Ron Mendoza history lesson

[Harry]

I had a younger fan ask me about Coach Ron Mendoza, as his name came up on a separate thread.  To summarize, he and his defense represented a dark chapter in UNT history.  He also had a very unfortunate incident with one of our fans.  Here is an archived discussion on him from way back when which may give you a historical perspective:

 

 

[DeepGreen]

Interesting thread from the GMG archives.  

Want to know what I learned from it?  I see the names of former posters/fans who no longer post on GMG.com.  Did they completely give up on UNT sports?  My guess is, yes.

Edited June 4, 2016 by DeepGreen

[FirefightnRick]

Yes they did Deep.

For those reading back through that thread and may not realize this....but at that point in the season having played Navy in the 9th game of the year, our defense had given up an average of 49 points per game. An almost unheard of, negative accomplishment.

Also, some of us had already learned by week two that Mendoza wouldn't allow the players to go live game situations with hitting and tackling throughout two-a-days.  Nor would he allow his position coaches to freely coach their players, to the point where DB coach and longtime family friend and previous Dodge co-assistant coach under Simon...Butch Lacroix had already resigned a few games into the season.  Many of us saw the impending disaster unfold before our very eyes as it got worst with each passing week. 

So by week 9 it had finally become obvious to everyone else that something had gone terribly wrong with Dodge' choice for DC.  

Interesting thread for you to recall Harry.  I hope by doing so your not reading the tea leaves and getting a bad feeling in your gut?

 

Rick

[oldguystudent]

Somebody fill me in on who the DCs were for each season of the Dodge era:

Average points given up per game, per season:

2007 -- 42.8 (Mendoza)

2008 -- 47.6 (DeLoach?)

2009 -- 35.6

2010 (through seven games) -- 27.7

See?  It got better!  We would've won!

Oh, but wait mon cheri!  There's more!  Let's look at points scored per game:

2007 -- 26.7

2008 -- 20.2

2009 -- 26.6

2010 (through seven games) -- 16.9

You could've put the '85 Bears defense out there with Buddy Ryan as DC, and this staff would've found ways to lose.  

[NorthTexan95]

(Northtexam95 scans through old thread making sure didn't post anything stupid ... OK ... safe ... didn't post at all).

Even before this game it was well known that Mendoza was horrible.  Dodge killed any chance he had by bringing in that high school staff.  By that I don't mean high-school in their coaching abilities but literally high school coaches.  

Remember the first game of the year when Oklahoma torched the high school defensive scheme we ran out there?  

[EagleMBA]

3 minutes ago, NorthTexan95 said:

(Northtexam95 scans through old thread making sure didn't post anything stupid ... OK ... safe ... didn't post at all).

Even before this game it was well known that Mendoza was horrible.  Dodge killed any chance he had by bringing in that high school staff.  By that I don't mean high-school in their coaching abilities but literally high school coaches.  

Remember the first game of the year when Oklahoma torched the high school defensive scheme we ran out there?  

Unfortunately, I was an eyewitness to that disaster. I still have flashbacks!

[NorthTexan95]

21 minutes ago, EagleMBA said:

Unfortunately, I was an eyewitness to that disaster. I still have flashbacks!

I was at the Navy game.  Still enjoyed the flyover and sitting among a bunch of veterans.  That's also the only UNT game my wife has attended.  

[Marty]

Mendoza is currently DC at Colleyville Heritage. 

[EagleMBA]

16 minutes ago, NorthTexan95 said:

I was at the Navy game.  Still enjoyed the flyover and sitting among a bunch of veterans.  That's also the only UNT game my wife has attended.  

Navy was awesome! The service academies always bring a crowd and the patriotic displays that go with it; being a vet myself, I enjoy that. That is why I am a big proponent of scheduling the service academies whenever we can. The last Army game here was messed up by a low ceiling so I am looking forward to the resumption of that series. If we could ever work Air Force into the equation some years hence that would be terrific also. They would all three hand us our asses on a platter today but I think things will get better in the next couple of seasons.

[foutsrouts]

25 minutes ago, Marty said:

Mendoza is currently DC at Colleyville Heritage. 

On a side note, if you can believe Wiki, I was shocked to see that TD is making 450k at Westlake. If true, he's better off coaching in the high school ranks in more ways than one.

[Harry]

4 hours ago, FirefightnRick said:

Yes they did Deep.

For those reading back through that thread and may not realize this....but at that point in the season having played Navy in the 9th game of the year, our defense had given up an average of 49 points per game. An almost unheard of, negative accomplishment.

Also, some of us had already learned by week two that Mendoza wouldn't allow the players to go live game situations with hitting and tackling throughout two-a-days.  Nor would he allow his position coaches to freely coach their players, to the point where DB coach and longtime family friend and previous Dodge co-assistant coach under Simon...Butch Lacroix had already resigned a few games into the season.  Many of us saw the impending disaster unfold before our very eyes as it got worst with each passing week. 

So by week 9 it had finally become obvious to everyone else that something had gone terribly wrong with Dodge' choice for DC.  

Interesting thread for you to recall Harry.  I hope by doing so your not reading the tea leaves and getting a bad feeling in your gut?

 

Rick

The issue is that we old timers mention names like "Mendoza" and some of the younger fans weren't around during that time and don't have a frame of reference.  No bad vibes from me at all.

 

[Cr1028]

5 hours ago, oldguystudent said:

Somebody fill me in on who the DCs were for each season of the Dodge era:

Average points given up per game, per season:

2007 -- 42.8 (Mendoza)

2008 -- 47.6 (DeLoach?)

2009 -- 35.6

2010 (through seven games) -- 27.7

See?  It got better!  We would've won!

Oh, but wait mon cheri!  There's more!  Let's look at points scored per game:

2007 -- 26.7

2008 -- 20.2

2009 -- 26.6

2010 (through seven games) -- 16.9

You could've put the '85 Bears defense out there with Buddy Ryan as DC, and this staff would've found ways to lose.  

Keep in mind, that in the 2010 season, we were on our 1st and 2nd string qbs were out for the season by the 2nd quarter of the 3rd game. Our 3rd string qb was out for all but one play of game six and the entire game 7 leaving a walk-on wide receiver to run the offense. We were getting better, just not fast enough.  We lost 9 starters that season prior to Dodge's firing. The injury bug bit Dodge at the worst possible time and he couldn't save his job.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Cr1028

[oldguystudent]

9 hours ago, Cr1028 said:

Keep in mind, that in the 2010 season, we were on our 1st and 2nd string qbs were out for the season by the 2nd quarter of the 3rd game. Our 3rd string qb was out for all but one play of game six and the entire game 7 leaving a walk-on wide receiver to run the offense. We were getting better, just not fast enough.  We lost 9 starters that season prior to Dodge's firing. The injury bug bit Dodge at the worst possible time and he couldn't save his job.

Final five games of 2010 under Chico -- Average points scored -- 33.8.  Average points allowed -- 32.4.

Offense exactly doubled, while defense got 17% worse.

[oldguystudent]

Quote

He also had a very unfortunate incident with one of our fans.

 

What was the unfortunate incident with the fan?  I only know of the Ramon Flanigan incident.

Edited June 5, 2016 by oldguystudent

[FirefightnRick]

17 hours ago, Harry said:

The issue is that we old timers mention names like "Mendoza" and some of the younger fans weren't around during that time and don't have a frame of reference.  No bad vibes from me at all.

 

Ah, I gotcha.

 

Rick

[Cr1028]

8 hours ago, oldguystudent said:

Final five games of 2010 under Chico -- Average points scored -- 33.8.  Average points allowed -- 32.4.

Offense exactly doubled, while defense got 17% worse.

That'll happen when your first game is against a team that has lost 26 of its last 27 games and you cap off the season facing a Chris Cosh defense but you keep telling yourself that it was Chico's coaching genius.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Cr1028

[oldguystudent]

3 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

That'll happen when your first games is against a team that has lost 26 of its last 27 games and you cap off the season facing a Chris Cosh defense but you keep telling yourself that it was Chico's coaching genius.

Never made such claims, but you go on ahead believing that Todge was a coaching genius who found himself repeatedly in tough luck situations.

Edited June 5, 2016 by oldguystudent

[Cr1028]

5 minutes ago, oldguystudent said:

Never made such claims, but you go on ahead believing that Todge was a coaching genius who found himself repeatedly in tough luck situations.

Didn't say he was a genius, I said his teams improved thoughout his tenure, nothing more, nothing less.

[emmitt01]

53 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

Didn't say he was a genius, I said his teams improved thoughout his tenure, nothing more, nothing less.

He improved from unquestionably the worst college coach ever to arguably the worst ever...ummm, congrats?

[meangreen16]

On 6/4/2016 at 7:58 PM, foutsrouts said:

On a side note, if you can believe Wiki, I was shocked to see that TD is making 450k at Westlake. If true, he's better off coaching in the high school ranks in more ways than one.

That 450K must be what Dodge was making at UNT or Pitt. 

This: http://www.statesman.com/news/sports/high-school-football/salary-chart-austin-area-high-school-football-coac/nmTDF/ reports Dodge is making $120K at Westlake -- or he was at least as of a year ago. 

[Got5onIt]

Teflon Todd and his era will forever be the worst thing RV ever did at NT. Now that's saying something, IMO.  

[FirefightnRick]

16 minutes ago, Got5onIt said:

Teflon Todd and his era will forever be the worst thing RV ever did at NT. Now that's saying something, IMO.  

I'd agree with you except the RV era ain't over just yet.

 

Rick

[foutsrouts]

8 hours ago, meangreen16 said:

That 450K must be what Dodge was making at UNT or Pitt. 

This: http://www.statesman.com/news/sports/high-school-football/salary-chart-austin-area-high-school-football-coac/nmTDF/ reports Dodge is making $120K at Westlake -- or he was at least as of a year ago. 

I'm pretty sure we didn't pay him 450k, and if Pitt did for that position they must be crazy. I guess a Westlake raise up to 450k would be crazy too, but he did take them to an overtime loss in the state championship game.

[MeanGreenHoops]

9 hours ago, Got5onIt said:

Teflon Todd and his era will forever be the worst thing RV ever did at NT. Now that's saying something, IMO.  

I know what you mean and he was bad in the W/L but I disagree to the extent that hiring Dodge was the kind of move that we needed. In fact it may have been the best thing RV did wile he was here.

Maybe you weren't there, but that hiring gave us national press. It changed the brand albeit temporarily. People in DFW especially alums began to think maybe we cared about being good.

Do you remember the crowd at the 1st spring game with Dodge? It was a potentially AD direction changing move.

Remember how many more people started coming to games? And this was back at Fouts. Remember how he started talking about the stadium and then the students finally voted for it. I think mostly because it seemed like the AD was serious by hiring this winning HS coach and so they supported it.

I mean we all witnessed it go terribly wrong but, that hiring did many things right. Fan support, financial support, publicity, a brand improvement.

Those are the types of things that no other hire has done, including Littrell.

And just to say it again, his tenure was terrible as a coach, and he should have been gone sooner, but it was the right "kind" of move.

[TreeFiddy]

The reality is that the Dodge hire was less of an AD failure and more of a HC failure. 

Looking back, it would have been better to require the HC to bring in  a college defense, but how often do you see an AD dictating the coaches a new HC can hire?  

Just really bad luck that Dodge was lost at the college level. With our budget constraints it looked like at innovative hire at the time, but quickly deteriorated. 

As I recall, Dodges salary was well under $300k.