UNT introduced a new drill on the first day in full pads that involved full tackling. There was a running back, someone trying to tackle him and a blocker.
Pretty standard stuff for a college practice.
UNT has done similar drills in the past, but today's contact drills were more aggressive. Todd Dodge and Gary DeLoach said there would be more contract and tackling in practice in an effort to help this team become more physical and better at tackling.
DeLeon McCord missed his second straight day with heat exhaustion.
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Do you like that UNT's ultimatum is out there?
UNT head coach Todd Dodge acknowledged that he has been given an ultimatum - generally understood to be win seven games this season, or else.
The question is whether that helps or hurts UNT and everyone else involved in the process.
This isn't the first time UNT has been down this road. UNT fell of the pedestal in the Sun Belt a few years ago. Shortly after the 2005 season, Rick Villarreal met with head coach Darrell Dickey to talk about the direction of the program.
We reported that meeting would take place. A few days later, one of UNT's assistant coaches let me have it in the hall, staying that I had just killed recruiting that year.
I always find it interesting that it is never the bad thing that happened that kills recruiting, whether it is a poor performance on the field or something that takes place off of it, it's the fact that someone acknowledged the bad thing that happened.
Never understood that one.
The point is, there is something to be gained and lost here by putting a head coach on the watch list.
On the positive end of it, what UNT has done sends a message that the school has high expectations. That plays well with supporters and people who follow the program who have dreams of following the path of teams like SMU, Middle Tennessee and Troy up the college football food chain.
And it wasn't like people were not going to figure out that UNT needs to have a big season this fall to ensure no changes in the coaching staff take place.
On the other end of it, I frequently hear the argument that public mandates kill recruiting. Well, it certainly doesn't help. Guys want to know that the coach they commit to play for is going to be there when they show up for their freshman year.
And don't think for a minute the schools UNT recruits against don't point out the uncertainty of the situation in Denton.
I'm just not convinced players going through the process couldn't figure out where everyone stands without someone telling them
It's an interesting circumstance to consider.
Pretty standard stuff for a college practice.
UNT has done similar drills in the past, but today's contact drills were more aggressive. Todd Dodge and Gary DeLoach said there would be more contract and tackling in practice in an effort to help this team become more physical and better at tackling.
DeLeon McCord missed his second straight day with heat exhaustion.
___________
Do you like that UNT's ultimatum is out there?
UNT head coach Todd Dodge acknowledged that he has been given an ultimatum - generally understood to be win seven games this season, or else.
The question is whether that helps or hurts UNT and everyone else involved in the process.
This isn't the first time UNT has been down this road. UNT fell of the pedestal in the Sun Belt a few years ago. Shortly after the 2005 season, Rick Villarreal met with head coach Darrell Dickey to talk about the direction of the program.
We reported that meeting would take place. A few days later, one of UNT's assistant coaches let me have it in the hall, staying that I had just killed recruiting that year.
I always find it interesting that it is never the bad thing that happened that kills recruiting, whether it is a poor performance on the field or something that takes place off of it, it's the fact that someone acknowledged the bad thing that happened.
Never understood that one.
The point is, there is something to be gained and lost here by putting a head coach on the watch list.
On the positive end of it, what UNT has done sends a message that the school has high expectations. That plays well with supporters and people who follow the program who have dreams of following the path of teams like SMU, Middle Tennessee and Troy up the college football food chain.
And it wasn't like people were not going to figure out that UNT needs to have a big season this fall to ensure no changes in the coaching staff take place.
On the other end of it, I frequently hear the argument that public mandates kill recruiting. Well, it certainly doesn't help. Guys want to know that the coach they commit to play for is going to be there when they show up for their freshman year.
And don't think for a minute the schools UNT recruits against don't point out the uncertainty of the situation in Denton.
I'm just not convinced players going through the process couldn't figure out where everyone stands without someone telling them
It's an interesting circumstance to consider.
