DMN: SMU at crossroads moment with football

[ojaipony]

I've said for a while it's too late. We simply didn't make the right moves in a timely manner, and now it's done. I guess there's always a chance for a miracle but if you're being realistic, we got to accept our fate. We need to put a majority of our resources in basketball.

I respect your opinion and have agreed with you on most issues. I disagree here, though. Things are always changing. We don't even know if the existing P5 will stay THE P5 in the next 5-6 years. Some of these conferences are down right terrible. Yeah, they have some names at the top but the rest are garbage. Take FSU out of the ACC and I'd like the AAC chances top to bottom. Big 10? Please. But I agree that we HAVE to take advantage right now! This coaching hire will tell the story. It's not about putting all the resources into bball. It's about LEVERAGE. And trying to get to the point where both bball and fball "pay their own way". We have the assets. If we don't nail it with this fball hire, then I agree with you.

[GiddyUp]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

[CoxMustangFan]

Ridiculous and small-minded. I get why fans would feel it's a lost cause: either you're "right" or you don't care that you were wrong! SMU shouldn't expect an invite any time soon, but it's amazing beyond words that a fan base with quite literally the best position for a P5 spot to fold his/her cards because the path isn't cushy and clear.

SMU will have to get of it's can and get going though...

I hope that is the case. I disagree that we are in the best position for a p5 spot. What are you basing that on?? SMU is a GREAT school but we have over 20 years of terrible fan support and a small student body. Look at the infamous UCF game in 2011 when we came into the game 4-1, coming off the huge upset of TCU and our first bowl win in 25 years, we maybe had 10,000 show up at Ford. Many people claim JJ never got over that, and it's hard to blame him. At that time we were rolling, led by a coach with as high of a public opinion as SMU will ever have. I'm not sure why anyone should believe fan apathy will ever change when it comes to SMU football.

As for being in the best position to move up to P5, are you basing that on quality of school and location? Can't Rice, Tulane and Temple make that same claim. Or public schools with great attendance and a large student body in UCF, San Diego St. And ECU?

I've formed the argument on why SMU is well positioned in many other threads. The fan base is the biggest issue facing SMU right now. We know it, so what? Love SMU, but many of the alumni are extremely impatient. They want that one hire or that one written check to get SMU to the promise land. It's going to take time. The Big 12 and ACC are literally frozen for the next 10+ years. Those two conferences will be the feeders for the next round of movement. Could it take 10-12 years for SMU to get there, sure. Will SMU perhaps have to fund an extra few hundred thousand to keep up with P5 player stipends, sure.

I really don't blame the average sports writer for not knowing what's happening in Texas, or Dallas, or at SMU. The average die-hard SMU fan knows the true story, which is why I scratch my head when I read/hear SMU fans not holding it together. There's a small group of schools (4-5) in really great shape. SMU is one of them.

[ponydawg]

we probably aren't going to pay the new coach anywhere near $2M.

Hope thats not true, the first list of OC's that have been written up for us make good money. Chad Morris makes around 1.3 million as an OC. So if you want him to come, we would have to be around 2 I'd think.

[SMU 86]

we probably aren't going to pay the new coach anywhere near $2M.

Hope thats not true, the first list of OC's that have been written up for us make good money. Chad Morris makes around 1.3 million as an OC. So if you want him to come, we would have to be around 2 I'd think.

SMT indicated that the CoC he knew said that they are prepared to go 2.5 million if needed.

[SMU1523]

I bet if you asked Mr. Hashimoto 10 years ago if TCU would be in the Big 12, he would have said no, no way. We have no idea what the future holds. I for one truly believe we will end up on the right side of this deal. We are committed to big time college sports and are not giving up anytime soon. We are going to bring in a big name and we are still a big market team.

[SMU1523]

Ridiculous and small-minded. I get why fans would feel it's a lost cause: either you're "right" or you don't care that you were wrong! SMU shouldn't expect an invite any time soon, but it's amazing beyond words that a fan base with quite literally the best position for a P5 spot to fold his/her cards because the path isn't cushy and clear.

SMU will have to get of it's can and get going though...

Couldn't agree more. Mr. Hashimoto writes this article with a tone of no hope. He clearly does not understand the volatility of the college football landscape.

[Harry0569]

this article is such a piece of [deleted] #hotsportstake

[SMU1523]

this article is such a piece of [deleted] #hotsportstake

+1

You had the balls to say what I was thinking...

[Ranger19]

We are at a crossroads with football. The next 3-5 years will determine where we land. The next coaching decision will be the most important one in the history of SMU sports. If we commit to a Chad Morris, commit to solid and outstanding recruiting, WIN our conference in football, we would be in a strong position to receive an invite to a P5 conference. The energy and success that LB has brought to basketball is a sign of how QUICKLY things can change. If we are the cream of the crop in the AAC in both football and basketball, we will be in good shape to pick up a solid spot IF any are available.

The window of opportunity, however, is closing quickly. If JJ had maintained the momentum of the 2011 season, if he had not flirted with ASU, if he hadn't gone flat the last 3 years, we could be building on the strong foundation that he was hired to create.

We CAN still do it. The opportunity is a good one. We simply have to be committed, focused and under the realization that we are close to our last possible chance to making this happen.

[JasonB]

WHat the author is not aware of is that we are committed to paying stipends and keeping up with the P5 schools from that aspect.

[SMU1523]

WHat the author is not aware of is that we are committed to paying stipends and keeping up with the P5 schools from that aspect.

Then I feel like the author should have done a little more research instead of writing a damning article.

[EastStang]

While we moved to late to get into this party. I do think that if we sustain solid records in hoops and make strides in football, we might get a bone. Why? Because the P5 conferences can't mess with March Madness. They know that is a non-starter. If SMU, UConn, Memphis, Cincy and Temple can knock on the door of the Final Four every year, that takes money out of the mouths of the P5 conferences, and makes our games more viable. Heck, I think the BE Catholic schools may rethink their aversion to us if we show the success we had last year on a consistent basis. The P5's put up with UNC, Maryland, UVA, Wake Forest, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, (and for the last decade UCLA) because they have success on the hardwood floor and sucked on the football field. Add in Louisville and probably WVA to that definition as well in the future. I know that was Pye's vision, but that's in my view the only chip left to play.

[Pony81]

I don't think the NCAA / P5 want to see college football shrink to 64 teams.
It makes CFB look even more semi pro than it already is.
Plus, what stops it from shrinking further.......

I don't see SMU dropping football nor should it.

[LA_Mustang]

WHat the author is not aware of is that we are committed to paying stipends and keeping up with the P5 schools from that aspect.

Are you certain we are committed to that?