A Bye Week is the best time to fire your Head Coach...

... And so is the year prior to facility enhancement.  That's exactly the case with Todd Dodge and the North Texas Mean Green.  After being one of the best Head Coaches in Texas High School history, Dodge was hired in 2006, and has won just 6 games since at North Texas.  Battling an insane amount of injuries this year certainly hasn't helped his chances, and has led the way to a 1-6 start.  However, I'd argue the team has actually played above expectations, injuries considered.

If you're North Texas, what did you really expect?  Dodge was making just 200k per season, and when compared Nationally..... Well, there is no comparison nationally.  There are 100 FBS coaches (Out of 119 teams) that make 375k or more per season.  On top of that, there is not one offensive/defensive coordinator in any of the "BCS Conferences" (Pac-10, Big 12, SEC, etc) making less than that 200k number.  Long story short, the Mean Green weren't shelling out their savings account to hire a head coach back in 2006.

So is it fair?  They gave Dodge time to build his program, and regardless of his terrible fate with injuries, the team simply didn't win.   With an $80 million stadium on the way next season, they've gotta do something to get the fan base excited for the future, don't they?

The Mean Green Basketball team has won 20 games in four straight seasons, they are the defending Sun Belt Conference Champions, and ironically they pay Head Coach Johnny Jones that exact same 200k salary that Dodge received.  UNT spoiled by the success of the Basketball program?  Maybe. 

The athletic department must realize that there aren't many 200k-coaches out there that are going to turn in championship seasons at North Texas, or anywhere for that matter.  So can Todd Dodge blame Johnny Jones for spoiling the department with his success?  Sure, I'd accept that beef.

Moving forward, what does this mean for the football program this season?  Already in shambles over an array of key injuries, starting their fourth-string QB,  now they'll be coached by a 1st-year offensive coordinator, Mike Canales.  Tough luck, I guess. 

I'll say this, North Texas' next game is against Western Kentucky, who is currently holding a monumental 26-game losing streak.  The hilltoppers have yet to win a game against another FBS school since joining the FBS in 2008, and have lost 32 straight against FBS opponents overall.  BUT....