Reports Name Graham Harrell as Candidate for UTEP Job

[BTG_Fan1]

2 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

As impressed as I've been with what coach Yellock has done with the DL, he sat out a year before we picked him up.  I don't think he's in high demand right now.    Same with coach Langston.

We can only hope someone sees our "ace recruiter" special team's coach and gives him a ring.

Yellock was with the New Orleans Saints, I believe last year?

Langston was out but he has still improved the OL greatly compared to last year.. Again, no idea if Langston is just better than Davis or Davis coached them up and Langston has seen the rewards of it..

1 minute ago, greeneagle1 said:

Who recruited Jalon Guyton?

Good question, because I don't know.. but I would assume it was Filia or Mainford

I'm also wondering, how did we get English? Did KP talk to him or did English just decide to come to UNT no matter who the coach was?

[MeanGreenTexan]

15 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Our coaches salaries were something like 4th highest out of 9 Sun Belt schools at the time. The budget may have dictated the hires be cheap but so it did too at other schools in our conference and they weren't relegated to hiring a staff of high school coaches.

I think when "coach" Mendoza was let go, Battaille was already gone and Rawlins was here to help get a higher budget for us to bring DeLoach back.  The budget uptick for hiring college-level coaches came with Rawlins.  By the time Dodge was in his last season, we had quite a few replacements that were paid much more than their original SLCarroll equivalents.

[MGNation92]

Another thought:

Doesn't Harrell sit upstairs and relay plays to Mainord, who calls them on the field? I'd be comfortable with Mainord sliding to OC if GH were poached.

[MeanGreenTexan]

2 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

Yellock was with the New Orleans Saints, I believe last year?

Langston was out but he has still improved the OL greatly compared to last year.. Again, no idea if Langston is just better than Davis or Davis coached them up and Langston has seen the rewards of it..

Good question, because I don't know.. but I would assume it was Filia or Mainford

I'm also wondering, how did we get English? Did KP talk to him or did English just decide to come to UNT no matter who the coach was?

In some kind of observation/volunteer role, I believe.   Gotta think he would have taken a NCAA job if one were available to him.

[aztecskin]

22 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Our coaches salaries were something like 4th highest out of 9 Sun Belt schools at the time. The budget may have dictated the hires be cheap but so it did too at other schools in our conference and they weren't relegated to hiring a staff of high school coaches.

Yep. I mean we could have had a Neal Brown like dude. Or actually Neal Brown.

[BTG_Fan1]

4 minutes ago, MGNation92 said:

Another thought:

Doesn't Harrell sit upstairs and relay plays to Mainord, who calls them on the field? I'd be comfortable with Mainord sliding to OC if GH were poached.

GH does call them from upstairs this year, compared to last year on the SL.. 

No idea about Mainford, sorry.. 

[GrandGreen]

9 minutes ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

If SL leaves after this year, WB should be getting alot of sorrys from people on here that were critical of WB redoing SLs contract..

If SL left after this year, UNT makes $5 million.. that is a nice healthy boost in terms of budget to go out and hire someone else, and improve the assistant coach budgets

There was a buyout clause in the first contract also, although not as high.  The second contract also made it much more favorable for Littrell to leave beginning the third year.   Not sure where you dreamed up $5m, it is 40% of the remaining compensation under the contract if he left after this year, a max of around $1.6m.   This is compared to the $1m specified in the first contract.  

So no sorrys, this was a highly favorable contract to Littrell that bought NT nothing but I assume some goodwill unless LIttrell leaves this year.   NT will get $600,000 more buyout which isn't going to make any significant difference.   

   

 

 

[outoftown]

41 minutes ago, VideoEagle said:

I find it interesting there is a lot of concern over losing Harrell now. Two weeks ago, the collective wisdom of GMG.com was he couldn't make adjustments, couldn't create a winning game plan, was a terrible play caller and was a poor recruiter. We beat Southern Miss and now we can't afford to lose him. 

True, I was one of those unsure about GH. Still not sure he is quite ready for HC responsibility. Its not stupid to have an opinion, but it is stupid not to be willing to adapt it when new data points appear.

I can see that GH's offense has definitely turned a corner since about week 3, and Mason Fine has proven that GH has at least some QB development skills. Add that Shanbour also looked decent and that starts looking really nice on GH. Not sure how much of all of that is on SL and how much on GH, but GH cannot be doing everything wrong. 

I don't completely underestimate the chance of GH to UTEP. UTEP doesn't have loads of money, so their pool may not be huge. And since programs often go the opposite direction after a failed hire, GH could fit their bill, as they may want to open it up offensively. I think it more likely though, that if UNT finishes well (say 8-4), GH might get poached as an OC at a P5 willing pay double what UNT does.

[MeanGreenHoops]

I don't mind the rumors of coaches for other jobs. What I hope though is that they move much higher up on the chain when they do move. That to me is more on the Administration mkaing so they only leave when really too good to pass up.

[outoftown]

2 hours ago, greeneagle1 said:

Kingsbury was 34 when he took over at Tech. Nothing is impossible. If Tech Implodes and finishes near 6-6 or worse, I could see Kingsbury going there. 

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/tennessee-football/tennessee-assistant-coach-among-rumored-mix-utep-job/

Mike Canales is also a candidate as well. Would love to see him at UTEP. 

Would love to see Canales given a shot there. Think that could be a fit for both sides.

[EagleMBA]

1 hour ago, aztecskin said:

That is if Seth Littrell isn't poached first and Harrell gets the promotion. One of the best things I've seen is the poaching of our staff -- or even rumors of poaching. That is a sign of good things here. People want what we have.

True. But DAMMIT, the pie is not done yet. I pass by the oven and salivate at the delicious aroma...now people want to open the oven and steal the pie before it is done and we have had a chance to savor even one small slice!

[UNTexas]

Has any coach in modern history ever moved up as a great career move from their eventual resignation, or retirement from UTEP? If I'm Graham Harrell that's my question. He could do better for himself if he waits a little longer. My thoughts anyway.

Edited October 2, 2017 by UNTexas

[Ole Green Guts]

He is too smart to fall for this.  He comes from a coaching family and will be patient.  The allure of being a head coach doesnt out weight the fact that its in El Paso.

[MGNation92]

To me, a triple option coach would make more sense.

They're already recruiting for a run first scheme and can use smaller, less recruited guys, since they seem to have a lot of trouble getting great talent out there.

[97and03]

I am still not sure Harrell is ready to be an OC. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

If Harrell were to leave, I hope coach Littrell reaches out to this guy immediately.  Littrell knows him well, and he is a Leach disciple though & through.   

From his resume:

• spent 10 years working with Leach at Texas Tech (2000-2009). 
• Worked with OU offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley at both Texas Tech (2008-09) and East Carolina (2010-11)
• Joined the Sooners after spending the previous three seasons (2012-2015) coaching outside receivers for Mike Leach at Washington State. 

[Mean Green 93-98]

1 hour ago, VideoEagle said:

I find it interesting there is a lot of concern over losing Harrell now. 

One post expressed concern.  One post was ecstatic.  The others were all pretty much neutral

[FirefightnRick]

2 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Because the budget dictated that staff be put together on the cheap like that.   I think Ford did a somewhat decent job as OC for the most part. 
I think UTEP's coaching budget looks more like 2007 UNT's than 2017 UNT though, right?

Dodge surely was not ready to coach at the FSB level, and watching Harrell's interviews and halftime interactions with the offense during BTG, I just don't think he's ready to become a HC at this level either.

Nope.  RV told Dodge not to hire any of Dickey's staff till it was too late.  Dickey's best recruiter wanted to stay. The money was there.  THIS was where a little bit of good leadership would have gone a long way.

 

Rick

[RBP79]

GH will have a better choice after another year here and he knows it. Why would anybody, especially a first time HC, take on the HC at UTEP.....talk about blocking your career path.  

[greeneagle1]

1 minute ago, RBP79 said:

GH will have a better choice after another year here and he knows it. Why would anybody, especially a first time HC, take on the HC at UTEP.....talk about blocking your career path.  

SL took the job here knowing very well he could end up just like Mac. It has always been a hard place to recruit here and sustain success. Harrell came here knowing that too and still made the jump from his comfy job at Wast St with his mentor. If we could play "What if?" I would have bet $100 he would be the OC/QB coach by the start of next year if he stayed with Leach. 

[UNT 90 Grad]

3 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Because the budget dictated that staff be put together on the cheap like that.   I think Ford did a somewhat decent job as OC for the most part. 
I think UTEP's coaching budget looks more like 2007 UNT's than 2017 UNT though, right?

From the where-are-they-now page, I live in the Lovejoy ISD portion of Allen and Todd Ford is our head football coach. The Lovejoy Leopards are 0-5.  Just sayin’.

[TreeFiddy]

Wow, what a difference a win makes around here.

[oldguystudent]

2 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

I think when "coach" Mendoza was let go, Battaille was already gone and Rawlins was here to help get a higher budget for us to bring DeLoach back.  The budget uptick for hiring college-level coaches came with Rawlins.  By the time Dodge was in his last season, we had quite a few replacements that were paid much more than their original SLCarroll equivalents.

Mendoza was let go after the 2007 season.  Bataille resigned February 10, 2010. 

[VideoEagle]

2 hours ago, outoftown said:

True, I was one of those unsure about GH. Still not sure he is quite ready for HC responsibility. Its not stupid to have an opinion, but it is stupid not to be willing to adapt it when new data points appear.

I never intended to say those questioning GH's abilities after the Iowa game were stupid. 

I did want to point out there is a lot of truth in "You're only as good as your last game." 

[Aquila_Viridis]

The hyperbole of sports media is crazy. We won two games, one against a team just starting over. It’s like the other night I’m watching Virginia play their best game in many years against Boise, and the commentators are all breathless and ‘The ACC’s the most powerful conference!’ A few years ago it was ‘The ACC is dead!’  Don’t fall for it.