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Could it be that our deep-pocket alums are finally hitting a limit as to what they are willing to spend in order to keep SMU football afloat? Could it be that almost everyone in the admin / CofC actually wants Jones out, but we simply don't have the funds to buy him out next year?

Ask yourself how long you would continue to pour your own money into an investment that fails to see the return you had been promised. The CofC agreed to pay JJ's salary on the premise that he could increase our win totals, attract more fans, win big games and possibly get us to a BCS game. They extended JJ based on the notion that SMU would see increased revenue in the Big East conference of around $7-12M over what we received in CUSA. That money never materialized, and we've only received about a $1-2M gain per year in the new AAC.

Without increased ticket sales, without a major BCS-buster type season, without even a conference championship, and now without the revenue of the Big East - perhaps the few wealthy souls that basically subsidize our football program have decided to cut their losses??

Whenever I talk to anyone from the outside about SMU football (and this includes SEC/P5 team fans), people always assume that SMU as an institution has so much $, and that we have these oil millionaires and trust fund billionaires and we can afford whatever we want, be it a coach or facilities or whatever.

I'm not sure this holds true anymore. Not a panic thread, but I'm at DEF CON 3 right now.

ponyinNC wrote: Could it be that almost everyone in the admin / CofC actually wants Jones out?

Actually, all but 1 (in one of the categories you mentioned) wants June IN.

Bergermeister wrote:

ponyinNC wrote: Could it be that almost everyone in the admin / CofC actually wants Jones out?

Actually, all but 1 (in one of the categories you mentioned) wants June IN.

Wow. If true, this program is in far worse shape than I had imagined.

I was okay if it was simply a lack of funds. But Berger, you make it out to be our choice to extend Jones....ugh.

Have heard from several people that once JJ's time at SMU is done, the school will be paying the head coaches salary and the budget for that won't be anywhere close to what JJ is being paid.

PonySnob wrote:Have heard from several people that once JJ's time at SMU is done, the school will be paying the head coaches salary and the budget for that won't be anywhere close to what JJ is being paid.

Well if this is the case then we should just close up shop.

Possible options for Ford Stadium:
1) Paintball arena (Duke Nukem-esque)
2) Giant go cart track
3) Race Track (limited to shetland ponies all named Peruna)
4) Robot wars (presented by SkunkWorks lab)
5)....

Bergermeister wrote:

ponyinNC wrote: Could it be that almost everyone in the admin / CofC actually wants Jones out?

Actually, all but 1 (in one of the categories you mentioned) wants June IN.

How would you know this? Do you know every member of the CoC?

I bet it would be close to what we paid Phil Bennett - about $400-500k then.

Hello FCS!

PonySnob wrote:Have heard from several people that once JJ's time at SMU is done, the school will be paying the head coaches salary and the budget for that won't be anywhere close to what JJ is being paid.

That might be good so that the school will not be held hostage by a small group of men. The last time the school allowed a small group of men to control football we ended up on the DP.

PonySnob wrote:Have heard from several people that once JJ's time at SMU is done, the school will be paying the head coaches salary and the budget for that won't be anywhere close to what JJ is being paid.

Really? Why wouldn't they support a new coach? I cannot see this as being the case...

Rebel10 wrote:

PonySnob wrote:Have heard from several people that once JJ's time at SMU is done, the school will be paying the head coaches salary and the budget for that won't be anywhere close to what JJ is being paid.

That might be good so that the school will not be held hostage by a small group of men. The last time the school allowed a small group of men to control football we ended up on the DP.

We also won

PonySnob wrote:Have heard from several people that once JJ's time at SMU is done, the school will be paying the head coaches salary and the budget for that won't be anywhere close to what JJ is being paid.

At the end of the day most of our fans want a young aggressive recruiter so it really won't matter other than, onc he proves himsef he will jump ship to aP5 school.

03Mustang wrote:

Rebel10 wrote:

PonySnob wrote:Have heard from several people that once JJ's time at SMU is done, the school will be paying the head coaches salary and the budget for that won't be anywhere close to what JJ is being paid.

That might be good so that the school will not be held hostage by a small group of men. The last time the school allowed a small group of men to control football we ended up on the DP.

We also won

I hear what you are saying but we lost for the next 20 years. And a 6-6 regular season followed by a 5-7 regular season is not winning.

mustangxc wrote:

PonySnob wrote:Have heard from several people that once JJ's time at SMU is done, the school will be paying the head coaches salary and the budget for that won't be anywhere close to what JJ is being paid.

At the end of the day most of our fans want a young aggressive recruiter so it really won't matter other than, onc he proves himsef he will jump ship to aP5 school.

I tend to agree with Mustangxc. Even JJ tried to jump ship when he had a decent year and JJ was making 2 million per year. It might actually be decent situation.

Yeah, my suspicion is that Orsini sold them on the idea that their investment in JJ was going to get us on our feet...resurrect us from the damage of the death penalty, etc. Things were looking good, then post-UCF 2011, the foundation began to crumble. We were 5-1 then suddenly faced some really good teams (USM & Tulsa) and got absolutely embarrassed. Then ASU. Then our Big East achievement took a nose-dive when half the Big East left. If I'm a CoC member, I'd feel like I really gave SMU a great monetary favor and I'd feel like I don't have too many skins on the wall to show for it. These are competitive people and I'd bet it kills them that they can't brag about the Mustangs except after the Hawaii Bowl during Christmas dinner. June doesn't want to be here; the students don't seem to care...the American Conference money is not going to be enough for the Athletic Department to support another coach at this current salary. I don't see how they aren't getting donor fatigue...how could they not feel douped, lied-to or worse, like this was SMU's best shot...

All this begs the question, how many football-engaged male future millionaires are we graduating?

SMUer wrote:Yeah, my suspicion is that Orsini sold them on the idea that their investment in JJ was going to get us on our feet...resurrect us from the damage of the death penalty, etc. Things were looking good, then post-UCF 2011, the foundation began to crumble. We were 5-1 then suddenly faced some really good teams (USM & Tulsa) and got absolutely embarrassed. Then ASU. Then our Big East achievement took a nose-dive when half the Big East left. If I'm a CoC member, I'd feel like I really gave SMU a great monetary favor and I'd feel like I don't have too many skins on the wall to show for it. These are competitive people and I'd bet it kills them that they can't brag about the Mustangs except after the Hawaii Bowl during Christmas dinner. June doesn't want to be here; the students don't seem to care...the American Conference money is not going to be enough for the Athletic Department to support another coach at this current salary. I don't see how they aren't getting donor fatigue...how could they not feel douped, lied-to or worse, like this was SMU's best shot...

All this begs the question, how many football-engaged male future millionaires are we graduating?

Plenty, as evidenced by our alum that tried to get June to go to ASU and the other one that is one of LSU's biggest backers. The problem is that they are not supporters of SMU football. Make sure to be more specific when you are asking for something from the skies!