CFN Predicts UNT Will win 2 Lose 10 in 2013

[ragpicker]

At least six wins. We just have to, thats all.

[greenminer]

Yes, I do. I do not see Mac starting a freshman with no on the field playing time for the last 2 years over a Senior QB who has played countless games for his school.

This^

Side Note: Why again does everything think we have such a stud in Berglund?

Why do you think we don't have a stud in Berglund?

With no on-field performance in 2 years, no one has any relevant evidence for either argument.

Seniority only goes so far and, in the case of UNT's lack of success, it's not very much. We are in trouble if Mac doesn't give Brock a chance if DT struggles.

Edited February 18, 2013 by greenminer

[Harry]

Berglund ran the scout team against the 1st team defense last season. I think we have a pretty good idea of his ability.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I'll be disappointed with 3 or less, expect 4 or 5 and will be thrilled with 6 or more.

I agree with this. C-USun Belt will be more difficult, and we weren't even handling the original Sun Belt very well. I'm more than a little shocked that this thing isn't further along.

Mac hasn't been magical. He's gotten the thing righted off the field. That's a thing to be proud of; but, no one but us really cares about or even notices that stuff. It ain't like ESPN is going to come do a story about things being done right behind the scenes. No one cares. Everyone acts like they care, but they don't.

Also, Apogee isn't selling the way everyone hoped - to either recruits or alumni. It's a great stadium. Hard to believe it can't be filled up everytime. And, remember, some folks here were tweaked that it wasn't big enough. Seriously.

There's no telling what will happen with conferece realignments. Once the Big 12 either splits up or takes on more, dominoes will start falling again.

I'm tired ot if all. Very tired. Hard to believe that 2014 will be 10 seasons from the last bowl appearance. I've tried to be more positive than during the Dodge era, but it just doesn't work.

I just don't feel like it's going to happen for us...ever. We're always, always, always a step behind in everything we do...getting back to I-A/FBS, getting facilities, hiring real coaches.,,we're the ultimate case study in missing the boat.

One of four schools currently with eight losing seasons in a row, along with Tulane, New Mexico State, and...f*ck it. I can't even f*cking remember the fourth one. It doesn't matter. F*ck it.

Just keep clean. That's where I've now set the bar: I'm happy as long as there are no drug-related arrests or child molesting. That's where the bar has to be set to feel like we're accomplishing something positive.

[Proud North Texan]

6 Wins

[BillySee58]

Berglund ran the scout team against the 1st team defense last season. I think we have a pretty good idea of his ability.

We do Harry. People just like to make these old and clichè arguments that he hasn't proved it on the field in college or what if he doesn't live up to the hype.

He will make our offense harder to stop and I can't wait. Like I said, people inside the program really like his game, Mac included, and this is a major reason why he will start.

We're about to see it all play out, so either get on the bandwagon now or get off. You don't have to think he's going to be the next Johnny Manziel, just a significant improvement over any QB we've had since 2004.

Edited February 18, 2013 by BillySee58

[UNT90]

We do Harry. People just like to make these old and clichè arguments that he hasn't proved it on the field in college or what if he doesn't live up to the hype.

He will make our offense harder to stop and I can't wait. Like I said, people inside the program really like his game, Mac included, and this is a major reason why he will start.

We're about to see it all play out, so either get on the bandwagon now or get off. You don't have to think he's going to be the next Johnny Manziel, just a significant improvement over any QB we've had since 2004.

How about I trail the bandwagon from a distance, with the ability to close and jump on board after the first 5 games.

Hope yoiu are right, but the same thing was said the year after DT's amazing 2 series against Arkansas St. We got failure. Or after the win at Ball St. to open the year in 2009. We got failure. Or after Mac's first year record of 5-7 with a "talentless team." We got failure.

Think I'll just keep the wagon in sight for now.

[emmitt01]

"You don't have to think he's going to be the next Johnny Manziel, just a significant improvement over any QB we've had since 2004."

Wow. So he's ALREADY better than a QB who set a school record for passing yards against SMU (only to be benched). Already better than Vizza, who we never really got to see mature (debatable whether that was his doing)? Already better than Rodge, a QB so apparently impressive that we dedicated threads to every time he took a job as a grad assistant?

The kid has been lighting up our first team defense in practice. Awesome. We all know just how stingy against the pass they've been. And he must have been houdini to elude our elite pass rush (who weren't even going full speed since it's,you know, practice). "But Mac has been singing his praises!" Benford was singing Coleman's praises in the pre-season. And Chris Jones'. And promising better defense and rebounding. Coach speak aint always the gospel...shocking I know.

But Rivals rated him near Manziel! That's high praise, especially when you consider that it's GMG consensus that Rivals is flawed, biased and a poorer judge of talent than our coaching staff.

I'm not saying Berglund will be a bust. I'm privately hoping he's a superstar. But right now he's got a whole lot of "potential" and nothing else. Anyone else who's been around NT football want to hold the pin on this "potential" grenade for me? The kid has taken exactly as many D1 in-game snaps as you, or me, or my daughter. Sure, all the signs point to his being radically more successful than you or I but some of you are hanging your hats (and your bowl predictions) on "maybe".

[KRAM1]

"You don't have to think he's going to be the next Johnny Manziel, just a significant improvement over any QB we've had since 2004."

Wow. So he's ALREADY better than a QB who set a school record for passing yards against SMU (only to be benched). Already better than Vizza, who we never really got to see mature (debatable whether that was his doing)? Already better than Rodge, a QB so apparently impressive that we dedicated threads to every time he took a job as a grad assistant?

The kid has been lighting up our first team defense in practice. Awesome. We all know just how stingy against the pass they've been. And he must have been houdini to elude our elite pass rush (who weren't even going full speed since it's,you know, practice). "But Mac has been singing his praises!" Benford was singing Coleman's praises in the pre-season. And Chris Jones'. And promising better defense and rebounding. Coach speak aint always the gospel...shocking I know.

But Rivals rated him near Manziel! That's high praise, especially when you consider that it's GMG consensus that Rivals is flawed, biased and a poorer judge of talent than our coaching staff.

I'm not saying Berglund will be a bust. I'm privately hoping he's a superstar. But right now he's got a whole lot of "potential" and nothing else. Anyone else who's been around NT football want to hold the pin on this "potential" grenade for me? The kid has taken exactly as many D1 in-game snaps as you, or me, or my daughter. Sure, all the signs point to his being radically more successful than you or I but some of you are hanging your hats (and your bowl predictions) on "maybe".

Speaking of potential...how about a guy who has never been on the winning side of the GMG.Com Flag Football game getting his act in gear and signing up to play? We already have "Diet Coke Boy" on board, yet "Mister I have Never Won This Thing" is still MIA! Just sayin......

[BillySee58]

How about I trail the bandwagon from a distance, with the ability to close and jump on board after the first 5 games.

Hope yoiu are right, but the same thing was said the year after DT's amazing 2 series against Arkansas St. We got failure. Or after the win at Ball St. to open the year in 2009. We got failure. Or after Mac's first year record of 5-7 with a "talentless team." We got failure.

Think I'll just keep the wagon in sight for now.

Honestly, this is the best way to do it.

[MeanGreenTexan]

How about I trail the bandwagon from a distance, with the ability to close and jump on board after the first 5 games.

Hope yoiu are right, but the same thing was said the year after DT's amazing 2 series against Arkansas St. We got failure. Or after the win at Ball St. to open the year in 2009. We got failure. Or after Mac's first year record of 5-7 with a "talentless team." We got failure.

Think I'll just keep the wagon in sight for now.

Quit fooling yourself 90, you know, and we all know you're on the bandwagon (or you wouldn't care like you do, and you definitely wouldn't be posting on this forum), you're just suffering like the rest of us with the hemorrhoids that the bumpy ride has given you.

[UNT90]

"You don't have to think he's going to be the next Johnny Manziel, just a significant improvement over any QB we've had since 2004."

Wow. So he's ALREADY better than a QB who set a school record for passing yards against SMU (only to be benched). Already better than Vizza, who we never really got to see mature (debatable whether that was his doing)? Already better than Rodge, a QB so apparently impressive that we dedicated threads to every time he took a job as a grad assistant?

The kid has been lighting up our first team defense in practice. Awesome. We all know just how stingy against the pass they've been. And he must have been houdini to elude our elite pass rush (who weren't even going full speed since it's,you know, practice). "

This is what we certainly do not know about Berglund. He has never been hit by a FBS level DE, DT, or LB. How will he react? How will he respond the next time he is under pressure?

[JesseMartin]

Speaking of potential...how about a guy who has never been on the winning side of the GMG.Com Flag Football game getting his act in gear and signing up to play? We already have "Diet Coke Boy" on board, yet "Mister I have Never Won This Thing" is still MIA! Just sayin......

Are Diet Coke Boy and Mister I Have Never Won This Thing usually on the same team? Does everybody who plays get to use a pseudonym? Since Diet Coke Boy is formerly known as Microphone Wire Guy, obviously that name is out. I'd like to see your roster of names like this. It's like Spider-Man, you know, it protects the ones you love...wait, what topic is this again? I think I need a Diet Coke or something...

[BillySee58]

"You don't have to think he's going to be the next Johnny Manziel, just a significant improvement over any QB we've had since 2004."

Wow. So he's ALREADY better than a QB who set a school record for passing yards against SMU (only to be benched). Already better than Vizza, who we never really got to see mature (debatable whether that was his doing)? Already better than Rodge, a QB so apparently impressive that we dedicated threads to every time he took a job as a grad assistant?

The kid has been lighting up our first team defense in practice. Awesome. We all know just how stingy against the pass they've been. And he must have been houdini to elude our elite pass rush (who weren't even going full speed since it's,you know, practice). "But Mac has been singing his praises!" Benford was singing Coleman's praises in the pre-season. And Chris Jones'. And promising better defense and rebounding. Coach speak aint always the gospel...shocking I know.

But Rivals rated him near Manziel! That's high praise, especially when you consider that it's GMG consensus that Rivals is flawed, biased and a poorer judge of talent than our coaching staff.

I'm not saying Berglund will be a bust. I'm privately hoping he's a superstar. But right now he's got a whole lot of "potential" and nothing else. Anyone else who's been around NT football want to hold the pin on this "potential" grenade for me? The kid has taken exactly as many D1 in-game snaps as you, or me, or my daughter. Sure, all the signs point to his being radically more successful than you or I but some of you are hanging your hats (and your bowl predictions) on "maybe".

Had a feeling Vizza would be mentioned, and for good reason. I don't know if Berglund will have better numbers than Vizza, but I sure hope we can win more games with Berglund under center than we did with Vizza.

I'm also looking forward to three years of progression under Berglund. We haven't seen quarterbacks develop and get better over their career. We never got a chance to with Vizza and other guys just have not improved much.

I'm holding my bowl hat on his progression. If he can get better with game experience over the year and the rest of his three-year career his talent will take care of the rest on his part (as far as being an upgrade at qb).

Still a team sport, so a lot rides on the other players and coaches, but I feel like we were close last year and hopefully we can make that jump.

[UNT90]

MGT, you might be surprised. I'm not into one way relationships. If I wasn't tied down by Club seats, there is a very good chance that I would walk away. By walk away, I mean leave the MGC and just attend the football and basketball games I wanted to attend, buying tickets at the door (because they are ALWAYS available). I would still attend some games, as I have some very good tailgating friends.

Fortunatey or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I do have the club seats and a neice attending UNT that will someday, hopefully, want said seats (she is a girl, after all, and really not that into athletics, so who knows).

Again, not into one way relationships. It's kinda unhealthy. If UNT doesn't care about their athletics programs, why should I?

Quit fooling yourself 90, you know, and we all know you're on the bandwagon (or you wouldn't care like you do, and you definitely wouldn't be posting on this forum), you're just suffering like the rest of us with the hemorrhoids that the bumpy ride has given you

Edited February 18, 2013 by UNT90

[meangreener]

MGT, you might be surprised. I'm not into one way relationships. If I wasn't tied down by Club seats, there is a very good chance that I would walk away. By walk away, I mean leave the MGC and just attend the football and basketball games I wanted to attend, buying tickets at the door (because they are ALWAYS available). I would still attend some games, as I have some very good tailgating friends.

Fortunatey or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I do have the club seats and a neice attending UNT that will someday, hopefully, want said seats (she is a girl, after all, and really not that into athletics, so who knows).

Again, not into one way relationships. It's kinda unhealthy. If UNT doesn't care about their athletics programs, why should I?

Sometimes, I feel the same way...I'm really fed up with putting so much energy into a team/school that really doesn't care. I'm still going to attend all the games next year, but can't guarantee that if I move elsewhere I'll spend a lot of money to attend a few games a season. This season is really my breaking point. We haven't had a winning team (or even a 6-6 team) during my time as an undergrad. Kinda wears on you, y'know?

Especially when you have a lot of UH, UTSA and A&M friends...

Edited February 18, 2013 by meangreener

[untjim1995]

I agree with this. C-USun Belt will be more difficult, and we weren't even handling the original Sun Belt very well. I'm more than a little shocked that this thing isn't further along.

Mac hasn't been magical. He's gotten the thing righted off the field. That's a thing to be proud of; but, no one but us really cares about or even notices that stuff. It ain't like ESPN is going to come do a story about things being done right behind the scenes. No one cares. Everyone acts like they care, but they don't.

Also, Apogee isn't selling the way everyone hoped - to either recruits or alumni. It's a great stadium. Hard to believe it can't be filled up everytime. And, remember, some folks here were tweaked that it wasn't big enough. Seriously.

There's no telling what will happen with conferece realignments. Once the Big 12 either splits up or takes on more, dominoes will start falling again.

I'm tired ot if all. Very tired. Hard to believe that 2014 will be 10 seasons from the last bowl appearance. I've tried to be more positive than during the Dodge era, but it just doesn't work.

I just don't feel like it's going to happen for us...ever. We're always, always, always a step behind in everything we do...getting back to I-A/FBS, getting facilities, hiring real coaches.,,we're the ultimate case study in missing the boat.

One of four schools currently with eight losing seasons in a row, along with Tulane, New Mexico State, and...f*ck it. I can't even f*cking remember the fourth one. It doesn't matter. F*ck it.

Just keep clean. That's where I've now set the bar: I'm happy as long as there are no drug-related arrests or child molesting. That's where the bar has to be set to feel like we're accomplishing something positive.

I, too, think that we are a 4-6 win team. My guess is 5-7 just based off the schedule and an improved QB in Berglund, especially as the season progresses. IF we have poor QB play nad major injuries on the lines, then I think 2-10 is appropriate.

2-10 or worse gets McCarney fired after the season, but 3-6 wins get him another season. And I think that 7+ wins gets him an extension, as it should. I think Berglund, JImmerson, the OL, and being completely settled in with McCarney's ways for the third year will give us improvement from last year. I think his initial 5-7 season really made people feel like we were further along than we really were, but the 4-8 record from last year in the SBC didn't surprise me too much. If you look at teams that have left conferences, their last year doesn't exactly go well, from a w/l perspective. You aren't exactly the best friends to the conference officials, both on the field and off the field.

We have a low bar here, only because we haven't given anyone a reason to believe differently. If it were up to most of us, a 4 win season or less should be fireable at this point, but, sadly, this place doesn't have the $$$ to do this unless it is just a total disaster and you have to buyout a second year. If that happened, though, we are probably hiring an assistant coach who has never been a HC for about half of McCarney's salary. When everyone else around is paying higher amounts for a head coach, that won't exactly give any of us any hope for a big turnaround any time soon, but the budget (or lack thereof) is what it is. Plus, a firing of Coach Mac, if that has to happen, should mean the firing of RV, as well, so I doubt that happens unless the BOR forces it to happen, which again is highly doubtful unless we have an absolutely horrible year with double digit losses.

I'll say this. I bleed green. I've been watching UNT sports for 23 years now. But this is all an important time for a lot of people as far as UNT athletics goes. For me, once the university finally figured out a way to get a stadium funded, I figured that this would tell us how serious this place really is about its sports teams. The stadium had to get built or the sport was going to get eliminated here, its that plain and simple. Fouts needed so many generators just to function on a gameday that it wouldn't have even made it for another decade. So, that to me, was our chance to finally say, "ok this is important and we now have great facilities for football and basketball to move forward." Then, we went out and paid for a head coach with previous head coaching experience and was well respected throughout college football. To me, as a fan and alum, this is what I expect from a university of our size and having built a nice stadium for its team to play in. However, the next step in proving that athletics matters to the university and that it will be used properly as a window to the rest of the school is to do the necessary part in funding the program by recognizing WHEN to buyout your mistakes. I don't believe McCarney to be a mistake at all. I expect that this is a moot point. But a 10 loss season in year 3 wouldn't be acceptable anywhere else in the country. If it costs money to rectify that mistake, then do it. If your basketball coach, even in year one, looks like he couldn't coach a YMCA team, then rectify the situation and move on. This is how they do it everywhere else in the country, even our peers in this new CUSBCA. Our new stadium has now proven to not be a reason for attendance or support to be much different than we were at Fouts--its all dependent on the opponent for UNT fans and Denton citizens to care. We can argue on how wrong or right that is, but the point remains simply that it is the way it is. So the only thing that remains to be seen is if a winner can change that now, as compared to the Dickey years of 2001-2004 or even Fry's years of 73-78. But the reality is fairly simple here. If we don't see any marked improvement in football, and it coincides with mens hoops continuing to flounder back to Trilli-esque seasons, and we don't see any changes at any positions at the top because it costs too much to correct the situation, I'm afraid that the university will forever lose more fans again.

[Mean Green 93-98]

2-10 or worse gets McCarney fired after the season

I understand the points you're making, but I highly doubt it. He's not really on any kind of hot seat going into the season, and our A.D. is not going to be eager to buy out two years of a $500k contract. Only a major scandal gets him fired after this season.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Mean Green 93-98

[untjim1995]

I understand the points you're making, but I highly doubt it. He's not really on any kind of hot seat going into the season, and our A.D. is not going to be eager to buy out two years of a $500k contract. Only a major scandal gets him fired after this season.

I'm sorry, but a year like that in year three of any head coach's tenure shouuld get you fired. Hell, Southern Miss just fired a coach for going 0-12 in his first year. If we cannot afford it, then we need to save even more money and just drop this thing down to FCS and compete there. Running a FBS program costs money and if you cannot even pay to compete with a school in Mississippi or Louisiana that's not in the SEC, while being located in the Metroplex, you shouldn't even bother trying to be a FBS program. That might hurt some feelings, but its the truth. You either fund the program propoerly at FBS or you should stop wasting time and money and move back down if that's what you want to be. And if you do go back down, which is basically taking the easy way out, that's a damn shame, because we could do things in a big way here as a football program and as a basketball program if we truly funded this place in an appropriate manner. Ever single time the university has even attempted to act like they care about athletics, people have come out of nowhere to show their support, even when the majority of the university and community bitch and moan about athletics spending (see NT Daily). People will follow the lead of the university in regards to athletics--if you don't care about it, neither will the majority. If you do care about and show it financially, you'd be shocked at how many people would follow the program and donate more time and energy to the entire university.

[SilverEagle]

Had a feeling Vizza would be mentioned, and for good reason. I don't know if Berglund will have better numbers than Vizza, but I sure hope we can win more games with Berglund under center than we did with Vizza.

I'm also looking forward to three years of progression under Berglund. We haven't seen quarterbacks develop and get better over their career. We never got a chance to with Vizza and other guys just have not improved much.

I'm holding my bowl hat on his progression. If he can get better with game experience over the year and the rest of his three-year career his talent will take care of the rest on his part (as far as being an upgrade at qb).

Still a team sport, so a lot rides on the other players and coaches, but I feel like we were close last year and hopefully we can make that jump.

BS58,

Let me ask you something. I have surmised by some of your comments that you played HS football with one of the players currently on the team roster. When recruiters came around from other schools, what (if anything) was their negatives about North Texas? If you didn't overhear it from recruiters, then what was the negative perceptions that your team mates had about North Texas? And here is the toughest question, but I want a brutally honest answer....since you have come to North Texas, what has proven to be true, and what has proven to be false about those negative perceptions?

[Mean Green 93-98]

I'm sorry, but a year like that in year three of any head coach's tenure shouuld get you fired. Hell, Southern Miss just fired a coach for going 0-12 in his first year. If we cannot afford it, then we need to save even more money and just drop this thing down to FCS and compete there. Running a FBS program costs money and if you cannot even pay to compete with a school in Mississippi or Louisiana that's not in the SEC, while being located in the Metroplex, you shouldn't even bother trying to be a FBS program. That might hurt some feelings, but its the truth. You either fund the program propoerly at FBS or you should stop wasting time and money and move back down if that's what you want to be. And if you do go back down, which is basically taking the easy way out, that's a damn shame, because we could do things in a big way here as a football program and as a basketball program if we truly funded this place in an appropriate manner. Ever single time the university has even attempted to act like they care about athletics, people have come out of nowhere to show their support, even when the majority of the university and community bitch and moan about athletics spending (see NT Daily). People will follow the lead of the university in regards to athletics--if you don't care about it, neither will the majority. If you do care about and show it financially, you'd be shocked at how many people would follow the program and donate more time and energy to the entire university.

I'm not saying what we should or should not do. But you've been around here a while. . . . has experience taught you that one 10-loss season gets a football coach at North Texas fired?

[untjim1995]

I'm not saying what we should or should not do. But you've been around here a while. . . . has experience taught you that one 10-loss season gets a football coach at North Texas fired?

Absoluetly not. But we didn't have a brand new stadium, either during most of those years. Back when I was in college in Denton, we had two coaches get fired in the same year, Jimmy Gales and Dennis Parker. And they were right to be fired, for different reasons. But the reason they got fired wasn't because of w/l records first, but because their contracts expired at the end of the year. It really hurt recruiting for each coach, because they each had to go out and sell these players that they would be here at the end of the season, even though their contracts were expiring. It was further proof that we literally gave about a 25% effort in athletics for decades. Finally, within the last ten years, we have just about half-assed it, which is sadly, "progress". But I agree with UNT90's perspective--if the university and community make it as clear as they can that they just don't care about being a winner at this level, why should we care?

It seems to me that it has to do with the simple fact that the university doesn't care ENOUGH about athletics that can bring in money here. The BOR, administration, and community like music and arts and "valued" education, all of which are perfectly fine to support. But those ventures don't cost much to keep up or attend functions that support them. And if that's what they want to continually support and trumpet as the university's window, I suppose that's fine, too. But here's the deal--you lose guys like me. I like sports--I like watching teams I root for in person and on TV and listening to them on the radio. If you give up on your sports programs, especially football and men's basketball, you lose me. Maybe I'm in the minority on this one--I sure feel like as a UNT alum--but I could care less about the fine arts stuff. I'm sure that we have a terrific music department and that our arts department can kick UT's ass all over the canvas...I'm sure that our Green Brigade can just outplay and out march the hell out of Texas Tech's band...and I bet our Education School produces teachers to schools that puts Texas A&M to shame. But just once, I'd love for our football team to beat those schools on the field and I'd love for the basketball team to be ranked and playing deep into the NCAA Tournament while those other schools are at home. Again, maybe that makes me an idiot--it won't be the first time, for sure. But I could care less if the Green Brigade marches in a certain way at halftime--I'm there to watch a game. All they have to do is play the fight song, alma mater, national anthem, and a few other songs to get the corwd going and I'm good. And if the university LEADS with its athletic department by funding it properly and correcting itself when mistakes (like a 2-10 record in Year 3) happen, then you'd see other folks that just never gave UNT Sports a passing glance, come out to see if it was worth their attention. Ironically, the one time we saw this happen was when we fired Dickey and hired Todd Dodge. Dodge's name and reputation were so intriguing that we saw that added attendance and attention come in from all directions, from a media and fan standpoint. So much so, that if he had won here, he would have been hired away so fast to a bigger job, it wouldn't have been funny. Obviously, that didn't happen, but I thought then and still do that it showed that there are fans out there for the Mean Green to "get", whether they are alums or just casual fans. The problem is, though, that the mentality of apathy and angst against UNT Athletics, which still shows up regulalry in NT Daily and DRC columns, is still so thick that I just wonder if we can really ever be a player at the FBS level in football. Keeping a second football coach in a row that would, hypothetically, go 2-10 again, in a third year, (which I don't believe will happen) would tell me that we just aren't serious at all about being a winner. Again, if that's the case, that's the university's prerogative--it just wouldn't include me anymore. I'm not as patient as PMG or as GrayEagle.

I have friends that are Longhorns, Aggies, Sooners, Cowboys, Red Raiders, Horned Frogs, and Jayhawks that always ask me how much I can put up with, usually after a stellar 3-9 season that included wins over teams that nobody cares about at all in this state. I can honestly say that I am near the breaking point...this basketball season that has embarrassed me to no end has really set me off about the state of our university and its athletic department. I figure I've got about another year in me to put up with losing before I need to see progress at changing personnel. And at this point in time, with the way things are playing out, we all get the real chance to see just how much the university cares about funding the programs--if a buyout is necessary, we all need to see it happen WHEN it is needed to be done, not like they did with Todd Dodge or Vic Trilli and just waited until they only had to buy out what they deemed as "affordable".

[BillySee58]

BS58,

Let me ask you something. I have surmised by some of your comments that you played HS football with one of the players currently on the team roster. When recruiters came around from other schools, what (if anything) was their negatives about North Texas? If you didn't overhear it from recruiters, then what was the negative perceptions that your team mates had about North Texas? And here is the toughest question, but I want a brutally honest answer....since you have come to North Texas, what has proven to be true, and what has proven to be false about those negative perceptions?

Yes, I played at Arlington Martin. Honestly, the biggest negative was the lack of success.

A couple of our players signed in 08 when I was a freshman (Jeremi Mathis, Joe Hawthorne) and the reason was because their other offers were not much better and Dodge was able to sell his Carroll success to players who played against and witnessed his success in high school first hand. They later transferred out for various reasons.

The rest of my time in high school our program improved and most of our D-1 caliber recruits were getting offered by much more established schools. In order to have any success recruiting 5A schools in DFW, we have to win. High school kids watch a lot of ESPN and if we aren't on there ever we will have trouble garnering their attention.

Coach Mac knows this and I even heard of a pitch of his to a couple of friends of mine that his goal is to win a national championship here. At least he's aiming high.

Two guys who were in the class after mine committed to UNT because one was a late bloomer and one was undersized and UNT was his only offer. Both have a lot to prove but have performed well so far and I think Trussell has a chance to start this year.

Our biggest key to recruiting DFW has to be finding the guys who slip through the cracks like Jimmerson and winning soon and becoming relevant. That way when recruits see Coach Mac walk through the door they actually know who he is and get excited, rather than disappointed that it isn't someone like Sumlin or Stoops walking in. When those guys walk in, the world stops.

[CurveItAround]

So let me get this straight, we are arguing over whether or not Mac should get fired for a season that hasn't been played and losses that haven't occurred? We have...issues.

[meangreener]

So let me get this straight, we are arguing over whether or not Mac should get fired for a season that hasn't been played and losses that haven't occurred? We have...issues.

We definitely have issues. Just a side effect of being a UNT fan.