North Texas fired head football coach Seth Littrell on Sunday after seven seasons at the program’s helm.
Littrell was 44-44 with the Mean Green, reaching a bowl game in every season but one. UNT won nine games in 2017 and 2018 but did not have more than seven wins in any other season under Littrell.
When Littrell was hired in 2016, he stated his goal in his first season was to lead the Mean Green to a bowl win.
Littrell never accomplished that goal, as he went 0-7 in conference title/bowl games during his tenure at North Texas. Additionally, UNT was only 1-6 against arch-rival Southern Methodist University under Littrell.
The final game of Littrell’s UNT career came on Friday night when the Mean Green fell 48-27 to the University of Texas at San Antonio in the Conference USA championship game.
North Texas began this season 2-3 before winning four of their next five contests and currently hold a 7-6 record. Littrell’s contract was set to expire after the 2023 season.
The Mean Green accepted an invitation Sunday to face Boise State University on December 17 in the Frisco Bowl. Defensive coordinator Phil Bennett will serve as UNT’s interim coach for the game.
“After a thorough assessment of our football program, we decided to make a change in the leadership of our football program, effective immediately,” UNT President Neal Smatresk said in a statement. “We appreciate the many positive contributions Coach Littrell has made to our program. He has led the team with integrity and class, and we wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future.”
Littrell’s firing comes at a critical time in program history. Last week, UNT athletic director Wren Baker, who did not hire Littrell, stepped down to take over the same role at West Virginia University.
Jared Mosley, UNT’s associate vice president for athletics, is heading the athletic department in an interim capacity.
UNT is also set to join the American Athletic Conference this summer after a decade in Conference USA.
Smatresk pointed to that move in his announcement the school had moved on from Littrell.
“We will begin a search immediately to find the best head coach for UNT football. I believe we are positioned to be highly competitive in the American Athletic Conference,” Smatresk said.
“We have the benefit of a passionate fan base, great facilities and resources, and we are committed to excellence in football with a support system that is dedicated to developing elite student-athletes. We will be looking for a leader with the vision, energy, commitment, and organizational skills to elevate our program to a championship level.”
