Side Show Joe
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Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
After watching SMU play their final home game of the season last night against Memphis, and since both have played there games for this week, I got to wondering how these two programs will match up over the next several seasons.
North Texas and SMU have a home and home series that runs through 2025. At this point SMU is up 3-2 in the current series, which restarted in 2014. The two programs first played in 1922, with SMU holding a lopsided 31-6-1 advantage. North Texas is beginning to invest more resources and money into their athletics, in a effort to compete at a higher level. Both universities are currently building indoor practice facilities and improving or updating other facilities.
Here is a comparison of where each football program stands today.
North Texas 8-3(Beat SMU 46-23)
SMU 5-6
North Texas- 23,395 average home attendance for 2018
SMU- 19,383 average home attendance for 2018
SMU- 53rd ranked recruiting class in 2018 (1st among G5)
North Texas- 57th ranked recruiting class in 2018 (4th among G5)
North Texas- $1.425 Million paid to head coach (11th highest among G5 programs)
SMU- ? (Known to pay $2 million to past coaches. If still paying in that range or higher, SMU will be among the top 10 within the G5.)
I think there could be several interesting story lines worth following between theses programs over the next few seasons, and the series could be among the most entertaining OOC G5 series to follow. Thoughts?
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11-17-2018 01:57 PM |
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Pony94
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Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
Ok
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11-17-2018 02:20 PM |
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SkullyMaroo
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RE: Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
(11-17-2018 02:20 PM)Pony94 Wrote: Ok
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11-17-2018 02:34 PM |
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Attackcoog
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RE: Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
It will be competitive for the rest of this season. Then Littrell will move on and N Texas will have to take their chances with another spin of giant G5 coaching jackpot wheel again. That silly wheel can make you or break you.
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11-17-2018 07:35 PM |
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Side Show Joe
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RE: Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
(11-17-2018 07:35 PM)Attackcoog Wrote: It will be competitive for the rest of this season. Then Littrell will move on and N Texas will have to take their chances with another spin of giant G5 coaching jackpot wheel again. That silly wheel can make you or break you.
Not necessarily true. Littrell has struggled down the stretch this season. Now, I don't know if he will get the kind of P5 jobs offer he was expecting at the end of the season.
And, even if he does move on to a more lucrative job, North Texas is paying much better then in the past. Littrell's salary ranks 11th among all reported G5 head coaching jobs. And, some of the larger donors at UNT have made it known that they could raise his contract to $2 million next season if he returns. With that kind of money, UNT can reduce the likelihood of gambling on lesser unknown commodities.
Don't get me wrong, we could still miss on our next hire, but with our new facilities being built, and higher level G5 compensation, the likelihood of North Texas falling back into mediocrity is doubtful.
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11-18-2018 03:29 PM |
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Phlipper33
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RE: Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
Graham Harrell would appear to likely take over should Littrell leave, he’s been the offensive coordinator all three years under Littrell. I do think Littrell should stay another year as this year hasn’t been as good as hoped for, although they can still get to 10 wins with a bowl victory.
I could definitely see Littrell as a candidate for Texas Tech should that job open up, he was their RB coach about 10 years ago.
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11-18-2018 03:36 PM |
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Side Show Joe
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RE: Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
(11-18-2018 03:36 PM)Phlipper33 Wrote: Graham Harrell would appear to likely take over should Littrell leave, he’s been the offensive coordinator all three years under Littrell. I do think Littrell should stay another year as this year hasn’t been as good as hoped for, although they can still get to 10 wins with a bowl victory.
I could definitely see Littrell as a candidate for Texas Tech should that job open up, he was their RB coach about 10 years ago.
Texas Tech and Kansas State seem to be the most likely positions for Littrell.
If he does leave, I agree Harrell makes sense from the standpoint of keeping continuity. Mason Fine and all of his starting receivers will be returning for their senior seasons. Plus, we have one of the highest rated G5 recruiting classes coming in. Those kids want to know the coaching staff they are signing to play for is going to be there.
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11-18-2018 03:59 PM |
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SMUmustangs
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RE: Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
I would think Todd Graham would be a good fit for North Texas.
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11-18-2018 05:54 PM |
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Side Show Joe
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RE: Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
(11-18-2018 05:54 PM)SMUmustangs Wrote: I would think Todd Graham would be a good fit for North Texas.
If we were to lose Littrell, I'd hope we would give Phil Longo, the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss a long hard look. The guy produces very high powered offenses, and has Texas ties, having coached Sam Houston State.
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11-19-2018 10:32 AM |
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Attackcoog
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RE: Tale of the Tape: North Texas vs. SMU
(11-18-2018 03:59 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote: (11-18-2018 03:36 PM)Phlipper33 Wrote: Graham Harrell would appear to likely take over should Littrell leave, he’s been the offensive coordinator all three years under Littrell. I do think Littrell should stay another year as this year hasn’t been as good as hoped for, although they can still get to 10 wins with a bowl victory.
I could definitely see Littrell as a candidate for Texas Tech should that job open up, he was their RB coach about 10 years ago.
Texas Tech and Kansas State seem to be the most likely positions for Littrell.
If he does leave, I agree Harrell makes sense from the standpoint of keeping continuity. Mason Fine and all of his starting receivers will be returning for their senior seasons. Plus, we have one of the highest rated G5 recruiting classes coming in. Those kids want to know the coaching staff they are signing to play for is going to be there.
I’m already seeing his name come up in sepeculation on several jobs. As for that recruiting class, those transition classes typically fall apart when a staff leaves. I do think the investment N Texas has made in facilities is making it a better job than it used to be—so more hard charging up and coming coaches will be attracted to the job.
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11-19-2018 12:13 PM |
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