It's official. Bennett fired today.

JesuitPony · Post by **JesuitPony** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:12 pm

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/102907dnsposmubennett.1b657043c.html

SMU fires football coach Phil Bennett
Source: He will remain in place for Mustangs' final four games

04:17 PM CDT on Sunday, October 28, 2007
By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]

SMU on Sunday fired football coach Phil Bennett, according to a source in the athletic department.

He will coach out the final four games of the season, through the Nov. 24 season finale at Memphis.

Athletic director Steve Orsini notified Bennett, 18-48 in almost six seasons, of his decision this afternoon, less than 24 hours after the Mustangs lost, 29-23, at Tulsa and were mathematically eliminated from becoming bowl eligible.

Bennett had two years remaining on his contract and is paid almost $500,000 a year. Bennett, 51, lost his job because he and long-downtrodden SMU whiffed at their season of hope. The Mustangs dropped seven of their first eight games, including the last six.

It was a far cry from the expectations built during the preseason, in which Bennett talked about going to the program's first bowl since 1984 and since the death penalty. Bennett said SMU should challenge for a Conference USA title.

SMU poured a $750,000 increase into its marketing budget to promote the team and the new ├â┬ó├óΓÇÜ┬¼├àΓÇ£Pony Up├â┬ó├óΓÇÜ┬¼

Pony Soup · Post by **Pony Soup** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:12 pm

done and done

BRStang · Post by **BRStang** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:14 pm

It was the right decision. To do it now, that is.

gostangs · Post by **gostangs** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:19 pm

Good guy but not a good enough coach - and he had no help from a undermanned staff. Time to pony up some dough and get us a new dude.

While we are at it, we better get a p.e. major pronto.

perunapower · Post by **perunapower** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:20 pm

I wonder what will happen to the team and the rest of the season now.

gostangs · Post by **gostangs** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:24 pm

Uh.....not sure what you mean. Are you afraid they might lose games two at a time?

DiamondM75 · Post by **DiamondM75** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:24 pm

perunapower wrote:I wonder what will happen to the team and the rest of the season now.

We win out. It's SMU.

We end the season 5-7 and were just 1 yard short of a bowl.

MrMustang1965 · Post by **MrMustang1965** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:26 pm

Source tells DMN that Bennett will remain in place for the final games of the '07 season.

Charleston Pony · Post by **Charleston Pony** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:28 pm

Well, there's no excuse for not playing "wide open" the rest of this season. No pressure now on anyone. Can we have some fun from here on out?

If I'm Houston, I'm actually pretty concerned about this development.

George S. Patton · Post by **George S. Patton** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:28 pm

I wish Phil nothing but the best. He'll land on his feet. It's the coaching profession. They knew what they had to do this season, and they didn't meet the challenge.

I actually think the players will be looser and play better. And if some threaten to transfer, don't judge what they say but what they do.

perunapower · Post by **perunapower** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:29 pm

gostangs wrote:Uh.....not sure what you mean. Are you afraid they might lose games two at a time?

How many players defect (if any)? Do we give up on the season? What happens now that we have a lame duck coach coaching the team for the last 4 games?

DiamondM75 · Post by **DiamondM75** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:30 pm

I just saw Darth dancing naked in the street.

It was not a pretty sight.

BIGHORSE · Post by **BIGHORSE** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:30 pm

would you like to keep any assistant coach or just clean house?

PK · Post by PK » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:31 pm

perunapower wrote:
gostangs wrote:Uh.....not sure what you mean. Are you afraid they might lose games two at a time?

How many players defect (if any)? Do we give up on the season? What happens now that we have a lame duck coach coaching the team for the last 4 games?

Players can not transfer without releases...all they can do is quit...and figure out where they will get enough money to pay for their college education.

BRStang · Post by **BRStang** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:31 pm

BIGHORSE wrote:would you like to keep any assistant coach or just clean house?

Yeah, let's keep Rusty Offense.