Dave Maggard Uh Ad

[Harry]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/6386279.html

[CorinthEagle]

countdown to RV applying in 3.....2......1

[untbowler]

countdown to RV applying in 3.....2......1

PROMISE!!

[KRAM1]

Personally, I hope not. I want RV to see UNT play in the new stadium that he helped work so hard to build BEFORE he considers leaving UNT. To some of you I would say...BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR BECAUSE YOU MIGHT JUST GET IT!

I have seen AD's at UNT come and go for over 40 years...if you think it's time for RV to go, then you just haven't been witness to some of our previous AD's! I am not saying RV is "God's gift to the AD world", who is? But, I can say, in my opinion, RV has and continues to be a very good AD for UNT. Yes, "challenges" exist, and some folks have perfectly sound reasons for not being overly fond of RV, but all-in-all I'll take RV over many others with and without tenures at UNT.

Anyway, I think RV would like to see the stadium built and UNT playing games in it BEFORE moving on...who knows...only RV and the Shadow know for sure...but, just saying.....

[NT80]

I don't see UH as anything other than a lateral move. Big?12 or SEC would be different but Houston has as many funding and attendance issues as UNT does, if not more.

[untjim1995]

I don't see UH as anything other than a lateral move. Big?12 or SEC would be different but Houston has as many funding and attendance issues as UNT does, if not more.

I respectfully disagree. UH is a much better conference, has much better media coverage, and has a much higher budget and donors. They have rivals that want to play them and be in a conference with them. UNT has none of these and probably won't even come close for some time. UH also will probably get to be a Tier 1 University. I really am envious of them when compared to our situation. IF RV is interested and UH is interested, that would be a very good fit for both.

[UNTLifer]

I respectfully disagree. UH is a much better conference, has much better media coverage, and has a much higher budget and donors. They have rivals that want to play them and be in a conference with them. UNT has none of these and probably won't even come close for some time. UH also will probably get to be a Tier 1 University. I really am envious of them when compared to our situation. IF RV is interested and UH is interested, that would be a very good fit for both.

Okay, CUSA is not that much better of a conference.

They do have better media coverage being one of two major universities here in Houston

Outside of Rice, who are Houston's rivals?

Do they really have better donors? Robertson Stadium and Hofheinz Pavillion aren't that nice and with our stadium on the way, our major sports facilities will be much nicer.

U of H athletics was very poor prior to Maggard arriving and his hiring of Briles/Sumlin for football and Penders for basketball.

Plus, while I like living in Houston, U of H is not in a desirable part of town.

[meangreenbob]

I think that Maggard recognizes that Texas State @ San Marcus is building a stadium that will look very similar to Robertson Stadium. He sees the plans for UNT as well and I feel that he believes Houston needs more than a 38 million dollar enzone facility to distance themselves from schools like UNT, TST @ San Marcus and even UTSA. Maybe others disagreed.

Also, UNT, Houston, UTSA and TS @ San Marcus are all large public universities in the three largest populated areas in the state. I see where a conference down the road with three or four of these teams could really one day compete with those that have always had their sugar daddies in Austin.

Just for fun.

UNT

TCU

UTEP

Houston

Texas State San Marcus

Tulsa

LaTech

ULL

Arkansa State

Southern Miss

[NT80]

I think that Maggard recognizes that Texas State @ San Marcus is building a stadium that will look very similar to Robertson Stadium. He sees the plans for UNT as well and I feel that he believes Houston needs more than a 38 million dollar enzone facility to distance themselves from schools like UNT, TST @ San Marcus and even UTSA. Maybe others disagreed.

Also, UNT, Houston, UTSA and TS @ San Marcus are all large public universities in the three largest populated areas in the state. I see where a conference down the road with three or four of these teams could really one day compete with those that have always had their sugar daddies in Austin.

Just for fun.

UNT

TCU

UTEP

Houston

Texas State San Marcus

Tulsa

LaTech

ULL

Arkansa State

Southern Miss

Houston, Rice, Smut, and TCU all share the anger of being jilted when the Big12 formed and left them behind. I saw many posts on the Smut board about wanting to be in a conference again with Tech, A$M, UT et al or at least regular home & home games with them to fill their stadium. Not going to happen. Only TCU has progressed upward enough (into the MWC) to be considered on the fringe of a BCS invite. Houston fans think CUSA is a temporary home until the SEC or Big12 calls. Dream on. NT has always been trying to climb up and be accepted by those former SWC schools. One day I believe geography will be more important in conference alignment and that will be our chance.

UNT

Tulsa

La Tech

Tulane

Sou. Miss

Houston

Rice

Smut

UTEP

[Green Dozer]

If there were a change in AD now, I def believe it would set the stadium project back at least a year. I mean, unless they give the interim reins to somebody like Hank, I think it would set a lot of things back. And there would be no guarantee that the next athletic director would in as big a hurry to build this thing as RV is.

[NT03]

Houston's atheltic dept graduation improved by 32% during his 7 year stay.

Why in the world would Houston,TCU,Rice,SMU etc ever consider,want or even allow UNT in their conference ?

[NT80]

Why in the world would Houston,TCU,Rice,SMU etc ever consider,want or even allow UNT in their conference ?

Travel expenses to Marshall, East Carolina, Wyoming, or Denton? Travel for fans to away game the same. Save $$$ on conference game road trips, more home fans at opponent stadiums.

[DallasGreen]

If there were a change in AD now, I def believe it would set the stadium project back at least a year. I mean, unless they give the interim reins to somebody like Hank, I think it would set a lot of things back. And there would be no guarantee that the next athletic director would in as big a hurry to build this thing as RV is.

You get someone familiar with the project with the problems of UNT and someone popular locally in Hank. He has been groomed for this position and could step right in without the program ever missing a beat. If you don't think others are interested in him, it was he who took his name from consideration for the TAMUCC job or he would be there now. Hank saw this day as coming soon and chose to stay in Denton. It's time he was recognized for his loyalty and hard work. I say if RV goes there should be no long non-productive search just to bring in some unknown outsider when we have the most qualified person for the job already on the payroll.

[Green Nightmare]

FWIW Maggard refused to ever schedule a home and home with us. Would only offer a road game

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

FWIW Maggard refused to ever schedule a home and home with us. Would only offer a road game

We should try again. With former Big 12 assistant Kevin Sumlin (A&M/OU) and a new AD, they may be amenable. Although, they look like they'll be filled up for quite awhile:

Texas Tech: Home in 2009, away 2010

UCLA: Home in 2011, away in 2010 and 2012

Navy: Home in 2010, away in 2011

Mississippi State: Home in 2010, away in 2009

Louisiana Tech: Home in 2012 and 2013, away in 2011 and 2014

Also, away against Oklahoma State this year, and away against LSU in 2011. The Oklahoma State game this year is that last of a 2 for 1, with the first game played in Houston in 2006 and this year and last year's game being played in Stillwater. They also had a home and home with Mississippi State in 2003 (Houston) and 2005 (Starkville).

Cougar fans can't really complain about the scheduling while Maggard was there.

[untjim1995]

Travel expenses to Marshall, East Carolina, Wyoming, or Denton? Travel for fans to away game the same. Save $$$ on conference game road trips, more home fans at opponent stadiums.

Haven't the costs to travel to and from Denton always been cheaper than to the other outposts you mentioned? Since we moved back up to D-IA status, we have played SMU twice, TCU three times, Rice and UH once, and UTEP none. We won one time against these in-state schools, so us beating them can't be a reason that we don't play them regularly. The real reasons are exactly why we will never be in a conference with these schools--their administration and fans don't want anything to do with having us in a conference with them. That is why our only paths to the future in I-A involve a SBC that continues to get stronger over the next few decades or by getting an E-WAC division going. It will not involve any current FBS schools in Texas, IMHO.

[NT80]

Haven't the costs to travel to and from Denton always been cheaper than to the other outposts you mentioned? Since we moved back up to D-IA status, we have played SMU twice, TCU three times, Rice and UH once, and UTEP none. We won one time against these in-state schools, so us beating them can't be a reason that we don't play them regularly. The real reasons are exactly why we will never be in a conference with these schools--their administration and fans don't want anything to do with having us in a conference with them. That is why our only paths to the future in I-A involve a SBC that continues to get stronger over the next few decades or by getting an E-WAC division going. It will not involve any current FBS schools in Texas, IMHO.

Smut home attendance for selected games the past couple seasons:

USM = 13,020

Mem = 18,224

Hou = 18,972

Tulsa = 15,324

UNT = 20,517

UCF = 10,271

Rice = 13,902

Would an AD really say no to more fans in the stadium?

[risinggreen]

Haven't the costs to travel to and from Denton always been cheaper than to the other outposts you mentioned? Since we moved back up to D-IA status, we have played SMU twice, TCU three times, Rice and UH once, and UTEP none. We won one time against these in-state schools, so us beating them can't be a reason that we don't play them regularly. The real reasons are exactly why we will never be in a conference with these schools--their administration and fans don't want anything to do with having us in a conference with them. That is why our only paths to the future in I-A involve a SBC that continues to get stronger over the next few decades or by getting an E-WAC division going. It will not involve any current FBS schools in Texas, IMHO.

I don't think Houston and UTEP would be all that averse to having us as conference mates. Of course it would depend on a number of factors, but I think that even TCU and Rice could possibly be receptive to being conference mates with us as well. As far as smu is concerned, who cares.

[untjim1995]

Smut home attendance for selected games the past couple seasons:

USM = 13,020

Mem = 18,224

Hou = 18,972

Tulsa = 15,324

UNT = 20,517

UCF = 10,271

Rice = 13,902

Would an AD really say no to more fans in the stadium?

NT80,

I am not trying to rile you up here, but please explain to me why these schools aren't playing us and haven't played us frequently since we moved up. Yes, SMU has us on the schedule in 2014 (I think), and we have a game against Rice scheduled, but it seems that the attendance isn't the driver here. Beating UNT to most of their fanbase is not a big win, but losing to us is a huge loss. Otherwise, we would always have one of them on our schedule. I am not counting any Texas Big XII schools because the advantage they have is huge and they can afford to play us, although Tech and Baylor won't play us anytime soon because of the pain those losses caused to their team and alumni. Apparently, TCU wants nothing to do with scheduling UNT again because they see no good from it. UH, UTEP, and Rice could use the attendance boost, too. But, they don't schedule UNT much, even though we want to play them often.

I still believe that our way in the current environment of FBS football is through an improving Sunbelt and by continuing to play (and actually defeat) Tulsa, La Tech, Army, Navy, and other somewhat notable teams in OOC, while also making it to bowl games. The new stadium will help with that immensely. But I don't believe that the other Texas schools that are mid-majors will do us in favors. Our best hope is to just get better than them--and that is very doable, but it will take a long time from where we are right now. But, at that point, UNT would get to be the chooser in who to play in OOC--or even better, to choose whether to join a confernece that includes some of those old SWC has-beens that cling to their past.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Sadly, I fear SMU will be like TCU if they also get better on the field. They will then feel like they have outgrown the need to schedule us as the Horned Frogs have.

It's maddening but, at the same time, it's hard to blame them. TCU will host OU next season or the season after. Houston has UCLA and Mississippi State coming there over the next few seasons.

Again (and again and again), programs that we used to think were on our downtrodden level are doing what is necessary to compete. If our stadium ever gets built, that will help some. But, really, we need better leadership all the way around, inside and outside of the athletic department. We need people who "see it" and "get it." We only have that sporadically, and seemingly never in tandem.

[NT80]

please explain to me why these schools aren't playing us and haven't played us frequently since we moved up. Yes, SMU has us on the schedule in 2014 (I think), and we have a game against Rice scheduled, but it seems that the attendance isn't the driver here. Beating UNT to most of their fanbase is not a big win, but losing to us is a huge loss. Otherwise, we would always have one of them on our schedule.

Since moving back to the top level we have played most everybody in Texas and the surrounding states. We haved faced UT, A$M, Baylor, Tcu, Smut, Rice, Houston, OU, Arkansas, LSU, Tech, etc. I don't think anyone is avoiding us. OK, maybe Notre Dame is. The short answer why we're not on the same schedule every year is variety. Unless we're a rival for one of those schools (we're not, yet) as an OOC then we only get an opportunity every 4-5 years against one of them, some more, some less. As many mentioned the new stadium will help. RV wants mainly home and home series but we fall short negotiating with Fouts as a venue. I expect better opponents as we open the new facility.

Edited April 30, 2009 by NT80