19K+ At Game

KingDL1 · November 20, 2005

At my job we set very high goals because the end product is directly related to those gaols.

Then we strive to come up with ways to surpass those goals.

If you have a "can do" attitude, with a "how can we make this happen now" approach good things happen very good things.

But all I see at UNT concerning football is "why we can't do it now", "that is too much to expect", "That will never work", "we are not good enough", "at least we are better than before","we can't be competitive with the big boys", etc...

UNTSportsGuy · November 20, 2005

I plan on having a section to myself in the student side next weekend.

PlummMeanGreen · November 20, 2005

I think we are on the same side, I get as many friends to come to the games as possible, but they just don't care or think it won't be any fun.
I finally got them to go to a basketball game, they had a great time and couldn't wait for the next home game. But it is the attitude of no caring or having "better" things to do that really makes me mad. The fact that most people won't even give it a chance.
However, I think a lot of students gave this football team a chance, if they come back next year will be the big question.
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If I told you, UNTSportsGuy, that one very high profile TV sports commentator thinks the NT football job is a Top 25 program just waiting to happen and that he is aware of a very high profile coach out there who is interested in the NT head football coach's job, how would that make you (or anyone else reading this for that matter) feel about the present situation we have happening now)?

So do we give all this another year or 2 or 3 or 4 with DD knowing that the results still won't get DD to .500 in light of the trends we are now seeing? Yet if we knew that that someone out there who was willing to come to UNT and was one who could take us 2 or 3 steps higher than we've ever been PLUS one who waiting in the wings to come to Denton, do we shoot down that golden opportunity while it is an opportunity? Or do we give another coach a year or 2 to try to get to .500 when that coach lost ground with that this Fall even in the Sun Belt Conference?

FWIW, we have given one other NT coach about 17 years to do such, that is try to get to evem remotely close to .500. Is that just what we are all about at NORTH TEXAS? Do yall know of any other NCAA D1-A school that would use NT as their model in such things? I for damn sure don't know of any businesses that would.

GOD BLESS TEXAS...

Edited November 20, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

UNTSportsGuy · November 20, 2005

I believe we have reached the next level, and have begun to plateau as a program. I feel that if we don't do something (whatever it may be), we will never reach the next level. I don't think the next level is the Top 25, but I feel that the next level is complete domination of the Belt plus the ablity to win in OOC games. I think the new stadium may be the "next" level, but I won't hold my breath to see that complete. Maybe if we coughed up a little more money, we could bring a bigger name coach in who wants the challenge, and opportunity that we could offer. Maybe we need assistant coaches who excell are recruiting (basketball's top 30 class, done mostly by the new assistant coach), I don't know the anwser, but I think RV has come to a cross in the roads, where we can either go up or down, but staying the same will only lead us to going down.

PlummMeanGreen · November 20, 2005

I believe we have reached the next level, and have begun to plateau as a program. I feel that if we don't do something (whatever it may be), we will never reach the next level. I don't think the next level is the Top 25, but I feel that the next level is complete domination of the Belt plus the ablity to win in OOC games. I think the new stadium may be the "next" level, but I won't hold my breath to see that complete. Maybe if we coughed up a little more money, we could bring a bigger name coach in who wants the challenge, and opportunity that we could offer. Maybe we need assistant coaches who excell are recruiting (basketball's top 30 class, done mostly by the new assistant coach), I don't know the anwser, but I think RV has come to a cross in the roads, where we can either go up or down, but staying the same will only lead us to going down.
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100% totally agree with you, UNTSportsGuy....

...but I think many would be surprised how a how profile name coach at NT could spring board our program up 2 or more levels rather quickly just based on his name ID.

Heck, look how UTEP was ranked anywhere from 90-100 in 2004 pre-season and how in just one year (2005) with their high profile Coach Price; anyway, how the Miners were in many 2005 summer college football magazines Top 25 check lists? Think Coach Price being in El Paso had a whole lot to do with that?

To a large degree, we saw Hayden Fry do something similar in a totally different era and at a much smaller NT campus (enrollment-wise) and a Denton County that had only 99,000 population (compared to 560,000 citiznes now). What the high profile Hayden Fry did at UNT (after all) landed him a Big 10 job that he also turned around its football program after the Hawkeyes had had decades of a losing legacy.

GOD BLESS TEXAS...

Edited November 20, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

shaft · November 20, 2005

The remark about Weatherbie's contract is wrong.

It gets paide the difference between what UL-M pays him and what he got at Navy as part of his buy out with Navy. UL-M also has 2 head coaches, with a certain ex-army coach on staff, with a simular pay out option.

PlummMeanGreen · November 20, 2005

The remark about Weatherbie's contract is wrong.
It gets paide the difference between what UL-M pays him and what he got at Navy as part of his buy out with Navy. UL-M also has 2 head coaches, with a certain ex-army coach on staff, with a simular pay out option.
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I'll pass that on, shaft, but the other aspects he said of ULM are right on as I think most were topics on this very message board when ULM was on the brink of dropping football, sports or just dropping back down to the 1-AA SLC (which now has teams ranked above ULM &, uh................UNT.

In other words, Dollar General beat J.C. Penny's last night at Fouts Field. What I think he was telling me was that UNT is a school that had much more going for it (re$ource-wise) than its Homecoming opponent of last night. Who could disagree with that?

But I still defer to the epistle on page 2 of this thread that suggests that ULM is just a BB in the bucket compared to what NT's football situation has been evolving down to the last few years.

GOD BLESS TEXAS...

Edited November 20, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

DeepGreen · November 21, 2005

I don't think the next level is the Top 25, but I feel that the next level is complete domination of the Belt plus the ablity to win in OOC games. I think the new stadium may be the "next" level...
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These have to be UNT's goals for the next 3 -4 years. Whatever it takes, we have to do it. I'm not satisfied at all with our performance this year. If recruiting suffered that past couple of years and we are now seeing the effects of it(no quality depth), then heads should roll and changes made.

I decided to attend the ULM game despite our record. I was expecting a smallish crowd, tailgating down, and a really bad loss for NT. I could not believe the tailgaiting going on regardless of how the season has been going. What a pleasant surprise! It's bigger and better than the first game I attended this year against Tulsa. And the crowd was really nice despite the record and the cold weather. And once Phillips was put into the game, the crowd responded. True, we lost the game, but that goes back to the recruiting and lack of depth. What I really noticed is how small we seem to be compared to the Tulsa, La Tech and ULM players. Size wise, we sure don't look like D1A. We need to recruit some beef that can block and hold a block; larger defensive linemen that can bust up those passing plays. Jyles should have been wiped out several times last night.

We're gaining on it, but changes need to be made.

ntmeangreen11 · November 21, 2005

I saw Harmon miss his man several times last night, wondering why Charley Brown is not getting more PT!

The play where Cobbs went backwards 20 yards was at first a direct result of Harmon missing his man, then just back running skills(which couldnt come from the national rushing champion right? )

November 21, 2005

We have to get someone the recruits will recognize as a success. That will cost a lot of money, but it is worth it. We need playmakers to be competitive. Being competitive in football is an important step in improving overall recognition and status of NT.

PlummMeanGreen · November 21, 2005

These have to be UNT's goals for the next 3 -4 years. Whatever it takes, we have to do it. I'm not satisfied at all with our performance this year. If recruiting suffered that past couple of years and we are now seeing the effects of it(no quality depth), then heads should roll and changes made.
I decided to attend the ULM game despite our record. I was expecting a smallish crowd, tailgating down, and a really bad loss for NT. I could not believe the tailgaiting going on regardless of how the season has been going. What a pleasant surprise! It's bigger and better than the first game I attended this year against Tulsa. And the crowd was really nice despite the record and the cold weather. And once Phillips was put into the game, the crowd responded. True, we lost the game, but that goes back to the recruiting and lack of depth. What I really noticed is how small we seem to be compared to the Tulsa, La Tech and ULM players. Size wise, we sure don't look like D1A. We need to recruit some beef that can block and hold a block; larger defensive linemen that can bust up those passing plays. Jyles should have been wiped out several times last night.
We're gaining on it, but changes need to be made.
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Deep, you've been around this a long time, too, and you recognize things happening that those who have been around the NT college football scene observe and recognize that (in deed) changes do need to be made. There is much more to this than meets the public eye or what is even posted about on GMG.com. about this football season and the other prior recruiting years leading up to this 2005 football season. I don't know if present NT officials will have the kahunas to do what others did with the next few coach's I've listed below when the stakes were not nearly as high as they are now with UNT Athletics, football specifically since it pays most of the bills (or is supposed to at non BCS locales). After all, this is a football program that needs to be running on all cylinders by the time we move across Interstate 35-E to a new 35-40,000 seat football stadium. The cylinders seem to be all gummed up at this moment in time.

This football season under DD so reminds me of Corky Nelson's last year (1990) as NT's head football coach; Dennis Parker's last year (1993) as head football coach at NT and Matt Simon's last year (1997) too. BTW, none of those 3 ex NT coach's ever publicly said anything negative on their radio shows about their employer, our facilities or its fans, alums and supporters. I know, because I listened to most every one of the aforementioned coach's shows (and attended many of Simon's in person at the Denton Radisson and those broadcast by KTCK "The Ticket" in the first year or so (if memory serves me on that).

Corky Nelson: In 1990, Nelson's last NT football team went 6 & 5; we saw the largest crowd in Fouts Field history and we beat SMU in front of that crowd. Did all those things became keepers for Corky's future at NT? Not hardly, because NT officials saw the program was on a roller coaster ride and not going much further with Nelson in charge. They knew the right time to pull the trigger with that NT football regime. NOTE: NT once had another coach in its past who was fired from SMU after he led his team to a 7 & 4 season in his last year on the Hilltop. So its not always about what happens in the same year some coach's get the axe as it is moreso what has happened over a period of time AND...........if the program they are leading is showing any semblance of postive trends in the athletic environment (conference) it is a member.

Dennis Parker: The main thing with Parker was that NT officials decided to go for the gusto and try to get attendance numbers in the 1994 season in order to get back to NCAA D1-A. Dennis Parker's leadership (or lack of connection with our fans & alumnus base) would never allow us to get the attendance with the ex Texas HS FB coach as head football coach from what I heard from an NT official back in that day. So they terminated a very fine Christian gentleman, one Dennis Parker, but his religion or being a "good guy" had nothing to do with his firing. He would not be marketable in a year NT was going to do somthing quite granidose, like try to get back the the upper division of NCAA Most of us wholeheartedly agreed with our NT officials decision in removing Parker because we didn't think we'd have a snow balls chance in hell to meet NCAA D1-A criteria with him as head football coach at NT. Who would buy tickets (en mass) to watch what they had already seen under Parker?

Matt Simon: Coach Simon became NT's first coach since we got back to NCAA D1-A classification. He was absolutely perfect in the beginnning. He had great rapport with the fans. He was very complementary of our fans and alums which (only) helped him, his football team and UNT officials get their average of almost 20,000 per home game in 1994 that would meet NCAA D1-A. UNT was back in the football bu$ine$$ again. THEN.........things went south almost beginnning with a fumbled punt return vs Texas A & M at Texas Stadium before NT's largest home crowd in its entire football history, approx. 50,000.

Coach Simon was said to have become bitter with UNT AD Craig Helwig because our AD would not give him a complete 100% "wussy" football schedule as to help him get some wins so he could make his next move up the NCAA food chain. Unfortunately, Helwig gave him just the opposite schedule-wise. Some thought Simon had what was the equivalence of some kind of breakdown toward his career end as NT football coach. On his last national recruiting signing day get-together, he would hardly talk to NT fans and alums who were in the NT Athletic Dept. to hear of his recruiting haul because he had become so bitter with Helwig and most everything in general.

GOD BLESS TEXAS...

Edited November 21, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

November 21, 2005

Those are some excellent lessons and point the way NOT to go. NT needs to get in mind something completely different from that collection.

meanrob · November 21, 2005

If I told you, UNTSportsGuy, that one very high profile TV sports commentator thinks the NT football job is a Top 25 program just waiting to happen and that he is aware of a very high profile coach out there who is interested in the NT head football coach's job, how would that make you (or anyone else reading this for that matter) feel about the present situation we have happening now)?
So do we give all this another year or 2 or 3 or 4 with DD knowing that the results still won't get DD to .500 in light of the trends we are now seeing? Yet if we knew that that someone out there who was willing to come to UNT and was one who could take us 2 or 3 steps higher than we've ever been PLUS one who waiting in the wings to come to Denton, do we shoot down that golden opportunity while it is an opportunity? Or do we give another coach a year or 2 to try to get to .500 when that coach lost ground with that this Fall even in the Sun Belt Conference?
FWIW, we have given one other NT coach about 17 years to do such, that is try to get to evem remotely close to .500. Is that just what we are all about at NORTH TEXAS? Do yall know of any other NCAA D1-A school that would use NT as their model in such things? I for damn sure don't know of any businesses that would.
GOD BLESS TEXAS...
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As usual no facts in your posts, just a bunch of "I heard this from....(insert _____ because no one is ever quoted directly)

Anybody, and I mean ANYBODY who thinks this is a top 25 program waiting to happen is either stupid or very ignorant. Or blowing smoke, take your pick.

We're not even a top 75 program at this point and not anywhere near top 50. Not at the infrastructure level, the attendance level, fundraising level, or any level other than our location. And I would say we have even failed at taking advantage of that.

Please don't give me this crap about FSU or Miami or a couple of other schools that once were doormats but grew into powers. That was a very different time.

In the speed of light you went from complaining about the negativity to jumping right on board, yet nowhere do I see you acknowledging that those who weren't "it's all green and all good" may have been right in the first place. Is that possible?

I'd say, if you think DD is the only problem, you are indeed setting your goals too low.

rob

PlummMeanGreen · November 21, 2005

As usual no facts in your posts, just a bunch of "I heard this from....(insert _____ because no one is ever quoted directly)
Anybody, and I mean ANYBODY who thinks this is a top 25 program waiting to happen is either stupid or very ignorant. Or blowing smoke, take your pick.
We're not even a top 75 program at this point and not anywhere near top 50. Not at the infrastructure level, the attendance level, fundraising level, or any level other than our location. And I would say we have even failed at taking advantage of that.
Please don't give me this crap about FSU or Miami or a couple of other schools that once were doormats but grew into powers. That was a very different time.
In the speed of light you went from complaining about the negativity to jumping right on board, yet nowhere do I see you acknowledging that those who weren't "it's all green and all good" may have been right in the first place. Is that possible?
I'd say, if you think DD is the only problem, you are indeed setting your goals too low.
rob
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Harry/Cerebus, I simply am responding to this one:

meanrob, good to see that you still proclaim yourself the self appointed high judge of posts concerning NT. You are the one poster on GMG.com I always make a habit not to read or really care what you have to say with what seems to always have a dark cloud hanging over it or for damn sure one that is nearby.

You hang around NT Athletics another 20 years then get back with me with your opinion; but I probably still wouldn't pay much attention to them then in the style you would choose to craft them. I actually was an NT student when we were ranked in the Top 20 poll once or twice, so it really has been done before in Denton and I guess maybe history will one day repeat itself.

BTW, all of that that you criticized "meanrob style" was a theoretical scenario so I guess you might say that there really is no source or person at all. So FWIW, I guess you kind of missed it altogether with that one. Sorry to disappoint...

And how unfortunate you continue to think so lowly of the potential of your collegiate alma mater's football future. Not really very becoming of an ex Ulys Knight Spirit Award winner some might even say.

Suggestion: You don't read my posts and I'll continue to not read yours. (I just moments ago received an email from one who said I might want to respond to your latest gem since it involved a post of mine; hence, the reason I read it at all.

And I'm glad a board was created where you would ultimately feel more comfortable. You know, I extended an apology to you about 5 years ago on a matter that came up on this board, sorry it didn't seem to take as far as you were concerned, but that ball is in your corner now--not mine. Peace...

GOD BLESS TEXAS!

Edited November 21, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

meanrob · November 21, 2005

I only respond at all because you have called out those who were supposedly "negative" in the past and now I find it amusing that you are now posting things to what you in the past ridiculed.

Dark cloud? Maybe. But I don't go around kidding myself or others that this program will reach better heights just because so-so said this or I heard this from some un-named person. Or certainly not because one man did it for a couple of years than moved on thirty years ago. Hell, using that logic UTEP should win another BBall national championship any day now.

"BTW, all of that that you criticized "meanrob style" was a theoretical scenario so I guess you might say that there really is no source or person at all."

Not sure what that means, you are the one who said a TV commentator said UNT was top 25 program in the making. But I do believe the second half of that statement.

By the way, being ranked doesn't mean you are a top 25 program. If that were the case Fry never would have left. It means that for that week a bunch of writers or coaches think you are that number team for the week. Last week UTEP was ranked, Tennessee was not. Are you telling me that UTEP is a better program than UT?

You sell hope without substance, hate to tell you but eventually somebody has to provide the substance.

Cerebus is the high judge. I am merely a jester in the court of public opinion. And only a part-time jester at that.

PlummMeanGreen · November 21, 2005

FFR, I agree with you on RV's pro-active efforts under difficult circumstances. I just wish he had more control or autonomy and if that would be the case, I think he would have been and would (today) be even more effective.
IF YOU ARE HAPPY WITH SBC MEDIOCRITY, NO OOC WINS, PAST ANNUAL BOWL LOSSES TO CUSA'S 4'TH PLACE TEAM AND IN GENERAL..........STATUS QUO, THEN DON'T READ THE REST OF THIS...
BUT...
One concern that a long time UNT fan and fellow alum of ours expressed to me just yesterday was how we at NT are (sadly) beginning to find satisfaction with only meeting the required 15K per game minimum average; and that even in the 2004 season after 3 bowl games in a row (with last years barely above 15K per game average) and now this year.
He the pointed out to me that it was the acceptance of this mediocrity that seems to be breeding (with warp speed) among way too many at NT. He had an answer on how to solve much of this as far as football was concerned, but I told him that our (seemed) "blind leading the blind" acceptance of mediocrity might possibly even shoot that down (for now), that is, unless NT officials will just sit down, start looking at the real facts as they are happening in the athletic environment we're in, ie, the SBC (and then start projecting what may be some not so good upcoming figure$).
The NT powers that be might also want to now start comparing our recruiting efforts to those we previously thought we were even with, ie, TU and La Tech; and now even some in the Sun Belt? Have any of campus decision makers even thought of going outside our campus to an unbiased college football expert to get their opinion on what they see to be happening at NT with the conference we are in? They will surely never find that among many on this board as there seems to be a weekly 180 degree vascillation of opinion on the direction of our football program and that based too many times with the mood of the moment (or if DD spoke to or was nice to a GMG.com poster at some recent time or another).
Then he pointed out to me another "tell-tell" sign with our acceptance of this "just gettting by with the bare minimum" mentality at NT is how some alums are even excited with how we played, uh, the "University of Louisiana-Monroe" a close game at our own Homecoming.
He pointed out to me just how low the ULM Indians were ranked in Jeff Sagarin's rating system (with some in NCAA 1-AA now ranked above both ULM and NT and some in both our former conference--the mighty 1-AA Southland Conference). Then he added just how low our entire conference is ranked compared to others not classified at the NCAA D1-A level. BTW, the lowly ranked ULM Indians play for the SBC football championship at ULaLa next Saturday. How much bad ink and laughs will this Lafayette Bowl game bring everyone connected in the SBC; you know, when they see a composite W/L record of all the teams who are in it? Amazing how one coach has been able to excel as long as the rest of the SBC stayed (with lack of a better word)...p-a-t-h-e-t-i-c <>*<> I defer to 2005 SBC team's W/L records as recent further proof of that.
GOOD GRIEF! Then our fellow NT alum pointed out these facts about the team who beat us last night when he said: "You know, we are talking about a football program that pays its head football coach (Weatherby) about $60,000 or so a year, a program with about a $4 million athletic budget and a program that was within a gnat's whisker of dropping football 3 or 4 years ago.
OUR FELLOW NT EX WAS JUST LIKE A BIRD DOG AS HE JUST KEPT ON A-POINTIN': Well, he then................pointed out to me that ULM was even now showing up in recent Dallas Morning News Area Top 100 list and the University of North Texas was not. He even offerred up a new theory pointing out to me that maybe the reason DD and gang don't reveal who we are recruiting annually is that they don't won't our NT alums & fans to know how schools like Tulsa University and Lousiana Tech (who we assumed we were even the last 4 years until they dramatically showed us other-wise); anyway, he pointed out just how those 2 schools (and others) have been kicking our butts on the recruiting trail each of the last 4 years (and even in our own DFW backyard.
As much as I wanted to disagree with what our fellow NT alum was saying--I couldn't. NOTE: I told him we still had some darn good football players in Mean Green Country, he agreed but he also pointed out to me that they just didn't have enough surrounding them (due to now obvious recruiting shortfalls the last 4 years); that is, they didn't have enough to complement their excellent talents as to help them become successful in what Jeff Sagarin says is a very low ranked NCAA D1-A Sun Belt Conference.
Finally, he pointed out to me that way too many NT alums will just go along for the ride, bury their heads in the sand, and just buy into all this mediocrity or status quo business. Still he was most concerned how he felt many of our NT elect seem to think DD will be just hunky dory as long as he gets NT football (only) back to the level of SBC competition. We both even laughed at those now pushing for WAC membership knowing that we would have finished toward the bottom of the WAC this year; you know, right along with their newest members who came from, uh, just which "NCAA 1-A" conference?
Anyone else out there think outsiders, sports media types, would-be recruits (and some NT coaches who know they don't really have to do much at NT to be successful and become long time employees) will just start calling.............. all of us who actually support that modus operendi in Mean Green Country, uh..... Stepford Eagles?!?!
Question? What did our fellow NT Ex say that was not incorrect?
"If you set low goals, you will surely meet them." (Dr. Norman V. Peale)
GOD BLESS TEXAS...
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OK, to get back on track, I posted the above epistle because 4 games in the 2005 football schedule (TU, LTU, FIU and FAU) completely changed my mind with the direction I feel the NT football program is headed under the leadership of one Darrell Dickey. I guess people can and do change their minds from time to time. To me, it would be a positive (not a negative) to replace DD as head football coach in light of the conference neighborhood we are in.

Last time I felt as strong about their needing to be a head football coaching changes were (strangely enough) the year Corky Nelson was released and even the year Dennis Parker was terminated. I have one longtime fellow alum (and friend) who would even verify that in both cases. That fellow alum knows that some strongly worded corespondence from myself and others who post on GMG.com to the NT Board of Regents helped to enable those 2 coach's last years at UNT.

And was seeing 2 NT employees getting fired someting I was proud to have played a very, very small part of? Hell no it wasn't a proud moment (how could it be), but all this with the University of North Texas has always been much larger than any one football coach or any one Big Donor.

I think we have seen more than anyone needs to see with on the field and off the field situations with our present football regime that should really not surprise anyone if there were a change of direction with NT football, but that's a decision that will come from others--for certain not any of us..

In my opinion (which I believe this board is still all about); anyway, I feel NT needs this change now in light of what we have been told by NT officials inasmuch as they want to take this football program to higher levels than where we are now. Talk with Rick V and he will tell you his dreams for NT, but Rick V and Company are doing more than just dreaming, too. How's that? I think the proof of the pudding in that is what is presently happening at our Eagle Point Campus on those 200 acres. I don't think once finished, that the SBC is what they even have in mind for our future league home with such facilities that a virtual tour video suggests we will have; allthough I think most of us will agree that the SBC will be home for awhile until many other factors improve at our main campus. SBC domination coupled with OOC wins is essential for UNT. IMO, we are not getting there with this present NT football coaching staff.

Yet if NT officials want to continue to convince our fan base and cause us all to believe they are serious about going to the next level, I suppose they have some very important decisions to make in due time with the kind of personnel that can get us there. Now what their idea of what that proper due time to make changes is going to be is the $60,000 question.

GOD BLESS TEXAS!

November 21, 2005

It's more like the $600,000 question!

NT needs to hire one of the assistants from Texas who has been around Mack Brown long enough to learn how it's done. That would be the start of a serious commitment to elevation. Until something like that gets going we're spinning our wheels.

Anyone who doesn't see the special opportunity available to UNT is just blind.

Baby Arm! · November 21, 2005

NT needs to hire one of the assistants from Texas who has been around Mack Brown long enough to learn how it's done. That would be the start of a serious commitment to elevation. Until something like that gets going we're spinning our wheels.
Anyone who doesn't see the special opportunity available to UNT is just blind.
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Wasnt that the philosophy that gave us Vic Tilli as a basketball coach?

November 21, 2005

Wasnt that the philosophy that gave us Vic Tilli as a basketball coach?
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Maybe they got the wrong assistant from the wrong staff in that case.

eulesseagle · November 21, 2005

Trilli was a great catch for UNT....unfortunately:

1. He let go just about all of the UNT BB Team

2. He was a great recruiter for UT

3. He got some phenominal recruits to come to UNT (some of which transfered to other programs...i.e. Okie State and UT)

4. He scheduled some great teams to come to UNT.

5. He OVERLOADED our schedule with teams that literally beat the heavenly daylights out of our young team.

6. He was plauged with injury and grades.

7. He may have lost sight that loosing by 20-30 points demorilizes young impressionable BB players.

DD---

Here we go again........

1. 2000 ..... won 3

2. 2001 ..... won 5

3. 2002 ..... won 8

4. 2003 ..... won 9

5. 2004 ..... won 7

6. 2005 ..... won 2 (with one game to go)

Nobody seemed to complain a whole lot the last several years on what DD was doing other than not winning OOC games.

1. Evidently DD has been able to recruit to get these numbers on a consistant basis.

2. So what if he is having an off year!!!! Just about every coach has an off year!! Take a look at some (JoPa & Stoops).

3. I am not so much concerned about this year. Naturally, my expectations were high this year like everyone else....but stuff happens like Cobbs/Thomas being hampered by minor injuries. At least DD had the professional sense not to play them a great deal in hopes that the injuries would heal. About half our team were starters. Our original first string QB flunked out....well that leaves to Frosh QB's (a RS & true Frosh).

4. DD is becoming more versitile in his play calling. When have we ever seen this many passes in the DD era?? I believe that he is developing some really good young talent this year and because of this we will definitely see a much improved FB team next year.

5. IMHO UNT will win the SBC next year, those who dislike DD this year will still dislike DD next year, those of use who have seen coaches like Otis Mitchell, Ron Rust, Haden Fry..........etc....etc.....etc......may have a little more insight that ONE BAD YEAR does not give some the right to call for a lyching party for DD.

6. You have to remember that DD had UNT ranked, for what is worth, in the MID-MAJOR TOP 10 not too long ago. That demonstrates ability.

7. If you take a look at the current Top 25 you only see 2, I repeat 2, MID-MAJOR programs....TCU and Fresno State. IMHO UNT has the ability to make it there.

8. Get that stadium built.

9. Our attendance is up.

ipEAGLE · November 21, 2005

I remember when we were listed in the top 10 mid majors by acouple websites... but I bet we couldn't have beat anyone on those lists. We were ranked ahead of Memphis and USM.

Those lists mean absolutely nothing when you can't beat anyone on them.

Edited November 21, 2005 by ipEAGLE

eulesseagle · November 21, 2005

ipEagle---

If YOU think UNT could not have beaten some of those top 10 Mid-Major teams is a moot point!! We will never know!! IMHO I think we could have!!

However, UNT WAS ranked in the TOP 10 of Mid-Majors, and that is fact!! Would you have that same opinion of UNT if we were ranked in the Top 25, again???

My point is that DD has brought respectability to the UNT FB program and now he is having an off year and you want to replace him???? Show the man some respectability for what he has done up to this point!!! ipEagle....I looked up in the sky this morning and it "ain't falling." Be patient, go outside and take a couple of breaths of fresh North Texas air and everything will be ok

I respect your opinion but humbly disagree.

untbowler · November 21, 2005

ipEagle---
If YOU think UNT could not have beaten some of those top 10 Mid-Major teams is a moot point!! We will never know!! IMHO I think we could have!!
However, UNT WAS ranked in the TOP 10 of Mid-Majors, and that is fact!! Would you have that same opinion of UNT if we were ranked in the Top 25, again???
My point is that DD has brought respectability to the UNT FB program and now he is having an off year and you want to replace him???? Show the man some respectability for what he has done up to this point!!! ipEagle....I looked up in the sky this morning and it "ain't falling." Be patient, go outside and take a couple of breaths of fresh North Texas air and everything will be ok
I respect your opinion but humbly disagree.
←

We were ranked Top 10 at the start if the year, so obviously the sportswriters were either seeing some serious talent or they were sucking down the green kool-aid like all of us.

DD probably does deserve a break for this season, but 4 Conference losses is pathetic after winning 4 straight Titles, where are the recruits from those 4 titles???

Stan R · November 21, 2005

People that are claiming 15K is actual buts in seats are crazy. I'd estimate actual buts in sets at around 18,000.

eulesseagle · November 21, 2005

untbowler---

YOU can not be serious with that post comparing 2003 and 2004 to this year???

1. This year we were not returning about 3/4 + of the entire team plus returning an experienced Jr/Sr. QB.

2. UNT was ranked in the top 10 of Mid-Majors other than this year, as you remember!!

3. Let me ask you point blank..........after one bad year do YOU want to replace DD?? I don't!!

4. This brings us to the much talked about topic on the board: "who ya goin get for what we pay??" You actually going to get rid of someone who has revived the UNT FB program, put us in the top 10 of mid-majors and won 4 SBC championships???

5. UNT is fortunate to have DD and I do not think ONE BAD year is enough to tell him to pack his bags. Like some of you I DO NOT want to play "Musical Coach." At least we know what DD is capable of doing---his record shows that (ok, so he needs to win more OOC games...I agree).

6. Darn.......I am almost getting like Plummgreen on my posts.....sorry plum!!