Sonny Supporters Unite Here

[SMU_Alum11]

I don’t see where Stallion said awesome recruiting but he did not leave the school in shambles like a June did. Got to give the team a year to get accustomed to the new system. 4 to 6 wins would be good next year.

Has Dykes been named head coach?

If he wins 4 games next year he should be fired immediately and Rick Hart along with him. I pray that doesn't happen, but with the talent on the roster, a 3rd year starting QB, 2 outstanding WR's, and a stable of 3 good RB"s, if you only win 4 games, that's your ceiling.

It's a lazy and uninspired hire to begin with, and while I hope I am proven wrong, I'm not holding my breath. He wan't even an on field coach last year. That to me is pretty telling.

+1

[Rebel10]

I don’t see where Stallion said awesome recruiting but he did not leave the school in shambles like a June did. Got to give the team a year to get accustomed to the new system. 4 to 6 wins would be good next year.

Has Dykes been named head coach?

If he wins 4 games next year he should be fired immediately and Rick Hart along with him. I pray that doesn't happen, but with the talent on the roster, a 3rd year starting QB, 2 outstanding WR's, and a stable of 3 good RB"s, if you only win 4 games, that's your ceiling.

It's a lazy and uninspired hire to begin with, and while I hope I am proven wrong, I'm not holding my breath. He wan't even an on field coach last year. That to me is pretty telling.

My goodness BOP. That’s kind of hard core.

[BRStang]

He will have 3 years. I am choosing to be positive and hopeful that in 3 years we are winning 8-9 games a year.

[SMU_Alum11]

I don’t see where Stallion said awesome recruiting but he did not leave the school in shambles like a June did. Got to give the team a year to get accustomed to the new system. 4 to 6 wins would be good next year.

Has Dykes been named head coach?

If he wins 4 games next year he should be fired immediately and Rick Hart along with him. I pray that doesn't happen, but with the talent on the roster, a 3rd year starting QB, 2 outstanding WR's, and a stable of 3 good RB"s, if you only win 4 games, that's your ceiling.

It's a lazy and uninspired hire to begin with, and while I hope I am proven wrong, I'm not holding my breath. He wan't even an on field coach last year. That to me is pretty telling.

My goodness BOP. That’s kind of hard core.

Hardcore? 4 wins is a joke. We have UNT and Hou Bapt along with a decent home schedule. I think Dykes might coach okay like JJ but he’s going to suck [deleted] in recruiting.

[H-E-B Mustang]

Mr Horsepower made some really good points. However, I would like to ask him if it was Freudian when he seemed to get our stadium confused with the Betty Ford Clinic.

[Mustang1980]

Mr Horsepower made some really good points. However, I would like to ask him if it was Freudian when he seemed to get our stadium confused with the Betty Ford Clinic.

No, the defense is in serious need of "rehab".

[blackoutpony]

I don’t see where Stallion said awesome recruiting but he did not leave the school in shambles like a June did. Got to give the team a year to get accustomed to the new system. 4 to 6 wins would be good next year.

Has Dykes been named head coach?

If he wins 4 games next year he should be fired immediately and Rick Hart along with him. I pray that doesn't happen, but with the talent on the roster, a 3rd year starting QB, 2 outstanding WR's, and a stable of 3 good RB"s, if you only win 4 games, that's your ceiling.

It's a lazy and uninspired hire to begin with, and while I hope I am proven wrong, I'm not holding my breath. He wan't even an on field coach last year. That to me is pretty telling.

My goodness BOP. That’s kind of hard core.

We play at UNT, Michigan, UCF, Uconn, Tulane and Tulsa and have home games against TCU, Houston Baptist, Cincy, Houston, Memphis and Navy.

I'm not sure what's hardcore about expecting to win more than 4 games against that schedule. Hell, Houston fired Levine because he "only" went 7-5 and 8-5 in his last two years. If he only wins 4 games, it shows what people were worried about and that it was a bad hire. Cut bait sooner rather than later.

And to reiterate, the last thing I want is for him to fail. I want to go 13-0 and be in the access bowl next year. I just know people that played for him at Cal, and while he was an awful fit from the get go there, and had to clean up the "thug" culture in that locker room, I have heard nothing that inspires me to believe that his hands off approach to coaching will be any different here. He checked out. And that's from players who actually liked him.

Hopefully he hires a kick [deleted] staff that'll do the heavy lifting for him, but this is just so weird to me all around.

[Mr Horsepower]

Mr Horsepower made some really good points. However, I would like to ask him if it was Freudian when he seemed to get our stadium confused with the Betty Ford Clinic.

Ha! Been calling it “Gerald J & Betty Ford Stadium” for a while now. Mostly ‘cause it helps to be hammered when you visit. (Plus, it’s ludicrous not to have named it after Doak.)

But I think like the “D is in dire need of rehab” line better now...

[SMUGradCox]

I don’t post on here a lot, read all the time. But I will say this (preemptive apology for being long-winded)...

I know Sonny’s family well, not him, but I knew his dad & I know his sister. They are really good people. & what I got from texts w/his relative I know best, he WANTS the gig.

What a novel idea, get a guy who KNOWS the situation & WANTS to be here.

I think, well, let’s say “confidently hope” that he won’t be shocked by the lack of butts in seats & understands that @ SMU you can’t rely on student turnout alone. 100% student body turnout would only fill ONE section @ Betty Ford Stadium.

* I would actually bet we get close to the same % student and LOCAL alum turnout as everyone else. But we have a TINY student body & many alums, like myself, live over 1,000 miles away.*

What you gotta do in Dallas is get DALLAS fired up. You do that by playing an exciting brand of ball (which Sonny does) & beating teams non-SMU people have heard of (which I feel like he knows).

I went back for a Temple game once, it was a shootout, tight game, etc...but most I talked to @ the game thought “Temple” was a JuCo squad from outside Waco.

All they know is we beat bad teams sometimes & routinely get smoked by our former SWC mates. If you’re not invested like us, why spend your Saturday on that???

Morris & JJ’s fatal flaw was ego. They thought they were these geniuses & were shocked when squeaking out 6 or 7 w’s against bad teams the locals had never heard of or really bad teams they had, didn’t have the gates over flowing with fans.

That simply does not work in Big D. (I’m reminded of buying $10 upper deck tickets to see my Spurs v Mavs before Dirk & sitting 10th row center.)

Do I think Sonny is as big a “splash” as June (pre-quit while still on the job) or Chad (Mission accomplished - when it totally is not)? No, but that might be a good thing.

A GOOD man, that KNOWS what he’s getting into, with TEXAS ties, not looking to jump in 6 months (he probably would be tempted by TTech, but coach Bro still has a lot of local support & their fans are delusional. They will be clamoring for Sabanesque hires, not Sonny)...

We just need to make sure we give him enough $$ for a top notch staff. Esp. Defense & Special teams. (& why not a HC in waiting, like Jank?)

& we must give him the support any Mustang deserves.

Finally, & I was thinking about making another thread just about this to get a feel from those still in town:

When are we gonna take care of the REAL problem? Gerald R Turner. He’s been there way too long, he doesn’t tell the truth, he’s just plain weak & he’s awful for athletics...I fear nothing will get markedly better until he is gone.

How can we make THAT a reality?

...told you I was long winded!

Excellent information and spot on. Most of the negative nancys on here don't know what they are talking about. I really don't know what I'm talking about, but I know that I don't know what I'm talking about. I just love SMU and can spot a group of lying ***holes (Chad and his boys) or a quitter (June) or a pretty good hire on paper (Sonny) when I see it. And I also know that our program is 10x better than what it was when I was a student. I would have absolutely KILLED for a hire like this when I was a student.

[SMUer]

We don’t deserve even one win

[SMU21TCU10]

I’m supporting Dykes and will wait and see what happens next year. But reading the article on rivals written by the Cal writer, he does sound a lot like June. Sounded like he’s a better recruiter, and I doubt he would quit on his team, but a lot was June-esque

[SMU_Alum11]

I’m supporting Dykes and will wait and see what happens next year. But reading the article on rivals written by the Cal writer, he does sound a lot like June. Sounded like he’s a better recruiter, and I doubt he would quit on his team, but a lot was June-esque

Fantastic! We know that’s a great strategy! He doesn’t deserve any criticism or concern.

[SMU21TCU10]

Excited to listen to his presser tomorrow.

[HarvCrimYaleBlue]

Via SMUMustangs.com:

"I can't tell you how excited I am to be introduced as the Head Coach at SMU. This is home and this is a program I grew up watching. I watched Mustang legends compete and I could always see myself putting on that iconic pony. Today, I'm proud to do just that.

Coach Morris did great things here and I am fortunate that I have been selected to take the foundation Chad and his staff put in place and take it to a new level. And, make no mistake - That is what we plan to do.

Our brand of football is fun. It's about excitement. We are going to score a lot of points - always have, always will - and we will balance our offensive production with defensive results. They say that 'Defense Wins Championships,' and we will look to build a championship-level defense on the Hilltop. One that attacks and plays downhill, just like our offense.

I want to thank President Turner, Rick Hart and the rest of the distinguished search committee. I could feel the passion in that room. I know we have great leadership here and great momentum as well.

This is a proud football program with a rich tradition. It is also a proud academic institution. I place great emphasis on both. We will set lofty goals for our program, but will keep our primary focus on improving every day in all phases on and off the field to ensure we build a total program and shape champions."

[SMU Pom Mom]

Based on the fact that Dykes came to Texas to wait for the new hiring season to start, I would bet you money that he and SMU have been in talks for months. SMU knew they might need a coach; Dykes wanted a Texas coaching job. The match seems pretty obvious. He might not be all that exciting, but he is competent, experienced, and smart. That's about all we should expect.