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Hayden Fry Coaching Tree

cl_1_2008

By cl_1_2008
in Mean Green Football

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ragpicker Newbie

ragpicker

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Phillips was Fry's def. Coordinator at SMU and would have followed him to UNT, had it not have been for the Houston job. (If I remember correctly, but where is Bill Snyder?

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Green59 Newbie

Green59

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but this thing is incredible.

As a student at the University of Iowa back in 1979 when Hayden arrived from North Texas, he was an unknown quantity to the fan base....He did such a tremendous job of turning the program around from a perennial loser to a perennial winner that he became the most popular person in the state....It is great to see that his coaching tree has such a remarkable list of well known coaches.

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UNTLifer Grand Master

UNTLifer

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As a student at the University of Iowa back in 1979 when Hayden arrived from North Texas, he was an unknown quantity to the fan base....He did such a tremendous job of turning the program around from a perennial loser to a perennial winner that he became the most popular person in the state....It is great to see that his coaching tree has such a remarkable list of well known coaches.

I noticed he won 9 games his first two years at Iowa. Do you recall the student's and alumni's attitude towards how Fry was doing at that time?

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Green59 Newbie

Green59

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I noticed he won 9 games his first two years at Iowa. Do you recall the student's and alumni's attitude towards how Fry was doing at that time?

Iowa had endured 17 straight seasons without a winning record when Hayden was hired so expectations were not too high during the first two years. Ironically the record in his first year was 5-6 and in the second year it was 4-7 which sounds pretty similar to DMac's first two Mean Green years.

Coach Fry won the fans over pretty quick with his enthusiasm, his promotion of the team, his genius and all the unique phrases he would say. He changed the long time helmet logo from Herky the Hawk to the Tiger Hawk. His team entered the field just before a game in as he called it "The Swarm" where they slowly walked holding hands onto the field to the sidelines rather than running which brought the crowd into a frenzy. He changed the uniforms to look like the Pittsburgh Steelers which were a very dominant team at the time.

Year three was when the program really took off with wins over Nebraska, UCLA, at Michigan and a trip to the Rose Bowl. We can only hope that something similar will take place in year three for DMac!

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greenjoe Veteran

greenjoe

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I'm hoping for Hayden Fry like success this season from Coach MaC. And I'm a huge Coach Mac fan. I can't wait for football.

But the way Coach Mac brings out his team annoys me.

The team comes out, touches the eagle......and stops at the goal line. The crowd is cheering, and the team stops. They get last second inspiration, and finally ("Here come the MEAN GREEN"), run out onto the field lead by Coach Mac.

I feel like they (we) lose momentium when they stop at the goal line. I'd prefer a smooth entrance onto the field with each player brushing the eagle ala Norte Dame "play like a champion today" and continue to the field and to the sideline.

GO MEAN GREEN

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UNTLifer Grand Master

UNTLifer

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Posted (edited)

I'm hoping for Hayden Fry like success this season from Coach MaC. And I'm a huge Coach Mac fan. I can't wait for football.

But the way Coach Mac brings out his team annoys me.

The team comes out, touches the eagle......and stops at the goal line. The crowd is cheering, and the team stops. They get last second inspiration, and finally ("Here come the MEAN GREEN"), run out onto the field lead by Coach Mac.

I feel like they (we) lose momentium when they stop at the goal line. I'd prefer a smooth entrance onto the field with each player brushing the eagle ala Norte Dame "play like a champion today" and continue to the field and to the sideline.

GO MEAN GREEN

I know that you have been a long time supporter of North Texas, both academically and athletically, but aren't we splitting hairs here? Someone would argue that by stopping at the goal line, it builds anitcipation, or someone could argue that by walking out in a "Swarm" as Green59 alluded to is too slow, while someone else would prefer they sprint out of the "tunnel" through smoke, touch Spiriki and keep on running to the sidelines. Maybe I am getting old and cranky, but it seems like everything this program or athletic department does today is attacked in criticism or suggestions. We love the uniforms, we hate the uniforms, the uniforms need to be tweeked, they should be replaced, recruiting sucks, recruiting is pretty good considering how we have performed lately, Benford sucks, the basketball players suck, start baseball, why waste money on baseball? and the list goes on and on.

Now, I want North Texas to succeed in every endeavor whether athletics or academics. I want every hire to be the right one. Honestly, the local and some national media were touting the Benford hire as a great hire, much better than SMU and geriatric Larry Brown, so RV wasn't the only one that might have been wrong in this hiring. Benford surrounded himself with years of coaching experience on the bench, yet still the results have been much less than expected. Is it Benford's fault? Is it the players fault? Who knows, but many people, posters on here included, loved this hiring when it took place.

A year ago everyone loved McCarney and what he was bringing to the program. From experienced assistants to a true strength program to building relationships with the high school coaches of our state, to reaching out to the alumni, community and students he could do no wrong. Then the 2012 season happened and it all changed. Could many not see that Dodge's "hail mary" of signing almost exclusively JUCO's in his last class was doing to the depth and senior leadership of this program, or are our memories and attention spans that short?

We rolled out new uniforms for the opening of Apogee and hosted Houston. People loved it and loved the uniforms although many wished the North Texas would have been replaced on the helmets. A year later people were complaining about the inability to fill the stadium even after seven straight losing seasons and bitched that we fell a few thousand short of capacity. Who should we blame? Let's blame RV, the only AD that has come to North Texas, spelled out his vision for the department and facility upgrades, and stayed around long enough to see this vision start to take place. He led the construction of Apogee and secured a $20 million sponsorship in the worst economy any of us have experience, save the few extremely old timers that lived through the depression. Under his watch we have also experienced the building of the Athletic Center, practice fields, tennis center, the purchase of the Liberty Christian property, conversion of this property to include an academic center, indoor practice facilities for softball and golf, a volleyball center, a soccer stadium, a softball stadium with sponsorship, the current construction of a dedicated basketball facility and the obvious near future construction of a baseball stadium. He also has on his future agenda a new track and field facility, possible center court for the tennis facility and an indoor practice facility for football. And let's not forget the introduction of tailgating to North Texas sporting events. Has he been perfect? No, but who is? Shanice Stevens was a disaster and surprisingly to many, so was the hiring of Todd Dodge, and Benford may end up in this category before long, but overall the man has accomplished much more than many of us ever thought possible.

Emmitt, who I admire for his dedication to North Texas, and others may call me an apologist, but that is far from the truth. I believe I am a realist. I am old enough to realize that changes of the magnitude that North Texas needed to and still needs to make don't happen overnight. Unfortunately, we now live in a "I want it now" disposable society where many no longer have the patience to see things through that take time to change. I think back to where we were 10 or even 5 years ago and am amazed at the changes I have seen.

I grew up going to Fouts thinking it was the greatest place on earth. Then I visited other stadiums as I grew up and realized how poorly the administration at North Texas supported the programs I loved. The changes that needed to be made were monumental to say the least. North Texas never, ever asked alumni to give back. They only targeted a few with deep pockets that seemed to fund everything, everything but athletics. RV and AD's before him were told these people were off limits to approach for giving to athletics, but RV pushed and pushed until some of the walls finally started to fall. The current administration is the most athletic friendly in our history, yet some continue to criticize them for what they don't do. Again, where we are today compared to ten years ago is mind boggling to say the least.

Now, are we where we all want this program and university to be? No. Denton is still Denton meaning the majority still shoot down development every chance they get. They barely support the high school programs, two, Ryan and Guyer, that are incredibly successful and are filled with young men and women that are Denton's own, so naturally they still don't connect with NT. Will that ever change? I am beginning to doubt it, so let's go after the current students and young alumni and build support from within, which I think is the path NT has chosen.

I want nothing more than for North Texas to succeed and I hope 2013 is the year this finally happens. Let's all support this university and program the best each of us is able and continue to see great things happen at North Texas. Done.

Edited by UNTLifer
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Green59 Newbie

Green59

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Maybe I am getting old and cranky, but it seems like everything this program or athletic department does today is attacked in criticism or suggestions.

.

I agree with your post but the sentence I left in there really caught my attention. To some it is like the Athletic Department can do nothing right in every single decision they make. I am a short timer to follow the athletic program and I did not attend UNT so therefore I have not had to endure the frustration of so many losing seasons like so many of the long time followers. However, just in the six short years I have followed the teams I have seen many good things happen with facilities, conference affiliation, new coaching hire perceptions and feel like we are real close to having greater success in athletics.

Edited by Green59
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greenjoe Veteran

greenjoe

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I would like to see the Mean Green run onto the field.

I like Coach MaC. I like RV. I support North Texas with my presence and with what little money I have. Rain or shine. I am offended when people speak rudely about my University.

I would like to see the Mean Green run onto the field.

GO MEAN GREEN

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tylermeangreen Newbie

tylermeangreen

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I know that you have been a long time supporter of North Texas, both academically and athletically, but aren't we splitting hairs here? Someone would argue that by stopping at the goal line, it builds anitcipation, or someone could argue that by walking out in a "Swarm" as Green59 alluded to is too slow, while someone else would prefer they sprint out of the "tunnel" through smoke, touch Spiriki and keep on running to the sidelines. Maybe I am getting old and cranky, but it seems like everything this program or athletic department does today is attacked in criticism or suggestions. We love the uniforms, we hate the uniforms, the uniforms need to be tweeked, they should be replaced, recruiting sucks, recruiting is pretty good considering how we have performed lately, Benford sucks, the basketball players suck, start baseball, why waste money on baseball? and the list goes on and on.

Now, I want North Texas to succeed in every endeavor whether athletics or academics. I want every hire to be the right one. Honestly, the local and some national media were touting the Benford hire as a great hire, much better than SMU and geriatric Larry Brown, so RV wasn't the only one that might have been wrong in this hiring. Benford surrounded himself with years of coaching experience on the bench, yet still the results have been much less than expected. Is it Benford's fault? Is it the players fault? Who knows, but many people, posters on here included, loved this hiring when it took place.

A year ago everyone loved McCarney and what he was bringing to the program. From experienced assistants to a true strength program to building relationships with the high school coaches of our state, to reaching out to the alumni, community and students he could do no wrong. Then the 2012 season happened and it all changed. Could many not see that Dodge's "hail mary" of signing almost exclusively JUCO's in his last class was doing to the depth and senior leadership of this program, or are our memories and attention spans that short?

We rolled out new uniforms for the opening of Apogee and hosted Houston. People loved it and loved the uniforms although many wished the North Texas would have been replaced on the helmets. A year later people were complaining about the inability to fill the stadium even after seven straight losing seasons and bitched that we fell a few thousand short of capacity. Who should we blame? Let's blame RV, the only AD that has come to North Texas, spelled out his vision for the department and facility upgrades, and stayed around long enough to see this vision start to take place. He led the construction of Apogee and secured a $20 million sponsorship in the worst economy any of us have experience, save the few extremely old timers that lived through the depression. Under his watch we have also experienced the building of the Athletic Center, practice fields, tennis center, the purchase of the Liberty Christian property, conversion of this property to include an academic center, indoor practice facilities for softball and golf, a volleyball center, a soccer stadium, a softball stadium with sponsorship, the current construction of a dedicated basketball facility and the obvious near future construction of a baseball stadium. He also has on his future agenda a new track and field facility, possible center court for the tennis facility and an indoor practice facility for football. And let's not forget the introduction of tailgating to North Texas sporting events. Has he been perfect? No, but who is? Shanice Stevens was a disaster and surprisingly to many, so was the hiring of Todd Dodge, and Benford may end up in this category before long, but overall the man has accomplished much more than many of us ever thought possible.

Emmitt, who I admire for his dedication to North Texas, and others may call me an apologist, but that is far from the truth. I believe I am a realist. I am old enough to realize that changes of the magnitude that North Texas needed to and still needs to make don't happen overnight. Unfortunately, we now live in a "I want it now" disposable society where many no longer have the patience to see things through that take time to change. I think back to where we were 10 or even 5 years ago and am amazed at the changes I have seen.

I grew up going to Fouts thinking it was the greatest place on earth. Then I visited other stadiums as I grew up and realized how poorly the administration at North Texas supported the programs I loved. The changes that needed to be made were monumental to say the least. North Texas never, ever asked alumni to give back. They only targeted a few with deep pockets that seemed to fund everything, everything but athletics. RV and AD's before him were told these people were off limits to approach for giving to athletics, but RV pushed and pushed until some of the walls finally started to fall. The current administration is the most athletic friendly in our history, yet some continue to criticize them for what they don't do. Again, where we are today compared to ten years ago is mind boggling to say the least.

Now, are we where we all want this program and university to be? No. Denton is still Denton meaning the majority still shoot down development every chance they get. They barely support the high school programs, two, Ryan and Guyer, that are incredibly successful and are filled with young men and women that are Denton's own, so naturally they still don't connect with NT. Will that ever change? I am beginning to doubt it, so let's go after the current students and young alumni and build support from within, which I think is the path NT has chosen.

I want nothing more than for North Texas to succeed and I hope 2013 is the year this finally happens. Let's all support this university and program the best each of us is able and continue to see great things happen at North Texas. Done.

Thank you, Lifer - Absolutely great posting!

On this board we often encounter the "what did you do for me today" crowd (small in number but overly vociferous). Instead of appreciating where we were (like where we were when I first stepped on our campus in 1970, and for the 30 years thereafter), and the great number of sacrifices that have been made by so many to get to where we are today, these people instead criticize at every opportunity - constantly making negative postings about anything related to the FB program or the BB program or the AD or the university administration (and this is not directed toward you, greenjoe - I have read your postings for a long time).

Recently, I took one individual on this board to task for making, almost without fail, multiple negative postings on a daily basis about virtually anything athletic at UNT today. That person kind of toned it down - for about 3 - 4 days - and now he is back to his normal continual negativity. As I said in that posting, some folks just thrive on negativity - they cannot be happy if they are not bitching about something, and unfortunately for us, UNT athletics is the constant bitch of the moment for a small group of windbags.

I have said this before and it is the truth: If RV had not hired Todd Dodge I would never have returned to UNT for anything athletic-related. I gave to, and supported, the academic side of this university - I had given up giving to or supporting the athletic side after prior years of doing so.

Yeah, TD's hiring is generally accepted as a mistake for many reasons, but it was the "potential" that got me involved again in UNT athletics - the fact that RV and the overall UNT administration was beginning to make an effort to improve athletics for the first time in my days of association with this university - that is what caused me to get involved again.

Sometimes people like you, Lifer, have to remind some knuckleheads what it was like back-when, and how far we have come since Rick Villarreal stepped on this campus.

I am not an apologist for anybody or anything, but if I were, so what? RV has made some mistakes; who the hell hasn't?

Let me ask this: How many mistakes did those of you who are most negative about this program make - read my lips now - how many mistakes have you made over the last 10 years at your place of employment?

Exactly - the point has been made, provided you have honestly assessed your own history of decision-making!

Thanks again, Lifer, for a bit of sanity in this era of manufactured Mean Green negativity.

GMG

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UNTLifer Grand Master

UNTLifer

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I would like to see the Mean Green run onto the field.

I like Coach MaC. I like RV. I support North Texas with my presence and with what little money I have. Rain or shine. I am offended when people speak rudely about my University.

I would like to see the Mean Green run onto the field.

GO MEAN GREEN

greenjoe, my post was in no way, shape or form a shot at you. I think it just got me to finally put my thoughts on here. Carry on.

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