2023 Head Coach Candidates

[NT80]

2 hours ago, Glory to the Green said:

It may be my green glasses, but I don’t think this team is that far away from being competitive this year.  I don’t know about next year, but this team is way too talented and there are too many quality coaches here to crap the bed again. I see this being a quality year.  I think we’d need to GG or Earle, or someone else to get a true feel for next season. The QB is too important a position to not have a contingency plan.  I’m not even sure I answered your question. GMG!  

???  Did you happen to watch the game this past Saturday? 

It could have been a lot worse had we not tried to run out the clock ourselves.

[Glory to the Green]

16 minutes ago, NT80 said:

???  Did you happen to watch the game this past Saturday? 

It could have been a lot worse had we not tried to run out the clock ourselves.

I did. We ran for over 200 yards on them (Redzone was a different story). We had open receivers that were under thrown (they were also under thrown vs UTEP, but those passes were completed due to lesser competition).

On defense, our running defense was okay. The passing defense left much to be desired. Mordecai is the best QB we’ll face this year.  At times, his receivers made us look bad. 

UNT had its chances to make the game competitive in the first half, but consistently crapped the bed (offense, defense, and ST). 

I’m not throwing the baby out with the bath water, though. This team can still have a very good season. Will it?  I’m not sure, but I hope so.  I also hope the team learns from Saturday and uses it to fuel the rest of the season. 

[El Paso Eagle]

6 minutes ago, Glory to the Green said:

I also hope the team learns from Saturday and uses it to fuel the rest of the season. 

I also hope we learn that we are not close to a upper level CUCA, much less AAC team. But hey, we might win 6-7 against crap teams and then hear the green glasses call for Seth to be extended.

[akriesman]

32 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

I also hope we learn that we are not close to a upper level CUCA, much less AAC team. But hey, we might win 6-7 against crap teams and then hear the green glasses call for Seth to be extended.

That's the thing.   They can whip up on the bad defensive teams because of the running game.   Our OL and backs wear them down, control the clock and keep our defense off the field.    The passing game makes just enough plays (usually short to medium passes).  This is all good when the opponent is weaker/smaller.

But, when a team is talented and big enough on defense to shut down our running game, it's game over.    Our passing attack has not been good enough to keep up when the defense gets burned for 4 or more TD's.

So yeah, they will probably still pull off about 6 wins.    Then, a better bowl opponent will shut down the running game and the same old story is repeated.

We know what we have in AA and it is enough to win 6 games.   The question is whether GG and the coaching staff can execute bigger and more consistent plays in the passing game to get us over the hump.

Edited September 5, 2022 by akriesman

[NT80]

1 hour ago, Glory to the Green said:

I did. We ran for over 200 yards on them (Redzone was a different story). We had open receivers that were under thrown (they were also under thrown vs UTEP, but those passes were completed due to lesser competition).

On defense, our running defense was okay. The passing defense left much to be desired. Mordecai is the best QB we’ll face this year.  At times, his receivers made us look bad. 

UNT had its chances to make the game competitive in the first half, but consistently crapped the bed (offense, defense, and ST). 

I’m not throwing the baby out with the bath water, though. This team can still have a very good season. Will it?  I’m not sure, but I hope so.  I also hope the team learns from Saturday and uses it to fuel the rest of the season. 

Agree, and the QB position is what makes a team go (or not) at this level.

We had first and goal twice in the first half and got 3 points. Ugg.

[Cr1028]

6 hours ago, SilverEagle said:

 

Here is the summary of Colby Carthel's lineage....his dad Don Carthel. When NT was looking to replace DD, I was all for them at least giving this guy an interview. He was coaching at WTA&M at the time.

Don Carthel - Wikipedia

 

Carthel turned program around (amarillo.com)

How in God's name did this guy NOT get at least an interview with the athletic department back when they hired Todd Dodge.

The Carthels are hardworking west Texans. When Don Carthel was hired to be the WTA&M coach he got out in the community and spoke to any organization to recruit them to support WTA&M football.  

Could you imagine Todd Dodge or SL doing that?

Here is Colby in his first PC after the butt whipping.

 

[Cr1028]

40 minutes ago, NT80 said:

Agree, and the QB position is what makes a team go (or not) at this level.

We had first and goal twice in the first half and got 3 points. Ugg.

We were moving the ball one drive pretty well until Burns got stripped. That stung.

[BillySee58]

Not sure if his name has been thrown out, but my guy I’m hoping for is Mike Yurcich. Seems like he has a really good mix of smarts, work ethic, articulation, and ability to get a lot out of players.

[meangreenfaninno]

19 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Not sure if his name has been thrown out, but my guy I’m hoping for is Mike Yurcich. Seems like he has a really good mix of smarts, work ethic, articulation, and ability to get a lot out of players.

Wasn’t he at Louisville? I’m interested. Just need a guy that understands recruiting facilities NIL -  it’s going to be a guy that other schools think it too old but he’s not.  I just have a guy feel that someone is right for this and wants to do it!

[UNT Family Man]

Top five in no particular order: 

Jeff Grimes

Colby Carthel

Justin Fuente 

Graham H.

Jeff Lebby or Baby Briles (Ala the weekly line up)

[BillySee58]

5 minutes ago, meangreenfaninno said:

Wasn’t he at Louisville? I’m interested. Just need a guy that understands recruiting facilities NIL -  it’s going to be a guy that other schools think it too old but he’s not.  I just have a guy feel that someone is right for this and wants to do it!

He was at Shippensburg, then Gundy gave him a chance to be the OC at Oklahoma State where he was the OC from 13-18. Since then he has held OC or similar roles at Ohio State, Texas, and now Penn State.

[Pellom]

36 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Not sure if his name has been thrown out, but my guy I’m hoping for is Mike Yurcich. Seems like he has a really good mix of smarts, work ethic, articulation, and ability to get a lot out of players.

Good call. I totally forgot about him. 

[Rudy]

6 hours ago, Glory to the Green said:

It may be my green glasses, but I don’t think this team is that far away from being competitive this year.  I don’t know about next year, but this team is way too talented and there are too many quality coaches here to crap the bed again. I see this being a quality year.  I think we’d need to GG or Earle, or someone else to get a true feel for next season. The QB is too important a position to not have a contingency plan.  I’m not even sure I answered your question. GMG!  

Did you partake in our tequila at tailgate?

[MeanGreenTexan]

7 hours ago, Pellom said:

I doubt that’s enough money to get a Fuente or Herman. 

I bet Fuente would be here in a heartbeat for Seth’s salary & a chance to work under an old pal.

[Cr1028]

44 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

I bet Fuente would be here in a heartbeat for Seth’s salary & a chance to work under an old pal.

The last thing we need is a strong head coach/AD relationship before the hire because if things go bad he’ll get way more chances than he should.

[MeanGreenTexan]

13 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

The last thing we need is a strong head coach/AD relationship before the hire because if things go bad he’ll get way more chances than he should.

Hmm, I hadn’t really thought about this before.   But I really think Fuente would succeed here.  He did amazing while at Memphis.

[southsideguy]

3 hours ago, Cr1028 said:

Here is Colby in his first PC after the butt whipping.

 

At least he talks to his players during the game.  SL looks like the lone wolf out on the field.

[Mike Jackson]

On 9/4/2022 at 12:20 PM, greenminer said:

Give me a guy who desperately wants to figure things out, no matter what it takes to win...where they are currently, or if they come to Denton.

I'm super skeptical of 60+ year-olds who won elsewhere: how do I know their formula will work in Denton? Do we get any kind of assurance that they will be willing to adapt if/when their formula isn't working here?  No deal breakers here, just some extra questions and concerns.

Exactly this why guys like Gary Patterson don't make sense on this list.  Going as far as he did with TCU is the equivalent to a national title.   He has nothing to prove and I think he would be resistant to tweak his the way he goes about business to be successful at UNT.  Now if Gary and his agent call us unsolicited that would change my mind.   Now if you want to hire a 60+ year old with something to prove you could always call Dickey.  🤷🏽‍♂️.   He is the only guy that proved he could do more with less and exceed our modest expectations for more than 2 seasons. 😂  And I still credit him with our strong run game tradition.  But that will never happen.

I prefer to go young with with someone with experience coaching College Football in the DFW area.   Or a least someone who grew up  on the northern side of the Metroplex.  Because I don't think people unfamiliar with DFW appreciate how important beating SMU and other teams in Texas when we are home are.  A Bowl Game win is nice but venue and opponent make all the difference in the world for our fanbase. 

[meangreenfaninno]

26 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Hmm, I hadn’t really thought about this before.   But I really think Fuente would succeed here.  He did amazing while at Memphis.

Bingo!  Fuente is the ticket.  He’s done it in the AAC!!

[BillySee58]

1 hour ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

I bet Fuente would be here in a heartbeat for Seth’s salary & a chance to work under an old pal.

I wouldn’t be mad about Fuente, but it is pretty discouraging to see the state he left that Va Tech program in. I feel similarly about Kevin Sumlin.

[Cooley]

2 years ago I would have said Deion Sanders but that program at JSU is much better. If he moves on, it’s got to be to to a P5

 

[southsideguy]

I wonder what SL pregame speech is like-three phases blah blah.

[Cougar King]

On 9/4/2022 at 9:27 AM, Tom McKrackin said:

I really liked Tom Herman last night.  You can tell he really cares about the kids and the fans.  He has a passion we really miss with Seth Nimoy.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[MeanGreen1984]

Take Patterson off any list.  His undoing at TCU was an inability to adapt to the new landscape of college football.  A lot of DFW HS coaches weren't big fans of his and it showed in TCU's recruiting geography over the 5+ years.  He was an outstanding HC and built that TCU program from the ground up, but I just don't see him being the guy to handle that construction process all over again.  Gary already did the 20 year grind and he was very well compensated for it.  I don't see him wanting to go down that road again and/or being well equipped to do it.

Herman's ego is too big for UNT but he may not have a choice if he isn't willing to work his way back up to HC via the coordinator route at a P5 school.  There is enough smoke around his character/persona to be concerned.  I chalk some of that up to trying to handle the crap you have to handle at UT.  The guy has proven he can win and recruit.  He is also one of the names out there that could fire up a few BMD's to get on the NIL train.

Fuente/Carthel strike me as similar type HC's in their approach to program building.  Obviously, Carthel hasn't climbed the same ladder Fuente did, but neither are super flashy guys.  They are solid HC's.  

The Lebby/K Briles/Harrell (and I'd throw it Kittley at Tech) group offers the potential for exciting offense and also bring an energy that should resonate with recruits.  I don't know who of them, if any, would see the HC job at UNT as a better route to where they want to get vs. being a P5 OC.

 

[MeanGreenTexan]

2 minutes ago, MeanGreen1984 said:

Take Patterson off any list.  His undoing at TCU was an inability to adapt to the new landscape of college football.  A lot of DFW HS coaches weren't big fans of his and it showed in TCU's recruiting geography over the 5+ years.  He was an outstanding HC and built that TCU program from the ground up, but I just don't see him being the guy to handle that construction process all over again.  Gary already did the 20 year grind and he was very well compensated for it.  I don't see him wanting to go down that road again and/or being well equipped to do it.

Herman's ego is too big for UNT but he may not have a choice if he isn't willing to work his way back up to HC via the coordinator route at a P5 school.  There is enough smoke around his character/persona to be concerned.  I chalk some of that up to trying to handle the crap you have to handle at UT.  The guy has proven he can win and recruit.  He is also one of the names out there that could fire up a few BMD's to get on the NIL train.

Fuente/Carthel strike me as similar type HC's in their approach to program building.  Obviously, Carthel hasn't climbed the same ladder Fuente did, but neither are super flashy guys.  They are solid HC's.  

The Lebby/K Briles/Harrell (and I'd throw it Kittley at Tech) group offers the potential for exciting offense and also bring an energy that should resonate with recruits.  I don't know who of them, if any, would see the HC job at UNT as a better route to where they want to get vs. being a P5 OC.

 

Man, I've heard nothing but the opposite regarding TXHSFB coaches.  They LOVE him.   Your other knocks on him are valid though.  I dunno if he'd want to take over NT right now.   ...but you definitely at least call him.

My pause on Carthel is the level of football he's succeeding at.   I'm not sure I want NT to be his first foray into the FBS level.   He'd likely be a cheaper option than every other name on the list though.