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Don't expect to hear any more folksy references to John D. Rockefeller, green bananas and Miss America at Texas A&M football press conferences.

Texas A&M announced the retirement of veteran defensive coordination Joe Kines, although the news got buried by the Mike Leach firing. Expect Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, the one-time SMU head coach, to emerge as a serious candidate.

Kines' defenses struggled the past two seasons, but in fairness he was a stop-gap hire when Reggie Herring left for the Dallas Cowboys. And Kines didn't have a great amount of talent on hand. A few weeks, Texas coach Mack Brown said that Kines deserved to be ranked among the great college defensive coordinators like Florida State's Mickey Andrews.

The retirement decision came out of a postseason meeting between Kines, 65, and coach Mike Sherman following the Independence Bowl.

"God has blessed me so much," Kines said in a statement. "I am a man of faith and family and I feel like it is time for me to retire. I came here to help and I hope I have helped a little. I wish we would have had a little more success. I really want to thank the players because they gave me and the staff everything they had and did everything we asked. As with all of the players I have coached, I will keep an eye on them and wish them the very best."

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com ... tires.html

I assume Bennett jumps at the chance to go to A&M, if offered. I believe his wife still lives there. At least, she did during Bennett's last year at SMU.

I have always maintained it is in SMU's best interest to keep Bennett as far away as possible. Bennett at Pitt was ideal; second only to him going to the NFL. Give "good guy" Phil Bennett all the well wishes you want, but if the used car salesman goes back to A&M, the number of back-handed compliments that SMU will receive will go up by a factor of 5.

He has forgotten a lot of football.

Dooby wrote:I assume Bennett jumps at the chance to go to A&M, if offered. I believe his wife still lives there. At least, she did during Bennett's last year at SMU.

I have always maintained it is in SMU's best interest to keep Bennett as far away as possible. Bennett at Pitt was ideal; second only to him going to the NFL. Give "good guy" Phil Bennett all the well wishes you want, but if the used car salesman goes back to A&M, the number of back-handed compliments that SMU will receive will go up by a factor of 5.

How much of Phil's ablility to hurt SMU recruiting has been nullified since Jones went 8-5 and took SMU to a bowl game this year?

A lot, but old buddy Phil will still have plenty to say because "he was there" and he knows what it is like.

How many battles have we had with A&M for recruits in the past few years? Cyrus Gray? Was that even a competition?

I hope we have that problem in the future. There's also a good chance A&M continues their slide into irrelevance which will take care of the recruiting for us.

Dooby wrote:A lot, but old buddy Phil will still have plenty to say because "he was there" and he knows what it is like.

Then we can say it is now better because he is not there anymore.

I really do not see what he could say negative except that he did not have the same recruiting freedom that the staff there now has. And that would kind of play to our advantage.

mrydel wrote:

Dooby wrote:A lot, but old buddy Phil will still have plenty to say because "he was there" and he knows what it is like.

Then we can say it is now better because he is not there anymore.

I really do not see what he could say negative except that he did not have the same recruiting freedom that the staff there now has. And that would kind of play to our advantage.

You are assuming PB is honest, which is a mistake.

Then I am curious as to what lie he could tell that would justify his failure as a head coach. Regardless, I agree that it was good he has been far away but now if he moves close, I feel much better with Jones entrenched.

mrydel wrote:Then I am curious as to what lie he could tell that would justify his failure as a head coach.

Pretty much what I am thinking.

Why is a recruit going to listen to the guy that couldn't get it done, regardless of the reasons why he says he couldn't? Given JJ's recent track record, and the type of talent he has coached over the years, he should have far more credibility with recruits.

All we have to do is show them the Tra La La video and we win.

huskerpony wrote:All we have to do is show them the Tra La La video and we win.

Unless the recruit is into that sort of thing

NTTIAWWT

Maybe PB will replace Leach at TT The moustache meets lubbock.

GO PONIES!!!

As a Georgia fan, I'd be happy to see us fill our currently empty DC position with Phil Bennett.

Some coaches make great coordinators or position coaches but lousy head coaches. I think Bennett fits in that category.

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