Assistant Coach Pay

Mean Green 93-98 · February 25, 2014

Its always been my belief that the administration feels this way because the clear majority of students, alumni, faculty, administration, and Denton citizenry feel that athletics at UNT is a waste and takes away from music, arts, and education. I cannot disagree with this mindset more, and I know it has gotten better in the last decade or so, but there is still a huge majority that is anti-UNT Athletics.

I disagree. A huge majority is apathetic with regard to athletics; but it is a very, very small minority that is actually anti-UNT athletics. Admittedly, they are a very vocal minority, but small in number.

GreenMachine · February 25, 2014

Good point! You don't go from 400 to 150lbs overnight! But she is better at 200 than she was at 400. When she hits 150 she is dumping you!! So you better start looking for an another 400lb girlfriend !!!

150? Only if she's 5'11".

TIgreen01 · February 25, 2014

Failure to buy out contracts when it is painfully clear the coach is failing. From Dodge to Stephens to Benford, this is a pattern. Our peer Southern Miss fired a football coach after one season when it was clear he was a terrible failure. We refused to do the same in basketball and then had our own AD basically blame the players before the start of this basketball season.
It's a mindset that we seem to have a very hard time obtaining in our administration. One gets the feeling that they have to be drug kicking and screaming to fund athletics properly, and still look to find any way possible to cut corners and do it on the cheap.

Its always been my belief that the administration feels this way because the clear majority of students, alumni, faculty, administration, and Denton citizenry feel that athletics at UNT is a waste and takes away from music, arts, and education. I cannot disagree with this mindset more, and I know it has gotten better in the last decade or so, but there is still a huge majority that is anti-UNT Athletics. Its why we have kept bad coaches (and ADs) around when its obvious they aren't the right fit.

Where is all this money going that you guys think isn't being spent on athletics?! Seriously, this bit is old and tired. Look at the facts. We pay our coaches in line with what is competitive within our own conference. We've had 3 or 4 Presidents in a row now who publicly support athletics. We have a pro athletics board of regents. As someone else pointed out earlier, we are starting to dig out of a deep hole. We have made undeniable progress in the past 5 years...and honestly, it really doesn't matter who got the ball rolling. Would you be griping about our administration still not being on board if a deep pocketed alum walked in and doubled our budget overnight? "But the money isn't coming directly from our admin!" Yeah, I bet not.

Harry · February 25, 2014

I'm going to be honest I want to see them say they are bumping Mac as well as the assistants. If that makes me greedy so be it!

eulessismore · February 25, 2014

Good point! You don't go from 400 to 150lbs overnight! But she is better at 200 than she was at 400. When she hits 150 she is dumping you!! So you better start looking for an another 400lb girlfriend !!!

Hugging and a chalkin'

FirefightnRick · February 25, 2014

Let me say this again, since it keeps coming up again and again. You cannot hire a decent FBS level coaching candidate for less than 5 years. It rarely if ever happens and only under unique circumstances. So you can rightfully criticize the selection of a particular coaching candidate, but you can't criticize them for the length of the contract. It's a market driven issue, and it affects every school in FBS not just North Texas.

.

Well since it keeps coming up.....I'll remind again that you certainly CAN find "decent" coaches for less that 5 years.

I posted a list of the schools who hired new coaches between 2008 and 2013 that also allowed web access to their contracts, and showed that 14% of those reporting the deals did in fact find coaches who would accept less than a 5 year deal, all of whom were thought to be "decent" or better at the time I suppose?

And the MOST INTERESTING SCHOOL ON THAT LIST?......UNLV, who found their guy for 3 YEARS in 2011.

Anyways, considering all that, and the frugal approach UNLV took to funding their travel expenses to the HOD bowl as reported here: http://m.reviewjournal.com/sports/rebels-fell-dallas-bowl-game-could-break-even-fiscally,...and,...all may give us some insight as to why Smatresk's arrival has been followed by campus audits and 3 resignations so far?

Rick

Edited February 25, 2014 by FirefightnRick

MeanGreenTexan · February 25, 2014

150? Only if she's 5'11".

36-24-36? Only if she's 5'3".

untjim1995 · February 25, 2014

.
.
Well since it keeps coming up.....I'll remind again that you certainly CAN find "decent" coaches for less that 5 years.
I posted a list of the schools who hired new coaches between 2008 and 2013 that also allowed web access to their contracts, and showed that 14% of those reporting the deals did in fact find coaches who would accept less than a 5 year deal, all of whom were thought to be "decent" or better at the time I suppose?
And the MOST INTERESTING SCHOOL ON THAT LIST?......UNLV, who found their guy for 3 YEARS in 2011.
Anyways, considering all that, and the frugal approach UNLV took to funding their travel expenses to the HOD bowl as reported here: http://m.reviewjournal.com/sports/rebels-fell-dallas-bowl-game-could-break-even-fiscally,...and,...all may give us some insight as to why Smatresk's arrival has been followed by campus audits and 3 resignations so far?
Rick

The thing about hiring Benford was that it was bad for two reasons--if he did well here, I have very little doubt that he was going to be hired by Tech to come home and coach his alma mater. If he sucked, then you have what you have, which is 3 more years of paying for sorriness. That's why I wasn't all that onboard with the hire. We were going to be a stepping stone very fast if Benford had anything. But, instead, he has very little as a head coach, so we are stuck.

TIgreen01 · February 25, 2014

I'm going to be honest I want to see them say they are bumping Mac as well as the assistants. If that makes me greedy so be it!

I'm right there with you. Don't get me wrong...being competitive now, and staying competitive requires us to increase the budget to keep up with the market. I think the past 5 years is evidence that we will do just that.

Army of Dad · February 25, 2014

The thing about hiring Benford was that it was bad for two reasons--if he did well here, I have very little doubt that he was going to be hired by Tech to come home and coach his alma mater. If he sucked, then you have what you have, which is 3 more years of paying for sorriness. That's why I wasn't all that onboard with the hire. We were going to be a stepping stone very fast if Benford had anything. But, instead, he has very little as a head coach, so we are stuck.

Being a stepping stone to major conference jobs isn't a bad thing. It does bring its own problems like having to find quality coaches on a more frequent basis, but they should be easier to find if they see a rising program when thu apply.

Wag Tag · February 25, 2014

I'm right there with you. Don't get me wrong...being competitive now, and staying competitive requires us to increase the budget to keep up with the market. I think the past 5 years is evidence that we will do just that.

I was very surprised that a defensive backs coach and recruiting co ordinator only made $63,000. They better all get raises and coach Wintrich needs a big bump!

untjim1995 · February 25, 2014

Being a stepping stone to major conference jobs isn't a bad thing. It does bring its own problems like having to find quality coaches on a more frequent basis, but they should be easier to find if they see a rising program when thu apply.

Oh, I agree whole-heartedly on that statement. If I were the AD, though, and I was choosing a coach, I wouldn't have hired a life-long recruiter who wasn't known for x's and o's, and just happened to be a graduate of a school in my state that has superior resources to hire him away just by saying "Come Home." I have no problem hiring a coach, like Danny Kaspar, Steve Shields, or Bob Marlin and watching them succeed and take an AQ job. But I wouldn't have hired any of them if there was another university in the region that would be ready to pounce if said coach showed even a bit of success because that was their alma mater and would be an easy choice. Not one part of that scenario I just mentioned would have made Tony Benford an attractive hire, even beyond the fact that he was a recruiter, primarily, and had never even been a head coach anywhere before. Just too risky.

Harry · February 25, 2014

Oh, I agree whole-heartedly on that statement. If I were the AD, though, and I was choosing a coach, I wouldn't have hired a life-long recruiter who wasn't known for x's and o's, and just happened to be a graduate of a school in my state that has superior resources to hire him away just by saying "Come Home." I have no problem hiring a coach, like Danny Kaspar, Steve Shields, or Bob Marlin and watching them succeed and take an AQ job. But I wouldn't have hired any of them if there was another university in the region that would be ready to pounce if said coach showed even a bit of success because that was their alma mater and would be an easy choice. Not one part of that scenario I just mentioned would have made Tony Benford an attractive hire, even beyond the fact that he was a recruiter, primarily, and had never even been a head coach anywhere before. Just too risky.

His ability as a recruiter is what made him attractive and frankly he has sort of lived up to that. He's landed some guys like Combs who would have been coveted by Johnny and Forrest as well. He's also made some mistakes, especially in regards to big men. I think Gaines is a decent player when healthy but he may have been damaged goods. Coleman has been a bust. I hate to say it but Flash has been a bust. Voss was a decent pickup but he's way outsized in the post. TJ Taylor has had his moments but has not been consistent. When you combine that with the fact that CJ has in many ways regressed since Benford's arrival you arrive at where we are. We have no consistent post play, we aren't good on defense and while the shooting has improved it is still very inconsistent.

FirefightnRick · February 25, 2014

Yeah,..anyone paying attention to what another guy known for recruiting has done,..having to replace three seniors from last years' team, including the two top scorers in his FIRST D1 HEAD COACHING JOB and has his team getting first place votes and just outside the top 25?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sfa-escapes-70-68-win-032637706--ncaab.html

I have no idea how many years he was signed for after replacing Kaspar last April, it doesnt seem to be listed ANYWHARE. But it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he signed for less than 5?

Rick

Edited February 25, 2014 by FirefightnRick

FirefightnRick · February 25, 2014

Yeah,..anyone paying attention to what another guy known for recruiting has done,..having to replace three seniors from last years' team, including the two top scorers in his FIRST D1 HEAD COACHING JOB and has his team getting first place votes and just outside the top 25?
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sfa-escapes-70-68-win-032637706--ncaab.html
I have no idea how many years he was signed for after replacing Kaspar last April, it doesnt seem to be listed ANYWHARE. But it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he signed for less than 5?
Rick

Just spoke with a reporter for SFA and confirmed that despite historically offering 2 year contracts for first time head coaches Underwood recieved a 5 year deal at $175K plus incentives last April.

Rick

MeanGreenTexan · February 25, 2014

Just spoke with a reporter for SFA and confirmed that despite historically offering 2 year contracts for first time head coaches Underwood recieved a 5 year deal at $175K plus incentives last April.
Rick

Yeah, but he obviously did not have to deal with a locker-room-poisoning NBA talent. <_<