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SMU Adds Two JC Transfers
Holmes, Hurst Sign With Mustangs
Dec. 21, 2005

DALLAS (SMU) - SMU Head Coach Phil Bennett has announced that two junior college student-athletes, Joe Holmes and Damon Hurst, both from Navarro Junior College, have signed national letters of intent to attend SMU.

Holmes chose the Hilltop after drawing interest from like Louisiana Tech, Arizona and Kansas. The 6-0, 305-lb. Holmes started two seasons for the Bulldogs and was honorable mention All-Southwest Junior College Football Conference as a sophomore. He had a maximum bench press of 420 pounds in the preseason and squatted approximately 600 pounds at Navarro. As a prep, Holmes was a unanimous first-team All-District 16-4A selection as a senior. He was also a first-team All-Golden Circle choice in 2003. He is rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com.

Hurst, a 5-11, 220-lb. linebacker, also had offers from Baylor, New Mexico and Louisiana Tech. He was a first-team All-SWJCFC selection in 2005 after recording 93 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He is also rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com.

The junior college signing period runs through Jan. 15, while the high school signing period starts Feb. 1.

Hmmm... okay, I was waiting for a press release before I commented on anything.

Obviously, this would have to be viewed as dissappointing. Sure, those two guys fit some needs. But getting a JUCO QB was really, really important. The school would have been given this date to figure out all the transferrable hours and all of that stuff, so I doubt that we are still in the review process. My guess would be that we were waiting on someone else before committing to Danna, so he bolted for LT without a commitment from us that he would be the starter. And the other guy(s) we were actually shooting for either didn't qualify or went elsewhere.

Not good at all. I was hoping we would go into next season with more than just a RS-FR at QB...

I am glad that we got a LB, but two would have been really nice... we need depth there.

We very well may be able to sign a QB later in the period, but one would have to assume that it would be a second tier choice.

Stallion, the platform is yours...

Theoretically, the JUCO signing period is open until Jan. 15. So that means Marcus Johnson and others are still out there. (Or did Johnson sign somewhere?) I've heard there's another from somewhere outside of Texas that we've liked for a while -- don't have a name yet -- but there's some "administrative hangup" (the way it was described to me, anyway). Whether he likes SMU, I don't know, since I'm not even sure who it is.

But like you, JasonB, I'm very glad we got a LB with speed and an OL who I've read (maybe here?) is strong and tough. Can't have too many of those.

Any juco help is help. You don't sign one on potential; you sign them because you know they can help. Even if it is just depth, it helps.

Still, not enough help. We need another QB on the roster. This is really disappointing. Of course, that assumes we don't sign any more, which is a possibility. I believe that happened last year.

Hilltopper wrote:Theoretically, the JUCO signing period is open until Jan. 15. So that means Marcus Johnson and others are still out there. (Or did Johnson sign somewhere?) I've heard there's another from somewhere outside of Texas that we've liked for a while -- don't have a name yet -- but there's some "administrative hangup" (the way it was described to me, anyway). Whether he likes SMU, I don't know, since I'm not even sure who it is.

I hope that is what it is. My concern would be that surely our administrations office knew today was the day to get that stuff done by. I would guess that the best of the JUCO players will pop off the market today.

If this stays at 2 I will be very disappointed, but I believe that it probably will stay there.

they staggered the QB visits-Sean Flynn(12/3) and Joe Danna(12/9). They usually do that for a reason if it can be scheduled that way

Has Marcus Johnson visited?

Stallion wrote:they staggered the QB visits-Sean Flynn(12/3) and Joe Danna(12/9). They usually do that for a reason if it can be scheduled that way

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So it appears we get 'out' recruited on both JC QB's by San Jose (Flynn) & La Tech (Danna)?

Either our recruited or out admitted

For all those sunshiners out there-we'd all be interested in just how many JUCO admissions were shot down this year?

stallion, why don't you go find out, if you really want to know.

I want to know--how do we find out?

We couldn't get Flynn in school.