Meanwhile, Tulsa Wins 7th Game

[SMUHouston]

Just so I'm understand, if we we would have only brought in 2-3 JUCO players in August, and that being the only change, you are saying would have a 7 game winning season.

[Stallion]

No I'm saying 3-4 JUCOs per year at the option of the Head Coach. If 4 of them pan out like the 4 Tulsa Juco players I specifically cited then we would have significantly improved our team. To start this past year give me an additional, mature JUCO at WR, S, OLM and DLM plus a couple of additional JUCOS to add depth at key positions and I'll show you a significantly improved football team even though it suffered through lousy recruiting classes 3-4 years ago. Plus let me have schools like Texas St. and Arkansas St and I'll show you much improved team that at least COULD HAVE MAINTAINED the MOMENTUM from Bennett's recruiting class last year. And don't tell me that would have taken away from last year's class-we signed plenty of kids last year with few Division 1A offers. Momentum builds on itself year after year which makes bigger gains possible year after year. Very few coaches survive the loss of momentum in their coaching careers-Bennett's got his work cut out for him. SMU didn't need to build him this hole to climb out of-and believe me they should have seen this coming.

[QuietManDisciple]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Stallion:
Tulsa is using Stallion's Model.

[QuietManDisciple]

Wow! What an ego! You're developing illusions of grandeur on an epic scale, Stallion! "The Stallion Model" Come on now!

How about a straight answer to a straight question? Do you or do you not believe Bennett should have won one or more games this season with the players he has? Not how many he may win next year or the year after if the "Stallion Model" is adopted in part or whole but how many, if any, in 2003.

[buspen]

I think everyone knows JUCO's provide a great alternative to patch holes where needed. The Tulsa JUCO's mentioned were there last year, when their season was a one win wonder. If you'll look the players making plays and working as a cohesive unit, they are the same players that have been on the roster for the last couple of years during which they won a collective 2 or 3 games. SMU still out matches them man for man and that comes from Tulsa's own media. If you talk to the players the biggest difference is new wide open offense, new coach and positioning and playing to the existing players strengths. There are three year starters benched and bench players starting or at least playing a significant amount of time, Tulsa plays a lot of players in any given game.

<small>[ 11-17-2003, 11:43 AM: Message edited by: buspen ]</small>

[Corby]

Finally, an honest insight. Stallion is going to avoid commenting on Bennett's COACHING talent because he believes the poor guy doesn't have the luxury of utilizing the Stallion Model.

The fact of the matter is so simple: This board is virtually split on Bennett's abilities. Those who don't believe in him don't exactly voice their opinions with insight. The usual banter is, "He's awful, mean, bad manager, etc." Those who think the man does no wrong claim he is on an unlevel playing field, getting royally screwed by admin. and so on.

Knowing my two cents is as valuable as the rest of us on this board, I must say help Bennett level the field so we can actually test his coaching, but at the same time, what has the guy done to prove a competent, innovative, motivating successful coach? Personally, I've seen very little out of him on that front. Utilize your players' talents, quit making excuses, and prove to the naysayers that you have what it takes to be a winner.

I don't buy his stints as an assitant to prove he is head coach worthy. Maybe I'm wrong, but was this move the best for SMU? If you havem't noticed, we aren't exactly top-tier Division 1. The top schools scratch for the top talent and from there on, it's literally a crapshoot of projections made by recruiting sites who claim athletes are of certain star-ability. IMHO, a good coach takes whatever talent he has and manages and utilizes it to mold a cohesive successful unit.

After 11 games, I also believe it is time to retire the "young" label. These guys may not be physically maxed out, but the repetitive mistakes should not be happening. We run zero option on 95 yards of the field only to get near the goaline and decide to run it...how did that turn out? It only changed the outlook of the game. My point is, how often is that play repped in practice? That falls on coaching people.

[Stallion]

it may be an honest evaluation but it was also FALSE! 2 of the starring JUCOs were signed this year. What possible relevance could that have to disproving my point that the SMU coach should be allowed to recruit 3-4 JUCOs. Don't seniors get to play too. Go find another example of a team that hasn't been significantly helped by JUCO transfers-because Tulsa ain't it. BTW when did I become Bennett's lap dog? I was about the only one of this board to suggest that he didn't fit this job-but every coach deserves at least 4 years to turn around a program this far gone. This program was headed down as soon as we signed the senior and junior classes-In 1999 and 2000 I'm lambasted for stating that we were uncompetitive in recruiting-now in 2003 when the proof is in the puddin' I'm lambasted for suggesting that we lack quality talent. For those that suggest recruiting doesn't matter you'll have to explain the uncanny ability of the recruiting experts to predict the misfortunes of SMU program.

<small>[ 11-17-2003, 02:59 PM: Message edited by: Stallion ]</small>

[QuietManDisciple]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Stallion:
Tulsa is using Stallion's Model.

Incredible! Your ego knows no bounds, does it? You probably think that's what Tulsa calls it -- the Stallion Model!

It doesn't take a Phi Beta Kappa to understand why you always avoid commenting on the season in progress. Just as you didn't put Cavan under the microscope, you've shied away from criticizing Bennett for fear of implying that he could have done better with the talent on hand. It would undermine your "lower the admissions/bring on the jucos" crusade to concede that the current coaches have sufficient material to win at least one, if not several, games.

[Stallion]

and why in the hell should I comment on your point which is based on a false premise-Tulsa is benefitting from the exact plan I propose-I don't know how to divorce the contributions of a WR who gets 18 yards every time he caught his 41 passes this year, or the contributions of its most dangerous Running back and TO leader, or the 15 or so TDs they've scored this year, or its third leading tackler or its leading interceptor. Go support your own position by finding a comparable institution that hasn't accomplished it using Stallion's Model. Try rationally articulating your own argument or controverting my facts without attacking me personally. Obviously, you can't or you would have.

<small>[ 11-18-2003, 02:54 PM: Message edited by: Stallion ]</small>

[gostangs]

Yawn - wake me up when these two stop playing footsy.

[sam]

Stallion,do you know for a fact that bennett is not allowed to recruit JUCOs. I think he has recruited several as walkons. Am I wrong?

<small>[ 11-18-2003, 06:13 PM: Message edited by: sam ]</small>

[TUfan]

OK-- I don't know all of the details of this "Stallion Model" (nor do I wish to), but Tulsa had the same JUCO situation under Burns, and I am sure you all know what that resulted in. Yes-- two wins in two seasons, seven in three. Not exactly stellar.

[Rippin]

OK, Tulsa's leading tackler is a sophomore definsive back from Plano who was also recruited by Purdue and most of the WAC schools. The leading rusher is a senior from Duncanville who has basically started for four years. The leading receiver is a sophomore from Jenks (OK) who will go on a Mormon mission next year, and the total offense leader is a junior, 2-year letterman quarterback from a small town in Oklahoma who was also recruited by K-State. None of them are JUCO's. So Tulsa isn't doing it with JUCO's.

By the way, there is nothing wrong with JUCO's -- a few of them have been excellent additions to the TU team. And being a JUCO and being a good and/or serious student are not mutually exclusive.