Southern Miss looking for new athletic director (RV?)

[ragpicker]

It is well to remember that North Texas did not even have an AD until the '70s. I believe that the head of the PE dept. ran the sports programs before that. With the exception of Hayden Fry, we really do not have have a history of strong, solid Athletic directors. RV has done more here than any other AD, including Fry, and most of our programs are improving. Some of his hires have not worked out (some are still pending), but he does not have the unlimited funding to just hire anyone. I believe our weakness is in creative marketing and promotion, especially toward our DFW alumni base. Again, however, funds are limited. I still still think RV has done a great job here under the circumstances. Some important corners have been turned that seemed out of reach not so long ago.

[UNT90]

It is well to remember that North Texas did not even have an AD until the '70s. I believe that the head of the PE dept. ran the sports programs before that. With the exception of Hayden Fry, we really do not have have a history of strong, solid Athletic directors. RV has done more here than any other AD, including Fry, and most of our programs are improving. Some of his hires have not worked out (some are still pending), but he does not have the unlimited funding to just hire anyone. I believe our weakness is in creative marketing and promotion, especially toward our DFW alumni base. Again, however, funds are limited. I still still think RV has done a great job here under the circumstances. Some important corners have been turned that seemed out of reach not so long ago.

I agree with you about the facilities aspect of RV's tenure, but stop putting lipstick on a pig when it comes to coaching hires. In the major sports that really matter to students and alumni, he has 3 of the worst hires in school history (Dodhe, Stephens, and Benfotd). The hiring of Benford nullifies the hiring of Johnny Jones. DMac is still on the fence, but recruiting has not improved with a hell of a lot more to sell in facilities and I'm sure not to the level that either RV or DMac expected.

Like I said in a previous post, the failed hires cancel out the improvements for me. I would much rather watch a winning football team at Fouts than a losing football team at Apogee, but that's just me.

[ragpicker]

I agree with you about the facilities aspect of RV's tenure, but stop putting lipstick on a pig when it comes to coaching hires. In the major sports that really matter to students and alumni, he has 3 of the worst hires in school history (Dodhe, Stephens, and Benfotd). The hiring of Benford nullifies the hiring of Johnny Jones. DMac is still on the fence, but recruiting has not improved with a hell of a lot more to sell in facilities and I'm sure not to the level that either RV or DMac expected.

Like I said in a previous post, the failed hires cancel out the improvements for me. I would much rather watch a winning football team at Fouts than a losing football team at Apogee, but that's just me.

I do have to agree with you as far as recruiting is concerned and that is a real concern.

[ragpicker]

North Texas has always had an Athletics Director. Dad Pender, the first football coach, was also the Athletics Director. I'm not clear on the times when the head football coach was not the athletics director. The first time that I can confirm that the job was separate was in 1946. AD Theron Fouts (who may have held the two jobs jointly previously) hired Odus Mitchell to be the head coach. He served as AD until his death in 1954. He was succeeded by Emmitt Cambron, who was responsible for getting us in the Missouri Valley Conference. I have forgotten who was AD at the time of Hayden Fry's hiring but Jitter Nolan combined the two salaries to make an attractive package. Hayden held the title (and may have made some of the major decisions) but Andy Everest was the de facto AD. Age has erased the memory of ADs in the interim other than McCain and Helwig.

I could be wrong, but the ADs you mentioned may have been ADs in name only. They were not that autonomous and were part of the PE department. I recall the last football coach at UTA (I can't remember his name) making that point when he applied for the head coaching job here. Perhaps that was just sour grape, however. What WAS his name? It will come to me. I refuse to look it up.

[PlummMeanGreen]

I could be wrong, but the ADs you mentioned may have been ADs in name only. They were not that autonomous and were part of the PE department. I recall the last football coach at UTA (I can't remember his name) making that point when he applied for the head coaching job here. Perhaps that was just sour grape, however. What WAS his name? It will come to me. I refuse to look it up.

That would be Chuck Curtis, r-p. and had he been given time he would have built a football program at UTA but unfortunately for him............they pulled the plug.

Curtis was an assistant coach for a time when Fry was at SMU. He is a member of the Palo Pinto County (Mineral Wells) Sheriff Possee and in good standing. Not sure he was always in good standing among his Texas HS football coaches peers, though. Rumors to the affect that he liked to recruit kids from other districts over to whatever district he would be in? That strictly a rumor, of course.

GMG!

Edited June 24, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[SilverEagle]

That would be Chuck Curtis, r-p. and had he been given time he would have built a football program at UTA but unfortunately for him............they pulled the plug.

Curtis was an assistant coach for a time when Fry was at SMU. He is a member of the Palo Pinto County (Mineral Wells) Sheriff Possee and in good standing. Not sure he was always in good standing among his Texas HS football coaches peers, though. Rumors to the affect that he liked to recruit kids from other districts over to whatever district he would be in? That strictly a rumor, of course.

GMG!

I don't recall Chuck Curtis ever being a candidate for the North Texas job. What year was that?

I think that Chuck Curtis is still one of the few coaches in Texas HS history to win a state championship three years in a row at two different schools (Jacksboro 1962 and Garland 63-64). When Curtis was at UTA, I remember commenting that he would either have them winning championships on a regular basis, or have them on probation on a regular basis. I remember that when TCU was in the market for a new head coach in 1983, Chuck Curtis lobbied to get an interview. He was not allowed to interview and the rumor was that TCU didn't like his reputation....which was somewhat shady. Instead, Jim Wacker was hired.

[ragpicker]

Thanks for the info. It was Chuck Curtis indeed. (His name came to me after I went to bed). I believe he won two or three state championships at Garland in the '60s. He was UTA the coach the last time we played UTA and we won. He did have some rather uncomplimentary things to say about our athletic dept. at one time as I recall, and yes,I remember those recruiting rumors as well.

[ragpicker]

I don't recall Chuck Curtis ever being a candidate for the North Texas job. What year was that?

I think that Chuck Curtis is still one of the few coaches in Texas HS history to win a state championship three years in a row at two different schools (Jacksboro 1962 and Garland 63-64). When Curtis was at UTA, I remember commenting that he would either have them winning championships on a regular basis, or have them on probation on a regular basis. I remember that when TCU was in the market for a new head coach in 1983, Chuck Curtis lobbied to get an interview. He was not allowed to interview and the rumor was that TCU didn't like his reputation....which was somewhat shady. Instead, Jim Wacker was hired.

It must have been just after Rust was fired. I don't know if he was an actual candidate, but when he made those tacky comments about our athletic Dept. the head coaching job was open and he was up here talking to somebody.