Utsa Football

bigrobdsp · March 11, 2009

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3957848

Green Dozer · March 11, 2009

Maybe the admins should set up a new forum for UTSA football. I thought this forum was for Mean Green Football.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · March 11, 2009

Base salary of $200,000. Coaches want to coach. The money doesn't matter. Hopefully, this message will be understood by the next athletic director here when he or she is making the next hire for head football coach.

KRAM1 · March 11, 2009

I'm with Dozer here...why so much time about UT-San Antonio. Who the heck cares? I CARE about Mean Green Football. Lots of progress there too if one cares to look. OK, if you want to keep talking about UT-SA go ahead...free country, but really...who the heck cares?

aztecskin · March 11, 2009

playing devil's advocate: I think it could be argued that by comparing NT football to UTSA's new squad helps us measure NT's progress and/or regression.

But this should probably be in the Non-UNT sports one.

LoveMG · March 11, 2009

you should care. utsa will overtake unt football in about 4 years at the rate we are dropping and they are rising

KRAM1 · March 11, 2009

you should care. utsa will overtake unt football in about 4 years at the rate we are dropping and they are rising

Yet another of the really positive Mean Green fans that seem to populate this board. Your Avatar says "LoveMG". I hope so...me, I think UNT will be light years ahead of UT-SA in "about 4 years". UT-SA may not even have a team on the field in 4-years in spite of all the hype and, if they do, they will proabably be getting beat by 1-AA schools by a wide margin. In 4 years UT-SA...if it does field a team in the two years it says it will take would have a bunch of Ju-Co and 1st and 2nd year freshman and sophomores on the field.

Again, who cares about these guys? Let's get them on the schedule and see if we can't build an in-state "thing" with them. If so, then...I will definitely care.

Until then, I'll focus on the Mean Green, thank you. GO MEAN GREEN!

emmitt01 · March 11, 2009

Yet another of the really positive Mean Green fans that seem to populate this board. Your Avatar says "LoveMG". I hope so...me, I think UNT will be light years ahead of UT-SA in "about 4 years". UT-SA may not even have a team on the field in 4-years in spite of all the hype and, if they do, they will proabably be getting beat by 1-AA schools by a wide margin. In 4 years UT-SA...if it does field a team in the two years it says it will take would have a bunch of Ju-Co and 1st and 2nd year freshman and sophomores on the field.
Again, who cares about these guys? Let's get them on the schedule and see if we can't build an in-state "thing" with them. If so, then...I will definitely care.
Until then, I'll focus on the Mean Green, thank you. GO MEAN GREEN!

Hate to put my Brett Vito hat on here but 3-21, and not by close margins. QB with zero collegiate snaps, D-line with "potential", no for sure go-to receiver, and a coach who refuses to do simple things like go under center. UTSA, on the other hand, has a coach who has a national title. You can say until you are blue in the face that he did it with someone else's players but the bottom line remains he did it and anyone would be delusional to think an athlete who is choosing between NT and UTSA won't see that ring on his finger...it looks a lot better than any number of high school championship rings. Oh, and let's not forget that San Antonio has a history of turning out to support any/all sports that you put out there for them. Denton, not so much.

I eagerly await the following posts:

1)Why is everyone always picking on Rodge?

2)Negativity never gets us anywhere. Somehow crossing our fingers and clicking our heels together does.

3)Spring ball looks promising...playing little to no contact football against ourselves is always an excellent barometer.

4)We recruited kids that all the big schools wanted...but just didn't get around to offering. And then a list of the few exceptions.

Fire away.

Edited March 11, 2009 by emmitt01

PerryG2480 · March 11, 2009

Do they have their helmets/jerseys designed yet? That color scheme works really well for Virginia.

KRAM1 · March 11, 2009

Hate to put my Brett Vito hat on here but 3-21, and not by close margins. QB with zero collegiate snaps, D-line with "potential", no for sure go-to receiver, and a coach who refuses to do simple things like go under center. UTSA, on the other hand, has a coach who has a national title. You can say until you are blue in the face that he did it with someone else's players but the bottom line remains he did it and anyone would be delusional to think an athlete who is choosing between NT and UTSA won't see that ring on his finger...it looks a lot better than any number of high school championship rings. Oh, and let's not forget that San Antonio has a history of turning out to support any/all sports that you put out there for them. Denton, not so much.
I eagerly await the following posts:
1)Why is everyone always picking on Rodge?
2)Negativity never gets us anywhere. Somehow crossing our fingers and clicking our heels together does.
3)Spring ball looks promising...playing little to no contact football against ourselves is always an excellent barometer.
4)We recruited kids that all the big schools wanted...but just didn't get around to offering. And then a list of the few exceptions.
Fire away.

I am most certain you will be 100% welcomed on the UT-SA message board. I'm happy you have found a team to be positive about. Amazing, no team in sight at UT-SA and our "fans" are all over them in a positive way, while continuing to "knock" the home team. Is it any wonder why UNT gets so little respect these days? Geeeeezzzzzz. Enjoy that orange and blue jersey.

emmitt01 · March 11, 2009

I am most certain you will be 100% welcomed on the UT-SA message board. I'm happy you have found a team to be positive about. Amazing, no team in sight at UT-SA and our "fans" are all over them in a positive way, while continuing to "knock" the home team. Is it any wonder why UNT gets so little respect these days? Geeeeezzzzzz. Enjoy that orange and blue jersey.

You're right. The only way to be a fan is to blindly swallow whatever is put on the table in front of you. Recognizing the shortcomings of a program that has been abysmal recently and, yes, could sink lower means that you are a traitorous fink.

bstnsportsfan3 · March 11, 2009

Base salary of $200,000. Coaches want to coach. The money doesn't matter. Hopefully, this message will be understood by the next athletic director here when he or she is making the next hire for head football coach.

i dont think we will have to worry about that for a while...i see Todd Dodge being here for a while, and us having a very succussful football programs, the kids are buying into his program and are much happier that riley is running the team. i see a great future for UNT in football!

GreenMachine · March 11, 2009

Oh, and let's not forget that San Antonio has a history of turning out to support any/all sports that you put out there for them.
Fire away.

Besides the Spurs, who?

greenminer · March 11, 2009

*WARNING! Blind positivity*

I, for one, am so f'n excited for the day 10 years from now when Dodge is finally competitive with Coker's squad. He will be 3 cycles through, i.e. having his players populate the entire 2 deep thrice over.

Coker will have a magical, green LED shiney stadium and we can go visit them and their incredible 30K attendance while we're still *positively and constructively* solving the eternal mystery that is UNT fan apathy.

Again, so excited! :wub:

UNT90 · March 11, 2009

you should care. utsa will overtake unt football in about 4 years at the rate we are dropping and they are rising

I am not one of these "we are going to win 7 games and maybe even our conference" type of people who post on here (not that there's anything wrong with that......except they are probably delusional), but there is absolutely no way UTSA passes us in 4 years...or 6 years...or 8 years. They are coming back to play D1AA football. They face a whole host of challenges, some remarkably similiar to the challenges UNT faces. Coker destroyed one of the most potent recruiting pipelines while at Miami, which is why he had to take a job at a start up program. Good game day coach or not, he has proven to be a terrible recruiter.

UTSA hasn't risen anywhere. They don't even have a freshman class. Lets wait 3 years. I bet you their record will closely resemble 3-21...against D1AA competition.

aztecskin · March 11, 2009

I eagerly await the following posts:
1)Why is everyone always picking on Rodge?
2)Negativity never gets us anywhere. Somehow crossing our fingers and clicking our heels together does.
3)Spring ball looks promising...playing little to no contact football against ourselves is always an excellent barometer.
4)We recruited kids that all the big schools wanted...but just didn't get around to offering. And then a list of the few exceptions.
Fire away.

Besides the Spurs, who?

emmit: You're right. For whatever reason, people associate being realistic as being negative. We are trending downward. Them's da facts. Rodge has not started a game in college at quarterback. That is also a fact. The list of guys that have not started in college that come in and light it up is not as long as the list of guys who have started and done decent. I am sure that we all hope he does well. That is not being negative.

Being overtly negative is saying things like 'North Texas will suck this year because they suck, we suck everything sucks'

Being overtly positive is saying things like 'North Texas is going to win this year because we are super-awesome awesomes!'

Both are unreasonable . Give your reasons. Not just what will happen but solid reasons why they will happen.

And when NO came to town, we all supported them. The city wants an NFL team. We love the Cowboys. We love the 'Horns. When the Final Four, Big XII title game, women FF, NCAA tourney games, preseason NFL were hosted, we supported it fantastically. Everyone who has held there even in SA raves about the city and its support. Although UTSA basketball is not really supported, nor are the smaller colleges' team, -mostly because they are dwarfed by the Spurs and 'Boys- Football is king. I think UTSA will have plenty of support.

UNTLifer · March 11, 2009

emmit: You're right. For whatever reason, people associate being realistic as being negative. We are trending downward. Them's da facts. Rodge has not started a game in college at quarterback.

So are you agreeing with the original post and stating the UTSA is trending upward? They have a coach, no staff, no team, no D1 conference. They will be D1AA for years. Please tell me how well San Antonio supports UTSA's basketball program? You would think in the Southland they could out recruit the likes of Sam Houston and SFA that are in out of the way places like Huntsville and Nacanowhere.

Sorry, Coker just doesn't excite me as a coach and I fail to believe they are even close to us now or in the future. I'm sure many on here refer to me as one of the "positive" posters, but I think I'm being realistic about our program, what Dodge encountered when he arrived, getting his players in place, changing the culture of the program, etc...

aztecskin · March 11, 2009

Although UTSA basketball is not really supported, nor are the smaller colleges' team, -mostly because they are dwarfed by the Spurs and 'Boys- Football is king. I think UTSA will have plenty of support.

I did not say UTSA Basketball is supported. I know it isn't. When I lived there, there were less fans at the Convocation Center than go to the Super Pit.

Also, going from Sunbelt Conference Champ to 3-21 is trending downward.

Going from no team to hiring the first head coach is trending upward.

Technically.

Green Dozer · March 11, 2009

Base salary of $200,000. Coaches want to coach. The money doesn't matter. Hopefully, this message will be understood by the next athletic director here when he or she is making the next hire for head football coach.

Lonne,

Where were Coker's other offers from for a DIV 1 job before he took this position with your new favorite team? I mean, did that Nat. Championship he won not mean anything in Ann Arbor, Lincoln, Gainesville, Knoxville, Seattle and the other places that you feel Coker is so eminently qualified to coach at? These are just a few programs that overlooked him since he left Miami as well as many many others.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Green Dozer

NT80 · March 11, 2009

Do they have their helmets/jerseys designed yet? That color scheme works really well for Virginia.

Well, I bet they won't have "U. Texas-San Antonio" slapped on their helmet as an admission of media ignorance. They'll probably have neat helmet stickers too and a logo at midfield!

One thing they do already have UNT beat at in football:

65,000 indoor seats:

http://cache.toolbox.net/alamobowl/files/p...s/128/photo.jpg

Edited March 11, 2009 by NT80

The Fake Lonnie Finch · March 12, 2009

Lonne,
Where were Coker's other offers from for a DIV 1 job before he took this position with your new favorite team? I mean, did that Nat. Championship he won not mean anything in Ann Arbor, Lincoln, Gainesville, Knoxville, Seattle and the other places that you feel Coker is so eminently qualified to coach at? These are just a few programs that overlooked him since he left Miami as well as many many others.

Oh. Because UTSA actually went out and interviewed coaches with college experience, then hired one, they're my new favorite team? I'm just pointing out that while many people on here moan and groan about money Coker is the yet another hire where a coach took around $200k - essentially what we pay. A school who isn't even fielding a football team yet can pay it, yet one of the excuses for us not getting better than a high school grade coach is money.

And, as far as passing over jobs, we're back to contract talk again. In every college cotract I've seen (except us with Dickey, thank to our brillant administration and athletic department), a coach will not be paid the remainder of a contract if he goes to work for another school. It's likely Coker simply stayed out until his Miami contract ran out. Gary Gibbs and John Blake both did that after they left Oklahoma. As soon as the school's obligation to pay them ended, they were back on the sidelines and have been ever since. Miami pays well, so Coker likely enjoyed a short reprise, supplementing with some face time on ESPN until the Miami contract ended.

Downplay the hire all you like. He went to Miami in 1996 as offensive coordinator and recruited and built the offense that he eventually led to the national title. The NFL is still stocked with players from his Miami offenses - Rashad Butler, Bryant McKinnie, Vernon Carey, Najeh Davenport, Kellen Winslow Jr., Bubba Franks, Reggie Wayne, Frank Gore, Devin Hester, Jeremy Shockey, Edgerrin James, Andre Johnson, Eric Winston, Willis McGahee, Lance Leggett, Brett Romberg, Sinorice Moss, Santana Moss, Clinton Portis, Chris Myers, Roscoe Parrish, Greg Olsen. The NFL is not stocked with former players of Todd Dodge - whether they be former high school players or from UNT.

UTSA did well. They took a chance and got Coker on the cheap. Like Howard Schnellenberger and Jim Leavitt before him, Coker will lead a team from FCS (I-AA) to FBS, and will probably have them at least as successful as those two, if not moreso.

Us? Well, we've still got our high school head coach for about the same amount of money, and mostly high school coaches still on the offensive side of the ball. It may not make for good football, but it makes for...exciting football? Not really. But, passing records are being set. And, hey, that's far more important than winning anyway, right?

Edited March 12, 2009 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

UNT_playmaker · March 12, 2009

The reasons why some people are fired up about UTSA is for one reason: They had a mission to find a QUALIFIED College Football Coach and got it right the first time out of the bat and got a quite impressive name for as little as $200,000 a year, seriously its impressive

NT on the other hand is praying that their third-year football coach doesnt have a drug, race, or players quitting issue as well as achieve a 2-3 winning season in 09.

Dont throw the excuses about them being a Div 2 team, because we have won only ONE Div 1 football game since our new head football coach got here.

Edited March 12, 2009 by UNT_playmaker

MeanGreenZen · March 12, 2009

Najeh Davenport

Najeh Davenport broke into a girl's apartment and pooped in her closet. I hope Coker recruits people like that to play at UTSA.

UNTflyer · March 12, 2009

San Antonio has a history of turning out to support any/all sports that you put out there for them.

Let's take a look at some of UTSA basketball attendance:

UT-A: 1330

Sam Houston: 1439 (Mean Green attendance vs. same team: 3241)

Georgia State: 802

McNeese State: 1033

UT-Pan America: 1179

Central Arkansas: 1057

East Central Oklahoma: 833

Yeah, they had a couple 3,000-fan games but those were against Lamar and Texas State, and I'm guessing the majority were the visiting fans. With a population of 2 million people, I just don't see the support you claim is there. And UTSA is a 17-12 (8-8) basketball team. Not shabby at all.

And sure, the fans turn out for the Alamo Bowl, but do you think we wouldn't get the same numbers in Denton if we had these matchups?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamo_Bowl

As for the reaction of students to Larry Coker's arrival... just one comment. They sure are fired up to see some Road Runner football!

http://media.www.paisano-online.com/media/...m-3663983.shtml

Chrisattsu · March 12, 2009

I will hit a number of points-

Here is the forum if you want to talk UTSA sports. - http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=36

They also have UTSA tailgaters as well.

San Antonio support?

Yes San Antonio came out for the Saints. Yes, they come out to the Final Four, Alamobowl (most years), Spurs games, but this is not going to be the case with UTSA.

UTSA maybe a novelty for the first year or two, but San Antonians get bored rather quickly with 'minor league' teams. How many football teams has the city had and then failed to support? 3? 5?. Hockey clubs? The Rampage draw alright, but if they didn't have Spurs money backing them how long would they last in SA? What about Baseball? Oh, we have the Missions. They play against big name teams from Corpus, Frisco, and Odessa. You would think that the 7th largest city in the nation might have a AAA club or an MLB team, but they have a hard enough time filling the Wolff. What about winning college program? What has been the average attendance for Trinity football games? They kick ass in D3, but nobody comes to support them.

UTSA unis and helmet?

I don't know what the unis look like yet.

Playing in the dome?

Is that going to win recruits? It might pop at first, but when a recruit comes out and sees 9,000 people looks like in a 65,000 person stadium. It may not seem as big league as some people think.

A threat in 4 years?

Not likely. It is much easier to be competitive in just about every other sport than football. Football will take the right combination. They already have the big city advantage over Huntsville, Nac, San Marcos, and Lake Charles yet McNeese and these other schools still manage to out-recruit the Runners.