Sorry, a conference realignment thread

[PonySnob]

Basketball school..............

[StangEsq]

At skill positions (QB, WR and RB) we are really sketchy, and certainly below average even in a weak conference. Lots of "what-ifs". We are super thin at RB, banking on a freshman to make an impact (Gresham does look like a great fit). Hopefully Burcham matures quickly. We don't have any proven WRs (to me even Thompson is a question mark) although the freshman looked promising last year. Basically, we're extremely unproven at best all 3 skill positions. I'm just saying that 5 wins is about the most I can see happening, and 1-2 is the worst-case scenario (probably a lock to win at least Memphis or UCONN). I don't think we will get any respect from oddsmakers and we would not be decisive favorites going into the season vs. UNT, Tulsa or USF even though those are going to be relatively bad teams.

3-8 is not the nightmare scenario. We will be underdogs at UNT and probably USF by the time that game comes around. One win is the nightmare. This team is incredibly bereft of talent at this point, and it will be even worse next year barring some transfers for the next coach.

Look, anything under .500 is going to be a nightmare scenario for any true fan of SMU.

Even in our horrible year last year, we were .500 in conference.

But saying we are bereft of talent, that is going way too far.

DL is above average in conference. RB is above average in conference. S is going to be above average in conference.

Within the AAC, the big talent gaps are really at WR and LB (depth for LB). If we struggle at OL, QB, or CB it isn't going to be talent, it is going to be youth.

Looking at our schedule, I think we are 5-7 next year:
Balyor - L
UNT - W (they graduated a lot)
A&M - L
TCU - L
ECU - L
Cincy - L
Memphis - W
Tulsa - W
USF - W
UCF - L
Houston - L
UCONN - W

I suspect we might get destroyed early in the season. But when we get to the weaker part of the conference schedule, our OL, QB, and CB positions will be more experienced and will play better.

[FoxRaider]

It is beyond me how you guys are running in the red with all the money floating around Dallas right now.

I'm from Dallas myself, grew up here ... I just don't understand it. There are SMU alums everywhere in this city, a number of whom are doing well. Why don't feel emotionally tied to SMU?

As far as your coaching situation ... here is your list ...

Jake Spavital QBs/A&M
Doug Meachem OC/TCU
Adrian Klemm OL/UCLA
Dana Holgorsen (will be available, but has some warts) Soon to be former HC/WVU
Mike Norvell OC/ASU
Lincoln Riley OC/ECU
Glenn Spencer DC/OSU

I think Riley and Klemm would be your highest ceiling guys.

[Rebel10]

SMU gets 5 wins in conference and beats UNT to get 6 wins. The June lovers will rejoice in a .500 season and June will get to make another 2 mil while dividing the fan base and being aloof.

[sbsmith]

SMU gets 5 wins in conference and beats UNT to get 6 wins. The June lovers will rejoice in a .500 season and June will get to make another 2 mil while dividing the fan base and being aloof.

All while pushing SMU Football a little closer to death.

[ponyboy]

He's not staying past this coming season. Which is good and right. Let that sink in before you read the next thing I say.

Yes, I will rejoice if we go to another bowl game in 2014. I think we will. And we probably win it. That does NOT push us any closer to death.

[Rebel10]

He's not staying past this coming season. Which is good and right. Let that sink in before you read the next thing I say.

Yes, I will rejoice if we go to another bowl game in 2014. I think we will. And we probably win it. That does NOT push us any closer to death.

It will keep SMU mired in mediocrity with 40 bowls coming up. With less restrictions than any coach since the DP June should have done more. And he will stay as long as he can get 2 mil a year from SMU.

[ponyboy]

Hate campaigns must be exhausting.

[Big12Mustang]

Hate campaigns must be exhausting.

Hahahaha that's right!

Hate lemmings never get tired

[StangEsq]

Hate campaigns must be exhausting.

SMU football is exhausting

[SMU2007]

Hate campaigns must be exhausting.

Monitoring and responding to all anti June posts must be exhausting. You know, since you and probably 2 others are the only ones who think he's anything other than a big pile of horse manure right now.

[PlanoStang]

It is beyond me how you guys are running in the red with all the money floating around Dallas right now.

I'm from Dallas myself, grew up here ... I just don't understand it. There are SMU alums everywhere in this city, a number of whom are doing well. Why don't feel emotionally tied to SMU?

As far as your coaching situation ... here is your list ...

Jake Spavital QBs/A&M
Doug Meachem OC/TCU
Adrian Klemm OL/UCLA
Dana Holgorsen (will be available, but has some warts) Soon to be former HC/WVU
Mike Norvell OC/ASU
Lincoln Riley OC/ECU
Glenn Spencer DC/OSU

I think Riley and Klemm would be your highest ceiling guys.

Wooooohooooo Another 6 year experiment with a 18 - 52 result

[FoxRaider]

Hate to break it to you but every non-blue blood program is forced to hire guys that aren't a sure thing. Even the sure things don't work out sometimes.

Your program needs some excitement, youth. People will show up to see an exciting team that plays hard. You need someone whose product will put butts in seats.

You need a non-retread more than anything.

[ponyscott]

Right now our best bet is to lead the building and branding of the AAC. Do you think the BE teams at this point regret their choice when 5 AAC teams were in the Top 25 and two only BE teams in hoops? We will have teams in or near the following markets. Dallas, Houston, NY, Philly, DC, Cincinnati, Raleigh, Memphis, Orlando, Tampa, New Orleans, and Tulsa. Navy has a national fan base as well. With Maryland leaving the ACC in football and heading to the Big Ten along with Rutgers. We now will be competing for fans with the ACC, B1G, SEC, Big XII. The good news is that conference brand loyalty is gone. WVU hasn't found a natural rival in the Big XII. Maryland has to replace its rivalry with UVA and UNC with whom? Rutgers lost its rivalry with Syracuse and who will take their place? So, how do we do this? Win OOC games, its that simple. We play TCU every year. We play teams like Baylor, A&M, Tech. We need to win those games. Temple plays PSU and Pitt. Part of the Rutgers, BC, Syracuse deals was that they had to play games with UConn, Cincy, USF. UCF seems to get an SEC team every year. ECU gets an ACC team every year. Tulane gets LSU every year. Navy gets ND every year. The only way the conference survives is to raise the level of play and win our OOC game. If we can do that, then games will get viewship in these metro areas, fans will start to come to games, and then we'll be a threat to the Big XII, SEC, B1G, and ACC. When that happens, the Mafia way is to either whack the interloper (by raiding our conference) or the Machiavellian way to invite us to the table. Is it a dream, yes. But we have to play the hand we're dealt. Memphis, UH, UConn, Cincy, Temple, UCF, USF, ECU have very few recruiting restrictions. Tulsa, SMU, and Tulane have to please the faculty to some degree, but have lots to offer recruits.

Right on...exactly! Raise the level of play and let the cards fall where they may. SMU cannot afford to get beaten badly by our natural local matchups. ...it ALL starts with higher level recruiting with several 'difference makers' in each recruiting class.
That will commence with the next coaching regime.
Talking about SMU making a bowl game this coming year is a fools errand.. That talk comes from ponyfans on here who know nothing about football...nor have ever played the game.

[PlanoStang]

Hate to break it to you but every non-blue blood program is forced to hire guys that aren't a sure thing. Even the sure things don't work out sometimes.

Your program needs some excitement, youth. People will show up to see an exciting team that plays hard. You need someone whose product will put butts in seats.

You need a non-retread more than anything.

I remember when my Dad told me SMU with Hayden Fry had beaten the Raiders 8-7 by going for 2 after at TD late in the game

We fired Hayden Fry during my first year at SMU with a 7-4 record in 72. Our firing him just before the season ended against TCU in fall 72 resulted in us not going to a bowl game that year.

He'd been coach for about 10 years, and got us SWC champs 66, and win over OK in the Bluebonnet Bowl 69. Was very good with innovative offensive schemes, and QBs. See Chuck Hixson.

This situation is very similar.