Dan McCarney Era Begins

Dan McCarney (Yeah it’s a screen shot so what?)

Danny Mac can sure talk a good game, huh? I’ve heard that he can give a good performance at press conferences but I’d never seen one live. What got me was the ‘Why not North Texas?” speech.

Stirring.

The icing of course was the announcement that he is retaining Mike Canales, the fan favorite candidate for the coaching gig before Danny Mac got the job.

That tells me this guy is a good politician. I suppose you have to be if you get two FBS coaching gigs with a less-than-impressive win-loss record. That 56-85 record was a concern of fans and outsiders alike. In the first ten minutes he assuaged all concerns by:

A) Getting the guy people wanted over him (and chanted for) in Mike Canales
B) Talking about playing defense
C) Talking about improving the kicking game and ‘not just paying lip-service’ to it and D) Talking about UNT’s potential.

I’ll have to let it stew in my brain for a few days before I can form an objective opinion on it. Right now, I am drinking the Kool-Aid by the pitcher. I am a sucker for stirring motivating talks. They can be corny and full of bullshit but if they can find the right audience they can make some stuff happen.

North Texas is an underdog, consistently fighting it’s reputation as an afterthought. Half the time people don’t get our name right (Even Danny Mac almost called us ‘North Texas University’). If there was a school that could use a stirring speech about how we can do amazing things it is North Texas.

Danny Mac said that he and Mike Canales are similar in demeanor and philosophy, that he wants coaches and players with passion and the belief that they can really accomplish those championship and bowl game goals. If the reaction to Canales was any indication of what the reaction Dan McCarney will be it portends good things for lil’ ole’ UNT.

What can we expect …

on Defense?

Mac talked about defense as a priority. He mentioned how his time in the “profession” have given him lots of contacts and candidates for the assistant jobs. On the surface, this does not look like he means to retain DeLoach. It really depends on how you look at this. DeLoach has a pretty decent resume, and his retention probably hangs on Canales’ recommendation of him. It would be ideal to retain him to continue the progress being made on that end. However, if Mac can get a comparable guy or better? Then it really doesn’t mean too much to see him gone, other than the obvious sentimental ties.

He talked some about running ability and how every position on the field needs to be able to run. 

on Offense?

McCarney mentioned he and Mike Canales have similar philosophies and his love for mobile quarterbacks. That means we will probably see something similar to Canales’ offense with maybe a little Florida Urban Meyer mixed in. Not too much different here.

in Recruiting?

He says he has recruited Texas before, that his focus will be the Dallas/Fort Worth area and then other places as necessary. “It is about building relationships.”

That ability to run at every position? Well, that is where this comes in. Obviously he will be looking for guys that can run.

For the first class, he wants to fill it out with Juco guys. “Guys that can help us win a championship.”
It is big talk for a guy who hasn’t won much, but if he can win ’em over with his planned ‘Be a part of something’ angle he might be very successful.

in General?

He wants to fill the stadium on September 10th vs Houston. The plan is to reach out to all the frats and sorors (yeah I call ’em that, so what?), reach out to Denton, Dallas and Cowtown for fans.

So will it happen?

It is hard to say. Todd Dodge wanted UNT to be the preeminent university in this area. He made similar statements about ‘how it is gonna be’.  Lots of coaches can win in the media room. We will just have to wait and see.

(I am totally excited, however)

gmg