Dodge (unt) & Rodriguez (michigan)

[greenminer]

Any BCS school comparison is not really the same. A lot of these places are influenced by gobs and gobs of money, either the greed for a piece of the BCS pie or a big time donor who has a large voice ($).

We don't have the luxury of either. We won't be getting into a BCS bowl anytime soon, and there isn't some huge contributor looming over RV's head to give them what he wants. Jim was the closest to that and we had some friction regarding the Dickey situation, but ultimately RV made the fire/hire call under his own terms.

But after that, isn't everything relative? We don't have the big-time money for big-time names...so what? We passed over Jim Harbaugh for a high school legend. And you know what, I fell for it! I loved Dodge and the enthusiasm he brought.

He is not being asked to compete with Clemson or Michigan. He is being asked to compete with FIU, ArkState, FAU, and Troy. FIU, if you recall, got their lone win against us last year. And apparently, in year two, we can't be competitive with ANYONE on our slate.

This isn't the SEC or the WAC or CUSA. To be competitive in the Belt, you need a few game breakers and respectable line play. Don't we have that? I will say this: our O-Line has been great this year. LSU didn't touch Vizza. K-State didn't sack and got a couple hurries...I know we've got the safe game going: shotgun formation with quick outs. But I still think some credit is due and notice we're getting around 4 ypr? Correct me if I'm wrong.

And amazingly, God Dodge and his Jesus walk-on-water offensive mind is having trouble scoring more than 20 points regularly. We've gotten SO GOOD, we can fly between the 20s for over 400 yards/game and NOT score 20. Hallelujah, thank you Savior.

A cherry on top: our most prized recruit this year is not a player, he's our DC. But he's been caught in shouting matches with Dodge. And his defense is WORSE than last year's high school theatrical production.

Am I alone in thinking "WTF is going on around here?"

Harbaugh is winning games at STANFORD.

Todd Graham got Rice to a bowl in his first year. HIS FIRST YEAR. And they were wishbone before his spread.

Price got UTEP to a Bowl game for the first time in 16 years HIS FIRST YEAR

It is realistic to give him 3 years. It is NOT unrealistic to expect improvement from game 1 to game 18. But somehow, we have gone from laying a turd in the 2007 finale to a win less FIU, to downright embarrassing ourselves and pissing off my fellow UNT office alums after a humiliating loss to them this go-round.

I'm so torn on all of this. FIU is rolling right now, I know. The Belt is building. Price inherited (really tiring of that word) a squad built of 5th year players from Nord's regime. And I want Dodge to succeed so badly. But not for Dodge. Not for his son. I want UNT to win. And barely escaping a transitional WKU last year, in addition to a LaMo win that would never have materialized had the game been 5 minutes longer...this just isn't going in the direction conducive to a positive outcome. Players that have earned and deserve better, worked their butts off, are being benched. We have an incredible O-line coach, who could very well be looking for another job so he can coach audibles.

I don't like the "cupboard was bare" argument. I don't like the idea of knocking on Dickey's players, because they work their tails off. They always ALWAYS looked better than this. And blaming our results totally on youth is patronizing me. Dodge came here to win right? So he puts the best players on the field right? right? These two classes he has assembled drew high praise from everyone. Faster. Bigger. Athletic. State champions. They are working their butts off, and someone is not putting them in a position to win. It is not fair to them.

And we hear nothing. Dodge doesn't let his players speak much except "things are going great" and "we're just playing to what the defense gives us". His assistants aren't allowed to speak.

Aside from not telling anyone to "f off", this doesn't seem much different than the bunker mentality Dickey's teams had. Todd is alienating himself from everybody outside his office. So it is only accelerating any negative perceptions that are building. What's his football plan now? Has he tweaked anything? I don't see tight-end "tornado" packages, but maybe I've missed them. Why doesn't he elaborate on anything?

Wade Phillips could admit being out coached. It's a perfect sign of adult responsibility. And Dallas-dome loves him for admitting his mistakes, because you have to think he acknowledges them and wants to learn to be better.

UTEP humiliated UCF a couple weeks ago. You know what O'Leary had to say? it wasn't "our players need to learn to stop the explosive plays." It was "We were severely out-coached."

whoa. slow down. end rant.

my bad.

*deep breath*

I already know the counter-point I'm going to hear. And I have two specific posters in mind who will be first to voice it. I just think we need to agree to disagree: my opinion: 4 - 5 years is TOO LONG to wait for improvement. It is evident across every level of football - BCS teams, non-AQ teams, NFL, high school teams - that improvement, scoreboard improvement, should be expected from game 1 to game 18.

Let's see how this boat sails on, my friends.

Edited October 16, 2008 by greenminer

[DirtySavage]

Longest post ever. ^

[jimmyjames_99]

Longest post ever. ^

Add a plethora of font, size, and color changes and it could have been a reincarnation of a Plumm post.

[NT80]

It is a good rant, as far as rant-worthyness goes.

[TheTastyGreek]

What's the big deal about the transition other than needing a different sort of quarterback.... and receivers..... and oh yeah offensive linemen.

For what its worth, the first two years of ASU coaching transition weren't bad, the third year was a disaster with only three wins and only two other competitive games

Man, that must have been rough...

What sort of disaster is it when you've got one D-1 win in 18 games and no competitive games halfway through your second season?

[Eagle1855]

What sort of disaster is it when you've got one D-1 win in 18 games and no competitive games halfway through your second season?

I think epic is the word you're looking for.

[Quoner]

I think epic is the word you're looking for.

That's not a fair picture - if that boat had more time, you'd see it easily rights itself along the next wave and continues on to find the mythical City of Atlantis. You are just an impatient, immature kid.

[TheTastyGreek]

That's not a fair picture - if that boat had more time, you'd see it easily rights itself along the next wave and continues on to find the mythical City of Atlantis. You are just an impatient, immature kid.

Quoner is absolutely right. How long have all of you jerks been ship captains? How many of you have any experience leading a crew of seamen?

Whoever the captain on that boat is, he should get at least 4-5 years to right that ship. Even if it's totally underwater, let it soak for 4-5 so he can put in his own crewmembers.

For crying out loud, the cargo hold is totally bare!

[Eagle1855]

You are just an impatient, immature kid.

Actually, Im a rat looking for a way off this sinking boat.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Eagle1855

[Quoner]

Actually, Im a rat looking for a way off this sinking boat.

You could dive or swim, but I hear there is a better way to get off the boat. I wonder what the best way is?

[CaribbeanGreen]

thread has taken an underrated turn. Play on.

[Green Buckeye]

lol, Michigan.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

For crying out loud, the cargo hold is totally bare!

So funny. By the way, you are supposed to be on vacation, should you be reading and posting? (I do the same thing when I am on vacation)

Edited October 16, 2008 by GoMeanGreen1999

[Green P1]

Quoner is absolutely right. How long have all of you jerks been ship captains? How many of you have any experience leading a crew of seamen?

Whoever the captain on that boat is, he should get at least 4-5 years to right that ship. Even if it's totally underwater, let it soak for 4-5 so he can put in his own crewmembers.

For crying out loud, the cargo hold is totally bare!

Actually the cargo hold was not bare. That ship, the Cougar Ace, had $103 million worth of Mazda automobiles. All of which were subsequently destroyed..... I guess you could relate the cars on the boat to the Dickey's roster if you wanted to.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Green P1

[Cerebus]

Good article about the salvage attempt on the Cougar Ace: Here.

[Green P1]

Good article about the salvage attempt on the Cougar Ace: Here.

I read in Car and Driver that the man in charge of "Righting the Ship" actually died in the process. Lets hope Dodge knows what he's doing......

[FirefightnRick]

I think epic is the word you're looking for.

Uh, who are you with? Uh, No! No, you need to turn your little sightseeing vessel around and leave right now! These waters are closed during this salvage attempt. Why are they closed? Because the Coast Guard say's they are closed, THAT'S WHY, now leave!

Rick

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Uh, who are you with? Uh, No! No, you need to turn your little sightseeing vessel around and leave right now! These waters are closed during this salvage attempt. Why are they closed? Because the Coast Guard say's they are closed, THAT'S WHY, now leave!

Rick

Okay, I will leave, but it doesn't appear that you are actually allowing everyone that is capable of helping to actually help! OH, I see you are putting the best out there to right it, makes sense, but that ship just keeps sinking lower. "Don't question us, we know what we are doing, we did it for that man's canoe last week!"

Okay.

[Quoner]

Actually the cargo hold was not bare. That ship, the Cougar Ace, had $103 million worth of Mazda automobiles. All of which were subsequently destroyed..... I guess you could relate the cars on the boat to the Dickey's roster if you wanted to.

Those cars were never meant to be part of a sea operation. They were built for land. We need to give the captain time to build an armada.