Lifetime Contract for Mac? (ARCHIVE)

[UNT Mean Green]

How much longer realistically for Mac?

[forevereagle]

OK -- fair enough -- name us the better one.

1977, we went 9-2. Different era of football with a lot fewer bowl games and no invite, but still a good season.

2002, 9-3 with a bowl win over Cincy. Also a good season.

The problem is that I don't know that we have a truly distinguished season that everyone will be able to agree was our best season. We get 10 wins one year with a bowl win and we will have an easy discussion.

[greenminer]

1977, we went 9-2. Different era of football with a lot fewer bowl games and no invite, but still a good season.

I'm nitpicking here, but I noticed the Wiki says Fry went 9-2 in '78, 10-1 in '77. Is it wrong?

[meangreener]

We haven't sustained anything.

We (including myself) all have faith the last two years he was correcting the problem, but until we see the next two years or more, a lifetime contract is premature.

Harry, by this same logic, should we have similarly signed Corky Nelson after the 8-4 1983 season, or Matt Simon after going 7-4 in 1994? Would that have been wise?

Top 3 season ever, for sure!, but there is a bigger picture here when it comes to long term deals.

Mac took a team at the bottom of the worst conference and made them bowl champions. Awoke the fanbase. Pay the man whatever he asks. I think it's fair to say he learned from his mistakes at Iowa State and won't be resting on his laurels.

He is attracting coaches that P5 teams would kill for, recruiting has picked up, attendance is rising quickly, the players feel the winning culture he's trying to build...pay him whatever it takes and hope that the contract is competitive enough or that he loves NT as much as he says he does.

Mac is the best coach we've ever had-for two reasons. He can do the publicity thing and can coach football. Doesn't seem like many of our other coaches could do both. We need to awake the fanbase, and Mac has done an amazing job so far.

I'm 100% on the Mac bandwagon. Even if we flop next year. Which we won't.

[meangreener]

Personally, I think this is only the beginning for this team. Our breakout season locally. Now we need a national breakout. Starts with UT.

[SilverEagle]

The year we lost all 5 of our IA non-conference games? I agree that was a great year but to me it's still close. The outcome of the HOD and the crowd and vibe I experienced really puts this season over the top to me. They were both great seasons for sure.

And that wasn't the only year. Because of DD's attitude about OCC games, I used to call that era, the years we were "King of the dipshits".

[forevereagle]

I'm nitpicking here, but I noticed the Wiki says Fry went 9-2 in '78, 10-1 in '77. Is it wrong?

Read the footnote, it says something about a forfeited game.

[SilverEagle]

I'm nitpicking here, but I noticed the Wiki says Fry went 9-2 in '78, 10-1 in '77. Is it wrong?

No. The 10-1 season included a forfeit game by Miss. St. They were investigated and put on probation and had to forfeit all their games that year. AND in true NT administrative style, our University hired the coach (Bob Tyler) that was the head coach at Miss St. during all that mess.

Small wonder that "down the corridor of years" I've always held our administration (and their decisions) in such high esteem............

[Harry]

How much longer realistically for Mac?

He's only 60 -- if he stays healthy he could go on for awhile. 60 is still young in a world where people are routinely living well into their 80's...

5-7-10 take your pick. A lot will depend on how the program does. My bet is Mac will want to go out on top.

[UNTFan23]

The year we lost all 5 of our IA non-conference games? I agree that was a great year but to me it's still close. The outcome of the HOD and the crowd and vibe I experienced really puts this season over the top to me. They were both great seasons for sure.

You didn't specify parameters on what qualified as the best. Even though we didn't defeat any OOC Div 1A opponents in the regular season, we (1) went undefeated in conference, (2) won the conference outright, and (3) defeated the CUSA Co-Champs (who defeated TCU) in our bowl game. This is by no means a knock against this year's team but what the 2002 team did has not been repeated by another NT team.

If you want to factor in intangibles then I'll give you the argument that this year's season could be in contention for the best ever season but we still didn't hit 2 of the 3 high points from 2002 in the 2013 campaign.

Edited January 16, 2014 by UNTFan23

[Harry]

You didn't specify parameters on what qualified as the best. Even though we didn't defeat any OOC Div 1A opponents in the regular season, we (1) went undefeated in conference, (2) won the conference outright, and (3) defeated the CUSA Co-Champs (who defeated TCU) in our bowl game. This is by no means a knock against this year's team but what the 2002 team did has not been repeated by another NT team.

If you want to factor in intangibles then I'll give you the argument that this year's season could be in contention for the best ever season but we still didn't hit 2 of the 3 high points from 2002 in the 2013 campaign.

I think we are in agreement. They were both great years. My purpose was not to downgrade any season just to prop this last one where I think it belongs. And that is just my opinion of course.

[foutsrouts]

I realize he has had some recent health issues, but God willing, he is a guy who seems to take care of himself so he could live for a VERY long time. I'm happy that we're getting this taken care of now, but a lifetime contract seems to be going a little overboard at this point. On the other hand I do hope that he's our HC for many more years.

[GreenMachine]

It's like marrying the first girl you slept with.

I just threw up in my mouth.

[UNT90]

I do when the sentence is written thusly: " essentially a lifetime contract for McCarney that will take him through the end of his career."

I feel like all you read in that sentence was the word "lifetime" and hit then hit the overreact button.

Mac will be 61 in July. He's had some serious health issues. I suspect the man has a plan with regard to retirement age and how long he wishes to coach coupled with his football plan for North Texas and how long he feels it will take to accomplish that.

In no way do I think he has designs on being a Joe Paterno and sticking around until he's 80+ years old. (Conjecture on my part for sure.)

But in the context of what Vito wrote "Lifetime" would mean where Mac has planned to jump off the coaching train and not until his life is over. And if I had to place a bet on what that timeline is I'd say probably around the time Mac is 65-67.

I hope we get another 5+ years out of the man myself.

Right, because we have nothing to fear in any contract negotiations with this AD?

Any mention of "lifetime" whether there is a qualifier attached or not should cause concern for the fan base.

Unless, if course, you know exactly what the qualifiers are exactly?

[oldguystudent]

This sounds like the contract of a lifetime!

I'll see myself out.

[Proud North Texan]

GIve him that contract and don't even think about it.. Coach Mac deserves it!! he is building something that can stand for many many years to come.

I can write 25999 words of why we should give him that contract... it's just a no brainer!!

Go Coach Mac and Go Mean Green

[forevereagle]

Right, because we have nothing to fear in any contract negotiations with this AD?

Any mention of "lifetime" whether there is a qualifier attached or not should cause concern for the fan base.

Unless, if course, you know exactly what the qualifiers are exactly?

I know you are getting bent out of shape over the word lifetime, but is that a word that Vito used in his story, or was it used by the AD. You have immediately jumped to the conclusion that the AD used that term and that they have used the word in the contract. I get the impression that it may have been added by Vito for his story, but I could also be wrong here. Maybe we should wait and see what is announced before we jump to the conclusion that the sky is falling.

[TIgreen01]

The man is a great coach for UNT. What is the most amazing part of his tenure, to me, is how he keeps replacing good coaches with just as good or better coaches! We're not just promoting unknowns....and he's bringing in long time vets AND young up and comers. It's amazing.

I think that we're going to have one of the best all-around staffs in our conference as long as we have him at the helm (and the BOR keeps giving him enough money to keep/lure good assistants).

[untjim1995]

1977, we went 9-2. Different era of football with a lot fewer bowl games and no invite, but still a good season.

2002, 9-3 with a bowl win over Cincy. Also a good season.

The problem is that I don't know that we have a truly distinguished season that everyone will be able to agree was our best season. We get 10 wins one year with a bowl win and we will have an easy discussion.

1977 and 1978 were probably better than this one, but its real close.

IN 2002, we went 8-5, beating Cincy in the NO Bowl, losing to Texas, Alabama, TCU, Arizona, and South Florida

In 2003, we went 9-4, losing to Memphis in the NO Bowl, losing to Oklahoma, Air Force, Arkansas, and Memphis.

IN 2004, we went 7-5, losing to Texas, Florida Atlantic, Colorado, Baylor, and Southern Miss.

In every one of the years above, we beat Arkansas State, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana-Lafayette, Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State, Middle Tennessee State, and Troy whenever we played them, going 21-0 against the SBC teams of that time. We also beat Nicholls State, Cincy, and Baylor.

This past year, had wins over Ball State and Rice, both of whom were better than anyone we beat in those years, except for Cincinatti in the bowl game. That's why it was real close to being up there as our best year ever.

[adman]

Right, because we have nothing to fear in any contract negotiations with this AD?

Any mention of "lifetime" whether there is a qualifier attached or not should cause concern for the fan base.

Unless, if course, you know exactly what the qualifiers are exactly?

I agree with your first point - negotiations and hirings in general.

In this instance "Lifetime" does not concern me.

[PlummMeanGreen]

We got Mac at a unique time in his life and career and I hope he retires at North Texas as the winningest coach in Mean Green football history percentage-wise since Coach Odus Mitchell's tenure was quite long.

GMG!

Edited January 16, 2014 by PlummMeanGreen

[drycreek]

I AGREE 100%

[Rudy]

So, we're all in agreement that this season ranks between our worst and our best. And far closer to the best of the scale than the worst.

Got it

[GrandGreen]

I will wait for details, but the idea of giving anyone a life time contract is crazy.

[Cooley]

I will wait for details, but the idea of giving anyone a life time contract is crazy.

Stupid comes to my mind! I don't have a problem with extending the man but shouldn't he at least reach .500 before we discuss a lifetime contract? Everyone knows that this program had been down for a while; in part because of the lack of head coach experience from the guys running the show (and on shoe string budgets)

We need to stop fearing that Mac is the only coach in America we can attract to improve upon the past 1-2 win seasons by going 5-7, 4-8 and then 9-4 (n a bad league); with someone else's recruits. He is deserving of an extension and some extra movie passes. History has shown that long-term contracts are not healthy. (Especially at North Texas)

In terms of some better teams and seasons, Hayden Fry compiled the following record. (In the dual role of AD; due to budget issues)

1975 North Texas State 7–4 1976 North Texas State 7–4 1977 North Texas State 10–1 16th National Ranking 1978 North Texas State 9–2 North Texas: 40–23

Tied for 1st in the Mo Valley in 1973. Some of the more notable (HOF) players and recruiting was done under Fry; while playing at Fouts with 20k less students in a town of only 40K. residents.