Dontae Livingston

[ojaipony]

Starting at right tackle at ECU. Bummer it didn't work here for him. Our OL could use him right now. Guess he had some growing up to do first. Seems like it's working out for the best for him. And ECU looks very good right now.

[Stallion]

Along with Robert Lewis at WSU and Levingstone at ECU that probably makes about 14 or 15th Klemm commit to start at the Division 1A Level. Where are those critics that criticized the quality of his recruits? I remember suggesting they get their shots in early because they are going to look pretty silly in a few years. They are still criticizing him because some freshman and sophomore OLM recruits at UCLA are young and inexperienced. In 2 years UCLA will have a dominant OLine and we'll revisit it again

[ClickClack]

Its too bad the Klemm recruits who play for our O Line suck, but we don't have any other options due to barely recruiting OL in the previous classes.

[Rebel10]

Its too bad the Klemm recruits who play for our O Line suck, but we don't have any other options due to barely recruiting OL in the previous classes.

What Klemm recruits currently play OL for us?

[Stallion]

Oh I forgot some that aren't listed under Klemm but if you read the stories they committed to him and listed him as a major reason:

Gottschalk
--------------
Lasecki
Weeks
Briggs-committed months before Klemm left
Myers-committed months before Klemm left, decommitted then committed after Klemm left

[ojaipony]

Oh I forgot some that aren't listed under Klemm but if you read the stories they committed to him and listed him as a major reason:

Gottschalk
--------------
Lasecki
Weeks
Briggs-committed months before Klemm left
Myers-committed months before Klemm left, decommitted then committed after Klemm left

I had high hopes for all these guys. Shocking that our OL play is such crap this year. I know that Lasecki and Briggs at least are better than how they are playing right now. I have no idea what's going on with Myers. He had an aTm offer for goodness sakes and he can't even keep a starting job here? It's a mystery. Great size. Maybe it's just all coaching.

[mavsrage311]

Oh I forgot some that aren't listed under Klemm but if you read the stories they committed to him and listed him as a major reason:

Gottschalk
--------------
Lasecki
Weeks
Briggs-committed months before Klemm left
Myers-committed months before Klemm left, decommitted then committed after Klemm left

Taylor Reich too?

[PerunaPunch]

Along with Robert Lewis at WSU and Levingstone at ECU that probably makes about 14 or 15th Klemm commit to start at the Division 1A Level. Where are those critics that criticized the quality of his recruits? I remember suggesting they get their shots in early because they are going to look pretty silly in a few years. They are still criticizing him because some freshman and sophomore OLM recruits at UCLA are young and inexperienced. In 2 years UCLA will have a dominant OLine and we'll revisit it again

I guess that would be me you're talking about.

Robert Lewis has a career 14 receptions for 120 yards on a Washington State team that SMU might be able to beat. So if you're trying to make a point, Lewis is not helping you.

You were also the one who was trying to convince PonyFans that Levingston left SMU because he was homesick for California (that's west coast)... Which is I guess why he tried to get on at Texas Tech before ending up at East Carolina (last time I looked, that was on the exact opposite side of the continent from LA) by way of a JUCO. But I will readily concede the point that IF he could stay in SMU, we could certainly use him right now.

Klemm may be God's gift to recruiting. Maybe he is, maybe he ain't –– I don't follow UCLA recruiting. All I'm saying is that some people were ready to name him the next head coach at Southern Methodist after his landfall 2011 class that included such football luminaries as Ace Holleman, Christian Holloway, Taylor Lesecki, Dontae Levingston, Davon Moreland, Conner Preston, Taylor Reich and Kris Weeks. That's a lot of names, granted, but unless you read PonyFans on a regular basis, the only one on that list you've ever heard of is Lesecki. From my perspective, the only bona-fide D1 recruit Klemm ever got onto the field at SMU is Ben Gottschalk. That's it. Hardly grounds for hero worship.

Which all leads me to this: I think that in large part the reason we are in such a steaming pile right now is specifically because so many of our higher profile recruits like Conner Preston, Steve Kaiser, Davon Moreland, JaBryce Taylor, Lincoln Richard, Rishaad Wimbley, Sam Rice etc., etc. didn't work out for one reason or another. So debate the reason(s) for that all you want. Gilbert fell into our lap, yes, but for whatever reason Jones was never been able to recruit a marquis QB or WR (with the exception of Taylor, who is gone anyway). Without Gilbert, we're the same team last year as we are this year.

[Rebel10]

Klemm is also responsible for Briggs. By the way our lower profile diamond in the rough recruits are not working out so well either. I guess in your eyes we should have recruited more lower profile kids. We had 9 kids in this last 2014 class that had no other offers but SMU. And no, SMU could not beat Washington State. They score points. Lewis is in his 1st year of playing. How many SMU receivers have 14 catches for 120 yards? We are in this mess because the under the radar recruits (which most of the team is made up of) that you and JasonB were touting did not work out.

[PerunaPunch]

Klemm is also responsible for Briggs.

Do you think he would start for Baylor or A&M? Maybe UNT... But that's precisely my point. Scouting report is that Briggs may be something special. But he should be in the rotation next year and his senior year. Why did he start as a freshman last year? Where are the Jr and Sr linemen? Fr and So OLs are generally not a good idea.

By the way our lower profile diamond in the rough recruits are not working out so well either.

Can't argue that! I guess the only reason that there are more of them on the roster than our higher profile losses is that we recruited more of them. So touché sir!

[Stallion]

We've already clearly proven that wasn't Klemm's fault other than he took a different job. June taking 2 Offensive Lineman (including hitting on Gottschalk) in 2010 while taking seemingly a never ending list of mini-me receivers in recent years and striking out with JUCOs since then is the problem. We complained about it at the time. Since the day Klemm resigned we've seen a parade of third tier OLM recruits other than Evan Brown from SLC. That's the problem. A Head Coach that needs 25 WRs and forgot to recruit OLM. Scholarship allocation is a Head Coach level decision. June Jones is the one to blame

[ojaipony]

PerunaPunch makes some good points. But if ALL your recruits are that caliber (like many of the top P5s), you don't care if 3-4/class don't pan out (actually you should EXPECT it). But if you only get 3-4 decent in a class and the rest are diamond in the rough, then you get in trouble after a few years in a row of that which is where we are right now. Also, some of it is just bad luck in SMU's case (2010 and 2011 classes). To me, we have some talent but the attitude just sucks. We have the size on the Oline but many of them just don't give effort (watch the tape - not moving feet, just reaching out with their arms, constantly getting beat, not ATTACKING the DL). The issue also is that we just don't have strong interior DL/LB play. Need some big bruisers to fill the holes. That opens up a lot (I don't care too much about all these spread offenses, it STILL comes down to: can you RUN the ball and can you STOP the run). With Reed and Pitman, we had some strong, nasty dudes. (and also Joyner when he played). This team has ZERO. If this team had a decent coach, we'd still be 0-3 but the performances would be better. If we had a decent coach who RECRUITED, we'd be at least 1-2 with somewhat competitive performances and some things to look forward to once the "preseason" was over.

[PerunaPunch]

We've already clearly proven that wasn't Klemm's fault other than he took a different job.

"We" have not clearly proven anything IMHO. Klemm was aggravated because he didn't perceive the rest of the staff working hard enough at recruiting. But on the other hand, Klemm was allegedly criticized for a number of things including offering scholarships without consulting w/ Jones before making some offers.

June taking 2 Offensive Lineman (including hitting on Gottschalk) in 2010 while taking seemingly a never ending list of mini-me receivers in recent years and striking out with JUCOs since then is the problem.

100% with you on this point. No question in my mind.

But if you only get 3-4 decent in a class and the rest are diamond in the rough, then you get in trouble after a few years in a row of that which is where we are right now. Also, some of it is just bad luck in SMU's case (2010 and 2011 classes).

Nail on the head. I think we've done a better job recruiting athletes the last couple of years, but we've reached on kids too many times, and so it was too late to save it. Even Margus didn't get really dominant until the end of his playing career.

[Stallion]

Thanks to Rebel10 for finding that January 21, 2012 thread-here I am issuing the warning alarm about our Offensive Line recruiting. After this date SMU started a string of mediocre Offensive Line commits that probably were not even in their Top 50 on their Draft Board (if they were organized enough to even have a Draft Board). Those kids would be 3rd year players right now. Recruiting failure.


Postby Stallion » Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:49 pm

PRIME EXAMPLE NO.!:

Believe it of not but SMU has offered 38 Offensive Lineman this year at a targeted position and right now has only 2 solid commitments at that position. Both are Diamonds in the rough recruited by few if any reputable schools. Most of these Linemen were identified and offered before the 2 we got. Can you really sit there and claim that SMU is getting the Offensive Linemen they really want and that June Jones' opinion should be elevated above the opinions of the 36 schools where these other recruits committed? That's laughable. That's going pretty DEEEEEEEEPPPPPP on the June Jones'recruiting board-I'm not sure I've seen anything like it.

[Rebel10]

Thanks to Rebel10 for finding that January 21, 2012 thread-here I am issuing the warning alarm about our Offensive Line recruiting. After this date SMU started a string of mediocre Offensive Line commits that probably were not even in their Top 50 on their Draft Board (if they were organized enough to even have a Draft Board). Those kids would be 3rd year players right now. Recruiting failure.


Postby Stallion » Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:49 pm

PRIME EXAMPLE NO.!:

Believe it of not but SMU has offered 38 Offensive Lineman this year at a targeted position and right now has only 2 solid commitments at that position. Both are Diamonds in the rough recruited by few if any reputable schools. Most of these Linemen were identified and offered before the 2 we got. Can you really sit there and claim that SMU is getting the Offensive Linemen they really want and that June Jones' opinion should be elevated above the opinions of the 36 schools where these other recruits committed? That's laughable. That's going pretty DEEEEEEEEPPPPPP on the June Jones'recruiting board-I'm not sure I've seen anything like it.

No problem.

Klemm is also responsible for Briggs.

Do you think he would start for Baylor or A&M? Maybe UNT... But that's precisely my point. Scouting report is that Briggs may be something special.

I don't remember any scouting reports saying he may be something special. He was a two star recruit with no other offer but SMU but he was overweight (yet athletic). He lost weight and could help us as he gains experience. What player on SMU could start for Baylor or A&M? I don't see the point in that statement. Not many players in the AAC could start for Baylor or A&M.