Ken Hatfield on SMU

[RedRiverPony]

"(This week), we're playing for the Mayors' Cup. We won it last year. It's the city of Houston playing the city of Dallas, and it's always a big game. We know they're a good, solid team. They are the last team we'll play this year that will have had an extra off-week before we play them. We are also their homecoming opponent, and that was not picked by chance."

On playing SMU in Dallas --
"It goes back to our Southwest Conference days. This game goes back a long way, there are a lot more historical games and memorable moments. When I first got here we played them in the Cotton Bowl, and we've been in their new stadium the last few times. They beat us there in 2001, and we had a good football team. We played well in the first half and in the second half they outplayed us. Two years ago, we played a good football game from beginning to end on their new turf. We know each other.

"I've been most impressed watching them. They're the only team to beat TCU this year, and they beat TCU the week after TCU goes into Norman and beats Oklahoma. They whipped them, too. It wasn't any fluke. We also see that they go to Birmingham and defeat UAB, which we didn't do, scoring from 80 yards in 27 seconds, which is a long way to win that game. They threw it up to the big, 6-5 receiver, and he catches it to win the game. Against Tulsa, it's a seven-point game.

"They've played a lot of close games. They've won a couple against some key people. We know they're a good team and well-coached. They play solid football, and we know nothing's going to come easy."

On Rice -- "Like I told you last Monday, I wasn't a bit worried about UTEP. I was worried about the Rice Owls and what kind of team that we would have to show up on Saturday. We spent our time focusing on ourselves and what we could do better. While we weren't perfect, we did make a few more plays than we had before and we stayed in the fight. We improved as a football team last week.

"We've got to do that again this week. Whatever SMU does, they do. We're going to focus on the Owls and how we can be better. If we can put ourselves in position to win the game in the fourth quarter, we need to do it."

On Rice's 44-10 win over SMU in 2004 -- "We had a lot of things go right early in that game. We had a real good first half which gave us some breathing room.

"This is a whole different year, and we'll see what happens. You look at Central Florida. This time last year, they were 0-11, and now they're sitting on top of the other division of Conference USA at 5-3 right now."

[PonySnob]

Ken Has to like his chances......SMU has put an end to numerous losing streaks during Bennett's time here as coach.

[RedRiverPony]

Thank goodness you didn't let us down. Way to find a ray of hope.

[PonySnob]

Thank goodness you didn't let us down. Way to find a ray of hope.

8 wins in three and half seasons.......how much hope can there really be?

[Horseshoe]

If you believe the young players -- those who are beginning their playing careers now or those who are waiting in the wings, either as redshirts or waiting their turns behind upperclassmen -- are better than the young players were three-and-a-half years ago, then there's considerable reason for hope. If you don't believe that, you're not watching the same team I am.

[jtstang]

If you believe the young players -- those who are beginning their playing careers now or those who are waiting in the wings, either as redshirts or waiting their turns behind upperclassmen -- are better than the young players were three-and-a-half years ago, then there's considerable reason for hope. If you don't believe that, you're not watching the same team I am.

Okay, we have been young every year since the death penalty, so let's analyze your reasons for hope. You see it (1) in the young players who are waiting as redshirts and (2) the young players who are waiting their turns behind upperclassmen.

BY DEFINITION YOU HAVE NOT SEEN EITHER OF THESE GROUPS PLAY!!! HOW CAN YOU BASE ANY AMOUNT OF HOPE ON THEM??

And I hope to god they are better than the young players from three and a half years ago, who, as you recall, blossomed into an 0-12 team in 2003.

[Horseshoe]

I base it on the fact that I try to stop by practice a few times a year. The guys I saw a few years ago .... they had some ability. And for me (or anyone on this board, I assume) to question their athleticism is a bit ridiculous .... but the guys I've seen on the scout team last year and this year are bigger, stronger and faster at almost every position. That alone gives me some hope. If they can develop their talent as they get physically more mature, that will give me more hope. I don't claim to know any better than anyone else on here about how good a specific player will end up being with the Mustangs -- some will be better than we think, others will be worse. But the point from which they're starting is better than it was three-and-a-half years ago, and better than the starting point for the players in the years before them. So .... production? Who knows. Hope? Definitely.

[jtstang]

I base it on the fact that I try to stop by practice a few times a year.

Well, in that case I'm definitely NOT watching the same team you are, I'm watching the one which plays on Saturday. The one that has five wins in the last three years. You know, the one which your scout team beats up on. No wonder they look good.

[Dopey Doowrong]

Horseshoe wrote:

If you believe the young players -- those who are beginning their playing careers now or those who are waiting in the wings, either as redshirts or waiting their turns behind upperclassmen -- are better than the young players were three-and-a-half years ago, then there's considerable reason for hope. If you don't believe that, you're not watching the same team I am.

Yes. Yes. That's right. YOU'RE RIGHT! We are young. Wait 'til NEXT YEAR! There's ALWAYS next year! We are headed up! UP! UP!

Now lets' go beat those Eagles!

[Buddha]

Grow up. All the original post said was that the size and speed and athletic ability of the young players offered a source of optimism. It said nothing about the direction of the team, merely that there was reason to hope for the best in the future. No predictions, just optimism. For god's sake, stop mocking people for rooting for their team.

[MrMustang1965]

I base it on the fact that I try to stop by practice a few times a year.

Well, in that case I'm definitely NOT watching the same team you are, I'm watching the one which plays on Saturday. The one that has five wins in the last three years. You know, the one which your scout team beats up on. No wonder they look good.

There you go again, jt. As you've said on this forum before...YOU DON'T GO TO THE GAMES! How can you be "watching the one which plays on Saturday" when you're not even there!!!???

[BrianTinBigD]

Every year I start the season with the hope that this is the year that the young talent that we have matures. Every year at this time I am bitter and wanting to know why I have to wait until next year.

Being a SMU fan is even more difficult than being a Ranger fan. I have seen the playoffs with the Rangers and I would kill for a .500 season for the Ponies at this point.

I am already thinking that if we FIRE Copeland, Bennett, and Burns that maybe, just maybe we can get someone in here that knows how to coach a football team and call offensive plays. I look forward to Willis at QB, Martin at RB, Kennedy and Vincent Chase at TE, and Bobby Chase as a SR. playing WR. I expect that Givens will be better as well. I hope that next years offense adjusts to the personnel at hand. I wish for a special teams coordinator that can make a difference and not have kicks blocked every game. I also hoe that said Special Teams coach ditches the quick kick and swinging gate and concentrates on get the simple stuff done.

Next Year I expect this team to be 9-3 and go to a bowl game, but I expect that every year and slowly slide to the point where I am at now thinking that Rice is going to bust out the 'bone and make me wish for next year.

[Stallion]

examine the basis and source of the information that leads you to believe we have substantially better, winning talent and you'll have your answer. It is unfounded-we have never recruited 3 or even 2 consecutive solid bowl-caliber classes in 20 years.

[SoCal_Pony]

examine the basis and source of the information that leads you to believe we have substantially better, winning talent and you'll have your answer. It is unfounded-we have never recruited 3 or even 2 consecutive solid bowl-caliber classes in 20 years.

Precisely…and the cold hard facts are that the talent level is actually declining when you compare PB’s first 2 recruiting classes to these last 2 (jury is kinda out on this year, of course, but prognosis is not good)

[DallasDiehard]

Jeez, that's just not subjective enough, counselor. For instance, if we had a class of Adrian Peterson, Ryan Perriloux and a bunch of other guys who were just slow, undersized stiffs .... would that class be "bowl-caliber" if those two thoroughbreds led us to the Whatever Bowl? Of course. So what are you basing this on, rivals stars? Maybe the players haven't progressed as many of us thought or hoped. Maybe there was a key injury to a vital player here and there. Maybe the opposition also recruited strong, fast, talented kids and they won a game that we also could have won. For you and me to sit here and say "this kid's worthy, that kid's not worthy" is unfair to the player, not to mention to the coaches. You've seen a lot of football, and so have I. But there's a reason we have our jobs and the coaches have theirs.