Benford a finalist...

cdizzle86 · April 17, 2012

"But Benford is a finalist for the vacant North Texas opening, now that former Mean Green coach Johnny Jones has gone to LSU. Benford has strong Texas ties from his time recruiting for New Mexico, Nebraska and Arizona State, as well as playing at Texas Tech."

http://espn.go.com/dallas/ncb/story/_/id/7823715/smu-mustangs-expect-decision-larry-brown-days-sources-say

UNT90 · April 17, 2012

It is near the end of the article. Don't believe this for a second.

Edited April 17, 2012 by UNT90

UNTcrazy727 · April 17, 2012

Link goes to an article on Larry Brown taking the SMU job, just FYI

The last paragraph or so mentions UNT

Mean Green 93-98 · April 17, 2012

Last College:
Texas Tech, 1992

Position:
Associate Head Coach

Experience:
Fourth Year

Collegiate coaching veteran Tony Benford, considered one of the top assistant coaches in the country, is in his fourth season with the Marquette University men's basketball program and was named associate head coach in May of 2011.

A veteran of postseason success, Marquette's NCAA Championship appearance in 2011 marked the 13th campaign in Benford's career he has helped guide a program to tournament competition.

Benford has played a key role in compiling a consensus top-25 recruiting class for the Golden Eagles in two of the past three seasons, including a 2009 group ranked by one media outlet as the best in the country.

Before arriving at MU, he had spent each of the previous two campaigns at Nebraska under head coach Doc Sadler. The Huskers collected 37 total victories in the two seasons, highlighted by a trip to the National Invitation Tournament in 2008. The squad posted 20 victories in 2007-08, just the 12th 20-win campaign in the program's 112-year history and the first in nearly a decade. Nebraska players were also well represented on the all-league squads, including three honorees last year.

He was tabbed among the top-three assistants in the BIG EAST by FoxSports.com in 2010-11. Following each of his two seasons at Nebraska, Benford earned well-deserved recognition as he was ranked among the top-35 assistant coaches in the nation by Basketball Times magazine and HoopScoopOnline.com (currently ranked in top-25). The list compiled the 100 top assistant coaches among the over 330 basketball schools at the Division I level.

Benford's recruiting and coaching efforts have helped develop multiple all-conference caliber players at each of the stops during his coaching career. Ike Diogu (Arizona St.), Eddie House (Arizona St.), Jeff Pendergraph (Arizona St.), Kenny Thomas (New Mexico), Wesley Matthews (Marquette) and Lazar Hayward (Marquette) also continued their respective careers in the National Basketball Association.

Off the court, Benford helped the Huskers make significant strides on the recruiting trail. Nebraska's eight-man recruiting class for 2007 was ranked among the top 25 in the nation by at least three major recruiting services, including ESPN.com's Bob Gibbons (21st), CSTV.com's Van Coleman (12th) and HoopScoopOnline.com's Clark Francis (5th).

Prior to Nebraska, Benford served on the Arizona State bench as an assistant coach for his first six years in Tempe. He was then named associate head coach for his last two seasons with the Sun Devils. During his time at Arizona State (1999 to 2006), Benford recruited and coached Pac-10 Players of the Year Ike Diogu (2005, consensus All-America) and Eddie House (2000), and also brought in all-freshman team performer Jeff Pendergraph in 2006 (All-Pac-10 also). Benford helped the Sun Devils to four postseason appearances during his tenure, including gaining a spot in the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament.

Before joining the ASU staff, Benford spent six seasons as an assistant coach at New Mexico (1993 to 1998). He helped New Mexico to five NCAA Tournament bids while winning 73.2 percent of its games (139-51 record). New Mexico picked up a pair of Western Athletic Conference tournament titles (1993 and 1996) and a regular-season championship (1994) with Benford on the sideline. During his stint with the Lobos, Benford coached the top four scorers in program history, including all-time leading scorer Kenny Thomas, who Benford recruited to New Mexico.

http://www.gomarquette.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/benford_tony00.html

Green P1 · April 17, 2012

No thanks.

MeanGreenTexan · April 17, 2012

Hmmm. I like this guy.

Seems like a good assistant coach choice for Shawn Forrest or Jeff Capel.

Green Lantern · April 17, 2012

I'll stay.

GoMeanGreen1999 · April 17, 2012

No thanks.

No?

NT03 · April 17, 2012

No. I doubt he's even really being considered. I believe Fran said he wasn't when asked about him. Maybe he just got a courtesy interview while he was in town.

In my mind we have 2 options. 1) homerun hire 2) Forrest

Ill be happy w/ 1 or 2 , but I dont think we should settle for Anything in between

Edited April 17, 2012 by NT03

forevereagle · April 17, 2012

No. I doubt he's even really being considered. I believe Fran said he wasn't when asked about him. Maybe he just got a courtesy interview while he was in town.

unttau · April 17, 2012

No. I doubt he's even really being considered. I believe Fran said he wasn't when asked about him. Maybe he just got a courtesy interview while he was in town.

In my mind we have 2 options. 1) homerun hire 2) Forrest

Ill be happy w/ 1 or 2 , but I dont think we should settle for Anything in between

I like the jeff capel option and would not mind benfors

Edited April 17, 2012 by unttau

UNTflyer · April 17, 2012

Sorry but we need an...

Experienced. Head. Coach.

Censored by Laurie · April 18, 2012

Sorry but we need an...

Experienced. Head. Coach.

We don't. We need the right coach. This insistance upon only hiring D-1 head coaches because hiring Dodge and Stephens were train wrecks is the same logic Tom Hicks used in not spending money on the Rangers...well I tried with Chan Ho and it didn't work so I'm not trying again. The template wasn't broken...just the decision.

That said...no to this dude...I don't want anyone associated with Buzz Williams near this program.

I still think my short list is Capel and Forrest.

MeanMag · April 18, 2012

We don't. We need the right coach. This insistance upon only hiring D-1 head coaches because hiring Dodge and Stephens were train wrecks is the same logic Tom Hicks used in not spending money on the Rangers...well I tried with Chan Ho and it didn't work so I'm not trying again. The template wasn't broken...just the decision.

That said...no to this dude...I don't want anyone associated with Buzz Williams near this program.

I still think my short list is Capel and Forrest.

Bingo.

Green Lantern · April 18, 2012

We don't. We need the right coach. This insistance upon only hiring D-1 head coaches because hiring Dodge and Stephens were train wrecks is the same logic Tom Hicks used in not spending money on the Rangers...well I tried with Chan Ho and it didn't work so I'm not trying again. The template wasn't broken...just the decision.

That said...no to this dude...I don't want anyone associated with Buzz Williams near this program.

I still think my short list is Capel and Forrest.

Gagree.

Mean Green 93-98 · April 18, 2012

That said...no to this dude...I don't want anyone associated with Buzz Williams near this program.

Do you mind elaborating?

TheTastyGreek · April 18, 2012

Do you mind elaborating?

Short answer: Buzz is a despicable human being who should never have any control or influence over the lives of teenagers or the rise and fall of college athletic programs.

Long answer, I'll leave to CBL.

angel1972 · April 18, 2012

I say no to Tony benford and yes to Shawn Forrest. Don't know benford personally but buzz Williams is not a person I would want to coach my child.

Rudy · April 18, 2012

Kind of find it odd that we can get an ACC head coach to coach our women's team, but have to go with a "meh" hire for a team that could crack the Top 25 next season.

UNT90 · April 18, 2012

Kind of find it odd that we can get an ACC head coach to coach our women's team, but have to go with a "meh" hire for a team that could crack the Top 25 next season.

Men's and women's basketball are 2 very different animals.

cl_1_2008 · April 18, 2012

Kind of find it odd that we can get an ACC head coach to coach our women's team, but have to go with a "meh" hire for a team that could crack the Top 25 next season.

Women's basketball coaches make significantly less money, because there are very few women's programs that turn a profit. Therefore the playing field is more level in terms of salary across the board.

unttau · April 18, 2012

Why is everyone against Benford and so high on Forrest? My favorite is CApel if we can pull that off. If Rick can hire a good coach for the womens team he better step it up with a good coach for the men

NT03 · April 18, 2012

My memory may be off , but didn't Capel have a mass exit of players & pos record after the ncaa found out kids were getting paid ?

I know he was never implicated of anything , but I have a hard time believing the head coach didn't know this was going on

Someone refresh my memory here

MeanGreenTexan · April 18, 2012

Why is everyone against Benford and so high on Forrest? My favorite is CApel if we can pull that off. If Rick can hire a good coach for the womens team he better step it up with a good coach for the men

The reasons to hire coach Forrest are named Mitchell, Williams, & Jones. He's an ace recruiter with remarkable ties to local AAU and High School coaches. It would be a shame to lose those ties. Also, the players love him.

The reason NOT to hire coach Forrest is his lack of Head Coaching Experience.

TheTastyGreek · April 18, 2012

My memory may be off , but didn't Capel have a mass exit of players & pos record after the ncaa found out kids were getting paid ?

I know he was never implicated of anything , but I have a hard time believing the head coach didn't know this was going on

Someone refresh my memory here

I know he landed and lost TJ Taylor in the space of a semester.

I remember that because he was one of the suspects we were tracking down the night the "Big Transfer News" rumors (that wound up being Tony Mitchell) were swirling.