President Harrison Keller

NM Green · September 14

Moaning and groaning about Morris is hanging in the weeds which is what is appropriate on a day like this. But I want to know what President Keller wants. Do we know what kind of athletic department he wants and believes is worthy for UNT? I may have missed it but I don’t know and I hope it is world class.

I believe and want UNT to be competing with peers that are Houston, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State…that is where I want my university to aim. What does he believe and want? Because he can hold Jared and Eric’s work accountable.

my personal observations are that the football program shows development. Good on Eric. He needs to present a plan to seek out a first class DC who executes his desired style of D. Who is it and how much will it cost.

Jared. Ive seen improvement in the Gameday experience. He needs to ignite the community more. Relationship building tactics planned. Community outreach efforts planned. Alumni engagement practices planned.

Who oversees the NT Alumni what is the chain there? This weekend was a fail. I got meetup information late and location of the tailgate late. If this was on me and no one else had problems I’ll walk this back. But what about the Friday get together event? A rally of sorts. The breakfast party before the game. We tried sharing info at the hotel about the tailgate but didn’t have clear details. To me this was a missed opportunity on a major away game. President Keller that’s not world class.

I won’t think UNT is not worthy or ever been deserving of this level of expectation. I’m looking to the future and what I want for my university. What does President Keller want. I hope it’s lofty. We are what the third or fourth largest university in Texas, we should be playing equal to our peers. We should not tolerate letting schools down south play above us in league.

President Keller you’re up I can’t wait to support you and learn more.

GMG

southsideguy · September 15

Well the first game he did the coin toss and lead the band, can he coach a defense?

Billy Clyde · September 15

He’s worried about academics, as he should be.

meaniegreenie · September 15

1 hour ago, NM Green said:

Moaning and groaning about Morris is hanging in the weeds which is what is appropriate on a day like this. But I want to know what President Keller wants. Do we know what kind of athletic department he wants and believes is worthy for UNT? I may have missed it but I don’t know and I hope it is world class.
...

GMG

For those of us that lived through the administration that just about destroyed athletics, including allowing us to get dropped down to 1-AA and watching facilities crumble, this is a very important question to get answered.

untjim1995 · September 15

28 minutes ago, meaniegreenie said:

For those of us that lived through the administration that just about destroyed athletics, including allowing us to get dropped down to 1-AA and watching facilities crumble, this is a very important question to get answered.

First of all, he may want us to be Notre Dame or he may want us to be Julliard, but he would have to buy out three and a half years of Morris’s contract. Could that happen? I mean, it’s happened before…once. After we suffered the worst loss in modern college football history by losing to a FCS team on Homecoming by a 66-7 nailbiter. Odds are that won’t happen here again, even if we finished 2-10.

Morris will most likely be here thru 2025, but at least we aren’t back to the days of only buying out one year of a contract anymore.

But the bigger question that we need to answer is what do we have to do (and pay) to get an actual accomplished FBS coach here? I mean we have no NIL (like most G5s) to compete, we aren’t anywhere close to being a destination school for those who can portal out now at a moments notice, and we get almost no media coverage in a giant market. And then the question becomes to the fans is this worth the effort if we are basically a glorified JuCo For power teams? Everyone has their line in the sand, but mine is that the portal is just something that I cannot deal with as a CFB fan at a G5 school like ours. It’s not CFB anymore, but minor league ball—for the pro leagues and power programs.

greenminer · September 15

12 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

But the bigger question that we need to answer is what do we have to do (and pay) to get an actual accomplished FBS coach here?

McCarney was an accomplished FBS coach.

I don't see us getting what I think you mean: someone that is still somewhat young and hungry for more. Accomplished HC (G5 or P5 accomplished HC), while still being their late-30s to early 50s of age, are going to be coaching well above UNT.

I think we are going to keep looking at assistants that were successful at what they do, and hungry to prove themself as a HC. Or, guys like Carthel: accomplished HC at lower level that would gladly take the step up to a Power/Group school HC position.

Morris fits the above and proves that even that is not guaranteed, right?

Edited September 15 by greenminer

untjim1995 · September 15

23 minutes ago, greenminer said:

McCarney was an accomplished FBS coach.

I don't see us getting what I think you mean: someone that is still somewhat young and hungry for more. Accomplished HC (G5 or P5 accomplished HC), while still being their late-30s to early 50s of age, are going to be coaching well above UNT.

I think we are going to keep looking at assistants that were successful at what they do, and hungry to prove themself as a HC. Or, guys like Carthel: accomplished HC at lower level that would gladly take the step up to a Power/Group school HC position.

Morris fits the above and proves that even that is not guaranteed, right?

Yes, you’re correct. I’d like to see a guy like Tom Herman look at UNT like he did FAU, for example. Why not Charlie Strong, for example? A guy who was bad at UT, but was awesome at Louisville. Or a guy like GJ Kinne, who coaches at a smaller G5 school in state, but would step up big time here at UNT in the AAC.

But my fear is that our apathetic reputation in Texas is just a very quick ender to those guys, or guys like that. And if that is in fact the problem, or a giant part of the problem besides $$$, then there’s really not much we should expect to ever really change while CFB is set up like it is now.

Got5onIt · September 15

Need to bring in a retread. An established ex head coach with skins on the wall looking to claw his way back to football glory. I would welcome a McCarney like hire.

Aquila_Viridis · September 15

He wants to say 'UNT' and I didn't get past that.

untjim1995 · September 15

Another name that I’d love to hire here but we won’t be able to would be a guy like Billy Napier. He had ULL ranked and had great success there. Failed at Florida, but has proven he can build a winner at this G5 level…

3_n_out · September 15

39 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

Another name that I’d love to hire here but we won’t be able to would be a guy like Billy Napier. He had ULL ranked and had great success there. Failed at Florida, but has proven he can build a winner at this G5 level…

Add Gary Patterson to the list. How do we feel about Dave Arranda? I’m sure his time is up soon.

3_n_out · September 15

1 hour ago, Got5onIt said:

Need to bring in a retread. An established ex head coach with skins on the wall looking to claw his way back to football glory. I would welcome a McCarney like hire.

How would a Scott Frost do at the G5 level?

untjim1995 · September 15

I’ve been told that Patterson doesn’t want to fight the NIL/Portal world. And that was fighting it at places with cash, which obviously ain’t here.

Aranda would be a good name but he will also be a target for being a DC from some P4, too.

3_n_out · September 15

1 minute ago, untjim1995 said:

I’ve been told that Patterson doesn’t want to fight the NIL/Portal world. And that was fighting it at places with cash, which obviously ain’t here.

Aranda would be a good name but he will also be a target for being a DC from some P4, too.

DC at a P4 or HC here…hmm. Perhaps being at a lesser known school without pressure could help him.

untjim1995 · September 15

3 minutes ago, 3_n_out said:

DC at a P4 or HC here…hmm. Perhaps being at a lesser known school without pressure could help him.

You could be correct. But again, I’m not sure what our reputation is with coaches like Aranda to even SERIOUSLY consider coming here. From the outside looking in, as well as having friends and acquaintances in the TX HS FB ranks, I fear that our reputation really scares away coaches like we are discussing.

MeanGreenTexan · September 15

1 hour ago, 3_n_out said:

How would a Scott Frost do at the G5 level?

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/name/ucf/season/2017
A "National Championship" season is what Scott Frost can do at the G5 level.

greenminer · September 15

Unlike HS recruits, I have zero idea how the coaching world outside of Denton views our HC position.

Right now I would say, any coach will look at the same dynamics no matter where you are in the state or country:

1) Is the administration on your side?
2) Are you given resources/facilities that are on par with the people you are trying to beat?

So, I would be optimistic about this. Any coach sees us as a big opportunity. Just had some bad luck and bad admin in our history. The current admin and resources check all the boxes.

greenminer · September 15

4 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

Yes, you’re correct. I’d like to see a guy like Tom Herman look at UNT like he did FAU, for example. Why not Charlie Strong, for example? A guy who was bad at UT, but was awesome at Louisville. Or a guy like GJ Kinne, who coaches at a smaller G5 school in state, but would step up big time here at UNT in the AAC.

But my fear is that our apathetic reputation in Texas is just a very quick ender to those guys, or guys like that. And if that is in fact the problem, or a giant part of the problem besides $$$, then there’s really not much we should expect to ever really change while CFB is set up like it is now.

Lane Kiffin is a better example than anyone you mentioned. Tom Herman was a disaster at FAU, and Charlie Strong was shown the door at USF.

A lot of success stories are tied to specific recruits, too. SL and Fine. Traylor and Frank Harris.

I don't have an answer to this, just pointing out that for an aspiring G5 program like UNT, it's really really hard to find the coaches that can win consistently at our level. There isn't a formula you can apply, or set of questions to use in the interviews. And if a G5 is lucky enough to snag a guy that fits and succeeds., he probably doesn't see that G5 school as a long term option.

Edited September 15 by greenminer

El Paso Eagle · September 15

10 hours ago, greenminer said:

Unlike HS recruits, I have zero idea how the coaching world outside of Denton views our HC position.

Right now I would say, any coach will look at the same dynamics no matter where you are in the state or country:

1) Is the administration on your side?
2) Are you given resources/facilities that are on par with the people you are trying to beat?

So, I would be optimistic about this. Any coach sees us as a big opportunity. Just had some bad luck and bad admin in our history. The current admin and resources check all the boxes.

Just like the many players who enter the portal and believe they are "the one" who can be the difference maker, I would hope any coach we hire, HC, coordinator, or position thinks they will be successful.