DMN article

[Pony_Fan]

How can we be THAT bad in so many categories? How many TD's did we have at this point last year?

They rank 116th in net punting (24.7 yards per punt), 112th in scoring defense (40 points per game), 109th in punt returns (4 yards per return), 103rd in turnover margin (minus-4), and 100th in pass-efficiency defense (a 145.5 rating).

[EastStang]

Let's see punting, you have our punts blocked how many times? Throughout the OSU game our punter was punting pop ups. No wonder that number is so low. Turnover margin obviously impacts points allowed.

[PK]

These numbers will get better as we get into WAC play. Not just because it is the WAC, but the competition will be a little closer in talent level and our young players will be getting more experience.

[OldPony]

You really think we could break Top 100? Do we have a power rating?
Blackistone is right. We have gone backwards and it sounds as if we will play a lot of freshmen who could have been redshirted. Special teams are unbelievably bad in all areas and that is not a talent level stat unless you are saying that there's no talent at all and that it is far inferior to what Cavan had his last 3 years. Something is going on that is affecting what talent that is there. I'm not saying we should beat a TT or OSU. I thought 5 wins would be very good and 4 very possible. It is how we are losing and by the margins that have me ready to call Dr. Kervorkian.

[Stallion]

must be a lack of fundamentals and gettin' the boys motivated or perhaps the well publicized September Malaise. It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that these teams have kicked the crap out of us in recruiting.

[OldPony]

Stallion- Do you really believe that a good high school couldn't be taught to get a punt off against Baylor personnel? I don't know what the problem is but something is bad wrong right now. Do you think the talent was better when Rossley took over? They could get a punt off and cover kicks most of the time. Did the talent all leave with Cavan? The basics were better on all special teams. You tell me but don't hide behind your one point on everything.

[Stallion]

the senior and junior classes presently at SMU were rated extremely low in recruiting in the high 90s in the country. But then again so have about 12 of the 15 classes since the DP. I'm really not surprised about the losses although I would have hoped we could have been a little more competitive. But remember we are something like 0-17 against Baylor, Tech and OSU under 4 coaches since the DP and most every game-in fact ALL OF THOSE GAMES except this year against Baylor have essentially been blowouts. 16 blowouts out of 17 games tells me its something a tad more fundamental than just coaching

[MustangStealth]

We're also 116th in scoring offense. Only Idaho, East Carolina, Notre Dame and SMU have scored 3 touchdowns and nobody has fewer.

[PK]

OldPony, what part of a broken thumb do you not under stand? He broke his thumb in the Baylor game, but went back in and kept punting anyway. Do you really want to risk getting Rushbrook's leg injured trying to punt too. Who's left.

Now our defense may not be the best, but we did limit OSU's running game to 56yds rushing and that is with them having a RB that is suppose to be pretty damn good. We had good defense against Baylor, a team similar in talent level to us. It's obvious that our weakest part of the defense is our DB's. KG is gone from last year and even last year our DB's weren't that great. If the WAC can put us up against a QB like Tech had or a reciever like OSU had...then we are still in trouble. There will be new faces in the comming games in the defensive back field. We will get better.

[Dement-ed]

And last year against Nevada, our defense held Nevada's high-powered offense (remember, they had Burleson then) to 10 points until the last couple minutes. We can play with the Wolf Pack. Will we win? Who knows. But we should at least compete.

[OldPony]

Stallion- I really can't figure this out. I agree, as I always have, that our talent level is not close to those competitors with the possible exception to Baylor. Baylor has more talent- just not to the degree of the others.
A broken thumb on the punter isn't the reason these kicks are being blocked. I would guess that we have at least 5 guys who punted in HS that can at least get a punt off. The coverage stinks also and the kicking game is also suspect.
I am wondering if we are trying to do things differently than before. I know the d-backs are playing a lot more man and aren't able to perform yet. We seem to be selling out to stop the run with little regard to the pass. Most anyone can stop the run if they don't care about the pass.
We are not as competitive as we were 2 years ago. Maybe it is because we have no talent in the jr and sr classes. I don't have the opportunity to see the Ponies play often living more than 500 miles away. Are our schemes more fitting of a talented team than in the past? ie Are we trying to do things that we can't do in hopes that the talent will catch up to the scheme or are we trying to do the best we can with what we have?
I believe Bennett is a good coach but did he bring too many HS coaches who didn't have the experience at D-1 in order to build recruiting?
I am somewhat reminded of Terry Allen at KU. The guy had no experience in the big leagues and actually thought he was getting good athletes because they were better than the ones he had a a lesser level. The trouble was that they still weren't good D-1 athletes. If I saw improvement in any area, I would be less disturbed.

[Stallion]

I really think one reason we have as many 30 point losses in Bennett's 15 games as in Cavan's 5 years is the difference in the defensive philosophies of Schumann and Bennett. Schumann played a bend but don't break philosophy while Bennett has a much more agressive philosophy. But to be fair to Bennett we hired him to coach based on his philosophy which requires a great deal of man-to-man coverage. If you get two shut down corners that allows you to really be agressive on defense because you can focus on stoppoing the run or use the freed up defenders to allow for numerous blitz packages. Although we hoped Garrett and Rutledge could fill that bill they have struggled. It sure exposes the weaknesses in your scheme when you don't get the play you were hoping for from your cornerbacks especially when you are playing All-American candidates like Nevada's Nate Burleson, Roshown Woods, and perhaps 2 of the top 5 passing offenses in Hawaii and Tech. On the recruiting trail I'm sure Bennett points out that the NFL is looking for kids that can play single coverage and that he can teach them how to it ala Terrence Newman. Hopefully, we got one in Jonathan Lindley. BTW we were always well coached defensively under Schumann/Cavan. Offensively, as Bennett admitted this week we have sometimes been dominated-and we need better quickness at every skill position-lucky we have recruits who accomplish exactly that-the difference in team speed even next year but especially the following year should be phenomenal.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 09-26-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 09-26-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 09-26-2003).]

[Pony_Fan]

Thank you Stallion for actually talking football rather than recruiting.

I think we all agree it is very obvious our recruiting has sucked for 15 yrs. I really don't think there is any need to reiterate that any more. Most of us don't understand the lack of fundamental play (i.e. special teams and basic coverages)

If we are too agressive on coverages, why not change to adapt to our weaknesses?? I don't get it...adjustments? If my friends 12 yr old kid knows what we are going to do..there is a problem.

[Stallion]

No, actually when I started pointing this out about 5 years ago on a previous message board I got just as much heat from outraged SMU fans who claimed that it was all Mike Cavan's fault and that we should be competing for WAC championships with the talent we had. You know who you are-although I'm sure you've changed your handles several times. Now a lot of you guys want to wipe away the BS that went on around here for the first 12 years and call "Do-Over" claiming that all things are now even since SMU made a commiment-guess what they aren't unless we are talking about Rice and Tulsa. SMU's program should show improvement in coming years-maybe even make a bowl game-but I am highly skeptical that it will excell at the level of expectation I have for this program-and that is simply winning championships, having ranked teams and competing and beating our natural and traditional rivals in TEXAS such as Tech's, TCU's, Baylor's, UH's and other reputable programs in the Southwest. After who cares if you beat teams like UTEP, Tulsa and Rice-it used to be expected.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 09-26-2003).]

[OldPony]

Thanks Stallion- Your explanation was one I thought might have been the problem. I liked Cavan defensively but not on the other side. I guess I got PO'd at him when he said the KU game was the greatest in SMU history and I never forgave him for his total lack of knowledge of our tradition. I think he was through as a recruiter and that new blood had to have a chance. At least Bennett has given us some life in that area and, hopefully, his first 2 seasons haven't killed the enthusiasm that was building around the program. Next year is EXTREMELY critical for recruiting and building. It will take more wins than 4 to keep that going next year. I am really concerned as to what the disappointment of this year's team will do. Let's all hope that he can get the wheels back on special teams and win 3 or more for the remainder of this year.