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Defensive Ranks (note: we consistently played well against option teams under Schumann).

during Schumann Era
1997 (Record 6-5, and with a win over TCU a chance to play in WAC Championship - but I think Tulsa didn't win either, lost 21-17? with Flanigan on the bench and Donte suspended for being in the woman's dorm)
#xx Total Defense (anyone find this?)

1998 (Record 5-7)
#14 Total Defense

1999 (Record 4-6 and with a win over TCU, a chance to replay SJSU for the WAC Championship, lost 21-0)
#53 Total Defense (#44 Scoring Defense)

2000 (Record 3-9)
#70 Total Defense

2001 (Record 4-7)
#22 Total Defense

during Bennett Era
2002 (Record 3-9)
#85 Total Defense

2003 (Record 0-12, and with a win over TCU, a chance to win a game - lost to TCU 62-7)
#92 Total Defense

2004 (Record 3-8 )
#113 Total Defense

2005 (Record so far 1-3)
#101 Total Defense

Kansas State had the nation's No. 1 pass-efficiency defense and No. 2 total defense in his first year. In 2000, the Wildcats ranked fourth in total defense. They were third this year.

[Phil Bennett] plans to bring some of that toughness to SMU, which yielded 35 or more points five times this season.

"Defense is an attitude," said Bennett, who played defensive end at Texas A&M from 1974-77. "We will be a team that goes into every practice with attitude."

I dunno about you, but you seen any ATTITUDE lately? I mean, IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS!

Hey Don't Forget OFFENSE!!!!!

2003
#119 Total Offense...ABSOLUTE WORST

2004
#109 Total Offense

2005 so far
#108 Total Offense

well the 6-5 club had one of the best defenses-I'm sure the stats would bear that out-plus SMU had a strong running game which kept the defense off the field.

Schumann was obviously much better against the run, totally agree.

But also keep in mind that some of those numbers are a bit misleading. Under Cavan, we didn't spread and try to run hurryup. We ran the ball almost every down and tried to kill clock to keep our D off the field. So it made the D numbers look a bit better than they were.

The teams in the WAC back then were also more pound it out teams, not spread teams. AF and Rice, obviously, but also New Mexico, TCU, Utah were all pound it out teams. When both teams are trying to establish the run and have trouble doing so, it can make the defensive numbers look really good. The secondary back then if I recall looked good from a yardage standpoint, but had horrible QB ratings against statistics.

I think that the major problem that myself and probably everyone else on this board has is that in the first couple of games, we had our defense out there playing aggressive, "playing to win". Now, we are out there "playing not to lose" and playing passive. Afraid to screw up. Afraid of giving up the deep ball. Spending our time trying to prevent a quick death, so we just die slowly and more painfully. And the lack of aggression kills any chance of winning.

And frankly, I would much rather see us running our asses off, trying to make some things happen, and be down 21 early, than watch that crap we did on Saturday.

JasonB wrote:But also keep in mind that some of those numbers are a bit misleading. Under Cavan, we didn't spread and try to run hurryup. We ran the ball almost every down and tried to kill clock to keep our D off the field. So it made the D numbers look a bit better than they were.

The teams in the WAC back then were also more pound it out teams, not spread teams. AF and Rice, obviously, but also New Mexico, TCU, Utah were all pound it out teams.

You will recall that the WAC was called "Sand lot" football for a reason...

Rice and AF were the only ones to 'run' the ball.

We haven't exactly been 'Spreading' the football, especially since Romo has been playing. The QB option play seems to be their favorite (until the Tulane end-around reverses). Those are RUNNING plays.

Furthermore, the only coaching genius Bennett has displayed has been against Texas Tech - to SLOW the game down (also for his second 2 games against a high-powered TCU that we almost won). Why we didn't do that against aTm I am amazed at...

I would have loved his unpublished gameplan to be "go down there, slow it down, and get out of there with a 2 TD loss" - so your team didn't LOSE THEIR [deleted], lose their psyche, and all of his credibility.

Why do you think they play so uninspired under Tulane? Because they just got bona fide proof that their HC doesn't know how to plan a game.

Not true, Utah and NM ran very conservative offenses for quite a while, as did some of the other teams. BYU was wide open, but a lot of the rest ran normal offenses.

JasonB wrote:Not true, Utah and NM ran very conservative offenses for quite a while, as did some of the other teams. BYU was wide open, but a lot of the rest ran normal offenses.

NM did not run conservative - recall FRANCHIONE was the head coach with Stoney Case for a while.

THE WHOLE OF THE WAC was more pass happy, period. Don't argue that.

So, do we hire:

1) A Div-1a Coordinator (see Phil Bennett)
2) A Div-1aa Head Coach (see Mike Cavan)
3) An area HS HC that might be able to get some recruits here

???

GoRedGoBlue wrote:Defensive Ranks during Bennett Era
2002 (Record 3-9)
#85 Total Defense

2003 (Record 0-12, and with a win over TCU, a chance to win a game - lost to TCU 62-7)
#92 Total Defense

2004 (Record 3-8 )
#113 Total Defense

2005 (Record so far 1-3)
#101 Total Defense

Hey Don't Forget OFFENSE!!!!!

2003
#119 Total Offense...ABSOLUTE WORST

2004
#109 Total Offense

2005 so far
#108 Total Offense

This is what gets me about so many of you sunshiners....you always say we will be BETTER next year....but we lack PLAYMAKERS that get us from #108 to #50...on either side of the field.

offense wasn't credited as being a Bennett specialty - even though you are correct to point this out. I merely refrained to putting the biggest spotlight on what is his forte.

I can't wait to see who ol' Jim pulls out of his hat this time. SMU doesn't have the guts to go with anyone controversial (ie Neuheisel). No money to spend on a big name. That leaves another assistant. Therein lies the rub. To come up with an assistant you have to be an astute observer of football. Jim has absolutely no record of doing this. Therefore we are up a creek again.

the best way to predict future behavior is looking at past behavior. that goes for results on the field and the people calling the shots (the board on down). unless major changes take place, from policy to the right people to drive change, nothing will be different. what you have is hope but what you get is the same reality each year.

get houston nutt after arkansas dumps him, he already recruits this area

Crong wrote:the best way to predict future behavior is looking at past behavior. that goes for results on the field and the people calling the shots (the board on down). unless major changes take place, from policy to the right people to drive change, nothing will be different. what you have is hope but what you get is the same reality each year.

Past performance is no guarantee of future behavior.

Rumor is that Ark wants out of SEC, into B12...

i'll take my chances in this situation.

....and it shall come to pass that The Arkansas Razorbacks shall lose their fertile recruiting grounds and fade into mediocrity. You jumped the gun Ole Frank-you jumped the gun.

I'm amazed at how little coverage Arkansas now gets in the DMN and locally in general. SEC is a great enough league that they will always make lots of money, but they are irrelevant in Dallas and probably the whole state of Texas right now.