Straight from the Hart 10/8
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 4:17 pmAnother very good update. I like the progress we are making and his willingness to call out aspects of our fan base.
"Like every fall, it is a busy and exciting time in our department. In addition to football, cross country, volleyball, women’s soccer and men’s soccer are all in their championship seasons. Many other sports – equestrian, women’s golf, men’s golf, women’s tennis, men’s tennis and rowing – are participating in non-traditional-season competition (championship seasons for these sports are in the spring). All remaining sports – women’s basketball, men’s basketball, women’s swimming & diving, men’s swimming & diving and track & field – have begun practice, so everything is in full swing here in SMU Athletics!
From a facilities perspective, the Tennis Complex is nearing completion and be ready for our tennis teams in November. It is a first-class, championship-caliber facility – the best I have encountered in all of NCAA Division I. Later this year, our throwing areas for track and field will be relocated just south of the tennis complex. The site they vacate, east of Central Expressway off SMU Boulevard, will be the future home of the SMU Aquatic Center. This project is currently in the early design phase; and fundraising is going well with $11 million in commitments to date. (We need leadership gift commitments totalling $16 million to break ground.)
Of course, in addition to typical fall activities and special projects, the search for our next head football coach continues to be an ongoing area of focus. This hire is critical to our vision for establishing SMU as the best overall program in the American. It will impact our entire program. Before providing an update on our process and progress, I want share a few thoughts about our football team.
I am extremely proud of this group of young men and coaches. Prior to our game at East Carolina on Saturday, some fans made it known that they had given up on this season. They used words and phrases like “ashamed, embarrassed and no longer able to wear SMU clothing.†As the Pirates built a 21-point first-quarter lead, others followed with similar sentiments. I believe these attitudes represented the vocal minority opinion and not necessarily the masses, but there are a group of Mustangs who have packed it in for the season. I am grateful that our student-athletes and coaches have chosen a different, and perhaps more difficult, path.
Our team has remained focused on getting better and controlling the things they can influence. They continue to put on their SMU-emblazoned jerseys and compete against nationally-ranked programs on national television. Although their efforts have yet to yield a victory, they have not quit. In fact, they fought and believed and joined together get within a missed field goal of a one-score game in the fourth quarter. Our performance and results are not up to our standards through five games this season, but we are getting better.
Like everyone, I wish our football program wasn’t 0-5. I wish our football players and coaches weren’t facing such adversity. I wish this football season would be more kind in the lessons it is teaching us. The only thing we can do, however, is follow the lead of our student-athletes and coaches. Control our attitudes, work ethic and execution. Be a good teammate. Do things the right way. I don’t know how the remaining seven regular season games will play out, but we will continue to do all we can to put the team in position to have success. Win or lose, I am proud to be a Mustang.
With regard to the head coach search, we have made significant progress to develop a framework to guide the process. In order to take advantage of the time available to us, we have adapted our traditional approach to maximize inclusivity and expand opportunities to gather input from the SMU community.
First, we have engaged Todd Turner, President and Founder of Collegiate Sports Associates and former AD at UConn, NC State, Vanderbilt and Washington, to assist us with certain aspects of the search process. In particular, Todd will help us to evaluate candidates without jeopardizing their current situation. He will make initial contact with targeted coaches, assessing potential interest and fit for the position, as well as helping with background checks and other processes.
In addition to Todd’s involvement, we have tapped into other resources to greatly enhance our access to data. For instance, our current partnership with WinAD provides us with information on contracts and financial data to ensure our investments are commensurate with our vision and goals. Coaches by the Numbers is helping us to be more informed about the impact, statistically, that certain coaches have on the success of their team. A third group has offered us an opportunity to conduct a “personality test†in advance of a hire to assist with the screening process (We are still evaluating this option). At the end of the day, personal interaction will drive our decision (not technology), but we are using a number of tools to aid us in our comprehensive evaluation of all potential candidates.
Second, the Board of Trustees Athletics Committee will serve a valuable role as the primary advisory group as we prepare to identify and recruit the next head football coach at SMU. The Athletics Committee met on Monday to refine and confirm certain elements of the process, such as our case statement, position description and head coach profile. They also provided feedback regarding our expectations in key areas, such as academics, civility, competitiveness, and recruiting. Due to its broad makeup and understanding of the operations of our department, this group provided meaningful input and recommendations.
Third, we are seeking input from constituents beyond members of the Athletics Committee, such as the Athletics Council, Circle of Champions, Mustang Club Board, Lettermen’s Association (and former football players), Deans, the Texas High School Coaches’ Association, Ticket Holders and Student-Athletes. We want to make sure we are informed as we prepare to identify specific candidates. In addition to involving as many groups as possible, we invite the entire SMU community to share any thoughts you may have by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Comments will be reviewed and incorporated for consideration as part of the search process. Everyone has a voice – we are listening!
Finally, a small search committee has been formed consisting of representatives from the Board of Trustees, Athletics Committee, Athletics Council, Faculty and Athletics Department leadership. This group will work with me to evaluate candidates and determine our top targets in alignment with our agreed-upon profile and standards shaped by our interactions with the various stakeholders and access to data as outlined herein. This will allow us to be proactive and nimble as we begin to engage candidates and work towards a hiring decision.
I anticipate that we will use the month of October to complete the preliminary work described above. This will position us to begin direct conversations as appropriate as regular seasons draw nearer. We will use time to our advantage as we identify opportunities to do so. Above all, we will take whatever time is necessary to get the best head football coach available.
Although we will not be mentioning names, we will do our best to provide new information as it is available. In the meantime, we hope that you can continue to attend our games and offer your support to our student-athletes. They will play an important role as we work towards our stated goal of establishing SMU as the premier program in the American Athletic Conference. And remember - be educated, be positive and be here (at Ford Stadium)!
RIck Hart Signature
Rick Hart
Director of Athletics
SMU"
"Like every fall, it is a busy and exciting time in our department. In addition to football, cross country, volleyball, women’s soccer and men’s soccer are all in their championship seasons. Many other sports – equestrian, women’s golf, men’s golf, women’s tennis, men’s tennis and rowing – are participating in non-traditional-season competition (championship seasons for these sports are in the spring). All remaining sports – women’s basketball, men’s basketball, women’s swimming & diving, men’s swimming & diving and track & field – have begun practice, so everything is in full swing here in SMU Athletics!
From a facilities perspective, the Tennis Complex is nearing completion and be ready for our tennis teams in November. It is a first-class, championship-caliber facility – the best I have encountered in all of NCAA Division I. Later this year, our throwing areas for track and field will be relocated just south of the tennis complex. The site they vacate, east of Central Expressway off SMU Boulevard, will be the future home of the SMU Aquatic Center. This project is currently in the early design phase; and fundraising is going well with $11 million in commitments to date. (We need leadership gift commitments totalling $16 million to break ground.)
Of course, in addition to typical fall activities and special projects, the search for our next head football coach continues to be an ongoing area of focus. This hire is critical to our vision for establishing SMU as the best overall program in the American. It will impact our entire program. Before providing an update on our process and progress, I want share a few thoughts about our football team.
I am extremely proud of this group of young men and coaches. Prior to our game at East Carolina on Saturday, some fans made it known that they had given up on this season. They used words and phrases like “ashamed, embarrassed and no longer able to wear SMU clothing.†As the Pirates built a 21-point first-quarter lead, others followed with similar sentiments. I believe these attitudes represented the vocal minority opinion and not necessarily the masses, but there are a group of Mustangs who have packed it in for the season. I am grateful that our student-athletes and coaches have chosen a different, and perhaps more difficult, path.
Our team has remained focused on getting better and controlling the things they can influence. They continue to put on their SMU-emblazoned jerseys and compete against nationally-ranked programs on national television. Although their efforts have yet to yield a victory, they have not quit. In fact, they fought and believed and joined together get within a missed field goal of a one-score game in the fourth quarter. Our performance and results are not up to our standards through five games this season, but we are getting better.
Like everyone, I wish our football program wasn’t 0-5. I wish our football players and coaches weren’t facing such adversity. I wish this football season would be more kind in the lessons it is teaching us. The only thing we can do, however, is follow the lead of our student-athletes and coaches. Control our attitudes, work ethic and execution. Be a good teammate. Do things the right way. I don’t know how the remaining seven regular season games will play out, but we will continue to do all we can to put the team in position to have success. Win or lose, I am proud to be a Mustang.
With regard to the head coach search, we have made significant progress to develop a framework to guide the process. In order to take advantage of the time available to us, we have adapted our traditional approach to maximize inclusivity and expand opportunities to gather input from the SMU community.
First, we have engaged Todd Turner, President and Founder of Collegiate Sports Associates and former AD at UConn, NC State, Vanderbilt and Washington, to assist us with certain aspects of the search process. In particular, Todd will help us to evaluate candidates without jeopardizing their current situation. He will make initial contact with targeted coaches, assessing potential interest and fit for the position, as well as helping with background checks and other processes.
In addition to Todd’s involvement, we have tapped into other resources to greatly enhance our access to data. For instance, our current partnership with WinAD provides us with information on contracts and financial data to ensure our investments are commensurate with our vision and goals. Coaches by the Numbers is helping us to be more informed about the impact, statistically, that certain coaches have on the success of their team. A third group has offered us an opportunity to conduct a “personality test†in advance of a hire to assist with the screening process (We are still evaluating this option). At the end of the day, personal interaction will drive our decision (not technology), but we are using a number of tools to aid us in our comprehensive evaluation of all potential candidates.
Second, the Board of Trustees Athletics Committee will serve a valuable role as the primary advisory group as we prepare to identify and recruit the next head football coach at SMU. The Athletics Committee met on Monday to refine and confirm certain elements of the process, such as our case statement, position description and head coach profile. They also provided feedback regarding our expectations in key areas, such as academics, civility, competitiveness, and recruiting. Due to its broad makeup and understanding of the operations of our department, this group provided meaningful input and recommendations.
Third, we are seeking input from constituents beyond members of the Athletics Committee, such as the Athletics Council, Circle of Champions, Mustang Club Board, Lettermen’s Association (and former football players), Deans, the Texas High School Coaches’ Association, Ticket Holders and Student-Athletes. We want to make sure we are informed as we prepare to identify specific candidates. In addition to involving as many groups as possible, we invite the entire SMU community to share any thoughts you may have by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Comments will be reviewed and incorporated for consideration as part of the search process. Everyone has a voice – we are listening!
Finally, a small search committee has been formed consisting of representatives from the Board of Trustees, Athletics Committee, Athletics Council, Faculty and Athletics Department leadership. This group will work with me to evaluate candidates and determine our top targets in alignment with our agreed-upon profile and standards shaped by our interactions with the various stakeholders and access to data as outlined herein. This will allow us to be proactive and nimble as we begin to engage candidates and work towards a hiring decision.
I anticipate that we will use the month of October to complete the preliminary work described above. This will position us to begin direct conversations as appropriate as regular seasons draw nearer. We will use time to our advantage as we identify opportunities to do so. Above all, we will take whatever time is necessary to get the best head football coach available.
Although we will not be mentioning names, we will do our best to provide new information as it is available. In the meantime, we hope that you can continue to attend our games and offer your support to our student-athletes. They will play an important role as we work towards our stated goal of establishing SMU as the premier program in the American Athletic Conference. And remember - be educated, be positive and be here (at Ford Stadium)!
RIck Hart Signature
Rick Hart
Director of Athletics
SMU"