Breaking News -- Leftwich Is Gone

[Brett Vito]

DRC

[NorthTexan95]

Wow.

[MeanGreen61]

Bailing just before the season starts ?

Edited July 24, 2010 by MeanGreen61

[BIG DAWG]

That is a punch to stomach! I am glad this is the best time of year to hire new coaches

[eulessismore]

Apparently a position became available at Tulsa:

Rumormill: Herb Hand hired from Tulsa by Vandy

[DeepGreen]

How disappointing. That's the second time he left UNT for Tulsa. I don't want him back after this slap in the face.

Wonder if any line coaches at Southlake want to move up into the college ranks?

[bstnsportsfan3]

that sucks....this one really hurts

[Green P1]

Luckily... we don't need quitters.

[eulessismore]

Luckily... we don't need quitters.

Maybe Chico Canales could talk one of his former coworkers into leaving FCS Indiana State to join him in Denton:

Former USF offensive line coach now at Indiana State

And he's a hero.

Mike Simmonds helped man save drowning son

[Harry]

Luckily... we don't need quitters.

Very disappointing. For Lefty to do this now hurts.

[bstnsportsfan3]

only thing i can think of, this staff is unsure if they will be back after this season, if Tulsa offered him a deal for 2 or 3 years, at least he knows he has a job after this season....not saying its right for him to bail so close to the season or that im happy...because this truly sucks...but if this is why it happened i can at least understand it.

Edited July 24, 2010 by bstnsportsfan3

[UNTLifer]

Call Andy Brewster

[Green Dozer]

Call Andy Brewster

If this were after the season, I probably wouldn't agree with you since given Brewster's age, he could probably use some more experience elsewhere before coming back home. Plus, I would want him back when we had more certainty and stability in the future of our program. (i.e. coaching staff). But imagine the energy he would bring that would help lift the shroud of disappointment the linemen have with their coach now running out on them. He has some skins from his days here, and he would work extra hard to "rescue" this program because I know he loves it.

And as for Leftwich worrying about his own skin, what about the freshmen, sophmores, and juniors who have to play here next year regardless of what happens this upcoming season? It is just not right, Leftwich is young enough in his career to have rolled the dice and not quit. Tulsa is not that big of a jump in the college football landscape right now. Yes, I know they kicked our butts, but it is not the up and coming program like it was a few years ago. The 6 months of extra money, if any, can't be that much. I think this is a very self centered, short sighted decision on Leftwich's part.

Edited July 24, 2010 by Green Dozer

[drex]

Tap the breaks...maybe Chico and Leftwich just could not see eye to eye and the Tulsa thing jumped up. Just a thought.

[SUMG]

More info. Who is Jeff Bryant?:

http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/archives/2010/07/more-on-lefty-leaving.html

[SUMG]

This must be the aforementioned Jeff Bryant:

http://fhsuathletics.com/coaches/football/

[mean green d]

I think that we will just put the next guy in to replace him. We are a football factory that just plugs the next guy in like TCU. Maybe Bryant is the next in line. Well, it would be nice to get to that point anyway with our program.

[Side Show Joe]

This is a sad day for North Texas. We didn't lose our O line coach to a BCS conference school, we lost him to another mid-major, not because he wasn't happy here, but because we couldn't match their offer. Until this terrible fact changes we can not consistently compete in FBS football. So we can forget about moving up the food chain. I can't see us finding a replacement of his caliber in time for this season. This is exactly why other schools won't take North Texas seroiusly.

Someone at the Athletic Center needs to pull a rabbit out of their hat.

[Mean Green 93-98]

This is a sad day for North Texas. We didn't lose our O line coach to a BCS conference school, we lost him to another mid-major, not because he wasn't happy here, but because we couldn't match their offer. Until this terrible fact changes we can not consistently compete in FBS football. So we can forget about moving up the food chain. I can't see us finding a replacement of his caliber in time for this season. This is exactly why other schools won't take North Texas seroiusly.

Someone at the Athletic Center needs to pull a rabbit out of their hat.

We will almost certainly not find a proven OL coach of Lefty's caliber before this season begins. At this point Coach Dodge is probably hoping to turn up a hidden gem somewhere.

As far as the funding problem, that's part of why the athletics fee was passed. Unfortunately, it does not take effect until next season, so it will not help us in this particular case. But in the future, we should be able to keep up with most of the "mid-majors" as far as funding is concerned.

[Green Dozer]

This is a sad day for North Texas. We didn't lose our O line coach to a BCS conference school, we lost him to another mid-major, not because he wasn't happy here, but because we couldn't match their offer. Until this terrible fact changes we can not consistently compete in FBS football. So we can forget about moving up the food chain. I can't see us finding a replacement of his caliber in time for this season. This is exactly why other schools won't take North Texas seroiusly.

Someone at the Athletic Center needs to pull a rabbit out of their hat.

The increase in money would have to be very substantial to justify his quitting on the other coaches and most importantly his players at this stage. I think it would almost have to double. He is saying, without speaking any words, that he does not believe that this team is going to turn around this year, thus securing his job as a coach at UNT for next season. He is getting out while the getting is good for his own neck, imho. To heck with the team concept. I think it is a very self centered and selfish decision.

[Mean Green 93-98]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L-La3oPn4Y

[SUMG]

Yeah....by all means let's keep waiting on that student fee to bail us out.

This is what happens when you have one of the cheapest fanbases in intercollegiate athletics. We have people who won't join the Mean Green Club; we have fans that get in the Mean Green Club and stay at the same level for 25 years; we have fans that have bitched and moaned about wanting a stadium for years, and now that they have the opportunity to donate to a stadium fund, still find an excuse not to give.

Guess what? My Wal-Mart credit card....doesn't work at Nieman's.

So as long as we want cheap intercollegiate athletics....that's what we'll have.

[Green Crazy]

i'm not happy about losing leftwich, but at least it's at the position that the team is the strongest and has the most experience.

[Harry]

The increase in money would have to be very substantial to justify his quitting on the other coaches and most importantly his players at this stage. I think it would almost have to double. He is saying, without speaking any words, that he does not believe that this team is going to turn around this year, thus securing his job as a coach at UNT for next season. He is getting out while the getting is good for his own neck, imho. To heck with the team concept. I think it is a very self centered and selfish decision.

You are dead on. This is about job security period. Lefty has a family. He wouldn't do this to the kids this close to the season for money.

[SilverEagle]

The increase in money would have to be very substantial to justify his quitting on the other coaches and most importantly his players at this stage. I think it would almost have to double. He is saying, without speaking any words, that he does not believe that this team is going to turn around this year, thus securing his job as a coach at UNT for next season. He is getting out while the getting is good for his own neck, imho. To heck with the team concept. I think it is a very self centered and selfish decision.

I tend to agree with the part about not knowing what will happen regarding his job next year. That being the case, I certainly don't blame him.....especially since he has a relationship with the Tulsa coach.

OK, it's time for the coaching staff to assess Coach Bryant's readiness to step up and be "the guy". FWIW, I trust Coach Canales to make this decision more than......anyone else.