around for the same money, keeping the budget unchanged, without using up any BOR or UNT 17 money, as well as RV getting an automatic extension for a revenue coach getting renewed, that should all happen with a .500 season going into the CUSA Tournament.

RV ain't going anywhere anytime soon. And he knows Benford represents his next chance to get an automatic extension granted from his contract.

Folks, your UNT 17 Mean Green...

[forevereagle]

6 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

What does Benford have to do to get extended here after next year?

Considering that I don't think he should be around after this year, this is a tough question. For me, it would need to be somewhere in the 23-27 win range with post season success (like getting into the NCAA or NIT, not just winning a game in the conference tournament). Just .500 doesn't impress me in year five considering the previous four. He needs to prove that he gets it and make some real improvement in his record. I really believe that he is going to attempt to pad his schedule as much as possible to try and find OOC wins, but past examples prove that it won't help him since he can't even win those games. We are really just kicking the can down the road on replacing him since there is really no realistic way he can do enough to keep his job.

[untjim1995]

9 minutes ago, forevereagle said:

Considering that I don't think he should be around after this year, this is a tough question. For me, it would need to be somewhere in the 23-27 win range with post season success (like getting into the NCAA or NIT, not just winning a game in the conference tournament). Just .500 doesn't impress me in year five considering the previous four. He needs to prove that he gets it and make some real improvement in his record. I really believe that he is going to attempt to pad his schedule as much as possible to try and find OOC wins, but past examples prove that it won't help him since he can't even win those games. We are really just kicking the can down the road on replacing him since there is really no realistic way he can do enough to keep his job.

I agree completely--but I'm just thinking from a UNT 17/RV perspective, not anything else. Benford getting two extra seasons after this won't surprise me at all.

I think he only gets replaced if he has a losing record before the CUSA Tournament and cannot get to .500 after a game or two.

He will be not cost a lot to the budget--as in not requiring a raise--but gives the leadership a few years of known costs for their budgets.

[forevereagle]

17 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

I agree completely--but I'm just thinking from a UNT 17/RV perspective, not anything else. Benford getting two extra seasons after this won't surprise me at all.

I think he only gets replaced if he has a losing record before the CUSA Tournament and cannot get to .500 after a game or two.

He will be not cost a lot to the budget--as in not requiring a raise--but gives the leadership a few years of known costs for their budgets.

I really want you to be wrong here...

[untjim1995]

49 minutes ago, forevereagle said:

I really want you to be wrong here...

Me, too...

[EagleMBA]

Did ya'll notice the period of silence and no comment after the season was over? Then the "announcement"? Then right into spring football..."move along, nothing to see here, basketball is over...time for FOOTBALL!". Very calculated and transparent move.

Most of the posters here saw that coming a mile away.

Edited March 23, 2016 by EagleMBA

[Side Show Joe]

12 hours ago, TIgreen01 said:

Agreed.  There has to be something else going on behind the scenes.  It is not possible to watch this team and come away thinking that they are well coached --at least, if you have ever watched or played the sport.  

I still can't believe that the reasoning here is to keep this 20 loss team together.  I could care less if they started the year not having played together.  BY THE END OF THE YEAR they had played over 30 games together and showed the same inconsistencies that they did early on.  Benford coached teams don't get better as the year progresses.  That is a giant red flag, RV!!

This right here! Personally, I think RV and Smatresk already know this. I just can't figure out why Smatresk is willing to throw another basketball season down the drain.

[greenminer]

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this.

[JesseMartin]

As much as I expected/wanted them to move on this year, as that is not the case I will say this: I hope his 5th year is stellar and he puts it all together and warrants an extension.  I'm still 99% skeptical and pessimistic about it, but really, I'd be happier if he proved us all wrong than if we were to gamble on another coach that may be a disappointment.