Unt Football A Mess

[Mean Green 93-98]

http://www.star-telegram.com/college_sport...ory/938446.html

[GoMeanGreen1999]

It’s very alarming," Dodge said. "We’re all we’ve got. If I had any answers, I’d give them to you. I’d give them to my football team first."

That statement in itself is pretty alarming.

[foutsrouts]

It is REALLY difficult to not agree that this program is a mess. I mean, I've been following NT since I was a kid iduring the HF era and I have NEVER seen such ineptitude here. Rice could have easily hung 120 on us and blown away the U of H vs. Tulsa blowout record 40 or so years ago. In the past, we always pretty much held up our Mean Green reputation no matter how good or bad we were. Not anymore. Very depressing, and I'm still going to throw some blame at TD's arrogance for throwing a high school coaching staff into the D1 fire. That being said, I'm not giving up on the guy this year even if we go 0-12. As far as I'm concerned, he has until this time next year before I start screaming for his head, but he sure as hell better start making some adjustments before everyone gives up on this program! Pretty depressing day to say the least. Maybe this loss actually makes a statement FOR the need for a new stadium? Then again, we should have played better today even if our home field was a Safeway parking lot.

[UNTflyer]

I'll say it again. Our need for a stadium has nothing to do with the team's performance. It's about the maintenance issues with Fouts Field and the urgent need to build a stadium before Fouts is condemned.

[flyeater]

I'll say it again. Our need for a stadium has nothing to do with the team's performance. It's about the maintenance issues with Fouts Field and the urgent need to build a stadium before Fouts is condemned.

No one here disagrees with that. But if a large block of students vote with their emotions or God forbid their ignorance...I don't want to think about it. Results on the field (or lack of) are part of the PR process, much as I hate the fact.

I'm curious if the stadium fee passes, are we still looking at another coaching change between next month and 2011? I can see this being so large a reclamation that the natural progression is to hand it over to another coaching staff, but that seems pretty far down the road. How long is too long? I honestly don't know.

[MDH]

What comes first, a new stadium or a new coach? It's just not working and we keep getting worse. Last year this spanking was an embarassment from OU, but this year, we have to take it from Rice who gives up in the 3rd quarter to not hit 100 points.

Pathetic.

[Green Dozer]

Even the Star Telegram gives Dodge a pass. Let beatings after beatings like this happen at the big boys' schools that everyboy aspires to be, and see what happens. It wouldn't be tolerated at the top mid majors. I am not saying that Dodge has to go right this minute, but he is the present head coach and has to take the responsibility.

[Huff]

This story would lead a reader to believe that the North Texas football program was in shambles when Todd Dodge arrived and that he is the shining knight on a white horse that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. To that I would reply "Bullfeathers". Was our program in great shape when Coach Dodge arrived? No, it was not but we had posted winning seasons in three of the previous five years. Has Coach Dodge's arrival helped the situation? In my opinion, No, it has not. Has Coach Dodge's time here made the situation better? In my opinion the answer is No, it has not. It has gotten worse. This is what you get when you hire a high school coach with almost no experience at the college level to be your head football coach at a Division I school. Now, at this point our options are very limited. It is a little like some of the stocks that some of us bought a while ago. We can sell now and take some pretty big losses or hang on and hope for a recovery.

[mad dog]

There's also an alarming "us against the world" mentality starting to brew up in Dodge's comments. It isn't full blown yet, but the football coach has got to be an ambassador for the program. That was a huge selling point for him when he came on board, that he would be as active a liaison between the program and the community as he was in Southlake. While I haven't seen anything definitive, there's just enough of the old Dickey bunker mentality to make me nervous.

[greeneyed Josh]

There's also an alarming "us against the world" mentality starting to brew up in Dodge's comments. It isn't full blown yet, but the football coach has got to be an ambassador for the program. That was a huge selling point for him when he came on board, that he would be as active a liaison between the program and the community as he was in Southlake. While I haven't seen anything definitive, there's just enough of the old Dickey bunker mentality to make me nervous.

Dickey won 4 championships!!!!!!!!

[NT80]

There's also an alarming "us against the world" mentality starting to brew up in Dodge's comments. It isn't full blown yet, but the football coach has got to be an ambassador for the program. That was a huge selling point for him when he came on board, that he would be as active a liaison between the program and the community as he was in Southlake. While I haven't seen anything definitive, there's just enough of the old Dickey bunker mentality to make me nervous.

Fans and supporters want answers and when the coach has no answers then who do we blame? The situation is the result of several factors, lack of enough quality players, loss of several recruits, change from run offense to passing offense, coaches not up to college level play, etc. etc. = 2-14. Can it be turned around? Some coaches can, some can't. Dickey did for awhile then lost his edge by not staying ahead of defenses. Dodge's record in HS shows he eventually starts to up the records:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Dodge#Hi...coaching_record

[Travis]

I'll say it again. Our need for a stadium has nothing to do with the team's performance. It's about the maintenance issues with Fouts Field and the urgent need to build a stadium before Fouts is condemned.

I agree with you. But, try telling that to the average unt student.

[FirefightnRick]

I agree with you. But, try telling that to the average unt student.

He HAS been telling that to unt students, average or otherwise.

Rick

[KRAM1]

CHILL OUT EVERYONE...the sun will shine today...and UNT will recover and get better. It has too, can't get much lower after the pounding RICE gave UNT yesterday.

I do think this is the result of scheduling they type of games UNT schedules as "opening games". It's tough on the team, the coaches, the fans, etc. to go into games against the likes of LSU, etc., etc. and not come out with a bit of a down attitude. This too will change....

Hold your head's up...stop the "surrender" attitude and stay a member of the MEAN GREEN NATION......GO MEAN GREEN.

[Travis]

He HAS been telling that to unt students, average or otherwise.

Rick

I know that. but, that isn't what they will look at. The average unt student doesn't care about those things. Yes, we need a new stadium bad. But, the product on the field doesn't give them a reason for the typical students, alumni, and corporations to shell out a lot of cash.

I hope they are more insightful than that... But, I doubt it.

[NM Green]

yeah this article pissed me off - it made it sound like he stepped into the mess instead of causing it!

unbelievable.

We must be relentless about this program and I am talking about everybody - Rick, Gretchen, the Nation, the Green Brigade (the best group I have ever seen at UNT by the way - thank you). World class brands are relentless about service, excellence and creating a magical experience for it's shareholders (owners!). We must demand improvement. Dodge must make statements about that product on the field. the players don't have time to or the priviledge of letting up. they must deliver or decide to not put on the name and the logo. they represent the greatest university in the world in my opinion and you had better take that responsibility seriously or be freed up to become a lumberjack or bearcat.

that is all I can say - is be relentless mean green nation and DO NOT let up on this program - NEVER!

GMG

[FirefightnRick]

I know that. but, that isn't what they will look at. The average unt student doesn't care about those things. Yes, we need a new stadium bad. But, the product on the field doesn't give them a reason for the typical students, alumni, and corporations to shell out a lot of cash.

I hope they are more insightful than that... But, I doubt it.

I'll give them more credit than that. If you'll look at what the student government is saying, and telling others, is that they are looking at this as a fiscal need due to a needed upgrade in facilities that has been campus wide and that the stadium is next inline... "Everyone wants our university as a whole to have the best, regardless of your major", and that better facilities will mean a better recruiting tool for athletes, in turn helping gain more wins. And I can't think of a better time than right now to want to improve on that "Wins" part?

Rick

[UNTflyer]

I know that. but, that isn't what they will look at. The average unt student doesn't care about those things. Yes, we need a new stadium bad. But, the product on the field doesn't give them a reason for the typical students, alumni, and corporations to shell out a lot of cash.

I hope they are more insightful than that... But, I doubt it.

I think you may be surprised by how many students are looking at this objectively. While they may not like (I don't like it), we need the students to approve this referendum because of the condition of Fouts Field and the economic reality of maintaining Fouts vs. building a new stadium.

I wish we had the alumni support to build this thing with 100% private donations, but that just won't happen. And I believe the majority of voting students will approve the stadium.