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Sonny Dykes (18), SMU. He’s won 26 of his last 32 at SMU, including all six this season. Dykes is as Texas as frontage roads and lizard-skin boots. He’s tried the West Coast and Pac-12 once, and that won’t happen again. But if LSU opens and gets to a second tier of candidates, Dykes could wiggle his way into the conversation. LSU got a taste of pyrotechnic offense in 2019, and it tasted good. (Granted, a Dykes hire would require athletic director Scott Woodward to go against his own tendencies, which is to hire big names at staggering prices.) https://www.si.com/college/2021/10/11/u ... idates-lsu

Have to expect competition for Sonny's services with the success he's had and he might be concerned about whether recruiting success can be sustained if SMU is black balled from competing at the highest level

This is why Billy Embody said recently that SMU needs to get him an extension and a big one. 1) to show him our commitment and to keep stability of the recruiting classes. 2) we need to be cognizant that while recruits and players say they're committed to SMU they're committed to the staff and that transfer portal is a double edge sword. 3) if we lose Sonny now, it would be a very difficult search to replace him and we could use the extra money from the buyout to entice another coach.

Hopefully those who have the wallets and control are paying attention and committed. If there's a funds issue, we need to get a gofundme page exclusively for Sonny's extension.

Charleston Pony wrote:Have to expect competition for Sonny's services with the success he's had and he might be concerned about whether recruiting success can be sustained if SMU is black balled from competing at the highest level

You’re very good at presenting negatives. And I don’t mean that as a cutdown - I always pay attention to what you write. I bet you hold on to your money.

DMN has just now piped in with a "Will Sonny Stay?" article. I'm not linking to it, it's nothing but speculation and confident quotes from Hart that the plan for SMU Football and SD remains in place. Hopefully it does.

ponyboy wrote:

Charleston Pony wrote:Have to expect competition for Sonny's services with the success he's had and he might be concerned about whether recruiting success can be sustained if SMU is black balled from competing at the highest level

You’re very good at presenting negatives. And I don’t mean that as a cutdown - I always pay attention to what you write. I bet you hold on to your money.

Sometimes I hate being a "realist" because I get depressed by the situation SMU is in right now, although I've seen it coming since the breakup of the SWC. Once cable TV and ESPN came into college sports our small (and spoiled) fan base has been a huge hurdle to overcome. I've got too many former classmates who are sports enthusiasts, but are "bandwagon" fans when it comes to supporting SMU sports. They came out for the Pony Express years and for the Larry Brown era, but just won't support our programs at the level we've played for most of the post death penalty era.

My work caused me to leave Dallas (after 24 years) for the Carolinas in the late 80's and have been a modest Mustang Club contributor since that time but yes, fell in love with this part of the country and I've held onto enough of my money to be very comfortable in retirement. Before leaving Dallas, I was a season ticket holder and one of "the 1500" who attended football and bball games no matter who the opponent. I just wish SMU had about 25,000 hard core local fans but that would require a large number of T-shirt fans that we don't have, probably because of the "elitist" reputation the school has.

I just hope SMU can hold onto Sonny & his staff and that the players who have committed remain committed. I hope SMU remains an attractive option for P5 transfers who have helped build the program to what it is today. Unfortunately, I'm not wealthy and I'm not in a position to be a "difference maker" for SMU athletics, but I will not join others who are critical of those who have contributed heavily in an attempt to keep our programs relevant. It has to be frustrating to pump big bucks into a program so few seem to be interested in supporting.

Game Changers...

NCAA Rule Change NIL
BOLD program
DALLAS is SMU - Mayor and City Council are selling as it is good for both. Just and FYI: Last I heard 73% of those at SMU get financial assistance. I did, and my daughter did as well.

Bball, Football, Sack Club, Mustang Club. For the amount of money I make, I should give less but SMU has given me and my family much more than an education. It is more like an extended family.

God's Peace
G

BUS wrote:Game Changers...

NCAA Rule Change NIL
BOLD program
DALLAS is SMU - Mayor and City Council are selling as it is good for both. Just and FYI: Last I heard 73% of those at SMU get financial assistance. I did, and my daughter did as well.

Bball, Football, Sack Club, Mustang Club. For the amount of money I make, I should give less but SMU has given me and my family much more than an education. It is more like an extended family.

God's Peace
G

My story as well.

God bless those folks that gave years ago...those professors that put up with much of my less-than-enthusiastic self.Fortunate to have been given the chance and am forever grateful to be a Mustang.