[Tough Times Ahead for San Antonio?]

On 4/11/2023 at 7:58 PM, peanuts104 said:

Sounds vaguely familiar.

Edit: Eyeroll all you want, but if it wasn't for Seth's stupid contract we would have canned his ass last year.

You mean November 2021 maybe?  Anyways when you compare Traylor's resigning to Seth’s it is an order of magnitude worse decision by UNT leadership.  Chiefly because out football trophy case has a lot of trophies and none of them due to Seth’s leadership.  Without Traylor the UTSA trophy case is empty.  I don’t know why more of us here didn’t share @97and03's opinion on the second resigning.  We acted like we were the program with an empty trophy case, no history,and renting a subpar pro stadium (even when it was brand new 30 years ago) that a basketball team never wanted and vacated it in less than 10 years.  How much does UTSA pay to play there?   UTSA leadership had a lot of reasons to be excited and desperate to hold on Traylor.   
 

Traylor is simultaneously tempering expectations in the new conference and backhandedly fund raising.  I think as long as they don’t have an on campus stadium generating revenue and AAC level athletic facilities the deck is stacked against them.  And the primary reason that the PAC 12 wouldn’t consider UTSA is their lack academic prestige.  You put Rice academics with UTSA’s recent football success and their status as San Antonio’s D1 Football team, they are mentioned in PAC 12 expansion rumors before SMU, Rice and Tulane*.  
 

*Yes, before downvote or eye roll SMU, Rice and Tulane have be listed as possible Pac 12 expansion candidates from reputable sports news sources.  🤷🏽‍♂️

[Spring games against other schools?]

If a rule were set that is was a 1 for 1 exchange with no exceptions, I would be all for it.  Also transfers of players between the schools without a mandatory sit out year (that doesn't take away an eligible year) should be implemented.  In conference scrimmages should be prohibited also.  I would love to see Houston scrimmage here or vice versa. Hell what would really be cool imo is exclusively FCS vs FBS scrimmage with all the rules I mentioned in place.  You could even stipulate that FCS players can opt out of the scrimmage and preserve their eligibility to transfer to that FBS school without sitting out the mandatory sit out year.  I think that would be a great way to help support FCS programs as regular season games between FCS and FBS diminish

 

[The "Gundy" proposal for the portal]

2 hours ago, TheColonyEagle said:

It is amazing how fast they completely skipped over the meaning of "NIL" and went immediately to where everyone assumed it would go eventually. 

It was a devil's bargan from inception.  The fundamental problem is seperating the good of the students from generating maximum revenue for the games as a product.  None of the conference realignment since Penn State being added to Big 10 has made welfare of the athletes as STUDENTS into consideration.   FBS Head Coaches salaries are obscene in comparison to the average college department head or senior professor.  Ticket prices for top 25 brands in college football are ridiculous.  So not that surprising at all.  

[The "Gundy" proposal for the portal]

19 hours ago, NT80 said:

Are players free agents if they sign a 4-year ship/contract?   Perhaps 1-year is better?

I would like a minimum of 2-years be required.  Contact lengths beyond 2-years should be negotiable.  Academically, player movement in their first 2 years is counter productive for the student.   Players under contract are free agents with a buyout requirement due in full before the player can enroll at the new school.  Also the program losing the player could waive the buyout or have a structured payback at their discretion. Unfettered movement up or down between FCS and FBS unaffected.   Maybe FCS programs could designate 1 "franchise" tagged player requiring the FBS school to compensate the FCS school.  If you complete your contract you are completely free agent just like a coach or any contact worker.  

[The "Gundy" proposal for the portal]

2 hours ago, DentonLurker said:

Are coaches going to sign contracts with schools that say they can leave to take the next job “if their current AD says they can” or are athletes going to be able to pay a buyout if their current coach won’t release them?

Any rules are or restrictions on athletes that make it more difficult than their coaches are going to land everyone right back in court.

I did not address that point specifically but, yes buyouts are already in place for all the FBS programs.  And treating students exactly like coaches isn't really on the table legally in my opinion unless they are declared straight up employees with a designated salary with all their student expenses deducted from it.  (I am pretty sure nobody wants that set up). They are never going to be able to seperate academic eligibility away from college sports.     Court cases will be looming until they solve the student vs employee issue.   Once they solve that fair rules regarding player movement will be easier.  If they are turned into employees then I am pretty certain a player association will be mandated.  

At the end of the day I don't believe crafting rules for the top 5% of players is what is best for the players, sport or schools.   For instance a player like Gumms under contract with UNT would need a huge check to buyout his 2023-2024 academic year at.  His salary from a P5 would have to cover fees at his new school and Fall/Spring at UNT.  And I suspect these transfers in the middle of Spring would be exceeding rare.  

[Big12 in Serious Talks...]

On 3/30/2023 at 9:13 AM, PlummMeanGreen said:

Easy to see SMU powers cannot justify building a south end zone expansion  using ex Dallas Mayor/SMU alum Garry Weber’s  $50 million donation if they stay in a G5 conference.

Meh, a Pac 12 without Oregon and Washington isn't a P5.  They definitely probably need to stop scheduling FCS schools non-conference and "upgrade" to another conference if the AAC loses good members.  I would rather see them use their influence to help bring in Air Force and Army to our conference.  None of the MWC schools do much for the Pac 12 except preemptively stops Big 12 from expanding west.  And the schools currently in the MWC besides Air Force are a very low in national TV ratings.  And the ones in major metro areas just don't have strong local fanbases.

[The "Gundy" proposal for the portal]

On 3/30/2023 at 1:37 PM, GrayEagle said:

What it might eliminate is redshirting.  If you give a player a four year contract and redshirt him the first year would he not be eligible for another team in his fifth year?

Minor issue if an issue at all.  And this in my opinion addresses the most problematic  hypocrisy in the old system.   Commitment should be a two way street.  And I would also like NIL to be restricted to Sophomores in their second semester.  Of course you are still going to have cheaters out there but I don't anyone should have a program for penalizing a program for paying freshmen under the table.  Also I think it would spread out the talent a little.   If the NBA got rid of the one and done rule, this might help basketball even more than football.  Declare yourself ready for the NBA draft out of highschool if you are ready.  If you put in those contracts that players who leave early have for a professional league  to pay back the tution, fees, room, and etc for the length of the contract.  I think almost all these young men need at least 2 years development before turning pro.

[Grant please listen... You are making a terrible mistake]

27 minutes ago, NT80 said:

Then Tech will be coach searching again.  Those fan bases do not have our patience, or our lack of $$.

Exactly this is a bunch of complaining and speculating for nothing.  As much as the NCAA and delusional “I still believe in Santa Clause & Knute Rockne” fans want to protest at least half of D1 revenue sports are semi-pro.  And ALL the D1 head coaches in revenue sports view themselves as professionals as they should.  Grant has had a great run here.  I can’t fault him for leaving. But I wish he was going to a program more viable than Texas Tech.   I think Bobby Knight’s run there is best that can be expected there.  Their run with Chris Beard is an outlier.  I would much prefer it if grant was leaving for a program with NCAA Championship banners in their arena already.   Better for him and us.

[Are We Practicing?]

48 minutes ago, Coach_1976 said:

They are on field on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Practices are closed and I haven't really asked for much info. I can say the defense likes this new scheme so far, things can change but they like it. Coaches are intense and most are responding positive. Not much but some of an update

When is the Spring Game/scrimmage?

[Breaking: Seth Littrell Lands at OU]

On 3/23/2023 at 10:36 AM, aztecskin said:

I mostly didn't care but with every passing day I get a little more annoyed that he didn't. 

I couldn't care less about a farewell statement from Seth.  I think he is decent guy but in every other aspect, just another coach.  From a pure X's & O's standpoint I think Phil Bennet is a better coach.  That isn't high praise either.  I wasn't excited when he came as his hype train was more hear say from his network of coaching friends than I could see documented as outstanding contribution to a team's offensive success.  I think him not landing an title above "advisor" is indicative of the lack of substance in his resume coming here.  There were several high profile OC openings this year and he did not get one.  🤷🏽‍♂️

[Big12 in Serious Talks...]

Adding any G5 schools to the PAC 12 is just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.  You can’t have viable “Pacific Coast" conference without a foothold in LA area.   Even if SDSU had local buy in, that would be the San Diego market not the LA market.  Heck even the Chargers with a very good roster is having a lot of difficulty getting their fair share of the LA market and they relocated there. 🤷🏽‍♂️  I think bringing in Houston and a geographic rival in Texas would have saved the Pac 12.  If they exist in 7 years retaining all 10 they have today, I think everyone would be surprised.

[The new normal]

10 hours ago, NT93 said:

So starting with Var’Keyes Gumms, one of my favorite players on the team last year, I’m not going to be upset.  Not necessarily going to wish him well, but also not going to hope he fails.  

I agree with this for the most part.  But I have a hard time with any guy leaving the team within weeks of being interviewed and talking about his future here and commitment to the program.  KD Davis ended up staying but I would have wished him well if he had left.  I just want transparency.  If you are considering leaving, don't string people along.  And if a player came to North Texas in the same manner Gumms left, I would be reluctant to embrace him.

[Something Has to Give (NCAA Rules)]

8 hours ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

You're right. I'll just refer to your opinion to always replace mine. 

Your opening statement in the first post took tools out of the hands of players and fans.  I am not advocating for unions or boycotts either.  You specifically called out the G5 head coaches getting together and other people pointed out why that is very unlikely.  So we aren't really talking about a difference of opinion.  

[Something Has to Give (NCAA Rules)]

On 3/26/2023 at 12:18 PM, NorthTexasWeLove said:

So, let's do nothing. Right. 

Where did you see that suggested?  🙄  But besides complaining about it, what do you suppose fans and alumni of G5 do?  I doubt G5 head coaches are on fan boards.  

[Something Has to Give (NCAA Rules)]

On 3/23/2023 at 1:29 PM, NorthTexasWeLove said:

I'm not one for boycotting or unions for that matter, but something has to be done. Anything. 

At minimum, it wouldn't hurt a fly for the 70 D1 "G5" head coaches to start banding together and becoming outright vocal without  hesitation (to the point of name/program dropping). That is a good place to start. 

The whole system has been morally dubious at best from the inception of selling performance of unpaid "student-athletes" in media for top dollar with little consideration on impact on their academics.  That is why UCLA & USC athletes will be flying over the entire Mountain Time Zone to play conference games (shortest distance over a 5 hour flight to Nebraska).    So essentially what you are asking for is "honor among thieves" for lack of a better metaphor.

[Gumms Entering Portal]

I respect his decision to string the program, teammates, fans and coaches along.  I doubt that is what he expected.  But when you interview in the Spring talking about your commitment and bounce less than a month later you should. 

[What Group of 5 teams can make the jump to Power 5? (North Texas has long-term potential but it's decades away)]

On 3/16/2023 at 4:57 PM, NT80 said:

Excellent example.    It's similar to UTSA's start, large metro area without an FBS college team in town.   

NT could likewise be this large Public University presence to DFW...  If we would just learn to market ourselves as "in DFW" instead of outside of DFW in Denton.   Denton county won't support UNT Athletics like the entire DFW metro area can!

Both you and @ADLER have very logical observations but you miss the critical point: we don’t win and leadership hasn’t been aggressive in its decision making when it comes to winning.  You can hand out all the cheap consistently branded/colored swag you want but it means nothing if the football team consistently craps the bed in the biggest home games of the year.  Seth had already received  2 contract extensions with a conference championship or bowl win before the team crapped away all the momentum of a win over Arkansas and a 4-0 with Mean Joe’s statue unveiling preceding the game.   
 

All the biggest and best marketed games in good weather that I got family or guest to come to have been losses.  (at Apogee) That La Tech game is just one of many.   Just look at our record against SMU since the time our series has become annual.  We are 2-8 against SMU during that timeframe.  And we beat a 1-11 2014 SMU team and 5-7 2018 SMU team.   Also during that timeframe the 2 highest paid coaches in our history received contract extensions without winning a conference title.  Seth receive 2 extensions without even winning a bowl game.   At least Dan won a bowl albeit a bowl barely 12 years old now in 2023 and has had more name changes than Puff Daddy & Kanye West put together.  
 

So I don’t know if any of those things you two mentioned would work.  We no amount of clever marketing is going to make a difference without winning some of the biggest game we earn a shot in by winning consistently.  if we spend the next decade going 2-8 vs SMU, with no big bowl wins (only bowls in existence before 2000 really count), no conference championships, or wins against top 25 teams outside of a very lucky overrated UTSA team.  
 

I know about 20 alumni myself that would like to come to a game beside maybe homecoming given a reason.  However, cheap swag from a game we got beaten in by a team not known as a football power is not going to get them off the fence.

[Another thing Jeff Traylor should have resolved before he signed the long-term deal]

They have one called the KFC Alamodome. 🤷‍♂️

[DCTF: Top Ten OL]

 As @jtm0097 mentioned research is hard and labor intensive.  Offensive lineman in particular are very hard to judge unless you get access to the film coaches get and spend hours reviewing it.  And  if you haven't played the position at least the DII level,  ideally you would need an impartial offensive line coach to watch the film with you to confirm you observation and notes.  Because a good coach can gameplay in a way to cover a particular lineman's weaknesses.  And if they are great they can do it so well mediocre opposing coaches won't even see the weakness in tape until there is a whole season of tape of a lineman taking snaps.   There is a brutal yet beautiful dance going on in the trenches every snap unless one side is just getting dominated over 80% of the game.  Let say you spend a conservative time watching 2 hours for each FBS school in Texas that is 24 hours of game tape.   I am pretty sure DTCF is not committing that amount of resources for a tweet.  

[SMU potentially to the PAC-12]

12 hours ago, outoftown said:

The problem there isn't what it would do for SMU (not that much indeed), but what it would do to the conference UNT is in.

The trust fund musty stangs are no big loss for the AAC if they go by themselves from our conference.   If UTSA had a longer/better/stronger academic history and just a slightly longer FBS history with a few conference titles the Pac 12 would probably take them over SMU.   SMU would be an after thought to pair them with UTSA or another school in our 3 biggest metro areas.  

[Breaking: Seth Littrell Lands at OU]

6 hours ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Oh well, I'm sure Wren, Jared & Neal all knew that possibility going into the decision.

Best of luck to Coach Littrell in the future.

Good post that is another indictment of the contract extension decision.  

[Darrell Dickey Update]

3 hours ago, jtm0097 said:

I guess today is the day that former North Texas Head Coaches accept Offensive Analyst jobs. Who's next Todd Dodge or Dan McCarney?

Not a bad gig at all.  They are the defending national champions.  If he had his Sun Belt dominance run at ULM instead of here are career went exactly the same I bet people would be interested in him coming here as OC.  

[Darrell Dickey Update]

3 hours ago, bstnsportsfan3 said:

I bet McCarney could still coach up defense if he wanted to, but he is too busy on the beaches of Florida living off the money he made from a very mediocre college coaching career

He was mediocre here not Iowa State.  

[Finally some Reason & Data for Improving the NCAA]

The most striking part of the interview was the fact of the lack of medical care for the athletes.  Greed is killing the sport plain and simple.  Most of these programs can’t even afford to be cost responsible and maintain their status amoug the “big boys”.   Andy Zimbalist speaks with too much “common sense”.  The primary mission of all these institutions is to educate their local populations to participate productively in our economy.  And only maybe a max 10% of college athletes will earn a living in athletics. That 10% is accounting for every athlete that end up in some as modest as Middle/Jr/High school coach to someone earning a six figure salary at the D1/professional Adminstration/coach level.  They are going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg and then be confused as to how it happened.

[SMU potentially to the PAC-12]

4 hours ago, outoftown said:

My worst case scenario is that the PAC12 reconstitutes itself with more AAC teams but doesn't include UNT. Say adding air force, CSU, SDSU, Memphis, SMU, UTSA or somesuch thing.

I wouldn’t be too worried about that. That isn’t a P5 conference with that lineup and Oregon and Washington are definitely gone.