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JJ's been saying that all season, plus some.

With the class that's committed, when February rolls around, will it be down to "a half"?

I don't think he was counting this year's 2011 recruiting class. But he could have been.

RGV Pony wrote:JJ's been saying that all season, plus some.

With the class that's committed, when February rolls around, will it be down to "a half"?

I sure hope so, we clearly had better athletes than a medocre Army team, and lost on our home turf.

My understanding is that he is not counting this recruiting class. So, we would be half a class short going into next season. I think once the incoming class has a chance to mature and he fills in some gaps with the next class, we are in a situation where we are 2-3 deep at every position with very good players.

I interpret his quote as meaning 2012 is the year we really start to win.

I want to win now!

mustangxc wrote:I interpret his quote as meaning 2012 is the year we really start to win.

Your interpretation is what I get/got from his very early statements after taking over. 2012 is when the depth pieces start taking shape.

I compared JJ's 2008-2010 classes against the current roster and found that 24 true freshman on his 2008 roster are currently on the 2010 roster. This class of course was a last minute class that was not nearly as strong overall as the 2009 and 2010 classes and probably accounts to a certain extent for our lack of depth. However, there are only 15 players remaining on the roster from the 2009 class and 20 players from the 2010 class. With only 35 players remaining from his last two classes, it is clear why JJ says he needs another class and a half in addition to his 2011 class to be where he wants to be talent wise. It is also clear why one of his primary goals is to get a process in place that will significantly reduce the academic attrition rate.

mustangxc wrote:I interpret his quote as meaning 2012 is the year we really start to win.

2013

mustangbill67 wrote:It is also clear why one of his primary goals is to get a process in place that will significantly reduce the academic attrition rate.

A process like where players go to class and get passing grades? That would be very helpful indeed.

b_caesar wrote:

mustangbill67 wrote:It is also clear why one of his primary goals is to get a process in place that will significantly reduce the academic attrition rate.

A process like where players go to class and get passing grades? That would be very helpful indeed.

I am speculating but it may be more complicated than simply preparing for and going to class although I agree if a player does not put in the effort, he only has himself to blame. It could involve SMU offering a more player friendly curriculum like many universities do. I assume that many of these kids are not interested in traditional career paths or in a formal liberal arts education. I know we now have an education department but I do not know how far along it is as far as offering majors in physical education and coaching disciplines. I sure there are also other educational areas that might be attractive to student athletics, which SMU does not offer. Many of the kids we sign simply do not have the educational foundation that a normal student possesses. Yes we offer them a high level of tutoring and other educational assistance but if the course of study they are required to take is something they have no interest in or if it is too advanced for their educational background or aptitude, they are more likely to fail even if they put in the effort.

You maybe right Bill67, Wilkerson went to class, worked hard and still failed.

Something like MustangBill is talking about is the impression I got that Craig James meant when he said he wanted to work with the institution to better the enviroment for the kids. Provide an atmosphere favorable for the athletes to feel more comfortable in the day to day classes and activities.

mrydel wrote:Something like MustangBill is talking about is the impression I got that Craig James meant when he said he wanted to work with the institution to better the enviroment for the kids. Provide an atmosphere favorable for the athletes to feel more comfortable in the day to day classes and activities.

I call BS on this. Why should any athlete at a Division I institution of higher education need a "better environment" or "favorable atmosphere" to succeed on the field? They should be pulling their weight academically just like any other student, including at SMU. If they can't make the grades that the thousands of other students enrolled at SMU do every semester, then they don't belong at SMU. Period.

I'm all for recruiting and retaining talented athletes for our sports teams, but they are students, too, and not only do they need to prove themselves on the field, but in the classroom, so they can graduate and become alumni who eventually donate the big bucks to help SMU grow in all areas, not just athletics. And that's why we have the A-LEC - it's something that every student - EVERY student, at SMU can take advantage of - and it's a rare thing to find at a Div-I school. If anything, James should be supporting that department, and seeing what he can do to help them thrive, so our student-athletes can succeed in both the classroom and on the field.

That's another reason we will have a hard time catching TCU because they have ways of keeping marginal highly talented students eligible.