Our Esteemed JJ

[ponyboy]

The big question is would June stay here, would he even be interested in an extension. Once his contract is up, I think he thinks he's done -- that he did everything he was supposed to do and can now sail off to retirement in paradise with enough cash to buy him a daily cold one and a green fee. I can't say I disagree with him. Sounds pretty nice.

[StallionsModelT]

I think that's an honest question. If you can take anything away from JJ's body language, it looks like he's tired. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Jones says no to an extension which makes 2014 very scary. If you think this staff has been mailing it in with recruiting now, just wait until its obvious that they have no incentive to beat the bushes in recruiting.

[sbsmith]

As Mustangs we are hyper-aware of SMU football down to some tiny details. Maybe we need to step back a bit a examine the bigger picture. I can tell you that non-Mustang fans think we are crazy to be dissatisfied with JJ. They point out the distance between where we were when he started and where we are now. We are caught between the devil we know (June Jones) and the devil we don't know: a replacement that offers hope and change only to crash and burn.

The bigger picture is SMU football is better than it was 5 years ago but still irrelevant and isn't moving towards relevancy with the devil we know. In fact this familiar devil could lead us to crash and burn just as all the JJ lovers fear a replacement might. BTW you might fill in those non-Mustangs fans on all of those tiny details and see what they'd think if it was their program suffering the apathy of June Jones. Methinks this flattery is a product of ignorance (or condescension) not insight.

[RyanSMU98]

More importantly, any potential BETTER new coach would be thinking we're crazy. Also his
friends, like all Bennett's friends did, would be telling him "DON'T GO THERE IT'S A COACHES GRAVEYARD

Last 4 coaches Rossley, Cavan, Bennett, and now JJ fired after 5 seasons.

This is something to really be kept in mind when you're looking at the perception of how to move ahead. Those of us who are close to the program see the lackadaisical recruiting and underperforming offense, but despite that there is the reality that we went from nothing to relevant in a very short time, and that is thanks to JJ. Ideally, at the end of this season he brings someone on staff who is effectively the HCIW and allows that person to "suggest" the staff of recruiters and coordinators that will lead in the future, announces that he intends to retire at the end of next season when his contract is up, and we send him on his way with all appropriate respect and appreciation for what he did here. Next season, he gradually turns over more and more play-calling, etc. to the HCIW to show a smooth transition, the new crew begins to take hold (hopefully while recruiting in the background as much as possible within the rules), and we finally show that we understand how to run a damned succession plan that respects the accomplishments of the past and lays the groundwork for the future. That's how you undermine the "coaching graveyard" argument and look like you have your s*it together.

[East Coast Mustang]

If June isn't interested in an extension, then 2014 could be a disaster. If we go 6-6 again this year, maybe there should be a mutually agreed upon buyout for 2014 and we can go our separate ways.

With that said, June deserves a statue next to Ford Stadium

[ponyboy]

There you go East!

[Pony81]

I prefer the succession plan route.
Take JJ salary and spread it to
Phillips - HC -
Mumme - OC-
Mason - DC
Do that and your coordinators will be paid like the big schools and Phillips will be well paid first time HC.
Phillips has shown he can recruit, Mumme has OC street cred and Mason is the real deal.
Morrison, Hill, Suan are out. Replaced with young coaches who can recruit.

[SMU2007]

I prefer the succession plan route.
Take JJ salary and spread it to
Phillips - HC -
Mumme - OC-
Mason - DC
Do that and your coordinators will be paid like the big schools and Phillips will be well paid first time HC.
Phillips has shown he can recruit, Mumme has OC street cred and Mason is the real deal.
Morrison, Hill, Suan are out. Replaced with young coaches who can recruit.

No, no, no, no, no, no, please god, no.

[malonish]

With that said, June deserves a statue next to Ford Stadium

That would degrade Doak Statue's value

[ponyboy]

A statue of Moses would degrade Doak's value.

[skurtn]

I have a lot of family and friends east of Louisiana (mainly in the southern states), and without a doubt, when I talk about SMU football, they all start with something along the lines of, "Isn't your coach June Jones? He's done a good job over there".

So, it's really difficult for me to take many of the things on here with much more than a grain of salt.

Do we want things to get better? Of course.

[jimhagle]

I am thankful for what JJ has done. Yes, he should have done more and with more passion. I really think he will quietly retire at the end of this year since he sees his efforts are becoming fruitless.

[SMU2007]

I have a lot of family and friends east of Louisiana (mainly in the southern states), and without a doubt, when I talk about SMU football, they all start with something along the lines of, "Isn't your coach June Jones? He's done a good job over there".

So, it's really difficult for me to take many of the things on here with much more than a grain of salt.

Do we want things to get better? Of course.

Great point. Comments from friends are always the best gauge of a coach's performance.

. When I talk to people at work they ask "who is smu?" That is equally relevant to your argument.

[Charleston Pony]

I see this year as the pivotal year in determining whether SMU needs a coaching change. Based on their reputations coming out of H.S., it is clear that JJ and this staff has not signed any better recruits than Bennett or Cavan did. The "coach speak" has been that we have been able to recruit bigger, stronger, faster guys than the group that just graduated (several of which were highly enough regarded to get serious looks from NFL teams).

Bottom line with "diamond in the rough" recruiting is that by year 3 (RS Sophs) you need most (not the rare few) of those guys to develop to a point where they are competitive with their counterparts who were much better players coming out of H.S. Even though I was disappointed by the way we finished that Tech game, I will admit we did not look physically outmatched like we have in the past. If these guys can go 7-5 as many have predicted, I will count that as progress and be willing to see what JJ and crew can do with Burcham or someone new at the helm

[PonyKai]

It's actually been a while since someone I've bumped in to didn't know what/where SMU was. Couple of weeks ago, the bag guy at the Ft. Lauderdale Westin knew all about it. Shockingly, he wanted to talk about Dickerson, Jones and football. He didn't seem to inclined to discuss the school's improving average SAT score.