UNT expected to name new AD in the next few weeks as anniversary of Apogee’s opening nears

By Brett Vito

Staff Writer

[email protected]

Published: 18 July 2016 07:18 PM

Longtime North Texas fan Tony Barone can’t help but feel nervous — and at the same time hopeful — about the future of the North Texas football program following the departure of Rick Villarreal this summer.

UNT has been searching for a new athletic director since Villarreal stepped down in June after more than 15 years in the job. The school is expected to introduce his replacement in the next few weeks...


Challenges for new AD

More than 100 fans who are anxious to see what is next for UNT athletics attended a meeting on June 27 at Apogee, where the state of the program was discussed. What transpired illustrated the challenges ahead for UNT’s next athletic director.

UNT hired DFW businessmen Michael Sicuro and Trip Kuehne to evaluate the program and report their findings to president Neal Smatresk and other school officials. The pair organized the meeting, where UNT boosters and fans aired concerns on everything from football scheduling to fundraising...


UNT has an annual series with rival SMU that its fans long wanted. Army and Memphis are also set to play in Apogee in the next eight years.

Those games aren’t enough to satisfy McKinney and other UNT fans who are upset that the school has played just five home games in two of its five seasons at Apogee. The Mean Green have also hosted only one team from a Power Five conference in that span...


http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/sports-he...sition.ece