- We talked for quite a while about the Mustang Club and how to get more people involved.
My response was that winning cures cancer, but that we also need to make sure people have realistic expectations. Encourage people to stay involved, but the Club needs to stand up before the Spring Game, after the spring game, and before fall scrimmages and say things like "Keep your eyes on this guy, that guy and that guy during the scrimmage. They are outstanding young players and will help us move forward to be a better team in the future. But despite what you see tonight, SMU is going to struggle next year as we continue to grow. In two years, SMU will be a decent football team, but this year we are going to suffer some more growing pains."
The point is that honesty is best. Too many people actually thought we would win the Tech game, which is just absurd. We have to quell unrealistic expectations, and make people understand that it is a gradual process of improvement. The enthusiasm is nice, but those people were so upset after the Tech game, that they don't show up the rest of the year and don't give more money to the program.
- He encouraged me, and I encourage everyone else here, to not only donate to the Mustang Club, but to also donate to the new football specific fund. This is very important. Refusing to donate to the program does absolutely nobody any good. The money invested will go directly to recruiting and something else...
- There is a committee looking into establishing a new degree friendly to athletics. A new degree would have to be financially supported by the athletic department, which is why it is important that we donate to the Club. Apparently, even Rice has a degree like that. More on this later.
- We talked about Recruiting. I mentioned that I believe that this is THE MOST IMPORTANT RECRUITING YEAR since the death penalty. He said Bennett would argue that every year is important, but that he agreed it is important in order to keep up the momentum. He talked about some of the recruits and transfers. I will talk about that in a bit.
- I specifically talked to him about JUCOS, and why they are necessary right now. He said that Coach Bennett doesn't want to use a lot of JUCOS, which I said I agree with, but that right now we have a lot of youth in certain positions and need to plug holes in order to improve. He said they agree. I think that JUCOs could be used at C and RT, especially C because having a young C is a disaster, especially on a young line. He agreed. He said that SMU would love to go and get more JUCOs to fill holes, BUT, the problem is that a lot of people go to JC and then take 48 hours of PE, or other relatively easy courses, and we can't get them in. There are some, but it takes a lot of scrutiny. He specifically said that THIS is why we need to get the new degree program established. It helps us with high school recruits, but it will really help us get some JUCOs in to be able to plug some holes.
- He talked about a JUCO WR who reportedly has committed to SMU, and that we are going after a JUCO QB as well, but he doesn't know if we will be able to get more in.
- Right now, we have 9 'ships taken, and plan on giving a total of 18. Here are the 9: The 6 verbals, Munlin, Akinyemi, and then this guy Pryor I hadn't heard about. Bennett is enthusiastic about getting quality players to fill the remaining 9.
Munlin has been oustanding in practice. He and Massey are the real deal. In the scrimmages this week, Massey and Munlin have looked good, and Munlin has been playing FB!!!! That was news to me.
Akinyemi (AF transfer CB) has also looked very good. He is very strong for his position and had a great stick on Massey in the games. It sounds like he could be a starter as well.
The third guy, 9th 'ship is someone I had not heard about. Pryor I think his name is? Anyway, he is a DE. Frosh walk-on, paid his own way this year. Turns out, he played bball in high school and was offered by some D-1 schools. He chose to walk on and try football. He is rough but VERY skilled. 6-4, 240 something like that, with a big frame to grow. Coaches really think in a couple of years he will be a VERY special player. In other words, don't pencil him in for next year or anything, but keep the name in the back of your mind. He is number 97 if you get to practice at all.
Look for us to go after WR, Secondary, and O-Line in the remaining recruiting class. I would guess two at each of those positions, and add a QB, DE, and DT/LB.
- As far as other players are concerned:
We talked about Chris Phillips and how outstanding he played in the Rice game. Coaches are very confident in his abilities, but are still bringing in a JUCO, which of course is the right move for experience and stability. People can rip on the OC for the conservative play calling, but watching Phillips sling it around and then watching Tate toss a rainbow on an out and have it picked shows what the OC had to deal with the last couple of years. And please, that is not a rip on Tate, he has given everything for the program and is incredibly loyal and everything. But he just isn't a D-1 QB.
The running backs are going to very, very good next year with Munlin and Massey.
We talked about concerns on the O-Line. DJ will be at LT next year. Period. Turner and Eidson battle at Center. Urbanus will be at RT. Pevento and Boren will push for the Guard starting spots, although Keishnick and Harris will be starters going into the spring. The thoughts are that it is young, which will be a problem, but a very talented group of players. O-line and receiver will probably be the weak points on offense (again).
The coaches think we are set at linebackers and very excited about the young players there. Muse is awesome. If we didn't have senior linebackers, he was ready to start this year from day 1. Avery Cleveland they think will be very good, but isn't quite as polished as Muse. Might be ready for next year though.
Unfortunately we didn't talk about the rest of the defense, but obviously our concerns are in the cornerbacks (youth) and defensive ends.
- I talked about the coaches. I personally believe that Bennett should be given a long runway given the players available when he came in. And that the coaches need to stay in place to provide stability. He said that Bennett is safe and everyone on the hilltop knows the hard work that needs to be done. He even mentioned that there aren't a lot of highly recruited players in the upper classes (he practically quoted Stallion and I with some of the comments), and that the Department knows that, and they realize it will take some time to build the program up. They also realize that it is important to keep up momentum with recruits AND alumni. They are going to do their best to give people realistic expectations and give Bennett the opportunity to succeed - by building a stadium and other facilities, hiring the coach, putting A-turf in, lowering standards, etc, they have already begun that process. By extending those goals with Athletics-Friendly majors and spending more on recruiting, they hope to help out even more. And we can all do our part to get that stuff done.
We talked quite a bit about basketball and soccer as well, but since this is the football board, I will cut my post shorter.
So basically:
1) Give money
. For recruiting and the degree program. Chicken and egg - no money = hard to succeed, no success = no money. I give and will continue to give. P
