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Bennett's 3-star hall of fame

LIST OF 3-star recruits, Bennett's best recruits of all time at SMU.

Please correct where I f'ed up...

2002
Anthony Barnett - quit?

2004 <--Bennett's best class, RS-SRs this year
Justin Boren - no longer on team (graduate)
Avery Cleveland - conflict with coach, requested transfer
Zach Hall - (dunno, did he graduate?) No longer on team
Desmond Jones - conflict with coach/academics
Richuel Massey - conflict with coach, requested transfer
Ervin McGee - no longer on team (did he play?)
Ricky Joe Meeks - conflict with coach, requested transfer
Cory Muse - STARTER
Chris Phillips - starter / injured / left the team
Joe Sturdivant - burned up redshirt, started 4 years

2005
Vincent Chase - projected STARTER in his 4th year

2006
Clayton Cox - not on team
Columbus Givens - burned redshirt, not so effective second year, maybe this year?
Adrian Haywood (TR) - STARTER
Victor McKinde (TR) - never played, 1 year left of eligibility, left team
Curtiss Powell - no longer on team
Justin Willis - STARTER

2007
Phillip Burley - Redshirted in 2006, may play this year
Bryan McCann - burned the redshirt, STARTER

2008
De'von Bailey - incoming
Derrius Bell - incoming
Bradley Haynes - incoming
Josh LiRibeus - incoming

God, I miss those days...

2 SMU
Before starting at the beginning, skip to the end -- specifically, to the list of schools the Mustangs hurt the most this recruiting season. The very fact that SMU signed players that had committed or were being sought by Colorado, Notre Dame and Texas A&M indicates that Mike Cavan is turning things around in a big way. Last year's group was ranked No. 1 in the WAC by SuperPrep, and this group could be better.

Impact Signees: OL Sterling Harris (6-6, 280) opted for the Mustangs over Notre Dame, although the fact that SMU signed his adopted brother, LB Devonric Johnson (6-0, 215), conceivably played a role in his decision. DL Warrie Birdwell (6-4, 265) jumped ship from Colorado after Rick Neuheisel jumped first, and WR Chris Cunningham (5-8, 175) switched from Texas A&M. Lineman Thornton Chandler (6-3, 240) was one of the top players in Florida, and WR Shannon Bennett (6-1, 170) is a well-liked transfer from Texas Tech who is returning to his Dallas Fort Worth roots.

Bennett's record is better evidence than anecdotal this and that. Stick to that and no more ramblings that get your thread tossed off of the board and you have a point. Come off that evidence or swim past the buoys again and you will have proven nothing except that you are stubborn and shrill. Not exactly a credible position to be in.

OC Mustang wrote:Bennett's record is better evidence than anecdotal this and that.

Are you defending Bennett based on his record at SMU? That would have to be a pretty impresive defense if a 17-41 record was the only thing you planned on hanging your hat on!

MustangIcon wrote:

OC Mustang wrote:Bennett's record is better evidence than anecdotal this and that.

Are you defending Bennett based on his record at SMU? That would have to be a pretty impresive defense if a 17-41 record was the only thing you planned on hanging your hat on!

Dude, he's saying that Bennett's record is better evidence of his need to go anything you might dig up about recruiting flamouts.

-CoS

Bennett has turned more 2 stars into good players than he has turned 3 stars into busts......and he has a nice moustache.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Bennett's best recruits of all time at SMU.

I can't believe I'd take the bait, but his best recruits would include (but certainly are not limited to) Justin Willis, Justin Rogers, Adrian Haywood, DeMyron Martin, Bobby Chase, etc. — go down the list of the best players on the team (and in the last couple of years), and lo and behold, they're all Bennett recruits. All you've done is prove that the damn stars system is nearly meaningless after the top tier of national recruits, and even some of them miss out on teams that find guys with fewer stars who come in and play major roles.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Please correct where I f'ed up...

You mean just on this post, or on all of them? Not sure I have that kind of time....

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Justin Boren - no longer on team (graduate)

No, he transferred because of a lack of playing time.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Avery Cleveland - conflict with coach, requested transfer

Ditto — lack of playing time.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Zach Hall - (dunno, did he graduate?) No longer on team

Couldn't move laterally, at least in part because of injury, and couldn't crack the two-deep. Or the three-deep. Or the four-deep. Or ....

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Desmond Jones - conflict with coach/academics

Not a conflict with coach. Off-field issue, with academics lingering overhead.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Richuel Massey - conflict with coach, requested transfer

Where you do you get this stuff? He felt he didn't get enough carries, despite the fact that he did little to nothing when he did get the ball. Weight room monster, but the truth hurts. Hope he's doing well at his new school.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Joe Sturdivant - burned up redshirt, started 4 years

If he is good enough to start four years, you can't really call his redshirt year "burned up." He was the best we had, and he earned his playing time. Took some lumps, but there was nothing "burned" about it.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Vincent Chase - projected STARTER in his 4th year

Has played the last two years behind a very good starter in Ryan Kennedy.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Clayton Cox - not on team

Got homeseick and transferred before he ever played.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Columbus Givens - burned redshirt, not so effective second year, maybe this year?

BURNED? No, he simply played as a true freshman, and might use the redshirt year this year to regain his health.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Bryan McCann - burned the redshirt, STARTER

No, again — he still could redshirt. He's a terrific player who earned playing time as a true freshman. If he gets hurt, he still could redshirt.

2008
De'von Bailey - incoming
Derrius Bell - incoming
Bradley Haynes - incoming
Josh LiRibeus - incoming[/quote]

Webdudes, please nuke this guy. jtstang and the rest don't sing chearleader songs, but all this guy wants is to find every flaw he can so he can help get rid of Coach Bennett. He never has had anything constructive or positive to add. Ever.

Otto wrote:
Webdudes, please nuke this guy. jtstang and the rest don't sing chearleader songs, but all this guy wants is to find every flaw he can so he can help get rid of Coach Bennett. He never has had anything constructive or positive to add. Ever.

I think everybody is finding this to be painfully clear. The person is nothing but an advocate for failure.

And yes, guys like jtstang and the keeper of the star are critics of the program but their comments are directed in a manner because they would ultimately like to see the program succeed.

PhriendofPhil doesn't want any of that because it would compromise his agenda.

GO MUSTANGS!!! WIN CONFERENCE USA!!!

MustangIcon wrote:

OC Mustang wrote:Bennett's record is better evidence than anecdotal this and that.

Are you defending Bennett based on his record at SMU? That would have to be a pretty impresive defense if a 17-41 record was the only thing you planned on hanging your hat on!

Wasn't defending anybody. Was pointing out that Phire has the tendency to grasp at anything to justify Bennett's ouster. And he doesn't have to. Bennett shouldn't be at SMU based on his record. Nothing else matters. If Bennett cleans up this season, he's going to be similar to the coach who turned around Virginia Tech. If he doesn't he's gone, and frankly, he should be.

But Phire's babbling isn't necessary to buttress that argument, not even to George C Scott.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:God, I miss those days...

2 SMU
Before starting at the beginning, skip to the end -- specifically, to the list of schools the Mustangs hurt the most this recruiting season. The very fact that SMU signed players that had committed or were being sought by Colorado, Notre Dame and Texas A&M indicates that Mike Cavan is turning things around in a big way. Last year's group was ranked No. 1 in the WAC by SuperPrep, and this group could be better.

Impact Signees: OL Sterling Harris (6-6, 280) opted for the Mustangs over Notre Dame, although the fact that SMU signed his adopted brother, LB Devonric Johnson (6-0, 215), conceivably played a role in his decision. DL Warrie Birdwell (6-4, 265) jumped ship from Colorado after Rick Neuheisel jumped first, and WR Chris Cunningham (5-8, 175) switched from Texas A&M. Lineman Thornton Chandler (6-3, 240) was one of the top players in Florida, and WR Shannon Bennett (6-1, 170) is a well-liked transfer from Texas Tech who is returning to his Dallas Fort Worth roots.

Dude, I would take a hiatus from the board for a while if I were you.

Dwan wrote:Bennett has turned more 2 stars into good players than he has turned 3 stars into busts......and he has a nice moustache.

whatever...if your highest ranked players all quit the team, guess what? Two-stars are going to START and thus 'be' the stars...

Otto wrote:

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Bennett's best recruits of all time at SMU.

I can't believe I'd take the bait, but his best recruits would include (but certainly are not limited to) Justin Willis, Justin Rogers, Adrian Haywood, DeMyron Martin, Bobby Chase, etc. — go down the list of the best players on the team (and in the last couple of years), and lo and behold, they're all Bennett recruits. All you've done is prove that the damn stars system is nearly meaningless after the top tier of national recruits, and even some of them miss out on teams that find guys with fewer stars who come in and play major roles.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Please correct where I f'ed up...

You mean just on this post, or on all of them? Not sure I have that kind of time....

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Justin Boren - no longer on team (graduate)

No, he transferred because of a lack of playing time.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Avery Cleveland - conflict with coach, requested transfer

Ditto — lack of playing time.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Zach Hall - (dunno, did he graduate?) No longer on team

Couldn't move laterally, at least in part because of injury, and couldn't crack the two-deep. Or the three-deep. Or the four-deep. Or ....

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Desmond Jones - conflict with coach/academics

Not a conflict with coach. Off-field issue, with academics lingering overhead.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Richuel Massey - conflict with coach, requested transfer

Where you do you get this stuff? He felt he didn't get enough carries, despite the fact that he did little to nothing when he did get the ball. Weight room monster, but the truth hurts. Hope he's doing well at his new school.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Joe Sturdivant - burned up redshirt, started 4 years

If he is good enough to start four years, you can't really call his redshirt year "burned up." He was the best we had, and he earned his playing time. Took some lumps, but there was nothing "burned" about it.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Vincent Chase - projected STARTER in his 4th year

Has played the last two years behind a very good starter in Ryan Kennedy.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Clayton Cox - not on team

Got homeseick and transferred before he ever played.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Columbus Givens - burned redshirt, not so effective second year, maybe this year?

BURNED? No, he simply played as a true freshman, and might use the redshirt year this year to regain his health.

PhirePhilBennett wrote:Bryan McCann - burned the redshirt, STARTER

No, again — he still could redshirt. He's a terrific player who earned playing time as a true freshman. If he gets hurt, he still could redshirt.

2008
De'von Bailey - incoming
Derrius Bell - incoming
Bradley Haynes - incoming
Josh LiRibeus - incoming

Webdudes, please nuke this guy. jtstang and the rest don't sing chearleader songs, but all this guy wants is to find every flaw he can so he can help get rid of Coach Bennett. He never has had anything constructive or positive to add. Ever.[/quote]

1. your counters are the epitome of "MAKING EXCUSES"...it's common knowledge that many of his recruits left do to conflicts - not JUST because they wanted more playing time. Jeez...

2. When you start a freshman, by definition, you are BURNING his redshirt opportunity. Yes, we all realize that he 'could' still redshirt later. I think JOE STURD. is prime example of BURNING a RS freshman year...because boy it'd be nice to have him a year older, in THIS year. Or how about Brannon Bonds that graduated? Him too. Sometimes you need to try and plan your seniors to graduate when you are at your strength...that takes planning. And, again, yes, sometimes you have to burn a RS because of need. Did we really need to burn Columbus Givens?

Don't agree? What about Justin Rogers...prime example of REDSHIRTING strategically (yes, he does SOME things ok every once in a while...see I said something positive)

And, yes, we all realize that sometimes you HAVE to do it due to situations of staffing, but tell that to RC Slocum, who should have RS his new QB, but instead tried to 'save' his job, and ruined reggie by throwing him into the fire too early.

Interesting how PhriendofPhailure decided to give small acknowledgement to the number of players who were redshirted in the previous two seasons and chose not to recognize that when Bennett had to get some of his best players on the field in the mid-2000s, he had to do that with some of the former players mentioned because he was building something that we all like to call...depth.

The trainwreck Cavan left was a major rebuilding job.

And there are going to be those who are just going to have to play without a redshirt year. That's what happens. I seem to recall that maybe one or two players from the 2006 class played last fall. I know McCann and maybe somebody else. If someone can think of them, feel free.

The percentages will reveal that most did sit their freshman year.

The bottom line: Otto was right. PhriendofPhailure missed the point. Just like he framed the argument to the player's leaving because of a conflict. And of course, he will take the player's side -- forgetting that there are two sides but not forgetting he hates Phil Bennett.

What a great guy.

George S. Patton wrote:Interesting how PhriendofPhailure decided to give small acknowledgement to the number of players who were redshirted in the previous two seasons and chose not to recognize that when Bennett had to get some of his best players on the field in the mid-2000s, he had to do that with some of the former players mentioned because he was building something that we all like to call...depth.

The trainwreck Cavan left was a major rebuilding job.

And there are going to be those who are just going to have to play without a redshirt year. That's what happens. I seem to recall that maybe one or two players from the 2006 class played last fall. I know McCann and maybe somebody else. If someone can think of them, feel free.

The percentages will reveal that most did sit their freshman year.

The bottom line: Otto was right. PhriendofPhailure missed the point. Just like he framed the argument to the player's leaving because of a conflict. And of course, he will take the player's side -- forgetting that there are two sides but not forgetting he hates Phil Bennett.

What a great guy.

I don't think there's much question that Cavan would have won more than 3 games had he stayed the next year...and more than ZERO games the following year. PB lost all those due to INEXPERIENCE as a head coach. His divide and conquer "his" and "mine" recruits tactics backfired as well. He had to learn how to be a head coach. Finally, after losing all those games, he probably is head coach material, but he's lost his credibility in the recruiting wars because he went OH-FOR-TWELVE

My only complaint on redshirts is not the numbers he has burned-he generally has burned very few-but I do think he really wasted a few with players who didn't get on the field. In my opinion a redshirt should not be burned until a coach has made a commitment to play a freshman at least half the series at his position or of course if it is required because of injuries or for the benefit of the team. Once that decision is made the freshman needs to be a major part of the team. I have no problem "wasting a redshirt" on a freshman who is the best player at his position and earns a starting position. For example, Sturdivant and McCann. I'd like to see those players identified even earlier though and stick with the decision.