Phil Steele Predicts CUSA

[ponyte]

Well of course we improved last year--after 0-12 there's nowhere to go down. As for expectations, no thanks, without any I'll just be pleasantly surprised if they win, and not too disappointed when they lose. We can hope the ponies do well, but let's be realists folks.

The 0-12 team had corners that were simple out matched most of the year (athletically, not effort). The O-line was young and couldn't pick up most blitzes. And then the O-line wasn't athletic enough to handle the blitzes when it did pick them up. Our QBs spent most plays running for their lives. Our QB position was a huge area of weakness. Our QBs were inconsistent and made constant mistakes. Turnovers were far too frequent. Our kicking game was mediocre at best. We constantly got beat deep. The D-line was undersized and often overmatched athletically. We had players play hard but too many weaknesses. And then, we had no dept so players simply ran out of gas by the 4th quarter.

Last year, we were better at pass defense. Our corners were not always overmatched. We had significant improvement at wide receiver. Our QB position was vastly improved. The O-line began to show improvement in understand their blocking schemes. We saw our QBs sit in a pocket and read defenses for a change. The kicking game improved in all areas. We added a new dimension on offense called a passing game. We hit people. Something that hasn’t been a part of SMU football for several years. And we had more size and experience.

Now, we have most everyone returning. We have increased our size and improved our speed. We have dept at most every position so we can spell our players more often. We have a very large number of experienced players. We have athletes that can start expanding the level of sophistication on both offense and defense.

As fans, one can choice to have low or no expectations. As competitors, one must expect to win. One hopes that our coaching staff and players have that expectation...to win! The recruiting, experience and dept should amount to a much better season for the Ponies. I for one have expectations of a much-improved season. For me, to expect less from our team is to accept mediocrity as acceptable. This team, the players and the coaches are better than that. It is time to expect this program to perform to higher expectations.

[Pony Fan]

Who IS Phil Steele?

[Water Pony]

As fans, one can choice to have low or no expectations. As competitors, one must expect to win. One hopes that our coaching staff and players have that expectation...to win! The recruiting, experience and dept should amount to a much better season for the Ponies. I for one have expectations of a much-improved season. For me, to expect less from our team is to accept mediocrity as acceptable. This team, the players and the coaches are better than that. It is time to expect this program to perform to higher expectations.

Hear, hear TE.

I am looking and expecting a winnng season. This team and our fans deserve no less.

[Mustangs35SMU]

Who IS Phil Steele?

He puts out one of the more popular College Football Magazines

[jtstang]

As fans, one can choice to have low or no expectations. As competitors, one must expect to win. One hopes that our coaching staff and players have that expectation...to win!

By "competitors," I assume you mean, as you once were, college football players. I agree with you on that--I would not put a player on the field who expected to lose. As a fan, my expectations for next year are driven by experience in the last 15 years--i.e., none. I will be pleaseantly surprised on wins, not overly disappointed on losses. As for your dissertation on WHY we should have higher expectations this year, seems I've read similar tomes in the past, even the not too distant past....

[ponyte]

As fans, one can choice to have low or no expectations. As competitors, one must expect to win. One hopes that our coaching staff and players have that expectation...to win!

By "competitors," I assume you mean, as you once were, college football players. I agree with you on that--I would not put a player on the field who expected to lose. As a fan, my expectations for next year are driven by experience in the last 15 years--i.e., none. I will be pleaseantly surprised on wins, not overly disappointed on losses. As for your dissertation on WHY we should have higher expectations this year, seems I've read similar tomes in the past, even the not too distant past....

I do not want others to feel that anyone that disagrees is “wrong.” We have plenty of room for a variety of opinions.

We all can set our expectations based on our knowledge, experience, needs and desires. And expectations are individual. Expectation based on 15 year of disappointment has a proven logic.

Watching this team develop over the last 3 years, my expectations are changing. There were hits, real hits. More than one hit a game and many hard hits in every game. That is a vast difference from previous teams. Turnovers, though still too many were less and less devastating then prior to last year. Much improved play at QB. The lack of a consistent QB for the last several seasons has been a huge detriment to SMU. Therefore, my expectations have changed. I expect hard hits. I expect better line play (both sides of the ball). I expect better receivers. I expect better secondary play. I expect a team with more talent and dept to win.

These are my expectations and in no way do I mean to convey that everyone's expectations should be the same. I just believe that we as fans should start to have positive expectations. We should expect to win just as fans for other teams expect to win.

[giacfsp]

Who IS Phil Steele?

Phil Steele is that guy with too much time for his hobby. He started his mag several years ago, and he now has two: a college mag and a pro mag. But they're previews only -- he doesn't cover anything. Basically he's a fan who has access to tons of information, and regurgitates it as his own. His magazines are compilations of press releases, prospectus sheets and re-written versions of others' opinions. I think he actually does an OK job putting it all together, but he is not a journalist, nor could he tell Reggie Carrington apart from Reggie Bush. He does a great job of re-printing rosters and depth charts -- just don't seek any up-to-date information from his mag.

[Charleston Pony]

I'm one that thinks this really might finally be the year SMU surprises some people, but the key will be whether we can win at least 3 of the 6 home games at Ford. Does anyone see that happening with Baylor, TCU, Tulane, ECU, Rice and UTEP visiting this year? I will be pleased if this group can win 4 this year and I still think 2006 is the year to judge Phil Bennett. This will be a mature team in 2006 playing a relatively soft schedule and that's the year SMU needs to post 6 wins if Bennett hopes to be here long term. Gotta show progress year after year from here on until SMU is bowling if Bennett wants to take recruiting to the next level.

[Sic_em]

I wonder what Crazy Horse thinks about Phil Steele's prediction. He is a big PS disciple...

[BUS]

Ponyte;

Thank you for your love for SMU and your sane thoughts. We all love SMU and we get to each have our opinion.

I like you team comments and I do believe that this years team will show improvement. I can not put a number on it because I have been wrong for 15 years.

Go Mustangs!
See you at the games!
Lets all hope for the best.

[BUS]

Ponyte;

Thank you for your love for SMU and your sane thoughts. We all love SMU and we get to each have our opinion.

I like you team comments and I do believe that this years team will show improvement. I can not put a number on it because I have been wrong for 15 years.

Go Mustangs!
See you at the games!
Lets all hope for the best.

[Hoop Fan]

I would pretty much expect everyone to pick SMU last until we prove otherwise. In the WAC we usually had San Jose to keep us out of the bottom spot in everyones mind. Tulsa might prove itself to be the weakest although they had that good season in '03 and some decent recruiting. I'd like to think we could beat Tulane, but they have owned us post DP. They had a different class of athletes the last time we played in New Orleans a few years ago. The West division race should be interesting to watch though.

[crazy horse]

I wonder what Crazy Horse thinks about Phil Steele's prediction. He is a big PS disciple...

Disciple? I definitely don't worship him.

It is the only publication worth a darn out there. Athlon's, Lindys, Sporting News are completely worthless unless you're a mindless fan of a BCS school, or need hamster cage lining.

Steele writes for the gamblers which IMHO makes his publication at least somewhat objective. I may not agree with his picks, but at least he will give you a solid analysis behind his picks. But the plethora of information and trends on each team makes the publication worth every penny - even for people like me who don't even gamble.

I need to track a copy down. I haven't seen any in the Far North Dallas area.

[MrMustang1965]

It is the only publication worth a darn out there. Athlon's, Lindys, Sporting News are completely worthless unless you're a mindless fan of a BCS school, or need hamster cage lining.

You forgot to include Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine. Aptly named since he kisses up to the Teasips' a**es! Its high school coverage is the only thing worth a damn.

[Stallion]

Of course, Dave Campell hasn't had a thing to do with that magazine for 10 years but don't let the facts get in your way. In fact, I'm amazed that Texas Football hasn't cut way way back on their coverage of schools like SMU, TCU, Rice and Houston. They have continued to do an outstanding job of covering those schools when most magazines treat us as an afterthought. What coverage does a program with the accomplishments of SMU and Rice over the years deserve?