Miami's Berry interested in UNT vacancy

dentUNiTe · December 4, 2006

11:21 PM CST on Sunday, December 3, 2006

By Brett Vito/Staff Writer

Miami quarterbacks coach Todd Berry confirmed on Sunday that he has contacted North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal to express interest in the school's opening for a head coach.

Berry was the head coach at Illinois State from 1996-99 and Army from 2000-03. He spent two seasons as Louisiana-Monroe's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2004-05 before joining the staff at Miami.

Hurricanes head coach Larry Coker was fired on Nov. 24.

"I initiated some contact with Rick Villarreal about the job," Berry said. "It's the best job in the Sun Belt Conference. You need two things to have success: a recruiting base and a university that you can sell to recruits. North Texas has both. It is an excellent university and is close to some of the best high school players in the country in the Dallas area. That gives you a chance to win."

UNT is looking for a replacement for former head coach Darrell Dickey, who was fired on Nov. 8 during his ninth season at the school.

Berry said he talked to Villarreal once and tried to set up a meeting while he was in Dallas recruiting recently. Berry said scheduling conflicts prevented him from meeting with Villarreal.

Berry said he has yet to hear from Villarreal since their initial conversation.

Berry is one of several college assistant coaches who have either expressed interest in UNT's opening or been mentioned in connection with the job.

Georgia Tech running backs coach Curtis Modkins has expressed interest. South Carolina defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix talked with Villarreal about the job but has since pulled out of the running.

Southlake Carroll head coach and former UNT offensive coordinator Todd Dodge said he would talk with UNT officials about the job after the Dragons’ season that was extended another week on Saturday with a win over Odessa Permian.

Carroll will play Colleyville Heritage on Saturday in the Class 5A Division I state quarterfinals.

UNT could be looking for a head coach to bring some life to its offense that has struggled the last two seasons. Berry was a quarterback at Tulsa from 1979-80 and has spent most of his career coaching on the offensive side of the ball.

Berry coached Miami quarterback Kyle Wright, who ranks second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with an average of 183.9 passing yards a game. He also coached one of the most prolific quarterbacks in Sun Belt Conference history at ULM in Steven Jyles.

Berry turned around a struggling program at Illinois State that had won more than five games in a season just once in the previous 10 years before his arrival, guiding the Redbirds to the 1999 Gateway title, the Division I-AA semifinals and an 11-3 record.

Berry, who finished 24-24 at Illinois State, was unable to replicate the success he enjoyed late in his tenure with the Redbirds at Army, where he finished with a 5-35 record in just over three seasons.

Berry has been known for running a wide-open offense throughout his career that also included stints as an offensive coordinator at East Carolina (1992-95), Southeast Missouri State (1991) and Tennessee-Martin (1986-88).

Rudy · December 4, 2006

He spent two seasons as Louisiana-Monroe's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2004-05 before joining the staff at Miami.

UNMMM...Yikes

"I initiated some contact with Rick Villarreal about the job," Berry said. "It's the best job in the Sun Belt Conference. You need two things to have success: a recruiting base and a university that you can sell to recruits. North Texas has both. It is an excellent university and is close to some of the best high school players in the country in the Dallas area. That gives you a chance to win."

Thats something you like to hear though

Txballa · December 4, 2006

Only candidates I'm truly interested in is Jimbo Fisher, Todd Dodge???? Like I've been saying before NT needs a proven coach that has coached at a big time school in order to get the results many of us have been wanting to see. NT is an attractive school besides it being a Sun Belt school.