Disappointment: “Failure to fulfill the expectation or hope of…” as defined by the ever faithful Merriam-Webster dictionary. Disappointment – Football season, as defined by SMU fans every year.

Both definitions evoke emotions that, when felt, tug at the very foundations of one’s soul. But for the SMU fan, the latter is a sensation that never seems to cease with each passing fall.

Once again, we Mustang fans entered into the new season with renewed hope and understandable excitement … after all, “June Cometh.”

June Jones and his staff are helping to change the culture at SMU by going after top recruits assumed in years past to be out of SMU's reach (photo by Webmaster).

Well, June ‘cameth’ … and so did July, August, September, and so on, with the by-now-inevitable familiar disappointment of another football season. Why then should we lovers of SMU football still look through our rose-colored glasses?

The answer, as it turns out, is because once again we look to “June Cometh.”

For this SMU fan, I would like to tell you what makes me excited for next year and the following years to come. No longer are the three letters S, M, and U viewed as a pariah in the recruiting rat race, Instead, recruiting is on a level now not seen for practically a generation.

In the past, more specifically, during the previous six seasons leading into the ’08 changing of the guard, it seemed that SMU viewed itself as inferior from a recruiting standpoint. Unfortunately, I witnessed this backseat approach after the 2005 campaign while coaching at a high school here in the DFW area. A Mustang football coach came to our campus checking out the potential recruits — of which we had many — and in my very biased opinion all would have been wise to choose the Hilltop. However, this, of course, did not happen.

This particular coach and I were in the weight room watching the kids lift and talking about various football-related topics. One of our seniors walked by, a very large defensive lineman who was being recruited by the universe, and the coach nudged me, asking, “what’s the word on this guy?” After telling him that Miami just offered a few days before, he replied with a frustrated chuckle and suggested that there was no point in bothering with him.

To say I was angry at the lack of pride would be an understatement. I argued that it was worth the time trying, and SMU would never get what it needed in order to be successful if those superior players were not pursued with the hope of maybe snagging one here and there. Yet the coach was not interested with giving it “the old college try.” As far as he was concerned, the kid was too much of a big recruit for the Mustangs, and the perpetuation of SMU football inferiority was continued. Why not try???

Three years later, and where is SMU football now? This program is reaping what it has sown over the years. It seems that Mustang Nation, until recently, has listened to the petty majority and took a step back while watching the big bullies charge in and steal the prom queen. Having seen instances such as this, the bleak outlook was a cause to reflect my desire whether to continue following SMU football. But then … not so fast, my friends. As the indomitable SMU marketing machine said … ”June Cometh!”

It is like a breath of fresh air, having seen these coaches who now are taking their turns at building this program on the recruiting trail. No longer is SMU football watching the prom queen go out with the big man on campus. The new demeanor is of one that would suggest we have punched the big boys in the mouth and are in the process of taking over the whole freakin’ prom!!!!!

It is exhilarating to see and hear that Coach Jones and his staff aren’t watching the highly recruited players go because the big-time school has offered. As a matter of fact, I think that only motivates this staff even more. Finally the attitude is, “Why not SMU?”

There is much more to offer here. The sell is simple: go to the “big school” and be part of something that has been done before you and will continue to do after you. Big-Time U will go to a bowl, might win a conference championship and play for something that ultimately means nothing.

Why be one of the many who already have accomplished what you are trying to do? What is it you leave behind but one more trophy for the already-full trophy case that rests in the front of another Joe Blow Athletic Complex? How is there true glory being one of many? No one will even remember that you played in the Red Cross Peace Corp Bowl. That is the sum of it all. When the sun sets years from now can you answer … Who will remember?

Focus on what it would mean to do what you WILL do if you come to SMU. At Big-Time University, all you are doing is maintaining — not here. Repositioning SMU to national prominence will be your legacy. The winning seasons, conference championships … bowl games … these are the echoes you can and will leave behind. These same accomplishments can be had at Big-Time U as well, but the glory of resurrecting a downtrodden program is the legacy of only a few. Now, who will remember?

You will be marched out to the old football field to be praised and honored for doing what, up until your arrival, had not been done for so long. Again, who will remember my young recruit? The answer resounds for football eternity … EVERYONE!!

Coach Jones and his staff are preaching this, or at least some other version, to all the recruits nowadays, which is what now makes being an SMU football fan so inspiring. In order to change, you have to start from within. First and foremost, what needed to be readjusted was attitude, that not playing second fiddle to anyone is becoming entrenched within the psyche of the program. When this has fully sunk in and the talent level is more level with the competition, it seems there is nothing but blue skies smiling at me, nothing but blue skies do I see.

Hope: “One that gives promise for the future as…” as defined by Merriam-Webster.

Defined by SMU – “June Cometh.”