The Truth

[SoCal_Pony]

You want the Truth? Here is the Truth.

As lousy as we have been post-DP, Coach Bennett landed the best non-BCS recruiting class last year. Tells me he is a truly gifted recruiter.

I have officially given up on this season. I am now 100% more concerned about recruiting; hoping that this winless season will not adversely impact Bennett’s recruiting momentum.

There are decisions that make me question Bennett’s coaching ability. Play selection, special teams performance, clock management, Swinging Gate, use of Tate and yesterday’s 2-point conversion attempt (a non-debatable miscue) to name a few.

I am willing to give Bennett the benefit of the doubt, and as Old Pony says, hope he can grow into the job. In the interim, I will be supportive of him and his staff, whomever they may be, and hope beyond hope, that he can continue to do what he is truly gifted at …RECRUITING.

Why? Because regardless of these silly posts that demand Bennett’s head (and we accuse TCU’ers losing touch with reality?), he is not and should not be fired this season or next.

So what we are left with is the hope that Bennett can continue his recruiting magic, and if it's proven he is incapable of head coaching (and the verdict is still out on that one) at the very least we will be left with talent-laden team that a real coach can turn into champions.

So support Bennett, these kids and pray for another recruiting bonanza.

[Hoop Fan]

Amen SoCal. At least the smoke has not gotten to your head out there. In an ironic way, this disaster of a season may be better in the long run for a lot of reasons. For one, we will truly know if Bennett can recruit if in the face of this he hauls in a good class. And at least we found out now that Bartel was volatile and unhappy. Second, it may force Bennett and whoever else to soften the Juco stance. I really think Bennett underestimated this situation and thought he would breeze in here and show the little WAC how to play football. It didn't happen, and if he hasn't pulled out all the stops already he has to now to get competitive. And finally, if Turner needed any more convincing that some of the ways SMU was and/or is doing business don't work, this will do it.

<small>[ 11-02-2003, 10:59 AM: Message edited by: Hoop Fan ]</small>

[NavyCrimson]

AGREE SOCAL.......

he'll turn it around given time & recruiting...%^%$#, we all grow into our jobs...especially this job or i should say - ordeal - that he has inherited...face it folks...NO ONE WANTS THIS JOB!!!!!!!! THERE IS NO ONE ELSE TO GO TO SO GET OFF THIS 'FIRE BENNETT' CRAP!!!! U GUYS COULDN'T DO ANY BETTER SO GET OFF OF IT & BE SUPPORTIVE!!!!

not to indict him & his abilities but that's reality...thru bennett's success in the coming yrs it'll be a better job for his predecessor (sp) when the time comes but until then - be patient & support him & this team!!!

my God - we have over 40 freshman out of 85 so what do we really expect of this season in the first place?

the next 2 yrs will be tough but as the yrs progress the tide will turn & we'll reclaim the top 20 again!!!!

GO MUSTANGS!!!!!!

[KnuckleStang]

All good points. I'll also add that though we're 0-9, we were one turnover away from beating Baylor, Nevada, and UTEP. Against Fresno, we had costly fumbles by KK, Wallis, and, uh, Wallis (on the hold). Oh, and Fitzgerald fell down. Remove these costly errors, made by PLAYERS (contrary to popular belief, players are not coached to fumble and fall down), and we're possibly looking at 4-5, and everybody's talking about what a genius Bennett is, turning this program around, with basically no offense at all. I'm not saying the guy is Knute Rockne, but he knows a hell of a lot more about football than any armchair coach on this message board.

<small>[ 11-02-2003, 02:41 PM: Message edited by: KnuckleStang ]</small>

[PonySnob]

Some keep saying "a couple of plays here and there and we are 4-5" but unfortunately those losses all count the same. There are no moral victories. We are the worst team in the country.

[KnuckleStang]

Pay attention, snob, you miss the point. I'm not saying we're a good team, or claiming moral victory. But if a lot of things don't happen this year that ARE CLEARLY NOT BENNETT'S FAULT, then we're 4-5. So don't blame Bennett for 0-9.

<small>[ 11-02-2003, 07:36 PM: Message edited by: KnuckleStang ]</small>

[PlanoStang]

Yeah, I agree. Let Bennett recruit another season or 2. If we join C-USA next week as expected, he'll have another selling point that SMU is destined for bigger, and better times.

Maybe he'll grow into the job, and if he doesn't at least we know that Copeland will fire him after the 2005 season. Then hopefully maybe we'll get a better leader/manager/, and an X-O engineer type guy who will think up ways to win, and have the talent on-hand to do it right away.

Bennett could start growing into it by firing his
A$M buddy offensive coordinator.

<small>[ 11-02-2003, 06:12 PM: Message edited by: PlanoStang ]</small>