DMN Sportswriter JJ Taylor chimes in on SMU

[Col. Nathan R. Jessep]

For you outta towners, Jacques wants PB to stay...

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 6d0c4.html

[PonyFan]

So do I.
JJT is exactly right.

[perunapower]

I second that. I'm wondering how many players feel like Justin does. We surely would go downhill if half the team transferred if Bennett is fired.

[LakeHighlandsPony]

I think Taylor made a good case for firing Bennett. If Todd Graham can go 7-5 with Rice and beat Bennett with a backup QB then...

Did Taylor witness the UNT game or Navy Game?? Bennett loves to start the season in a hole with the fan base demoralized. Try selling tickets when a horrible North Texas team kicks your butt. How about the homeless Tulane team embarrassing us at home?

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

I second that. I'm wondering how many players feel like Justin does. We surely would go downhill if half the team transferred if Bennett is fired.

Do you really believe that the players would transfer if SMU were to fire Bennett? C'mon get real. Seeing what Orsini did with basketball and hiring Coach Doh, odds are pretty good that he's going to bring in someone who actually has some skins on the wall that might have fallen on some hard times or has laid low for a while. That just seems to be his M.O. If he does that, I'm willing to bet that the guys would stick around. Say all the feel good things you want to say about Bennett but I think 5 years of questionable play calling and lack of preparation of his players is enough for me.

[BrianTinBigD]

I love how JJT makes the argument for Bennet by talking about all of his losses and how he has turned it around. We won 1 more game this year than last year. That was to a D1-AA school. We also played a weaker schedule by swapping in NTSU and Ark. St for Baylor and TCU.

The thing that kills me is that JJT lies about recruiting prowess. Our rankings in recent years were:
2006 - 107th
2005 - 81st
2004 - 76th
2003 - 62nd
2002 - 70th

We have never had a top 50 class and regularly get beat by Sunbelt, WAC, and MAC schools. Plus recruiting is taking a horribly dangerous curve downward. Take a look at the "2 deep" roster looks like without the seniors and you will see where we are in need of a quick fix and where the recruiting has us in a big hole:

OFFENSE

Quarterback
16-Justin Willis (FR-RS, 6-1, 205, Denton, Texas)
14-Eric Johnson (FR-RS, 6-1, 215, Plano, Texas)
Running Back
8-DeMyron Martin (SO-1L, 6-2, 225, Allen, Texas)
23-Cedrick Dorsey (JR-2L, 5-11, 200, New Boston, Texas)
20-James Mapps (FR-RS, 5-9, 180, Royse City, Texas)
1-Fred Turner (JR-2L, 5-10, 185, Arlington, Texas)
Left Tackle
64-Chase Smith (FR-RS, 6-4, 285, Flower Mound, Texas)
Left Guard
74-Sean Lobo (SO-0L, 6-3, 295, Arlington, Texas)
67-Tommy Poynter (SO-0L, 6-4, 285, Irving, Texas)
Center
66-Ben Poynter (JR-2L, 6-4, 285, Arlington, Texas)
62-Joe Holmes (JR-JC, 6-2, 300, Corsicana, Texas)
Right Guard
50-Caleb Peveto (JR-2L, 6-4, 295, Highland Village, Texas)
51-Mitch Enright (FR-RS, 6-2, 275, Southlake, Texas)
Right Tackle
76-Kenard Burley (JR-1L, 6-5, 315, Rosser, Texas)
55-Lucky DeLay (JR-1L, 6-4, 270, Irving, Texas)
Tight End
86-Vincent Chase (SO-1L, 6-5, 260, Irving, Texas)
Wide Receiver
4-Columbus Givens (SO-1L, 6-1, 175, Killeen, Texas)
Wide Receiver
84-Zack Sledge (JR-1L, 5-11, 190, Midland, Texas)
Wide Receiver
17-Emmanuel Sanders (FR-RS, 6-1, 175, Bellville, Texas)

DEFENSE

Left Defensive End
11-Cory Muse (JR-1L, 6-3, 250, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Defensive Tackle
????
Nose Guard
93-Chris Parham (FR-RS, 6-2, 285, Fort Worth, Texas)
Right Defensive End
94-Patrick Handy (SO-1L, 6-2, 260, Spring, Texas)
SAM Linebacker
38-Tony Hawkins (JR-2L, 6-1, 210, Longview, Texas)
44-Damon Hurst (JR-JC, 5-11, 220, Waco, Texas)
MIKE Linebacker
53-Reggie Carrington (JR-2L, 6-2, 240, Tomball, Texas)
32-Paul Hiemenz (SO-0L, 6-2, 230, Wichita, Kan.)
WILL Linebacker
5-Wilton McCray (JR-2L, 6-0, 205, LaMarque, Texas)
27-Will Bonilla (SO-1L, 5-11, 205, Corpus Christi, Texas)
Left Cornerback
6-Bryan McCann (FR-HS, 6-0, 175, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
3-Devin Lowery (JR-2L, 5-11, 175, Grand Prairie, Texas)
Free Safety
28-Bryce Hudman (FR-RS, 6-2, 200, Spring, Texas)
Strong Safety
33-Benson Sloan (SO-0L, 6-1, 190, Nashville, Tenn.)
Right Cornerback
21-Jonathan Lindley (JR-2L, 6-0, 185, Sulphur Springs, Texas)
7-David Haynes (SO-1L, 5-9, 195, McGregor, Texas)

[BRStang]

Does anyone consider the schedule that we had this year as opposed to next year? I'm sorry but the poor offensive play calling, fumbles and penalties FALL ON THE COACHES. We got by against some cupcakes this year (AND LOST TO ONE), but next year will be dismal with the continued bad leadership in this department. Don't forget we lose many of the best players PB has recruited next year, too. What's the plan?? Let me guess, "Wait til 2008!"

[bigdaddy08091]

You make a good point with the two deep thing and recruiting, but please wait before we pass any CUSA championships to Dough. This is the only job he could get. His own alma mata did not want him. Recruiting has nothing to do with the coaching, it is the school. Hell you could recruit at Texas, Miami, Florida St, and so on. It takes a special Texan to recruit at this school. We should start kidnapping players and bring them on campus. Once they see he place they will never leave.

[LakeHighlandsPony]

You make a good point with the two deep thing and recruiting, but please wait before we pass any CUSA championships to Dough. This is the only job he could get. His own alma mata did not want him. Recruiting has nothing to do with the coaching, it is the school. Hell you could recruit at Texas, Miami, Florida St, and so on. It takes a special Texan to recruit at this school. We should start kidnapping players and bring them on campus. Once they see he place they will never leave.

I disagree-Recruiting is all about coaching. Yes-it is easier to to recruit in Austin,Gainesville,Columbus etc.. but try getting recruits to Boise and Rutgers a few years ago.

[BRStang]

Orsini says his goal for both FB and BB is to be top 25. If he keeps Bennett, he's just putting himself one year further out.

What does becoming top 25 take for a school like SMU? It doesn't happen in one year. We would have to big seasons in consecutive years culminating with a near perfect season in the 3rd. With Bennett at the helm, there is NOTHING to look forward to next year except 4-8.

Bennett has had his 5 years to "win championships." Bennett has failed according to his OWN measuring stick. He told us to "expect a bowl game" this year. Remember that? I suppose that was just meaningless coachspeak drivel that we shouldn't really hold him to, right?

[BrianTinBigD]

The thing that bothers me is that recruiting has gotten worse and the coaching has never gotten much better. Phil is getting out coached by HS guys that moved to college. Phil is probably a D-Coordinator and not a Head Coach as much as I wished success for the guy.

[McClown27]

The thing that bothers me is that recruiting has gotten worse and the coaching has never gotten much better. Phil is getting out coached by HS guys that moved to college. Phil is probably a D-Coordinator and not a Head Coach as much as I wished success for the guy.

I agree. The loss to UNT really burnt me this year. We just didn't beat anybody.

[SCHOOPS]

Seeing what Orsini did with basketball and hiring Coach Doh, odds are pretty good that he's going to bring in someone who actually has some skins on the wall that might have fallen on some hard times or has laid low for a while.[quote]

Who does he bring in? Coker/Davie....come on you thing those guys want to come to SMU. You think we can afford those guys? Coach Doherty was a situation that is not in the football coaching world right now. If you look at the coaching world right now its not a lot of quality coaches out there. If PB is dismissed its a step backwards for the program which we can't afford.

[ponyfan84]

Seeing what Orsini did with basketball and hiring Coach Doh, odds are pretty good that he's going to bring in someone who actually has some skins on the wall that might have fallen on some hard times or has laid low for a while.

Who does he bring in? Coker/Davie....come on you thing those guys want to come to SMU. You think we can afford those guys? Coach Doherty was a situation that is not in the football coaching world right now. If you look at the coaching world right now its not a lot of quality coaches out there. If PB is dismissed its a step backwards for the program which we can't afford.

Exactly. Its only going to get worse. Lets see this recruiting class and how he does next year. With talent like Willis, you can't let this go to waste.

[regis]

In Basketball, you can be successful with one or two great players.

Football is different. You have to build depth and experience by recruiting the right players and being able to redshirt them. Had Cavan left ANYTHING in the cupboard, some of this year's seniors would still be redshirt juniors (see Sturdivant).

PB was up front saying that it would take at least five years to build the program the right way. Here we are five years later. We are bowl eligible. The quality of roster and level of depth are lightyears ahead of where they were 5 years ago. We are moving in the right direction and doing it the right way.

Look at some of the other CUSA big time hires. O'Leary and Price had great success their first years. This year, they sucked. Next year doesn't look much better for them.

Letting PB go would be a HUGE mistake. It would condemn us to another five year rebuilding process. The guy has three years left on his contract. We should give him the chance to finish it. In my mind, he's earned it.