DRC/DMN post game article

[greenjoe]

My overall thought is that if Price, Nix, and Dodge are just 2 of the candidates; we are gonna be in good shape.

Hmm

[NT03]

My overall thought is that if Price, Nix, and Dodge are just 2 of the candidates; we are gonna be in good shape.

Hmm

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NIX is the only one Ive seen that has had a confirmed contact by RV. Any others that anyone knows of ? I read that other coaches like Price and Dodge just said they would listen or would be interested , but Ive yet to read another CONFIRMED contact made by RV besides NIX

Edited November 26, 2006 by NT03

[SUMG]

The only two people who claimed to have been contacted are Nix and Butler. Dodge and Matthews have said that no one has contacted them. (so far)

Looking more and more like a crony hire....just like when Helwig hired Dickey.

Edited November 26, 2006 by SUMG

[good_ken]

The only two people who claimed to have been contacted are Nix and Butler. Dodge and Matthews have said that no one has contacted them. (so far)

Looking more and more like a crony hire....just like when Helwig hired Dickey.

The part where you compared RV to Heliwg; that's where your post went south.

Did you ever meet Helwig? Then you know that he's got nothing in common with Helwig.

[untbowler]

The part where you compared RV to Heliwg; that's where your post went south.

Did you ever meet Helwig?  Then you know that he's got nothing in common with Helwig.

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You are quite right. RV at least has a spine.

[SilverEagle]

Plus, if i'm not mistaken, he'd be the only African-American D1 head coach in Texas -- and I know, I know, it doesn't matter when hiring the best guy -- but for PR sakes, it sure as hell doesn't hurt either.

←

We've already broken ground on that issue when we hired Matt Simon. And, as I recall, our OC for the last 5+ years has been African American. In both situations, that didn't do us any good, or give us any advantages....coaching wise, or recruitment wise.

Has anyone noticed that the young, energetic, made-contacts-with-anyone-and-everyone-in-the-community-and-caused-excitment-amongst-alumni, coach at Rice has got them in a bowl in his first year of coaching?

If anyone has the article about him when he was first hired, I'd like to see it posted again.

He sounds just like Coach Carthel at West Texas A&M. Hard working, energetic, out-going, positive, and runs a entertaining offense.

Carthel is not a household name, but I would be willing to bet a $100 bill (wrinkled or unwrinkled.. your choice) that most of the High School head coaches in West Texas and most of the HS coaches in the Metroplex know about him. And I'd be willing to bet the same amount of money that they ALL have a great amount of respect for him.

If we don't get either Carthel, or Todd Dodge, we need someone just like them......ideally with Texas ties, not Southern Miss ties.

Edited November 26, 2006 by SilverEagle

[DeepGreen]

Source: Rice U

Jan. 1, 2006

HOUSTON - Todd Graham has been named Rice University's 17th head football coach, athletic director Bobby May announced Sunday.

Graham, 41, had been the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of Tulsa the past three seasons, helping the Hurricane to the 2005 Conference USA championship and a 31-24 win over Fresno State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, played Dec. 31 at Memphis, Tenn. Tulsa finished with a 9-4 record in 2005.

Graham replaces Ken Hatfield as the leader of the Rice football program. Hatfield resigned on Nov. 30 after 12 seasons as the Owls' head coach.

In his previous coaching stops, Graham has played major roles in reversing the fortunes of struggling programs, starting with his first college coaching job at East Central University in Ada, Okla. His three seasons as the Tigers' defensive coordinator saw ECU improve from a break-even program to the NAIA national championship in 1993.

As head coach and athletic director at Allen High School north of Dallas, Graham led a program which had no district wins in the year prior to his arrival, to five playoff berths in six seasons. Among his players at Allen were former Owls B.J. Forguson (1998-2000, 2002) and Chad Richardson (1996-99).

At West Virginia University under head coach Rich Rodriguez, Graham helped the Mountaineers improve from a 3-8 mark to a 9-3 record in his second season. At Tulsa under Steve Kragthorpe, the Hurricane jumped from 1-11 in 2002 prior to his arrival, to an 8-4 record in '03. Both the WVU and Tulsa turnarounds were the best in NCAA Division I in those seasons.

In that first season at Tulsa, the Hurricane's defense saw dramatic improvement. Tulsa improved in total defense nationally, jumping 49 spots from the previous year, to rank 60th that season. Tulsa's defense also ranked 11th in pass defense efficiency, 16th in pass defense, an improvement of 28 spots; and 72nd in scoring defense, an improvement of 29 spots in the national rankings from the previous year. In Western Athletic Conference play, the Hurricane defense ranked first in pass defense, second in total defense and pass defense efficiency, and third in scoring defense.

In 2004, the Tulsa defense ranked 22nd nationally in pass defense. This past season, the Hurricane improved to 13th in pass efficiency defense and was also fourth nationally in turnover margin, gaining an average 1.38 turnovers per game. Tulsa led C-USA in both statistical categories, and one of Graham's position players, junior safety Nick Graham, led the league with six interceptions.

Todd Graham spent two years as an assistant coach at West Virginia, where he served as co-defensive coordinator in 2002. Graham was the defensive scheme coordinator and safeties coach in 2002 after coaching the linebackers in 2001. In 2002, the Mountaineer defense ranked 33rd nationally in total defense and 30th in rush defense. He helped WVU register a 9-4 record with wins over nationally-ranked Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh.

Before moving to WVU, Graham was a highly-successful high school coach and athletic director at Allen High School for six years (1995-2000). His teams made five playoff appearances and won two bi-district championships. In 2000, Allen posted a 9-3 record and captured a Class 5A Division II bi-district title, defeating four teams ranked among the top-10 in Texas.

Previously, Graham was the head coach at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla., in 1994, ranking 10th in the state's final class 5A poll. Before that, he served three years as the defensive coordinator at East Central University.

In 1988-90, Graham was an assistant coach at Poteet High School in Mesquite, where those teams compiled a 25-5 record.

A native of the Dallas-Forth Worth area, Graham was an all-state defensive back at North Mesquite High. He later was a two-year NAIA all-America defensive back at East Central and three-time all-conference performer. He signed as a free agent with the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals.

Graham earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in education at East Central University. He and his wife, Penni, have six children: Bo, Hank, Natalie, Haylee, Dakota and Michael Todd Jr.

What They Say About Todd Graham

Rice President David W. Leebron

"I want to thank Bobby May and the search committee for working so hard and so effectively to identify and recruit an outstanding candidate as our next head football coach. I share their confidence that Todd Graham will bring new excitement to Rice football."

Britton Banowsky, Commissioner, Conference USA

"Rice has a great football tradition and Todd will join the list of great coaches. He is certainly well prepared for the job and we know he will be very successful. This is a strong hire for Rice University."

Judy MacLeod, Associate Commissioner C-USA and former Director of Athletics at University of Tulsa

"Todd has been an integral part of the rebuilding and success at Tulsa the past three years. Rice is getting an outstanding coach and person to lead its football program."

Robin Forman, Dean of Undergraduates, Rice University

"I think that Todd is going to have a great future at Rice. In addition to being a great coach, he knows Texas. He is a very good fit for Rice. He is coming from a small, selective, private university, and he has a true commitment to helping his players develop in all ways, as athletes, students and citizens."

Don Ostdiek, Assistant Dean, Student Judicial Programs Director, Rice University

"I think this hire is very positive for Rice Football and for the Rice University community. Coach Graham brings not only strong football credentials but also an understanding of how to support high academic standards and develop strong character among our student-athletes."

Steve Kragthorpe, Head Football Coach, University of Tulsa

"I appreciate the job that Todd Graham has done over the course of the last three years at the University of Tulsa. He has been an excellent asset to our football staff and the accomplishments that we've had as a team. With programatic success comes opportunities for assistant coaches to become head coaches. Todd has certainly earned the opportunity to lead a Division I football program. I wish him the best of success in not only this endeavor, but all future endeavors both on the playing field and for his family."

Edited November 26, 2006 by DeepGreen

[SilverEagle]

Thanks Deep.

Now, if someone could post the article that includes the Q&A with Coach Carthel, everyone can see the type of coach that we badly need here at North Texas.

[DeepGreen]

Don Carthel is my choice.

Make the call RV! Just do it.

[BIG DAWG]

(Now, into the fray steps new coach Darrell Dickey, 38, who spent last season as offensive coordinator at SMU. The cupboard isn't bare--Simon was a decent recruiter And if Dickey, who plans to install a balanced pro-style offense, can develop a quarterback, the Eagles may challenge for the Big West tide and a bowl bid.

Dickey's plan for development is smart. He knows one of his biggest assets is location. Denton is 35 miles north of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

"I have nothing against junior college players," he says. "But I only want to recruit them for severe needs. Foremost, I want high schools kids from the area so their family, friends, buddies-whoever--will come see them and fill our stands.")

I don't think he did anything that this article mentions so I don't see how DD could relate to any of the successful offense minded candidates being considered.

You don't have to have an offensive minded HC to have a team that has a potent offensive system. UNDERSTAND THIS whoever is brought into this program to be the HC WILL be required to run a high powered offense.

Just think, Pete Carrol at USC is as defensive minded as anybody, and last I checked their offense is pretty high powered. He has always had and OC that new how to run the offense. Nix can do the same if chosen

Nix is one fiery SOB. I've watched 4 or 5 SC games this year (I swear, they're always on TV), and you can't miss the guy... barking into his headset, at players, running up and down the sidelines, nearly jumping into piles. Though this would surely be toned down as HC, he's about as passionate as passionate gets.

Not saying he's my first choice, but don't let a USM connection give you an instant negative impression on this guy -- a young, visible, energetic SEC coordinator is not a bad way to go. And having a couple years working with coaches who run Spurrier's Fun n' Gun offense under his belt, the guy has to know some decent offensive minds.

I will take this type of guy roaming our sidelines every Saturday...players want to play for coaches like this.

And as far as recruiting goes, this won't be a great year for recruiting, but WINNING helps recruiting, and whoever gets the job Texas ties or not, if he can win the recruiting problem will fix itself.

[FirefightnRick]

Quotes from 2006 September Edition Texas Coach

Build It and They Will Come

"you have to see your product to the athletes, parents, faculty, community, and media. You have to make all of them believe in you and your program."

"we spoke to as many civic clubs and other organizations as possible. We drove all over the panhandle speaking and gibing out literature and lapel pins trying to stir up interest in our program. We went to the fraternities and sororities and spoke to the incoming freshman class"

"the more fans you can put in the stadium, the harder the athletes will compete for you. If they play the game the way it is intended to be played (hard and with passion), the fans will support them as was evident in Canyon this past season"

WT was number 1 in the nation in D-2 attendance in 2005. Increasing attendance over 350% over each of the last four years. We averaged 14,000 fans"

“At WT we basically have two rules: Be honest and do what’s right”

“ I feel that you not only work on the attitudes of the athletes but also the student body, the fans in the community, and especially the parents.”

“Finally, you have to go out and begin to “SELL – SELL – SELL” as you start to rebuild for the next season. Remember…….BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME…”

- Don Carthel

Here's one of the articles on Coach Carthel.

Rick

[FirefightnRick]

Here's the Q and A with Coach Carthel.

It’s not unusual for a coach fresh off winning his school’s first conference title to move on to greener pastures. This usually means taking over a more established program or stepping up to the next level. But for Don Carthel, it meant moving to an actual pasture. Just weeks after leading his Eastern New Mexico University football team to the 1990 Lone Star Conference title, Carthel left coaching to spend more time with his children and tend to the family ranch in Friona, Texas.

When his children, both accomplished athletes, finished their playing days, he wanted to return to college coaching. But he was repeatedly turned down, often told he’d been out of the game too long. In 2004, he turned to arena football, leading the Amarillo Dusters to a championship in the now-defunct Intense Football League.

Then in April 2005, West Texas A&M University offered Carthel its head coaching job. He jumped at the chance and picked up right where he’d left off 14 years before. After winning a total of seven games over the previous four seasons, the Buffaloes shocked the Lone Star Conference by going 10-1 in the regular season, winning the LSC title for the first time since 1986, and soaring as high as seventh in the NCAA Division II rankings.

In this interview, Carthel discusses his decisions to leave coaching and then return, coaching against his son, and helping assistant coaches start their careers.

CM: Why did you decide to leave coaching 15 years ago?

Carthel: I really enjoyed what I was doing except for the time I was missing with my two kids, Colby and Courtney. I’m all or nothing when I do something—on Friday nights as a college coach, I had team meetings, watched film, and pretty much put my players to bed. I wasn’t going to sacrifice those responsibilities to see my son or daughter play football or basketball. I decided that I had to give up coaching in order to really watch and enjoy their high school careers. I thoroughly enjoy what I’m doing now, but I don’t regret leaving.

Coaching never really left my blood, though. I’d find high school players and send recruiting lists to my friends still in college coaching. I was asked to coach a Division II all-star game—the Snow Bowl, in Fargo, N.D. [now the Cactus Bowl in Kingsville, Texas]. It was a college all-star game for players hoping to be drafted. Then, after Colby finished playing at San Angelo State, he took a coaching job at Abilene Christian, and they asked me to be a volunteer coach on Saturdays. I’d drive 280 miles every weekend—more if they were playing out of town. I did that for four years to get my coaching fix. Then the Dusters asked me to be their coach and general manager.

What did you take out of your experience with the Dusters?

This past year at WT, we had a great offense and a porous defense, but I was used to high-scoring games from arena football. The coaching philosophy I used in arena football—taking chances with on-side kicks and two-point plays, and doing anything and everything to outscore the opponent—was pretty valuable. Managing the clock wisely in the last two minutes is of great importance in arena football, and I think I’ve been able to carry that over to the college game.

Did you think about coaching in high school when colleges were turning you down?

No. I did three years of high school coaching, and I enjoyed it. But I was president of the school board at Friona when I was farming and ranching, and I saw how some parents treat high school coaches. I wasn’t too interested in getting back into those situations.

Having been president of your local school board, what advice would you give coaches as they deal with board members and administrators?

I think as long as they treat kids right—the way that they would want a coach to treat their son or daughter—they won’t have problems with parents, or at least not with their school board members and principals. It’s especially important that they have a good relationship with their principal.

How do you cope with the long hours on the road recruiting?

Believe it or not, I enjoy it. I love meeting people, going places, finding good restaurants. But it’s seasonal. A couple of months recruiting is like harvest time on the farm: You work from sunup to sundown, though in this case you’re not even sleeping at home. You’re usually in a motel Monday through Friday, at least.

What did you do to turn the team around this year?

The first thing was to put together a coaching staff of good men who treat the players well. We show players that we’re interested in their lives, not just their football skills. I think if you treat players that way, they’ll respond well, and good team morale and chemistry will follow.

Plus, our community was hungry for a winner. When they saw the heart and the passion that our kids played with, they responded. We led the nation in average attendance with more than 13,000 per game and set a league record with 22,993 at one of our games. Having that type of excitement and interest from the community made our players play that much harder.

What brought the fans out?

Number one, we were winning. Number two was the way we were winning. Our defense was flying around, creating turnovers, and our offense scored a lot of points and threw the ball all over the place. We led the nation in passing this year and were in the top 10 nationally in scoring and turnover ratio. The combination of that type of offense and some very exciting finishes—in six wins we were behind in the third quarter, and in three we won on the last play of the game—made us fun to watch, and I think the fans appreciated that and kept coming back.

Did you play that kind of game earlier in your coaching career?

No. We use the same Air Raid offense that Texas Tech is running. It’s very exciting, very explosive, and our guys bought into it. The team had been running this offense for two years prior to my coming here, but for whatever reason they just weren’t able to finish a game or put a lot of points on the board. Everything just kind of fell into place this year. We had some good receivers and a very good quarterback who hadn’t played much for three years but played extremely well this season.

Your team made the Division II playoffs for the first time, earning the top seed in the Southwest region, where you lost to Pittsburg State. What did you tell your team after that loss?

Of all the colleges that play football, there’s only one that’s happy at the end of the year. And right now, it’s the University of Texas in Division I-A, and at our level, Grand Valley State. Everybody else falls by the wayside sooner or later. So you’ve got to look at the whole season. Thank the players for their effort and don’t dwell on the one game or the one loss. To the players who are coming back, we said, “Let’s learn from this opportunity and make sure we’re prepared to make a better run for the national championship next year.”

Do you encounter many athletes who think that they should be playing in Division I?

That is the type of athlete we’re trying to get. We’re looking for players who Division I schools flirted with and then backed away from at the last minute. We come in and try to pick their spirits up, tell them how good they are, and offer them a partial scholarship. We also seek Division I transfers who didn’t make it at that level for whatever reason. We bring them in and show them they’re great athletes who just need an opportunity or a fresh start in a new environment.

What was it like to coach against Colby?

My son and I have always talked on the phone quite a bit, for 30 minutes or an hour at a time. My wife will be on the phone with us, but after about five minutes, she’ll say, “Well, I’ll let y’all talk football. It seems like that’s all you’re going to do, anyway.” This year it was quite different because after five minutes or so I was the one saying, “I’m gonna let y’all talk,” because I didn’t want to spill any beans about my strategies or recruits or anything like that. Our phone bill was way down, and my wife enjoyed talking more to our son this year.

We both rooted for each other every week but one. That’s the one we both wanted to win. It was all business—there wasn’t any chitchat. [West Texas A&M defeated Abilene Christian, 40-24.]

How do you help assistant coaches maintain family life while being dedicated to coaching?

I try to make it as enjoyable for them as it was for me as an assistant. So I give them advice, visit with them often, and give them a lot of responsibility within their areas.

A lot of these guys are student coaches or graduate assistants. Once they get their degree, it’s time for them to get a full-time job and start providing for their families. I thoroughly enjoy being a part of young coaches’ lives, helping each one develop his philosophies as he starts his coaching career.

If a person enjoys athletics and enjoys being around people, you couldn’t find a better profession than coaching because of the highs and lows and the excitement of being part of a high school or a college program like I’ve been involved with. You can’t go wrong in a career like this.

You can't point to one thing after reading this that say's this is not the guy unless he simply does not want to come here.

Rick

Edited November 26, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[El Paso Eagle]

Does anyone know if Carthel has even expressed interest in the job?

[Cooley]

We've already broken ground on that issue when we hired Matt Simon. And, as I recall, our OC for the last 5+ years has been African American. In both situations, that didn't do us any good, or give us any advantages....coaching wise, or recruitment wise.

Has anyone noticed that the young, energetic, made-contacts-with-anyone-and-everyone-in-the-community-and-caused-excitment-amongst-alumni, coach at Rice has got them in a bowl in his first year of coaching?

If anyone has the article about him when he was first hired, I'd like to see it posted again.

He sounds just like Coach Carthel at West Texas A&M. Hard working, energetic, out-going, positive, and runs a entertaining offense.

Carthel is not a household name, but I would be willing to bet a  $100 bill (wrinkled or unwrinkled.. your choice) that most of the High School head coaches in  West Texas and most of the HS coaches in the Metroplex know about him. And I'd be willing to bet the same amount of money that they ALL have a great amount of respect for him.

If we don't get either Carthel, or Todd Dodge, we need someone just like them......ideally with Texas ties, not Southern Miss ties.

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[Cooley]

We've already broken ground on that issue when we hired Matt Simon. And, as I recall, our OC for the last 5+ years has been African American. In both situations, that didn't do us any good, or give us any advantages....coaching wise, or recruitment wise.

Has anyone noticed that the young, energetic, made-contacts-with-anyone-and-everyone-in-the-community-and-caused-excitment-amongst-alumni, coach at Rice has got them in a bowl in his first year of coaching?

If anyone has the article about him when he was first hired, I'd like to see it posted again.

He sounds just like Coach Carthel at West Texas A&M. Hard working, energetic, out-going, positive, and runs a entertaining offense.

Carthel is not a household name, but I would be willing to bet a  $100 bill (wrinkled or unwrinkled.. your choice) that most of the High School head coaches in  West Texas and most of the HS coaches in the Metroplex know about him. And I'd be willing to bet the same amount of money that they ALL have a great amount of respect for him.

If we don't get either Carthel, or Todd Dodge, we need someone just like them......ideally with Texas ties, not Southern Miss ties.

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[GoMeanGreen1999]

You all believe what you want, but I am being told that the top 2 candidates at this time are the following. I don't know which one is first: Nix and Butler. Now, before you state that Butler is not high on that list because RV says so, remember, that to our knowledge the only two people that have "reportedly" been contacted by UNT, are Nix and Bulter.

IF we do not send messages loud and clear to RV, there is very good chance that he will hire one of his buds. Take that for what it's worth.

[NT80]

NIX is the only one Ive seen that has had a confirmed contact by RV. Any others that anyone knows of ? I read that other coaches like Price and Dodge just said they would listen or would be interested , but Ive yet to read another CONFIRMED contact made by RV besides NIX

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Nix and Butler. I'd like to see some other names contacted.

[good_ken]

NIX is the only one Ive seen that has had a confirmed contact by RV. Any others that anyone knows of ? I read that other coaches like Price and Dodge just said they would listen or would be interested , but Ive yet to read another CONFIRMED contact made by RV besides NIX

Yeah, we had better get a petition together that reminds RV to hires the best coach for the job....oh wait...now that I said it out loud that does sound pretty silly.

Its pretty funny. Anytime RV posts on here, everyone says he's doing a great job. But when your preference for our next coach isn't mentioned in an article; you imply that RV isn't sharp enough to perform the hiring duties associated with his job.

I am sure that RV understands that his job performance will be tied to whomever he hires; so it is in his best interests to get it right.

Nix and Butler. I'd like to see some other names contacted.

No, it'd be nice to see who applied for this job.

This is just a little frustrating, because there has been a media blackout on what is happening and who's on the short list.

[NT03]

Its pretty funny.  Anytime RV posts on here, everyone says he's doing a great job.  But when your preference for our next coach isn't mentioned in an article; you imply that RV isn't sharp enough to perform the hiring duties associated with his job.

It was a simple question if anyone has heard of any other known contacts made by RV. I don't know where your coming from saying that I don't think RV is sharp enough for his job. If NIX has been the only contact made , then it's pretty clear that ( if available) he will be the next head coach @ UNT next season don't ya think ?

[Got5onIt]

I know he's no 65+ year old retread with a "big name" for something he did at a major BCS school 20 years ago, but as far as making a splash nationally goes, hiring a well thought of SEC coordinator ain't half bad.

←

And this is why I like him as a candidate. There's nothing I dislike more than head coaching retreads.

Edited November 26, 2006 by Got5onIt

[BleedGreen64]

Some thouht it classless to fire DD and have him coach the last three games. That is not unusual and allows the lame duck the opportunity to turn things around.

What would have been claless is to name prospects prior to the last game. For PR reasons we would not want annuncements made on Friday,Saturday, or Sunday when they would recieve little noitice behind allm of the game stories.

[UNTFan23]

Some thouht it classless to fire DD and have him coach the last three games.  That is not unusual and allows the lame duck the opportunity to turn things around.

What would have been claless is to name prospects prior to the last game.  For PR reasons we would not want annuncements made on Friday,Saturday, or Sunday when they would recieve little noitice behind allm of the game stories.

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What makes you think RV wanted DD to finish the season out?

[Smitty]

It was a simple question if anyone has heard of any other known contacts made by RV. I don't know where your coming from saying that I don't think RV is sharp enough for his job. If NIX has been the only contact made , then it's pretty clear that ( if available) he will be the next head coach @ UNT next season don't ya think ?

←

No, it's NOT pretty clear. Please, everybody, take a real deep breath.

A lot of very good coaches are in the middle of bowl preparation or high school playoffs, and they don't have time to talk about possible jobs. And even if they are in very casual talks about possible jobs, they're not going to say anything publicly for fear of distracting their players from the job at hand. And if that means lying publicly to help his team win a bowl or a playoff game, just about any coach is going to tell that lie.

As to Nix, I know nothing about him, but a coach with SEC experience is going to be qualified to coach in the Sun Belt. His name being mentioned is not a guarantee he'll get the job. Names will be mentioned, names will be floated, and names will be conjectured for a variety of reasons. Don't jump off a cliff everytime a name comes up or we'll have a huge stack of booster corpses on the rocks below.

Fact is, there are no absolutes in a coaching hunt. UNT's next coach does not necessarily have to have Texas ties, or be an offensive-minded coach, or be a defensive-minded coach, or have head-coach experience. The best coach out there may be relatively inexperienced and a Texas outsider, but possesses that special something that can build and lead a team. It's an incredibly subjective process, and entering it with blinders on can lead you to miss the best coach for the job.

I believe that UNT's athletic program is better for having RV here, and I trust him to make the right selection. Remember, RV's own job is at risk with filling the head-coaching job, so we can all expect that he's going to hire the best coach he can find. And if that's Nix, then we need to give him a fair chance to prove himself.

So everyone relax, and let RV do his job.

[CaribbeanGreen]

No, it's NOT pretty clear. Please, everybody, take a real deep breath.

A lot of very good coaches are in the middle of bowl preparation or high school playoffs, and they don't have time to talk about possible jobs. And even if they are in very casual talks about possible jobs, they're not going to say anything publicly for fear of distracting their players from the job at hand. And if that means lying publicly to help his team win a bowl or a playoff game, just about any coach is going to tell that lie.

As to Nix, I know nothing about him, but a coach with SEC experience is going to be qualified to coach in the Sun Belt. His name being mentioned is not a guarantee he'll get the job. Names will be mentioned, names will be floated, and names will be conjectured for a variety of reasons. Don't jump off a cliff everytime a name comes up or we'll have a huge stack of booster corpses on the rocks below.

Fact is, there are no absolutes in a coaching hunt. UNT's next coach does not necessarily have to have Texas ties, or be an offensive-minded coach, or be a defensive-minded coach, or have head-coach experience. The best coach out there may be relatively inexperienced and a Texas outsider, but possesses that special something that can build and lead a team. It's an incredibly subjective process, and entering it with blinders on can lead you to miss the best coach for the job.

I believe that UNT's athletic program is better for having RV here, and I trust him to make the right selection. Remember, RV's own job is at risk with filling the head-coaching job, so we can all expect that he's going to hire the best coach he can find. And if that's Nix, then we need to give him a fair chance to prove himself.

So everyone relax, and let RV do his job.

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Great post, Smitty.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Some thouht it classless to fire DD and have him coach the last three games.  That is not unusual and allows the lame duck the opportunity to turn things around.

What would have been claless is to name prospects prior to the last game.  For PR reasons we would not want annuncements made on Friday,Saturday, or Sunday when they would recieve little noitice behind allm of the game stories.

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I bet UNC fans are thankful their athletic director didn't hold to this. While the fired coach was finishing out, they went out and hired Butch Davis....man, what a PR nightmare that was.