What Could Have Been?

[UNT90]

Jim Harbaugh's Stanford team hung 55 points on USC tonight, beating them by 34.

No one knows how serious either side was while the coaching search was ongoing, but it's always iteresting to keep an eye on those who at least interviewed for the position.

What could have been?

[wardly]

Jim Harbaugh's Stanford team hung 55 points on USC tonight, beating them by 34.

No one knows how serious either side was while the coaching search was ongoing, but it's always iteresting to keep an eye on those who at least interviewed for the position.

What could have been?

their was no interest by either party.

[GreenBat]

their was no interest by either party.

If there was no interest by NT, then why interview him? If Harbaugh had no interest, then why interview? If wardly has no clue, why post something like this?

[FirefightnRick]

their was no interest by either party.

Evidently there was:Dec. 6-7: Harbaugh interviews for the UNT job on his way from an interview at Tulane.

Also, I believe this occured before Stanford even showed interest in Harbaugh.

Rick

Edited November 15, 2009 by FirefightnRick

[SilverEagle]

Ok, maybe Jim Harbaugh was not interested in us (I'd like to get his insights as to why) but he is just the kind of "Culture changing" coach that I keep saying North Texas needs. HE CAN'T POSSIBLY BE THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE!

I've said this before (and before and before). Do a profile on the "type" of coach that North Texas needs and then go looking for them WHERE EVER THEY ARE. Here is the background on Jim Harbaugh's coaching experience....from Wikipedia.

Coaching career

During his final eight seasons in the NFL (1994-2001), Harbaugh was an NCAA-certified unpaid assistant coach under his father, Jack, at Western Kentucky University. Serving as an offensive consultant, he scouted and recruited high school student-athletes throughout several states including Florida, Indiana and Illinois. He was involved in recruiting 17 players on WKU's 2002 Division I-AA National Championship team. His father was a football coach for 18 years, including 14 years as Head Coach at Western Kentucky.

Harbaugh was an assistant coach with the Oakland Raiders in 2002-2003. In 2002 he was an offensive assistant coach, and in 2003 he was the quarterbacks coach.

Prior to the 2004 season, Harbaugh was named head football coach at the University of San Diego. In his first year, he directed the Toreros to an overall mark of 7-4, including 5 straight wins to end the season. The following year, the team improved to 11-1 and won the 2005 Pioneer Football League Championship. In 2006, USD again went 11-1 winning their second consecutive Pioneer League title in the process

Jim Harbaugh is unusual in that he skipped over the D-2, & 1-AA stage of his coaching career before being hired at Stanford. But that's a tribute to the insight of the hiring authorities at Stanford. But Jim Harbaugh can't possibly be the only up and coming coach out there.

IMHO, culture changing coaches that North Texas would (and have) benefited from.

Hayden Fry

Corky Nelson (if he hadn't been kept in the poor house by the administration)

Dennis Franchione (on his way up)

Jim Harbaugh

I'll add one more piece of the puzzle. Before we work up (or have worked up) a profile for the ideal coach here, NORTH TEXAS needs to be profiled first.

[GreenStreet]

If there was no interest by NT, then why interview him? If Harbaugh had no interest, then why interview? If wardly has no clue, why post something like this?

I think they recommend that even if you don't have interest in the position, go ahead and go to the interview to gain vital experience???? That's what I heard.

Edited November 15, 2009 by GreenStreet

[MGW]

IMHO, culture changing coaches that North Texas would (and have) benefited from.

Hayden Fry

Corky Nelson (if he hadn't been kept in the poor house by the administration)

Dennis Franchione (on his way up)

Jim Harbaugh

Hmm.

SilverEagle, I believe I disagree with your assumption: that success a coach has elsewhere would necessarily translate to success at UNT. The circumstances at UNT are inherently more difficult. True, Hayden Fry had success at UNT and elsewhere, but, well, there's only one Hayden Fry. All this is to say that I think postulating termination of Dodge (or the merits of a potential replacement/alternative choice] is short-sighted and reactionary.

Coach Dodge took an offense that was as interesting to watch as to watch paint dry. As soon as we can return the Mean to our defense, we will be bowl-bound. And we'll have a product that creates more fans, builds more loyalty to our alma mater, and results in $ for the athletic department and university. Dodge was and is the right choice to take us to the promise land.

IMHO, Coach Dodge should be coaching the first game at our new stadium.

MADNESS TAKES IT'S TOLL........PLEASE HAVE CORRECT CHANGE.

I have a toll tag.

Edited November 15, 2009 by MGW

[gangrene]

I think they recommend that even if you don't have interest in the position, go ahead and go to the interview to gain vital experience???? That's what I heard.

LOLOLOLOL :lol:

If you'll go back and read the threads on this forum you'll see that only a very few were even mildly interested in hiring Harbaugh. Opinions ranged from those that thought Harbaugh's early success was attributed to the fact that he coached in a league with no scholarships to those that thought Harbaugh's name would have no value with today's high school recruits. Yet, on the other hand, nearly everyone believed that Dodge would be perfect for UNT. I'm sure Harbaugh would never admit that he was really interested in coaching North Texas...how embarrassing would that be to admit you were passed over for a job you wanted by a high school coach?

[ntsumgspe]

IMHO, Coach Dodge should be coaching the first game at our new stadium.

Based on what ?

GO MEAN GREEN !!!

2009 MEAN GREEN FOOTBALL : NO EXCUSES !!!

[eulessismore]

Evidently there was:Dec. 6-7: Harbaugh interviews for the UNT job on his way from an interview at Tulane.

Also, I believe this occured before Stanford even showed interest in Harbaugh.

Rick

Not according to this article in the San Francisco Chronicle when he was hired, in so many words, saying he was "was among the first names mentioned when Bowlsby began his search" (Walt Harris was fired on December 4, which was before he interviewed at North Texas, per the Forum thread), and that the Stanford AD Bowlsby, "kept a tight lid on his search".

SFGate on Harbaugh hire

Also, according to Coaching Hot Seat, his salary to start 2008 was $1 million (somewhere, you can figure he got $750k in his first year from all that info).

Coaches Hot Seat on Harbaugh

I'm just wondering, does anyone else get tired of hearing this story? I guess it was the first time I've seen a thread about it this week.

Edited November 15, 2009 by eulessismore

[SilverEagle]

Hmm.

SilverEagle, I believe I disagree with your assumption: that success a coach has elsewhere would necessarily translate to success at UNT. The circumstances at UNT are inherently more difficult. True, Hayden Fry had success at UNT and elsewhere, but, well, there's only one Hayden Fry. All this is to say that I think postulating termination of Dodge (or the merits of a potential replacement/alternative choice] is short-sighted and reactionary.

Coach Dodge took an offense that was as interesting to watch as to watch paint dry. As soon as we can return the Mean to our defense, we will be bowl-bound. And we'll have a product that creates more fans, builds more loyalty to our alma mater, and results in $ for the athletic department and university. Dodge was and is the right choice to take us to the promise land.

IMHO, Coach Dodge should be coaching the first game at our new stadium.

I have a toll tag.

...well Coach Dodge would certainly prove your point.

However, I was suggesting coaches with College experience who coached a schools with "limited" resources. Hayden Fry was certainly "one of a kind", but for that matter, so are all of us. There ARE other coaches out there, that if given accurate and honest information, could formulate a plan to help change the culture here at NT. But having said that, it is not the coaches job to change the culture here at North Texas......just the culture of losing.

It's the job of the AD, the NT administration, the Alumni Association, the NT Student government, and ALL OF US, to change the culture.

Edited November 16, 2009 by SilverEagle

[GreenStreet]

It's the job of the AD, the NT administration, the Alumni Association, the NT Student government, and ALL OF US, to change the culture.

Great statement.

[eulessismore]

It's the job of the AD, the NT administration, the Alumni Association, the NT Student government, and ALL OF US, to change the culture.

+1

Edited November 16, 2009 by eulessismore

[yyz28]

It's the job of the AD, the NT administration, the Alumni Association, the NT Student government, and ALL OF US, to change the culture.

While I agree, what more would you expect? ...you're sort of preaching to the converted here. This AD, like or dislike the body of his work, has made HUGE changes in the areas he has direct influence over. Ten years from now, we may look back and call the Dodge experiment a success or failure based on how the rest of this year and next year plays out, but you will have to admit that under RV -

UNT won 4 conference titles in football.

UNT went to 4 Bowl Games.

UNT had a trip to the NCAA Tourney.

UNT hired Johnny Jones.

UNT built a world class Athletic Complex.

UNT built a world class Football Stadium.

Now, given the state of UNT Athletics when RV took over, I'm trying to see what AD in the NCAA has done this well? ...moreover, look at the School's former AD's. Who's even close in our history?

Then on to the administration - well, we've got a President who clearly cares about Athletics and isn't a pointy head academic who can't see the forest for the trees and doesn't understand the impact successful athletics have on the academic success of the school. This woman is sharp, and has really gone all in (especially when compared to former Presidents) to push this athletic program ahead.

When I graduated in 1999, the Alumni Association was a disorganized mess, and today is a strong organization with a real presence.

...and let's not point ANY fingers at Student Government, who for the first time during my tenure following UNT, has stepped up and backed Athletics in a way never before seen on campus.

...so now we're down to "all of us." Well, I think "All of Us" have done a lot for this program. Not everyone can participate at the same level, but we're all here because we care. We go to the games because we care. We bitch and moan and scream and demand this or that of the coaches and athletic department because we care. This is a slow process. The culture is changing. People who graduate are staying a part of their school after they leave in greater numbers now than ever before.

Are things perfect? No. We know the Athletic Department isn't always on top of getting the news out. ...but is everyone here signed up for the e-mail announcements they send out? ...I got proably 5 e-mails from UNT athletics this weekend alone.

I guess what I'm saying is that its not that I don't agree with you, but its that I think these things are happening - maybe not as quickly as we'd all like, but they are happening. Keep the faith, keep supporting our teams, and keep your chin up when things are down. The culture has changed greatly at UNT since 1999, a decade ago, when I graduated, and it is still on the climb.

GO MEAN GREEN!

[wardly]

If there was no interest by NT, then why interview him? If Harbaugh had no interest, then why interview? If wardly has no clue, why post something like this?

if i didn't have a clue, i would not have posted this information. i should have stated, that after the interview their was no interest by either party. happy now?

[TheTastyGreek]

UNT won 4 conference titles in football.

UNT went to 4 Bowl Games.

UNT had a trip to the NCAA Tourney.

UNT hired Johnny Jones.

UNT built a world class Athletic Complex.

UNT built a world class Football Stadium.

Now, given the state of UNT Athletics when RV took over, I'm trying to see what AD in the NCAA has done this well? ...moreover, look at the School's former AD's. Who's even close in our history?

To be fair... RV inherited the guy who won us those four conference titles and took us to the four bowls. He wanted to fire him halfway through the first championship season. He gets credit for those like my dog gets credit for taking medicine- Yeah, it happened and he was involved, but someone forced it down his throat.

As for the Athletic Complex, we couldn't pay our bills on it and needed a couple of very big bailout checks to close the deal. We were the mortgage crisis before the mortgage crisis was cool. I'll leave it to someone else to point out exactly where the most critical check that actually built that place came from. Suffice it to say, there's a reason Mattress Mac was able to throw his weight around over the name on our practice field. Football stadium... It's been started with student money, and the vote that passed was the one largely driven by our SGA hero. Throw in the problems with Ann Clinkscales and the Goldfields...

I'm not trying to bash RV, and I think some of the threads I've seen lately that rip into him have been insanity. But let's not credit the man for things he isn't responsible for. We'd have been rebuilding again instead of going to New Orleans. We'd have an unfinished cinderblock tower housing our Athletics Department. And I'm not saying we wouldn't be building the stadium... But it's possible.

RV has done some very good things. But, as recently as 12 months ago, I legitimately thought he might be relieved of duty, even after the stadium vote passed. He's had far from a perfect tenure.

I do love Johnny Jones, though. Big thumbs up on that one.

[Monkeypox]

if i didn't have a clue, i would not have posted this information. i should have stated, that after the interview their was no interest by either party. happy now?

Whatever, I just know that [insert dream coach here] was going to come along last time with a team of experienced assistants , donate their salaries to building a new stadium, give everyone free ice cream, and cure cancer. It was all going to happen until RV read this board and saw that everyone wanted Dodge, and after the board recommended a salary level, the deal was done. RV was willing and able, on his end, to pay $3 million per year for the staff, but once he knew the board was after Dodge, he gave that money back to the private donors and hired a bunch of high school coaches.

Aaaaargh what could have been!!!

Harbaugh - HC

Fisher - OC

Glanville - DC

JoePa - recruiting coordinator

Avezzano - Special Teams

Jimmy Johnson - Hair Coach

Free Ice Cream and Anti-Cancer shots for everyone!!!

[KingDL1]

Whatever, I just know that [insert dream coach here] was going to come along last time with a team of experienced assistants , donate their salaries to building a new stadium, give everyone free ice cream, and cure cancer. It was all going to happen until RV read this board and saw that everyone wanted Dodge, and after the board recommended a salary level, the deal was done. RV was willing and able, on his end, to pay $3 million per year for the staff, but once he knew the board was after Dodge, he gave that money back to the private donors and hired a bunch of high school coaches.

Aaaaargh what could have been!!!

Harbaugh - HC -

Fisher - OC

Glanville - DC

JoePa - recruiting coordinator

Avezzano - Special Teams

Jimmy Johnson - Hair Coach

Free Ice Cream and Anti-Cancer shots for everyone!!!

It sounds like we were not close financially to what Harbaugh wanted so I would take him off the list.

Edited November 16, 2009 by KingDL1