Still Baffled...lets take a closer look

[Hoop Fan]

I think the Doh era is close to being on life support, i just don't see any reason to kill it somewhat prematurely. Nature will run its course is really my point. This is a mans career and livelihood we are talking about here. I am choosing to give him some public benefit of the doubt for a bit longer. He seems to have continued the SMU tradition of recruiting good kids (McCoy, Haynes, Nyakundi, Walker etc). I want to see these good kids turn it around and be part of a solution.

[PonyDoh]

I think the Doh era is close to being on life support, i just don't see any reason to kill it somewhat prematurely. Nature will run its course is really my point. This is a mans career and livelihood we are talking about here. I am choosing to give him some public benefit of the doubt for a bit longer. He seems to have continued the SMU tradition of recruiting good kids (McCoy, Haynes, Nyakundi, Walker etc). I want to see these good kids turn it around and be part of a solution.

exactly. It's either going to work or not, but we have some good kids in the program, and the talent is getting thicker. I have no idea if Doh can turn the corner or not, but I do know it's far too early to shovel dirt on corpses. This team really doesn't need to do that much to get him another year, if not more. All they have to do is take out the cupcakes, win one or two in Hawaii, possibly beat TCU, and come close to 500 in league play. He's not going to get canned for not making the CBI or whatever, where we have to pay to play. I've watched my share of CUSA ball early this year, and the league ain't great. Get the kids to play better, and we're right there.

In 3 weeks, USF will still only have 1 or 2 losses, w/quality wins. That's not a bad loss. If anything, we played them tougher then UVA, Davidson, UNC-W etc. South Carolina just beat them, on what was a home floor for USC. Not a bad loss

[DallasDiehard]

Doherty made his bed with this schedule...

Except for the fact that there is a lot of talk going around that Steve-O made the schedule this year, not Doherty.

[PoconoPony]

I think the Doh era is close to being on life support, i just don't see any reason to kill it somewhat prematurely. Nature will run its course is really my point. This is a mans career and livelihood we are talking about here. I am choosing to give him some public benefit of the doubt for a bit longer. He seems to have continued the SMU tradition of recruiting good kids (McCoy, Haynes, Nyakundi, Walker etc). I want to see these good kids turn it around and be part of a solution.

exactly. It's either going to work or not, but we have some good kids in the program, and the talent is getting thicker. I have no idea if Doh can turn the corner or not, but I do know it's far too early to shovel dirt on corpses. This team really doesn't need to do that much to get him another year, if not more. All they have to do is take out the cupcakes, win one or two in Hawaii, possibly beat TCU, and come close to 500 in league play. He's not going to get canned for not making the CBI or whatever, where we have to pay to play. I've watched my share of CUSA ball early this year, and the league ain't great. Get the kids to play better, and we're right there.

In 3 weeks, USF will still only have 1 or 2 losses, w/quality wins. That's not a bad loss. If anything, we played them tougher then UVA, Davidson, UNC-W etc. South Carolina just beat them, on what was a home floor for USC. Not a bad loss

What you have described is a .600 season which does not seem realistic at this point. I agree that Doh is safe for the duration of his contract. The reality is that the SMU Athletic Department simply cannot afford to fire him and eat one year of his salary and pay a new coach the same or more. He has an extremely tough job trying to create/revive a floundering program and recruiting is tough with so many colleges at the Div I level and everyone trying to find talent. He deserves to finish his contract.

The biggest problem is that, with one inherited now graduated exception, his recruits do not seem to improve. He does not appear to inspire them, they do not appear to respond positively to him, he appears inflexible and not able to adapt to the realities of the talent and skills in place, they do not appear to relate to him, they appear to fear him, mistakes are are rewarded with benching, they play tight, no one wants (dares) to step up and team leadership is lacking, losing causes stress and tension that keeps compounding itself with out release and leadership from Doh ( Contrast coaching styles with JJ who is always personally controlled, teaching, inspiring and positive with his kids even after bad mistakes and losses), no one appears to be have fun and enjoy the game and Doh does not appear to instill their confidence. Take the time to watch the body language of the kids during all phases of a game. The art of coaching is to inspire players, motivate and create conditions so they can learn, flourish and succeed. Major elements of positive coaching and inspiration are missing at SMU. Unfortunately, these missing elements mirror the issues and problems that resulted in the players revolt at UNC. At the same time, the players must accept their share of responsibility to show up focused, run their plays as designed, take personal responsibility for their own performance, play unselfishly and as a team. The season is young and yes there is time to turn things around; however, the coaching concerns I have voiced herein have been in place for a long time, are ongoing and I fear will not be corrected. Hence, I am not optimistic that this team will meet expectations and fear that a bad loss or two will cause a season long tailspin and malaise that Doh cannot correct for the above reasons.

[George S. Patton]

As I have mentioned I am done with Matt Doherty as the coach of this program. Style points against a lousy NAIA team matter. This is a team that should have been run off the floor in the first 7 minutes of the game.

What happens? You're holding breath inside the final minute.

This is completely unacceptable. If people out there are going to start explaining away these types of performances that would make any polyanna blush.

Indeed, the record is what many thought it would be through the first four. I also thought they needed to be 4-2 through this stretch before they hit the road. Against TCU, give me Christian over Doherty in the battle of wits. It was pretty embarrassing how made he Doherty look last year.

There just have to be a change. The only scenario for Doherty to save his job is by having an incredible season of pushing 20 wins and a winning conference record (Yep, I upped the stakes).

And we'll know where Doherty's future is by sometime in Janaury and if the talk for contract extension is non-existent, then consider us making a change in March and naming a new head coach in either late March or early April.

[angryfan04]

Forget comparing doh's coaching style with JJ's. JJ knows football; doh doesn't know basketball. We would be OK if doh just had a little bit of Dean Smith's knowledge - just a little bit, but he doesn't. He conned us.

[Lotus]

As I have mentioned I am done with Matt Doherty as the coach of this program.

Then why are you mentioning it again?

Indeed, the record is what many thought it would be through the first four. I also thought they needed to be 4-2 through this stretch...

You thought they needed to be 4-2 through the first four games? That would be impressive, and send the math department scrambling for their computers.

[George S. Patton]

Pardon me-6 games. And Lotus if the only thing you get your jollies off of is to attack my post as opposed lending something actually meaningful to the discussion then stop wasting our time and stay off the thread. Bring a little something. Pretty clear you're incapable of doing that.

[EP Pony Fan]

Take it easy. You really don't want to get into a debate about wasting time and posting inane comments on here.

[mustangxc]

Pardon me-6 games. And Lotus if the only thing you get your jollies off of is to attack my post as opposed lending something actually meaningful to the discussion then stop wasting our time and stay off the thread. Bring a little something. Pretty clear you're incapable of doing that.

Seriously, what did you expect their record to be through 4 games? I wish we were 4-0, probably could be at 3-1, but 2-2 is reasonable. I am not defending the way they played against Huston-Tulitson? but a win is a win. I'd like to see us beat TCU, but they are much improved. They took Arizona State to the last seconds of a game in Tempe. We need to play our best game to beat them. That said we may lose some like those but then grow throughout the season much like the football team that started off losing to Washington State and having a horrible game against SFA.

[PonyDoh]

Forget comparing doh's coaching style with JJ's. JJ knows football; doh doesn't know basketball. We would be OK if doh just had a little bit of Dean Smith's knowledge - just a little bit, but he doesn't. He conned us.

Here's a dirty little secret for you, Dean Smith is the most overrated coach in the history of sport. Try winning less w/that much talent.Doh played under Dean, coached under Bob McKillop & Roy Williams etc. That's a pedigree & resume. He didn't con anyone, b/c we all saw his teams at UNC for 3 or 4 years. Anyone that thought he was a brilliant bench mind is a moron. He was brought here to recruit, and hopefully elevate the talent level to where coaching isn't that big of a deal. Thus far, evaluation has been spotty, and we've brought some excellent players in, and more then a few that aren't going to pan out.

FWIW, firing Doh is going to be tough w/a 5 man class to fill in '11. They're going to give him the benefit of the doubt b/c of the increasing talent level. When the roster is stacked w/10 & 11 players, make a move, if necessary. If you pull the plug after this season, a whole new staff better be on board by the early evaluation period, cause you are asking a whole new staff to prospect and grab 5 kids in a 4 months stretch, or the program is going to hurt worse, for the foreseeable future.

[papawasamustang]

Forget comparing doh's coaching style with JJ's. JJ knows football; doh doesn't know basketball. We would be OK if doh just had a little bit of Dean Smith's knowledge - just a little bit, but he doesn't. He conned us.

FWIW, firing Doh is going to be tough w/a 5 man class to fill in '11. They're going to give him the benefit of the doubt b/c of the increasing talent level. When the roster is stacked w/10 & 11 players, make a move, if necessary. If you pull the plug after this season, a whole new staff better be on board by the early evaluation period, cause you are asking a whole new staff to prospect and grab 5 kids in a 4 months stretch, or the program is going to hurt worse, for the foreseeable future.

I'm not sure how the program can "hurt worse for the foreseeable future" if you bring in the right HC /staff. New coaches are hired all the time with multiple scholarships available.
My whole point is keeping Doh around hurts the program even more, if that's possible, than bringing a fresh approach in. You want to ride it out with Doh. I want to go a different direction.
Lets see how it plays out.

[SMU 86]

Doherty made his bed with this schedule...

Except for the fact that there is a lot of talk going around that Steve-O made the schedule this year, not Doherty.

I am sure Coach Don had major input no matter who made the schedule.

[PonyDoh]

Forget comparing doh's coaching style with JJ's. JJ knows football; doh doesn't know basketball. We would be OK if doh just had a little bit of Dean Smith's knowledge - just a little bit, but he doesn't. He conned us.

FWIW, firing Doh is going to be tough w/a 5 man class to fill in '11. They're going to give him the benefit of the doubt b/c of the increasing talent level. When the roster is stacked w/10 & 11 players, make a move, if necessary. If you pull the plug after this season, a whole new staff better be on board by the early evaluation period, cause you are asking a whole new staff to prospect and grab 5 kids in a 4 months stretch, or the program is going to hurt worse, for the foreseeable future.

I'm not sure how the program can "hurt worse for the foreseeable future" if you bring in the right HC /staff. New coaches are hired all the time with multiple scholarships available.
My whole point is keeping Doh around hurts the program even more, if that's possible, than bringing a fresh approach in. You want to ride it out with Doh. I want to go a different direction.
Lets see how it plays out.

Honestly, I could care less who's the coach, but I know the industry. You must give someone a fair shake at SMU after Tubbs, especially w/a profile guy like Doh. You pull the plug early, you look like Dan Snyder, except SMU is a notoriously difficult win, which makes it even sillier. What you are proposing, axing a coach before the last year of his contract, after only seeing 4 games this year, wreaks of being an impatient fan, nothing more. As an AD, are you covering the buyout? What about the marquee bucks it'll take to get a big time replacement, when you know JJ is going to want a raise soon? This is business, not some fantasy league. The recession laughs at buying a coach out w/a year to go.

Furthermore, our two losses have proven to be very solid teams, have very good OOC wins already, and SMU played them as well or better, then the high mid and high majors they've faced. Meanwhile, we have the best class, against the most proven competition, coming in 2010. We're very close to a verbal in '11 from a Top 20 player in Texas. That's right, Texas.

I'm not saying Doh is the guy, but I am saying we have to go through due diligence, and give any coach the proper shot. When a profile recruiter like Doh fails here, and gets axed a year early, it brings as many questions about the position and program, as anything else.

[mustangxc]

I totally agree with PonyDoh! Besides, Doherty himself was the first to say that this rebuilding job would take 5-6 years. I always preach patience. I am still glad we gave Bennett 6 seasons to prove himself, as there is no doubt that he was unable to get the job done at SMU.