Breaking: North Texas set to Hire SHSU DC Skyler Cassity

Glory to the Green · 2024-12-03T16:24:48Z

I think this an excellent hire! From what I’ve seen, he’s a home run. Glad to have him in green!

TheReal_jayD · 2024-12-03T16:25:12Z

24 minutes ago, SilverEagle said:

Maybe a 29 year old DC is too much of a risk for the Temple Athletic department and hired Keeler with the understanding that someone with more experience should be hired.

Temple and Keeler foought to get Cassity to Philly. He wanted to stay in Texas.

TheReal_jayD · 2024-12-03T16:26:25Z

40 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

Considering another 6-6 season probably gets Morris canned, this hire really surprises me. The defense HAS to get turned around next year. I figured we'd hire someone with more experience and skins on the wall. This guy might be a genius, but does he have the pull to put together a good staff, and recruiting experience to sign quality players?

This is the hire I would have expected when Morris was first brought on. Shocked its the route he's taking after his first hire completely blew up in his face.

Only 20 DCs in the country with a top 20 defense. Also him bringing staff has chance to bring 6-10 players helps this turnaround happen sooner.

Green Otaku · 2024-12-03T16:29:56Z

3 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Only 20 DCs in the country with a top 20 defense. Also him bringing staff has chance to bring 6-10 players helps this turnaround happen sooner.

I'm assuming that means none of the defensive staff from this year is being retained?

MeanGreenMan09 · 2024-12-03T16:31:17Z

He runs a 3-4, not a 3-3-5, already an improvement. Let's see what he's got, Go Mean Green!

TheReal_jayD · 2024-12-03T16:34:55Z

4 minutes ago, Green Otaku said:

I'm assuming that means none of the defensive staff from this year is being retained?

One is being retained for sure

GMG_Dallas · 2024-12-03T16:35:42Z

3 minutes ago, MeanGreenMan09 said:

He runs a 3-4, not a 3-3-5, already an improvement. Let's see what he's got, Go Mean Green!

Really did him well when a UCF team that finished 4-8 put up 384 rushing yards and 6 rushing TD on his defense.

GMG_Dallas · 2024-12-03T16:36:18Z

9 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Only 20 DCs in the country with a top 20 defense. Also him bringing staff has chance to bring 6-10 players helps this turnaround happen sooner.

What's the excuse for his ACU defense finishing 117th in FCS in 2023?

This is a laughable hire. No way to spin it.

Green Otaku · 2024-12-03T16:39:17Z

3 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

One is being retained for sure

It will be interesting who else he tries to bring in. I guess you can say the same thing on the other side of the ball, I wonder if anything else gets shaken up.

jtm0097 · 2024-12-03T16:41:25Z

4 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

What's the excuse for his ACU defense finishing 117th in FCS in 2023?

This is a laughable hire. No way to spin it.

Jimmy's and Joe's at ACU. But give the guy a chance. If he fails, we probably have a whole new coaching staff in 2026.

Cooley · 2024-12-03T16:51:48Z

Like signing an unknown recruit, we won't know what we are getting until down the road. I just want to see immediate improvement in 2025.

TheReal_jayD · 2024-12-03T16:54:10Z

17 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

What's the excuse for his ACU defense finishing 117th in FCS in 2023?

This is a laughable hire. No way to spin it.

what was your perfect hire? Nick Saban or Bill Belichek?

SUMG · 2024-12-03T16:56:27Z

As far as his youth goes....he's much more experienced than our OL coach this past season. And yet, I thought our O line did well under Coach Leftwich.

GMG_Dallas · 2024-12-03T16:56:48Z

2 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

what was your perfect hire? Nick Saban or Bill Belichek?

We can't ask for somebody with experience and then pretend to be happy with this.

TheReal_jayD · 2024-12-03T16:59:41Z

1 minute ago, GMG_Dallas said:

We can't ask for somebody with experience and then pretend to be happy with this.

You didnt answer the question.

UNTLifer · 2024-12-03T17:00:18Z

1 hour ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

Considering another 6-6 season probably gets Morris canned, this hire really surprises me. The defense HAS to get turned around next year. I figured we'd hire someone with more experience and skins on the wall. This guy might be a genius, but does he have the pull to put together a good staff, and recruiting experience to sign quality players?

This is the hire I would have expected when Morris was first brought on. Shocked its the route he's taking after his first hire completely blew up in his face.

Unfortunately, Ernie Stautner is dead.

GMG_Dallas · 2024-12-03T17:01:00Z

2 minutes ago, SUMG said:

As far as his youth goes....he's much more experienced than our OL coach this past season. And yet, I thought our O line did well under Coach Leftwich.

A position coach and a coordinator are two completely different things. I don't even care about age, I care about on the field success. He's been a DC 3 years. First year was average, 2nd year was horrible, 3rd was good. Does that really justify hiring him?

UNTLifer · 2024-12-03T17:04:34Z

29 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

One is being retained for sure

Demerick Gary?

GMG_Dallas · 2024-12-03T17:05:24Z

1 minute ago, TheReal_jayD said:

You didnt answer the question.

It's not my job to answer the question. It's a fair criticism to see his track record and question the hire. To me, it looks like more Texas Tech connections helping each other.

UNTcrazy727 · 2024-12-03T17:08:46Z

13 minutes ago, TheReal_jayD said:

Only 20 DCs in the country with a top 20 defense. Also him bringing staff has chance to bring 6-10 players helps this turnaround happen sooner.

Just saying, I'm surprised he's going even younger and greener than his first hire who was a total disaster. Morris has to win next year, so trusting the defense to a 30 year old with only 1 year of full time experience at the FBS level is eye opening.

And top 20 is impressive, but I think its fair to acknowledge the offenses he faced in CUSA are a far cry from what he'll see in the AAC. Our defensive ranking would be vastly better if we replaced Memphis, UTSA, and Tulane with FIU, La Tech, and Kennesaw State.

GMG_Dallas · 2024-12-03T17:11:29Z

25 minutes ago, jtm0097 said:

Jimmy's and Joe's at ACU. But give the guy a chance. If he fails, we probably have a whole new coaching staff in 2026.

So if he fails, we're looking at another 3-4 years of mediocrity with a rebuild and all. Great.

Just not the hire we needed right now in my opinion.

TheReal_jayD · 2024-12-03T17:14:56Z

2 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

Just saying, I'm surprised he's going even younger and greener than his first hire who was a total disaster. Morris has to win next year, so trusting the defense to a 30 year old with only 1 year of full time experience at the FBS level is eye opening.

And top 20 is impressive, but I think its fair to acknowledge the offenses he faced in CUSA are a far cry from what he'll see in the AAC. Our defensive ranking would be vastly better if we replaced Memphis, UTSA, and Tulane with FIU, La Tech, and Kennesaw State.

I agree that Cassity is younger than our previous defensive coordinator. However, he has more experience as a DC than our previous hire.

I understand the concerns about the level of competition he faced in the CUSA, but his record speaks for itself. Last year, he held FIU and La Tech to a combined 10 points. The Previous year UNT allowed 46 and 37 to the two schools. I believe he will be an improvement over our previous DC.

UNTcrazy727 · 2024-12-03T17:17:07Z

18 minutes ago, SUMG said:

As far as his youth goes....he's much more experienced than our OL coach this past season. And yet, I thought our O line did well under Coach Leftwich.

Our offensive line was average at best. We struggled mightily in short yardage situations and pass protection often broke down.