Joey Fontana commits to SMU

[03Mustang]

Thanks Garret.

I wouldn't be surprised if you're right, that the Sugar Bowl press about June Jones has helped a lot down there. Rumor has it a lot of Louisiana players either are looking at SMU or at least considered us, and I'd bet many are guys we wouldn't have gotten before, or even gotten a serious look from.

Either way .... CONGRATULATIONS, COACHES!

Scoops,

I'm guessing that the 3 or 4 weeks of positive press JJ got in the Louisiana papers had to have helped. Every paper focused on the turnaround at Hawaii, the records the offense set, etc. SMU has an opportunity to open a Louisiana pipeline, especially after getting recruits like Fontana.

As a Hawaii fan I actually would like SMU to focus more recruiting in Texas and Louisiana and not spend much time in CA or Hawaii. Similar offenses mean that the schools will go after similar players, so the less overlap the better IMHO. Hawaii doesn't have the recruiting budget to go after many Louisiana players and is focusing mainly on HI, CA, and NV.

Garret,

We have connections with Matre Dei,Servite, and several other CA high schools that we will continue to keep. I don't see SMU backing out of CA.

All I know is that we would have no shot at Fontana with PB still here...I mean, NOLA is more than 300 miles away so we never would have bothered to even take a look, right?

[03Mustang]

very informative article out of the New Orleans paper.

http://blog.nola.com/prepsports/2008/08 ... her_m.html

Is there an echo in here?

http://www.ponyfans.com/phpBB2/viewtopi ... ht=#357065

[KnuckleStang]

Great job recruiting staff

[couch 'em]

which SMU coach(es) were involved in recruiting Fontana?

They talk about it in the scout article.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Congrats to the great Jeff Reinebold, and Dennis McKnight!

[Garret]

Garret,

We have connections with Matre Dei,Servite, and several other CA high schools that we will continue to keep. I don't see SMU backing out of CA.

SMU86,

I wouldn't expect SMU to back out of recruiting CA. However, if SMU gets a lot of recruits from Louisiana in addition to Texas, then there really won't be many scholarships left over for recruits from CA and other states.

SMU does seem to have a lot of connections to Orange County, CA (Mater Dei, Anaheim Servite, etc.) and that will probably be an area that is recruited by the SMU coaches. However, you won't blame me if I hope that the Texas and Louisiana pipelines are so successful that you don't bother with the West Coast!

By the way, Hawaii's 2006 starting secondary was entirely recruited by Jeff Reinbold. If he could recruit Texas like that while he was in Hawaii, I figure he'll recruit Texas and Louisiana well while he's at SMU.

[asphalt cowboy]

We can't get too many outstanding OL & DL. They make everying happen. As the old cigarette ads & Jayne Mansfield said " It's what up front that counts.
Dig the well before you're thirsty.

[jimhagle]

I used to dream of us having dominating lines. Could this actually be happening? Dare to dream!

[redpony]

Great news. Congrats to Joey and our coaching staff.


GO PONIES!!!!

[Alaric]

We can't get too many outstanding OL & DL. They make everying happen. As the old cigarette ads & Jayne Mansfield said " It's what up front that counts.
Dig the well before you're thirsty.

Greatness! I've been wondering if JJ's experience in the Sugar Bowl (UGA tearing up his OL) has made him want to "over-recruit" offensive lineman in an attempt to create a BCS worthy OL...maybe taking a calculated risk to be deeper in the OL at the expense of other positions.

In Hawaii's defense, I think Garret will attest that Hawaii had a weaker than normal OL last year.

[westexSMU]

WELCOME TO SMU, JOEY !!! Great OL prospect and I like the fact that he is an OL that is fast enough to play on the DL. Rated high 3 Star Rivals right ?[/list]

[lwjr]

Hopefully, he will not change his mind. That is a nice pickup for the OL. OH, the winds are a changing.

[BUS]

Thats what I'm talking about - Chest Bump.

PLEASE no Chest Bumps as I have just had surgery on my spine - REALLY.

Great job coaches and WELCOME to the HERD OF BIG MEN at SMU.

JOIN the Mustang Militia as we prepare to do battle.
Go Mustangs.

[Garret]

In Hawaii's defense, I think Garret will attest that Hawaii had a weaker than normal OL last year.

As with almost any non-BCS conference team (and many BCS conference teams), Hawaii's OL in 2007 felt the loss of their starting center and both starting tackles from 2006. All 3 of those players were on NFL rosters all of 2007, so those were notable losses!

Even with that, Hawaii's OL did well enough against every team except for the SEC's top team in sacks. I seriously doubt that SMU fans would mind a 12-0 regular season and a BCS bowl game the season after losing 3 OL to the NFL!

[The PonyGrad]

OK, so why isn't he on the sticky yet??