Seth Littrell may be candidate for open Houston job

[KingDL1]

13 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

Well, uh, we beat USM. ODU is speculation. And you named their best 4 lossess in your last post. That's half of their losses. 

Point is, this staff is underperforming. The play calling offensively has been HORRIBLY bad, Fine or Morris. Defense today was worse than any game last year outside of Portland State. Offense is about par to last year. We have played up in some games, mainly just Army (defense only). But we have been bad all season long. And a 3-8 team exposed us for what we are, the worst bowl team in history (that is if some no name pathetic bowl picks us up). 

Really you should frame this up correctly. 

If you were put in charge of a large company that had huge financial loses for what 12 of the last 13 years, and last year was the worst year of all. If you had a 500% turnaround in your first year. You would be a freaking hero on the cover of the Wall Street Journal. And without your first full recruiting class. 

[Wag Tag]

17 hours ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

 

Well coaching isn't a normal job.. Also when you take over for someone like SL did, your boss/company will give you some time to get back up to speed and excel correct? I do agree that the staff has underperformered in all parts... Honestly the Defense was better earlier in the season and we all should agree on that... the D dominated the 1st half vs UF... and domintated vs Army even though Army didn't play up to the standards we expected and what Army expected either.. Also, they also go dominated by WKU, LAT, MTSU, UTSA to an extent.. and USM... WKU LAT and USM all have top 11 offenses.. UTSA has a great duo of RBs and so did UTEP... The offense at times flashed greatness.. like it did vs MTSU on that opening drive or even Army when Wilson took over the 2nd half...

I have been critical of the players and coaches, and I think that they all would admit that they haven't progressed or performed as they should going from Day 1 to where they should be today...Yes this team has shown flashes of being dominate Defense vs Florida( in the 1st half) at times vs USM (even though it was their 3rd string QB) and the offense vs Army in the 2nd half and from drives like the ones vs MTSU...

Honestly, I think if SL would have written out 5-7 and how the season went, yes we would have said he was crazy and took it.. but GH needs to progress and evolve as an OC.. yes maybe this was him learning, or maybe it was the OL and the entire offense... Ek and Reff honestly did great things but this team feel apart on defense at the end.. Could it be just being exhausted from the offense or depth? These are logical things that have to be factored in. 

Yes we will never know the answers to these questions, but this is Year 1 of a complete rebuild and gutting of the entire Ath. Department. UNT isn't like Bama or UT that can just get 50 million to go out and build new facilities or locker-rooms etc.. Yes SL and the other coaches have set the bar high and will have to work even harder to beat this record next year and everyone will agree that they need to progress and grow, also honestly it is great for everyone to be pissed off about this L because it shows everyone in engaged and wanting to see this program develop. Everyone here hates how this team can get dominated even by a single player, but this team was supposed to be 3-8 not 5-7.. The UNT mentality of not taken the 100 bucks because it is wrinkled up needs to go, and finding that 20 in your jean pocket needs to start kicking in.. Thinking positive and being positive will only lead to success.. Yes be mad about the game today/tonite.. but tomorrow or the day after you have to start getting ready for the next game. 

A strong point is the OC! On our first scoring drive we had success getting Ivery outside the tackles! Next drive we throw 3 passes for three and out! I was also trying to remember how many fades we have completed. This is really just sitting down and looking at your %s. We have an O line built for the run with an undersized freshman Qb! Maybe a little to critical? GMG 

[BTG_Fan1]

5 hours ago, Wag Tag said:

A strong point is the OC! On our first scoring drive we had success getting Ivery outside the tackles! Next drive we throw 3 passes for three and out! I was also trying to remember how many fades we have completed. This is really just sitting down and looking at your %s. We have an O line built for the run with an undersized freshman Qb! Maybe a little to critical? GMG 

People don't like it and I hate to say it but GH didn't really show any progression during the year, some games he would make adjustments like vs Army, but other games they wouldn't at all similiar to the the LAT, or MTSU.. Its up to SL to decide if GH can progress or if it was honestly the inability of the OL and offensive talent on the team. If GH isn't progressing, SL may want to step in and do the play calling or even spend more time with GH to help him out... But something needs to be done, because I think honestly the Defense was exhausted at times... this break between UTEP and the bowl game will do them alot of good.. hopefully they have an idea and they can already start on a gameplan as well.

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

13 hours ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

People don't like it and I hate to say it but GH didn't really show any progression during the year, some games he would make adjustments like vs Army, but other games they wouldn't at all similiar to the the LAT, or MTSU.. Its up to SL to decide if GH can progress or if it was honestly the inability of the OL and offensive talent on the team. If GH isn't progressing, SL may want to step in and do the play calling or even spend more time with GH to help him out... But something needs to be done, because I think honestly the Defense was exhausted at times... this break between UTEP and the bowl game will do them alot of good.. hopefully they have an idea and they can already start on a gameplan as well.

I think it's what makes Littrell all the more attractive to other schools - he did have success in spite of a pretty inexperienced offensive coaching staff. 

Minus the UTEP brainfart, his defensive hires were good.  I think that might show a Texas Tech that you can score and play defense.

What I really liked about the season is that I think Littrell, not Harrell so much, eventually designed game plans that were within the abilities of the players. 

We kept hearing "Air Raid, Air Raid, Air Raid!" during the off-season.  However, truthfully, we only threw 12 TD passes on the season - the exact number we did last year in the non-"Air Raid" offense.

Our biggest playmakers were running backs.  I think it took Littrell about three games to accept that, then gameplan for it.  As a result, we had 23 rushing TDs as opposed to just seven last season, when we were supposedly a "ground and pound" attack.

Last year, we threw the ball 407 times, this year 409.  
Last year, we ran the ball 437 times, this year 391

Ran 844 plays last year, 800 this year.  A bit surprising because the theory with "Air Raid" is that you run more plays per game than a standard, pro-style offense. 

That didn't end up being the case this year.  2015:  70.3 players per game / 2016 66.7 plays per game.  So, for all the off-season noise about "Letting It Fly," we ran 3.6 fewer plays per game this year than in 2015.

And, again, I think it's because after the first three or four games of the season, Littrell sized up what he had and didn't try to fit a square peg into a round hole.  And, friends, that's a good coaching trait.  Schools notice those types of things.

Littrell took his little 68 scholarship roster, figured out very quickly what those 68 were capable of doing, and set out to do it.

Cheers to Littrell all the way around.  He'll be missed when he's gone: next year or the year after.
 

Edited November 28, 2016 by MeanGreenMailbox

[BTG_Fan1]

It's difficult to run the Air Raid uptempo offense without depth.. that is one of reasons why wonder about GH.. is it him not developing or is Irving personal. also, SL has ran this Air-Raid with different splits and not always being Pass heavy. SL is a smart coach and I believe GH is as well. They knew the RBs were the best group on the team and they used them. With Wilson back close to 100%, with Ivery having stepped up its a good 1-2 punch and toss in Turner and Wyche and it's pretty solid compared to the WRs.. WRs should be scary in terms of whatcha we are losing.. Thad and Kenny are maybe the 2 best we got and they got the bowl and they are out. Us losing Goree and Robinson hurt but we will have some next kids like Rico and Griffin, Lawrence, and Khan next year.. we just gotta add some more hopefully that WR from Georgia Military Prep along with Galvin Holmes and Buea Corrales even though its long shoots. 

[Ben Gooding]

7 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

It's difficult to run the Air Raid uptempo offense without depth.. that is one of reasons why wonder about GH.. is it him not developing or is Irving personal. also, SL has ran this Air-Raid with different splits and not always being Pass heavy. SL is a smart coach and I believe GH is as well. They knew the RBs were the best group on the team and they used them. With Wilson back close to 100%, with Ivery having stepped up its a good 1-2 punch and toss in Turner and Wyche and it's pretty solid compared to the WRs.. WRs should be scary in terms of whatcha we are losing.. Thad and Kenny are maybe the 2 best we got and they got the bowl and they are out. Us losing Goree and Robinson hurt but we will have some next kids like Rico and Griffin, Lawrence, and Khan next year.. we just gotta add some more hopefully that WR from Georgia Military Prep along with Galvin Holmes and Buea Corrales even though its long shoots. 

I understand the WR concern, but when there is a competent QB running this offense the skill at the WR position is just about irrelevant. Granted, they need to be decent, at or slightly below average. But this offense does not need big time guys at WR. This offense to be successful needs a QB that can make proper and quick decisions while having above average skill in ball placement and accuracy. Mason Fine needs to develop and develop quickly. Or we need Pearson to come in and be a freshman phenom. Or we need a grad transfer to come in here that is better than Alec Morris. Those 3 scenarios are this offenses (and team's) saving grace going into 2017. The D isn't losing a lot of players. A couple DL that mostly underperformed in their careers. Fred Scott, great guy. Fred Scott, will easily be forgotten. 

We need some good draws from the East div next year, a QB to take over and own this offense, and for the D to keep growing. This could easily be a 8/9 win team next year if these things happen. I think under 10-wins gets us Littrell another year. If we break open next year and get to 10+, he'll be probably going to Texas Tech (Coach Bro is now coaching on a timeline). 

[BTG_Fan1]

4 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

I understand the WR concern, but when there is a competent QB running this offense the skill at the WR position is just about irrelevant. Granted, they need to be decent, at or slightly below average. But this offense does not need big time guys at WR. This offense to be successful needs a QB that can make proper and quick decisions while having above average skill in ball placement and accuracy. Mason Fine needs to develop and develop quickly. Or we need Pearson to come in and be a freshman phenom. Or we need a grad transfer to come in here that is better than Alec Morris. Those 3 scenarios are this offenses (and team's) saving grace going into 2017. The D isn't losing a lot of players. A couple DL that mostly underperformed in their careers. Fred Scott, great guy. Fred Scott, will easily be forgotten. 

We need some good draws from the East div next year, a QB to take over and own this offense, and for the D to keep growing. This could easily be a 8/9 win team next year if these things happen. I think under 10-wins gets us Littrell another year. If we break open next year and get to 10+, he'll be probably going to Texas Tech (Coach Bro is now coaching on a timeline). 

I do agree about the QB position but it's something that has been addressed in the recruiting class with 2 QBs and possibly a 3rd in augie. Having a descent WR just to even toss the ball up to at times is huge.. look at what Smiley did vs USM.. also we can hate on Morris but he got us that 5th win.. Morris came in because he was a high level recruit in the past, came from Bama, and he was basically another scholarship player to add plus another QB arm to add as well. 

Also playing in a bowl I think makes us even more attractive to potential Grad transfers as well. 

[Wag Tag]

3 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

I understand the WR concern, but when there is a competent QB running this offense the skill at the WR position is just about irrelevant. Granted, they need to be decent, at or slightly below average. But this offense does not need big time guys at WR. This offense to be successful needs a QB that can make proper and quick decisions while having above average skill in ball placement and accuracy. Mason Fine needs to develop and develop quickly. Or we need Pearson to come in and be a freshman phenom. Or we need a grad transfer to come in here that is better than Alec Morris. Those 3 scenarios are this offenses (and team's) saving grace going into 2017. The D isn't losing a lot of players. A couple DL that mostly underperformed in their careers. Fred Scott, great guy. Fred Scott, will easily be forgotten. 

We need some good draws from the East div next year, a QB to take over and own this offense, and for the D to keep growing. This could easily be a 8/9 win team next year if these things happen. I think under 10-wins gets us Littrell another year. If we break open next year and get to 10+, he'll be probably going to Texas Tech (Coach Bro is now coaching on a timeline). 

Remember Isadora(?). I really hope he, or someone we have not added beats out Fine. That will mean they are better and Fine  will time for to bulk up. I still don't understand where are the quick slants? From the slot or a wideout very few quick throws. This makes me wonder if this is an issue with Masons height. If anybody has a reason I would really like to know.

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

Looking at the numbers, it seems that we ran about the same offense as last season, sans tight ends.  QBs had about the same number of pass attempts.  Jeffrey Wilson got about the same number of carries.  Instead of TEs we did get a dose of Cannon Maki at FB.  

In 2015, Marcus Smith and Chris Loving gave us a combined 42 catches, 409 yards, and a TD at TE.  Jarrod Lynn carried the ball 12 times often on third or fourth and short, whereas Maki had no carries or catches. 

And, if you watched many of the games, you sometimes missed that TE waggle play on QB rollouts.  Would have been a great weapon this year.

When Littrell is hired away, I do hope the new head coach is one that will play a TE in the spread.  OU has had great success with TEs in their spread.  Even Texas Tech has had some nice TEs in their "Air Raids."  Never understood why you'd simply abandon one position that forces a defense to account for it.   

[Censored by Laurie]

Just now, MeanGreenMailbox said:

Looking at the numbers, it seems that we ran about the same offense as last season, sans tight ends.  QBs had about the same number of pass attempts.  Jeffrey Wilson got about the same number of carries.  Instead of TEs we did get a dose of Cannon Maki at FB.  

In 2015, Marcus Smith and Chris Loving gave us a combined 42 catches, 409 yards, and a TD at TE.  Jarrod Lynn carried the ball 12 times often on third or fourth and short, whereas Maki had no carries or catches. 

And, if you watched many of the games, you sometimes missed that TE waggle play on QB rollouts.  Would have been a great weapon this year.

When Littrell is hired away, I do hope the new head coach is one that will play a TE in the spread.  OU has had great success with TEs in their spread.  Even Texas Tech has had some nice TEs in their "Air Raids."  Never understood why you'd simply abandon one position that forces a defense to account for it.   

seems to me Kelvin Smith was used early in the season in the passing game to good effect, but ended up culled from the offense for Cannon Maki when it became apparent that the offensive line needed some significant assistance with both run and pass blocking. 

perhaps an improved line will yield more Smith/TE in the passing game

[Mike Jackson]

On 11/26/2016 at 2:32 PM, MeanGreenBuzz said:

If they hire Littrell I say we hire Strong and get him to agree to $1 a season to stick it to the shorthorns ? They still owe him $10.8m only reduced by what he makes at his next job.

Love this idea but you have to at least nominally sign him for $500,000 per year to look "respectable" for future head coaches.  And the money you save should be spent on top notch assistant coaches.  Maybe even get them under 3 year contracts with favorable buyouts for UNT.  I would just love to have the problem of "better" G5 programs with more money trying to lure our head coach away.  But not now or even after next year.  First it isn't fair to the recruits signing on with a brand new head coach and you at least  need 4 years to clear our all the garbage from the last regime.  If the NCAA was really for student athletes then head coaches would not be able to voluntarily leave a program for another NCAA position without serving 4 years on the job.  And for JUCO programs it should be 2 years.  And the contracts should reflect that 4 years or be longer.

On 11/26/2016 at 5:48 PM, Ben Gooding said:

Good. Please take this incompetent offense down to Houston. 

Ben you going all UNT 90 on us?  Let's give this staff a complete offseason with roster big enough to run a complete Green & White Scrimmage before we send them packing. 

Edited November 29, 2016 by Mike Jackson

[Ben Gooding]

41 minutes ago, Mike Jackson said:

Love this idea but you have to at least nominally sign him for $500,000 per year to look "respectable" for future head coaches.  And the money you save should be spent on top notch assistant coaches.  Maybe even get them under 3 year contracts with favorable buyouts for UNT.  I would just love to have the problem of "better" G5 programs with more money trying to lure our head coach away.  But not now or even after next year.  First it isn't fair to the recruits signing on with a brand new head coach and you at least  need 4 years to clear our all the garbage from the last regime.  If the NCAA was really for student athletes then head coaches would not be able to voluntarily leave a program for another NCAA position without serving 4 years on the job.  And for JUCO programs it should be 2 years.  And the contracts should reflect that 4 years or be longer.

Ben you going all UNT 90 on us?  Let's give this staff a complete offseason with roster big enough to run a complete Green & White Scrimmage before we send them packing. 

I posted that while watching that abomination on Saturday. Still got me shaking my head when I think about it. 

[Aldo]

21 hours ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

When Littrell is hired away, I do hope the new head coach is one that will play a TE in the spread.  OU has had great success with TEs in their spread.  Even Texas Tech has had some nice TEs in their "Air Raids."  Never understood why you'd simply abandon one position that forces a defense to account for it.   

We do have TEs, they were injured or converted to O-line this year, iirc. We are signing them as well.

They would take Thaddeous Thompson's Y role next year - UNT's leading receiver - over the middle, as a flex receiver or put in the backfield as an H-back.

In the Air Raid, the Y receiver runs plenty of crosses over the middle, or can run a seam (divide) route, and the H-back can be used as a lead blocker or can run wheel routes, etc.

Edited November 29, 2016 by Aldo

[jtm0097]

Kevin Wilson was just fired at Indiana. I doubt Seth wants to move back to the Midwest, but he was OC there a few years ago.

Edited December 1, 2016 by jtm0097

[UTSA Fan]

Relax. He's not going anywhere. He has one year head coach experience with a sub .500 record and hadn't even signed a recruiting class yet. Although he is a huge upgrade, that resume isn't knocking down doors. After he's been here a few years to have a body of work to sell, then, but not before.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Again, UH is not going to hire Seth Littrell & put that in 3 inch headlines.  SL has to have winning "seasons" & has to kick butt on the recruiting trail because if you can't do that at North Texas, then you will join a group of former Mean Green head football coaches who left Denton under .500 in wins/losses.

I think Coach Littrell is going to be successful at North Texas.   If we can upgrade our schedule, recruit to that schedule (recruit to Apogee & the Mean Green Village, too) plus........... maybe upgrade to another league other than SBC 2.0 (C-USA Today) we could actually get this ship on a proper course befitting a school that will have 45,000 students at our main campus; our school located in a Denton County which will have a population of 1,000,000 sooner than later and with a northern Texas UNT alumnus base that will project close to 300,000 North Texas Exes but....we have to improve our conference neighborhood & IMHO the MWC would fill that need.  No, it's not the Big 12 or a P5 league but the MWC would better prepare us for that kind of future than the league we're in now;  that is, our present conference filled with schools that were not even in NCAA Division 1 a half generation ago. 

Wren Baker has to fill Apogee with such schools as the aforementioned with our home conference schedule & those schools few of us knew existed when we were UNT students, but Air Force, Boise State, San Diego State & the like would make that a much easier feat coupled with winning season after season after season. 

GMG!

 

Edited December 2, 2016 by PlummMeanGreen

[NTXCoog]

On Saturday, November 26, 2016 at 1:53 PM, southsideguy said:

They will promote apple white.

DC Todd Orlando would get the job before Applewhite.  Even as co-ordinators Orlando was making almost twice as much money.

[southsideguy]

19 minutes ago, NTXCoog said:

DC Todd Orlando would get the job before Applewhite.  Even as co-ordinators Orlando was making almost twice as much money.

you most likely correct and i am wrong.  Since the DC has taken over the head coach if they don't go outside I think he will be the guy?  You think they will go outside?

 

[NTXCoog]

1 hour ago, southsideguy said:

you most likely correct and i am wrong.  Since the DC has taken over the head coach if they don't go outside I think he will be the guy?  You think they will go outside?

 

I really don't know.  There have been so many stories of so many rumors, it's hard to tell what to believe. 

There are some big name P5 current coaches rumored like Leach and Holgorsen.  Doubtful they would come.  More likely just ploys to get more money.  Sonny Dykes is also on that list and is more likely to leave his P5 situation, but fanbase wouldn't be fired up about him.  He's been a candidate and turned down the last 3 UH coaching hires.

There are some unemployed P5 coaches rumored like Miles and Briles.  I hope Briles isn't a realistic option.  Good coach but bad PR.  Miles is interesting, but would he be fired up to start over at a G5 school?

There are some current G5 coaches like Montgomery rumored.  Some of those I would be interested in.  Some not so much.

Then there are the current coordinators Orlando and Applewhite.  Orlando I think is a real possibility, but after the Levine failure (although he was special teams coordinator), I think there are concerns about another flop from an inside, continuity hire.  I don't think the fanbase would be thrilled with Applewhite. 

Media and message board rumors are all over the place.  I won't believe any of them until an announcement is made.

[VideoEagle]

Someone is going to get a great coach in Les Miles. He couldn't beat Alabama, at least not consistently, so that wouldn't work for LSU. But for schools NOT in the SEC West and with significant resources, he's going to be a very good coach. And everything I've read suggests he wants to prove LSU was wrong to let him go. 

[NTXCoog]

Forgot to list Lane Kiffin which is in a lot of the rumor stories.

[Caw Caw]

1 hour ago, NTXCoog said:

Forgot to list Lane Kiffin which is in a lot of the rumor stories.

I sincerely hope you don't get Kiffin. I'm not trolling you when I saw I think he's a terrible coordinator and an ever worse head coach. Alabama is my second favorite team, (I was coached by George Teague in High School). Kiffin tries to do too much and usually hurts the team for it. Would be cool to see Les go there. Good luck in ya'lls search. Anyone you're really interested in as a fan?

[Aldo]

15 minutes ago, Caw Caw said:

I'm not trolling you when I saw I think he's a terrible coordinator and an ever worse head coach. 

Could you be more specific (no sarcasm)?

[Caw Caw]

23 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Could you be more specific (no sarcasm)?

As an O-Coordinator for the best team in the country, a lot of his play calling is baffling. He will be running the ball down an opponents throat and all of the sudden call two pass plays with his true frosh QB and put them in a third and long. There are just so many times he wants to make that Alabama offense more like the system he ran at USC and it's not what it's recruited and managed to do. And yes, I do understand varying your plays and the element of surprise etc. His situational awareness seems lackluster. A lot of Alabama fans have strong negative opinions and think he's only kept in check by Saban or else he would look even worse. I think he's a so-so recruiter and most of that success comes from name and school recognition. He hung Tennessee out to dry after one year.

There are all sorts of crazy stories about his antics in recruiting, like telling Alshon Jefferey if he went to South Carlolina instead of Tenn. he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life like the rest of SC. He threatened to expose Urban Meyer for recruiting violations at Florida, contacted players while they were on officials to other campuses.

He's willing to throw anyone and everyone under the bus like at SC when his seat got a little warm he just fired most of the staff including his own father to try and save his own skin. 28-15 at one of the easiest to recruit programs in the country. Attempted a 70+ yard field goal in the NFL as a head coach. 

All that being said, maybe he learned something from Nick and it would change how he runs his next program into the ground.

[Aldo]

Ah thanks for the insight. Didn't know all that.