Fundamentally poor

[SoCal_Pony]

4 and 2 at the break is where we had hoped to be and where we should be with this schedule. The disappointment I have, is in the performance last night. We have talked Ad nauseam how recruiting for the offense is a year ahead of the defense, but this is year three folks, Van Malone owns this defense...

Are you implying, Alex, that CM won’t take Van with him on his next gig.

[ALEX LIFESON]

4 and 2 at the break is where we had hoped to be and where we should be with this schedule. The disappointment I have, is in the performance last night. We have talked Ad nauseam how recruiting for the offense is a year ahead of the defense, but this is year three folks, Van Malone owns this defense...

Are you implying, Alex, that CM won’t take Van with him on his next gig.

When the head coach, refers to your defense as "unexcceptable"...two weeks in a row, the D-Coordinator should be concerned.

[PoconoPony]

I consider this team right on schedule for HCCM and 3 years of recruiting. Young, inexperienced, depth issues, slowly maturing, but making big progress. I have stated for the past 2 years that I would be happy with a 6 and 6 record obviously hoping to be surprised. My prediction was that next year we turn the corner and it is only then that our expectations can be raised. The real good news is that this team is acquiring talent and the offense has the tools to score and keep us exciting and competitive. This whole re-building thing is complex and takes time. We are making progress so patience is a must virtue.

[ponyboy]

This game was exactly what should have been expected. Lost on the road to Houston. Next.

[NavyCrimson]

I agree - Pocono. Never like to lose but overall they're playing very good considering what Chad had to start with. I'm more than satisfied.

[mustangfan4life]

Our linebackers and secondary need serious help. We can't stop the pass and we can't stop the run. Something needs to change!

[mrydel]

Our linebackers and secondary need serious help. We can't stop the pass and we can't stop the run. Something needs to change!

And those are 2 important aspects of defense.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

next year we turn the corner

Ha Ha....actually I agree with your post...but I tell ya what...I've been hearing "just wait 'til next year" for a very long time....Copeland and "The Commitment"....blah blah. Heck will any of us even be alive when it ever actually happens? If Chad leaves and we have to begin another rebuild....I may need some Xanax and Titos!

[mrydel]

When Chad leaves at least we will have a decent foundation from which to work. Every prior coach when let go seemed to have left us worse off than when they started. This time we will at least have a nucleus of a team upon to build. I would like to have Chad for at least one more year if possible but I sure do appreciate what he had done to date.

[smitty329]

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Every prior coach when let go seemed to have left us worse off than when they started.

Mostly true....since the death penalty have any SMU head football coaches that departed SMU ever been head coaches again?

I guess June Jones and Hal Mummy may be the only exceptions?

[SoCal_Pony]

Every prior coach when let go seemed to have left us worse off than when they started.

Mostly true....since the death penalty have any SMU head football coaches that departed SMU ever been head coaches again?

I guess June Jones and Hal Mummy may be the only exceptions?

I can kinda accept that every coach post-DP left us in relatively bad shape given the restrictions we self-imposed pre-tiki, although PB did leave some talent.

What tiki left us with was criminal.

Question for the Day -

Would you rather go 6-6 with a meaningless bowl game and lose CM or go 5-7 and keep CM for at least 1 more year?

[78pony]

Every prior coach when let go seemed to have left us worse off than when they started.

Mostly true....since the death penalty have any SMU head football coaches that departed SMU ever been head coaches again?

I guess June Jones and Hal Mummy may be the only exceptions?

I can kinda accept that every coach post-DP left us in relatively bad shape given the restrictions we self-imposed pre-tiki, although PB did leave some talent.

What tiki left us with was criminal.

Question for the Day -

Would you rather go 6-6 with a meaningless bowl game and lose CM or go 5-7 and keep CM for at least 1 more year?

For the good of the program - if the guarantee is we keep him at 5-7 - then 5-7 because I highly suspect in that case we will have a get a new D coordinator and HCCM will be major pissed, yielding an almost "I owe you guys better than this" mindset. Plus, I like the attitude and culture he brings so 1 more year of it would, I think, get us to a point where we can keep the momentum with someone new.

[mrydel]

I will take the bowl game because I feel it is a flawed scenario. Anyone that would take a 6-6 Chad will also take a 5-7 Chad.

[Black Horseshoe]

What about a hanging Chad?