Archives from SMU Jones Film Archives-Hayden Fry Interview

[No Quarter]

I was the last (35th or 38th) player to sign with SMU my year and I believe that was our largest class ever. UT and UA as comparison would sign a minimum of 60 ( I believe that was the limit then) and then use scholarships from other sports to add more. The SWC also had set minimum SAT scores. Required scores for anyone at SMU were higher and athletes had to meet the higher required scores.

And let me add, as I have posted before, although I know it was best for Hayden to be let go when he was, he was and is still one of my favorite people in the world. He provided me with continued scholarship after I was hurt which he did not have to do, which allowed me to graduate. He had promised me in the beginning he would do so if something were to happen (I was on a year to year deal) and he stood by his word. He is a hero to me.

Was there also some kind of a footnote to the recruiting limits Fry had that additional players could be signed if they were blue chips? I did not fully understand (or remember in detail) the article I read in Texas Football or maybe the DMN. In the earlier day when Arkpony and I were in school I think the numbers were more or less unlimited, at least by the NCAA. Bear Bryant may have brought in about a hundred his first year in College Station.

[Stallion]

I don't remember there being n NCAA scholarship limit until maybe the mid-1970s-once you start getting to 60 scholarships that's the same as no limits because that's 240+redshirts over 4 years for 22 positions or more than 10 for each positions, When did the book Meat on the Hoof (about the UT system of running players off) come out-that might have been what precipitated the need for limits on scholarships

[Charleston Pony]

Remember that Frosh were not eligible to play at the varsity level when there were no limits on scholarships. I remember that was part of Daryl Royal's strategy, i.e., to sign kids he knew would be 2nd and 3rd team just so they would not play for his competition

[No Quarter]

Remember that Frosh were not eligible to play at the varsity level when there were no limits on scholarships. I remember that was part of Daryl Royal's strategy, i.e., to sign kids he knew would be 2nd and 3rd team just so they would not play for his competition

I think a lot of schools did that - sign players as a defensive measure to keep them from going elsewhere and developing. One other thing happened at Alabama and perhaps elsewhere. Players who were good students were awarded academic scholarships to free up more athletic scholarships for those who did not score so well. That may have been one of Bear Bryant's innovations and I think the NCAA changed rules to end it.

[northtexsmu]

Actually, Coach Dave Smith's SMU Football record in the 1970s was a Winning record here of 23-19-2, which makes him one of the few coaches here to accomplish that in the last 60 years right ?

[No Quarter]

Actually, Coach Dave Smith's SMU Football record in the 1970s was a Winning record here of 23-19-2, which makes him one of the few coaches here to accomplish that in the last 60 years right ?

Well, if the WIKI is to be trusted seven of his wins were at Oklahoma State and he was 16-15-2 at SMU but 8-11-2 in conference play.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Smit ... ball_coach)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMU_Musta ... tball#1973–75:_Dave_Smith_era

[dcpony]

I'm digging Hayden Fry's jacket. 10/10 would buy a reproduction of that SMU jacket.