3 Reasons Nt Will Be Significantly Better...

GoMeanGreen1999 · July 13, 2009

I'm pretty concerned with what happens if this year goes the same as last. I would assume that Dodge would be shown the door as well as at least a portion of his staff. In that event, who's on the short list of replacement coaches?

If Dodge wins 3 or more games this season, I think he is back for a fourth.

BIG DAWG · July 13, 2009

In that event, who's on the short list of replacement coaches?

Needless...pointless specualtion...ridiculous! :angry:

Got5onIt · July 13, 2009

If Dodge wins 3 or more games this season, I think he is back for a fourth.

I'm sad to say I think he's back for a fourth regardless of this team's performance.

mad dog · July 13, 2009

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I just can't bring myself to put money on NT being appreciably better this year. I think that, if the stars align just right, we could probably squeak out a 4 win season.

1) Lean heavily on your running backs. They are too talented not to find a way to mix them into your offense. I would shoot for as close to 50-50% as possible in a Dodge spread offense. Two and three back sets shouldn't be out of the question, including power sets with tight ends and fullbacks. Good things happened for North Texas when Cam and Lance got the ball, and I hope that the coaching staff takes this to heart. The only three wins in the Dodge Era had, cumulatively, a run-pass ratio of 48-52%.

2) Minimize Riley Dodge's exposure. This is the big pitfall of this next season. I think Papa Todd will be quick to rush Riley into play, and bank on his knowledge of the system and mobility to keep him out of trouble. I also think he'll get a rude adjustment to the college game, and we'll all be sitting here week 3 wondering when Nathan Tune is going to get his shot. If, however, Coach Dodge can limit Riley's effect on the game, and trust his other weapons, a multi-win season could be in the works.

3) Get anything out of your defense and special teams. When you are last in the nation in defense, and give up 28 points a game in a bad conference, all other points become somewhat moot. With an offense that can score points, you just need a defense with a pulse. If you're not going to be a wall, at least do you best to get in the way and make things tough for the other guy. That has NEVER happened since Coach Dodge came to town, and this team will flounder without it. Being able to make 80% of your extra points would be useful, too. And being able to kick the ball away without the other guy getting half the field back is another useful trick.

Now, do I expect all of these things to happen? Absolutely not. Do I expect any of them to happen? Probably not. But, if there is to be improvement this year, it'll likely need to come from one of these sources.

TheTastyGreek · July 13, 2009

I'm pretty concerned with what happens if this year goes the same as last. I would assume that Dodge would be shown the door as well as at least a portion of his staff. In that event, who's on the short list of replacement coaches?

I've got a list, but it's way too early to start talking about that sort of thing. Hopefully we start strong out of the gate and nobody even thinks about what or who comes next.

LoveMG · July 13, 2009

I'm pretty concerned with what happens if this year goes the same as last. I would assume that Dodge would be shown the door as well as at least a portion of his staff. In that event, who's on the short list of replacement coaches?

never too early to consider the possibility. unt coudl get an attendance boost by changing coaches for 2010. then another boost for the new stadium in 2011. by the time we are 0-3 and losing to mtsu at home at half fans will be howling for a change. it could get ugly this season with speculatiion. start your lists.

NT80 · July 14, 2009

never too early to consider the possibility. unt coudl get an attendance boost by changing coaches for 2010. then another boost for the new stadium in 2011. by the time we are 0-3 and losing to mtsu at home at half fans will be howling for a change. it could get ugly this season with speculatiion. start your lists.

I could handle 1-3 and major signs of improvement. 0-4 and no change from the past two years then yes it will be time to punt.

Harry · July 14, 2009

Dodge has a 5-year contract and we are building a stadium so he isn't going anywhere until after the 2010 season which would be year 4.

BIG DAWG · July 14, 2009

Dodge has a 5-year contract and we are building a stadium so he isn't going anywhere until after the 2010 season which would be year 4

GOOD!

LoveMG · July 14, 2009

Dodge has a 5-year contract and we are building a stadium so he isn't going anywhere until after the 2010 season which would be year 4.

sure. every program needs a good 3-33 coach around for a 4th year.

Edited July 14, 2009 by LoveMG

emmitt01 · July 14, 2009

GOOD!

Why is this good? What have you seen to make you think a coach with 3 wins, in the Sun Belt, should be guaranteed another two seasons at the least? At what other school would this be a sane line of thinking?

LoveMG · July 14, 2009

At what other school would this be a sane line of thinking?

none

NT80 · July 14, 2009

sure. every program needs a good 3-33 coach around for a 4th year.

Hopefully a solid 5 or 6 win season resolves this issue.

9-27 is not so bad....or is it? :huh:

Edited July 14, 2009 by NT80

UNTnewbie · July 14, 2009

Truman Spencer has been spotted at North Texas.

Truman is back for a couple of weeks before reporting back to Training Camp. Looks like his workout buddy is the Atterberry Kid, incoming freshman. Saw them both in the weight room the last couple of days working hard and it appeared Atterberry was keeping up with Truman although it was a Mutt and Jeff picture as Truman dwarfed the new kid. I think Truman has added 20 pounds of muscle since leaving NT, that guy looks like a DE not a kicker!

gangrene · July 14, 2009

Why is this good? What have you seen to make you think a coach with 3 wins, in the Sun Belt, should be guaranteed another two seasons at the least? At what other school would this be a sane line of thinking?

But...he's a nice guy?!?!

GoMeanGreen1999 · July 14, 2009

Hopefully a solid 5 or 6 win season resolves this issue.
9-27 is not so bad....or is it?

I just don't see how this team with a new QB and new WR's will be able to come close to 5 or 6 wins this year. I tried so hard after year 1 to think they could win 4-5 and was so off on that.

TheTastyGreek · July 14, 2009

Needless...pointless specualtion...ridiculous!

Would this speculation be as outrageous and ridiculous as the speculation that Dickey would be fired?

There is no point in discussing Dickey getting fired because we do not have the money to cut ties with him and hire any coach that would be worth hiring at the same time.
QUIT WASTING YOUR TIME POSTING ABOUT THIS TOPIC!
No matter how you argue the point, it isn't possible to come up with that kind of money.
You would have to give Dickey somewhere in the ballpark of $800K to buyout his final two years, and then pay a quality replacement at least an equal amount of $400K per year.
That is $1,200,000 we would have to shell out in coaches salary in 2007, just to our head coaches past and present.
OVER 1 MILLION DOLLARS!
This WILL NOT happen at NT. There just isn't that kind of money floating around to do that.
BEST CASE SCENARIO IS THAT WE GET A NEW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR THAT DICKEY WILL ALLOW TO RUN THE OFFENSE WITHOUT HIS OVERSIGHT, AT LEAST IN PLAY CALLING.
Lets put this dead horse topic to bed...PLEASE! It isn't worth anymore breath or effort.
Dickey will be back for one more year IF NOT TWO MORE YEARS!

The week after you wrote that, Dickey was fired.

To the point Harry made... I'll preface by saying that my greatest hope is that things turn around and Dodge becomes a smashing success here. But if he finishes with three wins or less, I think he needs to be let go.

Hopefully, it never comes to pass.

NT80 · July 14, 2009

Would this speculation be as outrageous and ridiculous as the speculation that Dickey would be fired?
The week after you wrote that, Dickey was fired.
To the point Harry made... I'll preface by saying that my greatest hope is that things turn around and Dodge becomes a smashing success here. But if he finishes with three wins or less, I think he needs to be let go.
Hopefully, it never comes to pass.

It becomes a science of diminishing returns: $ salary x 2 years remaining vs. loss of donors and reduced ticket sales and negative media exposure vs. new coach and more sales and better media.

At some point, if the story remains the same, it is better to cut your losses and try a different road than continue up the slippery slope. At what point that is only RV can decide (but fans can provide input on the decision). Again, hopefully pencil won't need to be put to paper and this won't need to be talked about for 20+ more years. We'll see what we see soon enough. :ph34r:

NT80 · July 15, 2009

Hey things are looking up! It actually took 25 posts for this to turn into a fire Dodge thread. Much better!
Of course then we had to experience the floodwaters of Dodge haters...Always so much fun!

Reality is always painful. The storybook endings are so much better. :sorcerer: