DMN Sportswriter JJ Taylor chimes in on SMU

[ponydawg]

We are bowl eligible b/c we played a week schedule, we play Rice's schedule and we have a lot worse record. If Orisini keeps Bennett, we need a new OC, and Bennett is not allowed to call plays. We didn't deserve to win yesterday 1st and goal at the one twice and we have to settle for FG's.

[RGV Pony]

see the thread titled John L Smith. Skins on the wall, recent hard times. He built Louisville not Petrino.

[Corso]

OFFENSE

Quarterback
16-Justin Willis (FR-RS, 6-1, 205, Denton, Texas)
14-Eric Johnson (FR-RS, 6-1, 215, Plano, Texas)

Did you forget Corey Slater?

Tight End
86-Vincent Chase (SO-1L, 6-5, 260, Irving, Texas)

Followed by Jeff Brock, Andrew McKinney, Mario Walker

Wide Receiver
4-Columbus Givens (SO-1L, 6-1, 175, Killeen, Texas)
Wide Receiver
84-Zack Sledge (JR-1L, 5-11, 190, Midland, Texas)
Wide Receiver
17-Emmanuel Sanders (FR-RS, 6-1, 175, Bellville, Texas)

Don't forget, Jay'Mond Cleveland will be back next year, plus we add Phillip Burley and A'Darius Medford.

Left Defensive End
11-Cory Muse (JR-1L, 6-3, 250, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Defensive Tackle
????
Nose Guard
93-Chris Parham (FR-RS, 6-2, 285, Fort Worth, Texas)
Right Defensive End
94-Patrick Handy (SO-1L, 6-2, 260, Spring, Texas)

Supposedly they're very high on Adrian Dizer, as well. Kyle Griffin also figures into the mix, I guess, and I know several players have sung the praises of the two freshman DTs, Zac Thomas and Mickey Dollens.

Left Cornerback
6-Bryan McCann (FR-HS, 6-0, 175, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
3-Devin Lowery (JR-2L, 5-11, 175, Grand Prairie, Texas)
Free Safety
28-Bryce Hudman (FR-RS, 6-2, 200, Spring, Texas)
Strong Safety
33-Benson Sloan (SO-0L, 6-1, 190, Nashville, Tenn.)
Right Cornerback
21-Jonathan Lindley (JR-2L, 6-0, 185, Sulphur Springs, Texas)
7-David Haynes (SO-1L, 5-9, 195, McGregor, Texas)

Call it a hunch: I see Bryce Hudman taking over for Sturdivant at strong safety, with Brandon Jones returning and moving to free safety. Also, I gather they're pretty fired up about Tim Crosby, so he might work into the CB rotation, too.

[BrianTinBigD]

OFFENSE

Quarterback
16-Justin Willis (FR-RS, 6-1, 205, Denton, Texas)
14-Eric Johnson (FR-RS, 6-1, 215, Plano, Texas)

Did you forget Corey Slater?

I was told by an impeccable source that Slater was on his way out and the fact that he stood all alone during the game yesterday gave me a pretty good indication that he is out of here.

[MrMustang1965]

I think Taylor made a good case for firing Bennett. If Todd Graham can go 7-5 with Rice and beat Bennett with a backup QB then...

Did Taylor witness the UNT game or Navy Game?? Bennett loves to start the season in a hole with the fan base demoralized. Try selling tickets when a horrible North Texas team kicks your butt. How about the homeless Tulane team embarrassing us at home?

The North Texas game was SMU's version of the Horned Frogs' game against the Mustangs last year. It hurt. Badly.

The Tulane game was last year, too. This year the Mustangs went to NO and kicked the Green Wave's butt in the first college game to be played in the Superdome post-Katrina. While I was not at the game itself, I will always treasure the great atmosphere of watching it on TV with other Mustang fans at the pub on Greenville Ave.! AWESOME!

[BRStang]

Letting PB go would be a HUGE mistake. It would condemn us to another five year rebuilding process. The guy has three years left on his contract. We should give him the chance to finish it. In my mind, he's earned it.

He's earned it? Oh, yeah, I forgot about all those winning seasons, championships and bowl games and wins over NTSU he has gotten us.

[SWC2010]

OFFENSE

Quarterback
16-Justin Willis (FR-RS, 6-1, 205, Denton, Texas)
14-Eric Johnson (FR-RS, 6-1, 215, Plano, Texas)

Did you forget Corey Slater?

I was told by an impeccable source that Slater was on his way out and the fact that he stood all alone during the game yesterday gave me a pretty good indication that he is out of here.

Since we are circulating rumors, how bout Johnson heading to TX State? That would make Rhoades #2

[MUSTANG'76]

PHIL NEEDS TO STAY. AS A FORMER LETTERMAN I BELIEVE WE ARE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I AM AS DISAPPOINTED AS ANYONE ABOUT THE RICE LOSS, AT THE SAME TIME IN YEARS PAST, FALLING BEHIND BY 17 WOULD HAVE MEANT A 40 POINT LOSS. THE MAJORITY OF THE TEAM RETURNS AND WE HAVE AN EXCITING CHALLENGE IN NEXT YEARS SCHEDULE!

[BRStang]

AND WE HAVE AN EXCITING CHALLENGE IN NEXT YEARS SCHEDULE!

I suppose its similar to the exciting challenges we've had in the schedules since 1989. Without PB and Rusty Offense gone, there is NOTHING to look forward to for next year, especially with all the seniors leaving us.

[expony18]

For you outta towners, Jacques wants PB to stay...

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 6d0c4.html

great guy... much shorter in person then i thought he was

[BUS]

PB IS an honorable and good man. These young men are getting off hospital beds to play this game called football, for him. He loves each and every one of them. His high moral and ethical standards are what SMU should be supporting.

OK two things to change... Transfer hour acceptance and athletic friendly degree majors.

Stallion has brought up that SMU does not have a level playing field. How true.

The NCAA set standards and SMU demands higher.

I say let PB go recruit and transfer in who he chooses. I be they will be players of good character and the will FIGHT , FIGHT, FIGHT for SMU.

[bigdaddy08091]

The thing that bothers me is that recruiting has gotten worse and the coaching has never gotten much better. Phil is getting out coached by HS guys that moved to college. Phil is probably a D-Coordinator and not a Head Coach as much as I wished success for the guy.

Brian, The head coach at Rice, former Allen HS coach, Tulsa DC, was actually at several other colleges before being the head coach at Allen HS. HS football coaching in Texas is a very lucrative business. Bennett will be just fine if Orsini decides to let him go. The university will suffer through another 5 years of embarrassment!! Todd Dodge for example makes too much not accounted for money to go to any college program and have to suffer through the [deleted] that comes with college coaching!!

[MustangIcon]

Bennett will be just fine if Orsini decides to let him go. The university will suffer through another 5 years of embarrassment!!

Yes, I would hate to lose the prestige we have gained the past 5 seasons.

[expony18]

OFFENSE

Quarterback
16-Justin Willis (FR-RS, 6-1, 205, Denton, Texas)
14-Eric Johnson (FR-RS, 6-1, 215, Plano, Texas)

Did you forget Corey Slater?

I was told by an impeccable source that Slater was on his way out and the fact that he stood all alone during the game yesterday gave me a pretty good indication that he is out of here.

Since we are circulating rumors, how bout Johnson heading to TX State? That would make Rhoades #2

well his older brother blake was a walk on at smu a few years ago and transefered to Texas State... so i could see that being true

[BrianTinBigD]

The thing that bothers me is that recruiting has gotten worse and the coaching has never gotten much better. Phil is getting out coached by HS guys that moved to college. Phil is probably a D-Coordinator and not a Head Coach as much as I wished success for the guy.

Brian, The head coach at Rice, former Allen HS coach, Tulsa DC, was actually at several other colleges before being the head coach at Allen HS. HS football coaching in Texas is a very lucrative business. Bennett will be just fine if Orsini decides to let him go. The university will suffer through another 5 years of embarrassment!! Todd Dodge for example makes too much not accounted for money to go to any college program and have to suffer through the [deleted] that comes with college coaching!!

Here is Todd's background and it was mostly high school until certain things required a change when he left Allen:

In 1988-90, Graham was an assistant coach at Poteet High School in Mesquite, where those teams compiled a 25-5 record.

"His three seasons as the Tigers' defensive coordinator saw ECU improve from a break-even program to the NAIA national championship in 1993."

Previously, Graham was the head coach at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla., in 1994, ranking 10th in the state's final class 5A poll. Before that, he served three years as the defensive coordinator at East Central University.

Before moving to WVU, Graham was a highly-successful high school coach and athletic director at Allen High School for six years (1995-2000). His teams made five playoff appearances and won two bi-district championships. In 2000, Allen posted a 9-3 record and captured a Class 5A Division II bi-district title, defeating four teams ranked among the top-10 in Texas.

Todd Graham spent two years as an assistant coach at West Virginia, where he served as co-defensive coordinator in 2002. Graham was the defensive scheme coordinator and safeties coach in 2002 after coaching the linebackers in 2001. In 2002, the Mountaineer defense ranked 33rd nationally in total defense and 30th in rush defense. He helped WVU register a 9-4 record with wins over nationally-ranked Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh.

Todd Graham was named Rice University's 17th head football coach on Jan. 1, 2006.

Graham, 41, had been the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of Tulsa the past three seasons
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Todd was a defensive coordinator at an NAIA school in Oklahoma after being an assistant coach at Mesquite Poteet. Then he went to Oklahoma HS coaching, then to Allen. From Allen he has had different roles at different colleges but only 1 year as a Coordinator. Heck, even some of his staff is from the high school ranks as well. I know that the money is there for a good coach in Texas. I have a cousin that wants her husband to give up coaching at Nevada and get a gig in Texas coaching high school. She says she could use the extra income.

My point is, I don't care where the coaches come from. Most coaches start in HS and move on. Dodge is a former National HS Coach of the Year, Former D1 Offensive Coordinator, Former QB at UT, and a name that is known by just about every HS football player in Texas. The man has coached his team to 75 wins out of the last 76 they have played. I believe the last game they lost was in 2003 in the state final. If you went with a high school coach, then this would be the one. However, I could see other options at SMU as the head coach and looking at TD as the O coordinator. I could even live with Phil if TD was the O coordinator. I would imagine he would command big money as the O coordinator. Maybe he can fix our recruiting problems.