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What Grade Would You Give to the Hiring of Sonny Dykes?

I gave it a solid B. I know you are upset SMU didn't do everything possible and more to keep CM but what are your thoughts?

I give it a B. It's certainly not a splashy "holy sh*t" hire. But I think all things considered it's a good move. SMU still has a ways to go before we're a strong enough program to attract a top name or a top emerging name.

But this "I'm cancelling my season tickets over this hire" movement is crazy. What were our other options that you know we had a definitive shot at (and don't say Traylor-- I like Coach Traylor but that would have been a very risky hire)?

C+

BTW you can change your grade if for example you see something like a assistant coaching staff or other criteria.

Stallion, how'd you grade it?

It's a solid B to me. I remember these boards a couple years back and how badly everyone wanted him. He had a semi-successful stint at a place that is notoriously hard to win (academic standards, shrinking athletic budgets, etc.), so I can't hold that against him much - BUT it does make the hire a bit less sexy.

I'm somewhere between a C+ & B-. I didn't really like how things ended at Cal, he had 1 foot out of the door for a while. Cal also changed the academic standards on him after he signed on (I think twice). Cal had some money issues, so it was a really tough on the AD to cozy up to boosters when Dykes was Trying to jump ship.

I didn't grade this high, but I am cautiously optimistic.

Comet wrote:It's a solid B to me. I remember these boards a couple years back and how badly everyone wanted him. He had a semi-successful stint at a place that is notoriously hard to win (academic standards, shrinking athletic budgets, etc.), so I can't hold that against him much - BUT it does make the hire a bit less sexy.

We recruited him to coach at a place that is notoriously hard to win (academic standards, shrinking athletic budget, etc.), so I can hold that against him.
Solid D

Probably the best SMU could do. I am free with it.

HubbaHubba wrote:

Comet wrote:It's a solid B to me. I remember these boards a couple years back and how badly everyone wanted him. He had a semi-successful stint at a place that is notoriously hard to win (academic standards, shrinking athletic budgets, etc.), so I can't hold that against him much - BUT it does make the hire a bit less sexy.

We recruited him to coach at a place that is notoriously hard to win (academic standards, shrinking athletic budget, etc.), so I can hold that against him.
Solid D

Not quite the same. Our level of competition is much lower than at Cal's. His connection to high schools, recruits, and coaches is also muuuuch higher here than in the Bay Area.

I hope I'm wrong, a C at best. My hope was to somehow retain Traylor as OC/HCIW and get a defensive coach. With Dykes, retaining Traylor to keep the offense going isn't as big of an issue as Dykes is a good offensive guy. Our biggest problem by far is our terrible defense. Dykes has never shown an ability to recruit a defense. Not only getting players, but in getting coaches. Both of his DC's at Cal were the worst in FBS in a major defensive stat every year. Read wikipedia on his years at Cal. This hire is the exact opposite of what we need. If his dad wasn't Spike Dykes, would he have ever been considered? Most of the hype he has had was more to do with name recognition than results, IMO.

It's a B hire. Find a recruiter and a d coordinator and we may have something.

Let's see what recruits he can scare up as he is so well connected and has been in neighborhood for the last year. He was a head coach waiting for a call over there in toad land. If he didn't, 6 months ago, have a list of recruits and assistants written on the back of a napkin he is a bust. Will know real soon. I'll be willing to raise his grade from a D if he was doing his assignments.

HubbaHubba wrote:Let's see what recruits he can scare up as he is so well connected and has been in neighborhood for the last year. He was a head coach waiting for a call over there in toad land. If he didn't, 6 months ago, have a list of recruits and assistants written on the back of a napkin he is a bust. Will know real soon. I'll be willing to raise his grade from a D if he was doing his assignments.

I wonder if he knew he was a quick call away from taking this job even a year ago. My suspicions are that Hart had talked to him to send feelers out when Chad was talking to Baylor. The fact that insiders have said that Dykes was our guy for a while makes me believe that he was aware that this could come. I'd hope he has been doing his homework. He has ambitions and he's got to understand that the ONLY way he will get up to where he wants is by making this a successful stint, otherwise its over for him.