04/16/24
November 28, 2010
North Texas Hires Dan McCarney as Coach: The North Texas Mean Green have hired Dan McCarney, who formerly led Iowa State, to open up the team's new stadium next fall as head coach. McCarney ended a 22-year bowl drought at Iowa State and beat state rival Iowa five times. He's currently the assistant head coach and defensive line coach at Florida.
As an Iowa fan, I can attest to his ability to get his team ready for rivalry games, at least.
The linked article doesn't mention it, but this is sort of a full-circle hire--Hayden Fry went from North Texas to Iowa, where McCarney was one of his assistants for many years. (McCarney also coached under Barry Alvarez, another ex-Iowa asst, as Wisconsin.)
Any reason why the right coach couldn't pull a Boise State/TCU at North Texas?
ps--Hayden Fry's coaching tree includes McCarney, Alvarez, Kirk Ferentz, Bill Snyder, Jim Leavitt, Chuck Long, Bob Stoops, Mike Stoops, Mark Stoops, Bo Pelini, and Bret Bielema. Not bad.
posted by Uncle Toby at 09:51 PM on November 28, 2010
I like the pick, and since I drive by the new stadium several times a week, and given that $16k of my money goes to the place yearly, here's hoping McCarney can turn the program around.
posted by dviking at 10:14 PM on November 28, 2010
As an Iowa State fan, loved Coach Mac and was sad to see him go when the time came. Far as I know, he was well liked and respected across the state. Except when he beat Iowa, which was just delightful. Good memories, there.
posted by boredom_08 at 12:25 AM on November 29, 2010
All of the SEC fanboys are lamenting the loss of Urban's assistant coaches. Apparently they were among the best in the game. Good for North Texas.
posted by NoMich at 08:28 AM on November 30, 2010
I hadn't heard of McCarney prior to his name popping up in the rumor mill last week, but I like that UNT has finally decided to value head coaching experience at the FBS level in hiring somebody. His success at Iowa State -- a pretty difficult place to win, given the Big 12 competition -- suggests he can build the Mean Green into a mid-major that's respectable. UNT has 36,000 students and is in the Dallas/Fort Worth media market. It should not be a perennial FBS doormat.