Fire Mendoza...now!

UNT Mean Green · November 12, 2007

Smitty, I'm right there with you.

I am in total 100% support of Todd Dodge and his staff. They know it and I know it. Have been since the rumors starting flying last November about Dodge being hired. I'd do anything in the world to help any of those guys. They are good men and are in the profession for the right reasons. There is not a single doubt in my mind that I have the same expectations as these guys and am very realistic about it.

Coach Mendoza is a good man, and has been very successful in the high school ranks, being Dodge's right hand man since Coach Stalcup passed a few years back. I'm not one to jump to conclusions and make decisions 'in a vacuum' or based on 'emotion'. As a former coach, I watch the game differently than most. I evaluate the game just as I would from the pressbox coaching on the headphones. I think one of the major responsibilities of a coach is to put his players in positions to make plays. I don't know if we're getting that for our defensive unit. As complex as the college game has gotten offensively, I believe we need a few more guys like Chuck Petersen and Butch LaCroix on our defensive staff who have experience and know the ins and outs of the Division 1 game. I think we need someone who is a master of preparation and 'worst-case scenarios' everything during the week of practice. I know Gary DeLoach did those things, and players loved it. Coach Mendoza does work his guys hard and gets them prepared in the best way he knows possible. I'm not certain that is the best way there is though. I'm not calling for his head or an epitaph hanging outside the athletic center. Maybe a demotion, or maybe having Co-Defensive coordinators like Texas, and letting Petersen have more involvement. I feel like Coach Drake, Coach Rausch, Coach LaCroix and Coach Petersen certainly fit the bill of a Division 1 defensive coach. I trust Coach Dodge and Rick Villareal to evaluate coaches at the end of this year and do what is best for this team in the future...whatever that may be.

rcade · November 12, 2007

Many folks are having the same reaction to this game that they would have had if the score had been 74-0 instead of 74-62. I was there, and sure, I was disappointed. But some of you sound suicidal, as if the whole purpose of the game was to insult you personally.

Grouping all unhappy fans with the fringe folks who would drive by a coach's house and engage in similar behavior is a cheap shot. Would you like us to engage in an analysis of your personality because you're happy with Saturday's game?

Edited November 12, 2007 by rcade

Green to the Bone · November 12, 2007

I haven't so much been a defender of the coaches but rather have strongly held the opinion that no one should be fired in the first year. That's just my instictive belief for any new staff.
However...
I have to admit that I am wavering in that belief. These results are shocking. There has been so very little improvement on defense, and now this last game is just unbelievable.
My instinct says you don't make staff changes in the first year, that you trust your head coach to hire the right people and then give them the chance to get established. But after these nine games, I just don't know anymore.

I've already been accused of demonizing any critics of the defensive performance by people who missed the point. So for the record, I am in Smitty's camp. If I had been the head coach, I probably would have reluctantly called Mendoza into my office after the Navy game and told him, "Ron, it's no secret that it's just not working out. We've already had this conversation several times. Now I've got to make a change. I'm going to have Butch fill in as acting defensive coordinator for the rest of the season. I want to thank you for your efforts. I hope we can remain friends." I have come to believe that that move is probably necessary.

The targets of my post were not the critics, for I'm among them, but rather the irrational emotions, the frankly bizarre internalizing of a college team's failure that some people have felt compelled toward, and the unhealthy inability to put things in perspective. It's a pattern that arises time and again on this board.

Go back and re-read the post that I originally responded to. It was one of the saddest things I've ever read on this board.

rcade · November 12, 2007

Can someone here tell me Mendoza's accomplishments before coming to UNT? All I know about the guy is that he came on board with Dodge.

SilverEagle · November 12, 2007

Can someone here tell me Mendoza's accomplishments before coming to UNT? All I know about the guy is that he came on board with Dodge.

http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...p;Q_SEASON=2007

UNT Mean Green · November 12, 2007

"Mendoza has had a very successful career as an assistant coach in the Texas high school ranks. He spent all seven years with Dodge at Southlake Carroll, enjoying four state championships and a 98-11 record during that time. Over the last five years at Carroll, Mendoza helped guide the Dragons to a 79-1 record, with the only loss being a one-point decision in the 2003 state championship game. As the defensive coordinator at Carroll the last three years, Mendoza’s squad ranked 20th in total defense in 2004, 10th in 2005 and third in 2006. He coached at least one all-state linebacker in each of his seven years with the Dragons, including Ben Hixson who currently plays at Baylor, Patrick Benoist who plays at Vanderbilt and Pete Fleps who plays at SMU. With a perfect 16-0 record in 2006, his defense allowed an average of just 11.2 points per game and the team’s margin of victory was 33.1 points per game."

DallasGreen · November 12, 2007

So we fire Mendoza and replace him with who? You seem to know which defensive schemes work, so the solution should be easy. Hire a coach with a proven college scheme. Please shed some light on this coach in the college ranks.

There's one sitting right over in Oakmont that won plenty here as a player, DC, and perhaps best recruiter ever before TD. You've also got NT 's greatest All American sitting in Fower Mound who though undegreed has 5? Super Bowl rings. Maybe lack of a degree keeps him from being HC, but I think there have been others who it did not keep from being an assistant. The late Ron Shanklin comes to mind.

foutsrouts · November 12, 2007

There's one sitting right over in Oakmont that won plenty here as a player, DC, and perhaps best recruiter ever before TD. You've also got NT 's greatest All American sitting in Fower Mound who though undegreed has 5? Super Bowl rings. Maybe lack of a degree keeps him from being HC, but I think there have been others who it did not keep from being an assistant. The late Ron Shanklin comes to mind.

Bring on Mean Joe! With the recuits he'd bring in, we'd likely be top ten material in 2-3 years. Forgive me if I'm dreaming, but a TD/Mean Joe combo would be hard to beat.

Mean Green 93-98 · November 12, 2007

Bring on Mean Joe! With the recuits he'd bring in, we'd likely be top ten material in 2-3 years. Forgive me if I'm dreaming, but a TD/Mean Joe combo would be hard to beat.

Yes, it would be hard to beat. And yes, you're dreaming.

flyeater · November 12, 2007

"Mendoza’s squad ranked 20th in total defense in 2004, 10th in 2005 and third in 2006."

Where do these defensive rankings come from? Ranked among what?

MeanGreen61 · November 12, 2007

There's one sitting right over in Oakmont that won plenty here as a player, DC, and perhaps best recruiter ever before TD. You've also got NT 's greatest All American sitting in Fower Mound who though undegreed has 5? Super Bowl rings. Maybe lack of a degree keeps him from being HC, but I think there have been others who it did not keep from being an assistant. The late Ron Shanklin comes to mind.

Hmmm. He can serve on the North Texas Board of Regents and coach at the highest level of football, but can't meet the educational requirements for his alma mater. Whata joke ! Maybe the BOR could vote a waiver or amend the education requirements to include "life experiences" as a BOR member & professional football coach.

Green to the Bone · November 12, 2007

Hmmm. He can serve on the North Texas Board of Regents and coach at the highest level of football, but can't meet the educational requirements for his alma mater. Whata joke ! Maybe the BOR could vote a waiver or amend the education requirements to include "life experiences" as a BOR member & professional football coach.

We have a greater chance of luring Vince Lombardi.

scotty474 · November 13, 2007

Smitty, I'm right there with you.
I am in total 100% support of Todd Dodge and his staff. They know it and I know it. Have been since the rumors starting flying last November about Dodge being hired. I'd do anything in the world to help any of those guys. They are good men and are in the profession for the right reasons. There is not a single doubt in my mind that I have the same expectations as these guys and am very realistic about it.
Coach Mendoza is a good man, and has been very successful in the high school ranks, being Dodge's right hand man since Coach Stalcup passed a few years back. I'm not one to jump to conclusions and make decisions 'in a vacuum' or based on 'emotion'. As a former coach, I watch the game differently than most. I evaluate the game just as I would from the pressbox coaching on the headphones. I think one of the major responsibilities of a coach is to put his players in positions to make plays. I don't know if we're getting that for our defensive unit. As complex as the college game has gotten offensively, I believe we need a few more guys like Chuck Petersen and Butch LaCroix on our defensive staff who have experience and know the ins and outs of the Division 1 game. I think we need someone who is a master of preparation and 'worst-case scenarios' everything during the week of practice. I know Gary DeLoach did those things, and players loved it. Coach Mendoza does work his guys hard and gets them prepared in the best way he knows possible. I'm not certain that is the best way there is though. I'm not calling for his head or an epitaph hanging outside the athletic center. Maybe a demotion, or maybe having Co-Defensive coordinators like Texas, and letting Petersen have more involvement. I feel like Coach Drake, Coach Rausch, Coach LaCroix and Coach Petersen certainly fit the bill of a Division 1 defensive coach. I trust Coach Dodge and Rick Villareal to evaluate coaches at the end of this year and do what is best for this team in the future...whatever that may be.

Very well said. Thanks for the perspective.

meangreen2018 · November 13, 2007

Isn't Mr. Mendoza DC anyway?

UNT Mean Green · November 13, 2007

Yes, Coach Mendoza is the Defensive Coordinator.

JayDub · November 13, 2007

8 pages later...Ron Mendoza still sucks.

Edited November 13, 2007 by JayDub

PlummMeanGreen · November 13, 2007

Here you go band-wagon jumper on'ers, band wagon jumper off'ers and probably bandwagon jumper on'ers when a 1'st year HFC many of you supported in September starts making some of you start eating some crow when success begins to happen? Some of you act this way when Fry won 2 games his 2'nd year in Denton?

Can you look past your noses to see that better recruiting classes have already started in Denton, Texas, America? Does a (only) 17 day recruiting window Dodge had last Winter to recruit a QB that will (if he stays healthy) re-write almost every QB record at the University of North Texas give some of you D1-A college football experts a clue?

Yes, we have defense problems right now but don't most HFC's usually solve them in due time? What makes some of you D!-A upper profile program's college football experts think we are stuck with a bad defense forever. Do we give our present coaching staff more than one year to improve it while they put some of their own recruits on defense to do so? Why is so damn much being expected from this past 2 seasons/5 win football program now?

I now defer to the bottom signature & ask some of you to do a gut check of why are you acting like your acting toward Coach Dodge, that is, before a HFC even has time to evaluate his 1'st season (which is still a few weeks from even being over)?

I guess I had to hit my (almost) 6'th decade of life to understand all this, but I continue to understand why UNT football never improved thru the decades and FWIW................ it can start with the overall attitude of its fan base (and I don't care how much money you give because money cannot cover up our last 2 1/2 decades of poor hires, pointless college football in Denton where we did not beat "ONE" (I repeat...............ONE) Top 20 or Top 25 football program at the NCAA's highest level; and FWIW (again) 4 unranked bowl teams did not beat one Top 25 program the last 9 years prior to this one.

I defer to the signature below...

Edited November 13, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

JayDub · November 13, 2007

where we did not beat "ONE" (I repeat...............ONE) Top 20 or Top 25 football program at the NCAA's highest level; and FWIW (again) 4 unranked bowl teams did not beat one Top 25 program the last 9 years prior to this one.

You're right, Plumm. However, I think it's safe to say that, if we had the offensive production we had on Saturday paired with a defense from Dickey's "Glory Years"...Saturday would have been a win.

PlummMeanGreen · November 13, 2007

You're right, Plumm. However, I think it's safe to say that, if we had the offensive production we had on Saturday paired with a defense from Dickey's "Glory Years"...Saturday would have been a win.

JayDub, you're right, but DD's last 2 years were not Glory Years and what kind of offense would DD have had this year that would have drawn the kind of crowds we had this year?

Would DD's offense (w/o Vizza since he would not have have been able to sign him) been able to do much more than create yawns and poor attendance? Would DD's defense this year have done much w/o an offense? Would many of us even be posting anymore had Bobby Ray forced upon us all a 10'th year of DD Ball in Denton? The answer is.................no; and I can tell you many more who would have not been around and one of those being a fan who has been watching MG football since the 1940's who said he was "out of here" if DD came back. "Gray" is part of his GMG.com board monikor for a big hint on that.

DD Ball is "slowly" being phased out in Denton and we need it to be--said it facetiously before, but it was a shame that DD could not be here to bottom all this out for good this season and then we make a new hire, but I only truly jest when I say that because we had to make a move sometimes and last year was not too soon.

And JayDub, there are still many of us old farts (and many of you younger ones) who really do think Top 25 football can once again be achieved in Denton and we had no such mindset of attaining that under the previous regime.

Edited November 13, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

untbowler · November 13, 2007

wow 9 pages and many still do not get it. Ok we know you hate DD!!!, give up he is gone.

Next again how is it an attack on TD, when nobody is complaining about offense, but the focus has been on the atrocious defense.

I guess TD does not feel Mendoza is man enough to face the press but he is man enough to puff out his chest at the crowd when he finally has one decent defensive game. TD has no problem throwing his players to the press wolves, but poor Mendoza shoudl not have to take any heat.

Long live TD, but Mendoza has to go is that clear enough, of course some long time supporters still want the cancers (i.e. DD players) to be gone, yet leave the coaching staff untouched. If the Mendoza stays the only Top 25 we will ever hit is the Top 25 Worst Defenses in NCAA History.

Edited November 13, 2007 by untbowler

Cerebus · September 10, 2023

Everything old is new again...

Side.Show.Joe · September 10, 2023

4 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

Everything old is new again...

It doesn't have to be. Mendoza kept his job long after most realized he couldn't get it done. Our leadership doesn't have to continue to tolerate failure. While Morris is too expensive to drop kick after only two games, Caponi is very expendable.

aprice · September 11, 2023

2 hours ago, Side.Show.Joe said:

It doesn't have to be. Mendoza kept his job long after most realized he couldn't get it done. Our leadership doesn't have to continue to tolerate failure. While Morris is too expensive to drop kick after only two games, Caponi is very expendable.

Those of us who got the Dodge experience knows what a completely unsalvageable defense looks like.

There is no fixing this, it is fundamentally broken. It probably doesn't matter if he gets canned now or in the off-season, but someone new obviously has to be brought in.

If that doesn't happen all hope is lost for next year too

Edited September 11, 2023 by aprice