Help me understand something

emmitt01 · November 29, 2006

Why is that anyone, regardless of their coaching pedigree, is undesirable if they've ever stepped foot on the Southern Miss campus or if RV ever knew them in the past? I've seen so many people say they don't want RV to hire a "good ol' boy" but I can't help but wonder why this is valid. Wouldn't familiarity with the guy he's bringing in to lead his flagship program be a plus? I know that if I owned a business I'd hire they guy I know over anyone else, all things being equal. And how do we know, for sure, that RV isn't choosing amongst relative equals when it comes to coaching with one or more of them having the added bonus of being familiar?

Green Nightmare · November 29, 2006

Emmitt I see what you are saying.

I think most people don't want a quick familiar hire if there is somewhere better out there

ala Billy Gillespie and Bob Marlin

No matter who he hires hes getting second guessed

Edited November 29, 2006 by Green Nightmare

SilverEagle · November 29, 2006

Why is that anyone, regardless of their coaching pedigree, is undesirable if they've ever stepped foot on the Southern Miss campus or if RV ever knew them in the past? I've seen so many people say they don't want RV to hire a "good ol' boy" but I can't help but wonder why this is valid. Wouldn't familiarity with the guy he's bringing in to lead his flagship program be a plus? I know that if I owned a business I'd hire they guy I know over anyone else, all things being equal. And how do we know, for sure, that RV isn't choosing amongst relative equals when it comes to coaching with one or more of them having the added bonus of being familiar?
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Let me answer your question with another question. Why have most of the initial contacts/inquiries been former S. Miss players/coaches/alumni. Doesn't RV get out very much?

emmitt01 · November 29, 2006

Let me answer your question with another question. Why have most of the initial contacts/inquiries been former S. Miss players/coaches/alumni. Doesn't RV get out very much?
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Could it be that maybe he's covering the bases he knows best before venturing out into the unkown ones? Sounds logical to me.

SilverEagle · November 29, 2006

Could it be that maybe he's covering the bases he knows best before venturing out into the unkown ones? Sounds logical to me.
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It's his job to know about other possibilities besides someone he knew and/or worked with.

Would you consider it professional and competent for the Dallas police personel dept. to only look at sons/daughters/relatives of current police officers as potential recruits? Don't they (Dallas police HR) go to "other" areas to try and recruit?

STE · November 29, 2006

We know there are more qualified people that are interested in the job who are not one of his "buds".

shaft · November 29, 2006

Because this board is full of sheep who would rather wallow in loathing & rumors. Because Our season is over and people are clamoring for information and can't accept the fact that college football, let alone our little team doesn't get constant media coverage. Because people on the internet love to bitch out of habit.

I don't get why anyone here questions RV.

UNTLifer · November 29, 2006

Because this board is full of sheep who would rather wallow in loathing & rumors. Because Our season is over and people are clamoring for information and can't accept the fact that college football, let alone our little team doesn't get constant media coverage. Because people on the internet love to bitch out of habit.
I don't get why anyone here questions RV.
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Happy Holidays shaft.

DeepGreen · November 30, 2006

Emmitt, people are gun shy. I'll give you two good reasons.

1. Vic Trilli - thank you Craig

2. DD - thank you Craig

SilverEagle · November 30, 2006

Because this board is full of sheep who would rather wallow in loathing & rumors. Because Our season is over and people are clamoring for information and can't accept the fact that college football, let alone our little team doesn't get constant media coverage. Because people on the internet love to bitch out of habit.
I don't get why anyone here questions RV.
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I'm not sure you understand the definition of sheep. Not ever questioning someone's decision making process is......being a sheep. And for that matter, not being a good American either.

Edited November 30, 2006 by SilverEagle

PlummMeanGreen · November 30, 2006

Emmitt, people are gun shy. I'll give you two good reasons.
1. Vic Trilli - thank you Craig
2. DD - thank you Craig
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Both "crony' hires of Helwig, too. Any other time for a crony hire at UNT but this one.

stebo · November 30, 2006

The thing is, if RV did not have a relationship with Nix, we would probably have zero chance of getting him to come here. Nix is considered to be an up and coming coach, probably makes the same as the DC/Ass Head Coach at USC as he would here, and would be on MOST fans' dream lists for replacing their head coach.... I bet that if FIU or ULM tried to go after him, he would turn them down flat out - probably wouldn't even agree to interview. But because RV has a relationship with him, he might be willing to consider coming here. It is our fans that don't want him because the two of them know each other - pretty silly arguement. You want the coach and the AD to get along or else you get another terrible relationship like DD and RV... We should really just trust RV with this hire, he has never done us wrong (and landing Nix would be a COUP for North Texas).

DeepGreen · November 30, 2006

Not always good to hire one of your old buddies from a former job or some close acquaintance. It sure makes it harder to terminate them if things don't work out, or goals are not met.

NT80 · November 30, 2006

(and landing Nix would be a COUP for North Texas).
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Ask Mr. Casual Fan from DFW if they have ever heard of Mr. Nix.

Ask Mr. Local Businessman if they would contribute to Mr. Nix's first college head coach's program and see if the first question isn't...."Who?".

Edited November 30, 2006 by NT80

LongJim · November 30, 2006

Why is that anyone, regardless of their coaching pedigree, is undesirable if they've ever stepped foot on the Southern Miss campus or if RV ever knew them in the past? I've seen so many people say they don't want RV to hire a "good ol' boy" but I can't help but wonder why this is valid. Wouldn't familiarity with the guy he's bringing in to lead his flagship program be a plus? I know that if I owned a business I'd hire they guy I know over anyone else, all things being equal. And how do we know, for sure, that RV isn't choosing amongst relative equals when it comes to coaching with one or more of them having the added bonus of being familiar?
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Underrated post. Not saying the UMiss guys are the best candidates, but there's no question you look for people you are familiar with, and are familiar with the kind of job you think they can do.

It's commonplace everywhere.

Lot of factors for RV to consider. This hire is going to be second and third, and fourth guessed anyway, so he needs to explore every avenue he has.

CaribbeanGreen · November 30, 2006

Ask Mr. Casual Fan from DFW if they have ever heard of Mr. Nix.
Ask Mr. Local Businessman if they would contribute to Mr. Nix's first college head coach's program and see if the first question isn't...."Who?".
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And I'm sorry, but if this is a Dodge reference, I just don't think he'd bring the cache you may expect. He's a high school coach, marginally well known in the DFW metroplex. I think we're overstating the hell out of his awareness/recruiting impact.

That being said, I would be fine with the hire and fully support it if RV goes that way. However, I agree with Emmitt 100% on Nix.

NT80 · November 30, 2006

And I'm sorry, but if this is a Dodge reference, I just don't think he'd bring the cache you may expect. He's a high school coach, marginally well known in the DFW metroplex. I think we're overstating the hell out of his awareness/recruiting impact.
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vs. the awareness and impact of a 34 year old, never been a head coach, never been to Texas, never heard of position coach in South Carolina? I'll take the former.

November 30, 2006

Nix would be better than Dodge. Nix has been living big-time SEC football. SC has beaten or been very close to some of the best teams in college this year. It would make a much better statement than hiring a high school coach. We need to distance the University of North Texas from high school in many peoples' minds.

PlummMeanGreen · November 30, 2006

Nix would probably be a great hire, but who else has (seriously) tried to hire him and who is trying to hire him now (besides maybe only us)? I may be wrong, but it also seems Nix was at USM for many, many years before someone hired him away from there?

From all I read on this board and hear (elsewhere) the climate in the UNT community (of which a Nix hire would sorta' need to appea$e to $ome extent?) would frown on such a hire at this time in our football program's history. I am trying to even detect on this forum a groundswell of support for Nix to come to Denton; realizing this board is not the end all nor does it ever speak for the entire UNT community, but it does represent a pretty good cross-section or barometer of how NT Exes and MG fans feel about their school and their school's football program.

Some might also ask what are the W/L records of all the other "multi-years on campus' varsity coaches our AD has hired?

We're all pulling for Coach Johnny Jones to make this this year his big "coming out" year, but even Coach Jones I believe is still under .500 in W/L's after a few years on the UNT payroll and he was an RV hire as I recall.

Based on the last 25 years of what has been a very average athletic program at the Division One level, it may be hard for some of us to show much trust at all because we've seen a comedy of errors in many hirings at UNT; and the "one man hiring committee" Helwig debacle with DD is the most recent thing we have to go by with such a (crony) hire. There would be few who would blame many for their having concerns for this next very crucial football coaching hire at UNT.

NT80 · November 30, 2006

Nix would be better than Dodge. Nix has been living big-time SEC football.
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Disagree. Dodge lived big-time SWC football; still lives and knows football...the Texas way!

Edited November 30, 2006 by NT80

November 30, 2006

Disagree. Dodge lived big-time SWC football; still lives and knows football...the Texas way!
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Well you took on sort of the smaller part of my comment without the rest, but OK. How about if we take just a frraction of the would-be stadium money and hire Spurrier instead?

NT80 · November 30, 2006

Well you took on sort of the smaller part of my comment without the rest, but OK.
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OK, the rest of it.....

"It would make a much better statement than hiring a high school coach. We need to distance the University of North Texas from high school in many peoples' minds."

I don't see hiring Dodge as linking NT with HS. He is 42. He was up for the Rice HC job, pro job with the Cowboys, and fans want him as OC at Mizzou and other Big12 schools. Some media columnists say he should wait for a bigger gig than UNT to start his HC time in college. Nix? He is 34. What else you got?

STE · November 30, 2006

I agree with NT80

I could be wrong but it seems to me that some of the people that were excited about chambers (b/c of his Texas ties) are also excited about Nix who has no Texas ties.

Nix may be a good coach. I just hope we hire a good coach who will also get the fan base excited about the program.

In essence we need someone who will market our program

1) On the field (X and O’s – exciting offense)

2) During recruiting;

3) And to the community at large during the off season (fund raising)

Right now, the only names who seem to fit that bill at least in my mind are Eric Price, Todd Dodge, Carthel and/or Mathews.

shaft · November 30, 2006

I love how people ramble about Texas ties, but don't get why RV is talking to a Southern Miss guy. Have you ever hired anyone before? You put the ad for the position, then you start talking to people. That usually means starting with people you know.

I love my team, but I hate our fans.

November 30, 2006

What else you got?
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What I have got is a really bad feeling about hiring a guy coming from high school. Nix would not be my first choice, but between the two, that is the direction I would go. Hiring a guy out of high school is one sure way to say, 'we are committed to remaining small-time'.