It's All About The Injuries

James Mosley · October 15, 2010

I was going to wait until there was a, "without a doubt", chance of North Texas winning the conference to write this but thought, what the heck, write it now. This team without a doubt would be sitting undefeated in conference play right now and probably would have beaten Rice and Army if not for the freaking injuries. With that being said all those who think Dodge has not turned this program around are simply just Dodge haters and will always be Dodge haters. The man has turned the program around. The football program is leaps and bounds ahead of where it was four years ago. Injuries have cost this team a chance of proving all naysayers wrong. Look at the bandaid team which plays each week. Not one player has given up on their coach or school. If the players played like they wanted the coach gone you wouldn't see the attitude and effort on the field you are seeing right now. You can look at it as WIN 7 or else if you chose but to me the program has arrived. The deck is stacked against North Texas winning those 7 games this year but it's not because this team was not prepared. Coach Dodge and his staff are the right combination for the future of this football program. The AD is put in a hard spot but hopefully it is one he can figure out by looking at the program itself and not the wins. The wins were there this year but so were the injuries! Name one team in the nation who could have survived this. Heck, University of Texas loses one QB and a few defensive guys and now they struggle. No I'm not comparing us to them.....just saying.....

Primo · October 15, 2010

Be prepared for the onslaught of haters in 3... 2...

CMJ · October 15, 2010

Yes, the injuries are ridiculous. The team WAS still relatively healthy when we played Rice though, so still count that one as an L. Injuries could have gotten Dodge some measure of slack if he wasn't 5-31 coming into this year. When you have that sort of record, someone can not be claimed a "hater" for wanting to go a new direction. The leash was going to be tight this year. We fired a 4 time conference champion head coach the same year he had a heart attack - and that was deserved as well. Sometimes life just sucks.

KRAM1 · October 15, 2010

I am in 100% agreement with what Mr. Mosley has said regarding injuries and where this team would be this season if not for the injuries. I have seen no "give up" in this team and I do not expect to see any to the bitter end. These players play hard and they play like they know they can win. You have to give everyone...including TD and his staff...credit for that attitude.

It is just too bad that injuries are such a part of the game and such a determining factor in the fate of Coach Dodge this season.

I am expecting to see our first home win this season Saturday at Fouts. Why so optimistic? Simply because these players think they can win and will not quit on this coach, its fans or its school. I hope to see a large crowd Saturday that has not given up on its team!

GO MEAN GREEN. See you at Fouts Saturday!

GoMeanGreen1999 · October 15, 2010

I was going to wait until there was a, "without a doubt", chance of North Texas winning the conference to write this but thought, what the heck, write it now. This team without a doubt would be sitting undefeated in conference play right now and probably would have beaten Rice and Army if not for the freaking injuries. With that being said all those who think Dodge has not turned this program around are simply just Dodge haters and will always be Dodge haters. The man has turned the program around. The football program is leaps and bounds ahead of where it was four years ago. Injuries have cost this team a chance of proving all naysayers wrong. Look at the bandaid team which plays each week. Not one player has given up on their coach or school. If the players played like they wanted the coach gone you wouldn't see the attitude and effort on the field you are seeing right now. You can look at it as WIN 7 or else if you chose but to me the program has arrived. The deck is stacked against North Texas winning those 7 games this year but it's not because this team was not prepared. Coach Dodge and his staff are the right combination for the future of this football program. The AD is put in a hard spot but hopefully it is one he can figure out by looking at the program itself and not the wins. The wins were there this year but so were the injuries! Name one team in the nation who could have survived this. Heck, University of Texas loses one QB and a few defensive guys and now they struggle. No I'm not comparing us to them.....just saying.....

So this team wins one more game finishing at 2-10 on the year and 7-41 in 4 years, we should bring TD back since he had so many injuries? Name me one team in D1 football that would bring a coach back for a FIFTH year with a winning percentage of 14%?

Are we getting blown out like we did in the first two years, no, but is that because our offense or defense has made huge strides?

Edited October 15, 2010 by GoMeanGreen1999

Mean Green Matt · October 15, 2010

I am rooting for Dodge until the very end, and if he gets up to 5 wins, I may change my mind. Right now though, I just think that all excuses for his performance have been used up. I cannot think of another legitimate school that would put up with a 5-31 record through three years like UNT did. When I heard the "7-win ultimatum" I took it to mean 7-wins, no excuses.

Most importantly to me though, he still has not shown the ability to win close games (except FAU). Even with the injuries we had the talent and ability to win against Rice, ULL, and ASU. Some people may blame the players for the close losses, but when it happens with this frequency over the last few years, I think the coaching is responsible.

These close losses have the ability to disguise themsevles as a positive (as opposed to getting blown out), but they are really showing what I think is the biggest flaw in Dodge's coaching.

LongJim · October 15, 2010

Look at the bandaid team which plays each week. Not one player has given up on their coach or school. If the players played like they wanted the coach gone you wouldn't see the attitude and effort on the field you are seeing right now. The deck is stacked against North Texas winning those 7 games this year but it's not because this team was not prepared.

I agree with this part of your post, and that speaks volumes for this coaching staff. It will be a tough decision for the AD.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 15, 2010

First of all, for those who neg-speked Micah Mosely's dad...come on. This guy's invested in this thing much more than any of us.

Second, I agree with what Mr. Mosely says, but only as far as the 2010 season goes.

I've written this week and last how sad it is that UNT finally has the right coaching staff in place, but only to have the season lost due to injuries. But, the long and short of it is, Todd Dodge will bear the brunt of poor decision-making from the day of his hire:

(1) Not making a full commitment to UNT upon hire. He jacked around in high school playoffs instead.

(2) He hired an incompetent coaching staff, comprised mainly of high school coaches, and even one businessman who hadn't coached even so much as high school ball in 13 years.

(3) He largely neglected recruiting for the defensive side of the ball, believing - erroneously - that his offense could overcome any defensive shortcomings.

(4) He mishandled the quarterback position to the degree that, because of injury, we now rely on walk-ons at the position.

Rick Villareal does not escape blame, folks. Rick had been a college football coach before going into the administrative side. He should have known better than anyone that the competition level between high school football and FBS-level football was a gap too wide to be bridged by high school coaches.

But, Rick let Todd Dodge hire in all of those assistants. He let him hire in a guy who had been out of coaching for 13 years. Then, he acted indignant when people became critical of the direction of the program after the 1-11 season in 2008.

Along with the blame, though, Rick deserves credit for regaining his sanity and forcing Dodge to jettison the remaining high school coaches after the 2009 season and replace them with two thorough professionals in the field. That injuries have given those coaches a tough hand to play is the shame in all of it.

As noted yesterday, three years of Deloach are paying off on the defensive side of the ball. Do we even hazard a guess as to how much more lost this thing would be if Gandy hadn't begun to recruit out side the DFW area, picking up gems from Louisiana and the Mississippi JUCOs?

I agree with Mr. Mosely to the degree that it is a shame that injuries are hurting this particular coaching staff. But, the problem is, Todd Dodge - with Rick Villareal's approval - let this thing slip so far competitively and depth-wise that the margin of error was necessarily thin for him for this season.

However, as much as I've personally criticized the man and his motives and moves, Todd Dodge is to be given his due to standing aside and letting others take more control of the situation. That's not an easy thing to do in any field ego-wise. And, coaching is a very macho field. I believe the CEO approach would have been the wiser approach in 2007-2009. But, better late than never.

I stand by my pre-season assertion that a 4-4 record in the Sun Belt is good enough to buy Dodge the fifth season of his contract. I am wholly unconcerned about the out of conference.

We played Clemson well. Lost Nathan Tune on what could have been a game-winning drive against Rice. The rug was completely pulled from beneath the offense when Derek Thompson broke his leg in the first quarter of the Army game. K-State...well, as much as I dreamed of victory over them, they look exceptional this season...except when they are playing Nebraska.

Anyone who doesn't think a 4-4 Belt record with all of the injuries the offensive side of the ball has suffered isn't an indication that the 2010 coaching staff would be the right staff to continue in 2011 really is, as Mr. Mosely says, a Dodge-hater.

Edited October 15, 2010 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

UNTFan23 · October 15, 2010

I was going to wait until there was a, "without a doubt", chance of North Texas winning the conference to write this but thought, what the heck, write it now. This team without a doubt would be sitting undefeated in conference play right now and probably would have beaten Rice and Army if not for the freaking injuries. With that being said all those who think Dodge has not turned this program around are simply just Dodge haters and will always be Dodge haters. The man has turned the program around. The football program is leaps and bounds ahead of where it was four years ago. Injuries have cost this team a chance of proving all naysayers wrong. Look at the bandaid team which plays each week. Not one player has given up on their coach or school. If the players played like they wanted the coach gone you wouldn't see the attitude and effort on the field you are seeing right now. You can look at it as WIN 7 or else if you chose but to me the program has arrived. The deck is stacked against North Texas winning those 7 games this year but it's not because this team was not prepared. Coach Dodge and his staff are the right combination for the future of this football program. The AD is put in a hard spot but hopefully it is one he can figure out by looking at the program itself and not the wins. The wins were there this year but so were the injuries! Name one team in the nation who could have survived this. Heck, University of Texas loses one QB and a few defensive guys and now they struggle. No I'm not comparing us to them.....just saying.....

It's debatable whether we would have won the Rice game. Tune had his injury at the very end of the game on a 3rd and long play when we were down 32-31. Regardless of the injury to Tune, we still would have needed to go for it on 4th down, so it's impossible to say whether we would have made it to within field goal range or scored a TD with less than a minute on the clock and I believe only 1 TO remaining had Tune not been injured.

If you want to go back to that 4th down play, you would have thought the coaches would have drawn up a much better play than the dump off pass to Dunbar that resulted in only 9 yards when we needed 14 for the first down. It's calls like that one that have this coaching staff in the current 'back-against-the-wall' position right now.

I've wanted Dodge to succeed and thought this year was going to be the year. Yes, the injuries suck but in all the games we've been close in, the team just hasn't executed when it needed to the most (see missed PAT to tie game against ULL).

In the end, given that we've been so close in all the conference games really makes the injuries less relevant. We are pretty deep and talented at a lot of positions, and despite the injuries, we haven't experienced that much of a drop in output. Our defense has gotten stronger as this season has progressed allowing our offense a chance to win the game. We need to quit using injuries as a crutch and adjust the game plans to exploit our strengths and take advantage our opponents weaknesses -- something we haven't done very well the last 3-1/2 years.

Marty · October 15, 2010

Thanks for your insight Mr. Mosley. I agree.

Harry · October 15, 2010

I was going to wait until there was a, "without a doubt", chance of North Texas winning the conference to write this but thought, what the heck, write it now. This team without a doubt would be sitting undefeated in conference play right now and probably would have beaten Rice and Army if not for the freaking injuries. With that being said all those who think Dodge has not turned this program around are simply just Dodge haters and will always be Dodge haters. The man has turned the program around. The football program is leaps and bounds ahead of where it was four years ago. Injuries have cost this team a chance of proving all naysayers wrong. Look at the bandaid team which plays each week. Not one player has given up on their coach or school. If the players played like they wanted the coach gone you wouldn't see the attitude and effort on the field you are seeing right now. You can look at it as WIN 7 or else if you chose but to me the program has arrived. The deck is stacked against North Texas winning those 7 games this year but it's not because this team was not prepared. Coach Dodge and his staff are the right combination for the future of this football program. The AD is put in a hard spot but hopefully it is one he can figure out by looking at the program itself and not the wins. The wins were there this year but so were the injuries! Name one team in the nation who could have survived this. Heck, University of Texas loses one QB and a few defensive guys and now they struggle. No I'm not comparing us to them.....just saying.....

James - everyone on here appreciates you and your family and what you have brought to this program as supporters and fans. You guys are the best and I will never forget when we first met at the football banquet several years ago when you guys made the long trip from the Golden Triangle. I was so impressed by you and your wife and of course Micah has been a warrior for us and represents the school so well. No one, and I mean no one on here has EVER had one complaint of Coach Dodge and his family in terms of how he has represented UNT, he is a CLASS ACT and inherited a lot of issues that he didn't deserve and couldn't have prepared for. I have said it before, this Stadium is a blessing and a curse for Dodge. For UNT this stadium is the single biggest capital expenditure that they have ever made and this school has been around a long time. To allow that stadium to sit empty due to the lack of success on the football field would be a travesty. The new stadium has the ability to generate much needed revenues that will allow our athletic and academic programs to move forward and compete. I believe that if the stadium was not part of this equation it might be more plausible to reconsider the Dodge situation. I also think that you have to look at the record over the past 3-4 years as well when you make your assessment even though the arguement could be made that there were a lot of close losses along the way. I certainly appreciate and respect your loyalty and support of Coach Dodge but in the end, this is not a decision you and I make, it will fall on RV, President Rawlins, The BOR and Chancellor Jackson. GMG!

James Mosley · October 15, 2010

The point I'm trying to make is, sure Coach Dodge made some mistakes along the way, BUT, the way he has handled and adapted to correcting these mistakes speaks volumes of his character, his coaching abilities and his freaking leadership towards our players. The man is exactly what this college needs to go forward. Again, get past the past and look at where he is NOOOOOOOWWW. Look at what he had prepared entering this season. Get over the wins not coming fast enough and look at the long haul. So what if it took 4 years to get here, it's here, he fielded a winner, he has a college experienced coaching staff, he gave up his OC duties and hired a college experienced OC. I don't think he agreed all this needed to be done, but he did it anyway. He has dipped into the JC ranks to get players, he has done many of the right things to turn the program around and IT IS TURNED AROUND other than 7 freaking wins. If the team stays healthy, wins 7, goes to a bowl everyone thinks the corner has been turned, but since the wins are not there, "injuries", everyone thinks he failed. EVERYONE who thinks this program is not better now compared to four years ago has lost connection to what this program should be built on. If I was doing all this over again and I knew ahead of time my kid was fixing to attend a program which would lose as much as it has over the last four years I'd still encourage my kid to attend simply because of what I knew he would learn from Coach Dodge and Coach Gandy. Experience is what Coach Dodge has gained over the last four years he already knew how to coach. Let the past go and look at the program right now and stay focused on the plan set four years ago.

UNT90 · October 15, 2010

The point I'm trying to make is, sure Coach Dodge made some mistakes along the way, BUT, the way he has handled and adapted to correcting these mistakes speaks volumes of his character, his coaching abilities and his freaking leadership towards our players. The man is exactly what this college needs to go forward. Again, get past the past and look at where he is NOOOOOOOWWW. Look at what he had prepared entering this season. Get over the wins not coming fast enough and look at the long haul. So what if it took 4 years to get here, it's here, he fielded a winner, he has a college experienced coaching staff, he gave up his OC duties and hired a college experienced OC. I don't think he agreed all this needed to be done, but he did it anyway. He has dipped into the JC ranks to get players, he has done many of the right things to turn the program around and IT IS TURNED AROUND other than 7 freaking wins. If the team stays healthy, wins 7, goes to a bowl everyone thinks the corner has been turned, but since the wins are not there, "injuries", everyone thinks he failed. EVERYONE who thinks this program is not better now compared to four years ago has lost connection to what this program should be built on. If I was doing all this over again and I knew ahead of time my kid was fixing to attend a program which would lose as much as it has over the last four years I'd still encourage my kid to attend simply because of what I knew he would learn from Coach Dodge and Coach Gandy. Experience is what Coach Dodge has gained over the last four years he already knew how to coach. Let the past go and look at the program right now and stay focused on the plan set four years ago.

Unfortunately, winning matters in college football. Coach Dodge has not come close to winning. The injuries absolutely suck, but there were no substantial injuries last year on a team that Coach Dodge stated before and after the season should have won 5 games. The 1st two seasons were completely and embarassingly non-competitive.

This has been a 4 year process, and the fact that the injuries occurred this year is really unfortunate for Coach Dodge, but that doesn't erase the previous 3 years. There is no possible way to know how many games this team would have won with a healthy line up this year. You just can't say what would have happened. Teams game plan differently now that they are facing an undermanned UNT team. They can be more conservative on offfense and defense, allowing games to be closer.

The kids are giving a great effort, and should be commended a thousand times for not giving up on this season.

CMJ · October 15, 2010

I ask the question - when is enough, enough? I appreciate the fact we have good kids and that Dodge is a good guy, and all the rest. But seriously, he has yet to have a season with even 3 wins. Can we let him go next year if he struggles? I am a patient person, trust me. I was one of the last ones off Dickey's bandwagon - I never even called for his firing (because of the league titles), I just wouldn't defend him anymore. There comes a certain point where the lack of success is just indefensible. Look, he's been paid handsomely for his efforts at NT. If I was racking up the coin he has to win 6 games I'd be a happy camper.

Edited October 15, 2010 by CMJ

James Mosley · October 15, 2010

James - everyone on here appreciates you and your family and what you have brought to this program as supporters and fans. You guys are the best and I will never forget when we first met at the football banquet several years ago when you guys made the long trip from the Golden Triangle. I was so impressed by you and your wife and of course Micah has been a warrior for us and represents the school so well. No one, and I mean no one on here has EVER had one complaint of Coach Dodge and his family in terms of how he has represented UNT, he is a CLASS ACT and inherited a lot of issues that he didn't deserve and couldn't have prepared for. I have said it before, this Stadium is a blessing and a curse for Dodge. For UNT this stadium is the single biggest capital expenditure that they have ever made and this school has been around a long time. To allow that stadium to sit empty due to the lack of success on the football field would be a travesty. The new stadium has the ability to generate much needed revenues that will allow our athletic and academic programs to move forward and compete. I believe that if the stadium was not part of this equation it might be more plausible to reconsider the Dodge situation. I also think that you have to look at the record over the past 3-4 years as well when you make your assessment even though the arguement could be made that there were a lot of close losses along the way. I certainly appreciate and respect your loyalty and support of Coach Dodge but in the end, this is not a decision you and I make, it will fall on RV, President Rawlins, The BOR and Chancellor Jackson. GMG!

I am looking at the record over the last 3 - 4 years and I too see a losing record. I also see a Head Coach who made changes along the way, brought in college coaches, gave up his OC duties, brought in JC players, a coach who has done everything to correct the wrong over the last 3 - years is what I ALSO SEE. I also see a man who is exactly what this university needs heading into a new stadium. One who still can recruit some of the best available Texas talent out there, one who believes in his players, one who teaches them more than football. What I see is people giving up on someone just because they had a terrible win record over the past 3 years and they don't SEE all the changes and moves made to correct the problems. The moves and changes have been made, this team would have proven it if the injuries had not happened. Again, everything anyone can think oh this coaching staff has corrected.

H-towngreen · October 15, 2010

Thanks for your input Mr. Mosely.

I'm as big a TD fan as there is. And because of that I'm torn. I think he's done wonders for the program in every area except where it matters most, on the field. I feel even more for him this season. I predicted last year that this seasons squad would compete for if not win the Belt. With all the injuries we've gone through this year that dream died several games ago. I'd love to see him stick around as he is a great person for this university and this program. Do I see it happening, not likely. It would have been interesting to see how this season would've unfolded without all the injuries.

All About UNT · October 15, 2010

we can all agree that none of this would be up for debate if we didn't feel that TD is loyal to the school...the program and to do what he can to make it successful. I only wish he wasn't such a likable guy so that the inevitable decision that will come would be less debated.

Edited October 15, 2010 by All About UNT

James Mosley · October 15, 2010

Answer one question:

What has the man not done over the last 3 - 4 years to make this program better? Please show your football intelligance and come up with something other than win football games as your answer. Winning was coming until they slipped down to #4 QB, #3 center, etc.... I can say this team would have won with confidence simply because of how they are hanging with each team they are playing. This is how I measure where the program is NOW and not where or why it was 2 - 3 years ago. Bring in Leach next year and he wins and you give him all the credit. STUPID! freaking stupid. I'm done with this, I just felt I needed to blow off some steam. Coach Dodge and staff is right for this school.

CMJ · October 15, 2010

At the end of the day the way you really judge success is W's and L's. In that standpoint he hasn't improved on the last 2 years of Dickey's tenure. In fact, things have gotten worse to this point.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · October 15, 2010

I see both sides, but I really do hope it answers itself beginning this weekend.

Most people inside and outside the program expect us to lose based upon what FIU has done against it's BCS foes. Well, we didn't do too bad against Clemson.

Part of me wishes Rick Villareal had played the safer route four years ago and just hired a college coach right off the bat. That's what I wanted then. And, if Dodge is fired or reassigend, it's what I'll want.

But, you've got to give this thing a chance to play out with this staff. I think if we lose this weekend and go on the road and lose for the first time to WKU, all arguments are gone.

However, while there is a sliver of hope for this coaching staff - yes, late assembled and, probably to some degree, grudgingly assembled - let's go ahead and have some hope.

Hope is a night and day different defense than we've seen in four years. Hope is a special teams that really is playing well. Hope is an offensive coordinator who is building safe, ball control offenses around third and fourth team quarterbacks.

I think Mr. Mosely is right. Todd Dodge has paid for his sins - and so has Rick Villareal. Many of us have spoken to one or the other of them personally about it.

The ship is righted. We list only because of the injuries this season. In past years, we were sinking.

Are some of you really believing that the results would be the same if Micah Mosely, J.J. Johnson, Nathan Tune and many other starters and projected starters hadn't been injured? After we beat FAU with third teamers? After we came within a lash of ASU with a fourth team walk on?

Come on, you all. In the past, I'm the one who didn't have faith in this thing. But, honesty is honesty. I can't compare this season with any from 2007 to 2009. Those squads would have given vastly different results had the 2010 coaching staff been in place.

Can we all at least agree that if we can - and, I can't believe I'm saying this about this team - "upset" FIU then go beat WKU again that there will be some glimmer of hope that this thing is righted?

PlummMeanGreen · October 15, 2010

Injuries & hope?

UNT beat a 6 & 5 Tennessee (still our biggest win in history) back in 1975 with our..........3'rd string QB.

If TDodge pulls this thing off, ie, salvages his job it will be a miracle that would bring all of us Irish tenors to tears. It would also make many of "our" threads on his replacement give us that Sylvestor the Cat "just got caught" look, too. :rolleyes:

GMG!

Edited October 15, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

LongJim · October 15, 2010

The point I'm trying to make is, sure Coach Dodge made some mistakes along the way, BUT, the way he has handled and adapted to correcting these mistakes speaks volumes of his character, his coaching abilities and his freaking leadership towards our players. The man is exactly what this college needs to go forward. Again, get past the past and look at where he is NOOOOOOOWWW. Let the past go and look at the program right now and stay focused on the plan set four years ago.

These are good points.

For me, I believe TD is exactly the type of guy you want running your football program, and I'm basing that on his willingness to see where weaknesses are, and focus on correcting them in all facets of the program. He is a great ambassador for this university, and there's no doubt that this staff and team are playing like a TEAM again. Locked in and united. That's very very important, and for college teams often hard to capture week to week. For a team in the shape UNT's in physically and mentally, it's virtually a miracle, in my opinion. You really can't discount this factor when choosing a coach and staff. In this regard, UNT is fortunate to have TD.

The tough part is deciding whether the injury situation (which is something I have never seen to this degree in over 30 years of watching college football.) warrants this staff another crack at it in the new stadium, or whether you wipe the slate clean with an UNKNOWN commodity at UNT and go through this all over again.

I feel (and I admit I am surprised at this) possibly perversely--that this thing is on the right track, based on what I've seen on the field--and I didn't feel that way after Rice. Do you blow it up now?

MeanGreenTexan · October 15, 2010

I am looking at the record over the last 3 - 4 years and I too see a losing record. I also see a Head Coach who made changes along the way, brought in college coaches, gave up his OC duties, brought in JC players, a coach who has done everything to correct the wrong over the last 3 - years is what I ALSO SEE. I also see a man who is exactly what this university needs heading into a new stadium. One who still can recruit some of the best available Texas talent out there, one who believes in his players, one who teaches them more than football. What I see is people giving up on someone just because they had a terrible win record over the past 3 years and they don't SEE all the changes and moves made to correct the problems. The moves and changes have been made, this team would have proven it if the injuries had not happened. Again, everything anyone can think oh this coaching staff has corrected.

Mr. Mosley, you probably have a heftier say on the impending decision than any of us here do. If you feel this way about coach Dodge, be sure to voice your opinion to Rick V. All he is hearing from the fan base, and for good reason, is how coach Dodge is not getting it done.

As for the bolded statement above, I agree that the coaching STAFF appears to be corrected, however, we're still seeing some goofy head coaching decisions by coach Dodge himself. I don't profess to be a football coach, but going back to last week, after a timeout (due to injury I think) late in the game to draw up a long pass play, with a chance to take our first lead, Baine completes a big pass. However, shouldn't they expect that play to work and call another play during the same timeout, that way they are ready and can hurry up? Instead, another timeout was taken to draw up the next play. We went backwards for the remainder of that drive.

How 'bout the defense holding them in the closing seconds only to have precious seconds wasted off of the clock because timeouts were not taken at the right time? Unless the offensive or defensive players see something they don't like, timeouts are head coach decisions... Let's not go back to the 2 timeout disaster in last years Army game.

James Mosley · October 15, 2010

Mr. Mosley, you probably have a heftier say on the impending decision than any of us here do. If you feel this way about coach Dodge, be sure to voice your opinion to Rick V. All he is hearing from the fan base, and for good reason, is how coach Dodge is not getting it done.
As for the bolded statement above, I agree that the coaching STAFF appears to be corrected, however, we're still seeing some goofy head coaching decisions by coach Dodge himself. I don't profess to be a football coach, but going back to last week, after a timeout (due to injury I think) late in the game to draw up a long pass play, with a chance to take our first lead, Baine completes a big pass. However, shouldn't they expect that play to work and call another play during the same timeout, that way they are ready and can hurry up? Instead, another timeout was taken to draw up the next play. We went backwards for the remainder of that drive.
How 'bout the defense holding them in the closing seconds only to have precious seconds wasted off of the clock because timeouts were not taken at the right time? Unless the offensive or defensive players see something they don't like, timeouts are head coach decisions... Let's not go back to the 2 timeout disaster in last years Army game.

I know exactly which play or set of plays you are talking about and believe me there was no wrong in the coaching during that situation. Again, we had the ball on the 29 yard line and had a play set up to win the game on and a penalty cost us a shot at it. The right call was made but the play never came about due to penalty. I will hopefully get a chance to talk to RV and let him hear my opinion. Everyone wants a change because of the new stadium, fresh start you call it, I say grow a set and hang with the man who has stood tall through all this adversity and you grow a program with a leader and strong foundation. The wins will come the rest is here now. Edited October 15, 2010 by James Mosley