Todd Ford Is Out..... Who's Next?

[filmerj]

I am not a fan of the current coach at this point, but if this team goes 5-7 NEXT season, you have to seriously consider bringing him back for a fifth year. Go 6-6, more wins in one year than in your first three put together, I think you bring him back. I know RV says 7-5, but it would be hard to let a guy go with that much improvement.

Might as well stick it out till year five now. Don't re-up his contract and the University doesn't owe him anything. My guess is this is how it will turn out. I don't have inside information or anything just a gut feeling. If we didn't make a change after last season it ain't happening.

[KingDL1]

I am not a fan of the current coach at this point, but if this team goes 5-7 NEXT season, you have to seriously consider bringing him back for a fifth year. Go 6-6, more wins in one year than in your first three put together, I think you bring him back. I know RV says 7-5, but it would be hard to let a guy go with that much improvement.

Sacrilege, I say.

Screw the improvement, TD needs to hit 7-5 period we are talking about a 4th year coach.

Sacrilege is anything less then 7-5!

Don't go soft expect nothing less.

[EagleMBA]

So you are saying that Dodge has vowed to never stop looking for the man that ran off all of the tight ends/fullbacks from the roster?

Underrated!

Yes, he will make that vow on Harry's podcast at the beginning of the season. About Thanksgiving week, though, he will release a book with the hypothesis "If I Did It".

[NT80]

Not easy! My guess is they will shuffle some of the assistants that they have right now and spread his money among them. Suffice it to say that Dodge will be his own offensive coordinator in this most critical year in his coaching career.

A good move for all concerned. Will it make much of a difference since TD ran the offense anyway? The timing of this seems odd as just a couple weeks before signing day. I take it Ford wasn't a main source for any of our recruits?

As for a replacement it may just be another "helper" coach to review tapes, oversee practice and basically just "help out" as needed by Dodge. I can't see him bringing in a real OC to run his football plan.

Was this a real opportunity for career advancement for Ford, desperate measures for desperate times by TD, or someone simply jumping ship early? Titanic or Full Speed Ahead?

Edited January 14, 2010 by NT80

[SilverEagle]

I can't imagine anyone, even a talented OC from a D-II or D-III school, that would come here knowing that he only has one year (actually less) to help turn things around. Unless he is very desparate or very delusional.

Edited January 14, 2010 by SilverEagle

[Green Dozer]

Sacrilege, I say.

Screw the improvement, TD needs to hit 7-5 period we are talking about a 4th year coach.

Sacrilege is anything less then 7-5!

Don't go soft expect nothing less.

Let me first say I have been a "Dodge Apologist" before I make my next statement, and now I am just trying to be objective for a moment (whether I personally think he should come back at 5 or 6 wins does not make any difference in the context of this discussion). I plead guilty to all you Dodge Bashers out there. If a winning record is your bar in the 4th year is a winning record, then you absolutely fire him even if he is at the 5 or 6 win mark. There has to be some point here where UNT lays out certain expectations of their athletic program and when those expectations are not met, then changes will occur. 12-36 overall record, even if he wins seven games next year, does not make 5-31 at this point look any better.

[Side Show Joe]

If Dodge chooses to serve as the OC next season, then I truely believe he will not win enough games to save his job, and I won't feel sorry for him.

He will surely have a tough sell to bring in a quality OC. He's going to need Villareal, DeLoach, Peterson, and the others to step up and help him sell our OC job. I don't know how much Villareal is willing to spend on the next OC, but I think he will end up paying a larger amount then any of us would predict. He brought Dodge here. He wants him to succed as much as we do, but if he doesn't, it won't be because of a lack of support from the AD. That can only help when trying to sell this program to a new coach. That and the extra funds generated from the stadium fee.

If Dodge busts his rump trying to land a OC, and no one is willing to take it, then he'd be forced to act as the OC. If that happens, I'd really feel sorry for the man.

[Green Mean]

We have 5 wins in 3 full seasons and 3 of those wins against a team that was barely even FBS. If this team wins 5 games in just one season how do you not give Dodge another year? Remember he still came from HS and whether he admits it or not the learning curve was/is astronomical. Expecting this team to win 7 games this year is very unrealistic. RV is just saying this because he needs to light some fire in Dodge's ass and maybe he will handle this whole off season and upcoming season with urgency. I am not a fan of Dodge and called for him getting the boot but 5 wins this season should give him a 5th year....mainly because this team has been god awful.

Edited January 14, 2010 by Green Mean

[KingDL1]

We have 5 wins in 3 full seasons and 3 of those wins against a team that was barely even FBS. If this team wins 5 games in just one season how do you not give Dodge another year? Remember he still came from HS and whether he admits it or not the learning curve was/is astronomical. Expecting this team to win 7 games this year is very unrealistic. RV is just saying this because he needs to light some fire in Dodge's ass and maybe he will handle this whole off season and upcoming season with urgency. I am not a fan of Dodge and called for him getting the boot but 5 wins this season should give him a 5th year....mainly because this team has been god awful.

Great, could we be bigger losers? Yeah we have this great coach he is entering his 5th season. Yeah I know TD has never had a winning season but he came close last year, he had three more wins then the year before. Hell he is 10 - 38 he is rocking! Don't you want to buy season tickets? Just think if he has nearly 2 and quarter perfect seasons after 7 years he may reach .500 but it will probably take 10 if we are lucky.

But we really think he will do it this year, well if the stars and the moon align just right.

For goodness sake you gave TD a mark to reach next season and that was why he was retained if he does not make it he is done simple as that. Sorry folks anything else is pitiful, severely pitiful. And I really can not believe people are even suggesting that 5-7 or 6-6 is good enough. Have some self respect, people are acting as if Dodge was mentally handicapped and we should give a trophy for trying. 5-7 or 6-6 just means a much better coach will be hired, and we can put his disaster behind us. If he hits 7-5 then he has turned the corner and we had a winning season lets see what he can do in season 5.

[emmitt01]

We have 5 wins in 3 full seasons and 3 of those wins against a team that was barely even FBS. If this team wins 5 games in just one season how do you not give Dodge another year? Remember he still came from HS and whether he admits it or not the learning curve was/is astronomical. Expecting this team to win 7 games this year is very unrealistic. RV is just saying this because he needs to light some fire in Dodge's ass and maybe he will handle this whole off season and upcoming season with urgency. I am not a fan of Dodge and called for him getting the boot but 5 wins this season should give him a 5th year....mainly because this team has been god awful.

I mean this in the least gay way possible but I would love to be married to you if i were a woman. All I'd have to do is not put out for a year then have sex with you twice in a month. All of a sudden I'm "wife of the year".

We wondr why nobody else respects our program...then we judge our team's progress by the least stringent standard possible.

[UNT_playmaker]

Wow I am actually shocked.... I just logged in to GMG and Todd Ford is out at NT....

So lets get this straight, our Division I OC decided to bolt his position in a make or break upsoming season to go become a High School HC.

These High School coaches are just going back to where they came from, so will RV still hold TD to 7-5 for next season or give him another year if he goes 2-10 because his OC left

[UNT90]

We have 5 wins in 3 full seasons and 3 of those wins against a team that was barely even FBS. If this team wins 5 games in just one season how do you not give Dodge another year? Remember he still came from HS and whether he admits it or not the learning curve was/is astronomical. Expecting this team to win 7 games this year is very unrealistic. RV is just saying this because he needs to light some fire in Dodge's ass and maybe he will handle this whole off season and upcoming season with urgency. I am not a fan of Dodge and called for him getting the boot but 5 wins this season should give him a 5th year....mainly because this team has been god awful.

This would mean RV would be breaking what I consider a promise to the fans that we will be at least 7-5 next year or Dodge will be gone. If this happens, expect your contributions and MGC membership to take a 10 to 30% hit, as contributors will not have your patience.

[KRAM1]

Can someone lead me to the quote where RV said it was 7 wins next season or Dodge is gone? I have heard rumors from several spots...one yesterday at the barber shop said it was actually 8 wins...some of the folks have assured me that it came directly from RV (and I do not doubt their word at all...not at all) but I would like to see the printed quote from RV or a link to the voice track speech where he is quoted as saying that 7 wins was the magic number.

I am not arguing with this "understanding", I just would like to see the statement from the AD. Can anyone help me with that? I know private conversations are very valuable and very enlightening...remember, yesterday I was told that RV told this guy directly that it would take 8 wins....the number seems to be jumping around a great bit these days. Another person, with actual D-1 coaching experience for many many years told me that the number will decrease as we get closer to the situation and the time. Seems he might just know what he's talking about. Me, I don't know at all. I'm just looking for the quote so I can get it set in my own Mean Green brain.

Thanks.

GO MEAN GREEN!

[wardly]

Can someone lead me to the quote where RV said it was 7 wins next season or Dodge is gone? I have heard rumors from several spots...one yesterday at the barber shop said it was actually 8 wins...some of the folks have assured me that it came directly from RV (and I do not doubt their word at all...not at all) but I would like to see the printed quote from RV or a link to the voice track speech where he is quoted as saying that 7 wins was the magic number.

I am not arguing with this "understanding", I just would like to see the statement from the AD. Can anyone help me with that? I know private conversations are very valuable and very enlightening...remember, yesterday I was told that RV told this guy directly that it would take 8 wins....the number seems to be jumping around a great bit these days. Another person, with actual D-1 coaching experience for many many years told me that the number will decrease as we get closer to the situation and the time. Seems he might just know what he's talking about. Me, I don't know at all. I'm just looking for the quote so I can get it set in my own Mean Green brain.

Thanks.

rv was quoted as saying that he expected a better record that 6&6 in 2010. you can find the exact quote among posts on this subject.

GO MEAN GREEN!

[KingDL1]

Can someone lead me to the quote where RV said it was 7 wins next season or Dodge is gone? I have heard rumors from several spots...one yesterday at the barber shop said it was actually 8 wins...some of the folks have assured me that it came directly from RV (and I do not doubt their word at all...not at all) but I would like to see the printed quote from RV or a link to the voice track speech where he is quoted as saying that 7 wins was the magic number.

I am not arguing with this "understanding", I just would like to see the statement from the AD. Can anyone help me with that? I know private conversations are very valuable and very enlightening...remember, yesterday I was told that RV told this guy directly that it would take 8 wins....the number seems to be jumping around a great bit these days. Another person, with actual D-1 coaching experience for many many years told me that the number will decrease as we get closer to the situation and the time. Seems he might just know what he's talking about. Me, I don't know at all. I'm just looking for the quote so I can get it set in my own Mean Green brain.

Thanks.

GO MEAN GREEN!

Kram1 how do you miss this stuff it was talked to death, the last Pod cast had the words coming out of RV's mouth. He said 6-6 will not be good enough. By God we better hold him to it.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I know this goes agains the grain, but I don't think Dodge has to get to 7-5 to save his job. Follow me:

-Be realistic about out of conference. We can be 1-3 or 2-2 pretty easily. I think a full year of conditioning under Charr gets us the "four quarter legs" we need to stop Army's run game. We almost did it last year. I also, looking at what Rice has returning, don't see them setting the world on fire. Clemson and Kansas State...reality is reality, they beat us. No tears shed there.

-In conference, if we can get to 4-4, I'd say keep Dodge even if he's 1-3 out of conference and finishes 5-7...or even 2-2 OOC and goes 6-6. To me, either of those scenarios is realistic for keeping Dodge for 2011.

I'm not making excuses for Dodge or setting the bar low. You all know that from my well-documented criticism of the man's coaching decisions at this level. And, I think that the hole he finds himself in is of his own making due to his poor initial assistant coaching choices, underestimation of the speed of the game at this level, and questionable (stubborn) playcalling in what should be obvious, "play the percentages" types of situations.

Make no question about it. We are 5-31 over the past three years because of his decisions. Not because of "Darrell Dickey's players" or "he inherited a mess" or any other lame excuse that is constantly proven wrong at other donwtrodden program that somehow seem to turn it around in a season or two (the examples are legion and not worth repeating here again). But, even given his first three disasterous seasons, he still has chance to get this thing right.

And, that's where this OC hire comes into play. I honestly don't believe that in year three of Deloach the defense will regress. We gave up 47.6 a game in 2008, 36.1 last season - a decrease of 11.5 a game. The offense went from 20.0 a game in 2008 to 26.6 in 2009, just over the 24.8 we scored per game in 2007.

The thing is, you look at how we did in the red zone and in pressure situations - the fumbles, the interceptions, the absurd playcalling in short yardage situations. It seems to me that if Dodge had someone in his ear encouraging him to "play the percentages" more in those situations, we'd pretty easily get to 30+ points a game, and (obviously) have a better shot at winning more games.

What I mean is:
-on third and one, have a credible QB dive, or halfback dive package from under center...and with the benefit of fullback to block for the halfback.
-on first and goal inside the five yard line, have a set of power running plays to move the ball five yards in three plays or less... a touchdown is worth six whether it's run in or thrown in.
-if pinned in the opponents end zone run a high percentage run play designed to get some room.

It all sounds so boring, but it's so fundamental. Everyone else does it. You can sling it around all you want in other situations. But, get your first downs and touchdowns when they are there for the taking. "Grab the low hanging fruit," as the annoying young business Chris Chris would say (or text, I guess it is, these days).

I believe the right hire gives Dodge the angel on his shoulder to counter the devil who is telling him to run option with Nathan Tune in Troy's end zone...or not hand the ball to his best offensive player when trying to nail down games.

The Sun Belt isn't the SEC, so it should be doable (and should have been doable long ago, actually). If we are competitive there with a 4-4 or 5-3 record (or better) and can win an out of conference game or two, I think - and I will defend - Dodge for the 2011 season.

P.S. - Deep in my heart, I love Todd Dodge because he answered my hamburger question last year, so I know he's human. I just wish he'd pull his head out of his backside in certain offensive situations. It would help tremendously.

Edited May 14, 2013 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[KRAM1]

I "miss it" because I didn't listen to the Podcast. I have a lfe other than GMG.com. Ha! So, the actual comment "six wins will not be enough to keep TD on staff for the final year of his contract"...or something close to that was veberalized by RV himself. If so, OK. I'll put down the 7 win level as the expected total to keep TD and wish him well. But, I am of the opinion that as one gets closer to "drop dead date" that number will change...and probably to a lower number.

I hope we get a chance to see if 5 wins does the trick...or 6 wins...as that would mean the MEAN GREEN won at least 5 games next season! Be still my heart! That would be a big improvement and, hopefully, settle down the Mean Green nation a tad!

GO GET 'EM MEAN GREEN!

[Ole Green Guts]

Word in the high school coaching world is that clayton george is looking to get back to HS too.......

[LoveMG]

I "miss it" because I didn't listen to the Podcast. I have a lfe other than GMG.com. Ha! So, the actual comment "six wins will not be enough to keep TD on staff for the final year of his contract"...or something close to that was veberalized by RV himself. If so, OK. I'll put down the 7 win level as the expected total to keep TD and wish him well. But, I am of the opinion that as one gets closer to "drop dead date" that number will change...and probably to a lower number.

I hope we get a chance to see if 5 wins does the trick...or 6 wins...as that would mean the MEAN GREEN won at least 5 games next season! Be still my heart! That would be a big improvement and, hopefully, settle down the Mean Green nation a tad!

GO GET 'EM MEAN GREEN!

if 5-7 for a fourth year coach is satisfying to the fan base then we should fire all those fans. demand better of your sports program!

[gangrene]

Word in the high school coaching world is that clayton george is looking to get back to HS too.......

Nothing against George, but maybe he'd like to follow Ford? If so, there's no better time than now (from UNT's perspective) to make that decision...

[SilverEagle]

Word in the high school coaching world is that clayton george is looking to get back to HS too.......

Eagle Mountain/Saginaw ISD will be opening a new High School in the fall of 2012.