Memphis Coach Darrell Dickey Quoted

Harry · March 4, 2013

Fuente said several members of his staff — none he would identify
publicly — turned down offers from bigger, established programs during
the offseason to remain in Memphis.

“We’ll (eventually) have turnover, it’s going to happen,” Fuente
said. “But it is important, especially for these kids, (to have
stability). They’ve been through so much. We’ve got guys that had five
different position coaches in the five years they were here.”

In his first season, Fuente and his staff led the Tigers to a 4-8
finish, including three straight wins to close the years. The U of M had
won only five games the previous three seasons.

Fuente said the continuity should come into play this fall as the
Tigers try to build on the late-season momentum en route to moving from
Conference USA into a Bowl Championship Series conference.

“To have familiar faces and people they know genuinely caring about their well-being is important,” Fuente said.

Among the returnees is offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey, a
college veteran who spent nine years as head coach at North Texas State.
Dickey led the Mean Green to four straight Sun Belt Conference titles
from 2001-04 and understands the value of having consistency.

“My experience is the longer a (coaching staff) is together, the
better they learn each other,” Dickey said. “The kids also know what to
expect. It is critical for a program, even a good program, to have
continuity and consistency on a staff.

“It’s rare. You don’t see it as much any more. People don’t
understand what it does to a team when it has a new head coach or a new
coordinator or a new position coach every year or other year. It’s
almost like starting over because you are teaching new techniques,
you’re teaching new schemes. We’re in an age where people change coaches
at places like some people change underwear.”

Read more: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/mar/02/memphis-football-staff-returns-intact/

UNTLifer · March 4, 2013

Okay. Should have thrown in the North Texas State University reference in the title for good measure.

emmitt01 · March 4, 2013

Memphis is going to a BCS league? Someone should let the Big East know they're not coming.

LakeTravis · March 4, 2013

Memphis is going to a BCS league? Someone should let the Big East know they're not coming.

BE is still a BCS school for 2013 for now.

2014 it goes to the "playoff"

VideoEagle · March 4, 2013

BE is still a BCS school for 2013 for now.
2014 it goes to the "playoff"

Uhm, every school that plays in bowls instead of playoffs is in a BCS conference according to the rules set up by the Bowl Championship Series. What the coach is saying is he thought they were an FCS school before.

Mean Green Matt · March 5, 2013

Dickey coaches at Memphis State now?

greenminer · March 5, 2013

Dickey coached at North Texas State? I didn't know he was in Denton before 1998.

foutsrouts · March 5, 2013

Dickey coaches at Memphis State now?

Naw, he's been at West Tennessee Normal School for awhile now.

VideoEagle · March 5, 2013

Want to bet Dickey said North Texas State because it would annoy folks in Denton? Thats a ver Darrell thing to do.

jredallas · March 5, 2013

Want to bet Dickey said North Texas State because it would annoy folks in Denton? Thats a ver Darrell thing to do.

Perhaps he should just remove University of North Texas from his resume altogether then.

Edited March 5, 2013 by jredallas

Cougar King · March 5, 2013

Uhm, every school that plays in bowls instead of playoffs is in a BCS conference according to the rules set up by the Bowl Championship Series. What the coach is saying is he thought they were an FCS school before.

He means the Big East still has an AQ bid for 2013 as in the conference champion goes to a BCS bowl as in Sugar, Orange, Fiesta or Rose. Come on man, you can't be THAT simple-minded.