North Texas A.D. leaving for West Virginia a distraction?

[meangreenfaninno]

I saw this posted from the UTSA beat writer.  I hope he is wrong!  I do agree with him on Bill Clark and the Dilfer hire though.

 

[UNTethered Eagle]

1 hour ago, meangreenfaninno said:

I saw this posted from the UTSA beat writer.  I hope he is wrong!  I do agree with him on Bill Clark and the Dilfer hire though.

 

I’m interested to know how you interpret his statement. What is the news of the move taking attention away from?

[UNTLifer]

Not a distraction and Clark was never coming back.

[greenminer]

Or a motivator...

We are going to find out.

[Green Lantern]

Kind of a stretch. It’s the AD. Not like he coaches the team.

[greenminer]

2 minutes ago, Green Lantern said:

Kind of a stretch. It’s the AD. Not like he coaches the team.

I'm sure some of them will be like, "I do what I do with or without the AD."

It's not a stretch, however, to think some of them call this place their family and are impacted by change in leadership.

[MeanGreen17]

Fun Fact: Don Harris is a UNT alum.

[DentonLurker]

I can't imagine it's much of a distraction in the locker room.

Maybe one of those score updates that pops up on the bottom of the screen during a game, but it's probably only a distraction for half a second.

[Aquila_Viridis]

If we have impact players who are distracted from their mission by this, that indicates major changes were needed anyway.

[Billy Clyde]

Of course it’s a distraction — Now the only time Seth Littrell stops smiling is when he does handstands, somersaults, or cartwheels.

[NT80]

I was very disappointed when Wren was hired and he failed to fire Benford immediately.  I thought it was such an easy decision, any outsider could see it.  He let him coach out his final contract year and it too was a huge failure.  Rookie mistake.  I hope the new AD makes a better first impression.

I'm not sure the exact relationship Wren and Seth had, other than professional.  I don't know if Seth feels more or less secure in his position now?   I doubt distracted, maybe giddy?  I think all coaches feel somewhat abandoned when their AD that hired them leaves, but Wren didn't hire Seth, so it may be relief?

[ADLER]

7 hours ago, meangreenfaninno said:

 

It should be a distraction for some players Friday. Wren has proven that he's not timid at all about buying out a contract, and WVU has proven that they aren't concerned about financing a buyout if it gets them the coach that they want, and waiting until January 1 will significantly reduce that buyout.

Who would Wren want as his new football coach? Who's name would be at the very TOP of that list?

Hmmm? Who does Wren know of that is a proven young football coach in C-USA? Two conference titles in 3 years? Had a higher rated recruiting class than UCLA in only his second year? And, a coach that is already friends with Wren Baker?

Of course NOTHING can be mentioned prior to January 1 but it's probably already in works. That delay will save WVU a half million dollars on the future coach and a million on the departing coach, making this call even more obvious.

So yes, it should be a distraction.

[p_phelps]

I can't wait till Traylor leaves that trash school and watch them cry and go back to sucking

[MeanGreenZen]

Traylor was already offered a good P5 job at Tech and turned it down. He is getting paid at UTSA and has them in the Top 25 and now moving up a conference. 
Way easier to win at Tech than WV. Wren has no shot at Traylor.

Now if Sark can’t ever figure it out or if the Aggies can afford to buy out Jimbo…

[Jason Howeth]

The AD leaving is big news, but it's not like these guys won't be focused on football during practice or a game because of it. All the coaches that call plays are still on the sideline with them.

[outoftown]

25 minutes ago, Jason Howeth said:

The AD leaving is big news, but it's not like these guys won't be focused on football during practice or a game because of it. All the coaches that call plays are still on the sideline with them.

This.

There are many things not quite right with the timing, but I doubt it is high on the players minds. If a coach announced his leaving, that would be different, but the AD is not somebody they talk to every other day and it is not gonna impact them immediately. It may impact the decision on their coach, but how is anybodies guess and the coaches future was already under discussion, with or without Baker at NT so it doesn't really change anything for the players during this week.

If somebody IS distracted it might be more the coaches themselves than the players. But it is still in the coaches best interest to push this out of their minds and fully focus on the game, and I am sure they know it. Whether or not they (get to) stay, a decent result on Friday will always improve their situation over getting pantsed. And again, speculation was around even before Baker left.

Edited December 1, 2022 by outoftown

[southsideguy]

so how fast can we hire someone.  Does the job have to be posted for 30 days before they can do anything?  Count on SL being back next year if it takes that long to hire someone.  I have a feeling we will lose more to the portal then we gain from it.  I think players will wait to announce it until after Friday's game out of respect for their fellow teammates.   Which is a good thing.

[greenminer]

8 hours ago, ADLER said:

It should be a distraction for some players Friday. Wren has proven that he's not timid at all about buying out a contract, and WVU has proven that they aren't concerned about financing a buyout if it gets them the coach that they want, and waiting until January 1 will significantly reduce that buyout.

Traylor?

I suppose its possible, but I find it hard to believe he would accept that after turning down TTech.  I think he wants something bigger to leave UTSA.