What Other National Coaches Are Saying About Our Hire

[NT80]

What They Are Saying About Dan McCarney

Courtesy: University of North Texas

Release: 11/30/2010

"North Texas made a great choice with the hiring of Dan McCarney. He is a great motivator, a great recruiter and most of all a great gentleman. He did a great job for me at Iowa and did a great job for Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin and took Iowa State to bowl games in five of his last seven years. I am really looking forward to North Texas opening its new stadium and they have the right coach there to open it with in Dan McCarney."

Former North Texas and Iowa head football coach Hayden Fry

"Dan is an outstanding football coach. I have known him for many years and always appreciated his energy, knowledge of the game, passion and the way he motivates his players to perform at a high level. He is a tireless recruiter who high school coaches and players will enjoy. I know he's excited to be back in a head coaching role and I am happy for him."

University of Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops

"The people of Denton will love Dan McCarney. He's one of the most enthusiastic coaches in college football. Dan and I worked together at Iowa and he was my first hire at Wisconsin. North Texas has a star in Dan McCarney."

University of Wisconsin Director of Athletics and former head football coach Barry Alvarez

"I had the pleasure of coaching with Dan for nine years while we both served as assistants at Iowa under legendary coach Hayden Fry. When I returned to Iowa 12 years ago, Dan was in the process of building Iowa State's program to a level of success that they had never previously experienced. Dan has proven in all of his positions that he is a tireless worker, a very strong recruiter and an excellent coach and motivator. I have no doubts that he will do a tremendous job at North Texas."

University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz

"I'm happy for Coach McCarney and his family. He has a proven track record as a head coach and we were fortunate to have him on our staff for the last three years. He did a great job with our defensive line and I fully expect him to be successful at North Texas."

University of Florida head football coach Urban Meyer

"Dan is a very talented football coach, a relentless recruiter and an even better person. He will do an amazing job recruiting that area and will motivate his players to perform at a very high level. He did an unbelievable job as head coach at Iowa State, bringing them to a level of play they had not seen in a long time, and I expect he will do the same at the University of North Texas."

Kansas State University head football coach Bill Snyder

[meanrob]

What They Are Saying About Dan McCarney

"Dan is a very talented football coach, a relentless recruiter and an even better person. He will do an amazing job recruiting that area and will motivate his players to perform at a very high level. He did an unbelievable job as head coach at Iowa State, bringing them to a level of play they had not seen in a long time, and I expect he will do the same at the University of North Texas. Especially since they almost kicked our arse without him. I still see that #5 in my sleep"

Kansas State University head football coach Bill Snyder

ok, sort of edited.

[emmitt01]

Ok, just playing devil's advocate here.

Does anyone believe that another coach would go on record right now saying how little they like Dan McCarney IF that's how they felt?

[EagleMBA]

After all the discussion over the last couple of months about needing a "splash hire" ...

and after watching the press conference and chewing on it for three hours ...

I think we actually made one.

[forevereagle]

Ok, just playing devil's advocate here.

Does anyone believe that another coach would go on record right now saying how little they like Dan McCarney IF that's how they felt?

I think that they would probably choose to say nothing as opposed to giving a quote on how great he is.

[EagleMBA]

I think that they would probably choose to say nothing as opposed to giving a quote on how great he is.

Exactly. You just don't get up to give the deceased's eulogy and say "I never liked the sonofabitch!".

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

After all the discussion over the last couple of months about needing a "splash hire" ...

and after watching the press conference and chewing on it for three hours ...

I think we actually made one.

I think those who didn't think McCarney was a big hire/splash hire only view a small portion of the total college football picture. Unless you really knew how down Iowa, Wisconsin, and Iowa State were before McCarney helped rebuild them, you wouldn't know.

I think people in this region tend to look only to schools like Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, etc. What McCarney did in Ames with Iowa State did not go unnoticed to the rest of the college football world, even if few here peeked outside of their little football corners to see what was happening outside the state or region.

Is it ironic or coincidental that McCarney is replacing Todd Dodge, the quarterback his Iowa defensive line helped demolish during the Hawkeyes' 55-17 Freedom Bowl win over the Longhorns in 1984? That evening's line for the Texas QBs: Todd Dodge, 11 rushes for -23 yards, 16 or 32 passing for 180 yards, 2 tds, 2 ints; Danny Akers 1 for 2 passing for 5 yards.

[Green to the Bone]

A nearly identical press release with positive quotes from well-known coaches went out when we hired Dodge. That release included a quote from the pre-2010 version of Mack Brown saying Dodge was the best QB coach in Texas, from NFL to pee wee, and would carry that legendary talent to a great outcome at North Texas.

That doesn't denigrate any of these DMac quotes. Just provides context.