DRC Sunday column: Should UNT coach Seth Littrell stay or go? It's up to AD Wren Baker, who faces critical decision

Brett Vito · November 28, 2021

TheColonyEagle · November 28, 2021

I don’t think there’s any way he lets Littrell go now. All Baker has to say is: “our coach is under contract, my expectation is he comes back next year and works under the contract and builds on this momentum”

The trick will be what he does after next season. With this talent and the schedule, 8-4 should be a minimum expectation. MINIMUM. And 9-3 should be a no brainer. We should be at least 3-1 in non conference next season with nothing in the West that should be a guaranteed loss. And I’m not sure even 8-4 is good enough. Not with UTSA coming off an 11-1 record with an equal schedule. At 8-4 we will have probably lost a game that we should’ve won. Then here we are again….we’re going to be 8-4 and have a decision to make. Get rid of an 8 win coach or you have to extend him. I don’t see him coming back on a one year deal after next season. That will hurt recruiting.

Seems like Aune is moving on. So is Jace Ruder the answer after a year in the system? Do we need to hit the portal hard?

That’s why Wren is one of the highest paid ADs in the country! Time to earn that $$$!!!

Side.Show.Joe · November 28, 2021

This won't be popular among the "Old Denton" crowd, but it's the truth...

Littrell needs to go. Four wins over bums and one win against an over-rated UTSA program doesn't negate Littrell's .500 record after six seasons at UNT. We must hire a better coach to lead us into the American, or the UNT football program will remain an underachieving "sleeping giant".

Cerebus · November 28, 2021

Some of you have no idea how a coach is hired or fired. Do the big donors want to buy him out? Then he’s gone. Otherwise he is back next year. END OF STORY.

I don’t see how they want to 1) write the big check to buy him out, and then 2) write an even bigger check to wade into this insane sellers market where at least 20 teams are fighting for limited talent.

This year you’re going to pay BIG money to get someone who would normally be your second or even third tier candidate.

Professor Lambeau · November 28, 2021

2 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

Some of you have no idea how a coach is hired or fired. Do the big donors want to buy him out? Then he’s gone. Otherwise he is back next year. END OF STORY.

I don’t see how they want to 1) write the big check to buy him out, and then 2) write an even bigger check to wade into this insane sellers market where at least 20 teams are fighting for limited talent.

This year you’re going to pay BIG money to get someone who would normally be your second or even third tier candidate.

IF WB is going to let SL go, then he damn sure better have his replacement in place, signed, and delivered so it does not become a poop show (see LSU).

Jonnyeagle · November 28, 2021

9 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

Some of you have no idea how a coach is hired or fired. Do the big donors want to buy him out? Then he’s gone. Otherwise he is back next year. END OF STORY.

I don’t see how they want to 1) write the big check to buy him out, and then 2) write an even bigger check to wade into this insane sellers market where at least 20 teams are fighting for limited talent.

This year you’re going to pay BIG money to get someone who would normally be your second or even third tier candidate.

But what if Wren has his guy? A guy he trusts and knows will do well? A guy who won’t go 1-6? Does Wren let this guy go now and possibly never be available again. These are all interesting questions indeed. Glad I’m not having to make them:

DeepGreen · November 28, 2021

Answer me this: what changed after the first half of the season when the loses piled up? What switch was turned on for the team to reel off those five straight wins? Whatever was said or done, this football team took note and was on fire!

StealthEagle84 · November 28, 2021

Littrell will be back next season. But as stated, he has perform above and beyond next season or he’s gone. Next year is make break for him. I think 8 wins is the minimum next year given our OOC schedule.

Cerebus · November 28, 2021

15 minutes ago, Professor Lambeau said:

IF WB is going to let SL go, then he damn sure better have his replacement in place, signed, and delivered so it does not become a poop show (see LSU).

I’m pretty sure the guy we wanted is now coaching at a p5 school. So we’re now onto second choices.

10 minutes ago, Jonnyeagle said:

But what if Wren has his guy?

Then be better talk the big donors into writing those checks, or write them himself. Otherwise it doesn’t matter.

7 minutes ago, DeepGreen said:

Answer me this: what changed after the first have of the season when the loses piled up? What switch was turned on for the team to reel off those five straight wins? Whatever was said or done, this football team took note and was on fire!

We switched the the offense from a spread to pass focus to a spread to run focus. We had ~40 pass attempts against latech, we had 17 against utsa, 14 against fiu.

letsgiveacheer · November 28, 2021

Lets see, we have had 10 coaches since Hayden Fry and each one of them was fired with a losing record. Every replacement was brought in with great acclaim as they were just the right coach to turn this thing around. Except they didn't.

Coach #11, SL, is the only coach since Fry with a winning record, such as it is. The #olderthandirtDenton in me says stick with who we have as it can easily be worse.

Edited November 28, 2021 by letsgiveacheer

Cr1028 · November 28, 2021

22 minutes ago, Jonnyeagle said:

But what if Wren has his guy? A guy he trusts and knows will do well? A guy who won’t go 1-6? Does Wren let this guy go now and possibly never be available again. These are all interesting questions indeed. Glad I’m not having to make them:

Doesn’t every AD have that guy? A can’t-miss lock that only they have the inside track on? GTFOH with that fairy tale logic.

denton_days · November 28, 2021

The Athletic is saying that we should know pretty quickly what Seth Littrell’s future looks like.

Wag Tag · November 28, 2021

We are in a best case scenario for UNT football. Carry over the momentum from this season into 2022 and save millions on the buy out. Get a qb and announce the start of the new AD building. GMG

Edited November 29, 2021 by Wag Tag

Big Z · November 28, 2021

33 minutes ago, DeepGreen said:

Answer me this: what changed after the first half of the season when the loses piled up? What switch was turned on for the team to reel off those five straight wins? Whatever was said or done, this football team took note and was on fire!

Maturity

Glory to the Green · November 28, 2021

10 minutes ago, denton_days said:

The Athletic is saying that we should know pretty quickly what Seth Littrell’s future looks like.

Aside from an embarrassing bowl loss, I don’t see how he gets fired. He rallied the troops to win 5 in a row and beat a ranked opponent.

I don’t know much about our QB coach, but I would think an upgrade is needed there.

MeanGreenDan · November 28, 2021

The way the team responded to the terrible start, and fought until the end, including capping it off yesterday, it tells me the team never gave up on him, and believes in him.

If he is let go, look for a whole lot of players to hit the transfer portal. Many of them obviously like him.

TheColonyEagle · November 28, 2021

42 minutes ago, DeepGreen said:

Answer me this: what changed after the first half of the season when the loses piled up? What switch was turned on for the team to reel off those five straight wins? Whatever was said or done, this football team took note and was on fire!

I think it was a combination of a much easier schedule and the young players figuring it out. Then they got up for that last game.

I wonder if you swapped the first half of the schedule with the second half of the schedule, what would’ve happened…

NM Green · November 28, 2021

I think you ride this momentum into the bowl game and 2022. The continuity could be great in a year of massive coach upheaval. We’ve already beat Traylor and Lashlee will give us an opening to beat SMU.

Something clicked in Seth and in the end he did it his way and got it done. He won’t want to stop now. He wants to rebuild his image and set himself up for the next round of coaching coaster changes. His ticket is to continue building us up. We win too. An engaged Seth is a fun Seth for us.

just my thoughts.
GMG

Udomann · November 28, 2021

45 minutes ago, Glory to the Green said:

I don’t know much about our QB coach, but I would think an upgrade is needed there.

You work with what you got.

Our QB room is vacant of any true leader. Nobody can make gold of lead.

Edited November 29, 2021 by Udomann

UNTcrazy727 · November 28, 2021

1 hour ago, TheColonyEagle said:

I don’t think there’s any way he lets Littrell go now. All Baker has to say is: “our coach is under contract, my expectation is he comes back next year and works under the contract and builds on this momentum”

The trick will be what he does after next season. With this talent and the schedule, 8-4 should be a minimum expectation. MINIMUM. And 9-3 should be a no brainer. We should be at least 3-1 in non conference next season with nothing in the West that should be a guaranteed loss. And I’m not sure even 8-4 is good enough. Not with UTSA coming off an 11-1 record with an equal schedule. At 8-4 we will have probably lost a game that we should’ve won. Then here we are again….we’re going to be 8-4 and have a decision to make. Get rid of an 8 win coach or you have to extend him. I don’t see him coming back on a one year deal after next season. That will hurt recruiting.

Seems like Aune is moving on. So is Jace Ruder the answer after a year in the system? Do we need to hit the portal hard?

That’s why Wren is one of the highest paid ADs in the country! Time to earn that $$$!!!

8 will be enough. Counting the bowl game I think he has to go 8-5 next year to see 2023. With everyone coming back next year, I truly believe we’re just an average QB away from competing for the CUSA championship and 9+ wins.

TheColonyEagle · November 28, 2021

2 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

8 will be enough. Counting the bowl game I think he has to go 8-5 next year to see 2023. With everyone coming back next year, I truly believe we’re just an average QB away from competing for the CUSA championship and 9+ wins.

Do you give him a new deal at 8-5?

Glory to the Green · November 29, 2021

58 minutes ago, Udomann said:

You work with what you got.

Our QB room is vacant of any true leader. Nobody can make gold of lead.

I think there’s talent in the room. I’m not sure it’s being cultivated to the best of its ability.

What do I know, though? I’m just a fan.

Cr1028 · November 29, 2021

49 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

Do you give him a new deal at 8-5?

Somebody will, whether it is us or someone that sees his work as a miraculous turnaround in 2021 and a good 2022, so we should all hope he gets there. This way we get paid a buyout for a change instead of having to pay one out ourselves.

Edited November 29, 2021 by Cr1028

Udomann · November 29, 2021

3 minutes ago, Glory to the Green said:

I think there’s talent in the room. I’m not sure it’s being cultivated to the best of its ability.

What do I know, though? I’m just a fan.

I hope so. I see a few young folk who could develop. But so far the cupboard has been pretty barren

TheColonyEagle · November 29, 2021

4 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

Somebody will, whether it is us or someone that sees his work as a miraculous turnaround in 2021 and a good 2022, so we should all hope he gets there. This way we get paid a buyout for a change instead of having to pay one out ourselves.

If he goes 8-5 and gets offered a bigger deal we have to shake his hand, thank him for what he’s done and get ready to get this program to the next level.