#6 South Florida Bulls, Revisited....

FirefightnRick · October 3, 2007

I posted this below about South Florida in a thread I titled "Lack of facilities, sorry excuse for losing" out of frustration over public comments from the previous regime and to show what others schools with similar facilities or less, and with similar struggles as North Texas was able to accomplish without the excuses. Now, two years later after posting this, South Florida, coming off of their 21-13 defeat of #5 West Virginia(At home in Florida) last weekend, which followed a win over #17 Auburn two weeks prior to that, finds themselves atop the national polls at #6. This is simply an incredible feat for only an 11 year old football program. USF's leadership made the commitment in the beginning, even without a home stadium, to raise the money needed to build their program. They are an example as to why NT's leadership must make a similar commitment by raising money to help us accomplish our goals and that includes scheduling more winnable home OOC games and eliminating the "canned hunt" games altogether unless a return trip is guaranteed. If to accomplish this it requires the BOR to raise the needed fees, then so be it. Once the commitment is realized by those donors we are currently courting then I can't help but imagine the extra needed funds will follow from them.

Rick

P.S. The bottom link about how USF aggressively set out to get their name and logos and merchandise out to the public no longer works but believe me when

I say that when our fans went down to see NT play them in '01 they were blown away at how USF had transformed Ramon James and the surrounding area into USF Bull planet.

University of South Florida Bulls.
USF has only been playing football since 1996.
They moved up to 1-A in 2001 and are currently in the Big East.
They have no stadium to play in and opt to travel about 10 miles across Tampa to play in Raymond James stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Also like us, they too have opened a new athletic facility recently, and they needed it worst than anyone.
Here’s a clip from a 2002 article concerning their on-campus facility issues.
“The 103,000-square-foot facility will house 12 USF athletic programs and athletics administration offices, which are currently divided up among older buildings and trailers on the Tampa campus. “
USF has also understood the importance of producing an entertaining product on the field. All while recruiting and coaching from TRAILERS, and without the luxury of a stadium of their own, they managed to build a team in only their second year in 1-A in 2002 that gained wins over Houston, East Carolina, Memphis and Southern Miss, and more importantly beat us in ’01 and ‘02.
They finished in the top 35 in all polls in 2002. They are currently 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the Big East conference including an all out ass kicking of #9 Louisville a few weeks ago.
On a more personal subject due to Silver and mines recent venture to help bring you, the Mean Green fan, more available options for NT gear, and considering the fact that even though we shut down Greenstock, we are still bombarded with questions from fans and alumni every day through email and at the games about ” why in hell can’t anyone get North Texas gear anywhere other than the Denton bookstores?”, I thought you would like to see how USF set out to address this exact problem of merchandising back in 2002. It's a very big problem here that North Texas has yet to grasp the concept of while in our 90th season. http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/storie.../14/story7.html.
Notice the similarities?

Edited October 3, 2007 by FirefightnRick

October 3, 2007

Yeah but they're not going to get the next Einstein because he already committed to North Texas.

Coach · October 3, 2007

I take it we have an early commit with an unusually high SAT score?

Got5onIt · October 3, 2007

Yeah but they're not going to get the next Einstein because he already committed to North Texas.

Don't forget they have not one player or coach on that team with the last name Dodge. So we now know they can't be that good!

jperg2 · October 3, 2007

Rick,

I've watched this program grow to what it is today (my brother works there, and went to school there). The campus, from what I gathered from my few visits, is rather nice. I have not seen their new athletic center and other facilities in a few years, but the athletic department has undergone a transformation since it's inception. It's like night and day... from what it was 10+ years ago. Their football team in particular has gotten continually better over the years. Hence their invite to join the Big East this year after only being a C-USA for a few years, after being a Div I-AA prior to that. Thier advancement within the conferences at this pace just serves as an example of how a program can go from nothing to something in a few years with the right attitude and direction from those with their hands on the wheel.

I totally agree with your post... I think we need see what it is they did and how they did it in the time span and follow suit.

GMG!

I posted this below about South Florida in a thread I titled "Lack of facilities, sorry excuse for losing" out of frustration over public comments from the previous regime and to show what others schools with similar facilities or less, and with similar struggles as North Texas was able to accomplish without the excuses. Now, two years later after posting this, South Florida, coming off of their 21-13 defeat of #5 West Virginia(At home in Florida) last weekend, which followed a win over #17 Auburn two weeks prior to that, finds themselves atop the national polls at #6. This is simply an incredible feat for only an 11 year old football program. USF's leadership made the commitment in the beginning, even without a home stadium, to raise the money needed to build their program. They are an example as to why NT's leadership must make a similar commitment by raising money to help us accomplish our goals and that includes scheduling more winnable home OOC games and eliminating the "canned hunt" games altogether unless a return trip is guaranteed. If to accomplish this it requires the BOR to raise the needed fees, then so be it. Once the commitment is realized by those donors we are currently courting then I can't help but imagine the extra needed funds will follow from them.
Rick
P.S. The bottom link about how USF aggressively set out to get their name and logos and merchandise out to the public no longer works but believe me when
I say that when our fans went down to see NT play them in '01 they were blown away at how USF had transformed Ramon James and the surrounding area into USF Bull planet.

October 3, 2007

Well I would also hazzard a guess that they have a more comprehensive athletics program than UNT. The Mean Grean could win the SBC and go to bowl games every year and still not get invited to bigger conference because they don't have enough sports overall to be a competive program. Oh wait, that is exactly what did happen!

Coach · October 3, 2007

Don't forget they have not one player or coach on that team with the last name Dodge. So we now know they can't be that good!

Such weak sarcasm.

When Dodge turns it around, I bet your board activity will drop off considerably, only emerging again after any two game losing streak.

Quoner · October 3, 2007

Such weak sarcasm.
When Dodge turns it around, I bet your board activity will drop off considerably, only emerging again after any two game losing streak.

Long time poster slap fight!

Coach · October 3, 2007

I was thinking it would be more of a pissing match.

UNTflyer · October 3, 2007

Being in the Big East guarantees USF some good home games.

DeepGreen · October 3, 2007

Being in the Big East guarantees USF some good home games.

Not to mention Big East money.

Got5onIt · October 3, 2007

Such weak sarcasm.
When Dodge turns it around, I bet your board activity will drop off considerably, only emerging again after any two game losing streak.

Did I cause your panties to get in a wad? Jesus H. Christ???

My board activity will never cease, MUAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Edited October 3, 2007 by Got5onIt

untbowler · October 3, 2007

Did I cause your panties to get in a wad? Jesus H. Christ???
My board activity will never cease, MUAHAHAHAHA!!!!

That seems to be going around with at least 10+ members and that is just a short list.

Coach · October 3, 2007

Did I cause your panties to get in a wad?

They are actually Britney's. They were FedExed from an airport in Utah.

NT80 · October 3, 2007

Being in the Big East guarantees USF some good home games.

I would suggest much of USF's rise to fame has to do with it's location as much as it does wins (same for UCF). The Tampa area was ripe for 1-A football, and like Texas a football recruiting hotbed. The Big East noted all their retirees living there that have associations with other Big East schools, a natural fan base for a road game, and warm climate to tell cold northeastern recruits about, again for a road trip. We have many of the same perks, including recruiting, weather, major airport, & location, location, location. All we lack is the stadium and conference. <_<

FirefightnRick · October 3, 2007

All we lack is the stadium and conference.

We also lack the money commitment from the university and the mindset to schedule for success that USF has had from the beginning.

Rick

Edited October 3, 2007 by FirefightnRick

Green Lantern · October 3, 2007

We also lack the money commitment from the university and the mindset to schedule for success that USF has had from the beginning.
Rick

Careful. With comments like these your gonna be labeled as one of those dirty NT fans who don't want to face any competition. <_< You'll get the standard "We are scheduling for success", and "We should view the LSU, UT, OU games as opportunities" responses.

How nice would it be to open the season at home, or against someone we have a reasonable chance to beat for a change?

Cerebus · October 3, 2007

They are actually Britney's. They were FedExed from an airport in Utah.

The plot... sickens.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 3, 2007

USF pays Leavitt $1.2 million a year. He was co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State with Bob Stoops back in the mid-90s. USF hired a guy who had skins and who had already been part of a rebuilding process at Kansas State - and a very successful one at that.

So, USF has a former defensive coordinator from a BCS school and they pay him over $1 million a year.

Anyone else here see why we're not going to follow in USF's footsteps?

Hints: Experienced collegiate coach...defensive...$1 million dollars.

Nevermind.

Edited October 3, 2007 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

Eagle1855 · October 3, 2007

USF pays Leavitt $1.2 million a year. He was co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State with Bob Stoops back in the mid-90s. USF hired a guy who had skins and who had already been part of a rebuilding process at Kansas State - and a very successful one at that.
So, USF has a former defensive coordinator from a BCS school and they pay him over $1 million a year.
Anyone else here see why we're not going to follow in USF's footsteps?
Hints: Experienced collegiate coach...defensive...$1 million dollars.
Nevermind.

man, you're gonna get grilled, but there's something to your post...

i agree with several other posters regarding scheduling. follow the k-state or A$M basketball method of scheduling. get some confidence, win some games, and fill up the stadium. money, recruits tend to follow.

Edited October 3, 2007 by Eagle1855

UNTflyer · October 3, 2007

Just looking back over USF's schedule over the past few years, they didn't host a big drawing school that was outside of their conference.

The Big East has been good for them... right place, right time.

untjim1995 · October 3, 2007

We also lack the money commitment from the university and the mindset to schedule for success that USF has had from the beginning.
Rick

What do you think happens if the university decides that it will not impose the stadium fees on the students? Would we just stay status quo and continue in Fouts at a D-I level or would it eventually be the end of the program? Would UNT ever go without football or would it recognize that we need to have it in some form or fashion to keep some of its alumni happy? I often get asked these questions by others when talking about our program. These questions aren't just directed at Rick, but to anyone who has any thoughts on the subject.

NT80 · October 3, 2007

What do you think happens if the university decides that it will not impose the stadium fees on the students? Would we just stay status quo and continue in Fouts at a D-I level or would it eventually be the end of the program? Would UNT ever go without football or would it recognize that we need to have it in some form or fashion to keep some of its alumni happy? I often get asked these questions by others when talking about our program. These questions aren't just directed at Rick, but to anyone who has any thoughts on the subject.

It's not will a new stadium happen, it's only when. I believe there are many factors in the equation. Fouts as a structure needs replaced just because of age. The Fouts land is needed for core campus uses and I-35 expansion. Eagle Point has dedicated land already on the MasterPlan for a new stadium. The football program, as we've seen this year with the Dodge hire, can and does bring in a huge amount of media for the school, and not just local media but national media. Probably more media than the school generates against everything else it does combined. Every article in Sports Illustrated, USAToday, ESPN Magazine, and each televised game is a 3+ hour commercial for the school. Million$ of advertising $$ for UNT. More schools are wanting football than dropping (UTSA, South Alabama, etc) , and many that have dropped football want it back (UTA, Wichita State, Lamar, Pacific, etc).

October 3, 2007

I would suggest much of USF's rise to fame has to do with it's location as much as it does wins (same for UCF). The Tampa area was ripe for 1-A football, and like Texas a football recruiting hotbed. The Big East noted all their retirees living there that have associations with other Big East schools, a natural fan base for a road game, and warm climate to tell cold northeastern recruits about, again for a road trip. We have many of the same perks, including recruiting, weather, major airport, & location, location, location. All we lack is the stadium and conference.

Their Florida location really did help. But cannot help but disagree that a stadium alone gets us into a new conference.

Compare:

USF UNT

Football Football

Basketball (M,W) Basketball (M,W)

Cross Country (M,W) Cross Country (M,W)

Track & Field (M,W) Track & Field (M,W)

Golf (M,W) Golf (M,W)

Tennis (M,W) Tennis (W)

Softball Softball

Volleyball Volleyball

Soccer (M,W) Soccer (W)

Sailing (W) N/A

Baseball N/A

N/A Swimming & Diving (W)

USF has 8 men's athletics programs to UNT's 5. Both have 9 women's programs. I think that not having baseball hurts us a great deal. If you look at the sports offered in Conference USA, UNT does not offer 3 of them - baseball, men's tennis, and men's soccer.

A new stadium is a step in the right direction, to be sure. But it is not a panacea for all of UNT's problems. I maintain that a increase in the overall number of athletic programs is also necessary. Perhaps a new stadium will increase revenues to a point where UNT can expand its offerings. I hope so. Because I do not believe that a conference is going to snatch us up just because of some new bricks and mortar.

FirefightnRick · October 3, 2007

USF pays Leavitt $1.2 million a year. He was co-defensive coordinator at Kansas State with Bob Stoops back in the mid-90s. USF hired a guy who had skins and who had already been part of a rebuilding process at Kansas State - and a very successful one at that.
So, USF has a former defensive coordinator from a BCS school and they pay him over $1 million a year.
Anyone else here see why we're not going to follow in USF's footsteps?
Hints: Experienced collegiate coach...defensive...$1 million dollars.
Nevermind.

Phil Bennett gained his coaching reputation as one of the premier defensive coordinators in the nation during the 10 years prior to his arrival at SMU. From 1999-2001, he guided Kansas State's defense to national rankings of third, fourth and second, respectively. He was particularly proud of his 2001 defense when the Wildcats had lost eight starters on defense from the previous season.

I know Bennett doesn't get $1.2 Mil but he's not lacking much else and he has plenty of skins on the wall and he's more than likely gone after this season.

Rick