New Coach For Next Year

[thefamousguy]

So out of the last 4 (exclude Bennett) SMU coaches, exactly one has had a Head coaching job since SMU (Gregg in the CFL). Boy that is sure something to be proud of. We can now brag that after coaching at SMU, a head coach can look forward to an offensive/defensive career in the NFL or being a money raiser or just plain retiring.

How very attractive. I am sure that I and all the Pony fans would just love to remind the next SMU head coach of the prestigious careers that have followed a stint as the SMU head coach. If the next coaches desire it to be a fund raiser with plenty of golf time, well, we have the perfect job.

Our claim to attract coaches has been that we are a spring board to bigger and better opportunities? It is not as if people think that an SMU job is the pinnacle of college jobs. So far, it has been a dead end for career advancement. We have little to no chance of hiring a Bear Bryant or Woody Hayes. We have a heck of a chance of hiring someone that wants to prove himself so that they can move on to a bigger and better opportunity. Now what evidence does SMU have to support the delusion that we can catapult someone's career?

Where did Notre Dame's last head coach go (hint: head coach at another D1A team)? Where did SMU's last head coach go (hint: dialing for dollars)?

The next head coach candidate needs to demand more from this institution than a good slap on the back and best wishes all around.

How many of the 4 were head coaches prior to SMU???? They were failed experiments who didn't prove worthy of Head coaching jobs on a D1 level.

Just 2. Collins at USM and Gregg with 2 NFL teams (including a Super Bowl appearence).

I meant 3. Collins doesn't count. This is about post death penalty and Gregg doesn't count either because this discussion is about coaches brought in to turn the program around over the long haul. ie., Rossley,
Cavan, Bennett.

[originaloverthehilltop1]

"How many of the 3(Cavan,Rossley, Bennett) were head coaches prior to SMU???? They were failed experiments who didn't prove worthy"

famousguy--not sure one or two of these couldn't have been successful at UT, Oklahoma, or maybe even a Texas A&M. Mack Brown doens't strike me as a charismatic genius. Rossley gave A&M fits with less talent. I wouldn't call them all unworthy of a head coaching job. it just may be it had something to do with the mo...no i won't say it. it may have had something to do with the situation.

[EastStang]

Remember Rossely and Cavan had to deal with the really incidious post death penalty requirements like not being able to talk to a recruit until he was qualified to be accepted at SMU. Something no other Division I coach had to deal with except maybe in Division 1AA - Ivy League. Rosseley also had to deal with the break-up of the SWC and our demotion to non-BCS. Cavan had to deal with the break-up of the WAC-16 and the dreaded "who would we get to play?" question. They didn't win here, but could they have succeeded under the rules Bennett has operated under, we don't know.

That said, I do think that we need to get a coach who will make sports pages go "Wow, SMU has finally stepped up to the plate". An assistant coach at a Big 12 or SEC school, might be a fine coach and might succeed here, but that's not the statement we need to make at this stage. We've blown the opportunity to be a resume builder for some coach. Quite frankly, we need a guy who needs a challenge and is willing to take a chance.

[Otto]

Aside from hiring a proven Div. 1-A winner which will require SMU to break out the check book...something it has not done in the last 20 years so do not hold your breath on that one, SMU needs a name recognition coach to get people to attend the games again...

I disagree. There are those of us who will go to every SMU game regardless, because we are PonyFans and proud to support our team. But even for the fence-sitters, if the team piles up a bunch of victories, they could stick Billy Joe on the sideline and folks would come out.

[SMU89]

We will and can get the coach we need - why?

School is now committed to sports and is not talking about it but can prove it:

(Disclaimer -- Im not an expert here so might be off a little on the facts but believe the proof/concept is still there):

0) New football stadium

1) Hired an AD who 1)oversaw a substantial athletic building program and hired a top-tier (slightly defective) coach at his prior job.

2) AD hired coach Doherty

3) Before signing on the dotted-line, Doherty required commitment to build basketball facility to be in his contract.
- Facility built, New Score Board, New Floor

4) School is building top 5 in the nation tennis facility

5) School is building $5 million golf facility at Dallas Country Club

A candidate can see the recent commitment - no talk - real deal. So....
- I'm going to assume the school will pay the money.
- If I were the candidate, I would put a "Doh" clause and require dirt to start moving on a new indoor football facility along mockingbird before my second year.
- Get some Alums to stroke a check for the facility
- Done deal.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Ask Mike Leach if he is tired of playing big name teams for big crowds. Mabey he is sick of all of the bars and dust in Lubbock? Back the Brinks truck up to his house (with a keg) and you never know.

[Ponymon]

Orsini is a pretty shrewed operator. He probably already knows what type of coach he wants. I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't already narrowed it down to a few possibilities and made the preliminary contacts to get the show on the road. Remember, if he makes a change, he will have to do it quickly to try and salvage the rest of this year's recruiting class.

[EastStang]

It would not surprise me in the least if Bowden was a trial balloon out of the AD's office, to see what kind of reaction that would get from the fan base. I am sure some of the other names mentioned have been floated out by the AD's office to see the reaction among SMU faithful and the population in general. Big Orsini is watching!