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Dixon can only keep avoiding us for so long. Moody or DMC, just play.

If both teams take care of business in the OCC, I could see a Top 25 match up at Ford. That would be a sellout.

SMU_Alum11 wrote:If both teams take care of business in the OCC, I could see a Top 25 match up at Ford. That would be a sellout.

We might need to think about adding the additional $99 temporary seating in the south end zone again.

DanFreibergerForHeisman wrote:

SMU_Alum11 wrote:If both teams take care of business in the OCC, I could see a Top 25 match up at Ford. That would be a sellout.

We might need to think about adding the additional $99 temporary seating in the south end zone again.

Haha no thanks on that. Doesn't look good. Just make the south end a giant bar and standing room or something.

Then again with everyone having a June Jones 6-6 mindset, this is all probably moot.

What does that last sentence even mean?

Charleston Pony and I among others have said in our early predictions that 6-6 is a logical forecast for the 2021 season. I guess rebuilding is unacceptable and we should perform as well or better after losing one of the best QBs in school history. It's always easy to throw shade at June Jones, despite him being one of the most successful coaches in school history. Since June Jones regularly got us to bowl games but wasn't able or didn't care to elevate the program beyond the Hawaii Bowl I guess that is the 6-6 mindset.

mustangxc wrote:Charleston Pony and I among others have said in our early predictions that 6-6 is a logical forecast for the 2021 season. I guess rebuilding is unacceptable and we should perform as well or better after losing one of the best QBs in school history. It's always easy to throw shade at June Jones, despite him being one of the most successful coaches in school history. Since June Jones regularly got us to bowl games but wasn't able or didn't care to elevate the program beyond the Hawaii Bowl I guess that is the 6-6 mindset.

We have a much tougher schedule next season (due primarily to having to play the tougher conference opponents on the road) and will be playing with a new QB so yes, I'm not going to predict an 8-9 win season and will be pleased if they can pull that off. As for the JJ comments, I'm on record as saying I appreciate what he did getting SMU to a point where we could at least become better than 6-6 "mediocre" and let's remember that the only time SMU has played in a conference championship game was during JJ's era. I was as disappointed as anyone with his failure to build on that. His ego got the best of him and I think he thought recruits would be lining up to come to him so he and his staff did the bare minimum to capitalize on that early success. If he had the work ethic of today's staff and even Chad's for that matter, we may not have experienced the slump we did. My prediction for next season was that this team could go anywhere from 4-8 to 8-4 but 6-6 seems pretty realistic with the schedule and the guys we have coming back. Hoping the transfer portal can raise my expectations before September but still need some key pieces, especially on D.

ponyboy wrote:What does that last sentence even mean?

If you have to ask, it's not worth explaining a fairly simple sentence.

To XC and CP, I'm always going to be bitter about JJ. From what I remember of his seasons, we won against below average to God awful teams and always lost to average and above teams. CUSA is a different (crappier) level then what the American has been. JJ had two things: barely beat TCU and won his bowl games (shivers remembering the army bowl in our own stadium).

Now with regards to 6-6, I think this is where Sonny gets criticism. He should of had a decent QB ready to take the reins. I get things are relatively tougher but if we want to be something we have to achieve 8 wins or better otherwise it looks like we are in serious decline.

SMU_Alum11 wrote:To XC and CP, I'm always going to be bitter about JJ. From what I remember of his seasons, we won against below average to God awful teams and always lost to average and above teams. CUSA is a different (crappier) level then what the American has been. JJ had two things: barely beat TCU and won his bowl games (shivers remembering the army bowl in our own stadium).

Now with regards to 6-6, I think this is where Sonny gets criticism. He should of had a decent QB ready to take the reins. I get things are relatively tougher but if we want to be something we have to achieve 8 wins or better otherwise it looks like we are in serious decline.

In regards to trajectory, we WILL need to do better than 6-6...BUT next year's schedule is daunting. If we are going to follow the model that TC-who demonstrated a few years ago, we will have to start beating tougher teams with consistency. We have only started to scratch the surface of "the next step" in the building of a culture of winning at SMU.

peruna81 wrote:In regards to trajectory, we WILL need to do better than 6-6...BUT next year's schedule is daunting. If we are going to follow the model that TC-who demonstrated a few years ago, we will have to start beating tougher teams with consistency. We have only started to scratch the surface of "the next step" in the building of a culture of winning at SMU.

Scheduling is key. In years we have TCU at home, we need to schedule another P5 program on the road (hopefully a Top 25 team even if they won't give us a return game). I'd love to get more home/home series with P5 programs of TCU's caliber or better, but until we solve our attendance issues that will be tough. I hate having to fill the home schedule with FCS patsies so I'm all for filling the schedule with home/home series with other G5 schools...one local/regional like UNT or La Tech or Arky St but games with Boise or BYU or even Coastal Carolina (if they remain tough) would be preferable to Southland opponents. We just have to be strong enough to win 6 games or more against tougher competition and we're not there yet.

OOC every year:
#1 TCU - every year no exceptions
#2 Any other B12 school
#3 Any one of SFA/Texas St/UNT/UTEP/UTSA
#4 Rotate a P5 or FCS school