The Greatest Recruiting Battles

[Stallion]

1) Ron Morris-the only player other than Hart Lee ****s to commit to four different schools-SMU, TCU, Okla St. and Tech-hmmm come to think of it each got 4 schools on probation too. 2) Billy Don Jackson from Sherman-perhaps the No. 1 recruit in country-signed with SMU on old SWC Signing Day but switched to UCLA on National Signing Day. Forced Ron Meyer to look for "deeper pockets". 3. Paul Rice-Lewisville-SMU on SWC Signing Date but USC on National Signing date where he sat behind Marcus Allen(?)-finally transferred back to SMU to form tandem with Arthur Whittington. 4) Egypt Allen, Gerald Taylor Dallas SOC-SMU commits who were litterally kidnapped by TCU's F.A. Dry and locked in hotel room until signing date to hide from SMU recruiters. One scenario that lead to the creation of the "quiet period" in the days before signing date. 5) Mewelde Moore-SMU Commit who changed commitment on signing date to become All-American for Tulane.

[Jim Rome]

Wasn't there a massive war between SMU and Miami over Marcus Moseley? Not that it panned out in the end, but we won that one, too.

[Johnny Rock]

I also believe that SMU and A&M battled for Dickerson. I could be wrong though. I bet there were some great stories on his recruiting. He mentioned once on an ESPN interview show that a coach brought a briefcase to his house with $50,000.00 cash if he would sign, but he did not want to go to that school. He would not name the school.

[Stallion]

...you're right-Dickerson switched from A&M to SMU about 3 weeks before signing date as I remember but the Aggies never gave up. I think OU was the one who was really pushing late tough. Two other famous recruiting battles were Baylor v. UT for Earl Campbell-Teaff thought he had that one won. Mike Cavan reportedly camped out at Herschell Walker's home for a month. Poor kids there used to not be the same visitation limitations there are today. Let's not forget that SMU stole Doak Walker away from Texas as Walker was returning from the military in New Orleans on early discharge due to the ending of WWII. Because it was war-time Walker was in an SMU uniform about a week later and I think played against UT shortly thereafter. I'm a little too young to remember all the details but it goes something like that. When you ponder the importance of recruiting take a second to think about what signing Gold Chips like Dickerson and Walker, Campbell, H. Walker and Mewelde Moore meant to the programs and even the legacies of SMU, UT, Georgia and to a lesser extent Tulane.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 01-16-2003).]

[Mr. Ed]

I wish a could remember all the details on the Doak Walker story. I think he was on a train going from New Orleans to Austin and an SMU assistant got on with him and kept him on that train all the way to Dallas. I'm sure someone older knows the story better. Those stories definitely fit in with the wildcatter era.

A$M learned a valuable lesson with the Dickerson episode: don't give out the keys to the Trans Am until signing day!

[Stallion]

yeah that's part of the story-returning from the train station in New Orleans. Wasn't it the great SMU legend Sleepy Morgan who steered him to SMU along with his high school coach Rusty Russell. Its starting to come back to me now with the help of my trusty media guide. SMU was playing Tulane at Tulane when Walker was being released from the military. Either Walker went to the game or ran into Morgan at the train station. Six days later Walker started for SMU against Texas the school he was planning to attend. Just stepped off the train and started 6 days later-now that's the start of a legend.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 01-16-2003).]

[MUSTANGFOREVER69]

Stallion, give me a clue. I - like you - also am a lawyer. And, I - like you - have been a recruiting buff for years (25+). I have recruiting journals from the original recruiting "gurus". (Do you remember or know who the name of the original recruiting "guru" was? Where did he work while he was compiling his lists? Could it possibly have been a Ford Motor Manufacturing plant in Hamtranktt, Mich.? Was he a recruiter for the U. of Mich.? (I'll answer that one - " "no!"). The "recruiting guru" profession is actually something of a relatively new time. It includes people like you - who - for whatever reason think you know more than the coaches who's lives depend upon recruiting - (which I will agree with you determines ultimitely how any given team will perform on a won/loss basis).

With all of that said, now I would like to challenge you on your memory regarding some of the things you have said about the past. And, I will admit that my memory is not perfect - so, if I say something that you disagree with, feel free to challenge. I'd rather us have closer to real facts than not. Okay?

First, with respect to ED, My memory tells me that there was a press conference where he announced that he was going to sign with OU, and that was his first commitment. Then, he disappeared.

Several days later, he showed up and announced that he was going to be an Aggie (and that was when we all saw his new Gold Transam.) And then ED disappeared again. But while all of this was going on, ED had maintained that he had absolutely no interest in UT. For whatever reason, he hated UT and had no interest in giving them the light of day - though they wanted him as bad as any team in the country (and, I'd be willing to bet a case of some good Canadian brew like Labatt's Blue that he would tell you today that he would never have considered playing for that particular team under any circumstances). ED would not - and did not give UT an official visit. But, at that time, there had been no mention of any interest on his part with respect to SMU either. It was only on the old SWC signing day that ED showed up as an SMU recruit because of Craig James' calls, etc. And, he signed an SWC letter with us that day. (I was on the roof of the Houston Int'l Airport with a client trying to explain my happiness at the time).

A week later, ED, Craig, Charles, and several others whose names were on the DMN Blue Chips List signed National Letters of intent with SMU.

A week later, (after the old SWC signing date - which screwed us incredibly), we actually signed the entire class to NCAA letters locking them in. At this point, I want to take a walk away from time and remember somebody who was very much involved with SMU's program at the time I am talking about. .........

When we signed Eric Dickerson and Craig James, we also signed a young man who's name is Charles Waggoner (and, I (apologize intended), may have mispelled his name). Charles was just as big, and just as fast as ED. Our Coach, Ron Meyer, had an incredibly difficult situation. Seriously! ED wanted to transfer to OU. Craig was still enamored (sp?)with Alabama (the BEAR himself had recruited Craig - how proud I am today of all of what Craig has accomplished with his life).

(Craig, if you do occasionally read these things, I would like to ask you to think about Charles Wagoner. What has happened to him? What is he doing today? This is a guy who was a Parade All American. He was recruited by every major school in the country. And, we got his signature, along with Craig James and Eric Dickerson's. WHAT A CLASS!)

My point is that it was not possible to rank our class that year. It was that good..... On paper........
And that's the point guys! In that same class were guys who were also on the old Dallas Times Herald Blue Chips List (which if some of you who don't know what it was - it was compiled as a poll by the Times Herald from interviews with the coaches in the old SWC (doesn't that make you want to cry?)

We actually used to have a poll from the SWC coaches (who would have the balls to vote on the best recruits in the State - with UT usually chickening out) indicating who the top 15 -20 players in the State were. It was neat. Typically, one of the neatest things I used to live for died when the old Dallas Times Herald (and it's annual list of top recruits in Texas) died. C'est la vie!

Stallion, I'm not going to challenge you about your "World's Greatest Recruiting Knowledge" at this time. However, be assured that there is someone out there who can embarass you with respect to your knowledge of reruiting - i.e. "Me". Watch what you say on these boards, Ace. I'm watching also. And, despite your knowledge, you're wrong sometimes - and you need to be humble enough to recognize that fact.

Billie Don Jackson signed an SWC letter of intent with SMU. One week later, he signed a National Letter of Intent with UCLA - despite his comments to the press about wanting to be close to his family to protect them. Two years later, Billie Don Jackson was indicted for murder in Los Angeles. And, the family he vowed to protect back in north Texas was left alone.

This is not BS! It really happened. I have never stopped feeling sorry for Billie Don Jackson.

Stallion, this may not be the end of my response. You brought out a lot of memories with your post.

GO MUSTANGS!!!!

[PonyFan]

Another interesting recruiting battle surrounded Baylor High getting RB Jerrod Douglas at the last minute after he previously had committed to Texas. Let's just say he had a lot of reasons to make his switch at the last minute.

[Stallion]

Joe Terranova was the initial recruiting Guru who worked for Ford Motor Company. 1 point for Stallion.

[Stallion]

I was a volunteer in the SMU SID's office when this all happened but its hard to remember. All I remember is James committing first at the 5A State Championship. Dickerson switching from A&M to SMU with OU in pursuit. Charles Waggoner was hurt in the 1979 SMU/Tech game at Texas Stadium when Ron Meyer had the great idea of putting two of All-American freshman on Kickoff Return. Unfortunately, they both got hurt on the same play-Dickerson for about a minute and Waggoner longer with what turned out to be spinal damage which prevented his return to FB. At the time, Waggonner was easily SMU's freshman of the year OVER BOTH Dickerson and James. I remember the Dickerson to OU rumors, James to Alabama rumors and the Billy Don Jackson mess well. I'll try to keep on my toes!

[MUSTANGFOREVER69]

Stallion, I'll give you the point for remembering Joe Terranova - the first recruiting guru. And, frankly, I think his
picks and information were a heck of a lot more accurate than anything ever produced by Max Emfinger.

But, I think you're wrong about your memory of the Doak Walker story. Check the records in the Football Media Guide. The Doaker actually played one season for us (in '45) before he went into the Army. He missed the '46 season, and then came back to play for us from '47 - '49. Score one for me.

And I think that Charles Wagoner (I believe it is spelled with one "g")(and, who may have graduated from the same high school you went to if you went to Bryan Adams) broke his neck on that kickoff - though I suppose that you could technically call a broken neck a spinal injury. In any event, it's both odd and sad that the Pony Express came into existance because of the end of another player's career.

[Stallion]

I said military because I wasn't sure what type-I think he may have gone to basic training but he didn't have to serve until 1946-but he didn't even attend SMU until mid-wat thru the 1945 season. I'm just a young pup! I grew up on Jerry LeVias and Gene Phillips. Surely there is someone who knows the whole story. Yeah Waggoner went to Bryan Adams but I went to St Mark's. BTW Waggoner was fine after recuperating and went on to be a very productive member of the track team although he wasn't cleared for football.

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 01-17-2003).]

[MUSTANGFOREVER69]

I may not qualify as much as a "young pup" as you, as my user name would imply. I was a classmate with Jerry Levias (who I run into every once in a while down here in Houston) and Gene Phillips' older brother Lynn (with whom I went to SMU Law School also, and who became a good friend). You may not know, but Lynn passed away several years ago. He was a great guy. He died of a heart attack while shooting baskets in his driveway with his kids. I knew Gene also - though he was two years behind me. He was one of the best BBall players I've ever had the pleasure to watch. I've lost track of him and don't have a clue where he is or what he's doing. And, if you didn't go to Bryan Adams, then you're not who I thought I had figured you are. But, you still know your recruiting facts and other similar information.