DRC: C-USA officials, coaches keeping eye on realignment

[Brett Vito]

DRC: Big 12 could set off round of movement that could coincide with key time at UNT

http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/sports-headlines/20160730-eye-on-realignment.ece

 

[meangreenbob]

"We don't have to talk about where we need to go because we are already where we need to be" Rick Villarrel

There you have it folks. The reason we are where we are at this critical time of realignment. Villarrel lacked the foresight, the vision, the wisdom, the understanding and simple common sense needed to lead and position this Athletic program properly for this very day because in his mind we were already where we needed to be. Small town thinking, friends.

Edited July 31, 2016 by meangreenbob

[Hunter Green]

11 minutes ago, meangreenbob said:

"We don't have to talk about where we need to go because we are already where we need to be" Rick Villarrel

There you have it folks. The reason we are where we are at this critical time of realignment. Villarrel lacked the foresight, the vision, the wisdom, the understanding and simple common sense needed to lead and position this Athletic program properly for this very day because in his mind we were already where we needed to be. Small town thinking, friends.

Very similar to a conversation I had with Rick about a year ago. He told me that we just keep on with what we re doing and eventually we'd get there, meaning getting to a better conference. Right.

[Side Show Joe]

RV should have been let go with Todd Dodge. I know Mac got us a New Year's Day bowl win, but he didn't build us a winning program. Personally, I think last season is the worst in program history. I don't think we could be in a worse spot heading into another round of realignment.

 

[wardly]

What conference, with our small fan base and poor record [with one exception] over the past decade, would fit us the best? We haven't been competitive in either the Sun Belt or CUSA since Dickey left. Our budget might be o.k. for CUSA, but not for AAC. I am not asking what conference we wish to be in[Big 12], but where we would be a good fit moving forward[.Let's try to deal with reality instead of fantasy  when we approach this question. ] Please no "sleeping giants" or past mistakes by administration.

[drex]

I dream of the day when I am in the rocking chair at the old folks home and read in the paper that Texas, Tech, etc. and NORTH TEXAS are in the same conference.  I think that will be about the year 2030.

[Ben Gooding]

46 minutes ago, drex said:

I dream of the day when I am in the rocking chair at the old folks home and read in the paper that Texas, Tech, etc. and NORTH TEXAS are in the same conference.  I think that will be about the year 2030.

Texas will never happen. Tech is s possibility, and it'll be about 5 or 6 years before 2030 if it were to happen. 

[RBP79]

That hole is pretty deep but we do have one thing in our favor......location. That's why we are where were at now, top of the golden triangle. Win are they will come.

[ColoradoEagle]

We have things working for us, and things working against us in realignment. The fact that Smatresk just cleaned house will show that there is commitment. Very few G5 schools would pay to get rid of both their football coach and AD in the same year, imo. It also helps that we are easy to travel to, located in fertile recruiting grounds, and media friendly.

What hurts is obviously the football and recent basketball records. If Neal and Wren are able to convince the decision makers that the past is over, and there's a new commitment to winning, I think AAC or MWC are very realistic. I don't think our prez being from UNLV and our new AD working as interim at Missouri went unnoticed.

[UNT90]

4 hours ago, ColoradoEagle said:

We have things working for us, and things working against us in realignment. The fact that Smatresk just cleaned house will show that there is commitment. Very few G5 schools would pay to get rid of both their football coach and AD in the same year, imo. It also helps that we are easy to travel to, located in fertile recruiting grounds, and media friendly.

What hurts is obviously the football and recent basketball records. If Neal and Wren are able to convince the decision makers that the past is over, and there's a new commitment to winning, I think AAC or MWC are very realistic. I don't think our prez being from UNLV and our new AD working as interim at Missouri went unnoticed.

Keeping Benford sends the opposite message, unfortunately. That sends the message that UNT is still money strapped when it comes to athletics. That's why it's so important to part ways with him ASAP. I hope it is one of Baker's first moves. 

[Army of Dad]

26 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

Keeping Benford sends the opposite message, unfortunately. That sends the message that UNT is still money strapped when it comes to athletics. That's why it's so important to part ways with him ASAP. I hope it is one of Baker's first moves. 

They could choose to spin it as Smatresk wouldn't Fire Benford to allow the new AD to hire his replacement and now that WB is here it's too late in the year.

I hope they don't do that and they pull the trigger now, but I could also see them spinning it that way...

[UNT90]

7 minutes ago, Army of Dad said:

They could choose to spin it as Smatresk wouldn't Fire Benford to allow the new AD to hire his replacement and now that WB is here it's too late in the year.

I hope they don't do that and they pull the trigger now, but I could also see them spinning it that way...

No one would allow a coach who destroyed a program the way Benford has to coach out his contract. I really think we have a new coach or an interim coach by the start of this season. Too much damage to the program to let a lame duck hang around another year. No recruit will be interested in going to a place where the coaching staff will be gone by the time they enroll. 

I'm becoming more and more certain Smatresk gets this. I'm dead certain that Baker does.

Edited August 1, 2016 by UNT90

[Army of Dad]

1 minute ago, UNT90 said:

No one would allow a coach who destroyed a program the way Benford has to coach out his contract. I really think we have a new coach or an interim coach by the start of this season. Too much damage to the program to let a lake duck hang around another year. No recruit will be interested in going to a place where the coaching staff will be gone by the time they enroll. 

I'm becoming more and more certain Smatresk gets this. I'm dead certain that Baker does.

I hope you're right.

[Wag Tag]

1 hour ago, UNT90 said:

Keeping Benford sends the opposite message, unfortunately. That sends the message that UNT is still money strapped when it comes to athletics. That's why it's so important to part ways with him ASAP. I hope it is one of Baker's first moves. 

So you would of been happy with RV hiring BB coach? Don't THINK SO! Smat new RV was gone let the new guy make the call.

[UNT90]

57 minutes ago, Army of Dad said:

They could choose to spin it as Smatresk wouldn't Fire Benford to allow the new AD to hire his replacement and now that WB is here it's too late in the year.

I hope they don't do that and they pull the trigger now, but I could also see them spinning it that way...

No one would allow a coach who destroyed a program the way Benford has to coach out his contract. I really think we have a new coach or an interim coach by the start of this season. Too much damage to the program to let a lake duck hang around another year. No recruit will be interested in going to a place where the coaching staff will be gone by the time they enroll. 

I'm becoming more and more certain Smatresk gets this. I'm dead certain that Baker does.

12 minutes ago, Wag Tag said:

So you would of been happy with RV hiring BB coach? Don't THINK SO! Smat new RV was gone let the new guy make the call.

Right. And I hope that call comes August 23rd. 

[UNTFan23]

If Baker cans Benford on his first day on the job, practice for the fall season begins Sept 30th leaving 5-1/2 weeks (39 days) to get a new coaching staff in place. The first game for the Mean Green is Nov. 15th which means the new staff has 45 days to install whatever offensive/defensive system. I won't look for the team to gel until January at the earliest despite a less than stellar (aka favorable) out of conference slate.

Regardless of whether Benford is retained or not, my outlook for the 2016-2017 season won't be good.

[Army of Dad]

3 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

If Baker cans Benford on his first day on the job, practice for the fall season begins Sept 30th leaving 5-1/2 weeks (39 days) to get a new coaching staff in place. The first game for the Mean Green is Nov. 15th which means the new staff has 45 days to install whatever offensive/defensive system. I won't look for the team to gel until January at the earliest despite a less than stellar (aka favorable) out of conference slate.

Regardless of whether Benford is retained or not, my outlook for the 2016-2017 season won't be good.

After watching the last four seasons of Benford ball I'm pretty sure the team won't gel until January (at best) no matter who is coaching them this season.

[MeanGreenTexan]

16 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

If Baker cans Benford on his first day on the job, practice for the fall season begins Sept 30th leaving 5-1/2 weeks (39 days) to get a new coaching staff in place. The first game for the Mean Green is Nov. 15th which means the new staff has 45 days to install whatever offensive/defensive system. I won't look for the team to gel until January at the earliest despite a less than stellar (aka favorable) out of conference slate.

Regardless of whether Benford is retained or not, my outlook for the 2016-2017 season won't be good.

I think a good enough coach could come in quickly enough and get these guys to buy in quickly.

Not to mention, one of the better players in C-USA will suit up in Green in late December (hopefully).

[UNTFan23]

20 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

I think a good enough coach could come in quickly enough and get these guys to buy in quickly.

Not to mention, one of the better players in C-USA will suit up in Green in late December (hopefully).

How often do you hear about a brand new coach being hired literally days before a season starts?

After listening to the Wren Baker press conference, I have doubts Benford is gone before the season begins.

[greenminer]

I think Baker is going to give Benford this season, and hope he will be on the shortest leash I will ever witness.

It's in my mind that we could hear talk about a new coach less than half-way through the season, presuming Benny's team shows the same ol' same ol'.

[UNT Mean Green]

11 minutes ago, greenminer said:

I think Baker is going to give Benford this season, and hope he will be on the shortest leash I will ever witness.

It's in my mind that we could hear talk about a new coach less than half-way through the season, presuming Benny's team shows the same ol' same ol'.

Agreed. It's very clear that Baker is going to give coaches everything that they need to be successful. As much as we all want Benford gone, I do think that Baker will give him a "reasonable" amount of time to prove something (i.e. by Christmas / Semester break).

[UNT90]

3 hours ago, UNTFan23 said:

If Baker cans Benford on his first day on the job, practice for the fall season begins Sept 30th leaving 5-1/2 weeks (39 days) to get a new coaching staff in place. The first game for the Mean Green is Nov. 15th which means the new staff has 45 days to install whatever offensive/defensive system. I won't look for the team to gel until January at the earliest despite a less than stellar (aka favorable) out of conference slate.

Regardless of whether Benford is retained or not, my outlook for the 2016-2017 season won't be good.

And if Benford stays, recruiting will just skip a year, meaning the outlook for the next several seasons "won't be good." 

Try looking past your nose.

[Harry]

A business decision was made in regards to Benford.  He will coach this season and be given a chance to show something.  He has stated this is his best team since arriving.  We shall see.

Let's put to bed the "how soon will Wren can Benford talk" as it is not going to happen prior to the season.  It could very well happen quickly this season if things don't start well.  I expect that Wren will be watching every game and evaluating his basketball coach as any good AD would.

[UNT90]

35 minutes ago, Harry said:

A business decision was made in regards to Benford.  He will coach this season and be given a chance to show something.  He has stated this is his best team since arriving.  We shall see.

Let's put to bed the "how soon will Wren can Benford talk" as it is not going to happen prior to the season.  It could very well happen quickly this season if things don't start well.  I expect that Wren will be watching every game and evaluating his basketball coach as any good AD would.

I would hope he would watch film to evaluate PAST coaching seasons, as any good AD would. 

[Army of Dad]

29 minutes ago, Harry said:

A business decision was made in regards to Benford.  He will coach this season and be given a chance to show something.  He has stated this is his best team since arriving.  We shall see.

Let's put to bed the "how soon will Wren can Benford talk" as it is not going to happen prior to the season.  It could very well happen quickly this season if things don't start well.  I expect that Wren will be watching every game and evaluating his basketball coach as any good AD would.

Oh come on, it's way more fun to speculate on Benford getting fired than contemplate watching him fail for a 5th season...