Contract extension?

[Cr1028]

When we hit 9 wins, many we clamoring for a contract extension for Littrell to prevent him from leaving. I’m wondering everyone’s thoughts on an extension now that we have hit 5 losses. Same? Extension or hold what we got?

[EagleMBA]

Extension. He has done better than expected IMO. Only one guy performed miracles and he ain't available for our gig.

Edited December 16, 2017 by EagleMBA

[Rudy]

I'd be fine with a small extension or making his buyout larger when other teams come calling. We had a bad game. Let's not forget how bare the cupboard was when he got here.

[BTG_Fan1]

Offer SL another new contract.. Make him one of the higher paid G5 coaches, and in return UNT gets a bigger buyout if he leaves and a smaller payout if he is fired since he will be making top of the line G5 money.. I’d offer SL 1.3-1.5M (Kansas pays its HC 1.6 for example) to make it a painful for a smaller P5 football team to go buy him out. 

Also, We need to increase the OC/DC pay as well.. OC/DC pay needs to go from 500k to 900k-1M.. and the position coaches getting an increase of something like 5-600k if you want to bring in guys we need that can coach and recruit and have a proven history of it..

We just had 1 hell of a season in terms of record.. Bring in proven coaches and not guys trying to get a start.. 

[Cr1028]

I appreciate the feedback guys, keep it coming.

[outoftown]

I think there is no reasonable choice other than offering him an extension. 9-5 is 9-5 and UNT did make a conference championship game, that is a pretty awesome turnaround.

That said, I would wait until after the early signing period because a) Seth should focus completely on recruiting from here until then and b) how big that extension is should really also be driven by how he does in recruiting. That is more important because the last 2 games clearly reiterated that UNTs biggest obstacle to the next level right now is talent (particluarly at OL, DL and LB) and not scheming. c) I doubt there will be anymore P5 HC firings before early signing day, so I doubt there is that kind of urgency.

And yes any extension should increase the buyout significantly, as otherwise there really is no point.

Edited December 16, 2017 by outoftown

[TheColonyEagle]

I originally thought yes.....but At this point....why extend him now? He's not going anywhere. 

We can always extend him next year if he warrants an extension. 

I don't see why you extend him now. 

 

Edited December 16, 2017 by TheColonyEagle

[TheColonyEagle]

I'll add, I give him credit for winning 9 games against a really weak conference schedule. He got $1 million for doing that. Great. But If we extend him now we're just bidding against ourselves.....

what happens if he goes 6-6 next year? VERY POSSIBLE if we don't get some breaks next year like we did this year  

wait another year. 

Edited December 16, 2017 by TheColonyEagle

[Side Show Joe]

31 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

When we hit 9 wins, many we clamoring for a contract extension for Littrell to prevent him from leaving. I’m wondering everyone’s thoughts on an extension now that we have hit 5 losses. Same? Extension or hold what we got?

No.

9-5 is a good season, but we dropped our last two games by a combined score of 91-47, and we have a losing record against teams that are better than .500. Seth needs to prove he can haul in better recruits and post a winning record against .500 teams.

With Neil Brown and Lane Kiffin still coaching at G5 programs, there are better coaches out there for the bigger programs. After the way we have finished this season, I doubt we have to worry about him getting hired away. But if there were an extension, it must include some coaching changes. I refuse to believe our defense is as untalented as they have looked. Reff must go. Maybe the O-Line coach too.

Edited December 16, 2017 by Side Show Joe

[BTG_Fan1]

8 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

I originally thought yes.....but At this point....why extend him now? He's not going anywhere. 

We can always extend him next year if he warrants an extension. 

I don't see why you extend him now. 

Because his buyout will be lower then.. if a P5 job opens up and SL thinks he has a chance, he would just delay the extension talks knowing his buyout would be less making him more attractive.. Also, SL has been good to UNT in terms of what he has done with his position and salary.. do it now an it’s 1 less worry to deal with next year 

[Moobs]

1-11 just 2 years ago. Some have forgotten what that felt like. 

 

Extend him ASAP and get a bigger buyout clause. 

Edited December 17, 2017 by Moobs

[BTG_Fan1]

7 minutes ago, Side Show Joe said:

No.

9-5 is a good season, but we dropped our last two games by a combined score of 91-47, and we have a losing record against teams that are better than .500. Seth needs to prove he can haul in better recruits and post a winning record against .500 teams.

With Neil Brown and Lane Kiffin still coaching at G5 programs, there are better coaches out there for the bigger programs. After the way we have finished this season, I doubt we have to worry about him getting hired away. But if there were an extension, it must include some coaching changes. I refuse to believe our defense is as untalented as they have looked. Reff must go. Maybe the O-Line coach too.

Wouldn’t blame the OL coach.. he cut the number of sucks but it was still high because of the last to games (believe we had 23 for the regular season). 9 were given up in the championship game so that does inflat the # as well 

Murray is not a LT and could very wel be replaced by Parish.. Mayfield only played this year to allow Brammer to RS.. Woodworth and the Center are guy with experience but will be pushed by Newman and whoever else at LG with Henson being replaced by Moses.. 

[TheColonyEagle]

Just now, BTG_Fan1 said:

Because his buyout will be lower then.. if a P5 job opens up and SL thinks he has a chance, he would just delay the extension talks knowing his buyout would be less making him more attractive.. Also, SL has been good to UNT in terms of what he has done with his position and salary.. do it now an it’s 1 less worry to deal with next year 

I see what you're saying. 

But this team is really gonna have to show some big improvement on defense and be more competitive in games for him to get the big job. 

I still say He doesn't get offered next year unless he goes 12-0 or beats Arkansas or something. 

This team has a long way to go. If he recruits another class ranked in the bottom of the conference....

I say it's worth the risk to wait one more year...again if he gets an extension and doesn't make drastic improvements in recruiting and goes 6-6 next year (again...absolutely possible) we're gonna be in the same boat we were in after McCarney won 9 games  

 

[Mike Jackson]

Give Seth and offensive coaching staff raises after you see how they recruit.  The grade of the entire recruiting class should help determine the size of the raise.  The defensive staff are lucky to have jobs. If UNT Alumni donated to the athletic program at the average level for a school of this size with so much history the defensive staff would be gone.  Now let me take off my glasses and watch Marhall in the New Mexico Bowl and pretend they are the Mean Green.

[Venson]

I say wait until after the recruiting period to see how he recruits. At the end of the day, coaching can only take you so far. You need talent. We are taking 1 and 2 star players and coaching them up to 3 star players. Some of our players were not even rated. We get the occasional 3 star player when their offers dry up late. We need to consistently recruit 3 star players or better. If we can do that this year, I think you start to talk about contract extension. I do not think any P5 school picks him up until he proves he can bring in more talented players. Can SL coach? Yes. Can he recruit or find coaches who can? That is still up for debate.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Recruiting must improve.  Our prior coaching staffs have apparently so alienated us from Texas HS football coaches that our present coaches go into happy dance if they even know UNT is located in Denton (& not Denison, Texas).

Wonder just how many Texas HS football coaches out there have UNT degrees?  I'd guess a whole bunch so start our "UNT re-introduction" with that group. 

[Venson]

13 minutes ago, PlummMeanGreen said:

Recruiting must improve.  Our prior coaching staffs have apparently so alienated us from Texas HS football coaches that our present coaches go into happy dance if they even know UNT is located in Denton (& not Denison, Texas).

Wonder just how many Texas HS football coaches out there have UNT degrees?  I'd guess a whole bunch so start our "UNT re-introduction" with that group. 

So true. We have Patrick Cobb over at Ryan and Ryan is always good. I hope we are living in that school and giving PC some good perks to talk to those kids for us. Derek Thompson is up in Sherman and I know Frisco-Lonestar has a UNT alum on their staff. That's three right off the bat. I am sure there are several more that we could tap into. At the end of the day we should be winning recruiting battles for kids coming from schools that our Alum coach at. I am not saying we will win them all, but we should win a lot more.

[Cr1028]

53 minutes ago, Venson said:

So true. We have Patrick Cobbs over at Ryan and Ryan is always good. I hope we are living in that school and giving PC some good perks to talk to those kids for us. Derek Thompson is up in Sherman and I know Frisco-Lonestar has a UNT alum on their staff. That's three right off the bat. I am sure there are several more that we could tap into. At the end of the day we should be winning recruiting battles for kids coming from schools that our Alum coach at. I am not saying we will win them all, but we should win a lot more.

I think it is Brandon Jackson at Frisco. #49 The star of the 2007 schedule poster I believe.

Edited December 17, 2017 by Cr1028

[jtm0097]

Yes, that's correct.

[GOMG2013]

Why?  Are we really going to this AGAIN?  The 1-11 thing is worn out and have many people fooled.

Fans were on here calling Mac out, but because we were once 1-11 Littrell is getting a pass.  The same concerns we had about Mac should be applied to Littrell.  Mac's issue was the QB position and the offense...Litrell is the defense and it may be worse cause there's horrible coaches and doesn't seem to be any pieces coming down the pipeline.  At least with Mac's offense there were a few pieces here and there, but most on here knew the QB position would eventually blow up in our face and it did.

And Mac's 9-4 season was much more impressive than this season.  It fell apart.  The signs were there and the signs are here that we need to see more.  Chico and the offense was never addressed.  Recruiting was never addressed.  Mac was extended and we assumed it would work itself out.  Many on here were saying Mac won with Dodge's recruits and we need to see if Mac (umm and Chico) could win with his guys.  Why is Littrell getting a pass?  Cause of Fine?  QB is very important, so he should get credit, but that's not going to be enough.

This season was a much easier schedule than the past years.  2016 too.  The 2015, 1-11 season had a killer schedule.  This current team may have won 3 games against that schedule.  I say they would have beaten UTSA and Portland State.  UTEP would have been a shootout.  There a lot more Littrell needs to show. 

Get a defense.  upgrade recruiting. An extension would be OLD DENTON.  

[Travis]

16 hours ago, Cr1028 said:

When we hit 9 wins, many we clamoring for a contract extension for Littrell to prevent him from leaving. I’m wondering everyone’s thoughts on an extension now that we have hit 5 losses. Same? Extension or hold what we got?

Yes. Extend another year!!!!

[VideoEagle]

Until we are going to 7 bowls out of every 10 years, I see no problem with a 1 (ONE!) year extension after each bowl. I think the buyout amount should at least re-set to what it was at the start of the contract. Better yet, bump it up as Littrell is more valuable commodity after each bowl game. 

At some point, we will want to require higher level bowls or bowl wins, but bowls are still a rarity at NT. When (not just if!) they become common, then we raise the bar. 

I don't think we should include something as nebulous as "better recruiting" in the mix. "Better recruiting" is not nearly as quantifiable as going to a bowl. You get into the whole who decides what's better. Yes, that is something to add down the line, but now just concentrate on a definitely achievable goal over which the head coach has a lot of control. 

Edited December 17, 2017 by VideoEagle

[TreeFiddy]

Littrell’s contract was extended last year after a bowl appearance. His team won It’s division and made another bowl game. That is progress. If he is not offered an extension, I believe that would be considered a slap in the face from Littrell’s point of view.

If you are trying to play FBS football on the cheap, you might as well not play (see UNT circa 1992 - 2010). 

 

[LongJim]

You extend him for another year.  Recruits want stability.  He delivered and played for a championship in his second year.  That is progress and worthy of reward.  Also shows commitment to current staff.

[untbowler]

no extension, he got one last year, even after closing losing 5 of 6, This year had a losing record against .500 teams and had a defense that was horrible. 

Scraped by UTSA, ODU. Only convincing wins were against Rice and UTEP the dregs of CUSA.

As other mention Neil Brown and Kiffin both completely schooled SL and Coaches in the 3 games. SL is not going any where. The two beatdowns on ESPN by Peer schools ran off any suitors.