I apologize if this has already been posted somewhere - I ran across it when on CollegeFootballNews.Com as I was reviewing the season. Regardless of one's opinion of Bennett, at least someone nationally is paying attention.
Five Thoughts
Week 13
The best coaching jobs you might not have noticed
By John Harris
4. This time of year it’s natural for the college football cognoscenti to hand out the big awards – the Heisman, the Lombardi, etc. – praise teams, players and coaches incessantly until they participate in the late December/early January bowl games. But, there were a number of great stories that few will mention that deserve some kudos.
How about the job that Phil Bennett did with SMU this season? Finishing 5 and 6 may not ring the proverbial dinner bell, but for a team that struggled to just be competitive in prior years, it was a huge accomplishment. As a result, it may have proved to a state of high school football stars that there’s another collegiate option in the state. Bennett is a fabulous coach and an even better man and seeing this team knock off TCU, Houston and UTEP, presumably all bowl teams this season, is proof that hard work and belief in your system pays off. Kansas State may come calling very soon, but if he does choose to leave, he’s left the SMU program in great hands.