Canales And Recruiting

All About UNT · November 7, 2010

So first and foremost...congrats to the team for playing their hearts out and scaring the crap out of Troy by the determination that the Mean Green played with. Their fan board for the first time in 4 yrs was crapping their pants with 3 minutes left to play and that says alot when you are playing the 4yr Conference Champs.

With that said...we can all see that the team reacts well to Canales and he is doing everything he can to restore confidence to the team and secure the wins (and esp an HC offer). What it all boils down to is recruiting though. How well will he be able to recruit in Texas? His name is a unknown to most Texas High School players. If we beat ULM and MUTS while putting a respectable showing against KSU......he will be considered and we all know that. I just have to interject that how much will his lack of recruiting power interfere with his chances of getting solid recruits? Esp with the first one or two yrs of recruiting classes(yrs we don't have to waste).

Open to thoughts by those more knowledgeable on recruiting than I...(which is 95% of the board)

Cr1028 · November 7, 2010

I think Shelton Gandy can pick up any slack. Other than Crabtree I don't think Leach was ever touted as a big time recruiter, he just had a system that worked with average players.

eulessismore · November 7, 2010

I think Shelton Gandy can pick up any slack. Other than Crabtree I don't think Leach was ever touted as a big time recruiter, he just had a system that worked with average players.

The recruiting class that was put together for South Florida this last year was not due to anything Leavitt or Skip Holtz did, it was due to what the assistants who remained after Leavitt was fired and while many of them (including Canales) were aware (according to Holtz) that they would not remain on staff after doing what they did to save that class for USF. Utter professionalism on the part of those assistants, some damn good ones among them still without coaching jobs.

Mean Green 93-98 · November 7, 2010

Coach Canales is the one who has been recruiting our primary QB target all along. The Texas ties are a plus, but I think he has already shown he knows how to win friends and influence people. I believe he could probably do just as well visiting a Texas recruit and his parents as could Leach, Leavitt, or Franchione.

SAM Coach · November 7, 2010

So first and foremost...congrats to the team for playing their hearts out and scaring the crap out of Troy by the determination that the Mean Green played with. Their fan board for the first time in 4 yrs was crapping their pants with 3 minutes left to play and that says alot when you are playing the 4yr Conference Champs.

With that said...we can all see that the team reacts well to Canales and he is doing everything he can to restore confidence to the team and secure the wins (and esp an HC offer). What it all boils down to is recruiting though. How well will he be able to recruit in Texas? His name is a unknown to most Texas High School players. If we beat ULM and MUTS while putting a respectable showing against KSU......he will be considered and we all know that. I just have to interject that how much will his lack of recruiting power interfere with his chances of getting solid recruits? Esp with the first one or two yrs of recruiting classes(yrs we don't have to waste).

Open to thoughts by those more knowledgeable on recruiting than I...(which is 95% of the board)

All About UNT - I'm told all coaching staffs have specific areas/states of emphasis. One could assume that there would be a coach with Texas ties and recruiting experience as their responsibility. Additionally, reading his bio, Florida and California have pretty good high school football players as well

sports1 · November 7, 2010

I would be nice to see if Coach Canales could get about 4 or 5 of those talented Florida kids here each year to mix in with the Texas talent in the recruiting classes. It could a a potent combination.

ElToro6 · November 7, 2010

I was told that there were 60+ Recruits at the game tonight. UNT has averaged only 5-10 recruits all season this year. So obviously Canales is recruting for UNT. The question still remains will he be here to coach them.

And after what I saw last week and tonight, My Vote is that Canales needs to be the Head Coach at UNT

GoMeanGreen1999 · November 7, 2010

I was told that there were 60+ Recruits at the game tonight. UNT has averaged only 5-10 recruits all season this year. So obviously Canales is recruting for UNT. The question still remains will he be here to coach them.

And after what I saw last week and tonight, My Vote is that Canales needs to be the Head Coach at UNT

you were told there were 60+ recruits there tonight or you saw 60+ there?

PlummMeanGreen · November 7, 2010

I was told that there were 60+ Recruits at the game tonight. UNT has averaged only 5-10 recruits all season this year. So obviously Canales is recruting for UNT. The question still remains will he be here to coach them.

And after what I saw last week and tonight, My Vote is that Canales needs to be the Head Coach at UNT

Those of you with very few posts on this board we kinda' know who is putting your group up to these half truth posts.

UNT's Legacy of Losing With Project Coaches:

1981 Bob Tyler 1 2 9 0 .182 0 0 0 .000 0 0-0 (from state of MS)

1982-90 Corky Nelson 9 48 52 1 .480 24 20 1 .556 1 0-3

1991-93 Dennis Parker 3 11 21 1 .348 7 14 0 .333 0 0-0

1994-97 Matt Simon 4 18 26 1 .411 10 5 1 .688 1 0-1

1998-2006 Darrell Dickey 9 42 64 0 .396 31 20 0 .608 4 1-3

2007-2010 Todd Dodge 3 5 31 0 .139 2 20 0 .091 0 0-0

And where would another "project" hire fit with the aforementioned group? Probably blend and fit in quite well. No, we need another direction and the majority on and off this board will be more than pissed if we don't get it looking at our 6 last hires since 1981. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to read and understand the above w/l records of our last 6 coaches at North Texas; of course, we don't have many rocket scientist on our campus, either, and that has been proven time and time again.

Anyone wonder why the UNT Board of Regents want a change of modus operendi in this next hire due to the hiring habits at North Texas with the above stats of our last 6 project hires as proof that it has not been working?

Bob Tyler had some special problems that even our selection committee kept to themselves until the truth surfaced. (One of which was that he had to be physically removed by state police from his coaches office at Miss. State when they fired him--once again, UNT didn't do proper research with that particular bad hire and that one bit us all in the ass, too).

Give it up...

Edited November 7, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

ElToro6 · November 7, 2010

There were 60+ recruits there today, and there is no half truth about that.

gangrene · November 7, 2010

Coach Canales is the one who has been recruiting our primary QB target all along.

That's inaccurate. Two of our top QB targets signed with South Florida. Canales was recruiting both of them but they elected to compete against each other rather than try their luck at UNT. We lost three more QB prospects that were higher targets than Jones to Purdue, Oregon State and Mississippi State. Cooper Jones may be our primary target now, but only because we've already lost out on 5-6 others and the number of uncommitted QBs for 2011 is quickly dwindling. Up until just a few weeks ago, Cooper Jones was unrated by Rivals and has been largely unnoticed by FBS schools. In fact, we're the only FBS school that has extended an offer to Jones. Our main competition for Jones is Stephen F. Austin and other Texas FCS schools. Now, nothing against Jones...I think he's a sleeper much like Derek Thompson was, but let's not start heralding him as a top QB prospect and use that as an attempt to prove that Canales can recruit top talent to UNT - nothing could be further misleading than that claim based on this recruit.

Of course Canales was recruiting him along, he was the OC and that's part of an OC's job.

PlummMeanGreen · November 7, 2010

That's inaccurate. Two of our top QB targets signed with South Florida. Canales was recruiting both of them but they elected to compete against each other rather than try their luck at UNT. We lost three more QB prospects that were higher targets than Jones to Purdue, Oregon State and Mississippi State. Cooper Jones may be our primary target now, but only because we've already lost out on 5-6 others and the number of uncommitted QBs for 2011 is quickly dwindling. Up until just a few weeks ago, Cooper Jones was unrated by Rivals and has been largely unnoticed by FBS schools. In fact, we're the only FBS school that has extended an offer to Jones. Our main competition for Jones is Stephen F. Austin and other Texas FCS schools. Now, nothing against Jones...I think he's a sleeper much like Derek Thompson was, but let's not start heralding him as a top QB prospect and use that as an attempt to prove that Canales can recruit top talent to UNT - nothing could be further misleading than that claim based on this recruit.

Of course Canales was recruiting him along, he was the OC and that's part of an OC's job.

Would that qualify as a half truth or a full little bitty white lie? :rolleyes:

I think recruiting expert of GMG.com,ie, Old Timer said we had a helluva' bunch of recruits at the UNT/Rice home season opener and I remember seeing a bunch of them myself since they usually all sit in the same area.

Hell, I've said he seems a fine guy and might (we have to say might since we are North Texas) make a future good HFC, but only after he's been on a winning UNT coaches staff which Jim Leavitt (if hired) would probably allow him that opportunity. Now whether he want's to be #2 man only he can answer when that time may possibly come, but those of us who don't support his being HFC ain't throwing the guy out as an "no good" coach because he doesn't show promise or something ; even on a losing football program's coaches staff and "THAT" is his main bug-a-boo for getting the UNT job now.

Hell, in another thread I vote for Leavitt with Canales as Assistant Head Football Coach/Off.Coord. and that is Leavitt hiring him from what is presently a losing football staff, too; but like everything we posters post on GMG.com--it is still mere speculation since we are not the ones to pull the trigger. The Key with our next HFC hire is the UNT Board of Regents-------promise.

Our Legacy of Losing Project Coaches At North Texas

W/L Records In Bold

1981 Bob Tyler 1 2 9 0 .182 0 0 0 .000 0 0-0

1982-90 Corky Nelson 9 48 52 1 .480 24 20 1 .556 1 0-3

1991-93 Dennis Parker 3 11 21 1 .348 7 14 0 .333 0 0-0

1994-97 Matt Simon 4 18 26 1 .411 10 5 1 .688 1 0-1

1998-2006 Darrell Dickey 9 42 64 0 .396 31 20 0 .608 4 1-3

2007-2010 Todd Dodge 3 5 31 0 .139 2 20 0 .091 0 0-0

Edited November 7, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

gangrene · November 7, 2010

The recruiting class that was put together for South Florida this last year was not due to anything Leavitt or Skip Holtz did, it was due to what the assistants who remained after Leavitt was fired and while many of them (including Canales) were aware (according to Holtz) that they would not remain on staff after doing what they did to save that class for USF. Utter professionalism on the part of those assistants, some damn good ones among them still without coaching jobs.

Everything that USF is today is partially due to what Jim Leavitt did. Without Leavitt, USF would have not been in the financial position to hire Skip Holtz, nor would it be likely that Skip Holtz would have even wanted the job. Leavitt built USF into a football program that prospects aspired to be a part of and he put USF in a position to be successful after the Jim Leavitt era ended. Did he have great assistants on his staff? Yes, he did. Who do you think hired those great assistants with "utter professionalism?"

UNTLifer · November 7, 2010

PMG, to disagree with one's point is one thing, but to discredit them due to a lack of posts on this board or to call their posts full of half truths is ridiculous. Many could easily discredit an "old time fan's" hiring opinion based off of NT's track record stating we've never gotten it right.

RV, hire the right man, and you will have our support. None of the names with previous HC experience excite me because they either have baggage or have been out of coaching for so long there is something wrong.

Canales is very intriguing to me based upon what he has done with an injury riddled team. If he is who is chosen, we should all support him. And, if he wins, he will draw in the borderline fans.

I will say this, NT hasn't had a coach with Canales personality in a long time. He obviously wants the job, he rallies the players and has beome more and more intriguing to me.

Mean Green 93-98 · November 7, 2010

That's inaccurate. Two of our top QB targets signed with South Florida. Canales was recruiting both of them but they elected to compete against each other rather than try their luck at UNT. We lost three more QB prospects that were higher targets than Jones to Purdue, Oregon State and Mississippi State. Cooper Jones may be our primary target now, but only because we've already lost out on 5-6 others and the number of uncommitted QBs for 2011 is quickly dwindling. Up until just a few weeks ago, Cooper Jones was unrated by Rivals and has been largely unnoticed by FBS schools. In fact, we're the only FBS school that has extended an offer to Jones. Our main competition for Jones is Stephen F. Austin and other Texas FCS schools. Now, nothing against Jones...I think he's a sleeper much like Derek Thompson was, but let's not start heralding him as a top QB prospect and use that as an attempt to prove that Canales can recruit top talent to UNT - nothing could be further misleading than that claim based on this recruit.

Of course Canales was recruiting him along, he was the OC and that's part of an OC's job.

No, it's not inaccurate, you are just trying to spin my post into saying things I never said. I never said he was "top talent." But he is our primary target, and Coach Canales has been recruiting him all along. All I was doing was pointing out one recruit we will either get or lose based on whether or not Canales stays. And he is a significant recruit, whether or not he qualifies as "top talent."

But since we're talking about inaccuracies, your statement that "we're the only FBS school that has extended an offer to Jones" is false. Air Force is an FBS school.

DeepGreen · November 7, 2010

I didn't do an actual count but there had to 50-60 recruits. But like SUMG pointed out to me, some were not exactly physical specimens.

TheTastyGreek · November 7, 2010

I didn't do an actual count but there had to 50-60 recruits. But like SUMG pointed out to me, some were not exactly physical specimens.

That is putting it quite mildly.

I've seen Big and Tall stores, but I've never heard of a Short and Fat store. If any existed, they could have done gangbusters business with a merchandise table last night.

As for Canales, maybe the only thing I don't like about his presence at UNT is the friends and family that followed him here and onto our forum. I'd rather hear about the magic and wonder of windmills than read some of the shameless, obvious crap that's been getting posted lately.

Harry · November 7, 2010

No, it's not inaccurate, you are just trying to spin my post into saying things I never said. I never said he was "top talent." But he is our primary target, and Coach Canales has been recruiting him all along. All I was doing was pointing out one recruit we will either get or lose based on whether or not Canales stays. And he is a significant recruit, whether or not he qualifies as "top talent."

But since we're talking about inaccuracies, your statement that "we're the only FBS school that has extended an offer to Jones" is false. Air Force is an FBS school.

We are not offering anyone at this point until a new head coach is named so we do not have a top target. Canales is our interim coach -all recruiting targets will be finalized by the new coach. Air Force does not offer athletic scholarships, you have to meet certain academic criteria and be appointed by a congress person. It is a tremendous honor to get offered there but it is certainly not the same thing as a D-I football scholarship. I think the fact he doesn't have offers this late in the game pretty much speaks for itself no?

It is rather depressing how dead recruiting has been for us but I expect a new coaching staff will rekindle things.

SilverEagle · November 7, 2010

That is putting it quite mildly.

I've seen Big and Tall stores, but I've never heard of a Short and Fat store. If any existed, they could have done gangbusters business with a merchandise table last night.

As for Canales, maybe the only thing I don't like about his presence at UNT is the friends and family that followed him here and onto our forum. I'd rather hear about the magic and wonder of windmills than read some of the shameless, obvious crap that's been getting posted lately.

I never saw any recruits that I would call fat. Actually, as they all went past my section, I kept thinking (in honor of the late Clara Peller) "where's the beef"?

And it's the same question that I asked right after the first Todd Dodge recruitment class was announced and many on this board were saliving over all the WR's on the list....most of which are not on the team.

Let's get real here folks, we lost that game last night because we lost the battle on the line....on both sides. Maybe just barely, but we need to address that "barely" in this years recruitment. We also really missed those DB's who got hurt early in the year.

football fan · November 7, 2010

All of your positive perceptions are correct re: Canales! Additionally, and this is the proof in the pudding, every player I have had a chance to speak to break out in a smile when Coach C's name comes up. They are energized, excited about what he has brought to the team and all seem to genuinely have hope and have recommitted themselves to working. Coach C has quickly brought an attitude of winning expectations to this team. None of them seem to care about the record or past woes of this season. Its like a new season started. Like I have recently stated, Coach C is ready to successfully lead a D-1 Team. It is his time. Question is, will UNT capture his magic or allow him to go elsewhere. I hope we give him this chance and I feel that he will move UNT to a sustained level of success not seen in many years. Given his age, the fact that we give him his first HC job and the huge untapped potential of this program, he would not bolt after achieving success. With the new stadium, administrative committment to the FB program, the revenue would come and so would competitive HC pay. I feel the future with Canales at the helm could be huge!!!

The Fake Lonnie Finch · November 7, 2010

PMG, to disagree with one's point is one thing, but to discredit them due to a lack of posts on this board or to call their posts full of half truths is ridiculous. Many could easily discredit an "old time fan's" hiring opinion based off of NT's track record stating we've never gotten it right.

RV, hire the right man, and you will have our support. None of the names with previous HC experience excite me because they either have baggage or have been out of coaching for so long there is something wrong.

Canales is very intriguing to me based upon what he has done with an injury riddled team. If he is who is chosen, we should all support him. And, if he wins, he will draw in the borderline fans.

I will say this, NT hasn't had a coach with Canales personality in a long time. He obviously wants the job, he rallies the players and has beome more and more intriguing to me.

He should be hired for the mere fact that he's got people formely on polar opposites of the thing like me and Lifer agreeing with each other 100% these days! The game last night should have never been. With as many injuries and losses as we've had, this team should have been mentally beaten and unconfident.

They were neither. They were competitive and believed they could win. Canales has given this team a boost.

I'd love to have his coast-to-coast recruiting connections in the high school and JUCO ranks with us. Unless we're completely blown out by MTSU and ULM, I think he's the guy.

UNT Mean Green · November 7, 2010

He should be hired for the mere fact that he's got people formely on polar opposites of the thing like me and Lifer agreeing with each other 100% these days! The game last night should have never been. With as many injuries and losses as we've had, this team should have been mentally beaten and unconfident.

They were neither. They were competitive and believed they could win. Canales has given this team a boost.

I'd love to have his coast-to-coast recruiting connections in the high school and JUCO ranks with us. Unless we're completely blown out by MTSU and ULM, I think he's the guy.

This guy (Canales) is good. I bet you Coach Blakeney is sitting there today in Alabama very thankful for winning that football game last night; probably thinking to himself "North Texas is an entirely different football team than we have played the last few years; Coach Canales is doing a great job." I mean come on. When have there been that shear volume of recruits at a North Texas game? That's how they do it at the big places, and Canales is going to coach like he's at a big time program. How long has it been since we've been in the game with Troy? How long has it been since we don't have excuses (despite so many injuries, obstacles, etc)? This guy is a perfect 2 for 2 in my book, and I think he is getting the attention of other people as well. I think he's the guy. If he can recruit his kids, his coaches, etc. watch out in the next few years. I believe he can and will win with what is there now; but seriously looking at the big picture down the road a few years, this thing could be rolling. All we need at this point is W's. This guy will give you that, and so much more.

gangrene · November 7, 2010

Given his age, the fact that we give him his first HC job and the huge untapped potential of this program, he would not bolt after achieving success.

And you know this how? That theory doesn't exactly agree with Canales' history. He left USF for Arizona and only went back to USF because he could not find work elsewhere. Personally, I don't have a problem with Canales, or any other coach, using North Texas as a stepping stone and I think we should embrace that. For North Texas to be a stepping stone to a higher profile and better paying head coaching job means that HCs have been successful here and that, by being successful at UNT, get recognized and respected by top FBS programs and/or the NFL. I'd much prefer that to seeing former UNT coaches taking HS jobs or former HCs taking coordinator positions at schools like Utah State and New Mexico.

Graddean · November 7, 2010

As far as recruiting Texas, I don't remember Mack Brown having many Texas ties, and I don't think anyone can argue wiht is recruiting success (Maybe what he has done with what he recruited).

What he did have is what we have at UNT, an excellent University. The coach's reputation may help him get in the door, but once there he has to sell himself, his program and his university. I don't know if Canales can do this, but I don't think we should disregard him because he does not have Texas ties.

gangrene · November 7, 2010

No, it's not inaccurate, you are just trying to spin my post into saying things I never said. I never said he was "top talent." But he is our primary target, and Coach Canales has been recruiting him all along. All I was doing was pointing out one recruit we will either get or lose based on whether or not Canales stays. And he is a significant recruit, whether or not he qualifies as "top talent."

But since we're talking about inaccuracies, your statement that "we're the only FBS school that has extended an offer to Jones" is false. Air Force is an FBS school.

Sorry you took offense. I wasn't spinning anything. You used the word "primary" which is defined as

of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary; "primary goals"; "a primary effect"; "primary sources"; "a primary interest."

I found that to be misleading when taken out of context and the context is that we've already lost out on 5-6 other "primary" QB prospects that were also being recruited by Canales. Cooper Jones may prove to be a great QB over time, but that won't change the fact that he wasn't even in our top 5 QB prospects for 2011, nor does it change that fact that he's not being highly recruited by other FBS programs (I think Harry answered the questions about Air Force very well).