Sonny to leave for Tech?

[indianmustang]

Even dallas mayor mentioned last week we need to extend sonny in a tweet

[SMU_Alum11]

I think Jason's views make the most sense. Our side might be saying, "look, beat Houston and we'll talk".

To add, Hart said on several interviews that his ultimate goal (for whatever reason) is to get a conference championship. If we don't beat Houston, I'll assume 1) Sonny's stock goes down 2) he didn't achieve an achievable goal this year.

I agree that Star telegram needs to be taken with a grain of salt but I don't really feel the investment from DMN. They're way too focus on the Big12/SEC. I think Hoyt has been one of our best beat writers from him unlike Sammy boy.

Hopefully and personally, it's Briles. Having Traylor off to the side help protect from other openings and let's face it Briles best opportunity is Tech. I did think it was interesting that the AD there was wanting to hold off saying who it is for fear of divisiveness.

[Water Pony]

Speculation and fear in most of these posts. Nothing is known.

Sonny will either stay or not. What am I missing?

[PonyTime]

I really thinks he's gone and feels he's taken SMU about as far as he could. The P5 allure of money/resources is really hard to turn down. Many point to the Cal experience, but I think that had everything to do with it being Cal rather than P5. I really hope I'm wrong but it seems Tech is a great spot for him ... he can bring all his Dallas ties with him ie recruiting etc. Think of the soft spot we all have for our alma mater. Well, Tech is his (and his father's legacy). His comments were very much what someone says when they're gone (ie "just focusing on this team, etc"). Why else would there not be an extension already announced? Well, it's because he's working out the details on the Tech job.

I SOOO hope I'm wrong.

If you were in his shoes and waiting on a renegotiation of your SMU contract, would you tell the media:

a) My wife and I love it here and we wouldn't even think of leaving

or

b.) Something more non-committal - like he did.

If he's smart (and I know he is), he is going to work SMU for the best deal possible. He needs SMU to think he may be a flight risk in order to land best deal possible with SMU. Kudos to Sonny for working the negotiation. Can't fault him for that at all.

[JBigginsSMU94grad]

Like everybody on here I hope that Sonny stays @ SMU and continues to build the football program and help us one day consistently fill Ford Stadium & likewise secure a spot in a P5 Conference in the near future in the Pac 12. The salaries, media exposure, fan interest, and television money are all much greater in the P5 so a G5 coach who needs his ego stroked 1st will be attracted to that & will bolt. However, Sonny appears to be humble, level-headed, & surely learned an important lesson when he left La Tech for Cal. The grass is not always greener as far as the support and patience of the administration despite the increased salaries. Schools in P5 Conferences have higher expectations than schools in G5 & P5 schools like TTech who fire coaches in the middle of the season especially a coach w/ a 5-3 record will have unreasonable expectations & will expect instant success despite the job requiring some level of a rebuild to compete for a Conference Championship. Bottom line is that Lubbock is hard to recruit top athletes from Dallas & Houston to because it is in West Texas which is not a hotbed of entertainment & night lift for young star athletes & TTech does not have a history of winning Conference Championships to offset its less than desireable location. TTech has historically been a middle of the road team in the SWC & Big 12 with few if any Conference Championships b/c they don't have enough great players bc of an inability to achieve elite-level recruiting due to the factors outlined above. Matt Wells was run out of Tech in less than 3 seasons just like Chad Morris was run out of Arkansas in 2 seasons. Sonny knows that he could coach SMU for the next 10 years & provide stability for his family as opposed to being pressured to win @ TTech while showing immediate Championship results in less than 3 years or face being fired. I hope he is just using TTech to negotiate a salary increase @ SMU for himself & his staff & remains on the Hilltop for the long term.

[SMU_Alum11]

Supposedly Jeff Traylor has made a comment, unlike Sonny, said that he and the UTSA's AD are working on an agreement. So it's Sonny vs Briles.

"Just like we do with everything else, we're honest with each other," Traylor said Wednesday during an appearance on San Antonio Sports Star 94.5 FM. We've been in front of this for a while. We expected to have a really good football team. Those kids all understand my Texas connections. Any Texas job that ever comes open, my name is probably going to be involved in it. We're way in front of this deal. My kids know I am very committed to this place. I am very excited about the future of our place."

https://247sports.com/Article/Texas-Tech-coaching-search-Jeff-Traylor-responds-to-speculation-of-Red-Raiders-targeting-UTSA-coach--173957234/Amp/

[redpony]

OK- Traylor is making a commitment. Any ideas who will be candidates if Sonny bolts?
Not many of his equal on the market.

This is also just another classic example of our AD (do nothing mental hernia) not being proactive. If we lose Sonny he should be fired the next day.

[tristatecoog]

Traylor’s comments don’t seem to say he’s staying and committed to UTSA. Just that they’re “way in front of this deal.”

[TidePony]

This^^^

[SMU_Alum11]

Traylor’s comments don’t seem to say he’s staying and committed to UTSA. Just that they’re “way in front of this deal.”

Well he did say "I'm committed to this place. I'm very excited about the future of this place."

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

"Dykes is expected to get the Tech job."

"Garrett Riley could be SMU's coach"

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/ ... 566352002/

[SMU_Alum11]

"Dykes is expected to get the Tech job."

"Garrett Riley could be SMU's coach"

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/ ... 566352002/

This seems to read way too much of "look at the Riley dynasty" but after Traylor looking to stay, this does feel more real.

If Riley however becomes head coach, I'll definitely consider dropping my season tickets and just say that admin really will do everything possible to screw this program over. Riley is in no way qualified to be a HC and his play calling has always been called into question. I rather give it to Leavitt over Riley but honestly would rather look for a better option in the market.

[PNW_Stang]

Leaving SMU right now for Tech because of your connections to it, reminds me of Frost leaving a great gig at UCF for Nebraska. Probably won’t turn out well due to being on the Great Plains, even if it’s more money and your alma mater.

[PNW_Stang]

"Dykes is expected to get the Tech job."

"Garrett Riley could be SMU's coach"

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/ ... 566352002/

That article also says Garrett has a lot of experience, which I wouldn’t exactly say.

[PNW_Stang]

I’ve been saying for a few years that I do think we can keep Sonny long term, but SMU will have to be proactive, aggressive, and willing to spend the money to hold onto him. However, I’ve also been saying SMUs football leadership (outside of Sonny and his staff), always seems to be inept and behind the ball. I have always assumed we lose Sonny because SMU won’t do what it takes to keep him and realize what he brings here. We will see, but I’m worried the extension, which has supposedly been worked on a while, hasn’t been announced yet. He doesn’t need to beat UH to prove his worth. He’s done that. We were the worst program in football for 30 years and we’ve been in the top 16 (coaches poll right now) 3 years in a row. Pay him what he needs to stay. Commit to the projects he wants committed to. Ensure we are doing everything to get into a better conference. UH was paying Holgerson $4 mil a year before they knew they were going to the big 12.

Our AD just sat on a committee that added two non-SWC Texas schools to our conference. I just don’t see us ever making a big boy football decision. But hope Hart/Turner/big boosters come through and give him what he needs. If we keep him I’ll assume we are committed to being a legit program. If we lose him I assume Sonny believes we aren’t committed - because he does want to be here, and in interviews his wife has given, so does she.