My how things have changed

[meangreenJW]

Just sitting here thinking about this weekend. Massive crowd. Team that plays at a high level with few self-inflicted mistakes. One of the best QBs in the CFB. A marketing promotion making national news. We've waited so long to see this and it gives me chills. The stars are aligned. Great coach, great AD, great President. Supportive chancellor and Board (led by an unsung hero for athletics in Brint Ryan). This is what "it" feels like and it feels so damn good. Here's hoping that we keep the team intact and that if/when we do lose any of them, the culture and resources are there to continue our trajectory. It feels different this time, like we may really have changed the future of our athletic program.

[cogido]

How sweet it is... Go Mean Green !

[NM Green]

Culture is powerful and it must be fed healthy foods, water, ideas and resources. Can’t let the foot off the pedal. Keep strengthening it to the point where it becomes the expectation and standard. 

GMG

[ADLER]

Thank you, and God bless you Dr Norval F Pohl. Your dreams for North Texas are all becoming a reality.

People doubted when you said that North Texas, a university with few resources, could become a National Tier 1 Research Institution.

People in the North Texas academic community scoffed when you brought in former Alabama coach Gene Stallings as an adviser on how to build and sustain a nationally respected athletic program at the University of North Texas.

You and your bride Barbikay would be so pleased with our current North Texas President Neal Smatresk and the outstanding people that he has brought in to continue your legacy.

Dr Norval F Pohl passed away in 2009, and Barbikay passed in 2016. Their contributions to this university will never be forgotten.

[FirefightnRick]

Excellent posts MGJW and Adler.

 

Rick

Edited September 4, 2018 by FirefightnRick

[golfingomez]

[untjim1995]

Portland State 66-7 on Homecoming, with players who had quit and a coach who ran an awful offense with horrible QBs and had to be fired after the game. The AD had to get the buyout for this and it finally led to his eventual canning.

That was not even three years ago...just to give the proper perspective.

Just enjoy this ride for as long as possible!!

[MeanGreenHoops]

I mentioned to my wife to enjoy this because these might be the glory years. She says, what if this is just the beginning of the glory years. I think she may be right.

[MGNation92]

2 minutes ago, MeanGreenHoops said:

I mentioned to my wife to enjoy this because these might be the glory years. She says, what if this is just the beginning of the glory years. I think she may be right.

As long as we hang on to Wren Baker for as long as possible, I think we're in very good hands

[ADLER]

On 9/3/2018 at 7:41 PM, meangreenJW said:

Just sitting here thinking about this weekend. Massive crowd. Team that plays at a high level with few self-inflicted mistakes. One of the best QBs in the CFB. A marketing promotion making national news. We've waited so long to see this and it gives me chills. The stars are aligned. Great coach, great AD, great President. Supportive chancellor and Board (led by an unsung hero for athletics in Brint Ryan). This is what "it" feels like and it feels so damn good. Here's hoping that we keep the team intact and that if/when we do lose any of them, the culture and resources are there to continue our trajectory. It feels different this time, like we may really have changed the future of our athletic program.

We are conference championship contenders in just about every team sport. Not every sport, but most, and even those others are showing promise.

Football, which many of us realize has not yet reached it's potential, has earned a bowl game four of the last five years, and we should hopefully start to see results of significantly improved recruiting.

Our Soccer team has been nationally ranked and annually racking up CUSA Championship trophies. 

The North Texas Men's Basketball team is repeat CUSA champs and currently making waves in the NCAA Tournament.

The North Texas Women's Basketball team also has had an outstanding season. They would have won the CUSA Championship if they would have been able to maintain their fourth quarter lead on Rice on March 3. Great job Jalie!

Softball and volleyball have also been doing well in recent seasons, and have been challenging for conference titles.

The Track teams have a brand new facility, the Golf team has, for the first time, a new training facility being built, and there are plans for major improvements planned, including indoor courts, for our Tennis facility. Even a new natatorium is being planned for the Swimming and Diving program.

Yes, we are beginning to see that future that you speak of.

 

I contrast this with a school like UTSA, where a message board poster inquired "has UTSA won a single CUSA championship in any sport since they joined the league in 2013?" I couldn't think of one.

 

[xyresic]

Donations & enrollment at all time highs and a big jump in academic rankings in 2020. Should see some momentum from the tourney as well!

Love how the staff has laid the infrastructure to capitalize on success and sustain it.

[97and03]

Some research into the possibilities if we make a run in the tournament (not to get too ahead of ourselves). But we can already see how much attention the Purdue win has garnered. 
https://www.highereddive.com/news/how-march-madness-success-boosted-admissions-for-5-universities/234331/

[ADLER]

The NIT has also been great for our branding. You cannot watch any game highlights without seeing our logo plastered  across the court or on the seating. A special 'Thank You' to Wren Baker and Brint Ryan.

And a huge Thanks to the Lovelace and McNatt families for the Indoor Practice Facility. Our branding is not only visible to all on the interstate, the facility with it's huge logos is featured every evening on the news prior to the weather reports.

Now, if we can only get our football managers to use our school colors and logos. We should immediately burn all gray, black, tan, mauve, khaki, dishwater, and any other 'secondary' colored uniform they have created, and get rid of every 'throwback costume' that should have been used once and then get disposed. I don't think we played a single game this past football season in our Green & White with current logo helmets. We played our bowl game on national television wearing Little Rascal quality helmet logos created from green electrical tape. 

 

[HoustonEagle]

20 hours ago, xyresic said:

Donations & enrollment at all time highs and a big jump in academic rankings in 2020. Should see some momentum from the tourney as well!

Love how the staff has laid the infrastructure to capitalize on success and sustain it.

What was the jump in academic ranking?  I have not been paying attention.  

[xyresic]

6 minutes ago, HoustonEagle said:

What was the jump in academic ranking?  I have not been paying attention.  

I don’t have it in front of me but they have climbed continually over the past few years. Last years jump was from 140ish to 120 and I believe the biggest one year jump in school history.

[97and03]

On 3/21/2021 at 1:02 PM, 97and03 said:

Some research into the possibilities if we make a run in the tournament (not to get too ahead of ourselves). But we can already see how much attention the Purdue win has garnered. 
https://www.highereddive.com/news/how-march-madness-success-boosted-admissions-for-5-universities/234331/

 

[xyresic]

I looked it up to get the actual #s @HoustonEagle 

UNT went from 140th --> 121st for National Public schools in 2020 by US news & world report. For reference in 2015 when the admin changed over we ranked in the 200's.  Those rankings aren't perfect but nice recognition of the improvement that we have seen.

Starting in 2019 we have also been ranked in their national rankings covering all universities for the first time in our history. Initially at 281st and that number is now 249.

Edited March 22, 2021 by xyresic