Walk-ons

[No Quarter]

I don't think Fitzgerald was/is a walk-on. He was the last player signed by SMU if not the last D-1 player signed in the state of Texas according to posts the year he was recruited.

[Mickey]

Fitzgerald was on scholarship last year. He was the last player signed in the 02 reecruiting year.

what happened to several of last year's walk-ons? Following are no longer on the roster, and I think they all had potential to eventually see a lot of playing time.

Meacham,Pappas, Young, Brockington, Whittington

[Guest]

Arthur Whittington is on the roster, he's just changed his jersey number from 85 to 23.
I don't see the others listed.

[Sonic]

Young just recently quit the team. Coach Bennett had promised him a scholorship if he made 2nd team full back by the spring. Well, he made 2nd team and Coach still didn't give him a scholorship. Young then threatened to quit the team if he didn't get a ride so Coach Bennett offered him one. But for some reason Young still quit the team.

I don't get it. You ask for a ride, get one, then turn it down and quit. I hope he reconsiders.

[FloridaMustang]

What a jerk. I'm sure Bennett did all in his power to help the kid.

[Mike Damone]

Didn't the same happen with the 3rd string QB from last year? I forget his name. I think he just quit because he didn't get a scholarship.

[Corso]

Who was the third string QB last year? Ashton Nixon was playing WR, so that means .... Mark Hodges? Duke Hassan? Dan Freiburger?

[Mike Damone]

I thought it was a guy named Paul Tienert or something like that. Maybe I'm just crazy.

[Stallion]

BTW that's probably the reason they moved Derek Swofford to FB. Interesting I'd like to hear how that move is progressing. I've heard good things about him in the off-season workouts secondhand-then I noticed that this kid moved from OG and DE as a junior in High School to TB and MLB his senior year-then proceeded to rack up 1,157 yards rushing and 23 TDs-which would be rather average for a major college recruit except for the fact that he also played full time as a MLB where he racked up an incredible 167 tackles, 12 sacks and 6 Int. That rushing yardage looks pretty good when you realize that he probably never came off the field with those defensive stats. He adds some great size at the point of attack to go along with our more physical size at TE and the offensive line. He could be useful even as merely a blocking back but its good to see he does have some credentials as a RB as well. BTW based on the fact we got a few openings under the 85 man limit this year but very few to give for next year I suspect Young turned Bennett down because the understanding was that he would get a 1 year trial scholarship-just a hunch but under the circumstances its a good guess.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 08-12-2003).]

[FloridaMustang]

Still, Young would have been wise to take any scholarship. SMU is incredibly expensive without financial aid or scholarship money. My dad drives a 96 plymouth voyager minivan (mom has no car) and SMU told us that WE made too much money. Oh the irony. I loved SMU, but alas, I could only afford one semester on the hilltop without sucking my parents dry. Wish I was still there, and able to watch the games from the student section in Ford. Instead I'll just go to my second tier Florida public university and whine about how much I hate the SMU administration. **** the financial aid department, I say. But go Mustangs!

[Smuboy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by UNFMustang06:
<B>What a jerk. I'm sure Bennett did all in his power to help the kid.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
When Young walked on he was promised the next available scholarship. When one became available he didn't get it but was promised one if something opened up. Didn't happen. He was told that if he was on the two-deep at the end of spring practice he would scholarship. He made the two-deep but did not scholarship. The bar was moved again, this time until the end of two-a-days in August. Personally disillusioned but with high regard for his team and coaching staff, he quit last week--he was offered the free ride after his announcement. The staff handled his departure with class and none of the coaches think Matt is a jerk. If you knew him neither would you. I know that his family appreciates having been part of the SMU football program and will root for the Mustangs this fall.

[MustangFan]

I never met Matt, but I also heard he is a great guy who bleeds Blue and Red. Here's wishing him all the best.

[FloridaMustang]

If he bled blue and red, he would have taken the scholarship. Gimme a freakin break. Best of luck to the kid, but he still quit.

[StangEsq]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by UNFMustang06:
<B>If he bled blue and red, he would have taken the scholarship. Gimme a freakin break. Best of luck to the kid, but he still quit.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If what Smuboy said is correct, you can't blame him for not showing loyalty to the coaches when the coaches had repeatedly failed to do the same for him.

[DallasDiehard]

Stallion, I'm glad you mentioned Derek Swofford. Here's a kid who was a hotshot LB in high school, and then wallowed in relative anonymity when he first arrived. But after talking to a bunch of players, it sounds like he might have found his best position. One player said getting blocked by Swofford is like getting hit by Vic Viloria - it hurts. I'll take that any day from my FB.