RV denies Fisher is interviewing

[Harry]

http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/...2.4560e7c2.html

Nix pulls out of UNT search

Villarreal: Fisher will not interview this weekend

01:51 AM CST on Saturday, December 2, 2006

By Brett Vito/Staff Writer

North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal denied a report on The Sporting News’ Web site that LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher is interviewing for the Mean Green's opening for a head coach this weekend on Friday, one day after the school's pool of candidates dwindled by one.

South Carolina defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix acknowledged on Nov. 25 that he had talked with UNT officials about the job. He told The State of Columbia, S.C., late Thursday that he has withdrawn his name from consideration.

Fisher appears as if he will have multiple options if he chooses to leave the Tigers' staff.

The Cincinnati Post reported Thursday that Cincinnati athletic director Mike Thomas and deputy athletic director Bob Arkeilpane flew to Baton Rouge, La., to continue their search for a new head coach.

Fisher is a former Cincinnati assistant and is reportedly on the list of candidates at the school along with LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini. North Carolina State is also reportedly interested in Fisher, who has also been mentioned in connection with the offensive coordinator position at Florida State.

Nix's name came up almost immediately after UNT announced that Dickey would not return for a 10th season. The former Southern Miss linebacker and assistant coach worked with Villarreal at USM before becoming the defensive coordinator at South Carolina.

Several college assistant coaches have expressed interest in the job, including UTEP offensive coordinator Eric Price and Georgia Tech running backs coach Curtis Modkins. Price said Thursday that he has yet to be contacted by UNT, while Modkins is preparing for Tech's ACC championship game against Wake Forest today.

Modkins said he would be willing to talk about the job after the season.

Southlake Carroll head coach and former UNT offensive coordinator Todd Dodge has said he would talk to school officials about the job after the Dragons' season.

Carroll plays Odessa Permian at 2 p.m. today in the third round of the Class 5A Division I playoffs.

Naming rights deals pass

The North Texas board of regents passed naming rights agreements for three facilities during its meetings Thursday and Friday.

UNT's new softball complex was named in honor of Donald and Patty Lovelace, the Student-Athlete Services Center was named in honor of Gayle and Virgil Strange, and the UNT football practice fields were named in honor of former head football coach Darrell Dickey at the request of donor Jim McIngvale.

The Lovelaces pledged $300,000 toward the construction of the softball complex while the Stranges have given more than $175,000 to the university for various projects.

McIngvale, a former UNT linebacker, gave $1 million toward construction of the Mean Green Athletic Center.

Williams recovering from sprained ankle

Junior forward Quincy Williams sat out practice Friday with a sprained left ankle he suffered after playing just seven minutes in a loss to Nebraska on Wednesday.

Williams is expected to return to practice in the next few days.

The former Carl Albert (Okla.) standout has been one of the Mean Green's most productive players off the bench and is averaging 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds a game.

Williams is expected to return in time for UNT's game at Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday.

UNT signs three tennis players

UNT tennis coach Sujay Lama announced that he has signed three players to letters of intent this week.

The Mean Green added Narinne Kazarova of Plano, Amy Joubert of South Africa and Madura Ranganathan of India.

Kazarova is ranked No. 10 among prospects in the state by tennisrecruiting.net. Joubert is ranked No. 4 in singles and No. 1 in doubles in the South African U18 Girls rankings. Ranganathan has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the U18 Girls rankings in India.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

[NT80]

Does Vito ever do any research on his own? Why didn't he call Fisher to see what his interest in NT may be? Or any of the other candidates? If I was RV I would also deny everything to Vito and tell him to get his own sources. Clueless!

[UNT_92_Fan]

good thing...we didnt want any little nix's running around here....

[Zeke]

good thing...we didnt want any little nix's running around here....

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HEHEHEHEHEHE............good stuff.

[UNT_92_Fan]

i was hoping someone would get my raunchy humor... I am bored at work and needed a laugh and that did it for me...GOD i need to grow up soon!

[Txballa]

Man , what's really going on with this coaching situation, are they really just holding out for Dodge or what? You got a lot of guys interested in the position, but what's been done. To get Fisher here would mean a great deal. You have a proven coach at a major D-1 program that competes in the top conferences in the nation, a great recruiter, and you're not going after this guy????? Am I the only one that thinks Fisher might be the best hire?

[runt96]

maybe we can turn recruitng over to the tennis coach temporarily.

[runt96]

Man , what's really going on with this coaching situation, are they really just holding out for Dodge or what?  You got a lot of guys interested in the position, but what's been done.  To get Fisher here would mean a great deal. You have a proven coach at a major D-1 program that competes in the top conferences in the nation, a great recruiter, and you're not going after this guy?????  Am I the only one that thinks Fisher might be the best hire?

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fisher is by far the best i've heard about.

[Got5onIt]

maybe we can turn recruitng over to the tennis coach temporarily.

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Is RV NOT going to make a run at Fisher?

Are we really waiting on Todd Dodge?????

[gangrene]

Am I the only one that thinks Fisher might be the best hire?

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No.

Man , what's really going on with this coaching situation, are they really just holding out for Dodge or what?  You got a lot of guys interested in the position, but what's been done.  To get Fisher here would mean a great deal. You have a proven coach at a major D-1 program that competes in the top conferences in the nation, a great recruiter, and you're not going after this guy????? 

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This makes NO sense. Even if Dodge is the #1 contender for the HC position, we should be interviewing an applicant of this quality.

[VideoEagle]

Relax folks!

It's a hiring process. We the fans might never know who was actually interviewed, who was discreetly contacted, who discreetly contacted us, those who claim we contacted them when we didn't nor those the rumor leaks that who contacted them when we actually did not.

Hiring a head coach is not usually a public project. When it is, it is usually because it has been mishandled.

I certainly would like to know all of the details, but that is just not possible.

Relax and enjoy the parts of the show we can watch.