EJ interview with ED - TDMN

[Big12Mustang]

Blaming Administration is an easy way out concerning this topic. This is a much more complex and nuance issue.

Consider our non-P5 conference, coaching staff's energy and commitment to recruiting and the need to increase the spirit/enthusiasm of student, alumni and fan attendance. I don't buy the win first and the attendance will improve point of view.

Improving our football program has to be a concerted effort between all the parties affected. It cannot fall on June entirely and it cannot fall on the administration. Student body, faculty, alumni, administration, coaching staff, local community...everyone has to "Pony Up" if we want "P5 Football". Enough of the entitled "We-deserve-to-be-in-the-Big-12-without-the-hard-work" attitude (which I will admit I was a part of and now I realize...).

But back to topic, it would be great if we could have ED and other SMU football bigs get involved in the program and help it rise up as well. And he is right, we do need to let the "Death Penalty" die.

[lwjr]

Having ED and others former players helping with recruiting sounds great but the reality is I assume the kids have no clue who Eric Dickerson is other than he is a NFL Hall of Fame player. With NCAA regulations as they are, wouldn't ED or any former SMU player have to be on the coaching staff to talk to these kids about attending SMU? Someone who is familiar with the NCAA regulations maybe you can shed some light on this.

[lwjr]

SMU was No. 20 coming into Baylor game-truly one of the greatest games I've ever seen and truly devastating to me. With a little break at the 1 yard line at Baylor and a poor performance at Texas Tech SMU's talented Sophomore class might have had another SWC championship. But we might not have seen the debut of McIlhenny until 1981 and the running game would have been stunted. I wish there was a highlite reel of that game like there is for the 1982 SMU v Tech game. Wow guess I'm not the only one-Dave Campbell who witnesses about 7 decades of great SWC games also picked the 1980 SMU v Baylor game as his All-Time Classic

http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/m-foo ... 06aab.html

http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/m-foo ... 13aad.html

I had the honor of having lunch with Mr. Campbell when I was in Waco last month. We talked one on one for an hour about Texas football, high school, college and pros. He is 89 and his mind is still sharp as a tack.
When he learned I graduated from Highland Park and had attended SMU during the pony express teams he mentioned the 82 team was one of the best college teams he had ever watched. He also believed SMU should have been national champion even with the tie against Arkansas and Dickerson should have won the Heisman. He also asked about Lance and said he was the best option quarterback he ever saw.
Mr. Campbell was more than happy to visit with me, tell me about how Texas Football magazine started and share many other stories. He was a gentlemen and a very humble person. It was one of the highlights of my life to meet and talk to him.

[RyanSMU98]

Having ED and others former players helping with recruiting sounds great but the reality is I assume the kids have no clue who Eric Dickerson is other than he is a NFL Hall of Fame player. With NCAA regulations as they are, wouldn't ED or any former SMU player have to be on the coaching staff to talk to these kids about attending SMU? Someone who is familiar with the NCAA regulations maybe you can shed some light on this.

A lot of people made the same argument about LB, that kids today wouldn't relate to who he is; hasn't been much of a problem. As for how to do it within the regs, not sure how all that plays out (though I wouldn't mind seeing ED on the staff; rumor is he was a halfway decent RB back in the day)

[lwjr]

Having ED and others former players helping with recruiting sounds great but the reality is I assume the kids have no clue who Eric Dickerson is other than he is a NFL Hall of Fame player. With NCAA regulations as they are, wouldn't ED or any former SMU player have to be on the coaching staff to talk to these kids about attending SMU? Someone who is familiar with the NCAA regulations maybe you can shed some light on this.

A lot of people made the same argument about LB, that kids today wouldn't relate to who he is; hasn't been much of a problem. As for how to do it within the regs, not sure how all that plays out (though I wouldn't mind seeing ED on the staff; rumor is he was a halfway decent RB back in the day)

I'm not arguing with you 98 but LB's connection to these kids was Allen Iverson, Detroit's NBA championship and the kids coaches and dads who knew who Larry Brown was. Also LB was the one that would be coaching the players.

[ponyte]

We were not ranked going into the Texas game. Ranking back then only went to the top 20. We may have gotten a vote or two but I doubt it as we were on a 2 game losing streak going into Austin. We had been ranked going into the Baylor game that year.

ED probably has more insider information than most of us and more confidential information form June than us. So one could suspect he has a different perception of the state of the program than those inside the Star Chamber. WE do know at one time Jones did face significant barriers to admissions. That we are told has improved but has it really improved that much? We may not have complete information to answer that question.

WE do know that we can improve our program with better athletes and that starts with recruiting. So let ED and others help. Of course within the NCAA rules.

I really thought the '83 tribute was fantastic. Showed the SMU glory years in a tasteful way and let the folks in the stadium that day know we were once a proud and successful program. We need to work on changing the perception that we are the only DP school to a school with a successful and proud heritage. It can't hurt recruiting.

[RyanSMU98]

ED probably has more insider information than most of us and more confidential information form June than us. So one could suspect he has a different perception of the state of the program than those inside the Star Chamber. WE do know at one time Jones did face significant barriers to admissions. That we are told has improved but has it really improved that much? We may not have complete information to answer that question.

This was very interesting to me, especially when you look at basketball. We know that some players on the bball team have been academically challenged, yet we got them in and have (so far) kept them in class and eligible. My question is what is different in their model compared to what is available to football? Does the DP mentality make the administration risk-averse by default for football players even though on paper both programs play by the same admissions rules? Is it more a question of resources to keep borderline football players eligible? Or is this just a canned response to cover JJ's lack of recruiting prowess (which existed before he got to the Hilltop)? There are obviously a lot of angles to this, and I think ponyte is right in that there are folks like ED who know a whole helluva lot more of the reality than any of us do. We've had a lot of people say "the admin has to do more", and to hear it again from a prominent voice begs the question of what more is required and how do we get it done.

[redpony]

Ryan- I wonder if the difference is that LB keeps a positive aspect on things and the other coach does not. If ED is only getting feedback from tiki would you expect it to be any different than what tiki preaches to the press? I am tired of tiki's excuses- meeting rooms aren't big enough, admissions problems, no IPF, no crib courses for my players, etc. etc.

I also wonder if the 'Texas recruiting blitz' was just a smoke screen so that tiki could say ' gee, we went there, we recruited, made a bunch of offers and none of those guys jumped on our bandwagon'. Hence my previous recruiting techniques (or lack thereof) were correct.

IMO you don't build relationships with players and coaches in a single visit. Maybe a Nick Saban can but not tiki.

[Stallion]

THERE IS NOT A SINGLE SHRED OF EVIDENCE THAT FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL OPERATE UNDER DIFFERENT ADMISSION STANDARDS

[RGV Pony]

Yeah

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Correct.

[PoconoPony]

Ryan- I wonder if the difference is that LB keeps a positive aspect on things and the other coach does not. If ED is only getting feedback from tiki would you expect it to be any different than what tiki preaches to the press? I am tired of tiki's excuses- meeting rooms aren't big enough, admissions problems, no IPF, no crib courses for my players, etc. etc.

I also wonder if the 'Texas recruiting blitz' was just a smoke screen so that tiki could say ' gee, we went there, we recruited, made a bunch of offers and none of those guys jumped on our bandwagon'. Hence my previous recruiting techniques (or lack thereof) were correct.

IMO you don't build relationships with players and coaches in a single visit. Maybe a Nick Saban can but not tiki.

JJ maybe reflecting on his own paltry academic career as the basis for his concerns and rationalizations.