June's logic ... SEC or WAC foe?

[mustang musashi]

guys dont fool yourselves.. after witnessing what JJ did in Hawaii i can tell you this, he takes avg players and turns them into stars by motivation and getting them to believe... but... at the end of the day theyre still avg players, most of them anyway... with the exception of ColtBrennan and the dread heads, yet they still got smoked by georgia...

SEC teams are just physically dominant over mid major teams, and the reason why SMU has been successful is because JJs run and shoot is built to make avg players play faster thus being able to keep up with athletically better teams... but there is a line, when youre barely winning your own league vs weak teams that screams two things, one, SMU is avg and and they have avg players... two, JJ gives the players the best chance to win, HIS offense allows the team to play just a bit faster then their other CUSA counterparts... but dont think this offense with at best slightly above avg players will be able to physically wear down an sec team with sec speed and talent... take one step at a time, just cuz youre on an emotional rollercoaster thats been building up for the past 25 years dont go all in.... you'll get burned and have to start from square one again...

[SMU21TCU10]

This is stupid. Good thing we don't have any Big 12 teams or TCU on the schedule for next year. I'd hate to see us lose to them.

You don't improve by striving for success in mediocrity. Bring on the big dogs and let's see where we stand!

Like WSU?

[Ralph]

SMU is going to a bowl game after 2 decades of pain and frustration and that's all that matters. The opponent, the pay off, not relevant, going to a bowl game after 25 years of hoping is happening this season. Let the players enjoy the moment. SMU is a very young team, they are finding ways to win, and that is good. The learning to win continues, don't put them in a situation of getting beat by a mid level SEC team, the two remaining games including the C USA championship game if they qualify are winnable. So is the Sheraton Bowl with a WAC opponent. Let's put them in a position to be successful this season to build a solid foundation back into SMU football. Slow steps, let's make it all positive steps. Some of you are pounding your chest as if SMU been there to a bowl game lately, football is a manly game, bring on the best, let the chips fall in place, but that's for you, the fans, but think out of the box for a moment, what's best for the revival of SMU football. Build the foundation of winning football, small steps, positive progression, 2 more recruiting class, than bring on the SEC, Big 10, Big 12 and the Pac 10, June will be ready.

[Ralph]

Come to Hawaii!!! Hawaii!!! let the players enjoy the sand and the surf, they earned it, first bowl game in 2 decades. There will be more bowls games in the near future, no more years of frustration, the spike is in the ground, the foundation is taking shape and form, be patient, there will be more bowl games to go to since C USA has 6 slots every year.

[leopold]

Then perhaps he never should have left. Has JJ coached team ever beaten and SEC team.......or a Gary Patterson coached team?

Yes, I know he has beaten Alabama at the island.

[ender3]

Two points:

1) Bringing up WSU as an example of what happens when we play the "big dogs" is disingenuous. This is not the same team as it was at the beginning of the year. They are far more experienced, they have learned how to win a bit, and they protect the ball far better than they did at the beginning of the year.

2) JJ's point that Hawaii would be better for recruiting... has nothing to do with whether we win or lose the game. It has everything to do with a massive ESPN love fest media blitz. "SMU goes to first bowl in 25 years" is a good story, and will get coverage. "June Jones returns to Hawaii with his Resurgent Mustangs" is a better story, and would be beaten to a pulp by the media outlets.

[huskerpony]

There will be no massive ESPN media blitz. The game is on Christmas Eve. Few people will see it outside of Hawaii, Dallas, and Fresno. Jones wants to spend Christmas in Hawaii. The players probably do too. I can't blame any of them for that. If I could, I would love to join them all. This has nothing to do with anything other than that.

And for those of you who are afraid of a crappy SEC team--you do realize the next opponent on the schedule is Texas Tech, right? And the one after that is ranked #4 in the country right now.

[Phxfan]

Two points:

1) Bringing up WSU as an example of what happens when we play the "big dogs" is disingenuous. This is not the same team as it was at the beginning of the year. They are far more experienced, they have learned how to win a bit, and they protect the ball far better than they did at the beginning of the year.

2) JJ's point that Hawaii would be better for recruiting... has nothing to do with whether we win or lose the game. It has everything to do with a massive ESPN love fest media blitz. "SMU goes to first bowl in 25 years" is a good story, and will get coverage. "June Jones returns to Hawaii with his Resurgent Mustangs" is a better story, and would be beaten to a pulp by the media outlets.

Agree on all your points. Look at Stanford. They are beating the best of the PAC 10. I don't think SMU or JJ is afraid to play an SEC team. They hung in pretty well against TCU for most of the game. SMU is a much better team right now with Padron, Hunt etc.

As for SMU, JJ going to Hawaii, even if they win CSA, there are way to many story lines here. SMU, and JJ are getting national attention/press right now for a bunch of reasons. He bucks tradition and goes back to Hawaii, SMU's last bowl in 84, the story is just to good. SMU, JJ and the Hawaii Bowl will get a ton of national press.

[expony18]

Amazing how many non-athletes are on this board. Anyone who has played competitive sports knows that if our SMU boys had it their way, they would welcome the opportunity to play anybody, anywhere, anytime....and that goes for UT, Alabama, and Florida. If you can go toe to toe with Navy who has given mighty Notre Dame a whippin and TCU then we can compete with anybody. The problem a team like SMU or even TCU competing in the SEC or Big 12 South would be the week after week of physical play. On a one game basis, no big deal. Look at UH and their victories over OSU and TT. By the way, has anyone played TCU closer into the third quarter than us? The dropped int in the flat for a td, the controversial Dalton fumble overruled after a 10 minute delay, the continuous and stubborn kicking coach insisting on kicking to Kerley and company. As I said after the TCU game, even though we were dominated on both lines and struggled offensively, we were still in the game thanks to our never give up defense and TCU turnovers.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=280010061

[huskerpony]

Seriously? You are going to compare the Stafford led team that could have been in the national championship game to this year's Arkansas or Auburn or Kentucky?

[expony18]

Seriously? You are going to compare the Stafford led team that could have been in the national championship game to this year's Arkansas or Auburn or Kentucky?

no im comparing them to a jevan snead lead ole miss. Padron is good but he's not exactly colt brennan, yet.

[huskerpony]

Ole Miss will probably be in the Cotton Bowl.

[expony18]

regardless our beat up oline would not fair well against an SEC defense. and not sure our dline could handle an SEC offensive line based on their performance against rice

[MustangStealth]

SEC teams are just physically dominant over mid major teams, and the reason why SMU has been successful is because JJs run and shoot is built to make avg players play faster thus being able to keep up with athletically better teams...

Since the SEC came onboard the Liberty Bowl 3 years ago, the largest margin of victory has been 8 points. There's no reason we couldn't compete with the 8th place SEC team.

[Phxfan]

I don't quite understand why all the fear of the SEC. In the end, UT will probably be National Champs, TCU might be #2. I don't know what the W vs L ratio is for the SEC vs non conference teams, but I doubt it is any better than the other BCS conferences.