Unt Coaching Search: It Came Down To Eight

Harry · November 26, 2010

http://www.gomeangreen.com/wordpress09/wordpress/?p=845

NT03 · November 26, 2010

Take out Leach and insert Dirk Koetter

Harry · November 26, 2010

Take out Leach and insert Dirk Koetter

Leach needs to be in the list becausehe is uniquely qualified and from the beginning of this search the North Texas fans truly wanted him with all of his issues both good and bad. Even though he may never have been seriously considered for the job we do not know this for a fact and he needed to be included in the list on our opinion.

NT80 · November 26, 2010

Nice comments on all the candidates. Are we sure all were actually candidates? Were there some not known?

If all listed were interested the decision would come down to a ranking of factors and priorities. The factor's importance will vary by person selecting. These would include but not be limited to:

Name recognition, marketability, PR willingness, offensive and defensive philosophy, salary and staff requirements, age and career goals, Texas connections and recruiting ability, JUCO connections, experience at rebuilding, ability to work at mid-major level, program funding expectations, future schedule and facilities expectations, past player, legal or personal issues....and the last most important criteria used in our selection....rock, paper, or scissors!

Harry · November 26, 2010

Nice comments on all the candidates. Are we sure all were actually candidates? Were there some not known?

If all listed were interested the decision would come down to a ranking of factors and priorities. The factor's importance will vary by person selecting. These would include but not be limited to:

Name recognition, marketability, PR willingness, offensive and defensive philosophy, salary and staff requirements, age and career goals, Texas connections and recruiting ability, JUCO connections, experience at rebuilding, ability to work at mid-major level, program funding expectations, future schedule and facilities expectations, past player, legal or personal issues....and the last most important criteria used in our selection....rock, paper, or scissors!

No this article is not all inclusive - you had to come up with a number and 8 seemed a reasonable list. Say for instance, I knew Kevin Wilson was interested in this job and I am sure there are countless others, ie Mickey Matthews, the guy from Prairie View A$M etc etc that would fall into that category... In our opinion the eight we listed have the best chance of being on the final list. So there is some speculation and fact that helped us to compile this. I don't know if we will ever get all of the info on who truly was considered because the guys that come up short will likely not want that info released.

FirefightnRick · November 26, 2010

Does anyone know if when Neinas contacts a coach who is currently under contract at another university, say for instance, McCarney at Florida, or Mathiews at UVA, that he has to first acquire permission to speak to that coach from his current employer?

Rick

Edited November 26, 2010 by FirefightnRick

eulesseagle · November 26, 2010

I am getting the impression that this is "stealth recruiting" of a coach. The ONLY one out of that group that has expressed that HE WANTS the job is Coach Canales. Even the current unemployed coaches have NOT come up on any sport's radar as expressing interest in the NT job.

What this tells me is that they either are NOT interested in the NT coaching position, they like collecting their buy out cash or they are holding out for something that pays more at a much more prestigious program. Sounds like the same senario how lower level programs, like NT, end up with some of our players when it comes down to a choice of Sul Ross, N.W. Minnesota State University and NT.

Why have not some of the unemployed coaches not already been hired by other programs as DC, OC or other positions? Is it their record, holding out for more money or a better program? What sort of reputation does NT have in the college coaching ranks?

I don't want RV or this administration to hire someone just because he has a "name" and no job. I want someone who truely wants to be here and has expressed an interest in being here. Hummmmm............well that narrows down the field.

Rudy · November 26, 2010

As I remember, Leavitt has expressed intrest in the job, as has Canales. But, you are right, we need someone who wants THIS job.

eulesseagle · November 26, 2010

OH, one more thing after a little thought. After Chuck's exhaustive stealth recruiting and if NT is willing to pay $1,000,000/yr for a "complete" coach staff including HC.....ALL EIGHT of the names that Chuck mentions are WILLING to come here? Because, if I were Chuck and the names that I submitted for the $40k, that I was given, are not true does that not constitute fraud? Did Leach, et.al., express interest in being NT's HC for 500k/yr & another $500k for the assistants?

Personally, there are members on this board who could have done just as good if not better of a job than Chuck and come up with a selection of names that would OVERTLY not COVERTLY show interest in the NT job......and possibly for $10k less.

GrayEagle · November 26, 2010

OH, one more thing after a little thought. After Chuck's exhaustive stealth recruiting and if NT is willing to pay $1,000,000/yr for a "complete" coach staff including HC.....ALL EIGHT of the names that Chuck mentions are WILLING to come here? Because, if I were Chuck and the names that I submitted for the $40k, that I was given, are not true does that not constitute fraud? Did Leach, et.al., express interest in being NT's HC for 500k/yr & another $500k for the assistants?

Personally, there are members on this board who could have done just as good if not better of a job than Chuck and come up with a selection of names that would OVERTLY not COVERTLY show interest in the NT job......and possibly for $10k less.

Can you show me another coach search at the FBS level where (even) one or more contenders have openly campaigned for the job?

I like Chico too but if he had never set foot at North Texas before would he have been openly seeking this job? The other candidates, except for Kragthorpe, don't really know this university and North Texas has changed so much since Coach K was here he likely doesn't either.

I don't believe that Neinas came up with all of the names on the list. Our AD furnished many of those names. Some may be pipe dreams; coaches that have no interest in the lowest conference or whose salary qualifications are beyond our budget. The ones that are left will want to be here or they wouldn't leave their name in the pot or accept the job. So who cares whether their interest is overt or covert? Suffice it to say, they want to be here.

I would not object one iota if Mike Canales was chosen as the next coach but he is going up against coaches with more success as a head coach and more experience at that level.

We don't know who is on Chuck Neinas' list and we may not ever know that. Discretion is one of the reasons he is chosen for coach searches. The eight that were chosen by Harry and Matt were the choices of this board.

Edited November 26, 2010 by GrayEagle

PlummMeanGreen · November 26, 2010

Can you show me another coach search at the FBS level where (even) one or more contenders have openly campaigned for the job?

I like Chico too but if he had never set foot at North Texas before would he have been openly seeking this job? The other candidates, except for Kragthorpe, don't really know this university and North Texas has changed so much since Coach K was here he likely doesn't either.

I don't believe that Neinas came up with all of the names on the list. Our AD furnished many of those names. Some may be pipe dreams; coaches that have no interest in the lowest conference or whose salary qualifications are beyond our budget. The ones that are left will want to be here or they wouldn't leave their name in the pot or accept the job. So who cares whether their interest is overt or covert? Suffice it to say, they want to be here.

I would not object one iota if Mike Canales was chosen as the next coach but he is going up against coaches with more success as a head coach and more experience at that level.

We don't know who is on Chuck Neinas' list and we may not ever know that. Discretion is one of the reasons he is chosen for coach searches. The eight that were chosen by Harry and Matt were the choices of this board.

GrayEagle hits another home run post...

PS: Hope you and Jessica are having a great Thanksgiving weekend with all your kids and grand-kids. (And thanks for that Birthday wish and I hope you, too, Jack get to see an undefeated Mean Green team in our new stadium, too).

Huff · November 26, 2010

Does anyone know if when Neinas contacts a coach who is currently under contract at another university, say for instance, McCarney at Florida, or Mathiews at UVA, that he has to first acquire permission to speak to that coach from his current employer?

Rick

Rick

That is the way it normally works. Any legitimate company who wants to continue doing business with the major universities will make it a point to not hiss off the athletic directors of those universities by any underhanded dealings. Ninas has been in business for a long time and will want to continue to do business with them. He won't take a chance on burning any bridges.

shaft · November 26, 2010

Local ESPN radio on Thursday said it was down to three.

50-50 that its going to be McCarney, followed by Fran and Kragthorpe.

No source was given.

FirefightnRick · November 26, 2010

Rick

That is the way it normally works. Any legitimate company who wants to continue doing business with the major universities will make it a point to not hiss off the athletic directors of those universities by any underhanded dealings. Ninas has been in business for a long time and will want to continue to do business with them. He won't take a chance on burning any bridges.

The point for me asking the question was that if he indeed must ask permission to talk with them, then his search isn't entirely discreet. Once he has made contact with a certain AD dept, someone inside will know and eventually leak that they have received a call from him. For whatever reason the other schools currently doing a search are not keeping as tight of a lid on their search as ours is.

To me this was a waste of money. But considering the route we have gone for our past two major hires this was an alternative direction. Maybe it will work out this time?

Rick

Edited November 26, 2010 by FirefightnRick