After 25 Hours, I'm Uncurled From The Fetal Position And...

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

...given the injury to Tune and 0-2 start, I'm not ready to throw in the towel.

I like the upside of Thompson. I like the offense - except for the Wildcat plays with Riley (NOTE: Coaches, look...just keep Riley at receiver or move him to DB. You're not fooling anyone when you bring him in one play at a time...I wrote the same last week, and it was true then as well).

I like the fight of the defense. The special teams...I've posted for years to copy other schools and have a TE/Special Teams coach. We still haven't. And, our

special teams are still sketchy.

Look, in private PMs I've had many conversations. I was asked in one if I was jumping off. I'm not. I want to see how Thompson does in the next two games. Both are road games. Both look to be decent teams in 2010. If he can pull one win out of them, I'm staying on board. If we lose both...sadly, it will be the jumping off point.

Shavod blocked a field goal.

[UNTFan23]

...given the injury to Tune and 0-2 start, I'm not ready to throw in the towel.

I like the upside of Thompson. I like the offense - except for the Wildcat plays with Riley (NOTE: Coaches, look...just keep Riley at receiver or move him to DB. You're not fooling anyone when you bring him in one play at a time...I wrote the same last week, and it was true then as well).

I like the fight of the defense. The special teams...I've posted for years to copy other schools and have a TE/Special Teams coach. We still haven't. And, our

special teams are still sketchy.

Look, in private PMs I've had many conversations. I was asked in one if I was jumping off. I'm not. I want to see how Thompson does in the next two games. Both are road games. Both look to be decent teams in 2010. If he can pull one win out of them, I'm staying on board. If we lose both...sadly, it will be the jumping off point.

Shavod blocked a field goal.

What do you think about moving Rodge to QB?

[GreenBat]

What do you think about moving Rodge to QB?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[All About UNT]

What do you think about moving Rodge to QB?

I too have been in the same position all day. Came home stone cold sober last night so there is no excuse for the worst hangover-like feeling I have had in some time (and I go out every weekend). The upside is that I took my feelings out by hitting up a shotgun range with friends earlier...blasting every ounce of disappointment out the end of a 12-gauge. With that said...I too share optimism in giving the ball over to Derek. He knows the score and knows that he is all we have. I feel with his past performance under pressure record that he won't disappoint. If we lose the next 2-3 games I can't do this anymore either. We all give so much into believing in the team, the coaches and the program that it is mentally unhealthy to throw all you have into the Mean Green only to be led to be disappointed...time and time again. FAN23...I don't think that Brett's article insists that Riley will start...but more like he will be taking snaps and getting prepped to be a backup (as will Teagarden).

Edited September 13, 2010 by All About UNT

[KingDL1]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I believe they are naming Dodge as back-up to Thompson.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Uh...I think it's been pretty clear that I don't consider Riley Dodge college QB material. If we're having to rely on him at QB, the season is already over and RV should start making contacts for the vacant head coaching position.

Our hopes now rest in Thompson. And, I'm fine with that. He's a big, strong, athletic kid. He's the size of a college QB. From his brief appearances, he seems to have the respect of his teammates as well.

Like I said, I think there's enough going right with the team that I think we can still pull off at least one win over the next two weeks. If not, well, an 0-4 start is tough for most Sun Belt coaches [opening can of worms]not named Darrell Dickey[/opening can of worms] to overcome.

[untjim1995]

Uh...I think it's been pretty clear that I don't consider Riley Dodge college QB material. If we're having to rely on him at QB, the season is already over and RV should start making contacts for the vacant head coaching position.

Our hopes now rest in Thompson. And, I'm fine with that. He's a big, strong, athletic kid. He's the size of a college QB. From his brief appearances, he seems to have the respect of his teammates as well.

Like I said, I think there's enough going right with the team that I think we can still pull off at least one win over the next two weeks. If not, well, an 0-4 start is tough for most Sun Belt coaches [opening can of worms]not named Darrell Dickey[/opening can of worms] to overcome.

You still feel that Chico is the Man?

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

You still feel that Chico is the Man?

I'm beginning to have some doubts. The next two games will tell. As posted in other threads, the two things concerning me: (1) we're still not throwing to tight ends, (2) we're still using Riley Dodge at QB.

Both represent huge problems to me.

I feel good in this knowledge - there are many good college coaches out there who have won at this level, but who are currently unemployed for one reason or another (generally, six and seven win seasons didn't cut it at the schools they left) or are assistants in the collegiate ranks or NFL who might want another chance - Glen Mason, Jim Leavitt, John L. Smith, Gary Barnett, Steve Logan...those guys all come to mind.

So, if things fall totally off the cliff, there are guys out there to be had. And, believe me, if this thing is in shambles again at the end of 2010, we'll need a big name to revive it. We can't gamble again. Ever again.

[untjim1995]

I'm beginning to have some doubts. The next two games will tell. As posted in other threads, the two things concerning me: (1) we're still not throwing to tight ends, (2) we're still using Riley Dodge at QB.

Both represent huge problems to me.

I feel good in this knowledge - there are many good college coaches out there who have won at this level, but who are currently unemployed for one reason or another (generally, six and seven win seasons didn't cut it at the schools they left) or are assistants in the collegiate ranks or NFL who might want another chance - Glen Mason, Jim Leavitt, John L. Smith, Gary Barnett, Steve Logan...those guys all come to mind.

So, if things fall totally off the cliff, there are guys out there to be had. And, believe me, if this thing is in shambles again at the end of 2010, we'll need a big name to revive it. We can't gamble again. Ever again.

We could do a helluva lot worse than to hire Glen Mason. The rebuilding jobs he took over and turned into winning programs are Kent State, Kansas (which went from 0-11 in his first year to being 10th in the final poll of 1995), and Minnesota, where he always had the Gophers in bowl games. His team blew a huge lead against texas Tech in some meaningless bowl game and fired him. Since Minnesota went to another meaningless bowl game last year and lost to Iowa State and their first-year coach, and has now lost to a FCS school at home, I think Glen Mason looks better than ever to some of those Gopher fans. That said, even he might not want to take over this thing and its myriad of issues.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I saw Mason on the Big Ten channel this weekend, that's why I thought of him. He's a commentator. What a waste of football knowledge. The guy had Kansas winning 10 games in the mid 90s after being Big 8 patsies for years. He brings Minnesota back to respectability and gets shown the door for it. I can't recall off hand, but I think he had Minnesota at 10 wins for a season or two as well.

But, that's the thing at the top conferences, you just piddle around and make bowls, maybe jump up and win 9 or 10 every once in awhile, and it ain't good enough. It's crazy. We can't get anything but high school coaches and iffy position coaches. These big schools are tossing winning coaches out by the wayside.

The thing is, you've got to think Dave Kingman here with this next hire - strike out or knock it out of the park. Rick has got to hit for the fence this time out. And, I mean really swing big.

Look, Terry Bowden is at DII Northern Alabama or somesuch! WTF? I mean, some of these guys just want to coach again. We've got to find one. If this season tanks...just look at our roster! Look at everyone we lose off the two-deep. We can't just hire anyone in here, opening a new stadium, and have some unproven entity wanting us to "wait" for yet another rebuilding job.

A guy like Mason or Barnett or Smith...they may never get another crack at it. You can't get me to believe they wouldn't pour everything they had into it to show their peers that they still have it in them.

Edited September 13, 2010 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[NT71]

I listen to the game and remember when TD came in as the HC of NT and almost everybody was estatic about the hire. There were a few folks that wanted a proven commodity in the HC. Regardless of the season I will continue to pull for our Mean Green it does not mean that I am happy that we are losing but rather it is our team. I am hoping for TD to get 7 wins.

Without 7 wins I have no doubt that RV will pull the plug on TD. RV has a track record and that is why he got an increase in pay and a new contract. He has brought in coaches that have begun to put NT on the map in other sports. I am hopeful that regardless of whether TD is successful that the HC next year will continue to bring in quality athletes. I am pleased to see that our athletes in all sports are continuing to do us proud with their academic achievements.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Okay.

[Quoner]

Okay.

It only took four letters to create my favorite post of the day - and not the ones you'd think.

[MeanGreenTexan]

It only took four letters to create my favorite post of the day - and not the ones you'd think.

W-I-N-D?

[DeepGreen]

I saw Mason on the Big Ten channel this weekend, that's why I thought of him. He's a commentator. What a waste of football knowledge. The guy had Kansas winning 10 games in the mid 90s after being Big 8 patsies for years. He brings Minnesota back to respectability and gets shown the door for it. I can't recall off hand, but I think he had Minnesota at 10 wins for a season or two as well.

But, that's the thing at the top conferences, you just piddle around and make bowls, maybe jump up and win 9 or 10 every once in awhile, and it ain't good enough. It's crazy. We can't get anything but high school coaches and iffy position coaches. These big schools are tossing winning coaches out by the wayside.

The thing is, you've got to think Dave Kingman here with this next hire - strike out or knock it out of the park. Rick has got to hit for the fence this time out. And, I mean really swing big.

Look, Terry Bowden is at DII Northern Alabama or somesuch! WTF? I mean, some of these guys just want to coach again. We've got to find one. If this season tanks...just look at our roster! Look at everyone we lose off the two-deep. We can't just hire anyone in here, opening a new stadium, and have some unproven entity wanting us to "wait" for yet another rebuilding job.

A guy like Mason or Barnett or Smith...they may never get another crack at it. You can't get me to believe they wouldn't pour everything they had into it to show their peers that they still have it in them.

I agree. There are a bunch of D1A x-coaches out there. Does Jeff Bowers ring a bell? RV has to find someone who is hungry to get back into coaching. Someone who can hit the ground running, has a name that (maybe) the new recruits would recognize. We can't wait for three years for someone to re-build a program - again.

Edited September 14, 2010 by DeepGreen

[Pen Yan Fan]

Jim Leavitt

[rcade]

I listen to the game and remember when TD came in as the HC of NT and almost everybody was estatic about the hire. There were a few folks that wanted a proven commodity in the HC.

I think the reception was more mixed. At least half of the people here were really fired up about it, but the hiring of a high school coach spooked some folks.

If I recall correctly I was mostly positive because he seemed like he'd come here and motivate the team and the community.

[Green Mean]

I think Franchione will be heavily pursued by RV and I still say that RV needs to look into and interview Dirk Koetter. Still a young coach...knows how to coach a small program such as Boise State and has extensive experience as AZ State for 5 or 6 years. He is currently the QB coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Would be a great candidate IMO.

[untjim1995]

Here is what we need to see as a fanbase to really feel like the university wants to have a competitive football program--a head coach with experience as a winner at the FBS level, unless it is a coach who has won a title at the FCS level. Whether it is Kragthorpe (my choice), Franchione (2nd on my list), Mason, one fo the Bowden Boys, Barnett, Koetter, etc..just give us someone that can instantly bring some name recognition to the fanbase as a winner.

What I fear is that we go cheap---again. We get the OC at Troy or the DC from Southern Miss, or worse, we hire a position coach from a BCS school (i.e., the WR coach from OU). Think of how well that has worked for New Mexico after hiring Locksley from Illinois, where I believe he was a position coach. I don't want coordinators or position coaches or even FCS head coaches from this area. I want a name coach. We need the second coming of Hayden Fry to show up in Denton very soon!!

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Believe it or not, Locksley was the offensive coordinator at Illinois. They had exactly one winning season the four years he was there. By some freak of nature, they went to the Rose Bowl in 2007...and got waxed by USC.

Frankly, I'm not sure Illinois gives a damn about their football program. Ron Zook has been there for five seasons, and has only one winning campaign to show for it, the mystery 2007 season. He opened this season with his fourth consecutive loss to Missouri in that border battle.

The truth is Locksley sucks just as much as the Illinois program he left. How New Mexico got suckered into that hire after having former player Rocky Long lead them to heights they'd never seen before in football is surely one of the greatest current football mysteries.

We've got to be sure we're not flummoxed into the same type of hire - a guy who was part of a staff that had one winning season in four (Darrell Dickey/SMU, anyone?). That's why I say the next hire should be not just a known entity, but a well known entity.

Everyone listed so far pretty much fits that description. I'd surely welcome Dirk Koetter as well as Glen Mason. Or, anyone cut from the same mold - proven winners, but unable to satisfy BCS fanbases.

Folks, when Mason was fired, he had just led Minnesota to their fifth consecutive bowl game! Minnesota had never been to five consecutive bowl games in their history. Even now, they've only gone to 14...and Mason led them to seven of those, and has three of the school's five all-time bowl wins. And, that wasn't good enough?

Look, there are some underappreciated guys out there...sitting in TV booths, standing on other schools' or NFL teams' sidelines, or sitting at home. If Dirk Koetter and the like are "scraps"...give me scraps! Anything is better than perpetual losing with no end in sight. Pull one of these scraps off the heap and lets get back to winning.

[untjim1995]

Believe it or not, Locksley was the offensive coordinator at Illinois. They had exactly one winning season the four years he was there. By some freak of nature, they went to the Rose Bowl in 2007...and got waxed by USC.

Frankly, I'm not sure Illinois gives a damn about their football program. Ron Zook has been there for five seasons, and has only one winning campaign to show for it, the mystery 2007 season. He opened this season with his fourth consecutive loss to Missouri in that border battle.

The truth is Locksley sucks just as much as the Illinois program he left. How New Mexico got suckered into that hire after having former player Rocky Long lead them to heights they'd never seen before in football is surely one of the greatest current football mysteries.

We've got to be sure we're not flummoxed into the same type of hire - a guy who was part of a staff that had one winning season in four (Darrell Dickey/SMU, anyone?). That's why I say the next hire should be not just a known entity, but a well known entity.

Everyone listed so far pretty much fits that description. I'd surely welcome Dirk Koetter as well as Glen Mason. Or, anyone cut from the same mold - proven winners, but unable to satisfy BCS fanbases.

Folks, when Mason was fired, he had just led Minnesota to their fifth consecutive bowl game! Minnesota had never been to five consecutive bowl games in their history. Even now, they've only gone to 14...and Mason led them to seven of those, and has three of the school's five all-time bowl wins. And, that wasn't good enough?

Look, there are some underappreciated guys out there...sitting in TV booths, standing on other schools' or NFL teams' sidelines, or sitting at home. If Dirk Koetter and the like are "scraps"...give me scraps! Anything is better than perpetual losing with no end in sight. Pull one of these scraps off the heap and lets get back to winning.

Thanks for correcting me on the deal with Locksley. All I know is that UNM could have gotten about 1000 other guys that could do a better job than this guy. At any rate, other name that I wouldn't mind throwing into the mix is Dan McCarney from Iowa State fame. He, like Mason, also turned a ragdoll into a good program only to see the school dump him.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Yep, McCarney for sure. Although, as DL coach at Florida, you wonder if he'll tire of piling up rings enough to come help pull us out of a ditch.

One thing I'll say about McCarney is he did recruit Texas pretty good, and Florida. I went to law school with a kid that played for him at Iowa State and had nothing but good things to say about him.