Open letter from D-Mac

[UNTP1]

An Open Letter to University of North Texas Students from Head Football Coach Dan McCarney

First and foremost I have to say THANK YOU to all the students for the support that you showed this football team in the Houston game! Every player on this team said that it was the best atmosphere that they have ever played in. I said in my postgame press conference and would like to reiterate here that I was emotional when I came out from the locker room and saw the student turnout. It was a special night and I just wish our performance on the field could have matched the enthusiasm and passion that the students and the whole crowd brought to the game.

We are building this football program one piece at a time. Primarily, we have to develop a level of character that will transcend the field of competition. As a coaching staff, we are demanding that our players are accountable for everything they do, from going to class, to the way they present themselves in the community and as contributors to this team. It is not going to happen overnight, but we feel that if we create an environment of responsibility it will pay off in the long run. There is nothing that I want more than success for this program, and I am probably more impatient than anyone, but I also understand you cant change the culture overnight.

In our first three games we have played one of the toughest schedules ever at North Texas. We are the only team in America that has faced three undefeated opponents and it looks like there is a good chance all three of those teams could finish the season undefeated. We have made improvement and I am confident that we will continue to improve and we will win some games this year.

I am again asking for your support this weekend when we play Indiana. It is the first time ever that a team from the Big 10 Conference has traveled to Denton. They are used to playing in front of crowds that exceed 75,000, but based upon what I saw against Houston, I know that Apogee Stadium can be every bit as intimidating. Like I said before, it begins and ends with the students. You are the energy that this team fuels from. The student body is what this team plays for.

I implore you to be patient as we build this program into one that you can be proud of. The transition is tough, but the end result will be worth waiting for. It takes a collaborative effort to succeed at the highest level in anything you do and we know that we cant do it without your support.

Go Mean Green,

Dan McCarney

Head Football Coach

University of North Texas

This post has been promoted to an article

[Mean Green 93-98]

Coach Mac's efforts to engage the students, alumni, and larger community are unprecedented. And very much appreciated from this alumnus.

[LongJim]

You know, I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff. I admit it. But the guy is doing everything right. Really really excited for the MG. Great great hire.

[foutsrouts]

I wouldn't bet that all 3 of those teams will end the season undefeated, but I'm just nitpicking. Nice letter.

[Rudy]

GREAT letter, something I haven't seen from a football coach since I began bleeding green. I did notice that he didn't address the alumni in the letter. Us alums have to get the alum side more into the game. We need to get the new season ticket holders on that side used to standing and cheering as much as they can BEFORE the "sitting on your hands" culture begins to get settled in at Apogee.

GO MEAN GREEN!!!!

[TheTastyGreek]

I did notice that he didn't address the alumni in the letter.

The last open letter was an editorial in the NT Daily.

[Rudy]

Ahh, well disregard then.

[KRAM1]

You have to be grateful for this kind of effort from the head coach. UNT have never seen this much involvement from any of its head coaches. Every HC at UNT should take note of Coach Mac's efforts and do some of the exact same things. Thank you Coach mac. Count me as a very grateful alum.

[rcade]

I like that Coach McCarney is doing this. But somebody in the UNT athletic department needs to help him do it on Facebook and Twitter too, because he'll reach a lot more people that way.

It looks like he has a Facebook account with 869 friends but I don't see any Wall posts there.

[KRAM1]

I like that Coach McCarney is doing this. But somebody in the UNT athletic department needs to help him do it on Facebook and Twitter too, because he'll reach a lot more people that way.

It looks like he has a Facebook account with 869 friends but I don't see any Wall posts there.

I agree with this post. But, from the Coach Mac radio shows I have been attending, it is pretty evident that Coach Mac is not a big fan or user of Facebook, Twitter or any of that sort of thing. Still, he could be on all these avenues with some "ghost" writers from the department or a 10 min. session each day with a more tech-savvy department member.

While I personally don't care much for all these social media sites, you have to realize that they are, in today's world, a very big part of the communication outlets available, and some folks you just cannot reach in any other manner.

[All About UNT]

I like that Coach McCarney is doing this. But somebody in the UNT athletic department needs to help him do it on Facebook and Twitter too, because he'll reach a lot more people that way.

It looks like he has a Facebook account with 869 friends but I don't see any Wall posts there.

[untjim1995]

Just imagining what an open letter from Todd Dodge or Darrell Dickey would've said.

TD: Come watch us in our Southlake Carroll uniforms take on some school with alums poorer than all the fans who are here from Southlake!! Throw out the records when Florida International and North Texas get together!! (really, please, throw them away...)

DD: All right MFers!! My kids know you hate us, my coaches know it, too, so if you keep yelling at us, the OC will physically assault you in the stands in front of everyone. This is the toughest job in America, I know it because I work here EVERYDAY. By the way, come watch our high-powered offense run the ball 90 times this week in our big matchup against Louisiana-Monroe!! Stealth Recruiting is really the best way to recruit...

Edited September 23, 2011 by untjim1995

[fastball]

Just imagining what an open letter from Todd Dodge or Darrell Dickey would've said.

TD: Come watch us in our Southlake Carroll uniforms take on some school with alums poorer than all the fans who are here from Southlake!! Throw out the records when Florida International and North Texas get together!! (really, please, throw them away...)

DD: All right MFers!! My kids know you hate us, my coaches know it, too, so if you keep yelling at us, the OC will physically assault you in the stands in front of everyone. This is the toughest job in America, I know it because I work here EVERYDAY. By the way, come watch our high-powered offense run the ball 90 times this week in our big matchup against Louisiana-Monroe!! Stealth Recruiting is really the best way to recruit...

Having Fake Greggo flashbacks.

[SilverEagle]

You have to be grateful for this kind of effort from the head coach. UNT have never seen this much involvement from any of its head coaches. Every HC at UNT should take note of Coach Mac's efforts and do some of the exact same things. Thank you Coach mac. Count me as a very grateful alum.

Well, actually we have. Hayden Fry called a town meeting at one of the auditoriums on campus and invited everyone (students, faculty, university staff, general public) to hear what his vision was for the University. It was not an open letter, but it accomplished the same thing.

He then went out in the community and talked to any civic organization that would schedule him. He finally organized (or his staff organized) a caravan of cheerleaders, band members, and members of spirit organizations to go around to many of the local small towns and have impromptu pep rallies on their town square to let them know that they REALLY wanted local community support for North Texas football.

Sounds to me like Coach Mac spent some time on the phone with Hayden before he officially took over and "hit the ground running".

[emmitt01]

Well, actually we have. Hayden Fry called a town meeting at one of the auditoriums on campus and invited everyone (students, faculty, university staff, general public) to hear what his vision was for the University. It was not an open letter, but it accomplished the same thing.

He then went out in the community and talked to any civic organization that would schedule him. He finally organized (or his staff organized) a caravan of cheerleaders, band members, and members of spirit organizations to go around to many of the local small towns and have impromptu pep rallies on their town square to let them know that they REALLY wanted local community support for North Texas football.

Sounds to me like Coach Mac spent some time on the phone with Hayden before he officially took over and "hit the ground running".

Then Hayden planted every blade of grass at Fouts...by hand, one at a time. Then he loaded up his Model T with as many people as he could and drove them to the game. Then repeated this until the stadium was full. By the way, he paid for their tickets too. Then he transformed into a semi truck and fought off world destruction. Just sayin....

You know I kid Silver.

[scrappyman1]

As a number of us have stated we will come back under coach mac and I feel sooner

rather than later. We will win 5 -6 games this year.

Go Mean Green -- Go North Texas

Scrappyman 1