Proven Coaches

[PlummMeanGreen]

One reason that I like Leavitt...is that he knows what it is like to go through lean times, and deal with a small budget. As I recall, the USF coaches' offices were in trailers for many years.

It also should be noted that Tommy Bowden took Tulane to a 12-0 record in 1998...which helped get him the Clemson job. 12-0....at Tulane.

As to those who think we can't get any of those guys....how do you know? For one thing...the thought is that the next coach will be paid much more ($500,000 +). That's not bad money. I've seen big name guys rebound at lot smaller places than UNT.

Tommy Bowden? And then we get dad Bobby Bowden as a new Mean Green fan, too, right?

Heck! Dad Bobby still wanted another year at Florida State. The Bowden family connection could help us cherry pick 1 or 2 out of the Sunshine State each year? Dad Bobby could tell Son Tommy about bringing his team to the snow game at Fouts Field when Fry was coaching in Denton. Endless possibilities, Texas tales, Florida tales and yarns here.

Speculation can sorta' be fun albeit does produce tired brain at times.

GMG!

Edited September 19, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

[CMJ]

I think I'd rather hire Terry than Tommy - but I like the idea of either Bowden brother.

[PlummMeanGreen]

I don't think they'd ever come but I like it too on name recognition alone and the fact that they have legit D-I experience.

Quite frankly, back in the day , no one thought Hayden Fry would give us the time of day, either, except for the fact that.............he had something to prove and I think we and some good folks in Iowa would agree that he proved himself quite well. All this coming after SMU jump-kicked him out of his job off Mockingbird Lane, University Park, Texas.

GMG!

PS: This new football palace we are building will be a magnet to some high profile types wanting to revive their coaching careers...guarantee it!

Edited September 19, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

[UNT90]

One of the things people overlook, when discussing the possibility a name coach would come here, is that some of them need an opportunity more than they need money. Terry Bowden went 11 years after losing the Auburn job before taking over Northern Alabama last year.

Exactly. Do people on here really think Leach would go be an OC at a Texas because the job payed more than UNT? Never happen. His ego wouldn't allow it, and I wouldn't want him if it did.

Another conveinantly overlooked fact is that there are only 120 of these jobs in the world, with maybe 10-15 job openings a year.

UNT is in much better position than people realize.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Exactly. Do people on here really think Leach would go be an OC at a Texas because the job payed more than UNT? Never happen. His ego wouldn't allow it, and I wouldn't want him if it did.

Another conveinantly overlooked fact is that there are only 120 of these jobs in the world, with maybe 10-15 job openings a year.

UNT is in much better position than people realize.

Amen, bro'!

GMG!

[Green Dozer]

so how is it unique and different. Football isn't the primary focus of a lot of large public university's. In fact, no university official at UT, OU, USC will say that football is their primary focus either.

What make NT unique is that we still have professors that hate everything about NT not just football and are allowed to cut down football players in class, poke fun at NT athletics in general and even send out emails through university email system with "Go Whorns" in the signature line. That is unique because that crap wouldn't be tolerated at most universities whether they focused on football or not. Our apathetic (a some are just plain pathetic) administration is what makes us unique.

Bingo! But compared to UT OU, USC we have NO focus on football. Growing up here in Denton, the professors made sure athletics was not the focus at any level, even high school. The arts were pushed big time. The high school band went to the Orange and Rose Bowl, Denton High had a great speech and debate team etc. Nothing wrong with that, just using to illustrate here. Plus, the admin did not support athletics, which has been covered over and over here. Just look at Denton High's record when we were on one high school town. Most one high school towns our size had some success over the years to look back on. Denton had a state championship in 1935 I think. That has changed some, as many of the professors do not live here in Denton any more, but commute. Plus, Denton grew and the as you can tell from the records of Ryan and Guyer, there has been a lot of athletic success that is par with a town its size. Thus, because of the apathy from within the University regarding athletics, the city has never got behind the teams like other cities. It is just weird, and is hard to explain from the inside and to understand from the outside.

[forevereagle]

Amen, bro'!

GMG!

It's pronounced brah.

[Rudy]

Id take either Bowden, but Id love to go after Leavitt or Fran. Fran has coached and recruited Texas and Leavitt took an infant USF program and got them into a BCS conference. I think we can afford just about anyone, we just have to be willing to pay. I think it comes down to who is willing to pay more for season tickets.

About professors talking bad about athletics, or the university in general, in just about any job, badmouthing your employer leads to reprecussions. UNT should be no different.

[UNT90]

It's pronounced brah.

Maybe by your generation.

Always gotta trick it up

[Green Dozer]

I have thought Coach Chambers would be a good fit here at UNt, and was hoping he would be considered the last time. Not a lot of flash as for as a name, but how about a steady workhorse, plus the recruiting connections, especially with the Dallas background, would be a big plus (similar background to Johnny Jones and that has worked out pretty good):

THE BRUCE CHAMBERS FILE

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

High school: Carter (Dallas, Texas)

College: North Texas (1982)

Years in coaching: 23

Wife: Cathy

Coaching Assignments

2005-present: Recruiting Coordinator/Tight Ends, Texas

2003-04: Tight Ends, Texas

1998-2002: Running Backs, Texas

1996-97: Athletics Director/Head Coach, Dallas Carter (Texas)

1993-95: Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator, Dallas Carter (Texas) HS

1989-92: Defensive Coordinator, Dallas Carter (Texas) HS

1986-88: Junior Varsity Offensive Coordinator, Dallas Carter (Texas) HS

1984-85: Freshman Assistant Coach, Dallas Carter (Texas) HS

College Bowl Experience

2010: Rose Bowl: BCS National Championship, Texas

2009: Fiesta Bowl, Texas

2007: Holiday Bowl, Texas

2006: Alamo Bowl, Texas

2006: Rose Bowl, Texas (National Champions)

2005: Rose Bowl, Texas

2003: Holiday Bowl, Texas

2003: Cotton Bowl, Texas

2001: Holiday Bowl, Texas

2000: Holiday Bowl, Texas

2000: Cotton Bowl, Texas

1999: Cotton Bowl, Texas

[BeatNavy]

About professors talking bad about athletics, or the university in general, in just about any job, badmouthing your employer leads to reprecussions. UNT should be no different.

I'd like to introduce you to the concept of tenure.

[Rudy]

I'd like to introduce you to the concept of tenure.

Im familiar with it, I just think its BS.

[CMJ]

Im familiar with it, I just think its BS.

While it has many faults, tenure is pretty valuable to a academic institution - but that is a whole other debate.

[MeanMag]

Anyone know how much San Antonio got Coker for?

[McKinneyMiner]

Anyone know how much San Antonio got Coker for?

5 years $200,000 per...

[eulessismore]

Anyone know how much San Antonio got Coker for?

I still haven't figured out what got him sent off to coaching purgatory.

[Green Mean]

I still haven't figured out what got him sent off to coaching purgatory.

It may be his exposure of what lies in the very near future for him.

[PlummMeanGreen]

This is hardly breaking news for our GMG.com veterans, but Dennis Franchione wanted the North Texas job before and was said to have wanted it badly.

Coach Fran was then HFC at SWTSU (now TxSt-SM). I heard UNT never returned his call because we were on the verge of hiring Dennis Parker.

There must be a special place in heaven for Mean Green fans, ya' think?

GMG!

[Green P1]

Maybe by your generation.

Always gotta trick it up

[Welch]

I've got an idea: we should hire a really good high school coach so we don't have to pay him hardly anything.

[AnotherEagleFan]

You realize we're going to have a hard time even getting a highly rated coordinator or FCS HC don't you? I'd be thrilled to get either. Part of the reason Dodge got another year is because there simply aren't any slam dunk coaches we are in a position to get.

Actually, I believe that RV wants excitement to bring in the new stadium. That is either with a Sunbelt Championship or a "Name" coach. The Championship will most likely not happen. The "Named" coach will.

[meanJewGreen]

I think Tony D'Amato would make for an excellent "Name" coach.

[FirefightnRick]

Not apathetic, but football is not the primary focus of the university and probably never will be. It has become a significant focus unlike in the 90s when some - but certainly not all - of the faculty tried to kill the program altogether.

I'm not so sure, afterall, we have spent $78 Million plus the cost of the entire athletic village to develop it over a very short period of time? It's certainly been one of the top priorities, if not THE top?

And there isn't a single reason we couldn't go after most of the suggested coaches listed. Coaches are coaches. They want to coach and in a time when jobs are scarce it could play to our favor. I see this as a huge opportunity for us for the future.

Rick

Edited September 20, 2010 by FirefightnRick

[All About UNT]

Here is a 2008 list of CUSA coaches... since we continually dream of being in this conference it is only right to examine where a hypothetically 500k a year coach would place us in said conference.

My link

[TheTastyGreek]

Here is a 2008 list of CUSA coaches... since we continually dream of being in this conference it is only right to examine where a hypothetically 500k a year coach would place us in said conference.

My link

Good list for reference. Important to note:

O'Leary started off below 700k per year and bumped up over a million after earning a 10 year extension.

West is gone, Larry Porter took over and makes more than 200k less than West did according to that listing.

Larry Fedora's initial base salary was $650k.

If we can get up in the $400-500k range, we'll be in the ballpark with what a lot of CUSA schools spend on their new hires. Considering that we're (we, as in, this message board) looking to shop on the discount pile for name coaches, we could conceivably get someone for roughly what UTEP pays Mike Price.