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SMU is mentioned on SportingNews.com today:



By Tom Dienhart, Sporting News
October 9, 2007

Scuttlebutt

If a change is made at Ole Miss, there appear to be many quality and intriguing options. How about Terry Bowden coaching all of that talent in Oxford? Imagine how that would energize the fan base and bring instant credibility. LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini has the passion and knowledge to run a program. A real wild card is Alabama offensive coordinator Major Applewhite. He may be too young, but he's a rising star with a bright mind and has a name with cache. It's a risk, but the Rebels may capture lightning in a bottle with a guy like Applewhite.

Another name could emerge at SMU if there's a coaching change: Mizzou offensive coordinator Dave Christensen. He got a look at Central Michigan last year.


O'Leary is available

A new name is entering the mix should a change take place at Syracuse: UCF coach George O'Leary. It would make sense and be a great fit. O'Leary is from New York.

But, more than anything: He's a great coach. O'Leary has paid enough for the resume flap that cost him the Notre Dame job (How good would the Irish be if O'Leary was still there in his seventh season?). And O'Leary has gotten UCF on sound footing to the point where he could leave knowing he left an indelible mark on the program.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=287800

i wouldnt want oleary after his fiasco with Notre Dame. plus, hes too old

Dave Christensen could be the offensive version of PB. If we get a new coach he's going to have to have previous HC experience, unless that coordinator's name is Norm Chow...And we all know he won't take this job.

If we hire a coach, lets go with an OFFENSIVE MINDED one because PB and his Defensive mind couldnt do [deleted] so far.

J.T.supporta wrote:If we hire a coach, lets go with an OFFENSIVE MINDED one because PB and his Defensive mind couldnt do [deleted] so far.

I second that notion, but please no assistants without HC experience. This job has unique needs.

How good a recruiter is this guy? Who has he personally landed at Mizzou? What area was his recruiting responsibility? At this point I don't care if the guy is the second coming of Joe Gibbs, I want someone who can either turn this program around on a dime, or can recruit so many good players that we can't help but be better than our opponants. This sounds like same ol' same ol'. If that's the choice, keep Bennett.

EastStang~

Right on! We don't have the time or patience to groom some OC/DC from a Big School that is learning on the job. We need a "statement" hire.

Dave Christensen Bio:



Hometown:
Everett, Wash.

Last College:
Western Washington, '85

Position:
Missouri Tigers Assistant H.C. / Off. Coord. / Off. Line

Experience:
7th Year at Missouri

Dave Christensen is one of the top offensive coaches in the nation, and has coached under Gary Pinkel since 1992. He has been Pinkel's offensive coordinator since 1997, and has coached the offensive line the past 15 seasons. Christensen, a 2002 and 2003 nominee for the Frank Broyles Assistant Coach of the Year Award, is in his seventh season as Assistant Head Coach - the highest-ranking assistant on Pinkel's staff.

Despite losing the most prolific quarterback in Mizzou history - Brad Smith - to graduation, Mizzou's offensive attack hardly missed a beat with first-year starter Chase Daniel, who kept the offense humming, and set numerous school passing records himself in 2006. The Tigers finished the 2006 season with the nation's 8th-ranked offense, averaging 425.62 yards per game, and that included the nation's 10th-ranked passing attack, at 276.15 yards an outing. The Tiger offense set numerous team and individual records, including total offense (5,533 yards) and passing yards (3,590). Two of Christensen's linemen earned All-Big 12 honors, as senior tackle Joel Clinger earned 1st-Team honors by league coaches, while Clinger and center Adam Spieker both earned honorable-mention status from the Associated Press.

Christensen's offense, which underwent a big transformation to a spread, no-huddle attack in 2005, was very successful in 2005. His attack, executed by record-setting quarterback Brad Smith, ended the 2005 season ranked in the top four in the Big 12, and in the top-40 nationally in three major categories - rushing (205.25 ypg - 3rd in Big 12/17th in NCAA), total offense (429.75 ypg - 4th/24th) and scoring (30.75 ppg - 4th/34th).

Despite going to battle each week with a young offensive line that featured just one senior starter, the offense jelled right away, as the Tigers rolled to 657 yards in the 2005 season opener against Arkansas State. That was just three yards shy of the school record. Three of Christensen's linemen won all-Big 12 honors in 2005, led by senior left guard Tony Palmer, who earned 1st-Team league honors for the first time in his career. He was joined by sophomore center Adam Spieker and junior right tackle Joel Clinger, who both won honorable mention acclaim by league coaches. Palmer eventually became a 7th-round draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams.

Christensen was behind the wheel of a Mizzou offensive attack in 2003 broke the school single-season record for points, with 399. That broke the previous mark of 368 set by the 1997 squad.

The Tiger rushing attack also proved to be one of the most potent in the nation in 2003, as MU led the Big 12 Conference, and ranked 6th nationally with an average of 237.46 yards per game. That marked the first time since 1960 that MU won a conference rushing championship, when the Tigers led the old Big Eight with a mark of 249.3 yards per game. Its 3,087 rushing yards for the season ranked as second-best in school season history. Senior center A.J. Ricker and senior tackle Rob Droege each earned 1st-Team All-Big 12 honors for their play in 2003, while sophomore guard Tony Palmer earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 status. Ricker and Droege both signed free agent contracts in the spring of 2004 with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Scott Paffrath signed a free agent deal with the Washington Redskins following the 2005 NFL Draft.

Under Christensen's guidance, Mizzou featured one of the most potent attacks in school history in 2002. The Tigers averaged 30.0 points per game, and the 360 points scored were the third-most in MU history at the time. Christensen's balanced run-pass attack turned redshirt freshman quarterback Brad Smith into one of the nation's most talked about players, as he became just the second player in NCAA Division I-A history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a season.

Mizzou's emphasis on a disciplined attack also produced an offense that led the nation in fewest turnovers, with just 11 offensive giveaways in 12 games.

In his final seven seasons at the University of Toledo, the Rockets' offense set or reset some 75 school records. During that period, the Rockets had an undefeated and MAC championship season (11-0 in 1995) and three MAC West titles (1997 and 1998).

In 1999, Toledo was 10th in the country in rushing (239.2) and led the nation in yards per attempt (5.35).

Christensen came to Toledo from Idaho State University where he coached the offensive line, tight ends and running backs for two years. Prior to his stint at Idaho State, he served two years as an assistant coach under Don James at the University of Washington. He also played football for the Huskies from 1980-82.

Christensen coached Andy McCollum, a longtime standout center for the St. Louis Rams, while at Toledo. Another lineman, Colin Westerich, made the Sporting News All-America Team in 1999.

Christensen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Western Washington in 1985 and a Master of Science degree in college instruction/sports science from Eastern Washington University in 1988.

He and his wife Susie, are the parents of Katie, D.J. and Emily.

University of Missouri Football

THE CHRISTENSEN FILE
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2001-Present Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line, Missouri
1997-00 Off. Coordinator/Offensive Line, Toledo
1992-96 Offensive Line, Toledo
1990-91 OL/TE/RB, Idaho State
1989-90 Offensive Line, Washington
1988 Spokane Falls CC
1986-87 Offensive/Defensive Line, Eastern Washington
1985 Offensive/Defensive Line, Everett (WA) H.S.
1984 Offensive/Defensive Line, Sehome (WA) H.S.
1983 Running Backs, Western Washington
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Washington (1980-82)
RECRUITING AREAS
Southern Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona Junior Colleges

CHRISTENSEN'S
ALL-BIG 12 PERFORMERS
Aaron Crittendon, OL
2nd Team (2001)
A.J. Ricker, OL
3rd Team (2001), 2nd Team (2002), 1st Team (2003)
Justin Bland
OL - Hon. Men. (2001)
Mike Hayes
OL - Hon. Men. (2001)
Rob Droege
OL - 1st Team (2002, 2003)
Tony Palmer
OL - Hon. Men. (2003), 2nd Team (2004), 1st Team (2005)
Adam Spieker
OL - Hon. Men. (2005)
Joel Clinger
OL - Hon. Men. (2005), 1st Team (2006)



http://mutigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/christensen_dave01.html

Our write-up on Bennett from the schools website is just as good for propaganda. Would make you think other schools were lining up for his services. Have any third party opinion on him?

head coaches only need apply

No projects, please.

if bowden wants to coach he will have better offers than smu. said that from the first time he was mentioned. I too would rather keep bennett and give the guy 5 more years than bring in this christenson dude or some other similar option. this might be funny if it wasnt going to be so sad.

Hoop Fan wrote:I too would rather keep bennett and give the guy 5 more years than bring in this christenson dude or some other similar option.

Ford Stadium will be a very lonely place if that were to happen.

Let's face it, Hoop Fan. Phil Bennett is no Matt Doherty.

Looks like Phil and Dave use the same mustache hair care products = no.