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Seth Litrell Fired at UNT

The UNT athletic director just left for the same job at West Virginia. He did an exceptional job building facilities at UNT.

Now it looks as if UNT wants a clean slate for whoever gets hired.
 
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Damn UNT just played in the CUSA Championship game and fired their coach today because they are setting the bar high in football. UTEP is satisfied with their coach that has 4 losing seasons in 5 years. They fire their coach before their bowl game and UTEP is making rings for losing in a bowl game…🤷‍♂️
 
For all those who still think that university presidents don’t involve themselves with their respective athletic programs…

“Last year Seth Littrell was nearly fired, but North Texas won final 5 games to get bowl eligible. He needed to win 8 games this season & UNT president Neal Smatresk made the call w/AD Wren Baker now at West Virginia.”

“We” just happen to have back to back presidents who don’t/didn’t.
 
Damn UNT just played in the CUSA Championship game and fired their coach today because they are setting the bar high in football. UTEP is satisfied with their coach that has 4 losing seasons in 5 years. They fire their coach before their bowl game and UTEP is making rings for losing in a bowl game…🤷‍♂️
Apparently they have boosters that were behind this.

Good for UNT. They don't want to settle for mediocrity.
 
Just further proof that Senter is an awful AD and is okay with having sub-10k crowds for football games.

Attendance next year will be bad, just shows you they don’t care about the product they put out on the field.
This team had talent you could point to. But next year with the decrease in talent and experience, next season is going to be UGLY. Terrible decision not to let Dimel go now.
 
For all those who still think that university presidents don’t involve themselves with their respective athletic programs…

“Last year Seth Littrell was nearly fired, but North Texas won final 5 games to get bowl eligible. He needed to win 8 games this season & UNT president Neal Smatresk made the call w/AD Wren Baker now at West Virginia.”

“We” just happen to have back to back presidents who don’t/didn’t.
I'm fairly certain that no one on here has ever said that presidents of universities don't involve themselves with athletics. What people have however pointed out is that UTEP's president was not hired to be involved in athletics. She was hired to improve the academics of the university. Which she has done greatly! Don't believe me. Read over her state of the university addresses. Improving athletics is never mentioned. Can't find it for this year, but she didn't mention it this year either.

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2020

2021
 
I'm fairly certain that no one on here has ever said that presidents of universities don't involve themselves with athletics. What people have however pointed out is that UTEP's president was not hired to be involved in athletics. She was hired to improve the academics of the university. Which she has done greatly! Don't believe me. Read over her state of the university addresses. Improving athletics is never mentioned. Can't find it for this year, but she didn't mention it this year either.

2019

2020

2021
My rebuttal to that is by enhancing athletics she will bring in more money and prestige. Which means more money for academic ventures, which brings in better students.
 
My rebuttal to that is by enhancing athletics she will bring in more money and prestige. Which means more money for academic ventures, which brings in better students.
While I do agree with you that improved athletics would increase the funding in the athletic department. I'm just stating that that was never her charge. What she was charged with doing she is killing it at. The people in power see academics as the best path forward for UTEP. A higher educated community in theory brings higher paying jobs to the area. That is what they believe UTEP's responsibility is to the community.
 
ADs are hired and are evaluated by university Presidents. While Senter was hired by Natalicio, he reports to Wilson. Wilson evaluated Senter, and he received a promotion and increase in salary. By all accounts, Wilson thinks Senter is also killing it.

Can we say that the athletic department at UTEP is better off than it was 5 years ago? Where is the strategic vision? How about fundraising? We have been passed up by universities with similar profiles, and are clinging on for dear life with our current lousy conference affiliation. My question is where is the accountability? I guess the criteria for evaluating ADs is different at UTEP versus other universities.
 
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I dunno. Memphis and Houston, IMO, was and is still is the biggest loss to CUSA to this very day. I would’ve given him one more year because this was a Southern Miss type of move: Prematurely acted on for instant gratification, not discussed enough (with outside analysis) and not thought out. They’re UNT, not a bigger P5 program.
 
Littrell took North Texas to more than one bowl game. His teams have been on the plus side of .500. Dimel slid into one bowl on the back of a cake walk schedule. North Texas wants better than middle of the road, that's a positive, but will they invest in a coach that will be noticeably better than Littrell? They won't be C-USAs problem any more.
 
I'm fairly certain that no one on here has ever said that presidents of universities don't involve themselves with athletics. What people have however pointed out is that UTEP's president was not hired to be involved in athletics. She was hired to improve the academics of the university. Which she has done greatly! Don't believe me. Read over her state of the university addresses. Improving athletics is never mentioned. Can't find it for this year, but she didn't mention it this year either.

2019

2020

2021
There have been several people on here say that. The suggestion has been that the athletics programs fall purely on the AD. Not suggesting that you were one of those but you can be certain that more than one poster has said it.

There is a continuum along which presidents involve themselves with their athletic programs. Our president, and previous president, falls between the very little to none line.
 
Littrell took North Texas to more than one bowl game. His teams have been on the plus side of .500. Dimel slid into one bowl on the back of a cake walk schedule. North Texas wants better than middle of the road, that's a positive, but will they invest in a coach that will be noticeably better than Littrell? They won't be C-USAs problem any more.
They like to pretend they're the Texas of the north. They have no issues spending money. When they redid Littrell's contract he was among the top 5 highest paid G5 coaches.

I think they're pissed they missed out on Herman. That's the kind of hire that is expected of them.
 
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Littrell took North Texas to more than one bowl game. His teams have been on the plus side of .500. Dimel slid into one bowl on the back of a cake walk schedule. North Texas wants better than middle of the road, that's a positive, but will they invest in a coach that will be noticeably better than Littrell? They won't be C-USAs problem any more.

I find it interesting that NMSU goes to a bowl with a ‘cake walk’ schedule and it means they are an up and coming exceptional program.

UNT invested tens of millions in facilities, paid a coach 1.7 million, and is located in a recruiting hot bed.

If UTEP ever wants to be anything in Football, everything has to change from the top down.
 
Just face the obvious reality as I have. UTEPs administration along with past and current presidents just don’t care about their athletic programs! That is why we have to endure year after year of misery and mediocrity with little to no changes and no accountability. Athletics just isn’t a priority at UTEP like it is as other schools. Has anyone from UTEP expressed their frustration or attempted to do anything about UTEPs devolving conference affilations the last 10-15 years or their awful football program? And why haven’t you? CAUSE THEY DONT CARE! It really is that simple. This is why Senter remains AD and Dimel is still head coach. This isn’t calculus or differential equations folks.
 
Just face the obvious reality as I have. UTEPs administration along with past and current presidents just don’t care about their athletic programs! That is why we have to endure year after year of misery and mediocrity with little to no changes and no accountability. Athletics just isn’t a priority at UTEP like it is as other schools. Has anyone from UTEP expressed their frustration or attempted to do anything about UTEPs devolving conference affilations the last 10-15 years or their awful football program? And why haven’t you? CAUSE THEY DONT CARE! It really is that simple. This is why Senter remains AD and Dimel is still head coach. This isn’t calculus or differential equations folks.
Just look at Kidd Field, the home of 20x national champion track and field program. That place is in bad shape.
 
Just look at Kidd Field, the home of 20x national champion track and field program. That place is in bad shape.

Kidd Field would be the perfect place for an Indoor Football Facility that could house indoor Track.

Then relocate Track and Field to an off campus location like a Local High School and form a partnership program in which UTEP can build a Track Field house.

Kidd Field is Prime Real Estate for Athletic upgrades and shouldn’t be used for a fledgling Track Program.
 
Kidd Field would be the perfect place for an Indoor Football Facility that could house indoor Track.

Then relocate Track and Field to an off campus location like a Local High School and form a partnership program in which UTEP can build a Track Field house.

Kidd Field is Prime Real Estate for Athletic upgrades and shouldn’t be used for a fledgling Track Program.
They should have their meets either at Canutillo High or Socorro Athletic Complex.
 
They've gotten results in his 7 years. The difference between them and us is they're not satisfied with being a .500 program. We're striving to become a .500 team.
I was being sarcastic. I personally like Litrell and feel he wasn’t given a fair shake.
 
I'm fairly certain that no one on here has ever said that presidents of universities don't involve themselves with athletics. What people have however pointed out is that UTEP's president was not hired to be involved in athletics. She was hired to improve the academics of the university. Which she has done greatly! Don't believe me. Read over her state of the university addresses. Improving athletics is never mentioned. Can't find it for this year, but she didn't mention it this year either.
Athletics aren’t mentioned because she doesn’t give a shit about athletics. She is just concerned with padding her resume to move on. A good president ensures the university is excelling both academically and athletically. They are in ultimately in charge of all functions of the university. UNT’s president is telling their football coach win 8 games or your fired. Wilson is completely satisfied with her highest paid employee at the university underperforming and showing no improvement. Schools like UTSA, UNT, UAB etc. are passing UTEP because their presidents are also committed to improving athletics. Our presidents don’t give a shit and that’s why we are getting left in the dust with conference realignment.
 
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Athletics aren’t mentioned because she doesn’t give a shit about athletics. She is just concerned with padding her resume to move on. A good president ensures the university is excelling both academically and athletically. They are in ultimately in charge of all functions of the university. UNT’s president is telling their football coach win 8 games or your fired. Wilson is completely satisfied with her highest paid employee at the university underperforming and showing no improvement. Schools like UTSA, UNT, UAB etc. are passing UTEP because their presidents are also committed to improving athletics. Our presidents don’t give a shit and that’s why we are getting left in the dust with conference realignment.
Your issue is with the board that hired her. They are not looking for a President that's good at both. They're looking exclusively for a President that can improve the academics of the university and she is doing a great job at that.
 
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Your issue is with the board that hired her. They are not looking for a President that's good at both. They're looking exclusively for a President that can improve the academics of the university and she is doing a great job at that.
UTSA’s and UNT’s presidents were also hired exclusively to improve academics. But they are also committed to athletics. Like I mentioned earlier, UNT’s president gave an ultimatum to his football coach that has made numerous bowl games to win 8 games or get fired. UTSA’s president said he wants the same trajectory for academics also for athletics. These presidents have high expectations for all functions of their university. That’s why they are moving up and UTEP is withering away. Not only is UTEP athletics performing poorly on the field they are also performing poorly in the classroom because UTEP is dead last in CUSA APR rankings. But Wilson thinks highly of Senter…LOL. Athletics are part of her responsibilities because she is the AD’s boss. She resigned Senter when he has done a poor job an and should have been fired.
 
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UTSA’s and UNT’s presidents were also hired exclusively to improve academics. But they are also committed to athletics. Like I mentioned earlier, UNT’s president gave an ultimatum to his football coach that has made numerous bowl games to win 8 games or get fired. UTSA’s president said he wants the same trajectory for academics also for athletics. These presidents want all functions of their university performing at a high level. That’s why they are moving up and UTEP is withering away. Not only is UTEP athletics performing poorly on the field they are also performing poorly in the classroom because UTEP is dead last in CUSA APR rankings. But Wilson thinks highly of Senter…LOL. Athletics are part of her responsibilities because she is the AD’s boss. She resigned Senter when he has done a poor job an and should have been fired.
First, they weren't hire to improve education. They were hired to improve both. She was not. Also, APR is a measurement of progress. If a player leaves the school without graduating that digs the school regardless of that players GPA. UTEP athletes on the CUSA Honor Roll is at an all-time high. That is a far better measurement of improved academic success. You may think she's doing a poor job, but her bosses think she's doing an amazing job. At the end of the day, they are the only opinions that matter. She'll be here till she wants to move on.
 
First, they weren't hire to improve education. They were hired to improve both. She was not. Also, APR is a measurement of progress. If a player leaves the school without graduating that digs the school regardless of that players GPA. UTEP athletes on the CUSA Honor Roll is at an all-time high. That is a far better measurement of improved academic success. You may think she's doing a poor job, but her bosses think she's doing an amazing job. At the end of the day, they are the only opinions that matter. She'll be here till she wants to move on.
So why was Wilson only hired to improve education but UTSA’s and UNT’s presidents were hired to improve both? Lol. So they told her you will improve education but you can’t get involved in any way with athletics? I guess that’s why Senter was extended.
I never said she is doing a poor job on the academics side. She just has no expectations or accountability from her athletics department. She will just be a Natalicio 2.0 and athletics will continue to wither away while she is here.
 
So why was Wilson only hired to improve education but UTSA’s and UNT’s presidents were hired to improve both? Lol. So they told her you will improve education but you can’t get involved in any way with athletics? I guess that’s why Senter was extended.
I never said she is doing a poor job on the academics side. She just has no expectations or accountability from her athletics department. She will just be a Natalicio 2.0 and athletics will continue to wither away while she is here.
I never said told her to not try to improve athletics. I'm saying athletics was not a topic of discussion. If that was a condition of her employment she would have mentioned it at least once in her 4 State of The University speeches. Those speeches are a public address essentially to let her bosses know how she is doing. Maybe at some point she will take a hands on approach, but it's not very likely. She only cares about team GPAs. Right now they're the highest they have been.
 
Just curious. Is she not mentioning the state of UTEP athletics because it's in a piss poor state? I know in reviews for my job you typically don't highlight your shortcomings, but highlight only the things you excelled at.

I assume a State of the University speech is similar to a State of the Union address. If the economy is in bad shape you know damn well POTUS is not going to sit there talk about it on live TV for an hour.
 
Just curious. Is she not mentioning the state of UTEP athletics because it's in a piss poor state? I know in reviews for my job you typically don't highlight your shortcomings, but highlight only the things you excelled at.

I assume a State of the University speech is similar to a State of the Union address. If the economy is in bad shape you know damn well POTUS is not going to sit there talk about it on live TV for an hour.
I don't believe your assumption to be correct that you don't talk about trouble areas. You have to address the aspects of the job that you were hired for. Especially, if one of the aspects is not quite up to standard. You are bosses will want to know what are you doing to fix it. Below are the transcripts from former President Obama during one of the worst financial crisis this country has ever faced. If you read them you'll see he addressed the economy everytime. You don't get into elite positions of power by avoiding problem areas of what you were hired to do.

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