opinion about the class

[ponyboy]

You two are cracking me up. Perhaps I'm a little tightly wound today.

I'll take you up on that offer, LHP.

Peace to all.

[The PonyGrad]

This is a competitive CUSA class. Middle of the conference type of class. A real improvement over recent classes.

Is it "top 25", no. Was anyone really expecting that?

This is something to build on. If not next year then at least in 2010 the offense should be manned and clicking.

Defense remains a work in progress and should be better in all areas with the possible exception of the DT position. LBs vs. the run also questionable especially given the DT issue. But the assumption that the coaches were not trying to get Jucos and quality HS players is laughable. "OMG we forgot about the defense."

[JasonB]

Yes, the DL played poorly, but this team ha a crazy lack of speed at LB, and lack of quality at DB and S. We had nobody last year to play as a third DB.

This class fixes the speed issues at DB, S, and LB. Yes, some of the LB are too small, but I get the impression that they are targeted for depth and special teams anyway. You can't fix everything in one season. I think the coaches are fixing speed issues first, and asking the DL to occupy blockers rather than be atheletes, hence the move to the 3-4, to take pressure off of recruiting in that area.

Our line play isn't going to get worse, and I think we will see much improved play on special teams, S, third corner/depth at corner, and LB. LB impacts are going to as much from last year's recruits (Line, Parker) than this year. More mistakes at LB but much better athleticism and speed.

Not saying the improvement on D is going to be incredible, just that it will be tangible.

[jtstang]

Not saying the improvement on D is going to be incredible, just that it will be tangible.

As in, "giving up 35 points per game is a tangible improvement over 40 points per game"? I am still worried about our defense.

[mathman]

Any chance JJ is going to look around and see what is left as far as JC players that might help on defense?

[San Antonio Mustang]

I don't understand the infatuation some have with JUCO players. Most of the ones we have recruited in the past were disappointing. I remember when we recruited Dennis - he was heralded as a great Safety. Last year when he was healthy and played he rarely could tackle and I was not impressed with his ability to cover. In my opinion we had three players who consistently played D! defense and none of them were transfers. McCann, Bell, and Yenga. If we pick up three freshmen who can play as well as those three we will be much improved. What we needed last year on defense was speed and tacklers. It looks like we got speed in this class and only time will tell if they are willing to stick somebody.

[mathman]

We need defensive help now. We need to redshirt as many freshmen as we can. No infatuation. Just necessity.

[mrydel]

I do not think many good JUCOs will walk on and we are pretty full on scholarships. I would not count on any JUCOs this year. I would bet that this staff is already looking at possibilities for next year though, and I do not not think the prior staff had the unrestricted ability to do so and I am not sure they wanted to anyway.

[Stallion]

JUCO recruiting is just like High School Recruiting-if you recruit quality then he have a higher chance that they will succeed. But to set the record straight SMU has had 3 Offensive or Defensive Players of the Year-am I not correct-who were JUCOs in recent years-Bobby Chase, Serge Elize and Adrian Haywood. (Elize might not have been not sure-were they even named since there was no Banquet-but he was close and an essential player)

[Glenn Sosbee]

Judging recruiting classes is easy. Who got 4 or 5 State top 100 guys signed. I glance at SMU's class every year and it's 4 or 5 Local Top 100 guys. No States.

I am disappointed every year about SMU's inability to sign ANY of these State top 100's. Unfortunately, the last "State" I remember SMU signing was Vincent Chase and OMG what a failure he was. Was he [deleted]? Even when we get one, he ends up being a bust. What a joke.

It pains me to say this but tcu is the one getting 4 or 5 "States" every year while we are getting the undersized and lower tier locals. Are we not basically on unt's level now?

I remember the days when SMU was even getting 1 or 2 National Top 100's on a pretty consistent basis. That was back when we used to go to bowl Games.

I think the last "National" SMU signed was Jason Wolfe in the early 90's. Of course, he somehow broke his foot on a North Park mall escalator and was never the same again. Kind of like when Willis got a car trunk slammed on his throwing hand. I'm convinced we are cursed.

[Dooby]

Judging recruiting classes is easy. Who got 4 or 5 State top 100 guys signed. I glance at SMU's class every year and it's 4 or 5 Local Top 100 guys. No States.

I am disappointed every year about SMU's inability to sign ANY of these State top 100's. Unfortunately, the last "State" I remember SMU signing was Vincent Chase and OMG what a failure he was. Was he [deleted]? Even when we get one, he ends up being a bust. What a joke.

It pains me to say this but tcu is the one getting 4 or 5 "States" every year while we are getting the undersized and lower tier locals. Are we not basically on unt's level now?

I remember the days when SMU was even getting 1 or 2 National Top 100's on a pretty consistent basis. That was back when we used to go to bowl Games.

I think the last "National" SMU signed was Jason Wolfe in the early 90's. Of course, he somehow broke his foot on a North Park mall escalator and was never the same again. Kind of like when Willis got a car trunk slammed on his throwing hand. I'm convinced we are cursed.

Thanks for proving you are a nitwit. Vincent Chase did everything this program ever asked of him and did it well.

[Glenn Sosbee]

Judging recruiting classes is easy. Who got 4 or 5 State top 100 guys signed. I glance at SMU's class every year and it's 4 or 5 Local Top 100 guys. No States.

I am disappointed every year about SMU's inability to sign ANY of these State top 100's. Unfortunately, the last "State" I remember SMU signing was Vincent Chase and OMG what a failure he was. Was he [deleted]? Even when we get one, he ends up being a bust. What a joke.

It pains me to say this but tcu is the one getting 4 or 5 "States" every year while we are getting the undersized and lower tier locals. Are we not basically on unt's level now?

I remember the days when SMU was even getting 1 or 2 National Top 100's on a pretty consistent basis. That was back when we used to go to bowl Games.

I think the last "National" SMU signed was Jason Wolfe in the early 90's. Of course, he somehow broke his foot on a North Park mall escalator and was never the same again. Kind of like when Willis got a car trunk slammed on his throwing hand. I'm convinced we are cursed.

Thanks for proving you are a nitwit. Vincent Chase did everything this program ever asked of him and did it well.

Hey Dooby, get past the name calling and back it up, bro. What the h did Vincent Chase ever accomplish here? Besides, he was just a side note in the overall point I was trying to make. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.

[ozfan]

Hey Ponyboy,

I have been following SMU athletics closely for over 35 years now. I think I have a pretty good understanding of what’s going on. You call me Kneejerk; that is laughable, I have predicted SMU’s failures for the past 20 years; although I do think things are finally changing around here. You call me Negative; you should have seen me during the Pony Express days.

Hoop Fan brings up a valid point, the seemingly lack of urgency. I happen to agree with him, and as I humorously posted, it is not something unique to JJ, we should have been focusing more on JCs years ago, not only in FB but BB as well.

As I posted earlier, I am OK with this class, but was hoping for more.

And really classy move telling someone to shut the hell up…

I played ball for coaches that were strong on defense. My mind set is to build the defense first but this is JJ's team he is going to build his "O" first He will build his "D" with the right people by loading up on D backs this year he can go for a load of D linemen next year. You can go for all the JCO you want but in most cases you are getting the leftovers from the BCS schools that are not as good as high schooler that can be built up and trained. I do feel we got lucky with our JCO this year. 2012 will be the return of the glory years.

[gostangs]

Sosbee - you are not intelligent.

State 100 matters if you are only recruiting in state - JJ recruits across the country - and especially in the West.

Yes - it will be a good sign if we get more of the Texas top 100 - but nobody with half a brain would expect that at this stage of our rebuilding.

In fact - if you track TCU's program (since you bring them up) - they did not draw many top 100's at the beginning of their rebuilding - they built their program with JUCO's and less heralded players - and built up as they won 4, then 6, then 9 games a year consistently.

[Stallion]

I just don't think that is true these days. For example, both SMU's top JUCO recruits this year had multiple BCS offers out of high school-they just didn't qualify. There are plenty of top top recruits these days in JUCO just like them-they are by no means leftovers although SMU has signed several others in recent years that might fit that description out of high school. But the Top 100 JUCOs-the top JUCOs generally are there for academic or transfer reasons not because no body wanted them out of high school.

I took a look at kids on the JUCO Top 100 who were originally from Texas(because I'm more familiar with them). Almost without fail these guys were big time recruits out of high school.