SMU Football Team’s Road To Success
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:48 pmSMU Football Team’s Road To Success
February 23, 2010
LaKeisha James
[email protected]
SMU football players learned first hand that hard work pays off. SMU Mustangs went from a 1-11 season their previous year to a 7-5 record and a bowl game this past season.
“Having won a bowl game, they are now hungry to make it to a Conference USA Championship,†SMU’s secondary coach, Derrick Odum, said.
After celebrating the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl victory, coaches and athletes reflected on how they turned around their program.
In the 2008 season the athletes were very talented, but they didn’t know how to win. They would always “find a way to lose,†Odum said.
In 2008-09 season Coach June Jones came into the program determined to change their record to a winning season. June was former head coach of Hawaii, and he reconstructed a downtrodden Warrior football program to make it one of the most exciting and competitive squads in the country.
Jones had a rocky start his first year coaching at SMU. He had a group of talented and young athletes who didn’t know how to win. In former years, the mustangs went through long losing streaks and didn’t know how to break the pattern.
“The team didn’t know how to believe in themselves. Lack of commitment and the players were not having fun on the field. This put a burden on the team,†said Chris Banjo, sophomore football player.
The beginning of the past season Coach Jones had given the team a goal. He promised them if they won six games they would be bowl eligible. That goal played a factor in motivating the team, but what really made a big impact in the beginning of the season was the passing of one of their coaches, Frank Gansz.
“We not only wanted to be winners for ourselves but wanted to do it for Gansz. We were tired of being the laughing stock,†said Banjo.
The team’s long term goal was to make it to a bowl game. Jones gave the team a map each month of its short term goals. He calculated the team needed to win two to four games a month.
“The win against UAB in Brigham was the light switch that turned on that had everybody excited. The team just wanted to do it again,†said Coach Steve Stigall
It did not matter if it was during sled pulls, cone drills or lifting in the weight room. Training did not change. Coaches lectured the players at practice to always be thinking about beating the guy next to them.
“Once you have won your opponent next to you, you will keep that mind set and will win games,†said Odum.
The players took the initiative to work harder. They continued to train everyday, but added volunteer workouts.
“Majority of us would go watch film on our own time, play seven on seven on the football field. We just had a total different attitude. We wanted to be championsâ€, said Bryan McCann, former player.
The SMU Mustangs have a big future ahead of them. They plan continue where they left off, and are aiming for a better record.
“Next season will be even tougher than this past year so the hard work starts now,†said Odum.
Several of the players have been practicing with the woman’s track team. Spring training started, Feb. 8. The extra training is just another step towards a successful next season.
“Just because we won one [bowl game] doesn’t mean the hard work is over,†said Banjo.
February 23, 2010
LaKeisha James
[email protected]
SMU football players learned first hand that hard work pays off. SMU Mustangs went from a 1-11 season their previous year to a 7-5 record and a bowl game this past season.
“Having won a bowl game, they are now hungry to make it to a Conference USA Championship,†SMU’s secondary coach, Derrick Odum, said.
After celebrating the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl victory, coaches and athletes reflected on how they turned around their program.
In the 2008 season the athletes were very talented, but they didn’t know how to win. They would always “find a way to lose,†Odum said.
In 2008-09 season Coach June Jones came into the program determined to change their record to a winning season. June was former head coach of Hawaii, and he reconstructed a downtrodden Warrior football program to make it one of the most exciting and competitive squads in the country.
Jones had a rocky start his first year coaching at SMU. He had a group of talented and young athletes who didn’t know how to win. In former years, the mustangs went through long losing streaks and didn’t know how to break the pattern.
“The team didn’t know how to believe in themselves. Lack of commitment and the players were not having fun on the field. This put a burden on the team,†said Chris Banjo, sophomore football player.
The beginning of the past season Coach Jones had given the team a goal. He promised them if they won six games they would be bowl eligible. That goal played a factor in motivating the team, but what really made a big impact in the beginning of the season was the passing of one of their coaches, Frank Gansz.
“We not only wanted to be winners for ourselves but wanted to do it for Gansz. We were tired of being the laughing stock,†said Banjo.
The team’s long term goal was to make it to a bowl game. Jones gave the team a map each month of its short term goals. He calculated the team needed to win two to four games a month.
“The win against UAB in Brigham was the light switch that turned on that had everybody excited. The team just wanted to do it again,†said Coach Steve Stigall
It did not matter if it was during sled pulls, cone drills or lifting in the weight room. Training did not change. Coaches lectured the players at practice to always be thinking about beating the guy next to them.
“Once you have won your opponent next to you, you will keep that mind set and will win games,†said Odum.
The players took the initiative to work harder. They continued to train everyday, but added volunteer workouts.
“Majority of us would go watch film on our own time, play seven on seven on the football field. We just had a total different attitude. We wanted to be championsâ€, said Bryan McCann, former player.
The SMU Mustangs have a big future ahead of them. They plan continue where they left off, and are aiming for a better record.
“Next season will be even tougher than this past year so the hard work starts now,†said Odum.
Several of the players have been practicing with the woman’s track team. Spring training started, Feb. 8. The extra training is just another step towards a successful next season.
“Just because we won one [bowl game] doesn’t mean the hard work is over,†said Banjo.
