Keeping things in perspective

[Harry]

With all the hand wringing over recruiting etc, I thought it would be good to post some general thoughts on where we are.

• We have a young, highly thought of head coach in Seth Littrell who turned a one-win team into a bowl team with basically the same roster
• We have a young, highly thought of AD in Wren Baker who has already made great strides in scheduling and how the AD is perceived inside and outside the University
• Our administration has ponied up more money in terms of salaries for athletics than ever before and puts us in the top 3rd of the conference
• Our social media game has stepped up immensely.  Look at the graphics recruits are getting and the activity from our staff.  Still a way to go but definitely a big step up.
• We return a lot of talent from last season, especially on defense.  Jeff Wilson may be one of the best RB's in the country and Mason Fine will only get better with a year under his belt.  I think on paper our secondary may be the best in C-USA.
• The Benford albatross is gone.  North Texas will always be a football school, but Grant McCasland is the real deal.  He may not win C-USA in his first year, but take a look at what he has done with this roster.   I think basketball has a chance to make a YUGE improvement in year one of the McCasland regime.

Sure, we would all like to see recruiting improve but we shouldn't forget the bigger picture at North Texas.  A lot has been accomplished and I don't want our fans to lose sight of this.  gmg

[UNTLifer]

1 minute ago, Harry said:

With all the hand wringing over recruiting etc, I thought it would be good to post some general thoughts on where we are.

• We have a young, highly thought of head coach in Seth Littrell who turned a one-win team into a bowl team with basically the same roster
• We have a young, highly thought of AD in Wren Baker who has already made great strides in scheduling and how the AD is perceived inside and outside the University
• Our administration has ponied up more money in terms of salaries for athletics than ever before and puts us in the top 3rd of the conference
• Our social media game has stepped up immensely.  Look at the graphics recruits are getting and the activity from our staff.  Still a way to go but definitely a big step up.
• We return a lot of talent from last season, especially on defense.  Jeff Wilson may be one of the best RB's in the country and Mason Fine will only get better with a year under his belt.  I think on paper our secondary may be the best in C-USA.
• The Benford albatross is gone.  North Texas will always be a football school, but Grant McCasland is the real deal.  He may not win C-USA in his first year, but take a look at what he has done with this roster.   I think basketball has a chance to make a YUGE improvement in year one of the McCasland regime.

Sure, we would all like to see recruiting improve but we shouldn't forget the bigger picture at North Texas.  A lot has been accomplished and I don't want our fans to lose sight of this.  gmg

Amen.

[Harry]

Let me add one other item that I neglected to include in my original post.  Rivalries in C-USA are starting to develop.  The first couple of years we were just learning about what teams were in the conference and what cities they were located in.  Now we are starting to realize who these teams are and developing some rivalries.  Obviously UTSA is at the very top of that list but I can see the making of good rivalries with UTEP and Rice developing as well.  Heck I have even circled UAB as a team that we "owe" for beating us like a stepchild on the road in their final season.  And I know that Southern Miss is still pissed about us beating them at home last season.  Not to mention the ongoing SMU series in non-conference as that game brings a lot of emotion to our fan base and dammit we have show good fan support in Dallas despite Mac laying an egg.  I think after a great start in C-USA, our poor performance in the last years of Mac sort of hurt our development of these conference rivalries.  I can see them rekindling with an improving program under Littrell.

[SilverEagle]

You left out La Tech as a potential rival. I see them as a more realistic rival than either Rice or UTEP. If for no other reason than they are a good program and even students operating on modest budget can get to a La Tech game and back in one day. Plus they have nice facilities and nice folks down there.

[Harry]

1 hour ago, SilverEagle said:

You left out La Tech as a potential rival. I see them as a more realistic rival than either Rice or UTEP. If for no other reason than they are a good program and even students operating on modest budget can get to a La Tech game and back in one day. Plus they have nice facilities and nice folks down there.

Good point!  Like the Techsters for sure!