SMU Football: Any quick fixes or is this a total teardown?
Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 12:48 amAs it's been mentioned before, I went to BU undergrad (saw a lot of bad football 1996-2009) and went to SMU for grad school. I've seen all or part of the 3 games so far this year. I think the talent level is down a bit over what we had 3-4 years ago, but it's hard to tell to what degree.
Captain Obvious comment here...the OL is way down. That drives everything else...the QB doesn't have time to wait for the WRs routes to develop and either has to scramble, throw early, or take a sack. There aren't any lanes for the RBs, so how can you really evaluate the skill players?
The offense can't consistently move the chains and give your defense a rest, so they get worn down and start getting exposed.
So...whenever a permanent HC is named, does he have a full-blown rebuilding job that will take years or is it a case where a few tweaks can fix the problems and the team can be competitive again sooner than later?
What path would you pursue to fix things and what specifically would you do? Here's my list:
1. Focus recruiting on DFW...the Mustangs have to rebuild relationships with area HS programs...the coaching staff should have guys camped out at Allen, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Skyline, Southlake, the Plano schools, etc. They may not land the big fish at those schools right away, but there's got to be a better recruiting presence in DFW.
2. The rest of the recruiting efforts should be focused on Texas, no need to recruit outside of the state. There may be an occasional overlooked kid in Oklahoma or Louisiana, but outside of DFW, the focus should be Texas, with an emphasis on Houston area, East Texas, and the Beaumont/Port Arthur/CC area.
3. I don't know how big the senior class is, but if it's less than 25, if dead weight can be identified...scholarship kids who won't be getting playing time...help them move on to better opportunities for them, so we can start upping the talent level.
4. Not sure what recruiting restrictions remain in place, but out of that 25, I would be tempted to take a Bill Snyder approach on a smaller level for this year only...maybe 7-8 JUCOs, with at least 3 OL, maybe a DL or two, then maybe an LB, DB, WR or RB. Out of the remaining 17-18 spots for HS guys, try to redshirt 14-15 of those guys. As you go forward, recruit even less JC kids, and redshirt as many HS recruits as you can. The idea is to go to war with 21-22 year olds, not 17-18 year olds.
5. If you recruit smaller Texas towns, recruit the QB. That's usually the best athlete on smaller teams. Those guys can usually be converted to RB, WR, or DBs. Baylor and TCU have had a lot of success doing this.
6. Get more speed on defense, even if you have to sacrifice a little size. Spin DEs down to DT, LBs to DEs, Safeties to LB. Speed covers mistakes.
7. As I said earlier, it's hard to evaluate what we have right now at QB, RB and WR. Solidify the OL with JUCOs and let's see what Matt Davis, Burcham, etc., can do next year before making wholesale changes with the offensive skill players.
What is your plan to right the ship?
Captain Obvious comment here...the OL is way down. That drives everything else...the QB doesn't have time to wait for the WRs routes to develop and either has to scramble, throw early, or take a sack. There aren't any lanes for the RBs, so how can you really evaluate the skill players?
The offense can't consistently move the chains and give your defense a rest, so they get worn down and start getting exposed.
So...whenever a permanent HC is named, does he have a full-blown rebuilding job that will take years or is it a case where a few tweaks can fix the problems and the team can be competitive again sooner than later?
What path would you pursue to fix things and what specifically would you do? Here's my list:
1. Focus recruiting on DFW...the Mustangs have to rebuild relationships with area HS programs...the coaching staff should have guys camped out at Allen, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Skyline, Southlake, the Plano schools, etc. They may not land the big fish at those schools right away, but there's got to be a better recruiting presence in DFW.
2. The rest of the recruiting efforts should be focused on Texas, no need to recruit outside of the state. There may be an occasional overlooked kid in Oklahoma or Louisiana, but outside of DFW, the focus should be Texas, with an emphasis on Houston area, East Texas, and the Beaumont/Port Arthur/CC area.
3. I don't know how big the senior class is, but if it's less than 25, if dead weight can be identified...scholarship kids who won't be getting playing time...help them move on to better opportunities for them, so we can start upping the talent level.
4. Not sure what recruiting restrictions remain in place, but out of that 25, I would be tempted to take a Bill Snyder approach on a smaller level for this year only...maybe 7-8 JUCOs, with at least 3 OL, maybe a DL or two, then maybe an LB, DB, WR or RB. Out of the remaining 17-18 spots for HS guys, try to redshirt 14-15 of those guys. As you go forward, recruit even less JC kids, and redshirt as many HS recruits as you can. The idea is to go to war with 21-22 year olds, not 17-18 year olds.
5. If you recruit smaller Texas towns, recruit the QB. That's usually the best athlete on smaller teams. Those guys can usually be converted to RB, WR, or DBs. Baylor and TCU have had a lot of success doing this.
6. Get more speed on defense, even if you have to sacrifice a little size. Spin DEs down to DT, LBs to DEs, Safeties to LB. Speed covers mistakes.
7. As I said earlier, it's hard to evaluate what we have right now at QB, RB and WR. Solidify the OL with JUCOs and let's see what Matt Davis, Burcham, etc., can do next year before making wholesale changes with the offensive skill players.
What is your plan to right the ship?