Subtle Criticism of SMU Admission Policies?

[huntnfish]

Rossley was turning the corner with these "sleepers" in 1996 before Copeland mad one of his many bad decisions and fired him. Cavan wins the next year in a watered down WAC w/ Rossley's guys and then we start falling off in recruiting. Since Rossley left I have heard how we are getting better and better recruits and we are loosening recruiting standards; however, we get worse each year. Give me the overacheiving "sleepers" of the Rossely era anyday over our most recent teams. Could you even imagine any of our recent teams giving a TX A&M, UCLA, UNC or Wisconsin a run for their money? Or beating Arkansas?

[PonySnob]

Could you even imagine any of our recent teams giving a TX A&M, UCLA, UNC or Wisconsin a run for their money? Or beating Arkansas?

There is no way that this team could play the teams you listed like the way those Rossley led teams did.

[huntnfish]

My point is this, Copeland has been here for almost 10 years and been through 3 basketball and football coaches. BUT, we are worse off now than we have ever been, even with the loosening of recruting standards, new facilities and easier conferences to compete in. These are the facts, and I see no way how anyone one can dispute this.

[EastStang]

Here's how. First, you implement recruiting restrictions that are so insane, no other school in the country has them. Second, you change from the SWC to the WAC. Recruits are less likely to be drawn to a non-BCS school than a BCS school. That eliminates a bunch of recruits right there. Third, you get a coach who looks good on paper (Cavan), and you tie his hands (not Copeland's fault) so he can't recruit and then fire him because he fails. Then you hire a coach who has to build from scratch under somewhat looser rules and wonder why we're still losing.

[huntnfish]

That does not answer the question b/c the athletes we now have aren't any worse than what Rossley had. If you believe they are then Rossley must have been a heck of a recruiter(I will argue against this b/c I think he and his staff were just a much better at the X's and O's): might have been easier recruiting in the SWC than the WAC but there is no way in the world that makes up for the lesser recruiting restrictions, state-of-the-art facilities we now have and the weaker competition we are playing.

Bottom line, Copeland is running the show and we are not getting the job done. It baffles me how anyone can dispute this unless you work w/ Copeland or are a regular at his Suite in Ford Stadium, and are playing favorites.

[Stallion]

Again it amazing how you Rossley "suck ups" distort the truth. Rossley also enjoyed his limited success in the watered down WAC when he went 5-6. Cavan wasn't the first to compete in the WAC-Rossley did too. In the previous 3 seasons-which you ALL tend to ignore he was off the top of my head something like 4-28-2 one of the darkest periods in SMU history. Yes in his second year he did go 5-6 in the SWC but only because he had an inherent advantage of about 38 senior lettermen who combined probably had 100 total letters. After that advantage was gone SMU had the worst program in America for the next 3 years. 6 straight losses to Rice-a 24% winning percentage-much much less against the teams he was hired to compete against in the SWC-no more than 15%. Rossley was the worst defensive coach in the history of SMU football-and the only time his x's and )'s were effective was when Flanigan did whatever he wanted.

[jtstang]

In the previous 3 seasons-which you ALL tend to ignore he was off the top of my head something like 4-28-2 one of the darkest periods in SMU history. Yes in his second year he did go 5-6 in the SWC but only because he had an inherent advantage of about 38 senior lettermen who combined probably had 100 total letters. After that advantage was gone SMU had the worst program in America for the next 3 years.

Well, you'd have to admit Bennett hasn't done any better, and we still have about the worst program in America.

[huntnfish]

Rossley was in the the WAC in 1996 and the lost to BYU and Wyoming who each had one loss going into the conference chmapionship game. The WAC we now play in does not have tese two teams, or Col. St. or Utah. In 1997 the WAC was not near as strong, and today is even much weaker. Rossley had two guys who were on his staff who are now def. coordinators in the NFL. And Jon Tenuta who is at Georgia Tech. And Rossley was an offensive coordinator, not a defensive mind. At least he let Ramon do his thing, SMU's staff did everything they could to give the job to Chris Sanders in 1997 and they probably would have went to a bowl game had Ramon played the entire year. Granted, the one great thing with Cavan was Defensive Coordinator Eric Schumann, Bennett should have kept him.

We can debate the details on Rossley all you want, for some reason you don't like him. In the lean SWC years at least he did take some big schools to the wire and beat Arkansas several times. And you know that our only wining season was with Rossley's players. Heck we can't compete in a very weak WAC, and have not for several years You at least have to recognize that he did more with less(or equal) players, facilities, stricter recruiting standards and support.

But all of this is a side note. We are getting worse and goes beyond the coaches and to the administration, starting at the AD position.

[Stallion]

I don't dislike Rossley at all-surprise surprise-I didn't think he should be fired in the first place because he wasn't given the opportunity to succeed just like the rest of the coaches. He was a scapegoat. What I dislike is the speculation that "Rossley was just about to turn the program around" BS floated on this board. He wasn't even close poor recruiter, poor spokesman in the community for the football team, and a horrible defensive coach. Now if you want to hire him as a offensive coordinator I'll think about it but he is not nor ever will be again a Division 1A Head Coach.

[PK]

My own thought at the time of Rossley's departure was that he was a good guy, but had taken the team about as far as he could. Another year might have proven me wrong...I'll never really know.

[jtstang]

I think Stallion's point is, and it's impossible to argue with, Rossley was fired for whatever reason, but when he was fired he had a horrible overall record. I agonize over the fact that we are now about eight years and two coaches later, and we still have a horrible record. If wins and losses were the only measuring stick, which they arguably have been in the past, then those who are calling for Bennett's job are right on the mark. But the bottom line is there is a lot more wrong with this sinking ship than any of our current or prior coaches, and things which will take action by the Trustees to fix, which is why I have no hope. Our administration's disdain for athletics (or is it athletes?), is reason number one attendance will continue to dwindle until we are no longer Div 1 eligible.

Nobody loves sunshiners more than me, but I am just tired of people saying better days in football are right around the bend. They are not--and it's been one helluva long fifteen year bend....

[PK]

Nobody loves sunshiners more than me....

Oh, Great! Now we're having a love-in! Quick, somebody pass the joint and don't bogart it on the way.