Whatever Happened To Steve Kragthorpe?

gangrene · January 22, 2010

A few months ago, when the future of Coach Dodge was still undetermined, the hot name on this board to possibly replace him was Steve Kragthorpe. To my knowledge (and I've been following the coaching changes very closely), his name has not been mentioned as a possible candidate in ANY of the open jobs, either for HC or even a coordinator position.

Why has his stock fallen so far and so quickly?? Has he lost his ability to be a successful coach or was he just in over his head at Louisville?? Or was his success, prior to Louisville, just a fluke?? Luck???

NT03 · January 22, 2010

Maybe Junior Miller could answer that question :blink:

I bet he will be a head coach again next year. I believe he's still getting a nice paycheck from Louisville , no need to rush to find a job.

Got5onIt · January 22, 2010

He's probably not desperate to find a job. He will be a head coach again. Hopefully, here!!! :lol:

mitchmaher · January 22, 2010

No one is more disappointed in how things worked out in Louisville than coach. He's enjoying life back in Tulsa—they've got lots of great friends in that area. Will get back into coaching at the right time for the right opportunity.

Mitch Maher

LoveMG · January 22, 2010

Will get back into coaching at the right time for the right opportunity.

we may have an opportunity here. we will know by mid october.

Travis · January 23, 2010

If Dodge doesn't work out here... then Kragthorpe is my number one pick.

eulessismore · January 23, 2010

If Dodge doesn't work out here... then Kragthorpe is my number one pick.

I'd rather we have an open mind, and consider a fairly long list, and take our time. It doesn't look like it's hurting ECU any that they didn't get their first pick. I think a key there was that they hired an alumni who has strong ties to the area, and calls it his "destination" (it didn't hurt that he brought Lincoln Riley along for the ride). I've wondered about a quote attributed to Kragthorpe that he had no desire to become head coach at North Texas, back when he was an assistant and it looked like there might be opportunity here. He worked out to well at Tulsa, and disappoinated so much at Louisville that I have to wonder if he's someone who requires a feeling of attachment to a place that he does not feel here (and may not have had at Louisville, although the fans there never really gave him a chance from the get go).

eulessismore · January 23, 2010

Let me make this clear though; I'd still rather that Todd Dodge become successful and provide us a chance to keep him around for a while. It seems that most successul college football programs will have at least one period when a coach stays and is successful for an extended period. That will be difficult for Dodge at this point, with the start he has had, but still possible. I say that the argument in his favor is that he wants to be here; a lot of coaches nowadays seem to follow of play of using various colleges as stepping stones to some ultimate payday. I think a big key is finding the right assistants and delegating enough that they do their best to grow and improve. The next week or two could be really big for the future of North Texas football.

gangrene · January 23, 2010

Let me make this clear though; I'd still rather that Todd Dodge become successful and provide us a chance to keep him around for a while.

While Dodge was not my first choice, I would prefer this too.

I say that the argument in his favor is that he wants to be here; a lot of coaches nowadays seem to follow of play of using various colleges as stepping stones to some ultimate payday. I think a big key is finding the right assistants and delegating enough that they do their best to grow and improve. The next week or two could be really big for the future of North Texas football.

I've always liked Dodge as a person and a leader but I always feared he lacked the experience/knowledge at the collegiate level to be successful. The bolded comment above was something I didn't know about Dodge but has become, in my opinion, his biggest downfall. He doesn't seem willing to trust his assistants and properly delegate some of his duties. He has repeatedly shown an inability to make in-game adjustments and seems reluctant to either hire coaches with differing opinions or listen to differing opinions from his current coaching staff. I'll reserve my judgment on the new OC, but I already fear we've lost a golden opportunity to greatly upgrade the position and have an immediate infusion of new ideas by not acting quickly and signing one of the many spread-experienced coaches that have been available recently.

I'll add that, while I fully support RV's winning record gauge for Dodge's fourth season, I think making that public knowledge was a mistake and has made an already unstable coaching staff even more volatile - both for recruiting players and for recruiting/retaining coaches.

eulessismore · January 23, 2010

While Dodge was not my first choice, I would prefer this too.
I've always liked Dodge as a person and a leader but I always feared he lacked the experience/knowledge at the collegiate level to be successful. The bolded comment above was something I didn't know about Dodge but has become, in my opinion, his biggest downfall. He doesn't seem willing to trust his assistants and properly delegate some of his duties. He has repeatedly shown an inability to make in-game adjustments and seems reluctant to either hire coaches with differing opinions or listen to differing opinions from his current coaching staff. I'll reserve my judgment on the new OC, but I already fear we've lost a golden opportunity to greatly upgrade the position and have an immediate infusion of new ideas by not acting quickly and signing one of the many spread-experienced coaches that have been available recently.
I'll add that, while I fully support RV's winning record gauge for Dodge's fourth season, I think making that public knowledge was a mistake and has made an already unstable coaching staff even more volatile - both for recruiting players and for recruiting/retaining coaches.

I was thinking the same thing last night, for reasons that are fairly obvious at this point.

Green Dozer · January 23, 2010

I do think if we ever have to do a head coaching search, that we do work from a long list, and be diligent in finding as close to perfect match for our situation as possible. That said, I would not bring in a former player or graduate as coach. It seems to not work more often than it does. Just my observation, no data at the moment to prove it.

I wish that I could believe that an OC is going to be brought in and really have some input, but it is not going to happen. Todd Dodge believes, and I cannot say I would not feel the same if I were him, that he is a "spread expert". He has talked at clinics and a few colleges about the offense, and had a great record in high school with it. I know that has not made a difference here, but he produced some great quarterbacks, one of which just won a national championship. He has seen, he feels, what his offense can do.

Ford was Dodge's right hand, confidant, protege, etc. The only place he was an offensive cooridnator was in the program. I believe that Dodge and Ford knew Ford was leaving the day that it came out that he and Gandy had been fired. However, I just don't think the school district where he went was ready to formalize the hiring, just my observation. So, if Dodge was really open minded, that person would have already been here. Sorry guys, but come kick off time this season, we may have added a tight end on a few plays, run a big tackle as full back in a goal line offense, but big changes such as a tight end being involved in the offense, throwing down field, etc. just is not going to happen. For better or worse, it is what it is.