RV expresses confidence in DD

[MeanGreen61]

Football: Villarreal confident in Dickey’s abilities

Athletic director, coach meet to discuss future of UNT football program

08:41 AM CST on Friday, December 9, 2005

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal expressed confidence in head football coach Darrell Dickey and his efforts to rebuild the Mean Green after a 2-9 season on Thursday, just a few days after a postseason meeting.

“The meeting was for us to look at what we can do to make sure that we give the team the best opportunity to be successful and make sure that our expectations are the same,” Villarreal said. “We were both in agreement. I am very confident that coach Dickey will work hard to make the adjustments that need to be made.”

Villarreal said Dickey would return for his ninth season at UNT in 2006.

UNT won the Sun Belt Conference title and played in the New Orleans Bowl in four straight seasons while producing a pair of national rushing champions in Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas from 2001-04 before a down year last season.

UNT was picked to win a fifth straight Sun Belt title in the league’s preseason poll, but lost five conference games by a combined 21 points.

“Rick gave me a lot of opinions on what he saw and what we can do better,” Dickey said. “It was a productive meeting.”

Dickey said the meeting was the first he has had with Villarreal following a season since the beginning of the Mean Green’s run as Sun Belt champions.

UNT has made several improvements to its facilities since the beginning of the Mean Green’s run as Sun Belt champs, including the addition of an athletic center and new artificial turf at Fouts Field.

[NT80]

Dickey said the meeting was the first he has had with Villarreal following a season since the beginning of the Mean Green’s run as Sun Belt champions.

←

That seems a little odd not to have a formal meeting until now.

Do you think fan public relations was discussed at this meeting?

[VideoEagle]

That seems a little odd not to have a formal meeting until now. 

←

Not really. DD would want to do his evaluation of the entire program first. Then he'd want to go over things with each coach individually. RV would also do his evaluation.

Only then would both sit down together in a formal situation.

I'd think there would be some imformal discussions before the formal one.

[emmitt01]

You do all know what this is don't you? Anytime an AD or a football team owner comes out and gives the "vote of confidence" to a head coach it is the death knell for that coach.

"Vote of confidence" translates to "produce or else."

[NM Green]

I can't believe we are going into our 9th year with Dickey. That just seems crazy long! I can't believe we have endured each other for 8 complete years already.

I love stability and believe our success in the previous years was due in part to our stability at the leadership position. However, many programs that hold on to a coach for 8 years have a warm and fuzzy relationship between the HC and fanbase. I have never seen that in Denton. Even during Dickey's sunny days I don't think the fanbase ever put him up on a pedastal and proclaimed him our saviour! There were a lot of fans during the 4 year run that still disliked Dickey mightily.

It's a tense filled relationship at best which is weird after 9 years. Other long time coaches seem to have garnered some love and patience from the masses to endure a dreadfull fall from grace like we had this year. When we look back in 10 or 20 years I believe we will look at the Dickey era and regime as awesome and horrific all in the same sentence. The weirder part would be to still be in the Dickey regime 10 years from now.

After Monroe in 2001 I don't put anything in the "never" category.

Right the ship Dickey and try to make some friends along the way!

GMG

[pollock]

You do all know what this is don't you?  Anytime an AD or a football team owner comes out and gives the "vote of confidence" to a head coach it is the death knell for that coach. 

"Vote of confidence" translates to "produce or else."

←

Probably so. "formal meeting" = "getting called on the carpet."

[Cerebus]

Do you think fan public relations was discussed at this meeting?

←

Yes.

I honestly think you will see a change in behavior.

[MeanGreenBuzz]

So how did DD vote towards RF. Did he get a "vote of confidence?"

[Green92]

Yes.

I honestly think you will see a change in behavior.

←

I sure hope so. I think a lot of people tolerated DD because of the conference championships. I'm pretty forgiving, but his jabs at the school, fans, and facilities rub me the wrong way. He seems to me to be a real player’s coach, but he needs to be a fan's coach too.

[NT80]

Not really. DD would want to do his evaluation of the entire program first. Then he'd want to go over things with each coach individually. RV would also do his evaluation.

Only then would both sit down together in a formal situation.

I'd think there would be some imformal discussions before the formal one.

←

No, I meant odd to not had a formal meeting since before the first SBC Championship (2001), if that's what the article meant. I thought most coaches were annually evaluated?

[SilverEagle]

He seems to me to be a real player’s coach, but he needs to be a fan's coach too.

←

I don't understand how someone might think those are mutually exclusive concepts.

[VideoEagle]

No, I meant odd to not had a formal meeting since before the first SBC Championship (2001), if that's what the article meant.  I thought most coaches were annually evaluated?

←

Wow! Your right. I understood all of the coaches/programs were evaluated for progress after each season. At least was the impression I had gotten from RV in the past.

Hopefully, the writer just wrote the sentence wrong and this is the first formal meeting since the END of the string of conference championships.

[KingDL1]

No, I meant odd to not had a formal meeting since before the first SBC Championship (2001), if that's what the article meant.  I thought most coaches were annually evaluated?

←

The story goes that RV and DD have not really talked in the last four plus years because RV wanted to fire him then and did not want to extend his contract. The BOR (AKA Bobby Ray) handcuffed RV and took his power over DD away. So for the most part they had nothing to talk about.

After reading this article it would seem the BOR may have restored some of RV's power. I heard RF is done for sure, at the game before Thanksgiving. And I would not be totally surprised if something happens with DD like he resigns or a mutual agreement is made that he needs to move on for everyone concerned.

Bobby Ray is not a stupid man he may have other ideas also, just not public yet.

[NT80]

After reading this article it would seem the BOR may have restored some of RV's power. I heard RF is done for sure, at the game before Thanksgiving. And I would not be totally surprised if something happens with DD like he resigns or a mutual agreement is made that he needs to move on for everyone concerned.

Bobby Ray is not a stupid man he may have other ideas also, just not public yet.

←

Ah, a glimmer of hope, thanks.

[keith]

“Rick gave me a lot of opinions on what he saw and what we can do better,” Dickey said. “It was a productive meeting.”

←

I thought this was an interesting quote. Not "observations" or "feedback" ... opinions and we all know the saying about opinions.

Keith

[MeanGreenPOP]

I hope RV told him he needs to throw to his young TE more often

[GangGreen]

This article does not tell us diddly squat.

Football: Villarreal confident in Dickey’s abilities

Athletic director, coach meet to discuss future of UNT football program

08:41 AM CST on Friday, December 9, 2005

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal expressed confidence in head football coach Darrell Dickey and his efforts to rebuild the Mean Green after a 2-9 season on Thursday, just a few days after a postseason meeting.

“The meeting was for us to look at what we can do to make sure that we give the team the best opportunity to be successful and make sure that our expectations are the same,” Villarreal said. “We were both in agreement. I am very confident that coach Dickey will work hard to make the adjustments that need to be made.”

Villarreal said Dickey would return for his ninth season at UNT in 2006.

Okay, what adjustments? What are the expectations?

UNT won the Sun Belt Conference title and played in the New Orleans Bowl in four straight seasons while producing a pair of national rushing champions in Patrick Cobbs and Jamario Thomas from 2001-04 before a down year last season.

UNT was picked to win a fifth straight Sun Belt title in the league’s preseason poll, but lost five conference games by a combined 21 points.

“Rick gave me a lot of opinions on what he saw and what we can do better,” Dickey said. “It was a productive meeting.”

Basically, "Vito, here's your required quote from me. I just said absolutely nothing but it has neccessary buzzwords to fill space."

Dickey said the meeting was the first he has had with Villarreal following a season since the beginning of the Mean Green’s run as Sun Belt champions.

UNT has made several improvements to its facilities since the beginning of the Mean Green’s run as Sun Belt champs, including the addition of an athletic center and new artificial turf at Fouts Field.

What does this last paragraph have to do with the subject line of the story?

←

[NT80]

This article does not tell us diddly squat.

←

Here are some interesting quotes from San Diego State's new AD when he fired their coach this week:

In a highly anticipated move, San Diego State fired Head Coach Tom Craft, on the heels of a 5-7 season. First-year SDSU Athletic Director Jeff Schemmel said a nationwide search for a successor would begin immediately.

"There were a couple of things I thought the program lacked," Schemmel said. "First of all, and probably most important, (it lacked) a positive energy that the community could get excited about. Tom and I talked about that at great length. I think a change can bring some of that positive energy and excitement back to San Diego and the Southern California area.

"Secondly, I certainly sensed a lack of confidence in the program – where it was going, where it was headed, whether we could take that next step. Clearly, we need that confidence to take the next step. I firmly believe that this program could be a Top 10 program, and I'm more convinced of that today than when I first got here."

[PlummMeanGreen]

Here are some interesting quotes from San Diego State's new AD when he fired their coach this week:

In a highly anticipated move, San Diego State fired Head Coach Tom Craft, on the heels of a 5-7 season.  First-year SDSU Athletic Director Jeff Schemmel said a nationwide search for a successor would begin immediately.

"There were a couple of things I thought the program lacked," Schemmel said. "First of all, and probably most important, (it lacked) a positive energy that the community could get excited about. Tom and I talked about that at great length. I think a change can bring some of that positive energy and excitement back to San Diego and the Southern California area.

"Secondly, I certainly sensed a lack of confidence in the program – where it was going, where it was headed, whether we could take that next step. Clearly, we need that confidence to take the next step. I firmly believe that this program could be a Top 10 program, and I'm more convinced of that today than when I first got here."

←

(My lips are sealed).

.......................................................................................................

May have already been said on this thread, but I think the San Diego State U Aztecs were the last Top 20 school the Mean Green beat and that back in 1974.

GOD BLESS TEXAS!

Edited December 12, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

[PlummMeanGreen]

The story goes that RV and DD have not really talked in the last four plus years because RV wanted to fire him then and did not want to extend his contract. The BOR (AKA Bobby Ray) handcuffed RV and took his power over DD away. So for the most part they had nothing to talk about.

After reading this article it would seem the BOR may have restored some of RV's power. I heard RF is done for sure, at the game before Thanksgiving. And I would not be totally surprised if something happens with DD like he resigns or a mutual agreement is made that he needs to move on for everyone concerned.

Bobby Ray is not a stupid man he may have other ideas also, just not public yet.

←

Tony, you know something?

[flyonthewall]

Which young tight end, Jimmy Chaney? He has decided not to come back next year.

[MootPoint]

Which young tight end, Jimmy Chaney?  He has decided not to come back next year.

←

MeanGreenPOP is Charlie Brown's dad.

[H-towngreen]

By the way Meangreenpop, I can't wait to see the Brown brothers on the same sideline once again.

[KingDL1]

Tony, you know something?

←

Jim,

No, nothing much!

Just built a scenario in my head based on my experience with companies.

Well at the Louisiana-Monroe game I heard several people say that there were definitely some big changes about to happen in DD's staff and many of the current staff would not be back next year whether Dickey liked it or not, and RF would be one of many to be gone. Sounded to me like some people in charge were starting to get involved and maybe ending Dickey's charmed existence that BOR once granted him.

Then reading this article about DD and RV which kind of sounds like the kiss of death to me. Over my life I have seen several upper level people get fired from companies, from when I worked at UPS to my current job at a Real Estate firm, plus what different friends have told me and I have read over the years. Funny thing was when all was said and done in the publics eye the Upper level guys usually resigned on their own for either their personal reasons or for mutual reasons.

Fiction starts here but it would not surprise me if something like this happens.

So I asked myself if I was Bobby Ray, and knew I had to do something about DD how would I handle it, DD is a friend of sorts, he has done some much needed good for our school, but maybe it is time for a change. Well first off I would not say a word in public until an appropriate solution was worked out. Now would it benefit DD to leave while he still has some momentum? I think so! Could we work out a deal, say if you resign now we won't have to fire you and nobody will have to buy out your contract? I think that would be mutually appealing. Gives DD a little more to work with at his next career stop. It is still early in the season to work this out I doubt we would hear much of anything until after the Bowl games. DD would get his opportunity to move on with his head held high and most of his respect in tack. I doubt in DD's case we would ever hear that he gets fired.

I think there is some likelihood to this scenario playing out in some form. Jim what do you think?

Edited December 12, 2005 by KingDL1

[PlummMeanGreen]

Jim,

No, nothing much!

Just built a scenario in my head based on my experience with companies.

Well at the Louisiana-Monroe game I heard several people say that there were definitely some big changes about to happen in DD's staff and many of the current staff would not be back next year whether Dickey liked it or not, and RF would be one of many to be gone. Sounded to me like some people in charge were starting to get involved and maybe ending Dickey's charmed existence that BOR once granted him.

Then reading this article about DD and RV which kind of sounds like the kiss of death to me. Over my life I have seen several upper level people get fired from companies, from when I worked at UPS to my current job at a Real Estate firm, plus what different friends have told me and I have read over the years. Funny thing was when all was said and  done in the publics eye the Upper level guys usually  resigned on their own for either their personal reasons or for mutual reasons.

Fiction starts here but it would not surprise me if something like this happens.

So I asked myself if I was Bobby Ray, and knew I had to do something about DD how would I handle it, DD is a friend of sorts, he has done some much needed good for our school, but maybe it is time for a change. Well first off I would not say a word in public until an appropriate solution was worked out. Now would it benefit DD to leave while he still has some momentum? I think so! Could we work out a deal,  say if you resign now we won't have to fire you and nobody will have to buy out your contract? I think that would be mutually appealing. Gives DD a little more to work with at his next career stop. It is still early in the season to work this out I doubt we would hear much of anything until after the Bowl games. DD would get his opportunity to move on with his head held high and most of his respect  in tack. I doubt in DD's case we would ever hear that he gets fired.

I think there is some likelihood to this scenario playing out in some form. Jim what do you think?

←

Very interesting theory...

To answer your last question as to what I think, Tony, the only thing I will say to you is this: I wish it were Bobby Ray asking me what I think.

I am trying to maintain my moratorium of not posting HSO's on the above subject until after national signing day, though. We have to hope that we don't lose much ground for this program even on that day, too.

Honestly, Tony, I've been wrong numerous times with situations and scenarios related to the University of North Texas, but on the subject of what I've been posting non-stop in recents weeks, I've never felt so right about something in my entire life as a North Texas Ex; and this after merely doing some simple research in our NT football media guide to discover certain facts, figures and strategic low profile losses during bowl years. Again, that's all I'm going to say on that for now. I am still trying to maintain my place on a few Christmas gifts lists here! (Or is it now, Winter Holiday Gifts Lists)?

A TOAST TO BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD FOR ALL IN MEAN GREEN COUNTRY!

Edited December 12, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen