DRC -- Details of Seth Littrell's new contract

Brett Vito · May 30, 2017

DRC: Deal includes $900,000 base salary, revised incentives and buyout

http://beta.dentonrc.com/sports/mean-green/2017/05/30/littrell-make-900000-base-salary-improved-incentives-new-contract

UNTGuy5 · May 30, 2017

Now we know why the new Track facility has been delayed.

Cerebus · May 30, 2017

Well folks believe it or not:

$900,000 base + $95,000 media + $25,000 retention

That means NT will very soon have a coach they pay over $1 Million dollars a year.

Hard to believe.

Ben Gooding · May 30, 2017

#expectations --

Bring them, people.

MGNation92 · May 30, 2017

7 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

Well folks believe it or not:

$900,000 base + $95,000 media + $25,000 retention

That means NT will very soon have a coach they pay over $1 Million dollars a year.

Hard to believe.

Let's just hope it continues to be a worthwhile investment

outoftown · May 30, 2017

I think for this kind of money, coach Littrell will have to face a lot of expectations, as he is earning the money of a winning coach.

In my estimation the new buyout clause does not really increase the amounta P5 needs to buy him out all that much, particularly if that happens after 2019. UNT however would be on the hook for significantly more money if this should go south.

Edited May 30, 2017 by outoftown

MeanGreenTexan · May 30, 2017

Apparently I was wrong about the motive for the new deal. Was almost certain Seth would maybe get a slight bump (like up to $750k-800k), but that his assistant pool was going to go way up. Apparently, we gave him $175k/yr more while only giving our best recruiting position coach $10k.

I'm confused.

outoftown · May 30, 2017

2 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Apparently I was wrong about the motive for the new deal. Was almost certain Seth would maybe get a slight bump (like up to $750k-800k), but that his assistant pool was going to go way up. Apparently, we gave him $175k/yr more while only giving our best recruiting position coach $10k.

I'm confused.

We did bump most assistant salaries, but I agree, it is surprsing that we bumped Littrells salaries that much instead of using some of this to bump the assistant sallaries even more or even get them two year contracts

TreeFiddy · May 30, 2017

$1M football coach
$600K basketball coach

Wow, times they are a changin' at little ole North Texas. You can't say that the administration is not stepping up their support of athletics. Let's hope the winning follows.

GrandGreen · May 30, 2017

I still have no idea, why this was necessary. This new contract is not going to stop any P5 school from going after Littrell and actually mades it more difficult for NT to terminate him if the team falters.

I guess if he actually has a winning season this year, a new contract will have to re-negotiated.

I hope this does not end up like the McCarney new contract. Who by the way had a much better one year, but also had recruiting issues.

Harry · May 30, 2017

Boy, if this works out it will make everyone at UNT look damn smart.

If it doesn't, well we know how that turns out.

I lean towards being glad that we seem to be really trying to step up to the plate here.

I also can't help but think Littrell is one of those rare guys who could land an OC spot at a monster program and easily make 6-7 figures like Venables, Grantham etc...

As a comparison, Lincoln Riley at OU made $500K his 1st season at OU and they just bumped him 400K to 900K annually.

So in essence Littrell had them by the sack when his staff got poached and he realized that this place as many G5's can be a revolving door for assistants.

I have no proof, but I still maintain some big school was sniffing around for Littrell, and this forced UNT's hand. History says this is the case. If we proactively did this deal prior to it actually happening I would be extremely impressed and proud.

I still maintain, you can have a high paid head coach and still struggle if you don't feed your assistants to the level necessary.

outoftown · May 30, 2017

8 minutes ago, Harry said:

Boy, if this works out it will make everyone at UNT look damn smart.

If it doesn't, well we know how that turns out.

I lean towards being glad that we seem to be really trying to step up to the plate here.

I also can't help but think Littrell is one of those rare guys who could land an OC spot at a monster program and easily make 6-7 figures like Venables, Grantham etc...

As a comparison, Lincoln Riley at OU made $500K his 1st season at OU and they just bumped him 400K to 900K annually.

So in essence Littrell had them by the sack when his staff got poached and he realized that this place as many G5's can be a revolving door for assistants.

I have no proof, but I still maintain some big school was sniffing around for Littrell, and this forced UNT's hand. History says this is the case. If we proactively did this deal prior to it actually happening I would be extremely impressed and proud.

I still maintain, you can have a high paid head coach and still struggle if you don't feed your assistants to the level necessary.

The problem with that reasoning is, that when coaches are still on somebody elses payroll, they usually don't ask nearly as much money in the immediate and have the salary increase after the old school is done paying. UNT has done that in thee past. Usually you can only recoup a fraction of the buyout.

Edited May 30, 2017 by outoftown

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 30, 2017

Wow. Would have liked to see a winning season first. This is a dice roll I'd have rather made on a better known coach.

Cr1028 · May 30, 2017

I don't like the provision that reduces the P5 buyout by 50% if Baker or Smatresk move on. That seems like a big mistake. I guess ol Wren is looking to poach Littrell when he gets that P5 gig.

outoftown · May 30, 2017

35 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

I don't like the provision that reduces the P5 buyout by 50% if Baker or Smatresk move on. That seems like a big mistake. I guess ol Wren is looking to poach Littrell when he gets that P5 gig.

Not liking that either. It is however very similar to McCaslands buyout clause. Why it also inclues Smatresk I don't know however. I mean smatresk is not 40 anymore. It could however be a power play in the sense that when Smatresk and Baker negotiate their own contracts it gives them additional leverage.

Ryan Munthe · May 31, 2017

why

Oh, nevermind, Wren is planning future gigs.

it also seems like we're spending money just to say we did.

Edited May 31, 2017 by Ryan Munthe

@UNTSportsFan · May 31, 2017

2 hours ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

Wow. Would have liked to see a winning season first. This is a dice roll I'd have rather made on a better known coach.

Agree.. we were a Nick Mullins injury away from being 4-8 & ending the season on a 5 game losing streak.

BTG_Fan1 · May 31, 2017

4 hours ago, outoftown said:

I think for this kind of money, coach Littrell will have to face a lot of expectations, as he is earning the money of a winning coach.

In my estimation the new buyout clause does not really increase the amounta P5 needs to buy him out all that much, particularly if that happens after 2019. UNT however would be on the hook for significantly more money if this should go south.

Most likely if we have success and that time comes around that P5 are sniffing around, I would assume that UNT does the same thing again or gives another 1 year extention. to increase the buyout again and because of the success that he is having.

BillySee58 · May 31, 2017

I feel like the fan base has been enamored with Littrell from day 1. People have gotten excitement from the smallest things he has done, including things that the prior regime was doing as well. All for the simple reason, IMO, that the fan base has wanted this hire to be successful so, so bad. And that makes complete sense and there's really nothing wrong with that.

What does concern me is the similar unconditional infatuation that Baker seems to have for Littrell; a coach he didn't even hire. That is very concerning to me, especially when I start thinking about the idea of Baker needing to part ways with a hire of his own.

When we extended Mac, there were clear areas of concern in which he had not addressed his capabilities surrounding. To that point he had only signed one high school o-lineman who was capable of playing meaningful snaps (Cyril Lemon). He had yet to prove he could sign a legit FBS-caliber QB. Same for defensive line, as all four starters on the bowl team were inherited from the prior regime. The bowl team featured 7/11 starters on offense and 6/11 starters on defense who were inherited from Dodge. And his recruiting was subpar, especially when looking at who else was recruiting the signees of our three classes to that point (not many other FBS schools).

We're on Littrell's third recruiting class and of the last 14 commits he has received between the 2017 and 2018 class, 13 of them have been players who did not have any other active FBS offers. And that one who does has been tweeting at coaches from other schools asking them to follow back, and is clearly looking at other options. I know we had a decent year on the field, but it's disappointing to see another extension/raise before we see ability to win recruiting battles consistently.

Edited May 31, 2017 by BillySee58

HoustonEagle · May 31, 2017

I like Littrel but personally would have waited one more year for an extension. His recruiting has me concerned.

TheReal_jayD · May 31, 2017

Seth Littrell took over a team that had one win. And got destroyed by an FCS school???. Yes we only won 5 games but he won five games with a roster depleted of fbs talent. And near 50 percent of snaps were played by guys Seth brought in with one of season. Seth and co have proved they can find talent. I understand they haven't won any big Recruiting battles but until UNT gets consecutive winning season it going to hard to win Recruiting battles. I have talked to numerous prospects that have told me they were getting negative recruiting and it all goes back to wins.

BillySee58 · May 31, 2017

6 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Seth Littrell took over a team that had one win. And got destroyed by an FCS school???. Yes we only won 5 games but he won five games with a roster depleted of fbs talent. And near 50 percent of snaps were played by guys Seth brought in with one of season. Seth and co have proved they can find talent. I understand they haven't won any big Recruiting battles but until UNT gets consecutive winning season it going to hard to win Recruiting battles. I have talked to numerous prospects that have told me they were getting negative recruiting and it all goes back to wins.

The point being made is not that he has done a bad job. Just that it hasn't warranted this type of commitment this early.

TheReal_jayD · May 31, 2017

5 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

The point being made is not that he has done a bad job. Just that it hasn't warranted this type of commitment this early.

I know for a fact this was for two reason. 1 to make a statement North Texas is finally taking athletics serious. 2 Their was more than one P5 teams sniffing around littrell. This was too protect them from doing 2 football coaching searches within 12 months. Back to point one. There is going to be a ton of moment in next five years. And North Texas wants to be in position to not get left out.

MGNation92 · May 31, 2017

I think it's smart to be cautiously optimistic at this point. A lot of people are excited for Littrell and staff but @BillySee58 is right in his criticism of recruiting so far.

Littrell has found a few interesting guys with little to no offers like Tyler Wilson and Evan Johnson. We just have to hope they are seeing things that no other staff is seeing(highly unlikely)

If we don't hit 6-6 or better next year this huge bump in pay is gonna look stupid

Harry · May 31, 2017

1 minute ago, MGNation92 said:

I think it's smart to be cautiously optimistic at this point. A lot of people are excited for Littrell and staff but @BillySee58 is right in his criticism of recruiting so far.

Littrell has found a few interesting guys with little to no offers like Tyler Wilson and Evan Johnson. We just have to hope they are seeing things that no other staff is seeing(highly unlikely)

If we don't hit 6-6 or better next year this huge bump in pay is gonna look stupid

Good points and I would throw Jaelon into that mix of intriguing players. There are possibly some others. If Littrell could somehow get us to 7-8 wins this thing could explode.