You Decide: Is Rv Bold Or Stupid?

MeanGreenHoops · December 2, 2009

D. Playing the best hand he can. A new coach would likely have a terrible season and then we go into the new stadium on a down note. If Dodge flops, then bring in a new guy for the new stadium. You get the preseason double hype of a new stadium and a new coach. When the coach has his very likely bad first year, the new stadium excitement can carry on. If Dodge happens to succeed, then RV looks like a genius.
I think there will be a slight drop in season ticket sales, but I'm also sure the renewal pack will mention priority seating for those who have had the most years of continuous tickets to Fouts. I'm also sure MGC donation levels will come into play also. At the new stadium, the first choice of seats will go to the best fans!

Agreed. He's either a genius, or he gets extra hype for the new stadium opening with a shiny new coach. Either way he wins (unless of course we go 1-11 and RV gets fired, then I guess it was stupid, ok now my head hurts)

UNT90 · December 2, 2009

Stupid decision that should cost RV his job if we are not significantly better next year.

KingDL1 · December 2, 2009

Not sure which ones to change. I don't know anything about Rausch but he coached Gilmore last year and Robertson this year and they both did pretty well. George did well with the receivers on the surface. I don't know if any broke off routes but there were few drops, some open that weren't seen, and all did well at downfield blocking. Gandy is a good runningbacks coach and a great recruiter. He improved the special teams but they still have a long way to go. Petersen and Buckels need to teach tighter coverage but seem competent. Nelson has only had a year here. He has a ton of experience but it seemed as though it took nearly the entire season to determine who was best where. Leftwich sometimes bugs me because he won't substitute but he seems very sound on technique.
That brings us to Ford. He seems to be a good quarterback coach but not a good OC. I wish that Todd would hire a new OC and let him run it. I know that there's a lot at stake for him but the present scheme isn't working and there needs to be some schemes that use a fullback, pass-receiving tight end and plays where the quarterback is under center. A new OC might do better with play calling and goal line scoring especially.
I'm still not convinced that the assistant coaches are the problem. Most of the blame has to fall on the shoulders of the head coach and the coordinators IMO.

I think I would have stomached it fine if the Ford was moved to QB coach and we brought in a new OC, hell maybe it will still happen.

UNTLifer · December 2, 2009

That brings us to Ford. He seems to be a good quarterback coach but not a good OC. I wish that Todd would hire a new OC and let him run it. I know that there's a lot at stake for him but the present scheme isn't working and there needs to be some schemes that use a fullback, pass-receiving tight end and plays where the quarterback is under center. A new OC might do better with play calling and goal line scoring especially.

Agreed with you post except the above. Ford is the OC in name only. Dodge calls the plays and runs the show on the offensive side of the ball. I do agree with the need for the use of a fullback, tight ends and QB's under center, and I would add putting your players in motion.

wardly · December 2, 2009

Its okay thats fine bring back Dodgie and his high assistants....
But keep in mind this is a business, and after four years of losing money, interests, and productivity... The person who hired Dodge and his assistants is just as responsible for this mishap.
We all know that Dodge might win 2-4 games next season at most, he will be fired in the middle of the season, and replaced by an assistant and it will put a damper on opening our new stadium.
So the person who hired Dodge and gave him the opportunity to use the NORTH TEXAS FOOTBALL PROGRAM AS A LEARNING TOOL, should be relieved of his duties.
If this extra year results in the same 2-10 season or worst, Rick Villareal should be FIRED from his post.....
We need a good fundraising AD, and he never lived up to that, while he was here.

you are nuts! with the exception of events arena,untill rv arrived we had the same athletic facalities that were here in my freshman year 1961. who do you think got the football stadium done, athletic center, tennis center etc. regarding td, rv met with him monday and tuesday to review program and make sure they are both on same page. question, who do we have a better chance to win within 2010? we will find out next year. but fire rv if it doesnt work out and complain about his lack of fundraising. you are really nuts!

CaribbeanGreen · December 2, 2009

you are nuts! with the exception of events arena,untill rv arrived we had the same athletic facalities that were here in my freshman year 1961. who do you think got the football stadium done, athletic center, tennis center etc. regarding td, rv met with him monday and tuesday to review program and make sure they are both on same page. question, who do we have a better chance to win within 2010? we will find out next year. but fire rv if it doesnt work out and complain about his lack of fundraising. you are really nuts!

and with those decrepit, horrendous facilities and no game day atmosphere, tailgating, etc. - we won 4 straight championships and looked at New Orleans as a given. So with all this shiny new stuff and big investment, I'm thinking we're not getting much bang for the buck.

MeanGreenEngineer · December 2, 2009

you are nuts! with the exception of events arena,untill rv arrived we had the same athletic facalities that were here in my freshman year 1961. who do you think got the football stadium done, athletic center, tennis center etc. regarding td, rv met with him monday and tuesday to review program and make sure they are both on same page. question, who do we have a better chance to win within 2010? we will find out next year. but fire rv if it doesnt work out and complain about his lack of fundraising. you are really nuts!

You mean the athletic center which only had half the funds raised, sat half completed for months, and then had to be rescued by the BOR and a healthy amount of money from housing?

You mean the tennis center, etc that was passed by the students in the form of Title IX improvements.

You mean the stadium that was paid for by a fee that was passed by the students.

You can't mean the fee that RV tried to spearhead that the students shot down in 2002.

wardly · December 2, 2009

You mean the athletic center which only had half the funds raised, sat half completed for months, and then had to be rescued by the BOR and a healthy amount of money from housing?
You mean the tennis center, etc that was passed by the students in the form of Title IX improvements.
You mean the stadium that was paid for by a fee that was passed by the students.
You can't mean the fee that RV tried to spearhead that the students shot down in 2002.

half a loaf is better than non, and regardless of who payed what, rv got it finished. the stadium and tennis center was paid for in part by alunmi donations, and in greater part by students, as it should be. to my knowledge, our students pay less that any other sun belt student body in athletic fees. regarding 2002, students weren't ready for change, similar to the Bush administration, and look at us now.finally, i m not saying that hiring td was a mistake, but the only people who have never made a hiring mistake are those who have never hired anyone, which on balance certainly is not a firing offense based on rv's overall contribution to athletics.

DeepGreen · December 2, 2009

Dodge calls the plays and runs the show on the offensive side of the ball. I do agree with the need for the use of a fullback, tight ends and QB's under center, and I would add putting your players in motion.

Seems like fans have been asking for this for three years now. Yet all we get are zone reads, bubble screens, and many interceptions. Nothing is likely to change next year.

DallasGreen · December 3, 2009

There is no reason we could not change assistant coaches.

Ask Nelson Barnes or Clay Jennings both of whom wanted to come to UNT as alums and assistants. They were offerred half or less of what they were already making. Cheapest alternative will always prevail at UNT until admins decide they want to pay legit D-1 salaries to coaches ( assistants or head coach--all are grossly underpaid by today's D-1 standards.

GreenAlums · December 3, 2009

B O L D

KingDL1 · December 3, 2009

B O L D

I am absolutely sure it can be both BOLD and Stupid at the same time.

gangrene · December 3, 2009

There is no way this could be anything but the opposite of bold. I frankly don't know what RV hoped to accomplish with this evaluation fiasco. What purpose did it serve? If he truly believes that TD can turn it around next year, why all the drama?

Exactly! This is what I don't get. All of this uncertainty (including RV's quoted statements expressing indecisiveness regarding Dodge's future at UNT) has been nothing but harmful to the recruiting process. HS athletes are deciding where they want to spend the next 4-5 years of their lives and they don't have the same freedoms to change schools (and play elsewhere immediately) if things don't work out at UNT. I think coaching stability is a HUGE factor in recruiting and RV should have never let there be any doubt, other than that expressed by the media and fans, that he fully supported Dodge returning next season.

ArkansasEagle · December 3, 2009

Well, when RV was hired, there were 43 Mean Green Club members. For the most part, he has never learned my name, asked me to help with the stadium (at least buy a locker,etc.) or anything else. Every week tailgating, he asks me, "Who are you?" Guys, I've been in PR all my life. You should know every member ($1,000 level). I like RV as far as building the women's athletics program and getting donations, etc. However, his coaching moves are not so credible. As another example, the only schools UNT can beat in basketball are Division II schools. Why are we playing them? Because it's a win. I go to football games when I can, since I live in NW Arkansas, it's expensive to travel. I didn't like this move to hire Dodge but support him. It's just the right thing to do. The move......it's maybe both! Go Mean Green!!!!!

yyz28 · December 3, 2009

There is no reason we could not change assistant coaches.

No, I agree totally. I was referring to retaining Dodge only. I don't think all of his assistants should be retained. That's a mistake, and not a decision I'm defending. I'm talking about head coach only.

wardly · December 3, 2009

No, I agree totally. I was referring to retaining Dodge only. I don't think all of his assistants should be retained. That's a mistake, and not a decision I'm defending. I'm talking about head coach only.

we are in violent agreement.

forevereagle · December 3, 2009

I am absolutely sure it can be both BOLD and Stupid at the same time.

Boldly stupid.

Harry · December 3, 2009

No, I agree totally. I was referring to retaining Dodge only. I don't think all of his assistants should be retained. That's a mistake, and not a decision I'm defending. I'm talking about head coach only.

If you listen to the podcast we did last night with RV, he makes it very clear that Coach Dodge is being held accountable for the performance of the team next season. Coach Dodge believes that this staff puts him in the best position to win. You can't hold Dodge accountable to winning and then force him to make changes in his staff that he believes strongly will allow him to win in 2010.

Green Dozer · December 3, 2009

Look on the bright side! When RV first got here, nobody was talking about the program. Look at the number of views and responses here on this board the past week since this fiasco started. At least people care, no matter which side of the issue they are on. There is pride in the Mean Green Nation!

December 3, 2009

There is no way this could be anything but the opposite of bold. I frankly don't know what RV hoped to accomplish with this evaluation fiasco. What purpose did it serve? If he truly believes that TD can turn it around next year, why all the drama?

I can't speak for RV; only what I might do if I came to his conclusion. I would check with ever major donor to this program and get a consensus of how my decision might affect donations. I would talk to numerous MG Club members regarding attendance for next year. If it appeared that I'd be cutting my head off to spite my face then I'd go with the majority feelings. If that majority said that it won't affect my donation or attendance and I had the approval of the president then I'd go with my gut feelings.

Another factor is the buyout money. There won't be enough extra until the student contribution starts in 2011 unless donations vastly increase, which is highly unlikely.

He would also have to find a way to pay a new coach and staff. The next coach won't come cheap and his staff will roughly equal his salary. Not an easy thing to do in this economy.

So, I believe that there was a lot of evaluating to do; not of Dodge's or the team's performance (we all know how bad that was) but of what the end result would be financially.

I don't think that it was the best decision but perhaps the only practical decision. I do believe that Todd will have to have a winning record next year or he's gone. If Dodge is successful next year those that leave will be back and we hopefully won't lose as much as would have with a buyout and new staff. If he's not, let's hope the Jeff Bowers of the world are still available.

Got5onIt · December 3, 2009

I can't speak for RV; only what I might do if I came to his conclusion. I would check with ever major donor to this program and get a consensus of how my decision might affect donations. I would talk to numerous MG Club members regarding attendance for next year. If it appeared that I'd be cutting my head off to spite my face then I'd go with the majority feelings. If that majority said that it won't affect my donation or attendance and I had the approval of the president then I'd go with my gut feelings.
Another factor is the buyout money. There won't be enough extra until the student contribution starts in 2011 unless donations vastly increase, which is highly unlikely.
He would also have to find a way to pay a new coach and staff. The next coach won't come cheap and his staff will roughly equal his salary. Not an easy thing to do in this economy.
So, I believe that there was a lot of evaluating to do; not of Dodge's or the team's performance (we all know how bad that was) but of what the end result would be financially.
I don't think that it was the best decision but perhaps the only practical decision. I do believe that Todd will have to have a winning record next year or he's gone. If Dodge is successful next year those that leave will be back and we hopefully won't lose as much as would have with a buyout and new staff. If he's not, let's hope the Jeff Bowers of the world are still available.

What you're saying makes a ton of sense. However, who's to say RV wont change his mind if Teflon Todd wins 4-6 games next year??? We're hearing that "if we take away 5-7 plays we're 6-6" or the good ol' "we're a young team" excuses now. I know rumors are just that, rumors, but apparently, Dodge's neck was under the guillotine with the blade coming down until RV had 2nd thoughts and stopped it. This cat was literally fired & then unfired in less than a week (if you're of the belief rumors hold some substance of truth).

Cerebus · December 3, 2009

Look on the bright side! When RV first got here, nobody was talking about the program. Look at the number of views and responses here on this board the past week since this fiasco started. At least people care, no matter which side of the issue they are on. There is pride in the Mean Green Nation!

Our traffic was an order of magnitude higher in 2004. Not hyperbole, an actual order of magnitude.

Mean Green 93-98 · December 3, 2009

What you're saying makes a ton of sense. However, who's to say RV wont change his mind if Teflon Todd wins 4-6 games next year??? We're hearing that "if we take away 5-7 plays we're 6-6" or the good ol' "we're a young team" excuses now. I know rumors are just that, rumors, but apparently, Dodge's neck was under the guillotine with the blade coming down until RV had 2nd thoughts and stopped it. This cat was literally fired & then unfired in less than a week (if you're of the belief rumors hold some substance of truth).

Unless the team wins enough to get TD an extension to 2012 and beyond, there is no way he comes back in 2011.

Quoner · December 3, 2009

Our traffic was an order of magnitude higher in 2004. Not hyperbole, an actual order of magnitude.

But we were 10^2 or 10^3 clicks away from shattering that record.

TheTastyGreek · December 3, 2009

Our traffic was an order of magnitude higher in 2004. Not hyperbole, an actual order of magnitude.

Except for all the times immediately after losses this season when our insanely high traffic made this new and improved forum crash because of traffic overload... Right?