PonyFans.com

Two 3 star linebackers Avery Cleveland of Austin LBJ and Darius Ingram of Teneha will be visiting SMU on Jan. 10th. Cleveland favors Colorado but says SMU has really risen to the top and can't wait to see what SMU will be like on his visit. Ingram currently favors Arkansas and LSU whom he has already visited and still has a visit lined up with us and TCU. Guys, can we now acknowledge that Phil Bennett may be the best recruiter this side of Mack Brown. Getting this many 3 star guys to consider SMU who went 3-9,had attendance figures near the bottom rung in the NCAA, one winning season since the DP, and academic restrictions that are worse than those of Northwestern and Rice. Gentleman this man is a fantastic recruiter. We're on our way back!!!!

Kurt

Getting either of those two would be great. Getting both would be something close to a miracle. These guys are both very highly regarded. Ingram (6-2, 218, 4.6) of Tenaha, Texas was considering OU, A&M and Arkansas in the last list I saw. Cleveland (6-3, 205, 4.5) was considering Colorado, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame and Iowa. Stealing those guys from those schools would be huge!

Yes, we can acknowledge Bennett's recruiting greatness. If we break .500 next year, do we immediately start working on a contract extension with an expensive buyout to prevent a bigger school from realizing what a great recruiter he is and stealing him?

Is there a chance Avery Cleveland is a distant cousin of Jaymond Cleveland?
Somehow I doubt it.

So on the weekend of Jan. 10-12, we'll have Joey Sturdivant, Kharylake Martin, Tyrell Gatewood, Joel Armstrong, Darius Ingram and Avery Cleveland all on campus? (And this is in addition to some of the studs we already have in the fold: Ricky Joe Meeks, Bryan Turner, Cory Muse, etc.) Can we get Cedric Cofer there, as well?

By my count, we have either 16 or 17 scholarships accounted for (can someone please find out the deal on Poynter? Scholarship or, as rumored, an invited walk-on who just chose to announce his commitment?) I'm guessing this means we have 6 or 7 left. If that's the case, do we have to free some up? Do the coaches gracefully encourage guys to look elsewhere, or tell a veteran player that he might not ever play again, thereby freeing up some space? I don't like the practice of breaking a commitment to anyone, but this class is rolling along in such high gear, I don't want to do anything to derail the success Coach Bennett and his staff have had. When the coaches are on a roll like this, get out of the way!

I agree, I don't like the idea of pushing guys out the door, but when you have a chance to get talent like the guys we're looking at, it might be necessary. Of course, kids have the right to change their minds, so an argument can be made that coaches also should be able to change their minds. How many players backed out on uslast year (Billups, Cherry, etc.)? Bennett needs that freedom to complete a stellar class.