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Mason - Has won at difficult places like Kansas and Minnesota, but has never really won big. Very well respected coach and person. Would probably not leave SMU if successful. No really a name that would turn heads in.

Bowden - Has won big at the highest level. Would leave SMU to get back into a BCS school at the first chance. Has been out of the game for a while. Somewhat shady past. Would be a name that would turn heads in Dallas and the nation.

Barnett - Won conference titles in the Big 12 and Big 10. Winning the Big 10 at Northwestern is harder than winning Conf USA with SMU. Has won at a small private school with serious academic restrictions. Runs a somewhat dated offense, has some baggage, but at 61, would prob make SMU his last job.

There are probably in excess of 20 bowl games played in by those 3 Coaching candidates. Any of the 3 would be nice.

Amen to that. Any of them would mean we are serious about turning this around once and for all.

I can't deny Mason's results, but it just seems like Bowden and Barnett are better fits for the SMU market.

Stallion wrote:There are probably in excess of 20 bowl games played in by those 3 Coaching candidates. Any of the 3 would be nice.

Agreed. Any of the three would be a welcome addition.

Here are their career coaching records:

Glen Mason: 123-121-1
Gary Barnett: 85-82-1
Terry Bowden: 111-53-2

Much better than 18-48...

Mason actually took his team to more bowls than all of them-9. Barnett took his teams to 7 bowls but his overall record is weighted down by having to turn-around the morbid Northwestern program. Mason turned around 2 morbid programs Kansas and Minnesota so that brought down his record. Bowden had a Rolls-Royce from Day 1- 3 bowls in 6 years plus 20-1-1 in his first 2 years when they were ineligible for a bowl

Stallion wrote:Mason actually took his team to more bowls than all of them-9

ESPN claims he took Minnesota to 7 bowl games:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2715640

None of Mason's teams made it to a BCS bowl. Bowden led Auburn to a bowl game each season the program was eligible and arguably would have made it to BCS bowls the 2 years the program was ineligible.

Didn't Mason accept the HC job at Georgia at one point...but changed his mind and stayed at Kansas...before going to Minnesota?

he also coached at Kansas

Stallion wrote:he also coached at Kansas

Forgot to take that into account! Sorry. Barnett did make it to 7 Bowl games between his days at Northwestern and Colorado. 2 of those were BCS bowl games.

yes, he was offered the Georgia job, accepted it, then changed his mind. Georgia then hired Jim Donnen. Mason either signed a record deal or went to work for a big 6 accounting firm

Stallion wrote:Mason actually took his team to more bowls than all of them-9. Barnett took his teams to 7 bowls but his overall record is weighted down by having to turn-around the morbid Northwestern program. Mason turned around 2 morbid programs Kansas and Minnesota so that brought down his record. Bowden had a Rolls-Royce from Day 1- 3 bowls in 6 years plus 20-1-1 in his first 2 years when they were ineligible for a bowl

Are you still on the Mason wagon? I thought I was and have backed off a little. Not sure if it is the low name recognition factor or something else. Just not as excited about him as I was a week ago. Can't explain. Wouldn't be disappointed if we got him though. I just can't get over the big name coaches right now. Somewhere in my brain, I think we really need the name on top of a good coach. I think recruits would respond as well.

smupony wrote:

Stallion wrote:Mason actually took his team to more bowls than all of them-9. Barnett took his teams to 7 bowls but his overall record is weighted down by having to turn-around the morbid Northwestern program. Mason turned around 2 morbid programs Kansas and Minnesota so that brought down his record. Bowden had a Rolls-Royce from Day 1- 3 bowls in 6 years plus 20-1-1 in his first 2 years when they were ineligible for a bowl

Are you still on the Mason wagon? I thought I was and have backed off a little. Not sure if it is the low name recognition factor or something else. Just not as excited about him as I was a week ago. Can't explain. Wouldn't be disappointed if we got him though. I just can't get over the big name coaches right now. Somewhere in my brain, I think we really need the name on top of a good coach. I think recruits would respond as well.

That's exactly why the big name is a key factor for me. I think more than x's and o's we need a big name to energize the fan base, national media and recruits.

I'm on about 6-7 bandwagons. There are some quality, proven Coaches on our unofficial Ponyfans list. Now we find out how pretty we are. I was never a Phil Bennett fan from Day 1-didn't think he was a good fit. I'm not sure how many of these guys will want to commit to SMU though. I feel certain several will want to slow-play SMU to see what becomes availiable. It would be a feather in Orsini's cap if he could this done before about 15-20 other jobs open up and compete for the same guys.

Stallion wrote:There are probably in excess of 20 bowl games played in by those 3 Coaching candidates. Any of the 3 would be nice.

I thought Gary Gibbs was your man?? Change your mind?