Extend Caponi!

[greenminer]

19 minutes ago, Tom McKrackin said:

Let us be reasonable here, we have no business trying to buy out Caponi for $400k.  We have much better uses for that including NIL and facilities.

Reminder: NIL is completely separate (or should be) from our department’s spending/budget.

[Green Lantern]

41 minutes ago, MrAlien said:

Caponi did not have a full off season to build this defense, he had to make do with Littrell's left overs.  Expectations were not exactly high for this defense before Caponi, the defense lacked quality players and were expected to finish near the bottom of the conference.  PLayers were unable to execute tackles, that is on the players, not the DC. 

Those that want him fired, whats the plan?  Do you really expect UNT to hire a top DC?  someone that can instantly recruit and build a top defense in the conference?  Thats not going to happen! 

Changing the DC will effect recruiting, and we are just days away from the window opening, do we really want to throw away another year of recruiting? 

He’s one of the top paid coordinators in G5. Yes, we can do better with a surer bet at DC. Coaching carousel is already spinning. Options will be available.

[MrAlien]

1 hour ago, BigWillie said:

When do you make the change then? Give him a full year and sit through this again? I don't expect them to hire a top DC. My expectations are not even that high, but they are higher than LAST in the nation. As stated by many others on this forum, good coaches make things happen even with a bare cupboard. 

It was painfully obvious that he did not play to the players strengths throughout the season and kept trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Sometimes you have to not make excuses and look at what's in front of you. 

Ignoring that we don't have the players to run this scheme, what have we truly seen from Caponi that shows he can get it done as a DC?

He hasn't even had a full year of recruiting.  These days teams are build by recruiting in the transfer portal.  You bring in a new DC to implement a different system, then you have to find players that fit that system.  These coaches missed most, if not all, of last years transfer portal, and didnt have a lot to work with in the spring.  

Making a coaching change on the eve of the portal opening, means throwing away another year of recruiting and will put the next DC in the exact same position. 

[wardly]

1 hour ago, MrAlien said:

He hasn't even had a full year of recruiting.  These days teams are build by recruiting in the transfer portal.  You bring in a new DC to implement a different system, then you have to find players that fit that system.  These coaches missed most, if not all, of last years transfer portal, and didnt have a lot to work with in the spring.  

Making a coaching change on the eve of the portal opening, means throwing away another year of recruiting and will put the next DC in the exact same position. 

Reason at last

[UNT 04]

Still think the guy could show them how to tackle.

[AleAlejandro21]

2 hours ago, UNT 04 said:

Still think the guy could show them how to tackle.

Shouldn’t players already know how to tackle by the time they get to college?

[southsideguy]

after watching yesterdays game live and until the end I have come to a conclusion.   I think our DC and UAB attended the same DC school.  UAB is saying that is there problem as well.

[Udomann]

4 hours ago, MrAlien said:

He hasn't even had a full year of recruiting.  These days teams are build by recruiting in the transfer portal.  You bring in a new DC to implement a different system, then you have to find players that fit that system.  These coaches missed most, if not all, of last years transfer portal, and didnt have a lot to work with in the spring.  

Making a coaching change on the eve of the portal opening, means throwing away another year of recruiting and will put the next DC in the exact same position. 

Recruiting or not... if you are the worst person at your job in the nation then you aren't right for the job. Transfers will not be looking to sign up for that, so saying he needs a chance to recruit is moot. They will not want to play for him.

If he had been middling or had some ups and downs... OK maybe. But nope, worst in FBS. Send him down a division for more experience and bring in a name that will entice transfers. This is a very limited window to show defensive recruits we are serious. 

[greenminer]

31 minutes ago, AleAlejandro21 said:

Shouldn’t players already know how to tackle by the time they get to college?

It's a fundamental.  You always review fundamentals.  Some of them you do on your own time, some of them are a team review.
 

 

[UNT 04]

1 hour ago, AleAlejandro21 said:

Shouldn’t players already know how to tackle by the time they get to college?

Yeah, If you look at how Larry Nixon performed here compared to how he did at Auburn this year it’s night and day. We need a real DC.

[NT93]

20 hours ago, UNT 04 said:

Yeah, If you look at how Larry Nixon performed here compared to how he did at Auburn this year it’s night and day. We need a real DC.

Nixon played for a pretty highly regarded DC in Phil Bennett. He never played for Caponi, so I’m not really following the point you’re trying to make.

Edited November 27, 2023 by NT93

[mgfan]

Caponi should have been gone already. 
 

we fired Seth bc we wanted better.

 

THIS ISN'T BETTER. 

[greenminer]

18 minutes ago, mgfan said:

Caponi should have been gone already. 
 

we fired Seth bc we wanted better.

 

THIS ISN'T BETTER. 

We have our expectations for the program, a lot based on our spending/budget, but I give some leeway to first year results.

I also think it's wrong (not necessarily you, mgfan) to complain about how fluid NIL and the portal has made rosters, but then also not factor that in when judging Caponi/Morris.  A staff that didn't get a full cycle (not their fault) AND admittedly did not utilize like they should (their fault).

Sounds like Caponi is being given a second year.  It's possible it could get better.  It's not like it's impossible for a first year DC to improve from year 1 to year 2.  Hypothetically, replacing him might mean we are in the same situation as last year: bringing in a guy with a new system (3rd DC in 5 years, IIRC?) without the benefit of a full recruiting/portal cycle.

Caponi is here, but 2024 is a short leash.  I'm not interested in seeing this board split hairs about a defensive improvement that is only . few ypg better, or a ranking that is from dead-last, to 3rd-from-the-bottom.  That'll still suck.  And that's not acceptable in year 2.

Edited November 27, 2023 by greenminer