Norm on the SMU situation
Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:47 amOn the Ticket today, Norm said, amongst other things:
--This SMU program has been a deadbeat for 2 decades.
--Since Gregg, the record is 54-143-3 (200 games).
--27.7% winner during last 200 games.
--Beaten 1 ranked team since '86
--Numbers of negativity are everywhere.
--For Bennett, the day he got fired was last year against Rice. 1st and Goal at 1; fail to get into the end zone. If beat Rice, record is 7-5 and in a bowl. This is the story of PB's tenure.
--SMU doesn't care about what bowl it is; SMU would take any bowl just to say they went to a bowl.
--In '03, several of the games could have been won (Nevada, Baylor, UTEP). Next year, collapse to UTEP. Lose in '05 to Marshall in OT. Tulsa scores on 65 yd td pass. This goes on and on.
--SMU could have been 9-3 last year. Blew 10 pt lead to UH, blew lead to UTEP.
--If you look at PB era, you can find 15 games they could have won. There were so many close calls.
--Frito: that's what you say about losing teams: woulda, coulda, shoulda.
--Same things keep happening at SMU.
--Norm: Who wants this job? Not up and coming assistants. Mid-major conference coaches might want this job. Unthinkable for a head coach at Boise, etc. to want this job.
--Coker, Mason have been through programs and they might want to come here. Why would Applewhite take the SMU job? He's OC at Bama, and no offense to SMU, but SMU is a program more likely to kill your career. Look at last four coaches. If you don't win at SMU, unlikely to coach elsewhere. PB is likely to get a gig, but the young, upcoming assitant coach in BCS school, there is no reason for a person to take this job.
--Phone calls:
--Terry Donahue, David Cutliff, Terry Bowden, Tommy Weatherby, Bill Cower (forgive my spelling). Norm: Donahue is too old; Bowden ok; Weatherby might be interested. Look for former coaches some place else.
--Why not wait to season's end to fire PB? SMU didn't want spector of weekly hanging. If he's gone, he's gone. PB and everyone knew it and to carry on a smiling charade, not the right thing to do.
--Is this about the best job Fran could get now? Norm: maybe. Would SMU have a coach before Fran is dismissed? A$M might go to a bowl game, but if he is dismissed, someone like Fran would be on the docket here. I don't see Fran meshing with Orsini and what Orsini wants for the program. O said he wants previous head coaching experience. Smaller to mid sized schools will be interested; this is a difficult job to search for, because it's a coach killer job. Candidates need to come in with eyes wide open. I don't know anyone who has been a 27% loser for 20 years.
--This SMU program has been a deadbeat for 2 decades.
--Since Gregg, the record is 54-143-3 (200 games).
--27.7% winner during last 200 games.
--Beaten 1 ranked team since '86
--Numbers of negativity are everywhere.
--For Bennett, the day he got fired was last year against Rice. 1st and Goal at 1; fail to get into the end zone. If beat Rice, record is 7-5 and in a bowl. This is the story of PB's tenure.
--SMU doesn't care about what bowl it is; SMU would take any bowl just to say they went to a bowl.
--In '03, several of the games could have been won (Nevada, Baylor, UTEP). Next year, collapse to UTEP. Lose in '05 to Marshall in OT. Tulsa scores on 65 yd td pass. This goes on and on.
--SMU could have been 9-3 last year. Blew 10 pt lead to UH, blew lead to UTEP.
--If you look at PB era, you can find 15 games they could have won. There were so many close calls.
--Frito: that's what you say about losing teams: woulda, coulda, shoulda.
--Same things keep happening at SMU.
--Norm: Who wants this job? Not up and coming assistants. Mid-major conference coaches might want this job. Unthinkable for a head coach at Boise, etc. to want this job.
--Coker, Mason have been through programs and they might want to come here. Why would Applewhite take the SMU job? He's OC at Bama, and no offense to SMU, but SMU is a program more likely to kill your career. Look at last four coaches. If you don't win at SMU, unlikely to coach elsewhere. PB is likely to get a gig, but the young, upcoming assitant coach in BCS school, there is no reason for a person to take this job.
--Phone calls:
--Terry Donahue, David Cutliff, Terry Bowden, Tommy Weatherby, Bill Cower (forgive my spelling). Norm: Donahue is too old; Bowden ok; Weatherby might be interested. Look for former coaches some place else.
--Why not wait to season's end to fire PB? SMU didn't want spector of weekly hanging. If he's gone, he's gone. PB and everyone knew it and to carry on a smiling charade, not the right thing to do.
--Is this about the best job Fran could get now? Norm: maybe. Would SMU have a coach before Fran is dismissed? A$M might go to a bowl game, but if he is dismissed, someone like Fran would be on the docket here. I don't see Fran meshing with Orsini and what Orsini wants for the program. O said he wants previous head coaching experience. Smaller to mid sized schools will be interested; this is a difficult job to search for, because it's a coach killer job. Candidates need to come in with eyes wide open. I don't know anyone who has been a 27% loser for 20 years.
