2012 UNT FB: Normalcy and Likeability

Harry · March 30, 2012

North Texas head coach Dan McCarney is attempting to bring North Texas back to the postseason for the first time since 2004 while also attempting to return to normalcy following a February stroke. The former may be a year away, but it would not be smart to doubt him on the latter.

Mar 30, 2012 - A decade ago, the North Texas Mean Green were the class of the Sun Belt, and really, it wasn't close. Darrell Dickey had taken over a stagnant program in 1998 (they won just 11 games in their first three seasons back at the FBS level) and, beginning in his fourth season, they won four consecutive conference titles and attended four consecutive New Orleans Bowls.

The Mean Green had won just eight games in Dickey's first three seasons, but they won 29 between 2001-04 … and then, overnight, they regressed back to previous form. UNT went 5-18 in 2005-06, and Dickey departed. In came Texas high school hero Todd Dodge (coach of Southlake Carroll high school) … who went a staggering 6-37 in three and a half seasons before he was fired.

Last year was a new beginning for UNT, then, when they brought seasoned head coach Dan McCarney aboard. It had to be expected that the transition from Dodge's spread offense to more of a straight-forward, run-heavy attack would be rough, but the Mean Green showed strong late progress. After averaging just 24.1 Adj. PPG in their first seven games, they jumped to 29.8, well above average, in their final five, and they finished a 5-7 season by demolishing Middle Tennessee, 59-7. The year ended with legitimate reasons for optimism in Denton.

This year, however, there is another new beginning at work. McCarney suffered a minor stroke in February, and as he works his way through his second spring in Texas, normalcy is new again. McCarney has long been considered one of the more likable coaches in the college ranks. He is an easy figure to root for, both in terms of football success and simple day-to-day life. Here's to hoping McCarney achieves normalcy on the sidelines and what would now be out-of-character, bowl-level quality on the field.

Read more: http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2012/3/30/2913735/2012-north-texas-football-preview

SilverEagle · March 31, 2012

Read more: http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2012/3/30/2913735/2012-north-texas-football-preview

I suppose that this is as good a place as any to say that my initial response a year ago to the possible hiring of Coach Mac was absolutely wrong. I perceived him as the second coming of Rod Rust, and that couldn't have been more inaccurate. If he's the second coming of any former coach at North Texas, it's Hayden Fry.

There.

Edited March 31, 2012 by SilverEagle

eulessismore · March 31, 2012

I suppose that this is as good a place as any to say that my initial response a year ago to the possible hiring of Coach Mac was absolutely wrong. I perceived him as the second coming of Rod Rust, and that couldn't have been more inaccurate. If he's the second coming of any former coach at North Texas, it's Hayden Fry.

There.

Knowing his high school English teacher (Iowa City lady), and hearing her say of him, "he knew what he wanted to be back then (football coach), and he didn't see any use for English class" makes me smile now, realizing that the guy, whatever he thought about his education back then has become one excellent communicator. She was happy to learn of his having become quite the disciplinarian.

Her husband, a big Hawkeye booster (plays golf with Fry at times), did mention McCarney having been the first of Fry's coaching staff to move off and up in the world of coaching, and mentioned how well McCarney recruited Texas while at Iowa State.

Edited March 31, 2012 by eulessismore

GrandGreen · April 1, 2012

I suppose that this is as good a place as any to say that my initial response a year ago to the possible hiring of Coach Mac was absolutely wrong. I perceived him as the second coming of Rod Rust, and that couldn't have been more inaccurate. If he's the second coming of any former coach at North Texas, it's Hayden Fry.

There.

How many coaches has NT hired that were better than Rod Rust? He only had arguably the best NT football team ever, and spare me the he only won because of Odus Mitchell's recruits. As someone around in those days, you ought to remember that the meager football budget was reduced even further once Rust became AD and that rule changes decimated the football program when almost a whole recruiting class was wiped out when the Juco eligibility rules were changed. As other southern schools begin to recruit the black athlete and the juco pipeline was closed, Rust could not be successful with the resources he had. Fry came in and got more budget but also was able to raise considerable funds relative to that time. Instead of being praised by the NT administration, Fry was criticized for over spending. Nothing to do with Rust, but it shows the mind set of the Administration in those years.

Other than Fry, I can't think of a better coach at NT since Odus Mitchell. The truth is that although many of the core players were there when Rust come abroad, many more were added. Greene was going into his junior year, Ramsey had not played a varsity game. The major point is that NT had one of the best teams in the state for a period. Only Fry had similar success but he did leave on top while Rust left after some bad bad years. By the way I think Rust teams in the late sixties would have crushed Fry's best teams.

We all hope McCarney can be a great success, but he is not there yet.

Edited April 1, 2012 by GrandGreen

The Fake Lonnie Finch · April 2, 2012

OU really opened up the recruiting of black athletes in this region. It really chapped Darrell Royal as well. Screw Darrell Royal. If not for the ass-kickings OU/Barry Switzer started to give him with Texas guys like Greg Pruitt and Joe Washington, he'd have never recruited anyone other than white kids.