I AM MAKING THIS STATEMENT. PERIOD!

Green Grenade II · October 23, 2005

Sadly, for I like him as a person (wish he didn't smoke) and know my thoughts are going to be met with anger from many, and some agreement from some. I know that we must keep the faith and "Believe in the Mean Green." I do, for I love North Texas and will go to Austin next fall to see us play the Texas Longhorns. I will be at the remaining 3 home games, no matter whether we win or lose.

We are at the "Crossroads" of what direction our football program will take. When Rod Rust went 1-10 in 1972, there was lots of talk about dropping football. Had SMU not fired Hayden Fry, and we not offered him the head coaching job, who knows what would have happened to North Texas Football.

Now, we must make a bold move to save our program. It all starts with The Board of Regents and Bobby Ray. Without a move from them, forget it. I stood on the hill just outside the North Texas locker room during halftime yesterday. I felt sad for them all. Down 27-0 at the half. There they were, coaches gathered outside trying to figure what to do. I felt sorry for us all. Players, Coaches, Fans, Alums.

So, what will happen. Will we somehow win the SunBelt Conference again? Maybe?

And...if so, is it a temopary fix to a serious wound to our future in football here at The University of North Texas?

KingDL1 · October 23, 2005

Count me in, I am sorry it had to come to this point.

Travis · October 24, 2005

I don't blame you for feeling that way. I have been gettin' that vibe for some time now.

I do wonder what the players think of him... if they really buy into his system.

Edited October 24, 2005 by Travis

PlummMeanGreen · October 24, 2005

IMO, we don't need to get rid of a coach who just took our school to 4 bowl games in a row (never-minding it wasn't the Rose Bowl); but I feel DD needs to replace his Offensive Coordinator and then...............Coach Dickey needs to go out and get his dad's old Kansas State U playbook that featured much more passing (which is what 95% of today's NCAA D1-A teams are all doing if that statistic has slipped by a few of you).

We just need have the kind of offense that allows our team to have a chance to catch up when we get 2 or 3 touchdowns behind and we don't have that kind of offensive playbook right now. Just my .02 on the subject.

Edited October 24, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

risinggreen · October 24, 2005

Not yet. He has done enough over the last four years to deserve our loyalty through next year. If we don't get it together next year then it's time to start talking about a change. As far as the rest of the coaching staff is concerned, I'm all for wholesale changes. It just has do be done in an intelligent manner. JMHO.

PlummMeanGreen · October 24, 2005

Not yet. He has done enough over the last four years to deserve our loyalty through next year. If we don't get it together next year then it's time to start talking about a change. As far as the rest of the coaching staff is concerned, I'm all for wholesale changes. It just has do be done in an intelligent manner. JMHO.
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President George W. Bush calls it building up personal capital to be able to draw from in tough times. 4 bowl games in a row is some pretty nice capital for DD.

I am a novice college football fan as I'm sure many of you might even admit, but at NORTH TEXAS with our shaky fan base that can exceed well over 20,000 a game when times are going great guns and much less in bad times, we do need to consider the philosophy that we are (in deed) in the entertainment business here in the DFW Metroplex and treat it as such. Of course, I've been saying that for about 2 1/2 decades or since Hayden Fry left us for Iowa.

GMG!

Edited October 24, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

meangreendork · October 24, 2005

Let's do the OC first. Odds are, the cost will be lower for buying out and replacing him. If we get a creative OC, we can make use of Meager's foot speed, our twin RBs and JQ's speed and hands.

And heck, maybe he can really get down Meager's throat about his passing.

UNTSIG · October 24, 2005

I agree that Flannigan sucks as oc but come on guys, you act like we haven't sucked on offense for the last 4 years. Darrel needs to go. He is just not a good head coach. You are right, he does have a lot of capital built up from 4 consecutive bowl games but I think that our ad will look beyond those numbers and see the truth in the matter. He has not been that good over the past few years.

eulesseagle · October 24, 2005

GreenGrenadeII & KingDL1 --

We understand your continual posts on this board to gain support to replace DD.

There are, I think, about 2 or 3 more of you that continually post to replace DD.

1. Yes, our OOC record is terrible.

2. Yes, DD has taken UNT, who is in the worst D-1 Mid-Major conference to 4 SBC Bowl Games.

3. Yes, UNT has a better team than before DD arrived.

4. Yes, UNT's TOTAL athletic program is becoming more sucessful under RV, DD, JJ and all other athletic coaches.

5. Yes, better athletic facilities have been built and more are on the way.

6. Yes, I would have to stand in line and take a number to implode Fouts Field to build the new stadium.

7. Yes, $220,000/year salary would not get you much for a new coach since DD's salary (who has won 4 straight trips to the New Orleans Bowl) is not the highest in the SBC.

8. Yes, we are playing with a Freshman QB.

9. Yes, we will have a better team next year.

10. Yes, I am tired of all these posts who want to get rid of DD.

11. Yes, we will start to win OOC games.

UNTFan23 · October 24, 2005

1. Yes, our OOC record is terrible.
...
11. Yes, we will start to win OOC games.
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What exactly makes you think we'll buck the trend and start winning OOC games? We've had Dickey, for what, 8 seasons and he's won OOC 7 games in his career at NT.

flyonthewall · October 24, 2005

We cannot win OOC games when we take the same game plan in with athletes that are slightly inferior in some positions. We do not have the ability with this coaching staff to "outcoach" other teams.

j0nat8an · October 24, 2005

i am of the opinion that DD should go as well. i am perfectly willing to give him time for the team to struggle for a year since he has all the success. the thing that gets me is that we've been putting up with him for these years simply for the success on the field. once that's gone, there is not a thing about the way the man runs the program that is worth putting up with.

Gator · October 24, 2005

I agree that Flannigan sucks as oc but come on guys, you act like we haven't sucked on offense for the last 4 years. Darrel needs to go. He is just not a good head coach. You are right, he does have a lot of capital built up from 4 consecutive bowl games but I think that our ad will look beyond those numbers and see the truth in the matter. He has not been that good over the past few years.
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Evidently the earned capital does little good when recruiting comes around. After the first two bowls they should have been able to interest lineman that would now be showing some signs of knocking someone on their ass.

KingDL1 · October 24, 2005

There are those giving Dickey credit for what RV and BOR have done. Keep in mind that the school has been growing and there was a real need to modernize several areas of campus. UNT's record enrollment has nothing to do with DD.

UNT's NCAA Division 1 Football program works much like a business that has gone public. At North Texas we are still struggling to to have a stable fan-base. Until we get over the attendance problem we have to worry about title-9. We can't afford loyalties to DD. Much like a public company if they are floundering the stockholders expect something to be done. Not to wait until the company is completely bankrupt and their reputation destroyed to make the change because guess what it is over. We are the stockholders, UNT can't afford to give up all the progress RV has made promoting Tailgating and the game-day experience. We are seeing real progress in attendance. Make the change before we have the train wreck, promote the new coach as coaching progress and it shows that UNT is committed to Football and sports. It should help recruiting also. We have much more to gain making the change earlier than later.

If we get in a situation where our attendance falls low and football might be heading back to D1AA we just might see the Football program go away. We have forces in the University that feel Football is not necessary to the school and would prefer it gone. In 8 years DD has not show any improvement in his coaching ability, and I would bet anyone who has been a fan the last four or five years now knows how to call a draw play.

DD has had his chance in my book and maybe I expect more that others. I am worried about our football program staying afloat. The fans in North Texas area expect progress and most people I talk to just have not seen it with DD and that was before this year even started. DD has pretty much been slipping ever since DeLoach left.

NT80 · October 24, 2005

11. Yes, we will start to win OOC games.
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You obviously were not at the game in Ruston.

UNTLifer · October 24, 2005

PMG, why would we want DD's dad's playbook? Have you seen DD's stats from when he played at K-State? Not impressive.

Replace Flanigan? Why? He's running DD's system. Look at SMU's stats from when DD was their offensive coordinator. What makes you think it will improve with another OC?

This is DD's system, DD is the head coach which makes him accountable for what happens with his program. Our OOC record is an embarrassement and not because we have lost to OU, Texas, LSU, etc..., but because of the manner in which we have lost. We are not competitve, the team looks uninspired, the coaching staff runs the same gameplan against every opponent, we are undisciplined and DD points the blame at everything but the obvious.

It is time for a change for the benefit of this program.

TIgreen01 · October 24, 2005

i am of the opinion that DD should go as well. i am perfectly willing to give him time for the team to struggle for a year since he has all the success. the thing that gets me is that we've been putting up with him for these years simply for the success on the field. once that's gone, there is not a thing about the way the man runs the program that is worth putting up with.
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Ditto that sentiment.

Stan R · October 24, 2005

Ditto that sentiment.
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Double ditto.

untgirl04 · October 24, 2005

Without naming names, my husband works with a former player for the O-line under DD. My husband asked him what's with Flannigan calling all the run-up-the-middle plays on 3rd and long. The former player's response was that it wasn't Flannigan making the call. Oftentimes, DD would override the offensive calls to run the ball.

I'm not defending Flannigan, but I just wanted to point out that Flannigan is not wholly responsible for the playcalling.

MeanMag · October 24, 2005

I think some people don't appreciate how much fan support has increased under Dickey. Yes, INCREASED.

It's not just RV or enrollment. I have a coworker that graduated from UNT. When we were getting beat by South Florida and back in 2001, I was telling him we didn't have a bad team, and our defense was stellar and the most exciting defense I had ever seen.

He didn't believe me. I was persistent. We won the Sunbelt that year. In his opinion it was a fluke.

We did it again the next year.

His thoughts: How could it be?

We WIN the bowl game which happened to be televised.

His thoughts: I'm on board with Dickey ball.

We claim SBC title again the next year.

His thoughts: As long as Dickey is here we have a chance to do this every year.

He started going to games, supporting the team. Even joined the board and posts regularly.

Ever since, he has been a supporter of Dickey ball and Dickey has done nothing but strengthen his opinion of that. We owe Dickey more than one down year in which we have to start a freshman QB and graduated a defense last year.

PlummMeanGreen · October 24, 2005

Without naming names, my husband works with a former player for the O-line under DD. My husband asked him what's with Flannigan calling all the run-up-the-middle plays on 3rd and long. The former player's response was that it wasn't Flannigan making the call. Oftentimes, DD would override the offensive calls to run the ball.
I'm not defending Flannigan, but I just wanted to point out that Flannigan is not wholly responsible for the playcalling.
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Actually, it has been my understanding that Flanagan really does call all the plays, but that DD has power of veto on any of them and can change a play anytime.

We need personel who can run the old Big 8 style "3 yards and a cloud of dust" type offense that DD has at NT. Our OL this year I feel for some reason are keeping that from happening. Hope there are 2 or 3 JUCO OL out there who will sign with NT who can help us out very quickly next Fall. We need such JUCO offensive linemen who will be enrolled at NT this January as to play Spring football next semester

So proper offensive adjustment to the personel you now have would be a good thing right now at NT. Saw in a sports publication last week that 95% of NCAA D1-A offenses have the forward pass as an integral part of all their offense. If anyone noticed, it was passing that kept us from getting shut out the other day in Ruston, so there really must be something positive about such trick plays, eh?

GMG!

Edited October 24, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

untgirl04 · October 24, 2005

Actually, it has been my understanding that Flanagan really does call all the plays, but that DD has power of veto on any of them and can change a play anytime.
We need personel who can run the old Big 8 style "3 yards and a cloud of dust" type offense that DD has at NT. Our OL this year I feel for some reason are keeping that from happening. Hope there are 2 or 3 JUCO OL out there who will sign with NT who can help us out very quickly next Fall. We need such JUCO offensive linemen who will be enrolled at NT this January as to play Spring football next semester
So proper offensive adjustment to the personel you now have would be a good thing right now at NT. Saw in a sports publication last week that 95% of NCAA D1-A offenses have the forward pass as an integral part of all their offense. If anyone noticed, it was passing that kept us from getting shut out the other day in Ruston, so there really must be something positive about such trick plays, eh?
GMG!
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Plumm,

Thanks for correcting me. I misspoke. Yes, Flannigan does call the plays and DD has the power to override him. My point (although mis-typed) was that DD overrules Flannigan on 3rd and long on occasion and calls the run up the middle. The point of the post was to agree with the fact that what we need is a change in coaching philosophy and play calling here. And that starts at the top.