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DRC: Fine vows to return for senior season after pondering transferring


Brett Vito

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I am of the opinion this was better left unsaid. Obviously someone leaked this or the question would not have been asked. I just don’t get this ... UNT the ONLY DI and only HC actively pursuing him and telling him that despite his size, he was “the guy” with “the talent” and “the leadership qualities” to turn this program around. Even Gundy has publicly said that they (and others) passed simply because of his size. Littrell and UNT did not! And, the fan base and university and community has embraced this kid like none other.  I find this a bit odd and out of what I thought was the kid’s character. But, in this day and age of “me first” and “situation loyalty”, I guess it could have been expected.  I love this kid and am super happy he will play another year at UNT before heading somewhere else as a grad transfer for a final year. But, just a little of the shine is off the Rose for me. I know I come from a different age with a different view of what “loyalty and respect” mean, so I realize this hits me differently than some.  But, for me, this made me a little sad to even hear about.  After what I saw as the ultimate team player and leader and loyal Mean Greener comes out and says that he considered transferring for his senior year, well, for me, that bursts the bubble. 

Still, great kid...great player and really happy he is returning for his senior year. Just wish he had said something like “sure I considered it but only for a nano second. UNT and Coach Littrell believed in me when no one else did. No way I would leave UNT before I played all four years”.

Just me. And, let me also add....Davy O’Brian Award folks have ZERO credibility...zero, none, nada! In fact, they just plain “sold out” to the “big boys”. No way they give a rat’s rear end about the “best player”. Mason got screwed! 

Edited by KRAM1
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2 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

You do realize the list of decorated QBs, like Mason, who transferred to another school has like...zero guys on it. It's not going to happen, but it would be the first case of a great G5 player using the new transfer rule to jump to the P5 without punishment. 

And he said that he wasn't going to join a list, so like I said, non story.

There are QBs that have jumped from one team to another, and that list will grow after this season. Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield both moved teams after being successful. Bryant from Clemson has already announced his transfer and Hurd from Alabama is a likely candidate to transfer as well. Fine wouldn't be the first QB from a G5 to P5 using the grad transfer rule as Minshew at Washington State via ECU has that honor already sewn up (though I doubt he is the first one to do it). This is going to become mush more common and we may have to just accept it if we continue to be successful.

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11 minutes ago, KRAM1 said:

I am of the opinion this was better left unsaid. Obviously someone leaked this or the question would not have been asked. I just don’t get this ... UNT the ONLY DI and only HC actively pursuing him and telling him that despite his size, he was “the guy” with “the talent” and “the leadership qualities” to turn this program around. Even Grundy has publicly said that they (and others) passed simply because of his size. Littrell and UNT did not! And, the fan base and university and community has embraced this kid like none other.  I find this a bit odd and out of what I thought was the kid’s character. But, in this day and age of “me first” and “situation loyalty”, I guess it could have been expected.  I love this kid and am super happy he will play another year at UNT before heading somewhere else as a grad transfer for a final year. But, just a little of the shine is off the Rose for me. I know I come from a different age with a different view of what “loyalty and respect” mean, so I realize this hits me differently than some.  But, for me, this made me a little sad to even hear about.  After what I saw as the ultimate team player and leader and loyal Mean Greener comes out and says that he considered transferring for his senior year, well, for me, that bursts the bubble. 

Still, great kid...great player and really happy he is returning for his senior year. Just wish he had said something like “sure I considered it but only for a nano second. UNT and Coach Littrell believed in me when no one else did. No way I would leave UNT before I played all four years”.

Just me. And, let me also add....Davy O’Brian Award folks have ZERO credibility...zero, none, nada! In fact, they just plain “sold out” to the “big boys”. No way they give a rat’s rear end about the “best player”. Mason got screwed! 

You got suckered by Vito.

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1 minute ago, forevereagle said:

And he said that he wasn't going to join a list, so like I said, non story.

There are QBs that have jumped from one team to another, and that list will grow after this season. Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield both moved teams after being successful. Bryant from Clemson has already announced his transfer and Hurd from Alabama is a likely candidate to transfer as well. Fine wouldn't be the first QB from a G5 to P5 using the grad transfer rule as Minshew at Washington State via ECU has that honor already sewn up (though I doubt he is the first one to do it). This is going to become mush more common and we may have to just accept it if we continue to be successful.

None of those QBs were two time offensive conference players of the year, which Mason will be after this year. They were either backups or fighting for a starting job. And Minshew was on an awful ECU team. 

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3 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

So the first thing I thought was "why is Fine even talking about this?" Which leads to my first question:

"What was the question he was answering?"

Vito didn't provide that. So we're left to speculate. 

Shoddy at best, dishonest at worst from Vito.

 

And since we're left to speculate: I'm going to look at his answer: "I have made my decision to stay here no matter what.

Given that last part....It would seem reasonable that the question centered around "Hey Mason, if Littrell went to another program, would you go with him?"

In that case....of course it crossed his mind. And then he would have to make the decision to stay "no matter what" Which is what he appears to have done.

But if you report that the question involved Littrell leaving.....it's not NEARLY as shocking of a report. It would be a much different reaction. But again Vito left that part out. So here we are speculating.

 

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6 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

None of those QBs were two time offensive conference players of the year, which Mason will be after this year. They were either backups or fighting for a starting job. And Minshew was on an awful ECU team. 

I don't think that Russell Wilson was fighting to be a starter at NCST. And Mayfield was the only reason that Tech was remotely successful that season and had earned the starting job. He really only left because Kingsbury wouldn't give him a scholarship  as a reward for his success. 

Just because Fine would have become the first two time offensive player of the year doesn't mean that it would be totally unprecedented. 

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15 hours ago, Harry said:

Some things are just better left unsaid.

Agreed 100%   This type of statement breeds discontent...And I have to admit, selfishly, it kinda pissed me off.   I know he's got to keep his options open for his future.  Hell, we ALL do...But also believe if you're THAT good, it wont matter where you went to school. He wont get passed up because some NFL team will say "Oh, I never considered that kid at UNT".  I assure you, in this day in age, every NFL scout that's looking for QBs, whether they've every heard of UNT or not, has heard of Mason Fine and he's on a lot of radars. The kid is good...DAMN good...But, if he goes to a P5 and plays 12 games, do you think he'll put up the same kinda numbers he does here?  And ultimately, don't you want GIANT numbers heading into a draft?  He's going to have bigger numbers here, and add more records broken here.

No reason he should've even brought it up...  Discretion is the better part of Valor...

I tell my employees, Loyalty is huge, and finish what you start...

 

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I'm wondering why any NT fan may have thought that Mason Fine had not been approached with a transfer scenario, which any reasonable athlete would have considered before making a decision that is in his best interest.  

So, here's my question for the North Texas nation. Mason Fine has easily reached, and probably exceeded, his junior level potential and/or goals.  When is the North Texas fan base going to finally reach our potential? Mason Fine is performing like a REAL big time college QB...….when is the fan base at North Texas going to do the same? 

Mason Fine has re-written most of our record book. So, tell me how many home games did he play before 30.5K screaming NT fans?

Now, having said all that, what's all this talk about a potential NFL career? 

 

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26 minutes ago, SilverEagle said:

So, here's my question for the North Texas nation. Mason Fine has easily reached, and probably exceeded, his junior level potential and/or goals.  When is the North Texas fan base going to finally reach our potential? Mason Fine is performing like a REAL big time college QB...….when is the fan base at North Texas going to do the same? 

Mason Fine has re-written most of our record book. So, tell me how many home games did he play before 30.5K screaming NT fans?

 

 

Well....to answer the question of "How many games did he play in front of 30.5K screaming UNT fans" He pretty much played in two of them. And his record book is not the only one being re-written. We broke the all time attendance record last year and then turned around and broke that record this year. In other words, we've never had as many in attendance for a UNT football season in the 100+ year history of the program as we did this year. (In I'll add..an era where attendance is going down across the nation) I'm going to say with Houston coming in next year, we'll push the attendance record again.

I guess we haven't reached our potential (which is what, to sell out every game?) But I think you would agree we're getting here fast...

Edited by TheColonyEagle
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I'm generally positive about Vito. I don't think he does great in depth analysis but he cranks out a ton of information and has been the only outlet consistently covering the teams. But this was beyond ridiculous. It's such an out of blue hypothetical. It's like asking someone ever think of changing jobs? Of course he has dipshit. So has every player on every team across the country. When you have a bad day at the office, it's human nature to think wonder what it would be like to start over somewhere else, change my surroundings, etc. To ask a kid this as a passing question at the end of a press conference during his season is totally out of line in my opinion.

I also think Mason could have answered it differently but I think Mason was doing what he was taught to do all his life. Being honest. Yes he's thought about it. Probably more than once. But not with any seriousness. Ever get in a fight with your girlfriend and think about moving on? Of course. The problem here is Vito asked a question that was ridiculous to pose to a kid that's been taught to be more honest than political in his answers. 

Hopefully, everyone moves on from this. But if I'm Seth, I'm pissed. This has caused an unnecessary distraction. And people wonder why some head coaches don't allow their kids or assistants to talk to the media. The fans pay the price for the lack of access but crap likes this is why head coaches do it.

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36 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

None of those QBs were two time offensive conference players of the year, which Mason will be after this year. They were either backups or fighting for a starting job. And Minshew was on an awful ECU team. 

You're right... Mason is a guy that wouldn't like to blaze his own path... he should do what people think he is slotted for... like go to OSU without a scholarship... or play for a FCS school... 

 

Also... Vernon Adams was pretty succesful  before transferring to Oregon...

 

 

Edited by golfingomez
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Why is anyone surprised he considered his options? In this day and age of coaches being fired mid-season, coaches leaving after a year or two of success, why is anyone surprised it's on the student-athletes' radar as well? When the "grownups" are setting the tone of "jump ship when opportunity presents itself" of course the players are going to follow suit.

He's the best QB to throw the pigskin at UNT. That hasn't changed. If fans knew every time a star player considered transferring, I would bet that it would be shocking.

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38 minutes ago, SilverEagle said:

I'm wondering why any NT fan may have thought that Mason Fine had not been approached with a transfer scenario, which any reasonable athlete would have considered before making a decision that is in his best interest.  

So, here's my question for the North Texas nation. Mason Fine has easily reached, and probably exceeded, his junior level potential and/or goals.  When is the North Texas fan base going to finally reach our potential? Mason Fine is performing like a REAL big time college QB...….when is the fan base at North Texas going to do the same? 

Mason Fine has re-written most of our record book. So, tell me how many home games did he play before 30.5K screaming NT fans?

Now, having said all that, what's all this talk about a potential NFL career? 

 

The real question you should consider is not his records or your expectations of fans but when is the last time Fine or anyone else out on that field won when it counted? Records are swell. Beating beatable opponents when it matters, Conference championships or a bowl win? Not so much.

I want to see this team exel. Good season but not great. The fans are showing up. That's their job, not reaching potential.  That's the job of coaches, players, and the athletic department. 

Edited by UNTexas
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1 hour ago, KRAM1 said:

But, in this day and age of “me first” and “situation loyalty”, I guess it could have been expected.  I love this kid and am super happy he will play another year at UNT before heading somewhere else as a grad transfer for a final year. But, just a little of the shine is off the Rose for me. I know I come from a different age with a different view of what “loyalty and respect” mean, so I realize this hits me differently than some.  But, for me, this made me a little sad to even hear about.

The day when coaches are forced to sit out a year before switching teams, is the day that i'll start being upset about a player considering what best for his own self interest.

Edited by meangreenlax
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1 hour ago, KRAM1 said:

After what I saw as the ultimate team player and leader and loyal Mean Greener comes out and says that he considered transferring for his senior year, well, for me, that bursts the bubble. 

He did not say he considered it, Brett Vito said that. He said it crossed his mind. 

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1 hour ago, meangreenJW said:

I'm generally positive about Vito. I don't think he does great in depth analysis but he cranks out a ton of information and has been the only outlet consistently covering the teams. But this was beyond ridiculous. It's such an out of blue hypothetical. It's like asking someone ever think of changing jobs? Of course he has dipshit. So has every player on every team across the country. When you have a bad day at the office, it's human nature to think wonder what it would be like to start over somewhere else, change my surroundings, etc. To ask a kid this as a passing question at the end of a press conference during his season is totally out of line in my opinion.

I also think Mason could have answered it differently but I think Mason was doing what he was taught to do all his life. Being honest. Yes he's thought about it. Probably more than once. But not with any seriousness. Ever get in a fight with your girlfriend and think about moving on? Of course. The problem here is Vito asked a question that was ridiculous to pose to a kid that's been taught to be more honest than political in his answers. 

Hopefully, everyone moves on from this. But if I'm Seth, I'm pissed. This has caused an unnecessary distraction. And people wonder why some head coaches don't allow their kids or assistants to talk to the media. The fans pay the price for the lack of access but crap likes this is why head coaches do it.

Mason's answers during press conferences border on Jason Garrett levels of boring coach speak. I'm surprised he slipped here and gave a very un-coach like answer. 

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1 hour ago, Venson said:

He did not say he considered it, Brett Vito said that. He said it crossed his mind. 

He most certainly did! Saw the video clip...heard him say he considered transferring. Confirmed by Mason himself on the video. So, yep...he did.

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