Signs We've Made A Great Hire In Littrell

MeanGreenHoops · September 28, 2016

Just a few things I've noticed that make me think that we made have hit the coaching lottery jackpot.

Early on the OLine was really struggling. Noticed that we've put #36 (?) in a type of h-back role to help with protection quite a bit.
SMU game we had no threat at kickoff with Buyers and Wyche. Changed to Wilson and now we've got a POTW.
Garner getting more playing time at LB and really making plays.
The team regurgitates what Littrell says in the media. They are completely on-board.
The switch at QB (I know it's obvious). I think this change had as much to do about putting a guy there who will do whatever it takes to win (aka Scott Davis and Scott Hall back in the day, or DT in the HOD Bowl after jacking up his knee). It is an example that if you give it your all you will be rewarded.

I know it's early but this feels different than other coaching staffs we have had.

VideoEagle · September 28, 2016

Just now, MeanGreenHoops said:

Just a few things I've noticed that make me think that we made have hit the coaching lottery jackpot.

Four games into a career it's a little early for that. Rod Rust was 4-0 four games into his career at NT and is not considered a "great coach" in our history.

He's showing very positive signs, but I wouldn't call it the jackpot just yet!

Mean Green 93-98 · September 28, 2016

51 minutes ago, VideoEagle said:

Four games into a career it's a little early for that. Rod Rust was 4-0 four games into his career at NT and is not considered a "great coach" in our history.

He's showing very positive signs, but I wouldn't call it the jackpot just yet!

He did say "signs" and "make me think." I don't think he's calling for the coronation yet.

We'll see. I'm seeing positive signs, and Hoops points out some good ones. I also like how Littrell's coaching personality is coming out. When he first came, he seemed nervous and hesitant--not that I blame him, but that's not typically what you see from a Division 1 head coach. Now, I'm seeing more that he is a tough, no-nonsense kind of coach, and I like it.

Cerebus · September 28, 2016

6 minutes ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

He did say "signs" and "make me think." I don't think he's calling for the coronation yet.

*Looks around nervously, then hides the Anointing Oils in the folds of his robes.*

UNT 90 Grad · September 28, 2016

1 hour ago, VideoEagle said:

Four games into a career it's a little early for that. Rod Rust was 4-0 four games into his career at NT and is not considered a "great coach" in our history.

He's showing very positive signs, but I wouldn't call it the jackpot just yet!

He's looking at coaching moves, not wins/losses. Were there distinguishable good coaching moves that Rod Rust made in his 1st 4 games? Comparing apples and oranges.

GrandGreen · September 28, 2016

Beating a FC division team and a poor Rice team looks good only when compared to the futility of the last 2 years. The real tests start Saturday. Frankly it doesn't take a lot to look good compared to Dodge and McCarney.

I am excited with the new direction of athletics at NT. Littrell and his staff appear to be making all the right moves. I think that on the offensive side, they don't have the horses yet to truly run the offense they want but have adjusted to the relative strengths of the team. I thought the returning defense were underrated by most, and they are getting better.

The contrast between Littrell and McCarney is amazing. McCarney came in and bemoaned that the team he inherited was too small, slow and had few players that had other ship options. To his credit, he won with that rag-tag group, but failed miserable at recruiting. McCarney recruited some good players but not enough and never got classes that even matched up to Dodge's.

Littrell could have played the same game as McCarney, lament the poor status of the program to highlight his future achievements. Littrell knows that positive is always better to unite and motivate the team and to advance the program.

DT 90 · September 28, 2016

41 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

Beating a FC division team and a poor Rice team looks good only when compared to the futility of the last 2 years. The real tests start Saturday. Frankly it doesn't take a lot to look good compared to Dodge and McCarney.

I am excited with the new direction of athletics at NT. Littrell and his staff appear to be making all the right moves. I think that on the offensive side, they don't have the horses yet to truly run the offense they want but have adjusted to the relative strengths of the team. I thought the returning defense were underrated by most, and they are getting better.

The contrast between Littrell and McCarney is amazing. McCarney came in and bemoaned that the team he inherited was too small, slow and had few players that had other ship options. To his credit, he won with that rag-tag group, but failed miserable at recruiting. McCarney recruited some good players but not enough and never got classes that even matched up to Dodge's.

Littrell could have played the same game as McCarney, lament the poor status of the program to highlight his future achievements. Littrell knows that positive is always better to unite and motivate the team and to advance the program.

And no "How it was at Florida" stories.

North Texas Shep · September 28, 2016

Last week I went and saw my witch doctor before the game. Looks like that is a new tradition. Put the Hex on Middle!

Edited September 28, 2016 by North Texas Shep

Withers940 · September 28, 2016

3 hours ago, VideoEagle said:

Four games into a career it's a little early for that. Rod Rust was 4-0 four games into his career at NT and is not considered a "great coach" in our history.

He's showing very positive signs, but I wouldn't call it the jackpot just yet!

Did Rod Rust take over for a 1-11 team that was one of the worst programs in football and double their win total within the first 4 games? If my records are correct Rod took over for an 8-2 Missouri Valley Conference Champs.

This is a hypothetical but imagine if Littrell was ready a couple years ago when we first hired Mac. Could you imagine what he could of done with that 2013 team and how he could of built the future with them? But you know the old saying.................

KingDL1 · September 28, 2016

2 hours ago, Cerebus said:

*Looks around nervously, then hides the Anointing Oils in the folds of his robes.*

I do not understand such things without an animated gif? What is going on here?

Eagleisland · September 28, 2016

3 hours ago, VideoEagle said:

Four games into a career it's a little early for that. Rod Rust was 4-0 four games into his career at NT and is not considered a "great coach" in our history.

He's showing very positive signs, but I wouldn't call it the jackpot just yet!

Actually, Rod Rust was a great coach as his subsequent career coaching in the NFL showed. But, he was a lousy recruiter with no Texas ties and the lack of talent eventually sank him. In fact, he started off 2-1, but took that team to a 7-1-1 record and won the Missouri Valley Championship. The following 2 years, North Texas went 15 and 5. Then....as his poor recruiting accumulated....his teams sank to the bottom. He could coach. He just couldn't get any real talent in.

KenTuck · September 28, 2016

Rod Rust did not like walk-ons. That may have been one of his recruiting negatives.

GrandGreen · September 28, 2016

7 hours ago, Eagleisland said:

Actually, Rod Rust was a great coach as his subsequent career coaching in the NFL showed. But, he was a lousy recruiter with no Texas ties and the lack of talent eventually sank him. In fact, he started off 2-1, but took that team to a 7-1-1 record and won the Missouri Valley Championship. The following 2 years, North Texas went 15 and 5. Then....as his poor recruiting accumulated....his teams sank to the bottom. He could coach. He just couldn't get any real talent in.

What sunk Rust was dwindling support from the administration. His recruiting was actually pretty good until he over relied on jucos and do to a rule change in transfer requirements, lost almost a whole class which included several first team juco All Americans . NT and Mitchell prospered based on the early recruitment of Afro-Americans with little regional competition. As the recruitment of Afro-Americans increased in the South, NT with their historically half-assed commitment to athletics and the dominance of the SWC in Texas, couldn't effectively compete for recruits. Fry who was a great recruiter and gained some added financial support was able to compete with most of the SWC in recruiting. After he got frustrated with the administration who despite his success wanted to cut athletic expenditures, he left.

NT football has largely foundered around from that point till IMO the administration decided to get serious signaled by the hiring of McCarney.

Edited September 29, 2016 by GrandGreen