Another take on JJ, this season

[SoCal_Pony]

For all you JJ statue lovers, those who think without JJ has loaded up this squad with talent, for those of you fixated on the 4 straight bowls, for those who think it is now time for a new coach to push us up a 'little' to that next level, I offer you this:

SMU has won 3 games this year.

One was vs. a D-2a team that was beating us 30-19 @ home midway through the 3rd quarter. We end up winning in the final seconds.

One was vs. a 1-5 Memphis team whose only victory this season is against Arkansas St.

One was vs. a 1-7 Temple team whose only victory this season is against Army. We were trailing in this game 28-7 in the 2nd quarter.

So you have 3 teams we have defeated this year whose only victories against D1a opponents is Ark St & Army.

Sagarin has released its most current rankings. MSU is #98, Memphis is #99 and Temple is #119. That averages out to ranking of #105. This average of #105 is actually HIGHER than the typical JJ victory over his 6 seasons here at SMU. Think about that the next time you want to gush over JJ.

If I was handing out letter grades I would give JJ a C.

Here's hoping the CoC gets a better ROI on their next purchase.

[sbsmith]

It's clearly the fault of our former athletic directors for not giving us enough opportunities to collect fake wins.

[JasonB]

Instead of railing off on who had what advantages and all of that, why not just put it simply as:

There is a progression I think we all want to see SMU take:

1) Bad team in the second tier of teams in the NCAA
2) OK team in the second tier of teams in the NCAA = bad top tier/BCS conference team
3) Good team in the second tier of teams in the NCAA = ok BCS conference team
4) a good BCS conference team.

Obviously, we spent a quarter decade at stage 1, and under JJ transitioned to stage 2 consistently. Never got to stage 3, because that would mean 10 wins in CUSA.

I think we were all frustrated three seasons ago. We had an all senior O-Line, and thought Padron would light it up. That was the season I think everyone on here thought we would make a jump to stage 3. Unfortunately, it didn't happen, which we were all pretty frustrated with.

This season is the first season since then I thought we had the opportunity to make that jump. TCU and TT are both okay teams in a BCS conference, and although we played it close for parts of the games, we showed we are not able to win those games. Rutgers is above average in our league, and we were unable to close the deal after coming out flat. We have a couple of opportunities against one average team (Cincy) and two above average teams (UCF and Houston). But up to this point, I don't think anyone would argue we have made the jump to step 3.

More importantly, I believe the COC all think that transition should happen this year as well.

Stay classy, watch the games, and know that if we don't make it to stage 3 this season, the coaching staff will change over.

[SMU_Alumni11]

I guess we are paying a special compliment to the cougars since they demolish Rutgers in an away game...

[No Quarter]

JasonB wrote, in part:

Instead of railing off on who had what advantages and all of that, why not just put it simply as:

There is a progression I think we all want to see SMU take:

1) Bad team in the second tier of teams in the NCAA
2) OK team in the second tier of teams in the NCAA = bad top tier/BCS conference team
3) Good team in the second tier of teams in the NCAA = ok BCS conference team
4) a good BCS conference team.

Obviously, we spent a quarter decade at stage 1, and under JJ transitioned to stage 2 consistently. Never got to stage 3, because that would mean 10 wins in CUSA.


Please stop there.

We spent a quarter century rather than a quarter decade as a "Bad team in the second tier of teams in the NCAA."

We are in our only season of BCS play in a long time and SFAIK that was due more to the machinations of SO than JJ's coaching. It is not clear when we will be again.

Although the situation may remain somewhat fluid I don't see a clear way to stage 3 or 4 and really, a new coaching staff with a the same or greater funding and a different recruiting approach is almost starting over on that quest.

[Bergermeister]

it is now time for a new coach to push us up a 'little' to that next level.

Good luck.

[Treadway21]

it is now time for a new coach to push us up a 'little' to that next level.

Good luck.

Why dont you expand that. I think you are happy to be a bottom feeder and a smart a__ that makes fun of posters for grammar and really doesn't add much to any conversation you engage in. But as long as you are happy taking pot shots, I am happy for you.

[jpe747]

No body wants to be a body feeder. However until recently SMU has been the bottom that bottom feeders feed on. Furthermore, if SMU can cut the mistakes we can compete with anyone left on our schedule. The last three game should have been blowouts for us. I believe we have better talent then anytime since DP. Our players are making mistakes that they can correct. We shouldn't fumble, opposing receivers shouldn't be wide open, etc.

[ponyte]

I am constantly reminded of the folly of getting what one wishes for. When I was a young man, all I wanted was a harem. Now, years later with a wife, 4 daughters and 2 debutante dogs, I have it.

We won three games we should have won. We lost one game we could have won. We got beat in 3 games we shouldn't have won (though a couple we should have been more competitive and perhaps win).

We weren't projected by most pre-season predictions to be better than 5-7.

I share in all's concerns that we are not talented enough to move to the next level and that we hopefully will begin to compete and attract some higher level recruits. But that is in the future. Based on where we are, we are about where we were expected to be by most outside the program.

I am reminded of counsel a college of mine gives when engaged in marriage consulting. He reminds the couple that they could do worse next time. And we could do worse as well. One might say we have a record of doing worse with few exceptions.

We have had only two coaches leave because they were wanted by someone else (Ray Morrison & Ron Meyer). Meyer, it could be argued, left to get away from trouble. He was still wanted by the Patriots, though.

As bad as many feel it is now, JJ was wanted by Maryland and later ASU. And he was the surprise hire of the decade when we got him.

Getting a new coach isn’t a guarantee of improvement. And we are not a higher echelon program that will automatically attract the best out there. JJ has definitely improved our program. We have enjoyed success which we had not enjoyed for a generation.

I don’t know if JJ takes us further but I do fear that the next coach may be worse.

And I fear we may get that for which we wished.

[ponyboy]

As bad as many feel it is now, JJ was wanted by Maryland and later ASU. And he was the surprise hire of the decade when we got him.

And he's done everything anyone could reasonably expect.

[SMUer]

Except giving a flip about recruiting...and not letting us know in the beginning about how he needed special lights...we might have been in 5 or 6 bowl games if we had taken care of that beforehand!

[sbsmith]

I don’t know if JJ takes us further but I do fear that the next coach may be worse.

And I fear we may get that for which we wished.

Or he may be better and we'll get that for which we wished. Gotta do something to know for sure.

[redpony]

I suspect the CofC anticipated/had wished for a coach that would get us to the top 25-30 and also be competitive with our old conference mates. Not sure they got a very good ROI on that one- especially after 5+ yrs.

[ponyboy]

Then they are stupid to expect that after two decades of deeply ingrained suckness -- one could argue for sixty years of suckness with just a brief daliance with the devil in the early 1980's. Few seem to understand how hard institutional cultural change really is. You don't just show up and flip a switch.

[Stallion]

Rice looks headed for its 3rd double digit winning season in recent years. Nobody has been more sucky for longer than Rice. Tulsa a lower profile program than SMU has about 5-6 season better than June Jones in a little over a decade. Your argument is ridiculous