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I think we all agree that the new staff will need to focus recruiting efforts to Texas and specifically DFW. Watching Baylor and TCU today reinforces that we need to follow their model - make Texas HS the lifeblood of the program. Briles and Patterson are proving that private schools in Texas can compete at the highest level if you can get the Texas HS community to buy into what you're selling.

Look at the starters from today's game:
Baylor Offense
Starters from TX - 10
Starters from DFW - 4
Baylor Defense
Starters from TX - 10
Starters from DFW - 4

TCU Offense
Starters from TX - 8
Starters from DFW - 5
TCU Defense
Starters from TX - 8
Starters from DFW - 3

Also, both starting QBs are from DFW - Petty (Midlothian) & Boykin (Mesquite). Other than just being bored, the point of this post is Texas connections should be the #1 requirement for the next HC with being a salesman a close second. The search committee needs to contact HS coaches around the state about their opinion of the candidates. Get them involved and let them know we care about their opinion.

TCU built their program being in the G5, while Baylor sucked in a P5. Conference affiliation matters little, it's all about coaching and recruiting. #thinkabouthat

You are delusional if you think conference affiliation doesn't matter.

kudos to both Baylor and TCU for showing it CAN be done at a small private school in Texas. Even though they trounced us, I wasn't convinced TCU would fare well in the Big XII this year but they keep getting better week after week. Those 2 teams look like they can compete with anyone in the country these days.

SMU2007 wrote:You are delusional if you think conference affiliation doesn't matter.

Correct. We are in a special place where we not only have to build a program, but we also have to help build a conference. With the right people, both can be done.

The American can offer great east coast exposure and should be a selling point to recruits. Plus they get to travel to more than just small Texas, OK and Kansas towns. Would you rather go to Waco TX, Lawrence, KS or Disney World?

DiamondM75 wrote:
The American can offer great east coast exposure and should be a selling point to recruits. Plus they get to travel to more than just small Texas, OK and Kansas towns. Would you rather go to Waco TX, Lawrence, KS or Disney World?

The Big 12 offers national exposure not just east coast exposure. College towns like Waco and Lawrence often appeal to recruits from big cities that want to get away from home.

sbsmith wrote:

DiamondM75 wrote:
The American can offer great east coast exposure and should be a selling point to recruits. Plus they get to travel to more than just small Texas, OK and Kansas towns. Would you rather go to Waco TX, Lawrence, KS or Disney World?

The Big 12 offers national exposure not just east coast exposure. College towns like Waco and Lawrence often appeal to recruits from big cities that want to get away from home.

I totally disagree. The Northeast, Florida, Northwest and West Coast could care less about the Big 12. The Big 12 is a regional conference with a small exposure area, just like the Southwest Conference was. Why do you think the Big 12 added West Virginia? They need to expand their exposure.

They are getting expanded press this year because of the success of their programs. This is exactly the point I am trying to make about the American. If we can build programs and be successful, we have a larger footprint for east coast, central and southern exposure.

I was also referring to travel, not "getting away from home" for college. Yes, you will lose recruits to the small college town atmosphere, but on the other hand, you can attract small town players who want the big city experience. Ask any Baylor alum or student about Waco. It is a dump, but you are just 1 1/2 hours from Dallas or Austin. That is their selling point.

What I am saying is we are in a very opportunistic situation and we need to make the most of it.

SMU2007 wrote:You are delusional if you think conference affiliation doesn't matter.

I said it matters little. TCU, Utah, BYU, UCF, and Boise State have proven they can recruit and beat big time programs as well as get national exposure and respect being in "lesser conferences". The P5/G5 thing is a mental block that G5 teams use to limit themselves. Sell the kids on your coaching, your university and your city and we will prove we are relevant, deliver ratings and roll with the big dogs. If we had a team that would have been 5-0 this year, Ford would have 32k people wanting to see a possible playoff contender that may run the table in the AAC.

If we were 5-0 we MIGHT get 20,000 playing most teams in the AAC-UH could be slightly more. Our attendance average is a mirage built from TCU, A&M, Tech and Baylor fans. Right now we have about 12,000 fans we can count on-then more for Homecoming and Parents weekend

Stallion wrote:If we were 5-0 we MIGHT get 20,000 playing most teams in the AAC-UH could be slightly more. Our attendance average is a mirage built from TCU, A&M, Tech and Baylor fans. Right now we have about 12,000 fans we can count on-then more for Homecoming and Parents weekend

I was going to say if we were 5-0 with wins against Baylor, A$M and TCU, we would be ranked in the top 10 and we might draw 25k for Cincinnati . I do think we'd have some bandwagoners if we were ranked, but only shot at a sellout would be against Houston, provided they bring about 5k to help

Stallion wrote:If we were 5-0 we MIGHT get 20,000 playing most teams in the AAC-UH could be slightly more. Our attendance average is a mirage built from TCU, A&M, Tech and Baylor fans. Right now we have about 12,000 fans we can count on-then more for Homecoming and Parents weekend

Shhhhhh, can't say that on this board.

Same comments we heard about the 1,500 loyal SMU basketball fans and we would never sell out Moody. Put a good product out there and many more will come to watch and they don't have to be 'just' SMU grads.

Charleston Pony wrote:

Stallion wrote:If we were 5-0 we MIGHT get 20,000 playing most teams in the AAC-UH could be slightly more. Our attendance average is a mirage built from TCU, A&M, Tech and Baylor fans. Right now we have about 12,000 fans we can count on-then more for Homecoming and Parents weekend

I was going to say if we were 5-0 with wins against Baylor, A$M and TCU, we would be ranked in the top 10 and we might draw 25k for Cincinnatti . I do ink we'd have some bandwagoners if we were ranked, but only shot at a sellout would be against Houston, provided they bring about 5k to help

Only problem with that gigantic IF, is Baylor, A&M and TCU. They are not our peers, they have left us behind, need to re-focus on reality and achievable goals.

Is the new coach going to come in telling the world that he's going to beat Baylor, TCU & A&M and return SMU back to the top of the football world so everybody needs to get on board and support him? Or, is he going to explain how this is a great opportunity, his goal is to return a winning program to the Hilltop, and his #1 priority is being the best program in the AAC so everybody needs to get on board and support him?

DiamondM75 wrote:I totally disagree. The Northeast, Florida, Northwest and West Coast could care less about the Big 12. The Big 12 is a regional conference with a small exposure area, just like the Southwest Conference was. Why do you think the Big 12 added West Virginia? They need to expand their exposure.

They are getting expanded press this year because of the success of their programs. This is exactly the point I am trying to make about the American. If we can build programs and be successful, we have a larger footprint for east coast, central and southern exposure.

I was also referring to travel, not "getting away from home" for college. Yes, you will lose recruits to the small college town atmosphere, but on the other hand, you can attract small town players who want the big city experience. Ask any Baylor alum or student about Waco. It is a dump, but you are just 1 1/2 hours from Dallas or Austin. That is their selling point.

What I am saying is we are in a very opportunistic situation and we need to make the most of it.

The Big 12 still gets national exposure (see their frequent premium timeslots on national TV) regardless of their regional footprint, that's the benefit of having name brands like Texas and OU in the conference. The AAC is the conference that the Northeast, Florida, Northwest and West Coast could care less about (see their payout and ratings). As for travel do you really think recruits give a [deleted] about visiting big cities to play in empty stadiums?

ponyscott wrote:Same comments we heard about the 1,500 loyal SMU basketball fans and we would never sell out Moody. Put a good product out there and many more will come to watch and they don't have to be 'just' SMU grads.

Exactly, Dallas loves winners. It is a product they will gladly pay a premium for. This board has a constant we can't win because we don't have any fans, our alumni are lost blah blah blah, boo hoo hoo. People are not going to pay for a terrible product. SMU has lost for long enough for there to be very few people still riding on the memories of long ago when SMU was a relevant team. Seeing how this is going to be a long season, get ready for another thousand threads how DFW/Alumni are why the team is so terrible, if only they got to the games the team would win. No one is going to spend money on a terrible product given how many other options there are in DFW. FB isn't magic, it is a product like any other. Even though so many on this board turn SMU's woes into a c i r c l e - j e r k self help group.

Beat a big team, get SMU ranked, and see how DFW responds.

And I don't say this to disparage the current players fighting through adversity (or past players), but it is just tiring to see people constantly c i r c l e - j e r k over how Dallas/Alumni is/are why SMU can't win.

LB has show how quickly the current students, alumni, DFW and national media can change their mind on a SMU team and fight to give money the most for tickets.